Mar.6

CARL AZUZ, CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR: Hi, I'm Carl Azuz, and this is CNN Student News. Give us 10 minutes, we'll give you today's commercial-free headlines, starting with protests over in Greece.

First Up: Greek Debt Crisis

AZUZ: The country has a massive debt. We're talking nearly $400 billion. That is bigger than the entire nation's economy. The Greek government is considering some plans to get try to that debt under control. Those plans include spending cuts, and those are not popular with a lot of workers. Yesterday, thousands of Greeks went on strike. They walked off the job because of the proposed cuts and they took to the streets to protest. This one is at the Greek parliament building. Lawmakers were inside going over those proposals to cut spending. The people outside are workers: teachers, doctors, transportation employees. They were demanding that members of parliament come outside and face them.

Of course, police were out all over the country to deal with these protests. In some spots, that led to fighting between the police and the protesters. Some people in the crowds threw bottles, rocks and sticks at the officers. In the capital city of Athens, a fire bomb hit a bank, killing three people inside. Parliament lawmakers held a moment of silence for the victims.

In terms of Greece's debt, the country is getting some help from the European Union. On Sunday, it agreed to an aid package worth $145 billion. But in order to get that package, Greece must adopt some of those cost-cutting measures that it's considering.

Is this Legit?

MATT CHERRY, CNN STUDENT NEWS: Is this legit? The U.S. government has a list of people who are not allowed on board airplanes. Legit! It's called the No Fly list.

No-Fly

AZUZ: And the government is making some updates to it, specifically, how often airlines have to check it. This is based on changes to the No Fly list or when names are added to it. In the past, airlines had 24 hours to check the list after they were told about an update. Now, they'll have to do it within two hours. The goal of this is to prevent a repeat of what happened on Monday.

That's when Faisal Shahzad, a suspect who's been arrested in connection with the failed bombing plot in Times Square, was allowed to get on a plane even though his name was on the No Fly list. Shahzad's name had been added to the list earlier in the day. But because it was within that old, 24-hour window, the airline hadn't checked the updated list when it sold him a ticket. As we told you yesterday, there were other things that did raise red flags, including the fact that Shahzad bought his ticket in cash. So, authorities were able to find and arrest him before his plane took off.

Oil Spill

AZUZ: One leak down, two to go. BP says the smallest of three leaks in the Gulf of Mexico has been sealed. More than 200,000 gallons of oil have been leaking into the Gulf every day. Plans are now underway to stop the biggest leak. In the next few days, officials expect to place a pollution containment chamber -- the four-story, steel box you see right here -- over that leak. If it works, a second box will be used to cover the last leak. The plan is to collect the oil inside those boxes and then pipe it up to ships on the surface. Reports indicate that the oil is getting closer to shore. Miles of booms -- these sort of floating barriers -- have been put in place to try to control the spill. Gary Tuchman gives us a closer look.

(BEGIN VIDEO)

GARY TUCHMAN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: We're 35 miles south of Gulfport Mississippi. These are the Chandeleur Islands, actually in Louisiana waters, and right now you are looking at the oil that is threatening to come on this island.

Protective boom's right here; this yellow thing is the boom. It looks like foam. But this is the oil from the massive oil slick.

People on the coastline, obviously in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida, are very concerned. But we can tell you, because we took a three-and-a-half hour boat ride to get out here, that the oil is still at least 35 or 40 miles away. I mean, you could see it right now: If it wasn't for this protective boom, it would be on these islands.

These islands are amazing wildlife refuges. They are places where migratory birds come on their way between North, Central and South America. And you can see the birds as the sun is going down on these islands.

These islands used to be about 20 miles long, north to south. But because of hurricanes over the years -- Katrina, George -- it's now about 16 miles. And ultimately, the fear is that in the years to come and if there's more damage here, the islands will be gone.

They're uninhabited; no one lives here. Although about a couple hundred years ago, there were a couple hundred people who lived on the islands. Now, it's a wildlife refuge. The oil you see is right here next to the boom, and there's great concern it will go over the boom, on these islands, and then on the coastline. This is Gary Tuchman, CNN, on the Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana.

