CNN Student News

January 20, 2011
Download PDF maps related to today's show:
• Gahanna, Ohio
• Florida
• Colorado
Transcript
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS

FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CARL AZUZ, CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR: Hi, I'm Carl Azuz. In
today's edition of CNN Student News, we're breaking down a debate
over part of the Bill of Rights. First, though, a White House welcome.
First Up: Presidential Visit
AZUZ: That's first lady Michelle Obama and President Barack Obama
officially welcoming Chinese President Hu Jintao to the White House.
This ceremony happened yesterday morning. President Hu was met
by several top U.S. officials as well as a military honor guard. Kicked
off a day of meetings between the two leaders. During a news
conference later in the day, the Chinese president said his country
and the U.S. "share broad common interests and important common
responsibilities."
One of those common interests: the global economy. We want you to

have a look at this online interactive from CNN Money. This is a list
of the largest economies in 2010. When you rank them by size, like
they are here, you can see that the U.S. is number one, more than
twice the size of China, which is number two. But when you rank
these world economies by how much they grew in 2010, watch what
happens. China moves to number one; it grew more than 10 percent
last year. And the U.S. isn't even on that list.
With China's economy getting bigger, some people think it's

important for other countries -- like the U.S. -- to learn more about
Chinese culture. There are some school programs doing exactly that.
But as Chris Welch explains, there's some concern about who's
paying for these programs.
(BEGIN VIDEO)
CHRIS WELCH, CNN ALL-PLATFORM JOURNALIST: In this class, it's

easy to forget you're in suburban Ohio. Teachers are prepping kids
for an increasingly global economy, one that will inevitably involve
China, the world's second largest economy.
ANDREW ALDIS, CHINESE LANGUAGE STUDENT: I think it's very

valuable to learn a language that a lot of people in the U.S. will
speak in the future and certainly is huge in business.
WELCH: The school hosts visiting teachers from China, and they're
planning a student trip to the nation this summer. It's funded in part
by the Chinese government. This school will get $30,000. By and
large, the school's endeavor is being received with open arms. But
that said, not everyone's ready to embrace a warm and fuzzy
relationship with China.
The Hacienda Le Puente School District outside Los Angeles was

poised to receive similar funds from the Chinese government, but
community members weren't comfortable with what they call
"communist propaganda" in the hands of elementary students. Back
in Ohio, administrators say the Chinese government has no say in
what the school teaches. But students and faculty say anti-Chinese
sentiment still shows up.
As a teacher, do you ever hear people say, "I don't want my kids
learning Chinese because that's a communist country"?
CHIWEI LIN, CHINESE TEACHER: Yes. I do.
WELCH: Ohio State Professor Oded Shenkar specializes in China.
ODED SHENKAR, OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY: I don't think they're going

to go on record, or going to go through the school and, you know,
let's teach you how to form a communist cell. You know, that's not
going to happen. But there are subtle things.
WELCH: Subtle things, he says, like a visiting teacher from China
potentially overstepping bounds. This school says, bottom line,
opening a dialogue between the two nations is a good place to start.
Chris Welch, CNN, Gahanna, Ohio.
(END VIDEO)
Shoutout
TOMEKA JONES, CNN STUDENT NEWS: Time for the Shoutout! What
U.S. constitutional amendment addresses the right to bear arms? If
you think you know it, then shout it out! Is it the: A) 2nd
Amendment, B) 5th Amendment, C) 16th Amendment or D) 23rd
Amendment? You've got three seconds -- GO! That right is covered
in the Second Amendment, and it's led to a lot of debate. That's
your answer and that's your Shoutout!
The Second Amendment
AZUZ: Okay, as promised, we're turning our attention to the Bill of

Rights and specifically the Second Amendment. This is an
amendment that has been debated for decades, and that debate
gets a lot of attention after an event like the shooting in Tucson,
Arizona.
But to understand what the disagreement is over, you've gotta first

understand exactly what the amendment says: "A well regulated
militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of
the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed." So, does
this mean that a militia or the people should have guns? Ah, there's
the rub.
Many supporters of gun control look to the first part of the

amendment for their argument. Their view: this amendment
protects the right of a militia, like the National Guard, to have guns,
but not necessarily everyone else. So, this is an interpretation that
effectively limits who can carry a firearm. People who support gun
rights generally look to the second part of the Second Amendment,
the part that says "the right of the people to keep and bear arms."
Their view: This amendment protects individuals' rights to have
guns. So, this interpretation suggests non-military citizens should be
free to have firearms.
Now, here's where the legislative and judicial systems come in.
Congress has passed laws that limit who can get or transport guns.
But the Supreme Court has mostly left the issue of gun control for
states to decide. I say "mostly" because it did make a decision last
year that basically said this: The Second Amendment guarantees
that individuals may have guns, and that guarantee must factor in
to state laws.
Is This Legit?
JOHN LISK, CNN STUDENT NEWS: Is this legit? Bats are the only
animals that use echolocation, a process of using sound to locate
objects. Not legit! Some birds, whales and dolphins use this process,
as well.
Dolphin Echolocation
AZUZ: I always remember studying echolocation in association with

dolphins. You might be familiar with echolocation by another name,
though: sonar. It's pretty much the same thing. You send out these
sound waves, and when they bounce off of objects, the reflection of
the waves tells you -- or in this case, the animal -- where the objects
are. We're gonna take it to John Zarrella, now, who takes us to the
Florida Keys, where researchers are putting some dolphins'
echolocation skills to the test.
(BEGIN VIDEO)
JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN MIAMI BUREAU CHIEF AND CORRESPONDENT:

Say hello to Tanner.
EMILY GUARINO, TANNER'S TRAINER: Hi, buddy. Look who's here.

Good morning. Hi, handsome.
ZARRELLA: The 8-year-old bottlenose dolphin is not only a good-

looking dude, he's also really smart.
GUARINO: All right, Tanner. Let's show them what echolocation looks
like.
ZARRELLA: Trainer Emily Guarino throws a ring out in the water with
cups over his eyes so he can't see. Tanner, using his echolocation,
his underwater sonar, finds and retrieves the ring. That's pretty cool,
right? Well, at the Dolphin Research Center in the Florida Keys,
scientists have found dolphins' smarts...
GUARINO: Really blew us away.
ZARRELLA: ...Go way beyond ring retrieval.
GUARINO: Monkey see, monkey do; that's a myth. It turns out that
the animal best able to imitate other than humans is the dolphin.
ZARRELLA: For their study, Tanner was paired with another dolphin.
Here, it's Kibby. The trainer gives Tanner the hand gesture that
means imitate and then covers both Tanner's eyes. Kibby is signaled
to do a specific behavior. Kibby waves his tail, Tanner imitates him
perfectly.
GUARINO: Wow! You got it! That was it. Give me 10. All right.
ZARRELLA: The behaviors are all pre-taught, like splashing the water
or running the lagoon.
GUARINO: Beautiful.
ZARRELLA: But with his blindfold, Tanner has no idea which behavior
Kibby is doing. How does Tanner do it? Maybe his sonar, or he's
picking the characteristic sound made by the behavior. Researchers
and trainers specifically chose behaviors that were safe for Tanner.
For instance, they didn't want him jumping out of the water while he
was wearing the eye cups. Researchers say the dolphins' cognitive
ability to understand what it means to imitate and then carry it out
is amazing.
KELLY JAAKKOLA, DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH, DOLPHIN RESEARCH
CENTER: That shows a kind of problem-solving flexibility that we
haven't seen anywhere else.
ZARRELLA: During the actual research project, Tanner imitated the

behaviors successfully more than 58 percent of the time, ruling out
luck or chance.
GUARINO: Kibby brought a rock. Oh, so did Tanner!
ZARRELLA: John Zarrella, CNN, Grassy Key in the Florida Keys.
(END VIDEO)
Before We Go
AZUZ: It's always amazing to consider how intelligent dolphins are.

Now usually, our Before We Go is about animals in some way. Now,
that last story was about animals, so today, we are going from the
Florida heat to the Colorado cold to show you what some people are
doing: extreme mountain biking. Or really lazy skiing, depending on
how you look at this. It does kinda look like fun. The idea seems to
be trading in tires for skis, swapping out poles for handlebars, and
then just ripping your way or, as might be in my case, crashing your
way down the mountain. It might seem a bit daunting, but if you can
make it out of the starting gates...
Goodbye
AZUZ: ...chances are, it's all downhill from there. You might've seen
that one coming. We'll try again! You know some thrill seeker
probably came up with this ski-eme just for fun. But I'm guessing
halfway down the slope, he realized it was snow laughing matter. All
right! For CNN Student News, I'm Carl Azuz. That wraps up our show
today, but we are coming back tomorrow, where Fridays are always
awesome on our show. Look forward to seeing you then. Have a
great afternoon!
January 19, 2011
• Pakistan
• Haiti
• Somalia
Transcript

CARL AZUZ, CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR: A former dictator shows

back up in his home country 25 years after he was forced out of
power. What happened? We have the answer in today's edition of
CNN Student News!
First Up: Pakistan Quake
AZUZ: First up, an early-morning earthquake hits Pakistan. This

happened around 1:30 a.m. local time on Wednesday in a remote
area in southwestern Pakistan. Officials said the quake had an initial
magnitude of 7.2. That would mean it was a "major" quake. There
were reports that it lasted 20 or 30 seconds. One scientist said it's
not uncommon for earthquakes to hit this region.
China & U.S. Relationship
AZUZ: Well, the leaders of the world's two largest economies get
together in Washington, D.C. We're talking about President Obama
and Chinese President Hu Jintao. The Chinese leader is in the U.S. for
a visit. The two presidents are scheduled to sit down today to talk
about some of the issues that are important to both nations.
President Hu landed in Washington yesterday. In addition to

President Obama, the Chinese leader is scheduled to sit down with
leaders in Congress and business executives. The issue of trade is
likely to come up at all of those meetings. The U.S. and Chinese
economies are connected in a lot of ways, and each country has had
some complaints about the other one's policies. Jill Dougherty has
more for us on the connections between the U.S. and China and the
current status of the relationship between these two world powers.
(BEGIN VIDEO)
JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN FOREIGN AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Two

nations oceans apart, locked in a complex relationship that will help
chart the 21st century.
HILLARY CLINTON, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: Today, our

relationship has gone global. We debate and discuss nearly every
major international issue.
DOUGHERTY: Friends or rivals? A former deputy secretary of state

says for the U.S., China is both.
RICHARD ARMITAGE, FORMER DEPUTY SECRETARY OF STATE: They

are a factor of life as the second largest economy in the world, by
every measure, whether it's political, social, economic, and for that
matter security. And furthermore, they have very key interests of
their own in areas that are extraordinarily important to us.
DOUGHERTY: Spin the globe and you see China's growing

competition with the U.S. for access and influence. From Africa,
where China craves oil and other resources, to Latin America, in
search of commodities and alternatives to its heavy investment in
the U.S. For many Americans, China, for years, has meant bargains.
But increasingly, China means jobs for Americans at home.
U.S. TREASURY SECRETARY TIMOTHY GEITHNER: Our exports to

China are growing at twice the rate of growth of our exports to the
rest of the world. These exports support hundreds of thousands of
jobs across the nation in all sectors.
U.S. DEFENSE SECRETARY ROBERT GATES: We welcome a China that

plays a constructive role on the world stage.
DOUGHERTY: Yet China's burgeoning military power is stoking

concern in Asia and the U.S.
GATES: But questions about its intentions and opaque military
modernization program have been a source of concern to its
neighbors.
DOUGHERTY: Washington says with power comes responsibility. For

now, China looks outward, mostly to benefit itself
ARMITAGE: China's outreach, I believe, in the main is based on what

they perceive is their economic and political interest. However, it is
the case that this compels them on occasion to deal with what we
consider pariah regimes.
DOUGHERTY: The U.S. really needs China's help in pressing Iran and
North Korea on their nuclear programs. But on every world issue,
from terrorism to climate change to piracy on the high seas,
Washington also looks to Beijing.
CLINTON: Embracing the obligations that come with being a 21st

century power will help to realize a future that will give the Chinese
people even more, in fact, unimagined opportunities. But that
means accepting a share of the burden of solving common
problems,
DOUGHERTY: And that, Clinton argues, includes respecting human

rights, releasing political prisoners and protecting ethnic minorities
in Tibet.
(END VIDEO)
Health Care Repeal?
AZUZ: Moving on to our next story today. The U.S. House of

Representatives, there's a vote scheduled today to repeal, or
overturn, the controversial health care reform law. During last year's
midterm election campaigns, a lot of Republicans said they'd try to
overturn the law if they were elected. They won a majority in the
House, so this vote is a way for them to keep that promise. Most
people though -- including most Republicans -- don't expect the
health care law to be completely overturned. That's because an
outright repeal has to be passed by the House and the Senate, and
Democrats have a majority in the U.S. Senate.
Shoutout
STAN CASE, CNN STUDENT NEWS: Today's first Shoutout goes out to
Mr. Ireland and Ms. Van Gelder's class at Palo Verde High School in
Tucson, Arizona! Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier is a former
dictator of what country? Is it: A) Algeria, B) Cuba, C) France or D)
Haiti? You've got three seconds -- GO! Duvalier ruled Haiti for 15
years; he was forced out of the country in 1986. That's your answer
and that's your Shoutout!
"Baby Doc" Returns
AZUZ: "Baby Doc" Duvalier is back in Haiti this week. He showed up

in the Caribbean nation on Sunday. Yesterday, he was taken into
custody while authorities decided whether or not to officially arrest
him. Human rights groups say that while Duvalier was in power,
thousands of Haitians were killed or tortured. He was also accused
of taking money from the country's treasury. No one's really sure
why "Baby Doc" -- he's the person waving -- returned to Haiti. One of
his associates said it was connected to the anniversary of last year's
earthquake. Duvalier was given control of the country by his father,
who was known as "Papa Doc." That's how the younger Duvalier got
the nickname "Baby Doc."
Shoutout Extra Credit
TOMEKA JONES, CNN STUDENT NEWS: Time for a Shoutout Extra

Credit! Which of these countries is part of the Horn of Africa? You
know what to do! Is it: A) Somalia, B) Liberia, C) Tunisia or D)
Namibia? Rewind the clock to three seconds -- GO! Of these options,
only Somalia is part of the Horn of Africa. That's your answer and
that's your Shoutout Extra Credit!
Pirate Proof
AZUZ: The area around the Horn of Africa, specifically, the waters off
the coast of Somalia, is home to more pirate attacks than anywhere
else in the world. That's according to a new report that found 2010
was the worst year ever for piracy worldwide. Zain Verjee looks at
some of the ways companies and governments can protect
themselves from pirates.
(BEGIN VIDEO)
ZAIN VERJEE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The hope is this can ward off
pirates. It may seem laughable, but mannequins posing as guards in
the dead of night could fool pirates and force them to flee. There are
other tactics, as one NATO commander tells me.
LARRY TRIM, NATO COMMANDER: Barbed wire, perhaps, around their

ship. They have extra lookouts posted to look for Somali pirates.
They have a routine where they can find fire flares, water hoses, etc.
VERJEE: Warships try to stop pirates before they hit major shipping
lanes like the Gulf of Aden. The captain would have seen a skiff out
there and then ordered out the Marines to go and deal with the
pirates.
TRIM: We take away their equipment. We take away their mother

ships, which is damaging to them, and then send them back to
shore.
VERJEE: In Mombasa, Kenya, the Greek commander of this warship

supports operations around Somalia for the European Naval Force,
EU NAVFOR. He tells me what's tough.
CAPTAIN VASILEIOS EFSTATHIOU, EU NAVAL FORCE SOMALIA: The

area is really huge. The area of operation is equal about the size of
the United States.
VERJEE: Just compare the size here. A powerful warship like this one,
completely outfitted with weapons and technology, is chasing
around boats smaller than the size of this one out on the Indian
Ocean. Deep in a building in central London, one private, maritime
security firm has got a bird's-eye view. They're watching feeds,
tracking vessels and weather patterns.
RAURI DOWDS, MARITIME UNDERWATER SECURITY CONSULTANCY:

We analyze them to try and create a picture of what's real and
what's not.
VERJEE: They help steer ships in real time, sometimes to rougher

waters where small pirate skiffs can't operate.
DOWDS: We always consider factors such as rainfall and most

importantly the wind.
VERJEE: Everyone I speak to tells me there's only one real solution

for Somalia. That's not on the sea, but on the shore, where only a
government that works can control its people. For now, as Somali
pirates plan attacks, real men, and, oh, let's call them
reinforcements, patrol the high seas hoping ships pass safely.
(END VIDEO)
Before We Go
AZUZ: We have another singing sensation for today's Before We Go

segment. Maestro, please take your seat. A quick look to make sure
that the audience is paying attention. And now, you make sure you
have the perfect pitch, and let the performance begin. Something
tells me this won't earn a standing ovation. The crooning canine's
owners say he practices at the piano three or four times every day.
It sounds painful!
Goodbye
AZUZ: But I guess after a while, they just learned tune him out.
Luckily, they're music and dog lovers. Otherwise, that little guy
might be flat. We hope you'll note that CNN Student News returns
tomorrow, when we pitch out more commercial-free headlines. Bye
bye!
January 18, 2011
• Tucson, Arizona
• Tunisia
• Athens, Georgia
Transcript

