Student News: September 2, 2009

CARL AZUZ, CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR: Virus vaccinations, a wildfire forecast, and a turnaround on a texting ban. Hi I'm Carl Azuz. We've got the details on all of these stories in today's edition of CNN Student News. Welcome.

First Up: Isolated by the Flu

AZUZ: First up, President Obama asks Americans to take "common-sense" steps to prepare for the return of the H1N1, or swine flu. "I don't want anybody to be alarmed, but I do want people to be prepared." Those were the president's words yesterday when he addressed the issue. He said the government is doing everything it can to prepare for a new outbreak, including making H1N1 vaccines. Mr. Obama says those vaccinations won't be mandatory, although he does recommend them. He also says that if people do get sick, they should stay home from work or school. But what if your school is your home? As Elizabeth Cohen explains, this is a situation facing college students who have contracted the virus.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ELIZABETH COHEN, SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Swine flu seems to like college campuses, and especially the University of Kansas, where there are nearly 350 suspected cases. Freshman Arielle Spiridigliozzi is one of them. When she first got swine flu...

ARIELLE SPIRIDIGLIOZZI, FRESHMAN, UNIVERSITY OF KASAS: I was like, am I gonna die?

COHEN: Arielle of course didn't die, but she was pretty sick. Her temperature climbed to 101 degrees.

SPIRIDIGLIOZZI: Everything hurts, you're just laying in bed and your body's just aching and you're coughing and your chest just is burning.

COHEN: Cold comfort, but Arielle wasn't alone. Her roommate Kaitlyn Perry contracted the virus, too. So, they were ordered into isolation together in their dorm room. We decided to go in and talk to them to see how they're feeling. But before we go into their room, we decided we better make a call to the CDC.

COHEN: Hi, Dr. Jernigan. How are you?

DR. JERNIGAN, CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION: I'm doing fine.

COHEN: The doctor at the CDC tells me two things: One, I don't have to wear a mask, but the sick students do. Two, I should stay at least six feet away from them at all times. I join the dorm staff who are delivering food to the sick young ladies.

COHEN: What's it like being cooped up in here?

SPIRIDIGLIOZZI: It's so boring.

KAITLYN PERRY, FRESHMAN, UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS: We've watched like seven movies.

SPIRIDIGLIOZZI: We've watched so many movies.

COHEN: Is it scary, for the first time in your life on your own and you get sick?

SPIRIDIGLIOZZI: Yeah, because you're like, mom and dad aren't gonna come in and wake you up every three hours to take your medicine and make sure you're taking that Advil so your fever doesn't raise. Like, it's on your own, and what happens if you don't wake up, or you sleep through your alarm clock? But I mean, I know I've been checking on Kaitlyn and she's been checking on me.

PERRY: I think we're doing all right.

COHEN: College campus, students living with each other 24/7, often in close quarters are breeding grounds for swine flu. So far, 19 campuses across the country have reported cases. The university is following the CDC's guidelines that say if infected students are without a fever for 24 hours, they can leave isolation. So with fingers crossed, Kaitlyn and Arielle take their temperatures.

PERRY: 98.7! l don't have a fever!

SPIRIDIGLIOZZI: 98.2! Holler! Yeah, no fever!

COHEN: Hours later, Kaitlyn and Arielle are free from their confinement, able to leave their dorm room and finally begin life at college.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Shoutout

ERIK NIVISON, CNN STUDENT NEWS: Time for the Shoutout! What U.S. state has the highest population? If you think you know it, shout it out! Is it: A) Alaska, B) California, C) New York or D) Texas? You've got three seconds -- GO! With more than 36 million people, California is the most populated state in the U.S. That's your answer and that's your Shoutout!

California Wildfires

AZUZ: Some of that population has been ordered to evacuate because of a deadly wildfire. As of Tuesday morning, the Station Fire had burned more than 120,000 acres. That is larger than the entire city of Philadelphia. But officials are feeling more optimistic about efforts to fight the flames. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger says part of the reason why is the people doing the fighting.

GOV. ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER, (R) CALIFORNIA: We are very fortunate that we have the best and the most aggressive, best-trained, the most courageous firefighters in the world. And that's why we are able to push back very heavily. But while all those fires are burning, we are already thinking about working to help victims rebuild their lives.

AZUZ: Mike Sarkissian, who rents a home in the area threatened by the fire, shot some incredible video of the blaze. Take a look at this.

MIKE SARKISSIAN, RESIDENT: So, here we are in the Tujunga Canyon watching this fire go through, trying to protect the buildings. And here's a picture of it coming up probably through one of the closest spots of the property that could catch a building. So, I'm going to tape it just so you guys can see how fast this thing progresses.

Hurricane Jimena

AZUZ: Moving south of the border, residents of the Mexican resort town of Cabo San Lucas are bracing for Hurricane Jimena, as the storm moves up the Baja Peninsula. You can see some of its effects in this video. Jimena began yesterday as a Category 4 storm, but slowed to a Category 3 by the afternoon. However, weather officials say the hurricane could still be strong when it hits land. That's expected to happen Thursday morning. Experts warn though that any change in direction could affect when and where the storm will hit.

Is this Legit

TOMEKA JONES, CNN STUDENT NEWS: Is this Legit? There is a nationwide ban on texting while driving. Not Legit! Some states do ban text messaging for all drivers, but much of the U.S. doesn't have a ban.

Texting Ban?

AZUZ: One highway safety group, however, thinks every state should. It's calling for a nationwide ban, something this group was opposed to in the past. What's behind the u-turn? A new study, which says that texting significantly increases your chances of getting in a wreck. Also, a public service announcement that's been going around the Internet, which shows the potential danger of texting from behind the wheel. Jason Carroll explores how the group's new position could impact the push for a ban. Teachers, this report does include some graphic images from that PSA. We encourage you to preview it before showing it to your class.

(BEGIN VIDEO)

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Some drivers call it fallout from life on the road in the digital age: texting while driving. A graphic public service announcement produced in the UK, widely seen on the Web in the United States, illustrates a violent end. This spot is part of the reason a group once opposed to new laws banning texting while driving has reversed its position.

VERNON BETKEY JR, GHSA: We're certainly in favor of the ban, and we're willing to support a texting ban.

CARROLL: Vernon Betkey Jr. is chairman of the Governor's Highway Safety Association, a national group representing state highway safety officials. In July, the group came out against laws banning texting while driving, Betkey saying, "...New laws would be impossible to enforce." But Betkey did an about-face following a meeting with the group's members, who'd seen that PSA and some alarming studies.

BETKEY: I think that as a result of those discussions, a decision was made to re-adjust our policy.

CARROLL: Senators, including Charles Schumer, who have proposed a federal law requiring states to ban texting while driving, say the highway association's new stance could go a long way.

SEN. CHARLES SCHUMER, (D) NEW YORK: They saw that this was so important to do because it's so dangerous, that they took the leap and it's going to give our legislation a major boost.

CARROLL: Another boost: recent studies like the one from Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, which found a truck driver's risk of crashing 23 times higher while text messaging. Another study done by Professor David Strayer at the University of Utah found another disturbing result.

DAVID STRAYER, UNIVERSITY OF UTAH : Text messaging is a level of impairment that exceeds what we see with someone who is driving while they're drunk.

CARROLL: Exceeds it?

STRAYER: Yes.

CARROLL: Strayer's researchers found a driver with an alcohol level 0.08, legally drunk in most states, is four times more likely to crash. Texting, that driver is eight times more likely. Currently, just 18 states and the District of Columbia ban texting while driving.

CARROLL: So, what is your prediction at this point?

SCHUMER: I think we can get a bill done within the next several months.

(END VIDEO)

Promo

AZUZ: Many of you already have your driver's license, and if you don't, you're probably looking forward to when you do. What do you think? Should texting from behind the wheel be banned across the U.S.? And how about that PSA? Some of you might have seen it already. Do you think it's effective in getting across its message, or does it go too far? You can sound off with all your thoughts on our blog at CNNStudentNews.com. Please remember, first names only.

Before We Go

AZUZ: Before we go, that desk you're sitting at? It's dumb. At least compared to this one! You've heard of a smart board? Check out the smart desk, the latest technological teaching tool. It lets students get hands on with science, art, geography, and it can fit up to five sets of fingers at a time. These desks are designed for elementary students and they're being used in classrooms in Greece.

Goodbye

AZUZ: It might not sound very sentimental, but we still think it's a touching story. For CNN Student News, I'm Carl Azuz.

Read more!

Student News September 1, 2009

CARL AZUZ, CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR: Hi, I'm Carl Azuz. A famous mouse house is adding some x-factors. We'll explain that and run down the cast of characters in CNN Student News. Let's go!

First Up: Wildfires Worsen

AZUZ: First up, a fast-moving wildfire explodes, doubling in size and raging a path across Southern California. One official says the Station Fire, which we reported on yesterday, has "a mind of its own." The blaze had grown to more than 85,000 acres by Monday morning, but it was only about 5 percent contained. Authorities have ordered a mandatory evacuation for anyone in this fire's path. Some people who didn't evacuate were actually trapped. Rob Marciano looks at the threat that this fire poses and the toll that it's already taken.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARCIANO: Two firefighters killed when their vehicle rolled down a mountainside. Part of a treacherous battlefield in these hills north of L.A., where the easiest approach is often from the sky. Helicopters and planes attacking what seems to be an endless wall of fire.

MAN ON STREET #1: I'm afraid.

MARCIANO: On the ground, more than 10,000 homes sitting in the fire's path.

MAN ON STREET #2: All we can do is hope for the best.

MARCIANO: Police blocking off neighborhoods and ordering thousands of people to evacuate, a warning the governor urged them to take seriously.

GOV. ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER, (R) CALIFORNIA: This is a huge and is a very dangerous fire.

MARCIANO: Not everyone listened. Some, like this man, stayed behind, armed only with a garden hose.

MAN ON STREET #3: I'm trying my best.

MARCIANO: But most grabbed what they could, and left the firefighting to the professionals.

MAN ON STREET #4: We left them a shovel and our hoses.

MARCIANO: The nearly 3,000 firefighters in the fight taking mostly defensive positions, digging in and letting the fire come to them.

MIKE DIETRICH, U.S. FOREST SERVICE INCIDENT CHIEF: The weather, the fuels and the topography are dictating our firefighting actions.