(END VIDEO)

This Day in History

(ON SCREEN GRAPHIC)

May 6, 1915 - George Herman "Babe" Ruth hits his first major league home run.

May 6, 1937 - The Hindenburg, the largest airship ever built, explodes as it arrives in New Jersey.

May 6, 1954 - Roger Bannister becomes the first person to run the mile in less than four minutes.

Shoutout

TOMEKA JONES, CNN STUDENT NEWS: Today's Shoutout goes out to Ms. Neal at Tarkanian Middle School in Las Vegas, Nevada! Which of these events takes place in the month of May? You know what to do! Is it: A) Armed Forces Day, B) Veterans Day, C) Armistice Day or D) Flag Day? You've got three seconds -- GO! Armed Forces Day is a salute to all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces, and it falls on May 15. That's your answer and that's your Shoutout!

Wounded Warriors

AZUZ: From tanks to Humvees and even back to cavalry horses, troops are used to riding into battle. But the Soldier Ride is something that happens after the fighting is over. It's part of the Wounded Warriors program, which honors and helps members of the military who have been injured. Last week marked the fourth cycle of the annual Soldier Ride. You can have a look at it right here.

(BEGIN VIDEO)

TED WADE, WOUNDED WARRIOR: It's like the doors are opening and you're walking outside for the first time.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Come on. You can do it. Keep going, man.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All cyclists, you must stay in the lane the cruiser is in when you're over there for them to accept the responsibility of the escort.

STEVEN NARDIZZI, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, WOUNDED WARRIOR PROJECT: This is a great event. It's progressed into a rehab ride where we've got over 30 warriors here right now participating in a ride and getting out, sometimes for the first time, of a hospital and learning what they can accomplish again in life.

SARA WADE, TED'S WIFE: I also always see a big change in his mood with the bike ride coming up. There's a lot of anticipation and a lot of excitement.

T. WADE: I've been going to the gym and riding exercise bikes for several hours.

S. WADE: Ted had neurosurgery over in Germany and spent about two weeks in a neurosurgery intensive care unit there. It was doubtful that Ted was going to survive. It's kind of surreal and it definitely puts things into perspective. I think it definitely helps you stay motivated when sometimes it's easy this far post-injury to burn out from rehabilitation.

T. WADE: It's continuing my momentum for the future, and with the way things are looking, good into the future.

(END VIDEO)

Blog Report

AZUZ: Really like that story. Well, Ashleigh is talking to us. She says teachers are like her second parents. They help her fix her mistakes and learn from them. She's just one of hundreds of people paying tribute to teachers this Teacher Appreciation Week! Renee and Andrea say Mrs. MacDonald inspired them to be better people and to remember equality. Helen calls Mr. Giampetro a big influence on her decision to become a teacher. Mrs. Kelley is a teacher that Elijah can really relate to. She's also the only one in class who laughs at my puns. I'm glad someone's laughing, Mrs. Kelley! Zach, Hannah, Wendy and Chase all think Mrs. Vann is the best teacher ever, saying her sense of humor helps them learn. Shelby, Matthew, Lacey and Hannah all praise Mrs. Chapp for making learning fun. We wish we could read all of these comments on air, but you can see them all on our blog at CNNStudentNews.com!

Before We Go

AZUZ: Before we go, lawmakers have to deal with some serious issues. For example, serious questions about wildlife, like whose frog can jump the farthest. Apparently, annoying the frog is a viable strategy, but not a winning one. This frog jumping competition is an annual event at the California state capitol, one that's sure to put a little hop in your step. The winner has a name that is just perfect for government work.

Goodbye

AZUZ: And that name is Tad-poll worker. It is a great thing when they write the puns for us. That ribbeting competition brings today's show to a close. For CNN Student News, I'm Carl Azuz.

Mar.5

CARL AZUZ, CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR: We are CNN Student News, and this is Teacher Appreciation Week. So of course, we're going to have some of your tributes to teachers later in today's show. I'm Carl Azuz, welcoming everyone!