CARL AZUZ, CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR: I'm Carl Azuz and this is
CNN Student News! We're back from the long weekend and ready to
kick off 10 minutes of commercial-free headlines. We start in the
U.S. state of Arizona.
First Up: Arizona Shooting
AZUZ: U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords could be released from

a hospital there in just days or weeks. Congresswoman Giffords was
one of the victims of the shooting attack in Tucson, Arizona earlier
this month. On Sunday, doctors upgraded her condition from critical
to serious, so that's a step in the right direction. Hundreds of people
took to the streets on Sunday to participate in a "Walk for Peace."
Organizers said they wanted to honor the victims of the shooting
and find a way to help bring the community together.
Some congressional leaders from both parties are trying to come

together in their own way, starting with something small: sitting
together at the State of the Union address. This is the speech that
the president gives to Congress every year. And what you see in
these pictures is last year's State of the Union address. You notice
that one section is standing, while another is sitting? That's because
Republicans and Democrats usually don't sit together during these
speeches. This year, though, you might see a different seating
arrangement.
Junior Theater Festival
AZUZ: This weekend, here in Atlanta, a cast of thousands got

together for the Junior Theater Festival. The event celebrates the
performing arts. It takes place the same weekend as Martin Luther
King Day. In recognition of his dream, students at the festival had
the chance to talk about their dreams. Listen to what they had to
say.
KATE HILSCHER, STUDENT: I have a dream that some day kids will
have a bigger voice in their communities. I feel like kids have a lot
to say, but it's often not heard by the adults around them.
QWANIKWIA HICKLEN, STUDENT: My dream is to become an

endangered species specialist and help save a kind that's dying off
slowly.
ELIZABETH RENEGAR, STUDENT: A few of my dreams are to adopt a

child from a foreign country and give them a home, a lot better
home than they could've had.
CASEY TAYLOR, STUDENT: One of my dreams is to possibly design

and run lighting for large theatrical productions. Martin Luther King
Jr. was a great man and inspired me and many other people for
wonderful dreams.
AZUZ: Not the only way that people paid tribute to the civil rights
leader this weekend. As Samantha Hayes reported yesterday,
Americans all across the country took part in community service
projects and honored Dr. King's legacy.
(BEGIN VIDEO)
SAMANTHA HAYES, CNN CORRESPONDENT, WASHINGTON, D.C.: At a

Washington, D.C. middle school, President Barack Obama and first
lady Michelle Obama worked with a mentoring program on a service
project, a Martin Luther King Day tradition for the first family.
U.S. PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: Michelle and I and the girls are
extraordinarily proud that each year on Martin Luther King's
birthday, this is how we celebrate, is making sure that we're giving a
little something back to the community.
HAYES: It's been nearly 43 years since the civil rights leader was
assassinated at a hotel in Memphis before a protest march. In
Atlanta, not far from King's childhood home, family members laid
flowers at the gravesite where King and his wife Coretta Scott King
are buried. Today marks the 25th anniversary of the Martin Luther
King holiday. In 1994, Congress designated it a national day of
service. Jesse Jackson, who was with King at the time of his death,
says his dream has not been fully realized.
REV. JESSE JACKSON, RAINBOWPUSH COALITION: He would be

delighted to know we've come to a higher level of socialization
enough to vote for each other across lines of race, gender and
religion. And so, President Barack Obama is in Washington today as
head of state. He would find delight in that. But then on the other
hand, the issue of violence, the shooting of Congresswoman
Gabrielle Giffords, it simply illuminates, we pray to God for her
recovery, but it illuminates just how much more violent we've
become.
HAYES: Back in the nation's capital, a memorial honoring Dr. Martin

Luther King is scheduled for completion later this year. For CNN
Student News, I'm Samantha Hayes.
(END VIDEO)
I.D. Me
TOMEKA JONES, CNN STUDENT NEWS: See if you can I.D. Me! I'm a
country located in northern Africa between Algeria and Libya. I got
my independence from France in the 1950s. My capital city is Tunis.
I'm Tunisia, and I'm home to around 10.5 million people.
Protests in Tunisia
AZUZ: Tunisia is forming a new government that'll be responsible for

leading the country to new elections. All of this is coming after
weeks of riots and protests. People are upset about bad living
conditions, high unemployment and accusations of government
corruption. There's been fighting between protesters and police. And
the Tunisian president -- who'd been president for 23 years -- was
forced out of power.
Why does this matter to America? Well, for one, the U.S. and Tunisia
are close allies, especially when it comes to fighting terrorists.
Another concern: Before all of this started, Tunisia was considered a
pretty safe and stable country. Some experts argue that what's
happening in Tunisia could inspire similar protests in other countries.
What's the Word?
JOHN LISK, CNN STUDENT NEWS: What's the Word?
a type of financial aid that students earn through academic

achievement
SCHOLARSHIP
That's the word!
Funding Free Tuition
AZUZ: Well, here in Georgia, we have something called the HOPE

Scholarship. It's for students who do well in high school and go to
college in state. But the scholarship is facing some potential
challenges. Kyra Phillips heads to Athens and my alma mater -- the
University of Georgia -- to look at how HOPE has helped, and why
the scholarship could be in trouble.
(BEGIN VIDEO)
DANYELLE REYNOLDS, UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA JUNIOR: Go Dawgs!
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: University of Georgia junior Danyelle

Reynolds beams with school pride. She is a Georgia Bulldog through
and through. She's also a HOPE scholarship recipient, and that
means she doesn't pay a dime toward tuition.
REYNOLDS: Initially, I was actually looking at going out of state. But
once I saw the numbers of out-of-state at some schools and then
paying in-state and not having to pay for that tuition, so just paying
for housing and books and some of the fees, it was really a no-
brainer.
PHILLIPS: A no-brainer to more than a million Georgia students who

have taken advantage of the scholarship since it was introduced in
1993. Here's how it works: Earn a 3.0 grade point average in an in-
state high school and maintain your grades at college. Amounts
vary, but some students can get up to $6,000 a year for tuition, fees
and books at any eligible Georgia university or technical school. It's
funded by the state lottery, but demand is high and more money is
going out than coming in. Lawmakers are dipping into reserves,
scrambling to cover costs. And Georgia's new Republican governor
says something needs to change.
GOV. NATHAN DEAL, (R) GEORGIA: I am dedicated to honoring the

promise that has been made to our students through HOPE and will
work with the general assembly to tailor the program to the financial
realities that we face today.
PHILLIPS: Other legislatures in other parts of the country are

watching for Georgia's next move. More than a dozen other states
modeled their own scholarship programs on HOPE. Many of them
are now caught in the same kind of budget crunch.
NANCY MCDUFF, ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT, UNIVERSITY OF

GEORGIA ADMISSIONS & ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT: I don't know
that any other program is identical to what we have in Georgia, nor
has it been around as long and had a chance to grow. So, they're
watching us carefully, and we're hoping that we'll be able to to
preserve this so that students and families will be as impacted as
least as possible given the current economic situation.
PHILLIPS: Spend a day in this college town, and you'll be hard

pressed to find a Georgia student who hasn't benefited from HOPE.
Freshman Lindsey Harris says the opportunity has been a life-
changer.
LINDSEY HARRIS, COLLEGE FRESHMAN: It's pretty much the only
way I was going to be able to go to college.
PHILLIPS: And unfortunately, her family isn't banking on the

scholarship for the younger siblings.
AMY HARRIS, LINDSEY HARRIS'S MOTHER: I've got a 10-year-old also

and 5-year-old. I'm not really counting on HOPE being there in eight
years or 13 years for them.
(END VIDEO)
Promo
AZUZ: Want to expand your geographic genius? You know you do.
Our downloadable maps: just what you're looking for. You can go to
CNNStudentNews.com every day and use these free resources to
help you pinpoint locations in the headlines, like today's maps for
Athens, Tucson and Tunisia. They're always free, always at
CNNStudentNews.com!
Before We Go
AZUZ: And before we go, we have a truly memorable musical

performance for you.
ELIZABETH HUGHES, 8-YEAR-OLD NATIONAL ANTHEM SINGER: The

bombs bursting in air, gave proof...
AZUZ: Eight-year-old Elizabeth Hughes didn't quit singing; her

microphone quit working. It died partway through her performance
of the national anthem. She never stopped singing. And
eventually...she got some help. The crowd came to the rescue! And
the awesome anthem was captured in this YouTube video.
Goodbye
AZUZ: Of course, the video has turned Elizabeth into a bit of a star.
She certainly is a bright spot. You know, like a spangle. And it's easy
to see why after that banner performance. Star... Spangle... and
Banner. Well, we'll wave goodbye and see you tomorrow. For CNN
Student News, I'm Carl Azuz.
January 14, 2011
• Arizona
• Brazil
• Nevada
Transcript

CARL AZUZ, CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR: It's the best day of the
school-week and you're about to get a front-row seat to world
headlines without a single commercial. In other words, CNN Student
News. I'm Carl Azuz!
AZUZ: First up: The giant American flag was recovered in the
aftermath of the September 11th attacks in New York City. That was
a little over nine years ago, the same day that Christina Green was
born. She was one of the victims of a shooting last Saturday in
Tucson, Arizona. So the flag was raised in Christina's honor with
those who knew and loved the girl walking past it, on the way to a
service to remember her. Five other people were killed in the
shooting. Speaking at a memorial service for all of them on
Wednesday night, President Obama said he wanted America to be
as good as Christina envisioned it.
U.S. PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: Here on Earth, we place our hands

over our hearts, and we commit ourselves as Americans to forging a
country that is forever worthy of her gentle, happy spirit. May God
bless and keep those we've lost in restful and eternal peace. May He
love and watch over the survivors. And may He bless the United
States of America.
AZUZ: Arizona Representative Gabrielle Giffords is a survivor of the
shooting. She's one of six people still in the hospital, and the only
one in critical condition. Wednesday, Giffords opened her eyes for
the first time since the shooting and gave her husband a sign she
could hear him.
Brazil Floods
AZUZ: Australia isn't the only country dealing with ravaging

floodwaters right now. We're gonna take you to Brazil, South
America, a nation in its summer rainy season. Rains that are out of
hand in some places. We want you to look at this -- families that are
in "extreme risk" of being washed away. This includes people in the
mountains, and people near riverbeds, as landslides, mudslides, and
rising waters leave thousands homeless. Around 400 people have
died, many are missing. Some families are living in schools and
gyms. In some spots, the only dry areas you can see are roofs and
tree-tops. And more rains are in the forecast. The country's
government is taking some heat for poor disaster planning and
allowing people to build homes in dangerous, mountain areas.
Etna Erupts
AZUZ: This is what happens when Europe's most famous volcano

gets active. Tremors started rumbling in Italy's Mount Etna on
Tuesday. By Wednesday, you can see what was going on. The
volcano's on the island of Sicily, about 18 miles from the nearest
town. It may be spewing ash, but it doesn't seem to be threatening
anyone at the moment. That wasn't the case in 1669, the date of
Etna's most violent eruption, which killed 20,000 people.
I.D. Me
CNN STUDENT NEWS: See if you can I.D. me. I was born in Atlanta,
Georgia in 1929. My name was changed from Michael King when I
was five years old. In 1964, I became the youngest person at the
time to win the Nobel Peace Prize. I'm Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., one
of the most famous figures in the U.S. civil rights movement.
MLK Day
AZUZ: Many consider Martin Luther King the face of the civil rights
movement. Between 1957 and 1968, King traveled over six million
miles and gave more than 2,500 speeches. His message: Equality
through non-violence. Dr. King organized boycotts and protests. He
worked with presidents on creating civil rights laws. And in 1963, he
helped lead the march on Washington where Dr. King gave his
famous "I Have a Dream" speech. In that, he discussed his vision for
a world where people would be judged by their character, rather
than their skin color. On April 4th, 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee. Four days later, the idea
of a federal holiday honoring him was first introduced in Congress.
That proposal became law in 1983 and the first nationwide
observance of the Martin Luther King holiday was in 1986. The
holiday is on the third Monday of January every year, which is this
coming Monday, January 17th. Many people use it as an opportunity
to help out with community service projects. For everyone, it's a
chance to remember King's dream and the legacy that he left in his
work to achieve it.
School Lunches
AZUZ: Pizza sticks, tater tots, and hot dogs: the government wants
those off your school lunch menu and replaced with foods like chef
salad, baked sweet potato fries, and whole wheat spaghetti. It's a
new proposal from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and part of
the Obama administration's efforts to cut down on childhood
obesity. Healthier foods often cost more, so the government plans to
help poorer schools pay for the changes. Critics say it shouldn't be
up to the federal government to decide what schools are allowed to
serve -- that it's a state or local issue. The rule would limit calories
for school breakfasts and lunches. If it takes effect, you could see
changes several months down the road.
Shoutout
CNN STUDENT NEWS: Today's Shoutout goes out to Mrs. Goodman's

journalism students at Grassfield High School in Chesapeake,
Virginia! What is the atomic symbol for gold? You know what to do!
Is it: A) Ag, B) Au, C) Go or D) Hg? You've got three seconds -- GO!
The Latin word for gold is aurum; that's why its symbol is Au. That's
your answer and that's your Shoutout!
How Gold is Mined
AZUZ: Gold, money and dreams: A dangerous combination that has

been the downfall of many and the success of a few. The California
gold rush of 1849 doesn't scratch the surface of gold's historic lure.
Ancient Egyptians and Etruscans wore it. Entire currencies were
based on it. But why gold instead of other metals? Well, it doesn't
tarnish or corrode. It's easy to work with and shape. And it's very
hard to destroy. Poppy Harlow takes us far underground, where
modern miners cash in on methods their predecessors, didn't even
dream about.
(BEGIN VIDEO)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE, BARRICK CHIEF SAFETY OFFICER: Your self-

rescuer is going to go probably on your right-hand side.
POPPY HARLOW, CNNMONEY.COM ANCHOR: We're gearing up to go

two miles deep into one of the biggest gold mines in the country.
I can't believe we're two Empire State buildings down below the
surface of the Earth. And we still have quite a ways to go. Hunting
for gold goes all the way back to 4,000 B.C. And today, the
obsession continues.
Here, in Barrick Gold's Cortez Mine in rural Nevada, more than one
million ounces of gold were mined last year alone. That's over $1
billion worth.
DAVE BUNDROCK, GOLD MINER: Geology has figured out where the
pot of ore is, then they just point us toward it.
HARLOW: But finding gold these days is much more complex and
expensive than just, well, panning for it. In fact, you can't even see
the gold in this mine.
I mean, it's amazing to me to think that this is gold, but it is.
RANDY HAGER, GOLD MINER:Yes.
HARLOW: It's right here.
HAGER: Yes. You can't see it. It's microscopic.
HARLOW: Miners have to drill and blast through layers and layers of
rock to reach the gold.
HAGER: There's gold in this. And what I'm going to do is turn this
into a pile of muck.
HARLOW: It looks like dirt, but muck is actually gold ore. Tiny
particles of gold that will eventually make up a gold brick.
HAGER: I'm going to get about 10 truckloads out of here. About 10

ounces of gold - 10 to 15 ounces of gold at $1,400 an ounce. And
we'll do this several times during a day's work.
HARLOW: Not bad money.
HAGER: Not bad money.
HARLOW: So, after the gold ore is mined, about 400 tons of it goes
in massive trucks just like this one. Of that, only four ounces is pure
gold. It's taken, it's crushed, then it's taken to a mill and then it's
refined.
JULIUS STIEGER, PROCESS DIVISION MANAGER, BRARRICK-CORTEZ:

After of the ore is crushed and ground, we leach the gold out. From
there we put it into a pressure-cooker environment, high
temperature and pressure with various chemicals, and that pulls the
gold out. This is the final step before pouring the gold bar.
HARLOW: Barrick mines gold for around $300 an ounce, and gold is
selling for record highs, around $1,400 an ounce. Those big margins
mean jobs. Something desperately needed in Nevada, a state
struggling with the highest in unemployment and foreclosure rates
in the country.
JOHN ALEXANDER, SHOVEL OPERATOR: I can provide for my family.