MARCIANO: Their biggest problem this time not wind, but unrelenting heat and too much fuel. The area hasn't seen a major fire in 60 years, and is loaded with dense brush. Up north, wind becoming a very serious threat. Eerie pictures from the town of Auburn, near Sacramento, where a number of homes and buildings burned to the ground. That fast-moving fire eating up 500 acres in just a few hours. Back near L.A., neighbors can only gather on corners and wait, hoping to avoid the same fate.

MAN ON STREET #5: There's still fires here. Like I said, we've got a fire coming down the canyon behind us here too, so we're pretty much surrounded.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

AZUZ: Of course, the details of this story continue to develop as firefighters continue to battle against the Station Fire. Get the latest updates on their efforts; you can always find them online at CNN.com.

Shoutout

TOMEKA JONES, CNN STUDENT NEWS: Time for the Shoutout! Which of the following would you find about 250 miles above the Earth's surface? If you think you know it, shout it out! Is it the: A) Stratosphere, B) Moon, C) International space station or D) Skylab? You've got three seconds -- GO! The ISS orbits about 250 miles above your head, traveling at over 17,000 miles per hour! That's your answer and that's your Shoutout!

Shuttle Docking

AZUZ: And that is also where you'll find the space shuttle Discovery, at least for the next several days. It met up with the international space station on Sunday. While it's there, astronauts plan to unload over seven tons of cargo and take three spacewalks to install some equipment and replace some experiments. There's also a scheduled swap. One astronaut from the ISS is heading back to Earth, while one from the shuttle is staying in space.

Afghan Vote Count

AZUZ: Back on the ground, officials in Afghanistan are counting votes from last month's presidential election. But the results might get held up because of a growing number of complaints about the voting process. As of Sunday, nearly 2,500 complaints had been filed. Authorities say more than 560 of those are serious enough to affect the outcome of the race. In order for the results to be certified, the complaints have to be resolved. With around 48 percent of the votes counted, current President Hamid Karzai is in the lead.

Disney Buys Marvel

AZUZ: And back here in the U.S., Mickey Mouse is teaming up with... Wolverine? It might not sound like a match made in heaven, but it's a match made in Disneyland. The Walt Disney Company has agreed to buy Marvel Entertainment, which is home to Spider-Man, Iron Man, the X-men and more than 5,000 other characters. Disney says it's hoping the new additions will help the company appeal to you, specifically you guys out there. But it's not gonna be cheap. The Marvel move is costing the mouse house about $4 billion.

Campus Health Care

AZUZ: From comics to college. When you hit campus for your freshman year, there are gonna be some things you'll want to have with you: clothes, computer, TV, maybe a friend? Health insurance probably isn't at the top of your list. It may not even on it. But at some universities, coverage is required. Brianna Keilar takes us to school on some of the reasons why.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Freshman move-in day at the University of Maryland. Thousands of students jamming into teeny, tiny dorm rooms. This scene repeats itself every August here, but something's different this year. Like a growing number of colleges, UMD is requiring students to have health insurance, starting with this freshmen class.

KEILAR: Do you think there will be a lot of germs?

MELISSA EPSTEIN, STUDENT: Absolutely! I brought a big container of hand sanitizer, and I plan on using it.

KEILAR: Doctor Gail Lee, the clinical director of the school's health center, says without coverage, students can suffer academically.

DR.GAIL LEE, CLINICAL DIRECTOR, UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND: It can affect their ability to stay in school. It can affect the fact that they might have to go to work to pay off their medical bills.

KEILAR: Historically, Lee says 1 in 15 UMD students have been uninsured. But now, if freshmen don't prove they have health insurance, the university automatically puts them on its student plan.

LEE: It covers a lot of the things that we think are important for students. For example, it covers immunizations. It would cover them if they are a study-abroad student.

KEILAR: For previously uninsured students, it's an added cost of about $100 per month, increasing in-state tuition and fees by 8%.

MAN ON THE STREET: Moving Day!

KEILAR: But for some families, like the Epsteins, it's a bargain alternative to keeping their freshman daughter Melissa on the family's out-of-state insurance. Why the student plan for Melissa?

HOWIE EPSTEIN, MELISSA'S FATHER: We were able to save probably about $400 a month by putting her on her separate plan.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Recession Gardening

AZUZ: A lot of people are looking into strategies to save money, whether it's with health insurance or horticulture, growing your own plants and foods. According to officials, so-called "recession gardens" are cropping up all over. Christine Romans talks with some folks who are willing to get their hands dirty in an attempt to save some green.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Some nice ones back there.

ROMANS: Here are the real green shoots in the economy. Karen Simonson and Grisella Feliciano work together in the business office at the Queens Botanical Gardens. Before this spring, there wasn't a green thumb between them.

GRISELLA FELICIANO, GARDENER: Since we didn't know how to do it, we figured if we'd do it together it would, you know, save time and just be easier for both of us.

ROMANS: With help from Simonson's daughter Rebecca, they found abundance in a recession.

REBECCA AGURTO, GARDENER: I planted the tomatoes and the string beans and the peppers.

ROMANS: Theirs is one of 43 million food gardens this year. The National Gardening Association says 19 percent of the households growing their own fruits, vegetables and herbs are doing it for the very first time. Vegetable seed sales are up 30 percent. Ball, the popular maker of canning supplies, also saw sales jump 30 percent. And one of the oldest seed catalog companies, a 19th and early 20th century stalwart, is finding new and newly frugal 21st century gardeners.

GEORGE BALL, W. ATLEE BURPEE & CO.: It's not that a vegetable is going to make you money. It's that you're not going to be spending that money in the produce section or the farmer's market or the supermarket. If you spend, say, a hundred dollars on vegetable seeds, you're going to save $2,500, on average, in savings at the supermarket. That's money you can spend on your child's college fund or, you know, buy something, or get the house down payment further advanced.

ROMANS: Saving money, taking control, getting back to basics, and bringing green to your greens.

DAVID ELLIS, AMERICAN HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY: You're controlling how you're growing it. And often, homegrown produce, which you can pluck right off the vine, is very, is really much tastier than vegetables that have been harvested a couple of weeks ahead in the supermarket.

ROMANS: New gardener Simonson says fresh and pesticide-free produce is what got her gardening in the first place.

KAREN SIMONSON, GARDENER: Having my daughter, I've become a little more conscious about what she eats. And being that she's eight years old right now, I thought it was a good activity for us to do together.

ROMANS: And recession or no, next year they'll do it again.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Before We Go

AZUZ: And finally today, from harvesting food to harvesting energy. This may look like a normal workout. That may look like a normal knee brace. But the technology connected to it is anything but normal. That's because with every step this man takes, he is generating energy! The brace stores it up and transfers it to batteries. About one minute of walking makes enough power for 10 minutes of talking on a normal cell phone.

Goodbye

AZUZ: A walking power generator? Sounds like a big step for technology. We have to hit the road, but the cool thing is, we broadcast on Wednesdays, too, so we hope to see ya then!


Read more!

Student News: August 31, 2009

CARL AZUZ, CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR: It's the last day of the month, the first day of the week, and for some of you, the start of a new school year. So, welcome to CNN Student News. With your commercial-free source for classroom news, I'm Carl Azuz.

First Up: Japan Election Day

AZUZ: First up, a big shift in political power as Japanese voters weigh in at the ballot box. The Liberal Democratic Party has run Japan's government for decades. Not anymore. Early results from yesterday's parliamentary elections show that the Democratic Party of Japan won in a landslide. The country's current prime minister announced his resignation based on this outcome. That's because the position, which is similar to the U.S. president, is filled by someone from the majority party. Kyung Lah explores some of the reasons behind the transition in Japan's ruling party.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAN ON STREET: Bonzai!

KYUNG LAH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: This is the sound of a political earthquake in Japan. A landslide victory for the opposition, the Democratic Party of Japan, booting out the prime minister and his ruling party. Supporters wept as candidates for the Liberal Democratic Party lost seat after seat in the parliament. A crushing defeat for a party that had run Japan's government almost continuously since 1955.

Here at the opposition party headquarters, they're watching the final vote tally to come in. At the end of it, the opposition expects to win Japan's parliament by 3 to 1, a mandate by the voters. A change that's long overdue, says longtime Japan watcher Richard Jerram.

RICHARD JERRAM, MACQUARIE CAPITAL SECURITIES: It's tremendously exciting. You've got a change of government, probably on a lasting basis, for the first time in 50 years. You've got the prospect of changing how they run the government by reducing the bureaucracy and trying to increase the political influence on policymaking. So politically, it's very exciting.

LAH: What led voters to line up at polling places was a sense of frustration over domestic scandals, but more importantly, the economy. Voting for an untested party like the opposition is a sign of how much anger there is about the slowdown in the world's second largest economy.

YOSHIKO SHIRAISHI, VOTER [TRANSLATED]: "I want them to change something," says this voter, punching her card for the opposition.

MASAYUKI NAKAMURA, VOTER [TRANSLATED]: "The money's been going the wrong way," says this man. "I hope the money will now go towards jobs and creating a safety net."

LAH: Voters are now counting on sweeping change to match the sweeping political victory of Japan's new ruling party. Kyung Lah, CNN, Tokyo.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Fast Facts

ERIK NIVISON, CNN STUDENT NEWS: Time for some Fast Facts! When a U.S. Senate seat opens up, how is it filled? It depends on the state. In 37 states, the governor picks the senator's replacement. The remaining 13 states can schedule a special election to replace the senator, but when and how those special elections are held can vary by state. Massachusetts, the state that Senator Ted Kennedy represented, has a special election. It's held 145 to 160 days after the Senate seat becomes vacant.

Replacing Kennedy

AZUZ: It's a situation that's taking place right now after Senator Kennedy's death last week at the age of 77. Funeral services were held in Boston on Saturday. President Obama and the first lady attended, along with past presidents and many of Kennedy's colleagues in the U.S. Senate. People gathered to honor the late senator, both in the streets of Boston and on the steps of the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C. Senator Kennedy was laid to rest Saturday evening in Arlington National Cemetery.

We just mentioned how Massachusetts selects a Senate replacement. But recently, someone asked that the state's law be changed: Ted Kennedy. He wanted his seat to be filled quickly. Jessica Yellin looks at why.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JESSICA YELLIN, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Before he died, Sen. Kennedy sent a letter to his state's top officials writing, "I believe it is vital for this commonwealth to have two votes in the Senate." He asked that state law be changed to allow the governor to appoint someone to Kennedy's seat as soon as it became vacant. Massachusetts' new senior senator echoed that request.