First Up: Times Square Arrest

AZUZ: First up, officials have arrested a suspect in connection with a failed bombing plot in New York City. Authorities say that Faisal Shahzad has admitted he was involved with the incident. They're now calling that a "terrorist plot." Shahzad is a naturalized U.S. citizen. That means he was born in another country -- in this case, Pakistan -- but he became a U.S. citizen about a year ago. Officials said that they plan to charge Shahzad, whom you see in these pictures from Orkut.com, with an act of terrorism and attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction. Those charges filed in court yesterday. Attorney General Eric Holder said that since he's been in custody, authorities have been questioning Shahzad and that he's been giving them "useful information."

But we're gonna back up for you right now and go through the timeline to show you how we got to where we are right now. Saturday night, someone leaves an SUV in Times Square. A couple of street vendors notice it, tell police. Police find a makeshift bomb inside and disarm it. Now, we're into the search for a suspect. The SUV helps with that. Authorities figure out whom it belonged to, they contact that person, find out that he had sold the vehicle to Shahzad. So, where is Shahzad? He's trying to get out of the country. In fact, when police arrested him, he was on a plane that was about to head to the United Arab Emirates and then on to Pakistan. A couple things helped tip off authorities here. One: Shahzad was on the no-fly list. That helped officials track him down. Two: He paid for his ticket in cash at the counter; no reservation. That raised a red flag for the airline, which told airport security. Hours after Shahzad was arrested Monday night, security forces in Pakistan conducted a raid and took two or three people into custody. Pakistani officials say that raid was in connection to the Times Square plot.

Nashville Flooding

AZUZ: Well, over in Tennessee, the Cumberland River is going back down and the weather forecast is looking better. But it's going to take a while to recover from this week's severe floods. Experts say the river topped out at nearly 12 feet above flood stage. It left homes underwater, destroyed roads. Officials are blaming the severe weather for more than two dozen deaths, including ten in the Nashville area. That city's mayor declared a state of emergency on Sunday. That lets Nashville ask for help from state officials, and it helps make it easier to get and give out supplies and services. More than a thousand people were rescued from the water over the weekend.

Downtown Nashville, hit hard by the storms. Here, you can see some of the flooding in the city's football stadium. In addition to being Tennessee's capital, Nashville is also known as the "country music capital of the world." It's home to the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Grand Ole Opry. The lower levels of both of those landmarks were flooded, too.

Containment Effort

AZUZ: Florida's governor has also declared a state of emergency for 13 counties in his state. This is a response to the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Now, every Gulf Coast state, from Louisiana to Florida, has asked the National Guard to help fight the spill. Meantime, BP -- that's the company that owns the well that this oil is gushing out of -- is trying to stop the leak at the source. Plan A -- use remotely operated subs to close a valve -- hasn't worked. Plan B? Brian Todd tells us about that.

(BEGIN VIDEO)

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT, WASHINGTON, D.C.: I'm Brian Todd in Port Fourchon, Louisiana, where we have access to something that you've never really seen before because they haven't really tried it before. This large, box-like structure right here is called the "pollution containment chamber."

It looks like a huge rusty box. But after so much futility, this might be the device that stops the massive oil flow in the Gulf. Forty feet high and weighing nearly a hundred tons, the pollution containment chamber is almost ready to be lowered on top of the leaking wellhead from the destroyed rig.

They've been working on this device for about a week now, and they're essentially cutting it to specs to fit this particular pipe that's leaking. We can't go up to the top there where those guys are welding because of the dangers, the hazards here. But here's how it's going to work: These two openings are going to be lowered on top of the leaking well. The leaking end of it's going to come out that window right there. There's another part of the well that's jutting out that will come out that opening right over there. This will be lowered and those flaps there in the middle will be sitting on the ocean floor to prevent this from sinking any further.

The idea is for this to plant down, clamp, then channel the oil to waiting surface containers. This is what they call the "top hat," the cap to the dome. It's going to be placed on top of it, essentially acting as the top of the funnel that's going to siphon the oil to the surface. A riser's attached to the other side, almost like a straw going to the surface to a ship that will carry the oil out.

Smaller versions of this have been successful before. Officials say this dome may be able to capture as much as 85 percent of the oil spewing from those pipes.