You know? And I don't know any other job in this world that can -- I
get paid for what I get paid and survive now these days, the way the
prices are.
HAGER: There's job security here with gold that high. Not going to
run out of work.
(END VIDEO)
Before We Go
AZUZ: With snow falling and daily temperatures in the 20s this time
of year, ideas for outdoor activities can come to a stalemate. But not
for a pair of local artists in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Someone had
this kingly idea for them to sculpt an ice chess set! Don't know how
long they pawn-dered the proposal, but it took over a month and a
half for them to piece this together and let the game begin.
Goodbye
AZUZ: It's something people can play by day, and by knights. A

board to keep freedom in check, mate! I'm Carl Azuz, and our next
move is gonna be January 18th! Enjoy the Martin Luther King
holiday, and we'll see you on Tuesday!
January 13, 2011
• Arizona
• Australia
Transcript

CARL AZUZ, CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR: A problem that won't be

solved, even if the solution is clear. The story and the reasons,
leading off today's broadcast of CNN Student News! My name is Carl
Azuz!
First Up: Winter Storm Woes
AZUZ: Florida is the only state in the union without snow on the
ground and that includes Hawaii! In the northeast, that snow is
deep. When a weather emergency is called in New York, which gets
more than two feet of snow a year, you know it's bad. More than
1,700 flights have been canceled at New York city's 3 major airports,
though the city's public schools stayed open. They're closed in Philly
and Boston, though. And across Massachusetts, 64,000 homes had
their power knocked out. Forecasters expect 24 inches in some
areas. Some of this can be blamed on the storm system that iced
out the southeast. And Martin Savidge explains how and why, that's
likely to happen again!
(BEGIN VIDEO)
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Officials knew Atlanta

wasn't prepared for the storm. In fact, over the years the city made
a conscious decision not to be ready.
Historically, what's been the attitude of the city when it comes to

snow or ice?
MAYOR KASIM REED, (D) ATLANTA: Well, I mean, when I was a boy
growing up here it was a day off, a day or two off. But now that I'm
mayor, that's fundamentally different.
SAVIDGE: Atlanta has relied on two basic facts -- southern

snowstorms are rare, and the best way to get rid of the snow is to
simply let it melt. That logic fails about once a decade. This time the
city remained shut down for days as roads became impassable. In
fact the roads are still so bad I couldn't get to the experts I wanted
to interview, so I called them.
Do we have any idea of what this snow event for the city of Atlanta
may cost?
TOM CUNNINGHAM, FEDERAL RESERVE BANK OF ATLANTA [ON

PHONE]: No, not right now.
SAVIDGE: Cunningham says because a convention might have been

snowed out doesn't mean the city lost money. Remember all those
passengers stuck at the airport? Most would have just passed
through. Instead they spent money on hotels and ate at area
restaurants. What about all those businesses who couldn't work
because their employees couldn't get in?
CUNNINGHAM [ON PHONE]: There is certainly some lost income

associated with hourly workers not being able to get in and get paid.
A lot of that aggregate output is going to be made up over the
course of the year.
SAVIDGE: But why lose it at all? Why not just buy the equipment to
handle the snow? I got that answer in my very next call to the
Georgia Department of Transportation.
JILL GOLDBERG, DEPUTY PRESS SECRETARY, GDOT [ON PHONE]: A

snowplow is $250,000. You would need so many of them it would be
$100 million or more to shell out in order to truly cover all of the
interstates.
SAVIDGE: And that's not likely to happen in this economy.

There are many businesses that were unable to do business,
employees couldn't come in. Millions of dollars, maybe tens of
millions, maybe more, lost over what appears to be this 3 day
period? Still not worth buying the trucks:
REED: My answer right now is no.
SAVIDGE: And you know what, the economist says the mayor's
probably right. It appears that the business community, at least for
now, is in agreement with the city that these events are so rare that
its not worth the expense of investment of equipment and
personnel.
CUNNINGHAM [ON PHONE]: I think that's a fair assessment.
(END VIDEO)
House Condemns Shooting
AZUZ: A tone of coming together at the U.S. House of

Representatives. Yesterday, lawmakers held a bipartisan
Congressional prayer service in honor of the 19 shooting victims in
Arizona. House Speaker John Boehner said, "our nation mourns for
the victims, it yearns for peace and it thirsts for answers." Later, the
House planned to vote on a Resolution, a statement, that spoke out
against the Arizona shooting. President Obama left Washington, D.C.
for Tucson, Arizona yesterday. Last night, he was scheduled to speak
at a memorial service for attack victims. The president and first
lady, whom you see here, were also planning to spend time at the
University of Arizona in Tucson, where they were going to visit with
victims' families.
Blog Report
AZUZ: We're turning now to our Facebook page, for some of your
comments on the Arizona shooting. Justin writes that even if the
suspect is mentally unstable, he was stable enough to target the
Congresswoman, and therefore should be tried and thrown into
prison. Savannah lives in a town near Tucson, in Gabrielle Giffords'
area. She said she was completely shocked and that this was a
horrible tragedy that never should've happened. And Aubrey states,
"when things like this happen, I often wonder what were the signs
that he was going to do this, and why could no one see them?" All of
these comments from Facebook.com/cnnstudentnews. And on our
blog: Jacob believes that in order for someone to carry a gun, they
need to have a mental stability test. And listen to what Ben says:
"This was a flaw in U.S. defense; There wasn't enough security at
this gathering to prevent the shooting from happening. But if we
lived in a civilized country, we wouldn't need that security." You can
talk to us at Facebook.com/cnnstudentnews. And of course at our
blog at CNNStudentNews.com!
Is This Legit?
CNN STUDENT NEWS: Is This Legit? Queensland is a state in New

Zealand. Not Legit! Queensland is a state in Australia.
Australia Floodwaters Rising
AZUZ: Parts of Queensland, Australia are suffering through what's

being called the worst natural disaster in the state's history. Massive
flooding has left huge areas of Queensland underwater. And it's not
just the people in the middle of these floods who've been affected.
Some areas that were able to stay dry have been completely cut off
for weeks. Supplies had to be brought in by helicopter. Phil Black is
where people are racing against the rising tide.
(BEGIN VIDEO)
PHIL BLACK, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The Brisbane

river churned swiftly, sweeping away boats, their jetties and other
huge pieces of debris. And the water steadily began creeping
beyond its banks. But this was just the beginning. This marker on a
riverside pub showed what to expect. 2011 is predicted to get very
close to the floods of 1974. Very quickly the first streets were
inundated and locals were shocked by the water's speed.
It's well up there already isn't it?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE:It is. It's coming up real quick.
BLACK: All along the river people desperately packed what they
could into cars and trailers. They raced the water, and some kept
going even when they were clearly falling behind. Philip Johnston
got his family out before the floods reached his home.
PHILIP JOHNSTON, BRISBANE RESIDENT: We've got places to go to so

we're right with that. Some of the lower lying guys are going to lose
everything.
ADAM BESWICK, BRISBANE RESIDENT IN ROW BOAT: Water was

halfway up the driveway. Waist deep at the gate.
BLACK: We rowed with Adam Beswick to his home, past others with
water already up to the ceiling. Beswick's house is on a small hill
and on stilts, but he believes it will be swamped.
If the prediction is accurate, how high up will this come? How much
of it will be covered?
BESWICK: I would probably think up to this ridge here but not the
main ridge.
BLACK: And all of this is just one street. What you are seeing here is
going to be experienced by, it's estimated, more than 20,000 homes
and properties across the city. Some people were clearly taking
things casually. Some were too casual and too slow to realize the
seriousness of their situation. More proof of just how quickly this
water is coming in. These rescue boats have been called out to help
people who very suddenly found themselves surrounded by water.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We couldn't evacuate before and we just

couldn't go anywhere so we ended up calling the police.
BLACK: How would you describe what you've seen out there?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE:It's pretty horrendous actually. Especially

looking at the river. It's just frightening looking at the power of
nature there.
BLACK: The extent of that power will be known soon with flood
waters expected to peak here on Thursday.
Phil Black, CNN, Brisbane, Australia.
(END VIDEO)
Shoutout
CNN STUDENT NEWS: We know you want a Shoutout dedicated to

your class on CNN Student News and there is one way to get it, so
listen up, y'all! First: Have your teacher take an original photo of
your school. It has to be an original, not taken from anywhere else.
Then: Head to CNNStudentNews.com, and scroll down the page to
the "How Do I" box on the left side. You click "How do I get a
Shoutout?" And you follow the instructions to get your iReport to us.
Hope to hear from you soon!
Before We Go
AZUZ: If you've ever visited us here at the CNN Center, you've been
only a snowball's throw, from the world famous Peachtree Street.
These days, it's more like an ice rink. A place where driving is
deleterious, but skating is serious! Or at least seriously possible. Of
everyone who's ever passed through the middle of downtown
Atlanta, this guy's gotta be one of the only people ever, to do it on
ice skates.
Goodbye
AZUZ: At least as far as ice-see it. It's like Peachtree on ice: A once-
in-a-lifetime sight to ski. We'll ski ya tomorrow, on air, online, on
iTunes, and probably still on ice. I'm Carl Azuz!
January 11, 2011

• Arizona
• Australia
• Afghanistan
Transcript

CARL AZUZ, CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR: One, one, one, one, one:
If you were to write today's date, that is what you'd get. But it's not
our only story about numerals; the next one's about eight minutes
away, on CNN Student News!
First Up: A Community Finds Strength
AZUZ: New details about a tragic shooting in Tucson, Arizona. Last

night, Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, whom a gunman had tried
to assassinate on Saturday, was in critical but stable condition. She
was one of 14 people wounded. The six people killed included a
member of Giffords' staff, a federal judge, a 9-year-old girl, and a
man who'd tried to protect his wife. There are some who are being
called heroes. A middle-aged woman kept the gunman from
reloading bullets. Someone who was shot was the first to grab the
gunman. Another man ran from a store nearby to help wrestle the
suspect to the ground. The suspect is in police custody, but the
focus in Tucson, according to Kiran Chetry, is on the victims.
(BEGIN VIDEO)
KIRAN CHETRY, CNN ANCHOR, AMERICAN MORNING: This city is very

much in shock
SALLY HUNTER, TUCSON RESIDENT: I'm just overcome with emotion.

You know It's shocking to all of us.
CHETRY: A "Get Well" balloon and flowers placed at the corner of the
Safeway shopping center where police continue their investigation
into the mass killing that has stunned this city of more than half a
million people.
Across town a special service held at the synagogue that
Congresswoman Giffords attends.
RABBI STEPHANIE AARON, REP.GIFFORDS' RABBI: When we come

together in this way, and we see the gathered strength of our
community, then that gives all of us more strength.
CHETRY: Emotions were very raw at an evening vigil a large crowd

attended outside of Gifford's office. This man, who brought his 4-
month-old son, was friends with Gabe Zimmerman, one of Giffords'
staffers who was killed.
TOM GORMLEY, FRIEND OF VICTIM: It doesn't matter if you're a

Democrat or a Republican, no one deserves this type of justice.
Never ever. And I don't want my son to grow up in this type of world,
where violence is OK, 'cause its not OK.
CHETRY: Some held signs pleading for tolerance.
MICHAEL VECKMAN, ATTENDEE, CANDLELIGHT VIGIL: Let's

discontinue the hateful words in politics. Let's end the wars. Let's
come together.
CHETRY: A crowd coming together singing for peace and

understanding. Kiran Chetry, CNN, Tucson, Arizona.
(END VIDEO)
Storm-Struck Southeast
AZUZ: Five inches of snow in one night: Many of our viewers in the
U.S. have seen that before. But in a city like Atlanta, whose average
snowfall is two inches a year, that makes a difference. In fact, it
caused states of emergency in Georgia, Alabama and Louisiana.
Treacherous traffic conditions, power outages, just part of the story.
Another part: Camping at the airport. Delta Airlines canceled about
25 percent of all its flights for Monday! Airtran canceled hundreds of
its flights to the southeast. That left travelers stranded. And this was
expected to leave folks at home, without power. Ice coating power
lines, snow weighing down tree limbs, crashing into power lines.
Businesses throughout the Southeast kept their doors closed with
their employees snowed in at home.
Economic Impact of Floods
AZUZ: It's summertime in Australia, but they're dealing with

disastrous conditions of their own: More flash flooding, on top of
what's already made a virtual island of a city in northeast Australia.
At least 11 deaths have been linked to this. And among the 200,000
people affected, Phil Black shows us how some farmers are taking to
the sea, to live off the land.
(BEGIN VIDEO)
PHIL BLACK, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: A pineapple

farm isn't supposed to look like this. Fruit rotting on the bush and on
the ground. Each one is the product of two years work and they're
being left to the ants.
It must be hard to see.
JOHN CURRY, FARMER: It's very hard to see. We're struggling to

come to terms with it still. It's been a hard couple of weeks. We
should be right. We'll get through it. I don't know what we're going
to do. I don't know how we're going to come out of it. But we will.
BLACK: As The flood waters rose around Rockhampton they cut off
the road heading south. It's the only route the region's fruit growers
can use to get their produce to market. And it happened at the
worst possible time, the start of the summer harvest. Within days
much of Curry's crop was too ripe to sell.
CURRY: Like this one here, should have been picked a long time ago,
it's still cutting alright but I cant' send that to market.
BLACK: So that's just too ripe to send to market.
CURRY: It's too ripe. You can already see the bugs are coming in.
BLACK: So the losses here have been significant but it could have
been much worse. The farmers in the area were desperate so
frantically they worked together and found another way to send
some of their fruit south. And here it is. They can't get them out by
the road, so they're taking the coast. The farmers found this barge
and have started using it to ferry pineapples past the flooded roads.
It's not an express service.
UNIDENTIFIED BARGE CAPTAIN: It takes eight and half or nine hours.

Depends on the tides.
BLACK: The trucks can normally do it in two hours. They're also

cheaper and a convoy will carry more. But this barge is helping the
pineapple growers of central Queensland to endure the floods that
have already taken so much from farmers across the state. Phil
Black, CNN, near Rockhampton, Australia.
(END VIDEO)
What's the Word?
JOHN LISK, CNN STUDENT NEWS: What's the Word?
the ability to read and write
LITERACY
That's the word!
Oasis of Education
AZUZ: The literacy rate in Afghanistan is estimated at around 28

percent. Roughly 43 percent of Afghan men can read and write. Less
than 13 percent of women there can. Part of that can be blamed on
war. Part can be blamed on the Taliban, Afghanistan's previous
rulers, who wouldn't even let women be educated. Arwa Damon
demonstrates how the effects of that, remain.
(BEGIN VIDEO)
ARWA DAMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT, BAGHDAD: The town of Miri
may not look like an oasis, but it is, of sorts.
It has the only school for miles around that's under Afghan
government control, the 25 others in this district remain in the grip
of the Taliban. Classes just resumed here, ages eleven all the way to
twenty five. But as yet no girls among them in this very
conservative part of Afghanistan.
GROUP OF STUDENTS [TRANSLATED]: Yes!
DAMON: The students cry - they are very happy. Even though they
are crammed onto the benches. As fifteen year old Nuradin puts it ...
NURADIN, AFGHAN STUDENT [TRANSLATED]: It's great to be able to

walk in safety to a school nearby.
DAMON: To get any sort of education at all pupils used to hike for
kilometers to attend a Taliban-controlled school.
ABDULLAH HAKMAL, HEADMASTER [TRANSLATED]: The Taliban

doesn't like that this school is open, Headmaster Abdullah Hakmal
tells us, because they don't have power here.
DAMON: That means classes like English are taught.
DAMON: Asadullah is an English major at Kabul University, Spending

his winter break teaching. He actually graduated from this very
same school.
ASADULLAH, ENGLISH TEACHER: I want to come here to teach and

also serve my people so I am very happy.
DAMON: That would not have been possible four months ago. That's
when Captain Justin Quisenberry and his unit of the 101st Airborne
came to town, the first significant American presence here in two
years.
CAPTAIN JUSTIN QUISENBERRY, 101ST AIRBORNE BRIGADE: It was

empty, we found a passerby and asked him, "Hey where is all the
students, the teachers?" and he said, "It's been closed for a couple
of years, the Taliban threatened us, its just not a safe place to have
classes."
DAMON: Just three people out of the district's estimated 110,000

residents voted in the September elections, a sign of the Taliban's
complete control and the Americans have only just started to
wrestle the district back.
(END VIDEO)
Shoutout
MICHELLE WRIGHT, CNN STUDENT NEWS: Time for the Shoutout!