SEN. JOHN KERRY, (D) MASSACHUSETTS: He's asking simply for a temporary ability to appoint someone who will not run, who will not get in the way of other people who want to run, who will be there for a moment only.

YELLIN: Currently, the state is required to hold a special election, which would happen January 19th at the earliest. That's probably too late for a vote on health care reform, the issue Kennedy called "the cause of my life." In this climate, Democrats need every vote they can get. The math is not good. With Kennedy's death, Democrats are one vote shy of a 60 vote super majority. They could try to pass reform using a special tactic called "reconciliation," that requires only 51 votes. But Senator Robert Byrd is ill and top Democrats worry at least six of their own Senators plus independent Joe Lieberman could vote no, depending on the contents of the bill. If they pick up no Republicans and lose all fence sitters, Democrats have barely enough votes to pass health care reform. Massachusetts' governor is pressing lawmakers to change the law and give Democrats that vote.

GOV. DEVAL PATRICK, (D) MASSACHUSETTS: I'm hoping that the legislature will turn to it and turn to it soon, and if they send me a bill, I will sign it.

YELLIN: State leaders have not made clear whether they favor a temporary appointment, but top national Democrats tell CNN they believe lawmakers will ultimately support it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Shoutout

TOMEKA JONES, CNN STUDENT NEWS: Today's Shoutout goes out to Mr. Snidman's current events classes at Ladue Horton Watkins High School in Ladue, Missouri. How many more space shuttle missions has NASA scheduled? If you think you know it, shout it out! Is it: A) Three, B) Six, C) Twelve or D) Fifteen? You've got three seconds -- GO! NASA is planning six more shuttle missions, with the last one launching in September 2010. That's your answer and that's your Shoutout!

Shuttle Liftoff

AZUZ: Those six planned trips we mentioned don't include the current mission of the space shuttle Discovery, because it already took off. The shuttle launched just before midnight Friday night, and was scheduled to meet up with the international space station last night. Discovery will be connected to the ISS for eight days, transferring supplies and equipment to the orbiting station. This marks just the second time that thirteen people -- the full crews of Discovery and the ISS -- will be on one spacecraft at the same time.

California Wildfires

AZUZ: Coming back down to Earth, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has declared a state of emergency because of a raging wildfire in Los Angeles country. This move will help free up resources to help fight the blaze. As of yesterday afternoon, no deaths had been reported, although several people had been injured. The flames are threatening more than 12,000 buildings in the area, forcing thousands of people to evacuate. More than 1,800 firefighters were battling the blaze, which Gov. Schwarzenegger says is one of more than half a dozen wildfires burning across the state.

Jimena Path

AZUZ: Experts say residents in southern California also need to keep an eye on Hurricane Jimena. Yesterday afternoon, the storm was a Category 4, with winds of 135 miles per hour. It was approaching Baja, California, which is actually part of Mexico, and moving through the Pacific Ocean heading north. Jimena is the 10th named storm of the Pacific hurricane season. That's a totally separate list from the Atlantic season, which so far has seen storms like Bill and Danny.

Blog Report

AZUZ: Following up on last Friday's story about schools reducing bus service to save money, here's what some of you guys had to say about it. Katie says "schools have to do whatever it takes to survive in our economy. If it takes budget cuts and fewer school bus stops, then that's what they have to do." But Syera disagrees, writing that "some students might not have rides to school; they should not have to walk. And some students don't own a bike." Janai felt the same way, noting that "not all parents had other options -- besides the bus -- on getting their child to and from school." Thomas wrote this on Facebook: "Cutting busses... Encouraging students to walk to school... It's helping both the environment and improving your health." But back on the blog, Austin said, "You hear about all kinds of money being spent on other somewhat useless things. Can't they give just a little more to the school systems?" Tell us what you think about all this on our blog at CNNStudentNews.com. And for the blog, please remember, it is first names only.

Before We Go

AZUZ: Before we go, trying to set world records can be a slippery slope, especially when it involves an attempt at the world's biggest slip 'n slide. Or slip 'n scoot. Maybe slip 'n crawl. Are you sure you guys know how this is supposed to work? Looks like organizers pulled out all the stops to break the record. They laid out a 575 foot slide, they turned on the water, then they sent 235 people down the hill.

Goodbye

AZUZ: It's just too bad that wasn't enough to break the record. For CNN Student News, I'm Carl Azuz. You guys have a great day.

Read more!

Student News: August 27, 2009

CARL AZUZ, CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR: Crescent City construction, high-tech helmets, and a campsite crasher. They're all coming up on CNN Student News. But first, a political giant passes on.

First Up: Sen. Edward Kennedy

AZUZ: Senator Edward "Ted" Kennedy, who was diagnosed with brain cancer 15 months ago, died Tuesday night at the age of 77. Kennedy was known as the "Lion of the Senate," and during his decades of service, he put together a long resume of accomplishments. The Civil Rights Act, the Voting Rights Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act: Kennedy played a major role in all of them. Sandra Endo looks back at his life and legacy.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)


SANDRA ENDO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Not many little brothers turn into father figures for powerful families. But Edward "Ted" Kennedy was not the typical youngest of nine children. He was only 31 when his big brother, President John F. Kennedy, was assassinated. But he was already a year into his first term as a U.S. Senator. He eventually became one of only six Senators to serve more than 40 years. Kennedy was lionized by many Democrats, who saw him as the champion of their ideals.

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: The reason that he has accomplished more than any of the others who are there, the reason that he has been able to help deliver voting rights and immigration rights and helped people who are vulnerable, is because he fights.

ENDO: He was equally demonized by many conservatives. But despite his predominantly liberal voting record, Kennedy often reached out to Republicans to compromise. Even four decades in, Kennedy's passion and powers of persuasion impressed ideological opposites.

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN, (R) ARIZONA: He remains the single most effective member of the Senate.

ENDO: For many years, however, it seemed as though Kennedy's allegedly wild conduct would overshadow any legislative accomplishments. In 1969, he drove off a bridge, and a young female aide named Mary Jo Kopechne drowned. Kennedy received a suspended sentence for leaving the scene of an accident.

SEN. EDWARD KENNEDY: I regard as indefensible the fact that I did not report the accident to the police immediately.

ENDO: In 1980, Kennedy took on a vulnerable President Jimmy Carter for the Democratic nomination. He lost and focused his energies on the Senate for the next three decades. Kennedy suffered a seizure at his family's Cape Cod compound in may of 2008. An MRI revealed it was caused by the brain tumor that eventually killed him. I'm Sandra Endo, reporting from Washington.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

AZUZ: Reaction to Senator Kennedy's death has come in from around the globe. Here in the U.S. President Obama talked about the impact of Kennedy's personality on his political career.

OBAMA: The seriousness of purpose was perpetually matched by humility, warmth and good cheer. He could passionately battle others and do so peerlessly on the Senate floor for the causes that he held dear, and yet still maintain warm friendships across party lines. And that's one reason he became not only one of the greatest Senators of our time, but one of the most accomplished Americans ever to serve our democracy.

Money Word

TOMEKA JONES, CNN STUDENT NEWS: Here's the deal: Today's Money Word is mortgage. It's a form of debt in which someone owns a property but pays off the entire price of it, plus interest, over time. Put that in your word bank!

New Home Sales

AZUZ: One expert says lower mortgage rates, the amount of interest that homeowners pay, is one of the factors that led to a surprising jump in new home sales. In fact, the number of newly-built houses sold in July was the highest since last September. And it's not the only good news for the housing market. Sales of existing homes, houses that aren't new, are up as well. One economist says the reason for all this is that buyers realize home prices won't stay this low forever.

New Orleans Economy

AZUZ: Construction is helping the entire economy of New Orleans as the city rebuilds from Hurricane Katrina. This coming Saturday marks the 4th anniversary of when the storm, one of the worst in U.S. history, slammed into the Gulf Coast. It caused more than $81 billion in damages. But as Sean Callebs explains, the reconstruction process is offering the city a chance for renewal.

(BEGIN VIDEO)

SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: New Orleans has been shielded in the aftermath of Katrina not by levees, it has been an economic buffer. Federal and private money as the city rebuilds. Jazz great Irvin Mayfield recently opened a club in the French Quarter, but he wants to talk about his job as commissioner of the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority.

IRVIN MAYFIELD, NEW ORLEANS REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY: Redevelopment is just another word of self-investment to citizens. And I think that passion has always been important to New Orleans. We're now trying to figure out how to transform that passion for music and food into different areas of redevelopment in our neighborhood.

CALLEBS: After Katrina, close to 80,000 homes had to be rebuilt, attracting legions of construction workers. It's helped keep New Orleans' unemployment rate at about 7.2 percent, while the national average is closer to 9 percent. With its hotels and night life, New Orleans has a share of service jobs. For entrepreneurs who are also investing here, finding there are benefits to being in this city. Nic Perkins is CEO of the Receivables Exchange. He could have started his business anywhere.

NIC PERKINS, CEO, THE RECEIVABLES EXCHANGE: Donny from Pennsylvania, Darrell from England, John from Boston.

CALLEBS: New residents know about the problems: crime, a poor education system, the slow pace of rebuilding. But they are convinced the positive outweighs lingering, deep-rooted problems.

PERKINS: We have an operation like this, would be literally five or six or seven times more for us in New York or San Francisco. The quality of life that we have here, you can live in New Orleans exceptionally well under a start-up salary.

CALLEBS: Home prices are up about 1.1 percent from 2008 to 2009. Nationally, they plunged about 10 percent over that same period. New Orleans is a long way from being whole. Entire neighborhoods remain in ruin, and thousands are still displaced.

MAYFIELD: I think a lot of people who see this may say, "Look, you guys have been at this for four years, why isn't this done already?" And I think people need to really understand the volume of things that we have done and we're doing.

CALLEBS: And in many ways, the city has something it couldn't claim four years ago: optimism. In many ways, New Orleans remains a tale of two cities. The central business district, the French Quarter and areas the tourists see are coming back in a big way. However, many outlying areas are still in dire need of repair and revitalization. Sean Callebs, CNN, in New Orleans.

(END VIDEO)

Shoutout

JONES: Time for the Shoutout! What's the scientific term for an abnormally high body temperature? If you think you know it, shout it out! Is it: A) Hypothermia, B) Hypoglycemia, C) Hyperthermia or D) Hypertension? You've got three seconds -- GO! In Greek, hyperthermia means "high heat," and that's literally what it is: when the body overheats. That's your answer and that's your Shoutout!