Is this the last, best hope to contain this spill?

JASON HOLVEY, WILD WELL CONTROL: I don't believe that's the case. If for some reason this did not work, there are a lot of brilliant minds working for BP right now. I'm sure there are multiple efforts going on parallel to ours.

TODD: But at the moment, those other efforts either aren't working or won't be ready as quickly. They're also building a smaller version of the pollution containment chamber. You see it going on right there, with this guy welding here. That's not going to be ready quite as quickly as the larger one. Now, the timetable for that larger one: they hope to finish that here in the yard by Wednesday. Then they've got to do some quality controls, get it onto a ship to transport it out there. They hope to lower that onto the leaking well by the end of this week. Brian Todd, CNN, Port Fourchon, Louisiana.

(END VIDEO)

Shoutout

MATT CHERRY, CNN STUDENT NEWS: Today's Shoutout goes out to Mr. Edwards' history classes at Niobrara County High School in Lusk, Wyoming! This is a picture of Timothy Geithner. What's his job? You know what to do! Is he the: A) NFL Commissioner, B) President of Harvard, C) Treasury Secretary or D) U.S. Poet Laureate? You've got three seconds -- GO! Timothy Geithner is the 75th secretary of the U.S. Treasury Department. That's your answer and that's your Shoutout!

Tax on Banks?

AZUZ: Because that's his job, one of Secretary Geithner's responsibilities is to try and keep the U.S. economy stable. He thinks one way to do that is through a tax on banks. He talked about this on Capitol Hill yesterday. Specifically, the tax would be aimed at large banks that might have gotten help from the government during the financial crisis. Secretary Geithner says more than 99 percent of the country's banks won't be affected. But some people who are opposed to this tax argue it could cause problems for small businesses because it might be harder for them to get loans. A big part of all of this is risk. Banks sometimes make risky investments and loans. And under the proposed tax, the banks that take more risks would have to pay more.

School Cuts

AZUZ: Another part of the financial crisis is job cuts. You know that by now. A new survey looks at how many might be coming up where you are right now, in school. According to the report, more than 80 percent of U.S. school districts expect to cut jobs in the 2010-2011 school year. The survey interviewed administrators from 49 states. They're predicting that more than a quarter million positions will be let go. We're talking about teachers, nurses, administrators, cafeteria workers. Districts that don't cut jobs will probably put a freeze on hiring. The head of the group that took this survey says that while there are some signs that the U.S. economy is getting better, so far, it's just not happening in schools.

Teacher Appreciation Week

AZUZ: A few months ago, Anastasia wrote that the economy was forcing her school to cut back, but that it made everyone proud to see teachers trying to cheer students up, even though the teachers were losing their jobs. She appreciates the work teachers do, and so do these folks: Jared says, "Mr. McBurrows doesn't just teach; he makes the lesson fun and interactive." Mrs. Yribe -- I might not be saying it right -- but has helped Allison better understand science. Lyn writes that "Mr. Chmil changed her mind about history and cultures." Moses sends a shoutout to Mrs. Herman, saying "she's the awesomest teacher ever." Cameron says, "Mr. Langhorst always finds a way to make class fun." Thanks to Mr. Sumner, Quinton says he can play multiple instruments and wants to be a musician. And Gracie and Ellie thank their mother for homeschooling them and being the best teacher they could ask for. Thank your teacher at CNNStudentNews.com!

Before We Go

AZUZ: And before we go, we like to end the show with something light hearted. For example, this YouTube video of a nice, warm campfire... no, it's the top of a birthday cake! And check this out, watch what happens next. There it is! Blowing this sucker out is gonna be tough. But you gotta admit it looks really cool. But the candle creators did miss one detail, though: They forgot to disconnect the smoke detector, and they heard all about it. They'll definitely know better for next time.

Goodbye

AZUZ: But it definitely makes this a truly enlightening experience. I guess they can't be all crazy animals and eating contests, however much I love them. All right: Facebook comment of the day comes from James, who asks if I could have any color hair, what would it be? James, would be the color of thunder. We'd love for you to write on our wall at Facebook.com/cnnstudentnews. If you have a random question or comment about the show, you know where to find us. Have a wonderful day. We'll see you soon.