Which of these Roman numerals represents the number 1,000? You
know what to do! Is it: A) V, B) X, C) L or D) M? You've got three
seconds -- GO! In Roman numerals, "M" is for 1,000. That's your
answer and that's your Shoutout!
Promo
AZUZ: So "M" is 1,000; we've got 50,000! I wanna give a gigantic

Shoutout to our Facebook fans today. As of Sunday night, we had
more than 50,000 of them at Facebook.com/CNNStudentNews! So
thanks to all of you, and congratulations to us! Also - we wanna see
you introducing our show! Had a lot of creative show intros last
semester. Record yours, and send it to us as an iReport, using the
"How Do I?" box at CNNStudentNews.com!
Before We Go
AZUZ: Now, before we go today, dodgeball: serious business. So

why did this happen at a game in Canada?
NICOLE STAMP, DODGEBALL WORLD RECORD ATTEMPT CO-

ORGANIZER: We were staggering around, weakly lobbing balls like
zombies. It was a mess.
Here's why -- these dodgeballas were aiming for a record: The

longest dodge-ball game ever. 36 hours of dodge, dip, duck, dive,
and dodge! They raised money for charity in Africa, got really, really
tired, and won a world record for the not-so-beautiful game.
Goodbye
AZUZ: Artful dodgers, every single one of them -- even if that twist
on a pun confuses the Dickens out of you. I'm Carl Azuz, having a
ball all week, on CNN Student News!
(CNN Student News) -- January 10, 2011
• Arizona
• Alaska
• Sudan
Transcript

CARL AZUZ, CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR: Some of our southern

U.S. viewers can literally see one of today's stories right outside
their windows. I'm Carl Azuz, with your commercial-free window to
the world, CNN Student News!
AZUZ: National moment of silence was scheduled for 11 am today to

honor several shooting victims in Tucson, Arizona. On Saturday, a
gunman opened fire at a political event outside a Safeway grocery
store. Six people were killed and another 14 were wounded. Those
shot included U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords, a
congresswoman from Arizona. When we produced today's show,
Giffords was in critical condition at a Tucson hospital -- CNN.com will
have the latest information on her condition. Police believe the
shooting was an attempt to assassinate Representative Giffords.
Though beyond that, a motive hasn't been released. The suspected
shooter, a 22-year-old man, was arrested at the scene and is being
held by police. He's been charged with trying to kill a member of
Congress, plus several counts of murder and attempted murder.
Among those killed: 63-year-old Chief Judge John Roll, a federal
judge appointed to the bench in 1991. Police don't believe he was
specifically targeted. Flags were flown at half-staff over the weekend
in the U.S. Capitol and vigils, like this one, were occasions for people
to pay tribute to the victims -- and offer prayers for them and their
families. From House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi:
REP. NANCY PELOSI, (D) CALIFORNIA, HOUSE MINORITY LEADER: We

stand before you with the deepest sadness for the act of violence
that was committed against our colleague, Congressman Gabby
Giffords. Let us join in payer with Gabby Giffords' constituents in
Arizona as well who have suffered a terrible loss today.
AZUZ: And another statement from another of Giffords' colleagues,

House Speaker John Boehner:
REP. JOHN BOEHNER, (R) OHIO, HOUSE SPEAKER: An attack on one

who serves is an attack on all who serve. Such acts of violence have
no place in our society. This inhuman act, should not and will not
deter us from our calling to represent our constituents and to fulfill
our oaths of office. No act, no matter how heinous, must be allowed
to stop us from our duty.
Is This Legit?
STAN CASE, CNN STUDENT NEWS: Is This Legit? Snow has fallen in
every U.S. state. Totally true! -- even in Hawaii, as the state's
volcanoes get snow in wintertime.
Winter Storm
AZUZ: Okay, Mississippi, Louisiana, Georgia, and the Carolinas: not

what you probably picture as winter wonderlands. But all are in the
path of a major winter storm blowing across the southeast. Listen to
this: Flights were actually canceled before a single snowflake fell!
Why would someone do that? Well some of the airlines wanted to
have fewer planes on the ground in Atlanta, when the storm hit.
From Texas to Alabama, three to eight inches of snow were
expected. That's not much to our viewers in Vermont or Alaska. But
the southeast isn't used to so much snow and some areas don't
have snow-plows or salt-trucks to deal with it.
Jobs Outlook
AZUZ: We've got the latest U.S. unemployment rate for you today.
It's down, but that's not exactly a good sign. Here's what's going on:
In November, the national unemployment rate was at 9.8 percent. In
December, it decreased to 9.4 percent. So you can see the decrease
on your screen there. Why isn't this good news? Well, many experts
believe the drop resulted from a decline in the number of Americans
who are actively looking for jobs; These people are so discouraged,
they've given up for now. For the national job market to get better,
new jobs need to be added every month. Businesses are adding
some jobs -- just not nearly enough to keep up with what's needed.
Since the start of the "great recession," 8.5 million jobs have been
lost in America.
Alaska Pipeline Leak
AZUZ: You're now looking at an oil pipeline in Alaska. It's part of the
U.S. oil supply. And it's got a leak -- a big one. The Trans Alaska
Pipeline's flow was reduced by 95 percent on Sunday. That means
only five percent of what we usually get from this thing, was actually
coming through. Yesterday, work crews were searching for the
source of the leak -- and they did find oil on the basement of one of
the buildings that pumps the oil. The Trans Alaska Pipeline supplies
15 percent of America's oil, so you can understand why it's so
important for workers to get it sealed up and working again.
Shoutout
TOMEKA JONES, CNN STUDENT NEWS: Time for the Shoutout! Where
would you find Sudan? You know what to do! Is it in: A) Northeast
Africa, B) Southern Africa, C) Southeast Asia or D) Central America?
You've got three seconds -- GO! Sudan is in Northeast Africa; it's one
of the countries that borders the Red Sea. That's your answer and
that's your Shoutout!
Seeking Independence
AZUZ: History is in the making in Sudan. And to help you understand

why, we're going to give you a bit of history about it. Sudan is a
country that was ripped apart by civil war for decades -- two million
people died in Sudan starting in 1983. But things started turning
around in 2005 when western and east African nations got involved.
They helped set up a peace treaty, and they paved the way for
Sunday's vote. If things go the way they're expected to, the
southern part of Sudan could secede and become the world's
newest nation. There were some reports of violence during the vote.
And there are still some issues that need to be worked out before
Southern Sudan may potentially become it's own country. But just to
give you a sense of the excitement among voters, we have our
reporter David McKenzie on the ground there. He's going to take you
to a polling booth where voters couldn't cast their votes soon
enough.
(BEGIN VIDEO)
DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN CORRESPONDENT, NAIROBI: They're calling

this their long walk to freedom. Southern Sudanese got up before
dawn to come to this polling station. They said they've waited for
decades and so more of a wait doesn't matter. There on the ballot is
a vote for unity or separation, but really there is no choice for these
people: They want to split with the north that they fought over
decades. This is Rubina.
Rubina, is this a big day for Southern Sudan?
RUBINA, SUDANESE VOTER: It's a very great day for the Southern
Sudanese. As you can see they can stand with all the heat and they
are proud to stand still until the time they will cast their vote.
MCKENZIE: Why are you voting today? What are you voting for?
RUBINA: Deep in me, I'm voting for separation and being

independent for the first time in our life as being south Sudanese.
MCKENZIE: Thank you, Rubina. You know everyone I spoken to today

expresses a similar sentiment. This is a huge day for the country.
You came at 6:30, Jackson, Why did you want to vote today? Why is
this important?
JACKSON, SUDANESE VOTER: This is a historical moment for me in
my life.
MCKENZIE: It's a big day.
JACKSON: So great a day for me. And the best day in my life that I've
ever been praying for and thank God that I'm already here.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE SUDANESE VOTER: Today is my birthday.

Because of voting, because of getting a new country.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE SUDANESE VOTER: This is for secession. And

if we get secession, then freedom.
MCKENZIE: Although they have seven days to vote, everyone seems

to be voting today. We've seen old people, blind people, even
wounded war veterans casting their ballot. These women say that
they have to vote today, because it is their special day and they've
waited for it their entire lives. David McKenzie, CNN, Juba, Southern
Sudan.
(END VIDEO)
Too Well-Connected?
AZUZ: Alright, you probably hear stuff from your parents like this all
the time: Put the phone down. Finish the game. Get off the
computer. Sorry to give you a flash back right in the middle of class.
But we want to know just how connected are you and how hard
would it be to disconnect from everything digital in your life. This is
something we've been exploring all school year long and a subject I
asked a couple of college students about last week. Listen to what
they had to say about how connected they are, and why pulling the
plug isn't easy.
JESSICA GREENE, STUDENT: I use cell phone, Facebook, Internet.
BLAKE SINYARD,STUDENT: I am definitely into Facebook, for sure, I

have my cell phone in my back pocket right now. Earlier today, I was
telling my friends that I want to create a Twitter account.
GREENE: I think it can be used for good; I think a lot of times it's not.
SINYARD: I've been on trips before where I've turned my cell phone
off for two weeks. It's a crazy feeling; it's also kind of a good feeling.
I don't know if I could do it here in the States, though; I would just
feel so disconnected from everything that's happening.
AZUZ: This was echoed in our blog last semester. You can see from
Erik's comment here that unplugging would be easier if everyone
did it at the same time. That way, no one person, would be left out
of the loop. Though there were some students who told us no way I
am going to unplug.
Before We Go
AZUZ: Before we go today, how many animals can you think of that
are naturally orange? One thing we know didn't spring to mind:
Alligators. One Floridian reptile caught a woman's eye and camera
lens when he emerged looking like this. Now alligators are not
naturally orange and a fish and wildlife official says this one
probably isn't either, having gotten paint, stain, or some sort of iron
oxide on it that changed its coloring.
Goodbye
AZUZ: But however that happened, orange you glad you didn't find
it in your backyard? Alright, color me punny. I'm Carl Azuz, and we'll
see you tomorrow, when CNN Student News returns.
January 7, 2011
• Afghanistan
• Australia
• Las Vegas, Nevada
Transcript

CARL AZUZ, CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR: First Friday of 2011, and
you know it is awesome! Thank you for closing out your week with
CNN Student News. My name is Carl Azuz; I'm taking you through
today's commercial-free headlines.
First Up: House Reading
REP. JOHN BOEHNER, (R) OHIO, HOUSE SPEAKER: We the people of

the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish
justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common
defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of
liberty to ourselves and our posterity.
AZUZ: Starting things off a little differently today. You might have
recognized what U.S. House Speaker John Boehner was reading
there. What famous document is it a part of? Is it the Declaration of
Independence, the Gettysburg Address, the U.S. Constitution or the
Articles of Confederation? And time's up! That was part of the
preamble to the U.S. Constitution. Yesterday, members of the House
of Representatives read the Constitution on the floor of the House.
Took around an hour and a half. Some people called it a political
stunt. Others said the reading was a symbol that the House should
be dedicated to the Constitution and its principles.
Marine Deployment
AZUZ: According to a military official, the U.S. is planning to send
more than a thousand additional Marines to Afghanistan sometime
soon. They're going to be part of security efforts in the southern part
of that country. The official says these Marines will be there for a few
months. They're heading to regions where U.S. forces are taking on
the Taliban, the militant group that used to control Afghanistan. That
U.S. official says the goal here is to keep pressure on the Taliban
through the winter. Right now, around 97,000 U.S. troops are serving
in Afghanistan. More than 21,000 of those are Marines.
Jobs Report
AZUZ: A lot of Americans are paying attention to a report that

comes out today. It is the government's monthly employment
situation, and it includes the national unemployment rate. This
report looks at the past month, so the number you see will be the
numbers for December. But the question here is why is this thing
important? Why do people care about it so much?
The unemployment rate is what's called an economic indicator. It's

one of the things that experts and analysts use to figure out how the
country's economy is doing. Considering some of the struggles that
the U.S. economy has been going through, reports like this one can
help offer clues about whether or not things are getting better. To
get the latest unemployment numbers, head to CNN.com.
I.D. Me
JOHN LISK, CNN STUDENT NEWS: See if you can I.D. Me! I'm a
country located between the Indian and South Pacific oceans. I'm
one of the biggest nations in the world, and my capital city is
Canberra. One of my greatest natural features is the Great Barrier
Reef. I'm Australia, home to more than 21 million people.
Australia Flooding Impact
AZUZ: Around 200,000 of those Australians are dealing with the

impact of severe floods. And we talked about how large Australia is.
Right now, a huge chunk of the country is underwater. Phil Black is
in one of the flooded regions. He explains why it could take a long
time to recover from this natural disaster and how the situation,
believe it or not, could have been worse.
(BEGIN VIDEO)
PHIL BLACK, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: This is the

Fitzroy River in Rockhampton. It is bloated, swollen; it has broken its
banks and it is carrying an enormous amount of water downstream.
And it has been doing this for some days now. You can see the high
water marker there. A couple of days ago, it creeped up to 9.2
meters, or a bit over 30 feet. It was expected to keep crawling even
higher, but it hasn't, which is good news. Because while in this city
thousands of homes have been affected by the flood water, the fact
that it didn't creep up just that little bit more to 9.4, which was the
prediction for the peak, it means that thousands more will not be
affected.
Now, Rockhampton has known floods before. You can see that from
the marker, back in the '50s, the '90s, the 1950s. As far ago as
1918, you can see it went above 10 meters there. But it's important
to remember that this is just one flood-hit zone in an enormous
region across the whole state of Queensland. The word that's used
by politicians a lot at the moment is "unprecedented." They have
not known such a wide area to be hit by floods at once. Three major
river systems in this state all experiencing floods. It means that
some 23 communities, cities and towns have either been cut off or
inundated by flood water. It means that hundreds of thousands of
people have been affected.
So, it means that the cleanup is going to be of an immense scale.

The estimated financial cost of this, and no one is putting a precise
figure on it yet, but everyone is talking more than billions of dollars.
And so, as this flood crisis, as unprecedented for this day, so the
recovery effort will be as well, and that is expected to take many
years. Phil Black, CNN, in Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia.
(END VIDEO)
Shoutout
TOMEKA JONES, CNN STUDENT NEWS: Today's Shoutout goes out to

Mrs. Oakes' humanities classes at Roosevelt Middle School in San
Diego, California! LED, CRT and LCD are all types of what? You know
what to do here! Are they: A) Mobile Phones, B) Tires, C) Televisions
or D) Shoes? You've got three seconds -- GO! They're all televisions.
That's your answer and that's your Shoutout!
Consumer Electronics
AZUZ: CRTs, or cathode ray tubes, are a little out of date, but you
will see plenty of other TV types at the annual CES, the Consumer
Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada. It's going on right now. More
than 100,000 people have flocked to Las Vegas to check out what's
on display. And Dan Simon takes us on a tour of some of this year's
biggest technological trends.
(BEGIN VIDEO)
DAN SIMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Tablets, tablets and more

tablets. It is the theme of this year's Consumer Electronics Show.
Fifty new tablets being unveiled, all of them chasing the iPad.
PAUL REYNOLDS, CONSUMER REPORTS: This year, it looks like there

are a lot of major manufacturers that have tablets really targeted at
that iPad market, that are adding some features even that the iPad
doesn't have. So, it's looking like by the end of 2011, we'll have a lot
more tablets, viable ones, for consumers to choose from.
SIMON: Next, 3-D television. Consumers have not gotten excited yet,
but that might change with these newer, more comfortable glasses.
And no glasses? That technology has arrived as well.
I think that sign says it all. No more goofy-looking glasses to watch

3-D. That may just be enough to get people excited about this new
technology.
We got to see glasses-free TV firsthand courtesy of eLogic. CES

always has its share of quirky stuff. This is the Coz-E, a snuggie with
a heating pad. But perhaps the most unique thing we've seen may
help you live a little longer. It's a device from a company called
Withings that uses your iPhone to take your blood pressure.
Snap the device into the iPhone. Obviously, you load the app. Just
click the start button and there you go. Your blood pressure right on
your iPhone, and then it will e-mail the result right to your doctor.
(END VIDEO)
Blog Report
AZUZ: Yesterday, we discussed a publisher's plans to change certain

words in Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer, the novels by Mark
Twain. 92 percent of you say these changes would not make you
more likely to read the books. A few people supported the
publisher's decision. Santo, for example, says that "Twain wrote in
19th century style, which can be both confusing and offensive to
some people. Taking out the 'n' word is a good idea, as many people
are offended by it." But Christina says "the words an author has
written are their own. I feel it is a destructive example to kids in our
society, one that says you can change anything." Angie writes,
"editing the books would be like taking the Mona Lisa and painting a
huge clown smile across her face because it would be more
'pleasant.'" And from Grace: "People used racial slurs in the time of
Huck Finn, and Twain uses them to establish the era and use the
character's true voice. How will we see the progress we've made if
we erase the starting point?"
CNN Teachers' Lounge
AZUZ: Teachers, we want your take on this, too. You can sound off in
the CNN Teachers' Lounge. There's a link to that on our home page.
You'll also find a link in our Spotlight section to send us an iReport.
Now, this callout is to teachers and students. Martin Luther King Jr.
Day is just around the corner. As we get ready to remember Dr.
King's dream, we want you to tell us what your dream is. Again, the
site to do all of that: CNNStudentNews.com.
Before We Go
AZUZ: Finally today, we're talking about a math lesson that helps
some students take a company to school. Here's a tip for any
businesses who want to put a problem on their packaging: make
sure you get the answer right! This hot chocolate company didn't; if
you could add, subtract, divide and multiply really fast, you could've
seen that. The company got busted by a group of Massachusetts
middle school students. The students wrote in, the company fessed
up, no one seems to be upset. But the question, how did they
discover the mathematical mistake?
Goodbye
AZUZ: It was simple: the information just didn't add up. Oh, there
might have been some division in the company about whether to
confess. But we're glad they did. Otherwise, they might have
multiplied their problems. And it doesn't subtract from the quality of
their product. I don't think we're ever gonna equal that quality, or
maybe just sheer number, of puns. But you know on Monday, we're
gonna keep trying. Have a great weekend; we'll see you then.
January 6, 2011
• Washington, D.C.
• India
• Cuba
Transcript

CARL AZUZ, CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR: A literary classic is

getting a makeover. Is it suitable or is it censorship? We're asking for
your thoughts after you hear the story on today's edition of CNN
Student News. I'm Carl Azuz. Let's get going!
First Up: New Congress Convenes
AZUZ: First up, the first day for a freshman class of 94 new House
members and 13 new Senators. The 112th U.S. Congress was sworn
in yesterday. There are some changes, especially in the House of
Representatives. After four years as House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi
handed over the gavel to John Boehner. He was first elected to
Congress 20 years ago. He is now the 61st House Speaker in U.S.
history. The House of Representatives has 435 voting members.
Speaker Boehner's Republican party took control of that chamber
from the Democrats in last year's midterm elections. Over in the
100-seat U.S. Senate, Republicans gained some ground in the
midterm, but Democrats still have a majority there.
Global Food Prices
AZUZ: Next up today, food prices. They hit a record high around the
world last month. They're expected to go even higher. That's
according to a United Nations group that began tracking global food
prices back in 1990. The U.N. looks at the price of foods like sugar,
wheat, rice and meats. The U.N. blames the high prices on crops
that failed because of bad weather. When crops get damaged,
supply goes down, prices usually go up. You might have seen higher
prices at your local grocery store. Sara Sidner looks at the effect
that all of this is having on millions of people in India.
(BEGIN VIDEO)
SARA SIDNER, CNN CORRESPONDENT, NEW DELHI: You can hear the
prices long before you see the product in Delhi's crowded vegetable
markets. Right now, consumers are disgusted with what they're
hearing.
NIRMALA DEVI, MOTHER [TRANSLATED]: Who's going to buy

vegetables at such a high price? Mother Nirmala Devi says.
SIDNER: Food inflation has risen above 14 percent in India. A

hardship for the middle class, but a crushing blow for the hundreds
of millions of Indians living hand to mouth.
KHEERA, MOTHER [TRANSLATED]: How are we going to live? Our

daily income remains the same.
SIDNER: Kheera says, as she battles the cold temperatures with

whatever she can find around her. She lives in a New Delhi slum and
managed to set up a tiny business on the pavement outside while
her husband works as a laborer. With an extended family of five,
they are among the estimated 450,000 Indians living on less than
$2 a day. Now, skyrocketing food prices, some of which have nearly
doubled in the past few weeks, are eating up every hope she had of
being able to actually save some money.
For Kheera here, and thousands of other Indians, it was the price of
onions that sent tempers flaring. Because the prices got so high,
she's decided to stop cooking with onions, which is unheard of
because nearly all Indian dishes use onions for flavor. Onions are a
powerful ingredient, not just in dishes, but in politics.
DEVINDER SHARMA, FOOD SUPPLY ANALYST: Past two times we have
seen the government being brought down because of rising onion
prices.
SIDNER: The current congress party-led government blames

unseasonal rains for ruining crops and creating the spike. The
government has banned exports and is even importing onions from
its arch rival Pakistan to try to stabilize prices. Still, some analysts
argue it's hoarding and speculation by traders that is the main
culprit, sending prices artificially high, and that the government
should come down hard on them.
Beyond onions, prices are up for everything from tomatoes to milk.