High-Tech Helmet

AZUZ: Football is a fall sport, but you players have been practicing in the summer heat, and that heat can take its toll. Heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and, heat stroke. That's a form of hyperthermia when your body temperature is over 104 degrees. According to the National Center for Catastrophic Injury Research, 39 football players have died from heat-related causes since 1995. Gary Tuchman tells us about a new technology that could help keep players safer.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GARY TUCHMAN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT, ATLANTA: High school football is back. A big concern for players and coaches this time of year is sweltering temperatures, which can increase the risk of heat stroke and in some cases, death.

MAN ON STREET: It's getting toasty. If we get that cloud cover we'll be all right.

TUCHMAN: To beat the heat, a Georgia company has developed these dime-sized sensors, worn inside players' helmets.

JAY BUCKALEW, HOTHEAD TECHNOLOGIES: What we're trying to do is to just give that early warning alert system that that athlete is getting dangerously close to heat stroke.

TUCHMAN: The sensors constantly monitor the body temperature of a player on the field. Every 10 seconds, updates are sent to a small device carried by coaches or trainers. And if a player exceeds 102.5 degrees for more than 30 seconds, an alert sounds.

PRESTON BAZEMORE, BLESSED TRINITY ATHLETIC TRAINER: We want to prevent the injury before it happens. This is just another tool in our little back pocket that we can use to make sure these kids are participating safely.

TUCHMAN: A few high schools and colleges are using the system this season at a cost of about $100 per player. The technology could also be used by firefighters and military personnel. But for these players, it's safety first, then Friday night lights.

TUCHMAN: Gary Tuchman, CNN.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Promo

AZUZ: So, do you think players should be required to wear this heat sensor during practice? That's one of the questions in today's Daily Discussion! It's a free resource that helps students talk about the stories in our show, and it includes the Media Literacy Question of the Day. Find it every day at CNNStudentNews.com!

Before We Go

AZUZ: And finally, there are some rules when you go camping. One of the big ones? Keep your food locked up, and this is why: a foraging forest dweller. Pretty cool jump coming up right here. And since the coolers were closed, he just grabbed a bag out of the open food locker. Campers scared him away, but he still made off with a mouthful of grub. So, how did the people who lost their food react?

Goodbye

AZUZ: We guess they just had to grin and bear it. Remember to check us out on Facebook -- Facebook.com/cnnstudentnews -- we will see you right back here tomorrow.

Read more!

Student News: August 25, 2009

CARL AZUZ, CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR: Your commercial-free source for classroom news is pondering probes, planets and pumas! I'm Carl Azuz. CNN Student News starts right now.

First Up: Interrogation Report

AZUZ: First up, the U.S. government launches an investigation into methods used by the Central Intelligence Agency to question suspects. Attorney General Eric Holder, the country's top law enforcement officer, said he knew it would raise controversy when he announced the investigation yesterday, but he's seen enough information to move forward.
That information comes from a report written by the CIA in 2004 about the techniques used by some of its agents. Former President George W. Bush authorized what were called "enhanced interrogation" methods after the September 11th attacks. Those methods were used on suspected terrorists. The CIA report refers to some of the techniques that were used as unauthorized. Attorney General Holder's investigation is looking into whether or not the interrogations were illegal. The CIA says it didn't endorse any behavior that went outside the bounds of official guidelines.

Holder says this investigation will not focus on the people who carried out the questioning, who were following the guidance of the Bush administration. The second most powerful person in that administration, Vice President Dick Cheney, says that the interrogation methods and the program as a whole were needed to keep the country safe.

FORMER U.S. VICE PRESIDENT DICK CHENEY: The intelligence officers who questioned the terrorists can be proud of their work and proud of the results, because they prevented the violent death of thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands of people.

AZUZ: Attorney General Holder is also considering the country's safety, and says the investigation won't pose a threat to it.

U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL, ERIC HOLDER: We will not be doing anything that would endanger the American people or in some way lessen our national security.

New Interrogation

AZUZ: In the meantime, President Obama is making a change when it comes to who handles the questioning of suspected terrorists. That responsibility is shifting from the CIA to the FBI and a special unit of terrorist interrogators. The change is based on a recommendation of a task force that the president created after he took office. The new unit will make sure that future interrogations meet certain restrictions outlined in a U.S. Army manual.

Is this Legit?

TOMEKA JONES, CNN STUDENT NEWS: Is this legit? There are officially nine planets in our solar system. Not legit! According to the International Astronomical Union, there are eight planets, after Pluto was downgraded three years ago.

AZUZ: Two U.S. states -- Illinois and New Mexico -- have voted to re-instate Pluto's status as a planet. Three years ago, the International Astronomical Union voted that Pluto was a dwarf planet, and that knocked it off the list of official planets. So, what is a planet? One: it orbits the sun. Two: it must be nearly round. Three: there can't be other objects in its path. That last one was the sticking point; Pluto's orbit has ice and rocks in its path. Other scientists argue that any round object that orbits the sun should be a planet, and that would include Pluto.

Iraq Dust Storms

AZUZ: Moving from planets to plant life, or the lack of it. It's a problem in parts of Iraq, and it's being caused by a process called desertification. That's when plants and soil dry up and the land turns into a desert. Arwa Damon examines the impact that this is having in the Middle Eastern nation, not just on the plants, but on the people.

(BEGIN VIDEO)

ARWA DAMON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: This is a typical dust storm: the unnatural and eerie orange glow, minimal visibility as suffocating tiny particles stirred up by desert winds descend on the people, causing obvious respiratory health concerns. Over the last few years, the frequency and intensity of these storms have increased, and experts say that's an indication of a much more ominous problem: the desertification of Iraq.

FADHIL FARAJI, MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE: "This is a real catastrophe," Fadhil Faraji of Iraq's agriculture ministry says, "because this crisis threatens food security in this country."

DAMON: Iraq was among the region's most fertile areas thanks to the flowing rivers of the Euphrates and the Tigris. But take a look at the Tigris today: it's anything but flowing. In fact, no one who we have spoken to has ever seen its levels this low. Jawad Khadim and his father take us on a tour of their once fertile land, which has been in the family for generations. They show us their now dying crops.

JAWAD KADHIM, FARMER: "The risk with the increase of desertification," he explains, "is that farmers will leave their farms and start looking for new jobs."

DAMON: Their farm, for example, only produces around 50 percent of what it used to, barely enough to feed and clothe this extended family of 45 that relies on these lands.

KADHIM GAZI, FARMER: "There has been no rain in the past three years," Khadim's father tells us, "and we've had more sandstorms. We've never experienced weather this bad."

DAMON: Iraq's agriculture ministry estimates that 90 percent of the country's lands now produce unprofitable food.

FARAJI: "When there is a food shortage," Faraji warns, "people will turn to other methods to get what they need, and that includes violence."

(END VIDEO)

ID Me

JONES: See if you can I.D. Me! I'm an island nation that's located in the Caribbean Sea. I was settled by Spain, but I got my independence from the United Kingdom in 1962. My capital city is Kingston. I'm Jamaica! And I'm home to around 2.8 million people, including the fastest man in the world!

Bolt Mania

AZUZ: It's like he's got lightning in his shoes. Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt, the "fastest man in the world," recently set two new records at the Berlin World Championships. Bolt bolted 100 meters in 9.58 seconds, 200 meters in 19.19 seconds - I don't think I drive that fast. And while he was in Berlin, Fred Pleitgen found out that Bolt's shoes are seeing success both on the track and in the bank.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PEOPLE ON THE STREET: Usain Bolt, Usain Bolt.

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's a one-man show. Fans lined up for hours at this Puma flagship store to meet the fastest man in the world. Bolt mania in Berlin.

USAIN BOLT, FASTEST MAN IN THE WORLD: I think it is all my hard work and dedication. I'm really dedicated to being a champion. I want to be a legend. So, I have to work really hard if I want to be a champion. So, I'm just doing that and that's it.

PLEITGEN: How about this for legendary: Berlin dedicated an original piece of the infamous Berlin Wall to Bolt to be displayed in his homeland, Jamaica.

BOLT: It's definitely it's an honor. I got my face painted all over it. I'm going to put it in front of my house if I can get it there. I'm looking for that. It was an honor getting a piece of the wall.

PLEITGEN: Many are trying to grab a piece of the pie. There's the Jamaican tourism board, and Puma's Jamaica collection is flying off the shelves. Usain Bolt's big success means big money for his sponsor Puma. You have the Usain Bolt hoodie shirt, a whole Jamaica collection, including t-shirts, and the Usain Bolt shoes, which are sold out in almost every store.

JOCHEN ZEITZ , CEO, PUMA: He's not just an athlete, he's just an amazing personality, which I think for the first time gives a great opportunity to promote an athlete beyond his sport. He's about fun, he's about the Jamaican lifestyle, and that's something that we're also trying to incorporate into our collections.

PLEITGEN: Puma believes Bolt's advertising value goes into the hundreds of millions. Even Bolt's dad says he's never seen so many people sport Jamaica's colors outside Jamaica.

WELLESLEY BOLT, USAIN BOLT'S FATHER: That surprises me. Everybody wants to be Jamaican now.

PLEITGEN: But Puma may want to watch out. Head hunters are prowling their star athlete, even at this Puma event. Listen:

MAN ON THE STREET: Here is a million dollar contract for you. We will make a million dollar contract. Here's my contacts for a German company. Here's my contacts, an advertising contract we would make.

PLEITGEN: Bolt seemed less than interested, but for a man who can mobilize the masses like this, other offers are sure to follow.

BOLT: Yes, yes this is a good one.

PLEITGEN: Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Berlin.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Promo

AZUZ: If you teachers want to have a Shoutout dedicated to your class, and we know that a lot of you do. Make yourself stand out. Send us an iReport. You can see how at CNNStudentNews.com. Include a picture of yourself, your class or your school. It's easy to do, and it might get you a dedicated Shoutout on our show.

Before We Go

AZUZ: Before we go, you might dream about showing up to your class reunion in a Ferrari or a Lamborghini. Any exhotic set of wheels. This guy decided he only needed two wheels - old school. But his wheels still impressed all his former classmates, especially since he rode them 800 miles to get there! Oliver Seikel -- that is really his name -- he biked from Cleveland, Ohio to Boston, Massachusetts for his 50th college reunion just to prove to himself he wasn't getting old.

Goodbye

AZUZ: Normally, we'd make a pun here, but how can you top a biker who's name is cycle? Even if you tried, the wheels would just come off. For CNN Student News, I'm Carl Azuz.