But India's finance minister said this week he hopes food inflation
will fall by more than half by March. Kheera and her neighbors are
skeptical, but hope is their only option. As India's poor struggle to
keep their families fed, the drop in food prices can't come soon
enough. Sara Sidner, CNN, New Delhi.
(END VIDEO)
Is This Legit?
TOMEKA JONES, CNN STUDENT NEWS: Is this legit? Samuel Clemens

was the author of "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn." Absolutely!
He wrote it under his more famous pen name, Mark Twain.
Changing Twain?
AZUZ: Mr. Mark Twain wrote Huck Finn and another of his famous
books -- Tom Sawyer -- more than 125 years ago. The language that
he used reflected that time period. But a publisher is making some
changes when it puts out a new edition of these classics. The
company is taking out every instance of the "n" word. There are
more than 200 in Huck Finn. The books have been banned in some
schools because of the offensive language. The editor for these
updated editions says the changes could help the books reach a
bigger audience. Some critics argue that changing the words
changes the point of the books, which were supposed to provoke
readers.
Blog Promo
AZUZ: What do you think about all this: Would you be more willing
to read Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn after the editor's changes?
Tell us on our blog. It's where we're also talking about electronic
textbooks versus the old school kind you're using right now. Jensen
says teenagers today do everything online. "Students would learn
better from electronic readers because we all love being on a social
network site; e-readers could be the next big thing." Looks like 72
percent of you agree. About a fifth say traditional textbooks are
better for education. 9 percent say it doesn't matter. Sara writes,
"Whether you're reading a textbook or the same story off an e-
reader, it shouldn't affect your education. It's all about personal
preference." From Thomas: "Electronic books may be better for the
environment, but technology has a way of distracting people from
its original purpose. Teens will try to find a way to be distracted
because that's what usually happens." Interesting perspective there.
And Taliah argues, "If the electronic device breaks, it would take a
lot of money to fix it. I think traditional books are better."
Remember, it's first names only on our blog!
Shoutout
JIM RIBBLE, CNN STUDENT NEWS: Time for the Shoutout! Bob
Burnquist, Shaun White and Andy Macdonald are all pro athletes in
what sport? If you think you know it, shout it out! Is it: A) Volleyball,
B) Skiing, C) Baseball or D) Skateboarding? You've got three seconds
-- GO! They're all award-winning skateboarders. That's your answer
and that's your Shoutout!
Finding Common Ground
AZUZ: Okay, not many of us can pull off tricks like those guys,
though back in the day, I swear I could land a handplant every time.
In Cuba, some skaters are hesitant to try any tricks at all. Because if
they break their skateboards, there's almost no way to get a
replacement. As Patrick Oppmann explains, that is why one Cuban-
American skater who lives in Florida made a special delivery to the
island nation.
(BEGIN VIDEO)
PATRICK OPPMANN, CNN ALL-PLATFORM JOURNALIST: Skateboarders

in Cuba take flight and take care. A fall here can hurt for a very long
time.
LUIS MIGUEL, CUBAN SKATEBOARDER [IN SPANISH]: Haciendo un

truco. [TRANSLATED] "I was doing a trick and I smashed the nose of
the board," Luis Miguel says.
OPPMANN: A replacement won't be easy to come by. Living on this

island poses a problem for Cuban skateboarders. The U.S. embargo
and Cuba's severe shortages mean there's no places to buy a
skateboard, no skate shops of any kind. Before these Cuban skaters
can hit the pavement, they need help from overseas. Help that
arrives by way of Florida skateshop owner Rene Lecour. Lecour first
asked skateboard makers to donate boards he'd take to Cuba as
part of a cultural exchange. No one was interested. So, he turns to
local skaters.
RENE LECOUR, FLORIDA SKATEBOARD SHOP OWNER: I didn't realize

how much stuff we had until right now. If your skateboard breaks,
sometimes the kids go two, three months without having a
skateboard. Where here, kids go two or three hours. To me, the
skaters down there are the pure essence of skateboarding; they
have no chance of ever being sponsored, of going pro, they skate
because they love it.
OPPMANN: A week later, Lecour arrives at the Havana skate park

with more donated boards than he can carry. Cuban skaters say the
sport transcends nationalities and politics.
CHE ALEJANDRO PANDO NAPOLES, CUBAN SKATEBOARDER: When

you see another skater, it doesn't even matter where this guy lives,
you know you have a friend over there.
OPPMANN: The Americans and Cubans begin to skate together. And
soon, you can't tell who is who. The skaters that gave away their
boards didn't know the people they were going to, and it didn't
matter.
LECOUR: If a nine year old can understand that there's another kid
on an island a couple hundred miles away from us who loves to
skate and broke his skateboard and he needs another one, he's
willing to give up his own skateboard for that kid.
OPPMANN: Goodwill these days between the United States and Cuba
remains in short supply. But at a skate park in Havana, you'll find
plenty. Patrick Oppmann, CNN, Havana.
(END VIDEO)
Before We Go
AZUZ: Great story. Before we go today, it's time for a little debut at
the Miami Zoo. Well, little might not be the best word. This baby
hippopotamus tips the scales at 44 pounds. She eventually could
get up to 600! But that's actually small on the hippo scale. That's
because Asali is a pygmy hippo. She's the first one born at the
Miami Zoo in 20 years. She's getting a lot of attention.
Goodbye
AZUZ: I guess you could say that little Asali is hippo-tyzing. I mean,
come on, you can't hate on the little hippo. That would just be
hippo-critical. I like that! How often do you get to use hippo puns?
For CNN Student News, I'm Carl Azuz. Have a great day.
January 5, 2011
Transcript

CARL AZUZ, CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR: Broadcasting from the

CNN Center, this is CNN Student News. Now our show, as many of
you know, is put together in Atlanta, Georgia. Today, though, we're
starting out in the nation's capital, Washington, D.C., with reports on
some of the headlines from there.
First Up: Back in Washington
AZUZ: First up, President Obama is back in town and back at work
after taking a family vacation over the holidays. He arrived back in
Washington yesterday from Hawaii. And one of the first things on his
"to do" list was to put his signature on the food safety bill that was
passed late last year. When the president signs that bill, it becomes
law. Food safety got a lot of attention recently because of
widespread recalls on things like spinach and eggs. This new law is
the biggest overhaul of the U.S. food safety system in more than 70
years. It'll give the government a lot more control over food safety.
Some critics argue it'll cost too much money.
Speaker Change
AZUZ: The president isn't the only one back on the job. The 112th
Congress is officially underway. This includes all of the members
who were just elected last November. They're being sworn in today.
The start of this new session also means a changing of the guard at
the top of the House, the U.S. House of Representatives. California
Democratic Representative Nancy Pelosi was sworn in as the first
female Speaker of the House on January 4th, 2007. Yesterday --
exactly four years later -- was her last day with that title. That is
because Ohio Republican John Boehner is being sworn in as the new
House Speaker today. In the November elections, his Republican
party took over a majority in the House from the Democrats.
Health Care Repeal?
AZUZ: Many Republicans have said that once this new congressional
session starts, they're going to try to repeal, or overturn, some of
the laws that have been passed under President Obama. That
includes the health care reform law, which is considered one of the
president's biggest victories of his time in office. According to
Republican sources, the plan is to try to get this repeal passed
quickly. That could mean some key votes this week, and maybe a
final vote by next week. Political analysts think that the repeal might
make it through the U.S. House of Representatives, since
Republicans have the majority there now. They don't think it'll get
through the Senate, where the Democrats are still in control.
According to a recent CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll, 54
percent of Americans are against the health care law; 43 percent
support it.
Is This Legit?
STAN CASE, CNN STUDENT NEWS: Is this legit? The national debt is
the total amount of money that a government owes. This is true! At
the end of 2010, the U.S. national debt was more than $14 trillion.
States in Crisis
AZUZ: Right now, at over $14 trillion, the national debt is pretty
close to what's called the debt ceiling. That's the amount of money
the federal government can legally borrow. It's kind of like a national
credit limit. President Obama and some lawmakers say they want to
get the nation's debt under control by finding ways to cut down on
government spending. But some experts say that what Congress
needs to do is raise the debt ceiling. That's what the federal
government is dealing with now. Some new governors, though, at
the state level, might have to face similar issues inside their own
state budgets. Mary Snow tells us why.
(BEGIN VIDEO)
GOV. ANDREW CUOMO, (D) NEW YORK: I, Andrew M. Cuomo...
MARY SNOW, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Faced with a

looming financial crisis, New York's new governor, Andrew Cuomo, is
taking a five percent pay cut, and his top aides will do the same. It
comes as "The New York Times" reports he'll order a one-year pay
freeze for state workers on Wednesday as part of an emergency
financial plan.
CUOMO: The state government has grown too large. We can't afford
it. The number of local governments have grown too large. And now,
we're going to have to reduce and consolidate.
SNOW: In California...
GOV. JERRY BROWN, (D) CALIFORNIA: The year ahead will demand
courage and sacrifice.
SNOW: California's new governor, Jerry Brown, faces a $28 billion

deficit over 18 months. And Illinois is among the hardest hit states.
It's being closely watched to see how it handles its massive budget
shortfall.
PETER MORICI, ECONOMIST, UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND: What's

going on in Europe is a precursor of what's going to happen in
Illinois, New York, California.
SNOW: Economist Peter Morici says, like European countries

strapped with debt, U.S. governors must rein in spending and
renegotiate pensions.
MORICI: The governments at the state municipal levels employ too

many people to do few things ineffectively. And that simply has to
change.
SNOW: It's estimated that budget shortfalls for all states combined
amounts to roughly $140 billion this year. Compounding the
problem, federal stimulus money that helps states create jobs
expires this spring.
SCOTT PATTISON, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF STATE BUDGET

OFFICERS: I think the best analogy is the person who was
unemployed, got a job back, but they actually make less than they
did before the recession. And that's, that's really what states look
like.
SNOW: Scott Pattison is executive director of the National

Association of State Budget Officers. He says municipal bankruptcies
are rare and doesn't expect them. But...
PATTISON: There's only so much money to go around. So, the

interest will be paid on the debt. The bondholders will be paid. But
there'll be budget cuts and perhaps tax increases in other areas that
will cause pain that, frankly, citizens are going to notice.
SNOW: But the options are limited. Several new governors have
pledged not to raise taxes, which leaves them with the unpopular
choice of program cuts. Mary Snow, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEO)
Shoutout
TOMEKA JONES, CNN STUDENT NEWS: Time for the Shoutout! Who
invented the printing press? If you think you know it, then shout it
out! Was it: A) Johannes Gutenberg, B) Eli Whitney, C) Thomas
Edison or D) Joseph Pulitzer? You've got three seconds -- GO! In the
1400s, German inventor Gutenberg introduced "printing by
moveable type." That's your answer and that's your Shoutout!
Online Textbooks?
AZUZ: No one made any major changes to Herr Gutenberg's

invention for hundreds of years. Today, though, as you know, books
are making a transition from the printing press to the screen with
electronic books. You might've heard over the holidays some
popular gifts like the Kindle or the Nook. But this idea of electronic
books is catching on in some schools, as well. Critics are arguing
that it doesn't make sense for school districts to invest money in
technology when they're already facing budget cuts. But as Antony
Robart of Canada's Global News reports Toronto's push toward
electronic education is something being considered.
(BEGIN VIDEO)
ANTONY ROBART, GLOBAL NETWORK NEWS REPORTER: Textbooks

are almost as old as school itself. But given the option of lugging
them around every day or viewing them with a click of a button,
most students say, what's the holdup?
AMY WANG, TORONTO DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD STUDENT: It will

give more accessibility to all the students across the TDSB, plus the
fact that it will take such a humungous load off of their shoulders,
both literally and figuratively.
ROBART: If this school trustee gets his way, much of the TDSB's
school curriculum would soon be accessible via computer, or even
better, a student's portable device.
MICHAEL COTEAU, TORONTO DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD SCHOOL

TRUSTEE: The books are ten years old that are currently being
circulated in our schools. We have to replace books every three, four
years. It costs our board between $8 to $15 million per year.
ROBART: Michael Coteau acknowledges the traditional textbook

won't go away, but he estimates even if half the textbooks in the
system go digital, it could save the school board as much as $50
million over the next decade. And for him, money's not the only
issue.
COTEAU: We have students currently in system that don't have the

ability to take home textbooks because, in some schools, there's a
shortage.
ROBART: California is leading the way with this technology in North

America in an effort to cut costs. In the Toronto classroom, the
digital textbook may still be years away. But in an age where
information is instantaneous, students say the old, dusty textbook
often just doesn't cut it.
HOLLY ANDERSON, TORONTO DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD STUDENT: I

know in our civics class in grade 10 we had to rewrite the list of
prime ministers because it was so outdated, from 15 years ago.
ROBART: With the textbook online, that information would be

constantly updated. And if or when digital textbooks are a regular
sight with this generation of students, don't expect there to be a
learning curve.
WANG: Students in the TDSB have been ready for this for quite a
while. If this happened tomorrow, nobody would have trouble
adapting to this.
(END VIDEO)
Blog Promo
AZUZ: Okay, it's no doubt that these would be easier to carry around
than five or six books, like I remember having to do; really messed
up my posture. But look, here's the question: Would electronic
textbooks actually help you learn better? That's something to
consider; it's something we'd like you to think about today, and then
share your thoughts on our blog, From A to Z! You can get there
from our front page at CNNStudentNews.com.
Before We Go
AZUZ: Now, before we go, hockey players are used to playing in

shifts. But that's over the course of a 60-minute game with breaks in
between periods. These folks you see here were rotating on and off
the ice for 24 hours! That's a whole day in a row! The marathon
match was for a good cause; it raised money for charity, more than
$43,000 for charity. They didn't ignore the competition, though.
Someone kept score, and the final tally, now get this: Usually in
hockey, you might see scores of like 3-1 or 4-3. The final tally here:
125-102.
Goodbye
AZUZ: So, you can't really say one team just skated by. We don't
think the winning team was trying to stick it to anyone. Claiming
victory was just the icing on the cake. We hope you'll check back in
tomorrow for more CNN Student News. See you then. I'm Carl Azuz.
• Rockhampton, Australia
• Egypt
• Japan
Transcript

CARL AZUZ, CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR: Hi, everyone! I'm Carl
Azuz, and in this Tuesday edition of CNN Student News, we are
bringing the world to your classroom with stories from North
America, Asia, the Middle East; we're beginning in Australia.
First Up: Australia Floods
AZUZ: That is where the city of Rockhampton is completely cut off

from the rest of the country. Emergency workers were trying to get
food and supplies to the people there. But it is floods that have
closed down every highway leading into the city. And get this: The
regional airport was shut down on Sunday, and officials say it could
be closed for weeks. Rockhampton is home to around 75,000
people, but thousands of them don't have homes any more. Flood
waters destroyed the houses. The flooding is also being blamed for
several deaths. A CNN meteorologist predicted that the flooding will
reach its highest point tomorrow, but it could be days before the
conditions there get any better. Australia's prime minister toured the
region last week and said the floods will cost "hundreds of millions
of dollars."
Religious Tensions
AZUZ: Next up, to Egypt, where that country's president is urging his
people to stand together "in the face of terrorism." What he's talking
about is an attack on a Christian church that happened on New
Year's Eve. At least 21 people were killed. Nearly 100 others were
injured. Christians make up less than 10 percent of Egypt's
population. And as Ben Wedeman explains, this attack is making
what was already a tense situation even worse.
(BEGIN VIDEO)
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT,

CAIRO: Distraught relatives search for victims of the New Year's
bombing. Christian-Muslim tensions have been rising here in recent
years. Members of the Coptic Christian minority, which makes up
about ten percent of the population, have long complained of
discrimination at the hands of the Muslim majority. Sameh Al-Khatib
and his brothers were in their grocery store when they heard the
blast. Moments later, he recalls, a mob seemed to appear out of
nowhere, rushing down the street, attacking and ransacking
Christian-owned stores and properties. He protected himself with an
empty soft drink case.
Up the street, angry Christians chant "we want our rights" and then
try to break through the police cordon to reach the church. The
church is now surrounded by security; hardly anybody is allowed
near it. And that's the problem, many of the people in this
neighborhood say. That when the church really needed to be
protected, there was no one there to do it. Now, the security forces
have their hands full trying to keep the anger from turning into
violence. Reinforcements have been trucked in from Cairo.
Christian storekeeper Raouf Abdelsayid insists Muslims and

Christians in Egypt can live together in peace, but says what's
needed is an educational system that teaches love and tolerance.
After the new year's carnage, those are two commodities that seem
to be in short supply here.
(END VIDEO)
I.D. Me
TOMEKA JONES, CNN STUDENT NEWS: See if you can I.D. Me! I'm an
Asian country that's made up of a group of islands. I'm a little
smaller than California, but I'm home to nearly 127 million people.
My capital city is Tokyo. I'm Japan, and I have one of the world's
biggest economies.
Japan's Lucky Bags
AZUZ: That economy is struggling a bit, and the Japanese

government is worried that people won't be spending as much in the
new year. But that didn't stop one annual shopping tradition. This is
interesting; it's called the "lucky bag!" On the first shopping day of
the year, which was Sunday, stores in Japan sell these bags with
surprise items inside. So, customers might not know exactly what
they're getting, but they do know they're getting a deal. Everything
in the bag is 40 to 60 percent off. This year's surprises included
everything from watches to wallets to expensive jewelry.
New Governors
AZUZ: Back in the United States, some folks are getting started on
their new jobs running states! Five new governors were sworn into
office yesterday. That includes Scott Walker in Wisconsin, whom you
see on your screen right here. Governor Walker is a Republican
who's taking over in a state where the previous governor was a
Democrat. It's the opposite situation in California, where Democrat
Jerry Brown is following Republican Governor Arnold
Schwarzenegger. An interesting note about Governor Brown: He's
technically the new governor of California, but he's had this job
before, from 1975 to 1983. Other states will swear in their new
governors in the next several days.
Trash Cleanup
AZUZ: We usually stay away from trashy stories on CNN Student

News, but we're making an exception today, since this next story is
about garbage! It's getting picked up again in New York City for the
first time since a blizzard hit the area one week ago. That's a lot of
garbage lying around. When the snowflakes started falling, the
garbage began piling up. City officials told workers to hold off on
collecting trash in order to focus on clearing the snow. Well, the
snow went away; the garbage stuck around. Collections started back
up for some apartment buildings on Sunday and for some houses
yesterday.
Shoutout
JOHN LISK, CNN STUDENT NEWS: Time for the Shoutout! Quarter,
Mustang and Arabian are all types of what? If you think you know it,
shout it out! Is it: A) Cars, B) Horses, C) Currency or D) Coffee?
You've got three seconds -- GO! They're all a bunch of neigh-sayers;
they're horses! That's your answer and that's your Shoutout!
Fate of Wild Horses
AZUZ: When you think about an old-fashioned roundup, you might

picture a cowboy on a horse trying to corral some group of animals.
But in a modern-day roundup out in the American West, it's actually
the horses that are the ones being rounded up! John Zarrella rides
into the middle of this debate between the U.S. government and
animal activists.
(BEGIN VIDEO)
JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN MIAMI BUREAU CHIEF AND CORRESPONDENT:

There is no Secretariat, no Seabiscuit, no Black Beauty. Here, they
have no names, none needed. In their eyes, you see who they are:
rugged, powerful, independent. They are the wild mustangs of the
American West. Woven generations ago into the fabric of this land,
they've become the focus of lawsuits, even protests as far away as
New York.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Help save America's wild horses.
ZARRELLA: The horses are at the center of a tug-of-war between the

U.S. government, chasing them down with helicopters, and animal
rights groups who want it stopped.
RICHARD COUTO, ANIMAL RECOVERY MISSION: The roundups of the
wild horses and burros of the United States is a true holocaust of the
animal world.
ALAN SHEPARD, NEVADA BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT: We can't

let one, say, the horse, impact everybody else by taking all the feed,
all the water, all the, do damage to that habitat.
ZARRELLA: The disagreement is clear cut. The Bureau of Land

Management, BLM, is charged with caring for and managing nearly
40,000 horses and burros roaming on 26 million acres of the West.
While this federal land, your land, was set aside for the horses, they
don't have free rein. The land is considered multi-use.
SHEPARD: Wildlife, livestock, recreationists, mining interests,

whatever.
ZARRELLA: The BLM insists it must reduce herd sizes because the
land can't support the numbers.
MARK STRUBLE, SPOKESPERSON BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT:

This ain't Kentucky bluegrass.
ZARRELLA: So, it holds roundups. Last year, the goal: remove

12,000 horses -- that's right, 12,000 -- and take them to holding
pens.
BONNIE MATTON, WILD HORSE PRESERVATION LEAGUE: This is our

land. We want the horses on here, most of us.
ZARRELLA: Armed with cameras and recorders, the activists

document what they see as brutal roundups. Here, a helicopter
chases one single burro, eventually knocking it over. It staggers off.
Here, you're looking at steam rising from the backs of chased-down,
exhausted horses. The BLM says less than 1 percent of the animals
die in these roundups. Activists say that's 1 percent too many.
(END VIDEO)
Before We Go
AZUZ: Okay, before we go today, we want you to say hello to a
bovine master of disguise. This may look like a panda, but don't be
fooled. It's a cow! The calf was born last Friday. Its black-and-white
markings help it pull off an impressive panda impression. There are
actually a couple dozen of these panda cows around the world. In
fact, this is the second one born on the same farm. I don't think it's
fooling anybody.
Goodbye
AZUZ: The idea that it could disguise itself as a panda is udderly

ridiculous. I mean, the resemblance is bearly there. But maybe the
unique look will make its barnyard buddies cower in fear. All right,
it's time for us to moooove along. For CNN Student News, I'm Carl
Azuz. Have a great Tuesday afternoon!
• New York, New York

• Arkansas
• Eastover, North Carolina
Transcript

CARL AZUZ, CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR: We're back! I'm Carl
Azuz. This is CNN Student News! It is my privilege to wish you a very
happy new year. Welcome to our first show of 2011! We have 10
minutes of commercial-free headlines ready for you; they start right
now!
First Up: Lame Duck Votes
AZUZ: Now, before we went on break, we talked about the status of

three proposals being considered by the U.S. Congress. There's been
action on all three of them. First, the tax cut deal. This was the
compromise that President Obama and Republican leaders had
worked out to extend a set of tax cuts for two years. That passed in
both the House and the Senate, so everybody's taxes are going to
stay right where they are for the next two years.
Next, "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." That's the policy that banned gays and
lesbians from serving openly in the U.S. military. It's been in place
since 1993, but Congress voted to overturn the policy, which means
eventually, gays and lesbians will be able to serve openly.
Finally, START, a treaty between the United States and Russia that
would limit how many nuclear weapons each country can have. The
Senate has to approve these kinds of treaties, and it did. All of this
was done during what's called a lame duck session. That's what you
call the time between an election and when those people who were
elected take office.
2011 Challenges
AZUZ: The lame duck session is now over; the new Congress gets to
work this week. Ed Henry gives us a preview of what they're going
to be working on and how much debate we might have to look
forward to.
(BEGIN VIDEO)
ED HENRY, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: To hear

the president tell it, bickering with the Republicans is so 2010.
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: A lot of folks in

this town predicted that after the midterm elections, Washington
would be headed for more partisanship and more gridlock. And
instead, this has been a season of progress. That's a message that I
will take to heart in the New Year, and I hope my Democratic and
Republican friends will do the same.
HENRY: But with the Republican John Boehner taking the speaker's
gavel, that rosy scenario will be tested immediately in 2011,
because both parties will now have to agree on a long-term budget
after kicking the can down the road on all those spending cuts the
Tea Party was demanding and the president's own debt panel was
proposing to no avail.
OBAMA: I expect we'll have a robust debate about this when we

return from the holidays. The debate that will have to answer an
increasingly urgent question, and that is how do we cut spending
that we don't need while still making investments that we do need.
HENRY: With the federal cash register tapped out, it will be

especially difficult to tackle the president's biggest challenge of all.
OBAMA: My singular focus over the next two years is not rescuing
the economy from potential disaster, but rather jump-starting the
economy so that we actually start making a dent in the
unemployment rate.
HENRY: Mr. Obama also may face resistance to his economic plans
from both liberals still smarting from the tax deal he just cut and
conservatives determined to repeal his health reform law. An
independant-minded Republican independent is urging both sides to
give the new balance of power a chance.
SEN. LISA MURKOWSKI, (R) ALASKA: Let's figure out how we deal
with some of these very, very difficult issues, whether it's tax policy
or whether it's going to be what we're going to be doing on
spending. We've got enough that we need to do that we don't need
to get weighted down in the partisan politics.
HENRY: Music to the ears of White House aides trying to hammer the
message that Republicans now have a responsibility to govern.
(END VIDEO)
Is This Legit?
STAN CASE, CNN STUDENT NEWS: Is this legit? The U.S. government
takes a census of the country's population every five years. Not
legit! It is every 10 years that the government counts how many
people live in the U.S.
Census Results
AZUZ: The census is mandated -- that means it's ordered -- by the

U.S. Constitution. The first census happened in 1790. And back then,
the U.S. population was just under 4 million. Today, it's more than
308 million. That's according to the census that was taken last year.
From 2000 to 2010, the country's population increased during that
time by 9.7 percent. That is actually the smallest increase since the
1930s and the Great Depression.
Part of what the census does is determine how many seats that
states get in the U.S. House of Representatives. If a state's
population goes up, it could get more seats. If it goes down, it could
lose seats. Based on last year's census, eight states will gain
members in the House, and ten states will lose members.
Wild Weather
AZUZ: The past couple of weeks have seen some pretty severe
weather all around the United States. We've seen heavy wind and
rain out in California; snow and ice in the western U.S. and upper
Plains; and, as you might have heard, a blizzard in the northeast.
Some parts of the region got up to three feet of snow. That was
terrible for many airports, causing a lot of travel delays. There were
some neighborhoods that were covered in snow for days.
Eventually, clean-up crews made it out to help clear things off.
Though in New York, there were some complaints that those efforts
took way too long. Meanwhile, a different kind of storm ripped its
way across parts of the Midwest. Samantha Hayes has the details on
that for us right now.
(BEGIN VIDEO)
SAMANTHA HAYES, CNN CORRESPONDENT, WASHINGTON, D.C.: In

Washington County, Arkansas, neighbors sort through the wreckage
of their community. Just hours earlier, a tornado ripped through this
area just west of Fayetteville.
NATHAN LAWRENCE, STORM VICTIM: My whole house started

shaking, the windows busted out, and then it was gone. Just like
that, it was gone.
HAYES: Homes and businesses are destroyed and an ambulance and

coroner's truck are part of the heartbreaking scene. The same storm
continued its destructive path into Missouri, just outside St. Louis.
KEVIN O'LEARY, STORM VICTIM: In five, six seconds it was over. I've
always heard that it sounds like a freight train, and that's exactly
what it sounded like. And before we could even move it was over
and the building was, you know, windows out. My wife just got out of
the office two seconds before it hit.
HAYES: Tornadoes severely damaged a shopping center in the city of
Sunset Hills. Cars and trucks in the parking lot were blown over, and
homes in a nearby subdivision were destroyed.
WILLIAM NOLAN, MAYOR, SUNSET HILLS: It's incredible, absolutely

incredible: cars overturned, trucks overturned. It's kind of hard to
believe that such a thing could happen to our city.
HAYES: Samantha Hayes, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEO)
Arkansas Birds
AZUZ: Officials are hoping to start running some tests today, but
they think those storms in Arkansas could be the reason for a New
Year's Eve event definitely unexpected: more than a thousand
blackbirds just fell from the sky. Most of them were dead. They were
all found within a one-mile area. One expert said this kind of thing
isn't that unusual and that it might have been caused by lightning or
hail. Other officials think that New Year's fireworks might have
caused the birds severe stress. Right now, though, this is a mystery;
experts are hoping the tests they run will help offer some answers
to it.
Make us Your Home Page!
AZUZ: Here's a resolution for the new year: make CNN Student News
your home page! CNNStudentNews.com is already your favorite
Web site. This is gonna give you instant access to our blog, our
Teachers' Lounge, plus all of the resources in our Spotlight and In
Depth sections. And our Transcript archive includes every program
from this entire school year. The URL once again:
CNNStudentNews.com!
Shoutout
TOMEKA JONES, CNN STUDENT NEWS: Time for the first Shoutout of
2011! Which of these U.S. cities was last to ring in the new year? If
you think you know it, shout it out! Was it: A) Seattle, Washington,
B) Anchorage, Alaska, C) Honolulu, Hawaii or D) San Francisco,
California? Start the countdown at three seconds -- GO! Because of
its time zone, Honolulu rang in the new year after the other cities.
Happy New Year!
AZUZ: Five hours before the new year started in Honolulu, this was
the scene in New York City's Times Square. There were estimates
that a million people were there to count down the final seconds of
2010. And when the clock struck midnight, more than a ton -- two
thousand pounds! -- of confetti rained down on the crowd. Of
course, the celebrations were all around the world. From Russia to
England, China to Australia, people got together in cities everywhere
to help usher in the new year with fireworks and special events.
Some smaller cities celebrated the new year with their own unique
traditions.
Before We Go
AZUZ: And that includes the one in today's Before We Go segment.

We're taking you to Eastover, North Carolina, where they didn't drop
a ball for New Year's Eve; they dropped a giant flea! Three feet tall,
30 pounds. Thankfully, it was made out of foam, wire and wood, not
actual flea. There is an explanation for this unusual tradition:
Eastover used to be called Flea Hill. They started this new tradition
in order to pay tribute to the town's past.
Goodbye
AZUZ: So, even if it was just for a flea-ting moment, there's

something that bugs us about this idea: Why didn't they drop the
fake flea down one part at a time? You know, insect-tions? New year,
same old puns! For CNN Student News, I'm Carl Azuz. Have a great
day.
(CNN Student News) -- December 17, 2010
• Afghanistan
• Pakistan
Transcript

CARL AZUZ, CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR: Hi, I'm Carl Azuz, and
this is CNN Student News, where Fridays are awesome! This one,
though, is a little sad, because it's actually our last show of 2010.
Before we move ahead into 2011, we're going to look back at some
of the biggest stories from this year. And we kick things off with
today's headlines.
First Up: Capitol Hill
AZUZ: First up, a quick check of where things stand with some high-
profile proposals in Congress. The tax cut deal: Thursday afternoon,
that was with the House of Representatives. Some Democrats were
indicating that it would probably pass, despite being controversial. If
that happens, everyone's taxes will stay at this current rate, where
they are right now, for the next two years.
The Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, or START, a new nuclear treaty

between the U.S. and Russia. Treaties like this have to be approved
by the U.S. Senate, and that group was getting ready to begin
debating this proposal yesterday.
Finally, Don't Ask Don't Tell, the policy that bans homosexuals from
serving openly in the U.S. military. The House voted to overturn that
ban on Wednesday. Now, Don't Ask Don't Tell heads to the Senate.
Congress is scheduled to go on break starting tomorrow. You can get
the latest details on all of these proposals at CNN.com.
Strategy Review
AZUZ: Over at the White House, there's a new report about how the
U.S. strategy in Afghanistan and Pakistan is going. This comes out
once a year, and this year's report seems to be fairly positive. And
President Obama says the U.S. is making a lot of progress in the
nine-year war in Afghanistan, although recent polls suggest that a
growing number of Americans do not support the war.
The president says the goals that have been set for that conflict are
on track. That includes the plan to start pulling troops out of
Afghanistan in 2011. But the president acknowledged that the war is
difficult. While U.S. and Afghan forces are making progress, he said
those gains are fragile. The strategy report discussed the
importance of a long-term commitment to helping that region of the
world.
Tribal Conference
AZUZ: The president wants to improve the relationship between the

federal government and Native American communities. He met with
the leaders of 565 tribes at the White House conference yesterday
to try and work on that. President Obama said he wants to get more
input from the tribes about ways the U.S. government might be able
to help them. That could include supporting education and health
care on Native American reservations, for example, or making
changes to the criminal justice system there. He says there's been
some progress, but there needs to be more.
Wicked Weather
AZUZ: A lot of people looking to take a flight Wednesday were

delayed by these winter storms that have been pounding parts of
the United States. It's not even officially winter yet. You wouldn't
know that by stepping outside, though. The National Weather
Service put out winter storm warnings and advisories for more than
a dozen states. Sandra Endo examines the impact of the cold.
(BEGIN VIDEO)
SANDRA ENDO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This frozen water fountain in
Raleigh, North Carolina is proof of just how cold it is in the South.
Wicked winter weather sweeping across the deep South to the upper
Plains, causing plenty of problems, especially on the roads. In
Georgia, it took trucks, salt and sand to get this school bus carrying
high school kids to budge after slick ice left it at a standstill for
hours. Some Georgia drivers couldn't keep their cars from moving
after authorities say roads went from normal to an ice rink in just
minutes. Some drivers were sent slipping and sliding. Pile-ups in
Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi have caused several deaths.
Earlier this week, some states began bracing for the worst. In
Tennessee, officials sprayed the road with beet juice and salt, their
solution to combat the winter white stuff. But planes can't compete
with the wintry mix. Air travel is being disrupted by mother nature's
chill. Several airlines are reporting cancellations and major delays.
In Washington, I'm Sandra Endo.
(END VIDEO)
Shoutout
TOMEKA JONES, CNN STUDENT NEWS: Time for our last Shoutout of
2010! Which of these events happened first? You know what to do!
Was it the: A) Iceland volcano eruption, B) UK election, C) World Cup
championship or D) Failed Times Square bomb plot? You've got three
seconds -- GO! The Iceland volcano event happened first; it erupted
back in March. That's your answer and that's your Shoutout!
Top 2010 Stories
AZUZ: Those were just some of the major events that happened
during the past 12 months. And now, we want you to fill in the
blanks as we look back, in no particular order, at some of the other
stories that dominated headlines in 2010.
A powerful earthquake devastates the Caribbean nation of