Read more!

Student News: Monday June 8, 2009

It's our final show of the school year, and as always, we thank you for joining us here on CNN Student News. I'm Carl Azuz.

First Up: Cairo Speech

AZUZ: We begin with President Obama's highly anticipated speech on American and Muslim relations. During yesterday morning's address in Cairo, Egypt, the president discussed the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the importance of confronting extremism, and the war in Iraq. But his main point, and the goal of his Middle East trip, was to push for the Muslim world and the U.S. to come together.

U.S. PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: America and Islam are not exclusive and need not be in competition. Instead, they overlap and share common principles: principles of justice and progress, tolerance and the dignity of all human beings.

AZUZ: So, the big question: how was his message received? Dan Lothian checks in from Egypt with some of the local response.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAN LOTHIAN, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: At a trendy Cairo coffee shop and in an old neighborhood grocery store, Egyptians put their afternoon on pause to watch President Obama's televised speech. I watched with them. Then came their reviews. Translator and tour guide Ahmed Seddik called it a good speech, but only if the intended audience is willing to listen and change.

AHMED SEDDIK, EGYPTIAN RESIDENT: It takes every Egyptian, every Muslim, every citizen of the world to capture that kernel of truth that Obama had.

LOTHIAN: Wearing an Obama hat that he picked up in the U.S., Ph.D. student Ahmed Abrahim says some Egyptians and others in the Arab world needed to hear more.

AHMED ABRAHIM, EGYPTIAN RESIDENT: It's a speech that a lot of mainstream people will probably like, but he's alienated people on the right and on the left.

LOTHIAN: Human rights groups, he said, wanted tougher language on democracy, while for the far right, tougher language on Israel.

ABRAHIM: He did mention that the U.S. does not accept settlements, but he didn't say, he didn't talk about any strategy for dealing with those issues.

LOTHIAN: In other words, what if Israel doesn't budge? A concern of store owner Ahmed Desouky, who's been in business here for 14 years.

AHMED DESOUKY, EGYPTIAN RESIDENT [TRANSLATED]: I was expecting from him more that he said, especially in the Palestinian case.

LOTHIAN: All agreed that Mr. Obama's speech is the beginning of a long dialogue to repair a broken relationship.

OBAMA: Be conscious of God and speak always the truth.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Shoutout

GEORGE RAMSAY, CNN STUDENT NEWS: Today's Shoutout goes out to Mr. McDonough's social studies classes as Philomath Middle School in Philomath, Oregon! June 6, 1944 is also known as what? Is it: A) Armistice Day, B) Pearl Harbor Day, C) Flag Day or D) D-Day? You've got three seconds -- GO! The famous date is known as D-Day. That's your answer and that's your Shoutout!

D-Day Remembered

AZUZ: That makes tomorrow the 65th anniversary of D-Day, when Allied forces from the U.S., UK, Canada and France invaded Normandy, France during World War II. It was, and still is, the largest seaborne invasion in history, and it marked a turning point in the war. Don Riddell sat down with a veteran who was there to discuss his memories of that fateful day.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DON RIDDELL, CNN ANCHOR, LONDON: Jim Tuckwell was among tens of thousand of Allied troops involved in the Normandy invasion. He was injured several times during the war and was lucky to survive D-Day.

Were you scared?

JIM TUCKWELL, 1ST BATTALION, DORSET REGIMENT: Not really, no. What else could you do? You're in the landing craft, open and landing. No, at the moment, I wasn't scared, just thinking, "Will I get through it or not?"

RIDDELL: Do you think you're lucky to still be here?

TUCKWELL: I do. I got shot through the arm. And I'm stuck on the beach with a [???] mortar while my Jimmy, my mate, he'd gone up with the two cases of bombs. And I never saw him alive again. So, who's to know that if I'd have carried on I may have been in the same position as he was when he got killed.

RIDDELL: They talk a lot now about post-traumatic stress for people that serve and see all these horrible things. You guys must have had the same thing?

TUCKWELL: We didn't seem to have much stress. Alright, we were frightened occassionally. But if anyone had even mentioned stress we wouldn't even know what it was.

RIDDELL: There are still wars now, all over the world. Do you think world leaders have learned anything since your day?

TUCKWELL: No, they haven't learned anything. If there's not some control, it could be the end of the world with the weapons they've got nowadays.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CNN Student News Anniversary

AZUZ: We have our own anniversary coming up in the fall. CNN Student News is turning 20. We want you teachers to take part in the celebration. So, over the summer, we'd love for you to put together some iReports with your thoughts on Student News: how you use the show, how long you've been using it. We'll look forward to your videos.

Your Top Stories

AZUZ: Meanwhile, you students can spend the summer posting on our blog, if you like. We'll be updating it while we are on break. You've weighed in on a lot of the big stories we've covered this year: the H1N1 virus, North Korea, pirate attacks. When we asked for your picks of the biggest headlines of the school year, you didn't let us down. Here are your top five.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AZUZ: The dangers of texting while driving...

BILL TUCKER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: 49 people were injured when the driver of this trolley rear-ended a stopped trolley. The driver was texting his girlfriend. This San Antonio bus driver is texting as he drives into the rear of an SUV. There were no deaths, but the driver, two passengers and the driver of the SUV were injured. All of these accidents were easily preventable.

AZUZ: Michael Phelps is back in the pool...

The Olympic champion was suspended after pictures surfaced that appeared to show him smoking out of a marijuana pipe.

MICHAEL PHELPS: Bad judgment and very stupid mistake that I made.

AZUZ: The unemployment rate is higher than it has ever been during your lifetime.

Chrysler, one of America's biggest automakers, files for bankruptcy in the face of serious economic struggles.

General Motors filed for bankruptcy after years of losses.

OBAMA: The challenges we face are real, they are serious and they are many. They will not be met easiliy or in a short span of time. But know this America, they will be met.

AZUZ: The country marked the end of one era and the beginning of another.

OBAMA: I, Barack Hussein Obama, do solemnly swear.

ELIZABETH MANRESA, CNN CORRESPONDENT, WASHINGTON: An historical transfer of power in the nation's capital.

ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN CORRESPONDENT, LONDON: Wanted: one island caretaker of Austrialia's Great Barrier Reef.

AZUZ: What could be the best job in the world.

MAX FOSTER, CNN ANCHOR, LONDON: These were some of the other hopefuls.

APPLICANT #1, "THE BEST JOB IN THE WORLD": I always wanted to swim with dolphins.

APPLICANT #2, "THE BEST JOB IN THE WORLD": I'm trying to think.

BEN SOUTHALL, WINNER, "THE BEST JOB IN THE WORLD": I hope I can fill the boots as much as everyone is expecting.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Before We Go

AZUZ: I hope he can too because I wanted that job. It seems a lot of you get a kick out of the kicker video in our Before We Go segment. And, we can only assume, the glorious puns that follow. So, before we go, we're running through some of this year's favorites.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AZUZ: The lighter news of 2009 started off with a story about a hedgehog and a boy who got his Christmas wish to have one. It was all downhill from there. Some Britons fought gravity and lost, all in the name of cheese, at England's annual cheese roll. A would-be robber fought this grandmother and lost, when she pulled out a frying pan and started swinging! Some Iowans lost a lot of time cooking up this giant pile of popcorn, though we hear they had a ball.

And some of you lost your appetites when we showed you scenes from a restaurant called "Modern Toilet," where everyone eats out of the can. They say the food actually tastes pretty good, though some consumers flush with embarrassment. This fourth-grade teacher seemed more committed than embarrassed when she went to eat worms! It was making good on a promise to ingest insects if her students got good grades. Even some of them might've wished they'd opted for pizza and hot dogs.

But if you can't eat hot dogs, you can still watch 'em run! Not all of the canine competitors at this event in Hawaii knew where to go, but everyone was a weiner! Some dogs would rather ride than run, and that's all right as long as they're big enough to reach the pedals! Riding from a Japanese TV show to YouTube glory, this guy clearly had no problem; just like these guys had no problem flaunting farcical facial finery! Everything appeared to go smoothly, except for shaves, of course, at this beard and moustache matchup. And it helps us end this report on a pun, whisker you like it or not!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Goodbye

AZUZ: Yeah! Beard puns. Hair today, gone tomorrow. On a serious note, we want to thank you guys for helping make this an excellent school year. Please remember to keep up with us on our blog and our Facebook page over the summer. Our regular shows start back on August 17th. Have an awesome break, and we'll see you in the fall. For CNN Student News, I'm Carl Azuz.


Read more!

Student News: June 2, 2009

(CNN Student News) -- June 2, 2009

1. What details are known about an Air France flight that went missing over the Atlantic Ocean Monday morning?
2. What actions is General Motors taking or planning to take in light of its bankruptcy filing?
3. According to the report: What impact did the opening of a GM plant in Spring Hill, Tennessee have on the town? What actions is GM considering taking with this plant? How are the town's residents responding to the situation, as seen in the report?
4. What challenges do you think that GM employees who lose their jobs will face in the near future? What, if anything, do you think should be done to help people who lose their jobs in the wake of GM's bankruptcy? Explain.*
5. What is the Junior Achievement (JA) Fellows Program? What are some of the items sold by the program's students, as mentioned in the segment?
6. According to the report: What challenges do some teens face in the current economy? What statements are made in the report regarding the benefits of the JA Fellows Program for its participants?
7. If you were to start your own business, what goods or services would you sell, and why?
8. What is The House, Inc.'s "Cinderella Ball"?
9. What do the people featured in the report say about the Cinderella Ball?
10. How do you think that the Cinderella Ball benefits the students who attend the event? Explain.

Click "read more" to read a transcript of this news cast.

Double-click on any word to see the meaning.

Today's show goes out to Mr. Gapusan's Ancient History classes at Challenger Middle School in San Diego, California. Thanks so much for watching. I'm Carl Azuz.

First Up: Air France

AZUZ: We begin with tragic news today: the disappearance of a passenger plane. 228 people were onboard Air France flight 447 when it went off radar a little more than three hours into its eleven-hour flight. The plane took off Sunday night from an airport in Brazil. It was on its way to France. Yesterday, Air France's chief executive said the plane likely crashed into the Atlantic Ocean. Planes and ships began searching about 225 miles off the Brazilian coast Monday. This story is developing. You can get the latest at CNN.com.