__________
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST, ANDERSON COOPER 360°: Finally,
after being trapped for more than 18 hours, the men make a small
hole and pull Bea out. She is alive. She is finally free.
AZUZ: Stories of rescue and survival offered measures of hope in the

middle of tragedy, after a powerful earthquake devastated the
Caribbean nation of Haiti in January. An estimated 230,000 people
were killed by the quake.
Next question: An explosion aboard the Deepwater Horizon leads to

a __________ in the Gulf of Mexico.
GOV. BOBBY JINDAL, (R) LOUISIANA: We are literally in a war to fight,

to protect our way of life. And anybody that doubts the impact of
this oil, go to any one of a number of places. 140 miles of our coast
have been oiled. Go and talk to those commercial fishermen. Go
look them in the face.
AZUZ: The blast aboard the Deepwater Horizon led to an oil spill in
the Gulf of Mexico, the worst oil spill in U.S. history. It dumped
hundreds of millions of gallons into the Gulf and took a tremendous
toll on the region and the people who live there.
The last full U.S. combat brigade leaves __________
U.S. VICE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN: Operation Iraqi Freedom is over,

but American engagement with Iraq will continue with the mission
that begins today: Operation New Dawn.
AZUZ: It was in August that the last U.S. combat brigade left Iraq.
And meanwhile, thousands of additional U.S. troops were sent to
Afghanistan as part of the strategy in the fight against the Taliban
there.
After months of primaries and rallies, Americans vote in the

__________ elections on November 2nd.
U.S. PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: What yesterday also told us is that

no one party will be able to dictate where we go from here; that we
must find common ground in order to set, in order to make progress
on some uncommonly difficult challenges.
AZUZ: The midterm elections were on November 2nd. Americans

cast ballots in local, state and federal races. The results in Congress:
Democrats held onto a slim majority in the U.S. Senate, while
Republicans took over the majority in the U.S. House of
Representatives.
Despite the official end of the recession, the U.S. __________

continues to struggle.
[NYSE CLOSING BELL]
AZUZ: The U.S. economy continues to struggle despite emerging

from the longest recession in American history since World War II.
The stock market has made gains so far this year, but housing
prices decreased and the national unemployment rate stayed above
nine percent all year.
Last one: 33 miners are rescued after being trapped underground

for 69 days in this country.
GROUP: Chi! Le! Chi Chi Chi ...Le Le Le! Viva! Viva Chile!
AZUZ: Raucous celebration, as 33 miners were rescued after being

trapped underground 69 days in Chile. They were trapped by a
cave-in at the mine in August. And more than two months later, one
by one, all of them emerged back on the surface.
Before We Go
AZUZ: Now, we're gonna have a little fun. We asked you to vote on
your favorite type of Before We Go segment. The winning category:
stunts! We're not saying no animals were involved. Getting a dog on
a kneeboard is kind of a stunt in itself, but making him surf? Seeing
him hang 20? That's a paws-ition worth repetition!
And how about this? It's a long shot, but, it's also a long shot!
Nothin' but net and rim and excessive celebration. Yes, two points!
Now, we don't know how many takes this took to finally sink in.
But this took only one. Forget pumpkin carve competition. This is
pumpkin car recondition! It came to us from Liveleak.com and it
repeats, which makes watching it a really gourd time. You think
insurance would cover that?
You think it would cover this? Take one school bus, paint some
flames on the hood, and add a jet engine. In this YouTube video, a
tricked-out twinkie tears up the track at 300 miles per hour! And it
guarantees you'll never be late for the bell.
Goodbye
AZUZ: Unless your ride gets pulled over by the police, in which case
you'd be totally bus-ted. All right, we wanna give a special Shoutout
to Coach Adams, Mrs. Mazell and Mrs. Hood. Their students sent us
an excellent Facebook video. You can see it at
Facebook.com/CNNStudentNews. Just scroll down to Fan Videos, and
you'll see what happens when Carl Azuz is comin' to town! All right,
we at CNN Student News want to wish all of you a very Merry
Christmas, a Happy Kwanzaa, a Happy New Year. We hope you have
a wonderful break; we're looking forward to seeing you again on
January 3rd, 2011! Thank you for being, what I often call, the best
audience out there.
• Boston, Massachusetts
Transcript

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're seniors at Tulare Union High School,

and you're watching....
ENTIRE GROUP: ...CNN Student News! Woo!
CARL AZUZ, CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR: Want to thank my

seniors for that very energetic introduction. I'm Carl Azuz. This is
CNN Student News. And in our penultimate program of 2010, we
present some perspectives on privacy. But first though, we're
headed to Washington, D.C.
First Up: Senate Tax Vote
AZUZ: 81 yays; 19 nays. So, the tax cut plan passes in the U.S.
Senate. This is the compromise that President Obama and
Republican leaders came up with that would extend a series of tax
cuts for another two years. Yesterday, the Senate approved the plan
which would cost more than $850 billion. Now though, it has to go
through the House of Representatives. Some of the Democratic
members there aren't happy with parts of this plan, so this is not a
something that is set in stone.
Oil Spill Lawsuit
AZUZ: The U.S. government is filing a lawsuit over this year's

massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The suit is aimed at BP and
eight other companies who were involved in the spill. When he
made the announcement yesterday, Attorney General Eric Holder
said "we intend to hold them fully accountable for their violations of
the law." The lawsuit, which accuses the companies of failing to
prevent or control the spill, is one of nearly 80 suits that are all
being combined together.
CEO Meeting
AZUZ: And a meeting brings together politics and big business.

President Obama got together yesterday with the heads of 20 of
America's biggest companies, including Google, American Express
and PepsiCo. Here, you can see the president walking to the
meeting at Blair House just across the street from the White House.
He said the goal was to find ways to boost the economy and
increase hiring. The group talked about energy, taxes and trade with
other countries. One CEO who was at the meeting said he hoped it
would provide the opportunity to figure out some plans to help the
economy.
Shoutout
JOHN LISK, CNN STUDENT NEWS: Time for the Shoutout! Which of
these ships was involved in the Boston Tea Party? If you think you
know it, shout it out! Was it the: A) Dartmouth, B) Merrimack, C)
Mayflower or D) Pinafore? You've got three seconds -- GO! The
Dartmouth was one of the ships involved in the Boston Tea Party.
Boston Tea Party Anniversary
AZUZ: That famous protest happened 237 years ago today. A group
of colonists disguised themselves as Native Americans, went on
ships in Boston Harbor, and dumped hundreds of chests of tea
overboard. What they were protesting against was the British Tea
Act. Remember, the American colonies were controlled by Great
Britain back then. Some colonists were angry about the taxes being
created by the British government. The British parliament was
furious about the Boston Tea Party and set up more laws in Boston.
All of this helped to eventually lead to the American Revolution.
Shoutout Extra Credit
MICHELLE WRIGHT, CNN STUDENT NEWS: Time for a Shoutout Extra

Credit! Who is the founder of Facebook? You know what to do! Is it:
A) Bill Gates, B) Shawn Fanning, C) Steve Jobs or D) Mark
Zuckerberg? Another three seconds on the clock -- GO! Zuckerberg
started the social networking site when he was a student at Harvard
University. That's your answer and that's your Shoutout Extra Credit!
Person of the Year
AZUZ: That was back in 2003. In 2010, Mark Zuckerberg is TIME

Magazine's person of the year. TIME is owned by Time Warner, the
same company that owns CNN. Other people who were considered
for this year's award: the Chilean miners, the Tea Party movement,
and the founder of WikiLeaks. TIME said that it chose Zuckerberg
because his social networking site has had a huge impact on how
we communicate and do business. The magazine pointed out that
Facebook has linked one-twelfth of the entire world into a single
network. If Facebook was a country, it would be the third largest
country on the planet.
What You Share Online?
AZUZ: Nearly half of all Americans have a Facebook account. We

know a lot of you do. When you post something online, even if it's
meant to be private, there's a good chance it can end up being
public. I talked with some Atlanta-area teens and their parents
recently about how much privacy they expect to have when they log
on.
(BEGIN VIDEO)
AZUZ: As far as phones go, and sharing your numbers, how many of
you expect your numbers to remain private? And have you ever
gotten a text or a call from a number you didn't recognize?
GROUP: Yes
ADAM VRTIS, STUDENT: But that's normally from someone that's
given my number to someone else, not that I approved it. So, never
mind, hand goes down!
KATHERINE THORNBURGH, STUDENT: I tell my friends not to give

away my phone number, but it still happens.
AZUZ: These suburban Atlanta teenagers may want their phone

number to be private, but I found their expectations were very
different when it comes to the internet.
Do you expect what you post online to be private?
VRTIS: No, I don't.
AZUZ: Why not?
VRTIS: Everyone sees it, the internet. It's the world wide web;
everyone can get to it. I'm pretty careful about what I put on it.
HANNAH GALT, STUDENT: I know nothing's really private.
AZUZ: So, how does that affect what you post on Facebook?
GALT: I don't say anything that I don't want anyone to hear.
AZUZ: It's a caution instilled by their parents.
How much privacy do you give him on Facebook?
LORI VRTIS, PARENT: Very little. If they do want privacy, they can get
a journal, they can write in it, keep it in their desk drawer. I will
never read it. But when you're posting something that everyone can
look at, I'm going to look at it also.
KAREN THORNBURGH, PARENT: Anything you're willing to put out

there in a written form, be willing to stand up in front of the whole
high school and announce this.
ARIA GALT, PARENT: Well, I teach in a school, so we deal with a lot of

these issues each day. And so, I sometimes talk about situations
that I've encountered at work and hoping that maybe something
would be learned from those as well.
AZUZ: And while all three students said they'd texted something
they wished they could take back, they were far more reserved in
their internet behavior, largely because of their parents'
involvement.
JOE VRTIS, PARENT: Professing the ignorance of it and not monitoring

it, I think you're setting yourself up for failure as a parent. I think the
kids definitely need guidance.
(END VIDEO)
Career Connections
AZUZ: It's time for another edition of Career Connections. Our own
Tomeka Jones joins me here. Tomeka, I hear you're focusing on the
investigative side of journalism today.
TOMEKA JONES, CNN STUDENT NEWS ASSOCIATE PRODUCER: That's

right, Carl. Amber Lyon is an investigative reporter and
correspondent for CNN. Before she started working here, she moved
to Central America to help improve herself as a journalist. Amber
credits her mother for helping her decide what career path she
wanted to take. And she says she's successful because she has a
passion for journalism and knew she couldn't fail at it.
(BEGIN VIDEO)
AMBER LYON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The reason I love being a

journalist is that you can really make a huge difference in society. A
video, I say, can say a million words.
General assignment is more you do the breaking news, the quick-

turn stories that feed the daily news. They're very important. You'll
find a lot more general assignment reporters than you ever will
investigative reporters.
Investigative is more like, we find one issue and maybe spend
sometimes an entire year looking into it and getting down to the
bottom of it. It's more documentary style.
One thing you'll have to learn in news more than anything is that,
how can you make your story different, how can you get the public's
attention?
My whole goal with Backpack Reporters is to be able to bring them

on stories with us. Let them experience the story, kind of, we're
going to be taking a journey and I'm going to bring you with me. So,
with the backpack, I look at it as, okay, I'm going to throw on my
backpack and come with me; we're going to go on a journey to find
the story. And I just try to make it really intimate with viewers so
that they can connect to it.
A lesson to everybody, whether you're a journalist or any other type

of career, is be willing to take risks. Because if you're truly
passionate about it, follow your passion and success will follow, and
it will pay off in the end.
(END VIDEO)
Promo
AZUZ: We've been making Career Connections all semester. Now,

we want to hear from you. Students, go to our blog at
CNNStudentNews.com. Tell us what careers have sparked your
interest. And teachers, check out the CNN Teachers' Lounge and
share how you address careers in your classrooms. The blog, the
Teachers' Lounge: they're both at CNNStudentNews.com!
Before We Go
AZUZ: Before we go, we've got a tail that takes a long time to tell.
Say, 25 years. That's how long Misty here has been around. That
would make her 175 in dog years. And if the folks at the record
books can confirm that, she will officially be the oldest dog in the
world. Misty's owner has to provide the proof, and that includes the
seven years before he adopted her.
Goodbye
AZUZ: You know, the part of her life that he mist-y. Hey, at least we
didn't make a joke about an old dog needing to walk with a cane-ine.
Or about Misty being the mutt of a bunch of jokes? We'll roll over
and try again tomorrow. For CNN Student News, I'm Carl Azuz.
• Florida
• Italy
• Venezuela
Transcript

CARL AZUZ, CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR: Any of you who are
looking for help shoveling snow, we might have a solution for you.
I'm Carl Azuz; this is CNN Student News, bringing you today's
commercial-free headlines from around the world!
First Up: Senate Tax Vote
AZUZ: First up, a debate in the nation's capital with a deadline that
is getting closer every day. Tax cuts passed under President George
W. Bush are set to expire at the end of this year. The debate is over
whether or not to extend them, and for whom. As we've reported,
President Obama and Republican leaders have come up with a plan
to extend the cuts for everyone for two years. So if it passes, your
taxes would stay exactly as they are now. The U.S. Senate was
scheduled to vote on this plan yesterday. When we produced today's
show, the vote hadn't happened yet. You can get the latest details
at CNN.com. And even if this plan does pass in the Senate, it still
has to be approved by the House of Representatives, and that's not
a sure thing.
Florida Fruit
AZUZ: Farmers down in Florida -- you're looking at one right now --

they're waiting to see how their crops make it through all this cold
weather. The temperatures have been dropping down into the 20s in
some parts of the state. The 20s might not seem cold where you
are, but for Florida, that is frigid. Officials say there hasn't been too
much damage to crops so far. But if you're wondering what it
matters if something does happen to the crops, it's obvious it's bad
for the farmers who are growing them. But it could affect you and
me, too. If some fruit and vegetable crops get destroyed, the cost
will probably go up on the ones that survive, which could mean you
or your family paying more at the supermarket.
Shoutout
TOMEKA JONES, CNN STUDENT NEWS: Time for the Shoutout! The
freedom of speech is established in what historic U.S. document? If
you think you know it, then shout it out! Is it the: A) Declaration of
Independence, B) Magna Carta, C) Articles of Confederation or D)
Bill of Rights? You've got three seconds -- GO! That freedom is found
in the Bill of Rights. That's your answer and that's your Shoutout!
Bill of Rights Day
AZUZ: The Bill of Rights, of course, is the name for the first ten
Amendments to the U.S. Constitution. It officially became law on this
day -- December 15th -- back in 1791. The promise of a Bill of Rights
is what helped get the Constitution approved by some states. These
first ten Amendments were designed to protect individuals. They
include freedom of speech, freedom of religion, the right to a speedy
trial, and protection from cruel and unusual punishments.
Security Meeting
AZUZ: Every month, President Obama gets together with his

national security advisers to talk about the war in Afghanistan, the
situations in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and to examine the U.S.
policy in the region. That monthly meeting happened at the White
House yesterday. It came after some sad news earlier this week:
Richard Holbrooke died on Monday at the age of 69. He was a long-
time U.S. diplomat and served as a special envoy -- as America's
representative -- in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region. President
Obama described Holbrooke as someone "who has made America
stronger, safer and more respected." Over in Afghanistan, U.S.
troops are taking on the Taliban in areas where the militant group
has power. Nic Robertson explores how the fight is going.
(BEGIN VIDEO)
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It's a

short ride. Arghandab is a key gateway to Kandahar. Unless it's
secure, Kandahar is vulnerable.
LIEUTENANT COLONEL ROGER LEMONS, U.S. ARMY: The low ground

down there, they would shoot rockets up here at us.
ROBERTSON: Brigade Commander Colonel Lemons arrived in