Town on Standby

AZUZ: Turning to the U.S. and an economic move we reported yesterday. As expected, General Motors filed for bankruptcy after years of losses. As part of this process, the company is making some drastic moves. GM is cutting loose more than a third of its U.S. dealerships by next year. If those dealers are forced to close, it could result in more than 100,000 job losses. A dozen GM facilities are being closed. They employ more than 20,000 workers, many of whom GM intends to lay off by the end of 2010. And three more plants are going on standby status, including one in Spring Hill, Tennessee. Sean Callebs reports on the impact of GM's bankruptcy on that town.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEAN CALLEBS , CNN CORRESPONDENT: Little League and General Motors: American icons. But in the community of Spring Hill, about a 45-minute drive south of Nashville, one of these could be on the way out. GM could possibly shut down, phase out or sell off this factory in Spring Hill. Among the more than 3,000 anxious employees, Johnny Miranda, who left a GM job in Van Nuys, California 16 years ago to come work at this facility.

JOHNNY MIRANDA, GM AUTO WORKER: I want to think positive, 'cause it could bring you down. It can really mess you up if you be thinking they could close it and you are going to lose your job.

CALLEBS: For years and years, this plant made Saturn vehicles. It was supposed to be the car and the business plan that breathed new life into GM by taking sales away from fuel efficient Japanese cars. Saturn didn't revolutionize the industry, and two years ago, the Spring Hill plant stopped making the Saturn and began turning out Chevys. Sunday afternoon in the park is a welcome break, a chance to play with the kids and not think about the possibility of layoffs and mounting debts. Almost everyone in Spring Hill knows someone whose job is on the line.

WILL BARNES, SPRING HILL RESIDENT: My father in law works for GM. He's worked for GM ever since the day he graduated from college. He's cut his yard five times this week because this is the level of uncertainty for him. I hate to see him in that situation.

CALLEBS: Over the last two decades, subdivision after subdivision cropped up, and the town of Spring Hill blossomed in the shadow of the Saturn plant, now called GM-Spring Hill Manufacturing. But now that GM is filing for bankruptcy protection, this plant could be sold or closed in an effort to make GM leaner and keep the company in business.

MIRANDA: It's going to hurt. No question, it'll hurt.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Business Building

AZUZ: GM is certainly not the only company struggling in the current recession. But there are some businesses that are finding success, including several that were organized and run by people your age. Fredricka Whitfield tells us about a program that helps prepare students for their eventual entry into the workforce.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Despite the ailing economy, these high school students are highly optimistic about their future in the job market.

PERSON ON STREET #1: Take every opportunity that's given to you. Don't waste time.

WHITFIELD: They are a little bit more upbeat because they participated in a business-building program called the Junior Achievement Fellows, where the students are led by volunteers from various businesses.

AUDREY TREASURE, SENIOR DIRECTOR, JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT FELLOWS: The JA Fellows Program is an intensive, evening program for high school students, and we just finished our third year of the program.

WHITFIELD: Within four months, learning the "how to" of an upstart, these young men and women created business models, selling everything from jump-drive bracelets to save computer files on your wrist, to water bottles with built in filters.

TREASURE: The students had 16 weeks to run their companies. We had 15 companies, 220 students. During that time, which is arguably the worst economic climate in the United States or in the world, our students did over $30,000 in sales as a part of the program.

WHITFIELD: As summer approaches, with many retailers folding or scaling back, the once all-but-guaranteed summer jobs teenagers used to get at malls and amusement parks have dwindled. On top of that, they are now competing with adults for these coveted spots.

PERSON ON STREET #2: I think it will definitely be competitive, what with the economy as it is nowadays.

WHITFIELD: According to a recent poll, 33% of students said there seem to be fewer jobs available now. Eighteen percent of teens said they noticed they are working alongside more adults and retirees.

PERSON ON STREET #3: I think the problem today is that kids don't have business experience, and they are trying to go out in the workforce, and especially with the recession right now, it's hard to find jobs.

WHITFIELD: This group of students feels that their management skills have given them more economic responsibility for the future.

TREASURE: The students, I think, now feel like they're more equipped to understand what's going on. They feel like because they have the experience of starting their own business and being successful, that they have more advantages than other people have. And they also feel responsible for not letting something like this happen again in the future.

WHITFIELD: Fredricka Whitfield, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

I.D. Me

TOMEKA JONES, CNN STUDENT NEWS: See if you can I.D. Me! I married into royalty after meeting my future husband at a dance. Many people recognize me by my famous glass footwear. I'm one of the world's most well-known princesses. I'm Cinderella, and the moral of my story is that dreams can come true.

Cinderella Ball

AZUZ: One organization's annual "Cinderella Ball" aims to make a specific dream come true for some young people: attending prom! You see, the dance is for disabled middle and high school students who often aren't able to participate in events at their own schools. But thanks to The House Inc., that dream is now a reality. Here's a look at this year's dance.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HELEN MCCORMICK, PRESIDENT, THE HOUSE INC.: It's The House Inc.'s 4th annual Cinderella Ball. And this is about students with disabilities that don't get invited at spring time to go to their own proms.

ALEX GONZALES, 13 YEARS OLD: It's exciting. I'm excited to be here. This is my first year, so I didn't know what to expect.

MCCORMICK: The children that will be coming tonight are various disabled, with kidney, children that are literally terminally ill, children that are having disabilities of cerebral palsey, Down syndrome, autism.

JORDIN SPARKS, SINGER: I do think it's sad that there are some kids who can't go to regular prom just because there might not be the facilities to help them to be able to do this. So this event, I just think that it is so amazing that somebody is taking the time out to give them that opportunity, to give them that experience.

VICTOR PADGET, FATHER: It's special, for one thing, because being a special needs father, she can't participate in all the other activities that other normal kids her age participate in. So, when you have something like this, you want to take full advantage of it, and she's really having a nice time.

You gonna dance with me?

PADGET'S DAUGHTER: Yes.

PADGET: What are you gonna do? Shake your butt?

PADGET'S DAUGHTER: Yes!

GONZALES: For other kids like me, coming to an event like this, I think it's a great experience.

SPARKS: Even if they are faced with challenges like that, I definitely think that for this one night, it's gonna be one of those times where they can just forget about it, and they can just be kids and they can be young and just have fun.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Promo

AZUZ: Excellent story. We only have a few shows left this school year, but you can keep up with us all summer long on Facebook. We'll be updating the official CNN Student News page while we're on break. Just search "CNN Student News official". We're even gonna have a new video up this week, which means I need to make one. So, check it out and keep checking back throughout the summer.

Before We Go

AZUZ: Before we go, a graduation double feature from Florida. This is Chandler and Taylor. They're identical twins, and like many sisters, they do a lot of stuff together: play the same sports, they have the same friends, they graduate at the top of their class. That's right, they're both valedictorians, tying for the top spot with a GPA of 4.76. They really take that twin thing seriously. They're both heading to MIT in the fall.

Goodbye

AZUZ: Not surprising. With those grades, the twins' acceptance to a top school really shouldn't cause any double takes. For CNN Student News, I'm Carl Azuz.

Read more!

Student News: June 1, 2009

I'm Carl Azuz and this is CNN Student News! It is the first day of June and our last week before summer break. Thank you very much for joining us.

First Up: A Look Back

AZUZ: First up, a major move for the country's largest automaker as General Motors is expected to file for bankruptcy today. This comes one month after Chrysler, another of the so-called "Big Three" U.S. car companies, did the very same thing. Under the terms of General Motors' bankruptcy, the company will be reorganized and essentially taken over by the government. Thirty years ago, GM made up more than 40 percent of U.S. auto sales. Today, that number is 19 percent. The company's reported more than $90 billion in losses since 2005. As the bankruptcy process begins, Christine Romans looks back at the history of GM and the American car.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Henry Ford started at the beginning of the last century with four wheels and a running board; 1908 was the birth of American car culture. That same year, General Motors was formed in Flint, Michigan. It wasn't until 1925 when the "Big Three" was complete with the formation of Chrysler Corporation.

JOHN DAVIS, HOST, MOTORWEEK: When the Big Three emerged, they not only emerged as rivals that really gave Americans much better automobiles at the time, but they also cemented the American automobile as a world standard.

ROMANS: "As goes General Motors, so goes the nation." That phrase defined America's economic power for much of the last century.

PETER MORICI, ECONOMIST, UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND: So many folks were either employed at General Motors or the other two major car makers, making steel and all the other components that go into cars. It just meant that if the automobile companies were prospering, the country was prospering, too.

ROMANS: Today, there are 74,000 rank-and-file GM workers in the U.S. But in its heyday, GM was the largest industrial company in the world; a technology leader. By 1979, 600,000 people worked for GM. Those good jobs helped build America's middle class.

DAVIS: It also allowed us to migrate out from the cities to have the quarter lot in a suburb, to basically get away from a lot of the congestion of the metropolitan areas.

ROMANS: General Moters was the company that revolutionized what we drove, how we thought about our cars, and how we paid for them. GM invented auto loans and the model year. It was the first to hire designers instead of engineers to create new car concepts; think big fins and chrome of the 1950s and 60s. And everything changed. Ford adopted flashy fins with the Ford Fairlane, as did Chrysler with the popular Desoto. Automobiles from the Big Three put their stamp on popular culture, from music to movies to television. What's considered to be the first rock and roll song ever recorded was "Rocket 88" by Ike Turner, about a GM product. The Pontiac GTO, considered by many to be the first true muscle car, was showcased in a song by Ronnie and the Daytonas.

RONNIE AND THE DAYTONAS, "LITTLE GTO": Little GTO, you really....

ROMANS: The Corvette on Route 66. The 1948 Ford in the iconic movie "Grease."

FROM "GREASE": Go grease lighting, go grease lighting...

ROMANS: The TransAm in Smokey and the Bandit, and Archie Bunker's Old La Salle.

CARROLL O'CONNOR AND JEAN STAPLETON, "ALL IN THE FAMILY": Gee, our Old La Salle ran great. Those were the days...

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Shoutout

GEORGE RAMSAY, CNN STUDENT NEWS: Today's Shoutout goes out to Mr. Schultz's civics classes at David Brearley Middle School in Kenilworth, New Jersey. Where did the word "cyberspace" first appear? Was it in a: A)Movie, B) Book, C) Scientific paper or D) Magazine article? You've got three seconds -- GO! Author William Gibson is credited with creating the word in a science fiction novel. That's your answer and that's your Shoutout!

Cybersecurity Concerns

AZUZ: It may have started as science fiction, but these days, practically all of us, including the government, spend time in cyberspace. But President Obama says we're not as prepared as we should be, as a government or a country, for cyber-attacks. That's why he's planning to create a new position: cybersecurity coordinator. Jeanne Meserve explains the new job.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEANNE MESERVE, CNN HOMELAND SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Hackers cut power to a skyscraper and then reprogram it to play Space Invaders in a spoof video on YouTube. But cybersecurity is not a laughing matter.

U.S. PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: It's now clear this cyberthreat is one of the most serious economic and national security challenges we face as a nation.

MESERVE: Americans use the Internet to bank and shop and talk to one another. Electricity, water, transportation all depend on it. But every day, there are attacks. The White House estimates in the past two years cybercrime has cost Americans more than $8 billion. And last year alone, hackers stole one trillion dollars worth of business secrets. Military and intelligence networks have been penetrated, and tests have shown a cyberattack can destroy critical infrastructure, like this generator. President Obama says the country is not prepared.

OBAMA: From now on, our digital infrastructure, the networks and computers we depend on every day, will be treated as they should be: as a strategic national asset. Protecting this infrastructure will be a national security priority.

MESERVE: The president will hand pick a cybersecurity coordinator to integrate policies across government, work closely with the private sector, and coordinate the federal response to attacks. Still unknown: who will get the job.

JAMES LEWIS, CENTER FOR STRATEGIC AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES: If you get the wrong person, or you put them in an office that doesn't have very much power, you can have the best plan in the world and it still won't work.

MESERVE: The plan is short on specifics, though the president says government will not dictate security standards to private industry, and will not monitor private networks or Internet traffic. Security experts say they generally like the steps the administration is taking, but warn there are many more steps to take on the long road to securing the nation's cyber-infrastructure. Jeanne Meserve, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Big Ben's Birthday!

AZUZ: Heading across the Atlantic now to celebrate a big British birthday. Big Ben, one of the world's most famous clocks, turned 150 years old yesterday. Recently voted as Britain's favorite monument, it's actually just the 14-ton bell that's named "Big Ben," although most people use it describe the tower and clock, too. Despite a couple disruptions over the years, Big Ben has helped keep London on time since 1859.

Extra, Extra Innings

AZUZ: This college baseball game didn't last quite 150 years, but it did go into extra innings; 16 of them! Texas and Boston College took the field at 7 p.m. and left it at 2 a.m. after playing the longest game in NCAA history: 25 innings, almost 3 full games. At one point, a relief pitcher threw 13 scoreless innings. In the end, an RBI single helped Texas triumph, 3-2.

Word to the Wise

RAMSAY: A Word to the Wise...

sustainable (adjective) capable of being maintained with minimal long-term effects on the environment

source: www.dictionary.com

Reusable Lessons

AZUZ: Sustainability projects can be as simple as recycling paper and plastic and using recycled materials, or they can be as complex as altering the viscosity of waste oil to convert it into biodiesel fuel. There's one place in Atlanta, Georgia that's doing all of this: a school! Jacqui Jeras takes us on a tour of the campus's environmentally-friendly efforts.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JACQUI JERAS, CNN WEATHER ANCHOR: The botany classroom is the great outdoors for students at the Lovett School in Atlanta.

ELLIOT MCCARTHY, THE LOVETT SCHOOL: This is something that we'll actually use later in life.

JERAS: They're digging in the dirt, getting lessons in environmental sustainability.

MCCARTHY: It's much healthier for you, it's less chemicals, it's completely natural and it costs less.

JERAS: The school's organic garden is just the beginning.

ALEX REYNOLDS, SCIENCE TEACHER: The idea that your labor can then nourish you is a life lesson, you know, and the fact that you take responsibility. If you do something wrong, you have to fix it.

JERAS: Food from the garden goes to the cafeteria. Menus change depending on what's fresh. The dining hall is also trayless, saving thousands of gallons of water used to wash them. The cafeteria does more than just cook with sustainability in mind. For example, all of the oil that is used for fried foods is ultimately turned into biodiesel. That biofuel is used to fill up the school's maintenance vehicles for half the cost of gas. There is even a wind turbine on campus creating electricity. But the key is keeping the students involved.

BILL DUNKEL, PRINCIPAL, THE LOVETT SCHOOL: It's really important for us to educate young people to be good citizens for the 21st century.

THOMAS MACDONALD, THE LOVETT SCHOOL: It's my earth and my water and my air, too, so I dont want anybody trashing it.

JERAS: Jacqui Jeras, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Before We Go

AZUZ: Before we go: the answer to one of life's great mysteries. Why did the chicken cross the road? To get a donut! At least that's this bird brain's excuse. Alright, he's actually a rooster, but you get it. Every morning, he'd hear the opening bell at Scrumdiddilyumptious Donuts and dash across the street to get his complementary breakfast. Did heavy traffic ever scare him away from his risky run?

Goodbye

AZUZ: We already told you, this guy's no chicken. Well, we will be back tomorrow. You guys have a great one.

Read more!

News: Wednesday May 20, 2009

Double click on any word to see the meaning.

Where is WHO? What? We're gonna make sense of that in today's edition of CNN Student News. Hi everyone, I'm Carl Azuz.

First Up: Fuel Effeciency Plan

AZUZ: First up, President Obama announces new regulations aimed at making cars more fuel efficient. The plan is to combine the government's current guidelines with California's tough emissions rules to make a new, nationwide standard. The goall of all of this is to help cut down on the amount of greenhouse gas emissions from U.S. vehicles. The new regulations will take effect in 2012 and force automobiles to become more fuel efficient over the course of four years. By 2016, cars will be required to get 39 miles per gallon. Right now, the standard is 27 and a half. By that same deadline, light trucks will have to get 30 miles per gallon. Current standard: just over 22.

So, what is the potential downside here? Well, cost for one thing. The Obama administration estimates the new rules will add about $600 to the cost of a car. That's on top of an estimated $700 increase from fuel efficiency changes that have already been put in place. Some experts say that might keep consumers from buying. But several automakers have signed on to the plan, and President Obama says the announcement marks a milestone for the industry and the environment.

U.S. PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: For the first time in history, we have set in motion a national policy aimed at both increasing gas mileage and decreasing greenhouse gas pollution for all new trucks and cars sold in the United States of America.

Fuel-less Vehicles

AZUZ: A couple of vehicles already on the road aren't going to need to worry about new fuel standards, because they don't run on fuel! Melissa Long takes us out for a spin.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MELISSA LONG, CNN ANCHOR: A sports car and a scooter. An unlikely pair. But they have something in common.

STEVE SHAPIRO, VECTRIX OWNER: You just plug it in to a regular socket and charge it.

LONG: Neither use gas. Steve Shapiro bought this highway-friendly Vectrix Maxi Scooter last year when gas prices were high.

SHAPIRO: It takes two hours to charge, and then you have about 50 to 60 miles of driving. Underneath the seat and in this back storage compartment, I can get the equivalent of about three bags of groceries, so that works for my family of four.

LONG: We know the trunk can hold a couple of bags, but let me see if I could actually pack my work bag and ride to work. Well, it's a tight squeeze, but it does actually fit. For those willing to give up gas but not the trunk space, the Tesla Roadster might be a better fit.

JEREMY SNYDER, TESLA MOTORS: 95% of Americans drive less than 100 miles per day; the Roadster has a range of 244 miles, so for daily driving purposes, this suits 95% of Americans.

LONG: For about $100,000, it goes from zero to 60 in under four seconds, a bit faster than the Vectrix. This vehicle has a lot of pickup; it can go from zero to 60 in 6.8 seconds. Gun it. To date, Vectrix has sold about 1,500 scooters. Four hundred Tesla Roadsters have been purchased; 1,200 are on order, and there's a waiting list for the not-yet-released cheaper sedan model. This may change the quintessential road trip: no more gas stations.

JOHN ANTHONY, RIDES SCOOTER TO WORK: When you're riding this, you do keep an eye out. There are a lot of outside outlets, and I have plugged in.

LONG: Melissa Long, CNN.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Spoken Word

U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE HILLARY CLINTON: I am announcing that the people of the United States are responding to a request for assistance from the government of Pakistan with more than $100 million in humanitarian support. Now, this money comes on top of almost $60 million that the United States has provided since last August to help Pakistanis who have been affected by the conflicts, and in addition to the other funding for Pakistan that we are already seeking from the Congress.

Pakistan Aid

AZUZ: Secretary of State Clinton talking about a humanitarian crisis that's affecting an estimated two million people in Pakistan. They've had to flee their homes to get away from fierce fighting between military forces and the Taliban. Secretary Clinton says the goal of that $100 million is to invest in Pakistan and give its people food and supplies. She says the aid is "essential to the global security and security of the United States."

NASA Releases Hubble

AZUZ: And the Hubble Space Telescope is now floating free after being released by the shuttle Atlantis early yesterday morning. The shuttle's robotic arm has had a hold on the telescope for the past several days, as astronauts made a series of repairs and upgrades during a series of five spacewalks. NASA expects the repair work to keep the Hubble in operation for at least another five years. As we've reported, this was NASA's fifth and final trip to the telescope, which was launched into orbit 19 years ago.

Shoutout

ERIK NIVISON, CNN STUDENT NEWS : Time for the Shoutout! What city is home to the headquarters of the World Health Organization? If you think you know it, shout it out! Is it: A) New York, B) London, C) Atlanta or D) Geneva? You've got three seconds -- GO! The WHO's headquarters are in Geneva, Switzerland. That's your answer and that's your Shoutout!

Inside the WHO

AZUZ: The World Health Organization, or WHO, is the branch of the United Nations that's responsible for global health issues. They're the ones who track diseases like the H1N1 virus and how these outbreaks spread around the globe. Fionnuala Sweeney takes us inside a room at the organization's headquarters in Geneva that serves as the "nerve center" of this surveillance.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FIONNUALA SWEENEY, CNN ANCHOR, WORLD NEWS EUROPE: The SHOC Room; the World Health Organization's very own Situation Room. Short for Strategic Health Operations Center, SHOC is the eyes and ears for the scientific world's response to outbreaks, be they natural or man-made.

JAMES ZIMMERLY, OPERATIONS MANAGER, STRATEGIC HEALTH OPERATIONS CENTER: Well, we might call this similar to a newsroom. This is where the situation is monitored and created. We make a situation report every evening depending on the type of information which is gathered during the day.