August. His job: expel the Taliban from one of its strongholds.
LEMONS: We've gained the initiative in the Arghandab River Valley

from the enemy. We definitely have gained the initiative. Now, our
job is to sustain that, improve the development here.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK, we're just going to head out through the
mosque.
ROBERTSON: It was supposed to be a quiet patrol. A model village

rewarded with a new mosque, courtesy of local government.
LEMONS: We're starting to see more and more of these communities

which are interested in their own security, so that they gain
development. They gain the ties to the district governance and they
stabilize the area, which is extremely important.
ROBERTSON: Suddenly, there are shots.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 7226. Roger, we just had six audibles.
ROBERTSON: Our producer Tommy Evans points to where the bullets

hit the hillside.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: About 250 meters into the orchard, there's four
guys running around, staying low.
ROBERTSON: It's not the picture of security Lemons wanted to show.
Impossible to confirm if Taliban are responsible.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hey, I want you guys to go ahead and push....
ROBERTSON: After a few minutes, we move on. Lemons knows there

are limits to his success.
LEMONS: We're definitely not everywhere. You're right. It would be

nice to have more soldiers to be everywhere. We're not going to be
able to do that, so we focus where the people are and where we can
have the most effect.
ROBERTSON: And so, too, do the Taliban. That is the Arghandab

Valley. That is Colonel Lemon's area of operation. The sun's going
down; I've still got a full cell phone service on my phone here. But
within a couple of minutes, once the sun goes behind the horizon,
the Taliban will come out and exert their influence on the community
and shut down the cell phone service. The transmitters will be
turned off. This phone will be useless. That's the influence the
Taliban still have here.
(END VIDEO)
I.D. Me
STAN CASE, CNN STUDENT NEWS: See if you can I.D. me. I'm a
European country that's also a peninsula. I was home to a
Renaissance period that influenced the world. My prime minister is
Silvio Berlusconi, and my capital city is Rome. I'm Italy, and I'm
home to more than 58 million people.
Political Unrest
AZUZ: Some Italians aren't too happy with Prime Minister Silvio
Berlusconi. He's had some political challenges recently, and he's
been involved in some personal scandals and legal problems. Angry
protests broke out in Rome yesterday, some protesters fighting with
police, after Italy's parliament held a no-confidence vote on
Berlusconi. Now, he survived that vote by a pretty small margin,
meaning he's gonna stay where he is for now. The prime minister is
on the right in this picture. He said in a speech Monday, "we all have
to find a way to be united and do what is best for the country."
Internet Debate
AZUZ: Over in the South American nation of Venezuela, lawmakers

are considering changing some laws that would give their
government more control over the internet. The changes include
setting up a government-run internet hub and putting restrictions on
what kinds of content can be shown. The people who support the
changes say they're designed to prevent hatred or anxiety among
the public. Critics argue that the proposed laws could be used as a
way of censorship and to clamp down on people who speak out
against the government.
Web Promo
AZUZ: If you haven't made CNN Student News your home page,
now's your chance! Instant access to the free resources in our
Spotlight section. Links to our student blog, From A to Z, and the
CNN Teachers' Lounge. And if you've missed any shows this school
year, also, you can find all of them in the transcript archive. It's all
at CNNStudentNews.com!
The "Snobot"
AZUZ: The weather outside is frightful, but you still have to get out
of the house. And for anyone being hammered by wintry weather,
that's gonna mean shoveling snow. Jennifer Carmack of affiliate
WRTV shows us the idea some college students came up with to
make the chore of shoveling snow just a little bit easier.
(BEGIN VIDEO)
JENNIFER CARMACK, WRTV REPORTER: Once the snow stops falling,

the clearing process begins. And when it's this frigid out, that job is
never a fun one. But that's where this little device comes in.
DAVID HOFF, PURDUE UNIVERSITY MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
STUDENT: We call him the "Snobot."
CARMACK: The robotic snowblower is the brainchild of several

Purdue University mechanical engineering students.
ZAK KNUTH, PURDUE UNIVERSITY MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

STUDENT: We started by creating a list of ideas of things, products
that would make people's lives easier.
HOFF: You don't have the risk of slipping, falling, hurting your back.
Some people have heart attacks while shoveling snow. It's a lot of
health and comfort issues.
CARMACK: Snobot runs off of batteries and, little by little, clears

patches of snow.
HOFF: We're using an electric dog, pet fence to have the robot be
able to detect when it comes to the edge of the driveway or near
the street, so it can know where to stay in bounds.
CARMACK: The trial run didn't come without problems.
ALLISON PRINZ, PURDUE UNIVERSITY MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

STUDENT: We had issues with the wheels getting clogged up in the
snow.
CARMACK: How realistic would it be to market something like this?
HOFF: We think it's very realistic. There's already the robot vacuums
and there's some robot lawnmowers on the market.
CARMACK: The snobot may not be able to throw snow very far just
yet, but it sure beats doing the job the old-fashioned way.
PRINZ: We did prove that it's a feasible concept, to be able to take a

robot and make it into a snowblower. Eventually, it will be an
awesome concept to clear the driveway without having to leave the
house.
CARMACK: Staying warm while getting your driveway cleared beats
this any day.
(END VIDEO)
Goodbye
AZUZ: Yes it does. And while having a robot shovel your driveway
might seem like cold comfort, for some people it's snow laughing
matter. And if the snobot catches on, those students can expect an
avalanche of praise. That'll put today's show on ice. For CNN
Student News, I'm Carl Azuz. We'll look forward to seeing you
tomorrow.
• Greece
• Pakistan
• Poland
Transcript

CARL AZUZ, CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR: A federal judge has

something to say about the health care reform law. You're going to
find out what in today's broadcast. I'm Carl Azuz. CNN Student News
starts right now!
First Up: Nutrition Bill
AZUZ: First up, though, the federal government will have more of a
say in some of the foods you get in school. President Obama signed
a new law yesterday that will overhaul child nutrition standards. This
is part of first lady Michelle Obama's "Let's Move" program, which
aims to fight childhood obesity. During the signing ceremony at a
Washington-area elementary school, the president said this law is
about "giving our kids the healthy futures they deserve."
Here's some of what's in the new law; the ingredients of it, if you
will: The government will have more authority to set standards for
what's sold in vending machines on school grounds. Schools will
have to meet government health guidelines. And poorer areas will
get more money to help pay for free meals. All told, this bill comes
with a price tag of $4.5 billion. Some Democrats didn't like the bill,
because part of the money to pay for it was going to be taken out of
other programs that help provide food to poorer Americans. There
was also some concern about schools being able to pay for healthier
foods. They'll be getting more money from the government in order
to help make up those costs.
Health Care Ruling
AZUZ: Meanwhile, a federal judge says that a main part of President

Obama's health care reform law is unconstitutional. This is about the
"individual mandate." What is the individual mandate? It's the part
of the law that requires most Americans to buy health insurance by
2014, and if they don't buy it, they could be fined. This federal judge
says "an individual's personal decision to purchase... health
insurance... is beyond the historical reach of the U.S. Constitution."
President Obama signed the health care reform bill into law back in
March, and a lot of people say it's the biggest accomplishment of his
time in office. Other judges have ruled that the individual mandate
is constitutional, and the government is planning to appeal this
week's ruling. The case could end up in front of the U.S. Supreme
Court.
Extreme Weather
AZUZ: Cold, snow and lots of it. That's the forecast for a lot of the
U.S. this week. The storm that's been blanketing the Midwest is
moving east, with high winds and low temperatures stretching from
New England all the way down to Florida. That's caused some
problems for travelers, as you might imagine. More than 1,700
flights were canceled Sunday, leaving people stranded. Officials said
there were fewer delays yesterday. In Washington state, the
precipitation isn't frozen, but it's still causing serious problems, as
you can see. The area is fighting through mudslides and also
flooding from heavy rain. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has
offered to help out with all of this.
Shoutout
TOMEKA JONES, CNN STUDENT NEWS: Today's Shoutout goes out to

Mr. Merel's social studies classes at Carter G. Woodson Middle
School in Chicago, Illinois! What type of calendar is used by most of
the Western world? If you think you know it, then shout it out! Is it:
A) Arabian, B) Gregorian, C) Julian or D) Hippocratic? You've got
three seconds -- GO! We use the Gregorian calendar, named after
Pope Gregory XIII. That's your answer and that's your Shoutout!
A Look Back
AZUZ: Well, this Gregorian calendar year is coming to an end. Before

that happens, though, some of our reporters are looking back at
some of the biggest stories of 2010. We kick things off with Diana
Magnay.
(BEGIN VIDEO)
DIANA MAGNAY, CNN CORRESPONDENT, BERLIN: I'm Diana Magnay,

and in May 2010, I was in Greece while European leaders finalized
their bailout to rescue Greece from its debts. When rocks and riot
police dictated the course of the financial markets. And where the
real impact of speculation in government debt could be seen on the
faces of the people on the streets.
REZA SAYAH, CNN CORRESPONDENT, ISLAMABAD: I'm Reza Sayah

here at JINNA supermaket in Islamabad, Pakistan. The biggest story
here this year, not even close: the floods. The worst natural disaster
anywhere in recent memory. Weeks of monsoon rains covered a fifth
of Pakistan. Twenty million people affected.
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT, BERLIN: I'm Fred

Pleitgen, and in April 2010, I reported from Poland, where a tragic
plane crash killed the country's president, the first lady and much of
the political leadership. In this time of crisis, this nation that
endured so much over the years showed great sorrow, but also
great character.
DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT, ATLANTA: I'm

David Mattingly, outside CNN Center here in Atlanta. By far, the
biggest event that I was a part of this year was the Gulf oil spill. And
I had a front row seat covering many of the devastating days that
came with that spill. One of the most memorable was when the oil
first hit the marshes in Louisiana. That was truly an upsetting day
because it meant the end of so many livelihoods for that season.
Then the oil hit the Gulf beaches in Pensacola, that was also a very
strong moment, as we saw hundreds of people come down to the
beach. They stood at the edge of the waters where the oil had hit .
No one was talking, people just looking. It was like there was a
death in the family, and that is a sense of loss that I know so many
people will not easily get over.
(END VIDEO)
End of Year Promo
AZUZ: No they won't. What do you think were the biggest headlines
from 2010? Don't tell us yet. We're gonna be looking at more top
stories on Friday. So make your guesses, then tune in at the end of
the week to see if we picked the same ones.
Is This Legit?
STAN CASE, CNN STUDENT NEWS: Is this legit? The word "privacy"
does not appear in the U.S. Constitution or its Amendments. This is
true, although courts have ruled that, in some situations, people can
expect to have privacy.
End of Privacy?
AZUZ: That expectation of privacy applies in certain places, like your

home. But what about the internet? The courts are still figuring out
how to deal with privacy online. The internet, I've heard
characterized as the Wild West. There is one thing that's certain:
Every time you log on, you leave a mark on the cyber world, and
other people are watching. Chad Myers explains why and why some
folks are concerned about it.
(BEGIN VIDEO)
CHAD MYERS, CNN WEATHER ANCHOR: Did you know that

companies you never heard of track every website you visit and
keep a record of everything you do online? That's right, everybody
who visits the internet has a "digital fingerprint," a unique profile
that's built by these specialized companies.
PETER ECKERSLEY, SENIOR STAFF TECHNOLOGIST, ELECTRONIC

FRONTIER FOUNDATION: We actually don't really know who their
clients are. So, they may be selling this technology to banks, they
may be selling it to online advertising companies, and that's the
bigger concern.
MYERS: Peter Eckersley is a technologist with the Electronic Frontier

Foundation, a digital civil liberties group that defends people's rights
on the internet. He says digital fingerprinting is a violation of every
aspect of your privacy.
ECKERSLEY: You should have the right to read what you want in
private without someone looking over your shoulder reading along
with you. As you pick up a magazine to read it, you don't want the
magazine to be reading you.
MYERS: Recently, the FTC weighed in on this issue, calling for a "Do
Not Track" system, like a "Do Not Call" system. But Eckersley says
the technology is already there to put this button on your browser.
But he says that won't happen until Congress creates a whole new
set of rules to protect the consumer.
DON JACKSON, DIRECTOR OF THREAT INTELLIGENCE, SECURE

WORKS: I think the scary thing is people don't understand what is
out there about them personally that's linked to their online digital
fingerprint
MYERS: Don Jackson, the director of threat intelligence for Secure

Works, says digital fingerprints are used for personalized marketing
and advertising campaigns and customized political messages. But
he says there's also a danger they will be used with malicious intent.
What if I'm at a wireless place like this, and people are just
everywhere, and everybody's logged in. Can that guy right there be
tracked?
JACKSON: Absolutely.
MYERS: Really?
JACKSON: And he is being tracked right now. So, everything you do
is online. If you are using a public website or any kind of online
service, they are tracking everything that you are doing.
MYERS: Can data be wrong? Can people get something incorrect and
is it a big deal?
JACKSON: Yes. So, your fingerprint can be manipulated by criminals,

that's just one way it can be wrong. Another way it can be wrong is
that it's been cross-linked. There's really no mechanism to correct
that; you can't remove the information. There's currently no
channel, no way to file a complaint.
MYERS: Security experts are concerned that, right now, there is no

practical way to stop companies from using this technology. And
that as scary as that is, the best defense is to be aware that
everything you do online is being watched.
JACKSON: Keep your antivirus up to date, keep your computer up to

date. But for the most part, once the information leaves your
computer, at least one person, that's the website that you're
visiting, can track it.
MYERS: Chad Myers, CNN, Atlanta.
(END VIDEO)
Before We Go
AZUZ: We talked earlier about the cold temperatures around the

country. Doesn't sound like the perfect time for a swim. But these
frosty folks are freezin' for a reason. It's the annual Polar Plunge, and
it raises money for the Special Olympics. Participants had to get a
hundred bucks in pledges and be willing to at least dip a toe in the
water. The idea might sound chilling to some people, but it's a great
way to help others.
Goodbye
AZUZ: And a special memory that is frozen in time. Such an ice
story. We are going to chill out for a little while. We will be back
tomorrow with more CNN Student News. And we hope to see you
then. Bye now.

CNN Student News

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January 20, 2011

Download PDF maps related to today's show:

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS

First Up: Presidential Visit

One of those common interests: the global economy. We want you to

With China's economy getting bigger, some people think it's

CHRIS WELCH, CNN ALL-PLATFORM JOURNALIST: In this class, it's

ANDREW ALDIS, CHINESE LANGUAGE STUDENT: I think it's very

The Hacienda Le Puente School District outside Los Angeles was

CHIWEI LIN, CHINESE TEACHER: Yes. I do.

WELCH: Ohio State Professor Oded Shenkar specializes in China.

ODED SHENKAR, OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY: I don't think they're going

The Second Amendment

AZUZ: Okay, as promised, we're turning our attention to the Bill of

But to understand what the disagreement is over, you've gotta first

Many supporters of gun control look to the first part of the

AZUZ: I always remember studying echolocation in association with

JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN MIAMI BUREAU CHIEF AND CORRESPONDENT:

EMILY GUARINO, TANNER'S TRAINER: Hi, buddy. Look who's here.

ZARRELLA: The 8-year-old bottlenose dolphin is not only a good-

GUARINO: Really blew us away.

ZARRELLA: ...Go way beyond ring retrieval.

ZARRELLA: During the actual research project, Tanner imitated the

GUARINO: Kibby brought a rock. Oh, so did Tanner!

ZARRELLA: John Zarrella, CNN, Grassy Key in the Florida Keys.

AZUZ: It's always amazing to consider how intelligent dolphins are.

Download PDF maps related to today's show:

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS

CARL AZUZ, CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR: A former dictator shows

First Up: Pakistan Quake

AZUZ: First up, an early-morning earthquake hits Pakistan. This

China & U.S. Relationship

President Hu landed in Washington yesterday. In addition to

JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN FOREIGN AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Two

HILLARY CLINTON, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: Today, our

DOUGHERTY: Friends or rivals? A former deputy secretary of state

RICHARD ARMITAGE, FORMER DEPUTY SECRETARY OF STATE: They

DOUGHERTY: Spin the globe and you see China's growing

U.S. TREASURY SECRETARY TIMOTHY GEITHNER: Our exports to

U.S. DEFENSE SECRETARY ROBERT GATES: We welcome a China that

DOUGHERTY: Yet China's burgeoning military power is stoking

DOUGHERTY: Washington says with power comes responsibility. For

ARMITAGE: China's outreach, I believe, in the main is based on what

CLINTON: Embracing the obligations that come with being a 21st

DOUGHERTY: And that, Clinton argues, includes respecting human

Health Care Repeal?

AZUZ: Moving on to our next story today. The U.S. House of

"Baby Doc" Returns

AZUZ: "Baby Doc" Duvalier is back in Haiti this week. He showed up

Shoutout Extra Credit

TOMEKA JONES, CNN STUDENT NEWS: Time for a Shoutout Extra

LARRY TRIM, NATO COMMANDER: Barbed wire, perhaps, around their

TRIM: We take away their equipment. We take away their mother

VERJEE: In Mombasa, Kenya, the Greek commander of this warship

CAPTAIN VASILEIOS EFSTATHIOU, EU NAVAL FORCE SOMALIA: The

RAURI DOWDS, MARITIME UNDERWATER SECURITY CONSULTANCY:

VERJEE: They help steer ships in real time, sometimes to rougher

DOWDS: We always consider factors such as rainfall and most

VERJEE: Everyone I speak to tells me there's only one real solution

AZUZ: We have another singing sensation for today's Before We Go

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THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS

First Up: Arizona Shooting