SWEENEY: SHOC swung into action in the early hours of Friday, April 24 to respond to the outbreak of H1N1 virus, or as it was known then, swine flu. Three hundred people -- scientists, doctors and communications specialists -- were mobilized to respond to a crisis which less than a month later escalated to Phase 5; one phase short of a pandemic, which means H1N1 is finding its way around the world.

DR. MICHAEL J. RYAN, WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION: It's a little bit like starting a number of brushfires and wondering which one will burn the forest down.

SWEENEY: The U.N. Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, came to see for himself.

BAN KI-MOON, U.N. SECRETARY GENERAL: This can give hope to many people.

SWEENEY: A rare and ironicly lighthearted moment in a room that has been 24/7 for weeks.

BAN: I'm very much grateful to all of you, who must have been spending many, many sleepless nights.

SWEENEY: A vaccine for H1N1 is some time off yet. Clinical trials are not expected to begin for some weeks. So, there are issues about timing, but also to ensure that there are enough stocks of the seasonal influenza vaccine, which, by itself, kills an estimated half a million people a year. After the SHOC Room, a closed door meeting between the Secretary General and 30 pharmaceutical manufacturers in an attempt to find common ground on the development and distribution of a vaccine.

BAN: We are working very hard. Based on all scientific research and evidences and most of the industrialised countries as well as pharmaceutical CEOs, they have committed themselves that they would stand ready.

SWEENEY: Back in the SHOC room, H1N1 flu is a crisis which is still touch and go.

RYAN: To some extent, it's a matter of time. And that time is precious because it gives everyone a chance to prepare.

SWEENEY: The SHOC Room will be in operation for some time. Fionnuala Sweeney, CNN, Geneva.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Promo

AZUZ: You might have missed something we said in today's show, but our transcript didn't! It's a written version of everything in the program, even the words I'm saying right now! And I just checked and in yesterday's show there were more than 1,600 words spoken. You can use our transcript to catch something you missed or maybe study up on some words you don't know. And you can always find it at CNNStudentNews.com!

Before We Go

AZUZ: Before we go today, some mornings can feel like a real cattle drive. And these ladies know what I'm talking about. Actually, these cows are on the lam. It's a bovine breakout! Although by the looks of it, not a very well planned one. They escaped from a nearby dairy farm and made it a little ways down the road, before police showed up to steer them back in the right direction.

Goodbye

AZUZ: At least they got to enjoy a mooo-ving experience. You knew that was coming. We're gonna hoof it on out of here. For CNN Student News, I'm Carl Azuz. We'll see you right back here tomorrow.


Read more!

News: May 19th, 2009

Double click on any word to see the meaning.

Possibilities for a Middle East peace plan, an outbreak update, and a delayed diploma ceremony. A lot to cover today, so let's get right to it.

First Up: Obama, Netanyahu Meet

AZUZ: First up, President Obama meets with Israel's prime minister for the first time since both men have taken office. You might remember that Israel's president, Shimon Peres, met with Obama at the White House a couple weeks ago and discussed possibilities for a Middle East peace plan. But Peres isn't in charge of his country's government. The man who is, Benjamin Netanyahu, visited the White House yesterday. He and Obama discussed some of the issues facing both their countries, like Iran's nuclear program. The U.S. and Israel believe Iran is developing nuclear weapons, although Iran denies it.

But the biggest subject that came up during yesterday's meeting was the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the possibility of a two-state solution. At the center of this conflict: Gaza and the West Bank. Israelis and Palestinians both have claims to these regions. A first round of major fighting lasted from 1987 to 1993. A second round erupted in 2000. U.S. presidents and other world leaders have tried to move the peace process forward for decades. One idea that's picking up support: the two-state solution. It would establish a Palestinian state alongside the nation of Israel. President Obama supports it; so did former President Bush. But Prime Minister Netanyahu has not endorsed the plan.

Word to the Wise

ERIK NIVISON, CNN STUDENT NEWS: A Word to the Wise...

virus (noun) a microorganism that can cause disease in plants, animals or bacteria

Worldwide Update

AZUZ: Like the H1N1 virus. You might know it by its more common name: swine flu. This virus dominated headlines following an outbreak that began last month in Mexico, but you haven't heard too much about it in the past couple weeks. So, it must be gone, right? No! And as Elizabeth Cohen explains, that attitude has health experts worried.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: In Mexico City, actors urge people to return to the theater after weeks of being closed because of swine flu. In New York City, students at St. Francis Preparatory School return to class after an H1N1 outbreak there sickened at least a thousand people. It seems like life is back to normal, swine flu no longer on the radar the way it used to be.

ANDREW PEKOSZ, JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY: The public and media attention has really dropped off over the past week to ten days or so.

COHEN: And that worries public health experts. H1N1 cases are still on the rise in the United States, with more than 5,000 cases and six deaths, the latest one Sunday in New York City. In Japan, there was a surge of swine flu over the weekend, with 117 cases reported.

PEKOSZ: So, where this virus can gain a foothold, it seems to then become entrenched and spread in the population rather easily.

COHEN: Why, then, has public interest decreased? Some experts think it has something to do with, well, the drama of it all. On April 29th, World Health Organization Director-General Dr. Margaret Chan declared that "all humanity was under threat" from H1N1. And when, in the proceeding weeks all humanity didn't crumble, many lost interest. But experts warn you should still be diligent about washing your hands, still be diligent about staying at home if you're sick.

PEKOSZ: I think we should be as vigilant as ever.

COHEN: Elizabeth Cohen, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Ear Bud Users Beware

AZUZ: Sticking with health, and some new research that you'll want to hear. Experts say MP3 players could be threatening our hearing. This study focused on teens, sorry y'all. Doctors say tend to listen to music at a much louder level. Sensors in our ears can only take so much before they suffer potentially irreversible damage. Some ways to avoid that: listen at lower levels, and consider wearing ear plugs when you attend loud concerts.

Shoutout

TOMEKA JONES, CNN STUDENT NEWS: Time for the Shoutout! Most people know that Neil Armstrong was the first man on the moon. Who was the second? Was it: A) Edwin Aldrin, B) James Lovell, C) Gordon Cooper or D) John Glenn? You've got three seconds -- GO! Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin was the second man to set foot on the moon. That's your answer and that's your Shoutout!

Space Age Exhibit

AZUZ: Today, space exploration might not seem like that big a deal. We've sent probes across the solar system, there's a permanent space station, and astronauts just upgraded an orbiting telescope. But 40 years ago, when Aldrin and Armstrong walked on the moon, it was called "a giant leap for mankind." A new exhibit celebrates the historic milestone and the president whose vision helped make it possible.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY: Man, in his quest for knowledge and progress, is determined and cannot be deterred. The exploration of space will go ahead, whether we join in it or not. And it is one of the greatest adventures of all time.

STACEY BREDHOFF, MUSEUM CURATOR: We're here getting ready for the opening of a special exhibit, "Moon Shot - JFK and Space Exploration."

PERSON ON THE STREET #1: We always connected JFK with the space program.

BREDHOFF: Well, we couldn't have any rockets in here, but we're hoping people will get, at least, a flavor.

PERSON ON THE STREET #1: JFK was an inspiration, really.

PERSON ON THE STREET #2: That time in history changed our whole country.

PERSON ON THE STREET #1: It was an exciting time to see these young men go up and just hope that they succeeded.

BREDHOFF: We're hoping for people to re-visit those memories in some cases, and we're hoping for younger people to, to hear the message, to hear what President Kennedy was saying.

KENNEDY: We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard.

BREDHOFF: President Kennedy set this challenge in 1961. It seemed impossible.

KENNEDY: And its opportunity for peaceful cooperation may never come again.

BREDHOFF: By the time he finishes speaking, you just want to get on board with this project. There's a certain nobility in reaching for something that is so difficult. It speaks to something in the human spirit that we want to reach that high.

KENNEDY: As we set sail, we ask God's blessing on the most hazardous and dangerous and greatest adventure on which man has ever embarked.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Diploma Decades Later

AZUZ: Okay, from exploration to education and an event taking place at schools across the country: graduation! It might feel like it takes forever to get that diploma, but some students at the University of Puget Sound really have been waiting a while: 67 years! Matt Markovich of affiliate KOMO in Washington state explains the reason for the delay.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MATT MARKOVICH , KOMO REPORTER: It's graduation day for 84-year-old Michiko Kiyokawa.

MICHIKO KIYOKAWA, RECEIVED DEGREE AFTER 67 YEARS: Just call me "Mitch."

MARKOVICH: Mitch should have donned her cap and gown more than a half century ago. But on Dec. 7, 1941, her life changed. She was 19, a freshman at the University of Puget Sound, when the U.S. decided to round up all the Japanese on the West Coast and put them into internment camps. Even then, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt made a special trip to UPS, voiced her disagreement. It didn't help. Michiko was pulled from school, never to return again.

KIYOKAWA: We figured what the president says has to be, and we have to follow orders. I think this is our Japanese trait.

MARKOVICH: It's now 67 years later, and Michiko has returned. Cherry trees were planted in their honor right after the students were taken. This is the first time Michiko has visited her tree, now fully grown.

KIYOKAWA: I've never had anything named after me.

MARKOVICH: The school has decided to give Michiko and the 35 other Japanese students that were attending UPS in 1941 honorary degrees.

RON THOMAS, PRESIDENT, UNIVERSITY OF PUGET SOUND: We felt this year was a good time for us to actually complete the circle and provide them with the degrees they should have earned in the 1940s.

MARKOVICH: And while the class of 2009 filed into the stadium, Michiko, class of 1944, took the VIP route and sat with the only other living member of the now famous group of 36 that chose to attend. Michiko got her honorary degree, with no bitter feelings, just gratitude the university didn't forget.

KIYOKAWA: I think you can never right a wrong, because that has happened. But this is a big effort and the college being broadminded to recognize and honor us.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Promo

AZUZ: Just a couple weeks left this school year, but you can keep up with us all summer long on Facebook! We will be updating the official CNN Student News fan page while we're off the air. Right now, we're asking about your summer plans. Vacation, staycation or paycation? Check it out and keep checking back throughout the summer.

Before We Go

AZUZ: Before we go, what does it sound like when you set off a hundred pounds of explosives? Like that. After that big a bang, you know you're gonna see something awesome. Wait for it... patience is a virtue. It took more than 20 seconds for this domino to fall, when a Pennsylvania company took down a 600-foot tall, coal-fired chimney!

Goodbye

AZUZ: Oh what a crash. Chimney crickets! You can blame our producer for that winner and our audio operator for the sound effects. We will see you tommorow.

Read more!