Mar.4

CARL AZUZ, CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR: Today's show is serious business -- most of it. You're gonna see what makes me hesitate in just under 10 minutes. I'm Carl Azuz. You're tuned in to CNN Student News.

First Up: Oil Spill

AZUZ: First up, BP will "absolutely be paying for the clean-up operation" of a huge oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The company owns the oil rig that sank in the Gulf last month, causing the spill. The thing is still leaking out more than 200,000 gallons of oil per day. That's making things hard for the area's fishing industry, as you might imagine. Officials have banned fishing in part of the Gulf for a while. Some local seafood restaurants are worried about being able to get the food they need to sell. The industry brings about $2.4 billion to the Gulf Coast.

This spill is threatening parts of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida. CNN estimates that the overall area that could be impacted by the oil spill is almost as large as the state of Delaware. Officials say they're fighting the spill in three ways. One: They're trying to cap the well that's leaking the oil. Two: They're trying to stop the oil before it reaches land. And three: They're getting ready to clean it up if it does make landfall. Jacqui Jeras looks at what makes this such a tough fight.

(BEGIN VIDEO)

JACQUI JERAS, CNN WEATHER ANCHOR: Well, there have been a lot of questions as to why it's been over a week now and, for some reason, no one's been able to get down there and stop this leak from going any further, unfortunately. Now, there are a lot of reasons why it's been such a difficult challenge, and some of that has to do with the location of it and how deep this is.

The BOP, which is what we know as the blowout preventer, is where the main leak is coming from, and it sits about 5,000 feet down on the ocean floor. So, that's nearly a mile, where it's very, very dark; and the pressure is very, very intense. Now, a blowout preventer, or BOP, is actually a series of valves, and it's designed to stop a leak like this. We've got a picture to show you of what it looks like. It's very large and it's very heavy. Here you can see it; it's about two stories tall, and you can see those series of valves here. Now, the type of BOP it is, it's called a ram BOP, and that means there's a series of plates, two different plates, that will come together and push together, and it will seal off, hopefully, any leak. And it sits right on top of that well. Now, there are three different ways that you can turn this thing off, and unfortunately, none of those ways have worked so far.

So, in the meantime, what officials are doing to try and stop this, two different things. One: They're putting dispersant down near the source, down near the BOP, to try and hold it in that area. The other thing they're doing, is that they've got these little roving vehicles, or ROVs, or submersibles. And they've got robotic arms on them. And so, they're going to use those robotic arms to try and manually turn off that valve. So far, none of those things have worked very well.

So, we're looking at a long-term solution. And there's only two ways that officials tell us that can get done. One way is to build a type of tent to cover it up. The second way is to drill another hole into the well, and then put cement or other type of coagulator in there to block it up and hope that that will seal it. Well, we've just heard now from BP officials that they're going to try the tent option. And they're building three rectangular boxes which are made out of steel, and they each weigh 73 tons. These boxes are going to go down to the ocean floor, cover up those leaks. And then what they can do, is they can attach a pipe to the top of it and divert that oil wherever they want it to go. For example, perhaps, a ship, where they will collect some of that oil.

So, this is a long-term process. Officials tell us it could take up to three months. In the meantime, best estimates tell us that 5,000 barrels of oil continue to gush out of it every day.

(END VIDEO)

Airline Merger

AZUZ: Up in the sky. It's United... It's Continental... It's... Uninental? Maybe Conti-nited. Either way, the name's not right, but two of the country's major airlines are planning to merge together. United and Continental made the announcement yesterday. For the record, they'd keep United's name, so the company would be called United, but it would have Continental's logo. If the deal does go through, it'll make the new company the world's largest airline. That's an "if" because this merger has to be approved by the government. One of the possible concerns is whether the merged airline would have too much control over prices. One expert says it might not affect the cost on flights to major cities, but it could impact international flights or flights in and out of smaller cities. The airlines argue that prices are determined by a lot of factors, but not by individual companies.

This Day in History

(ON SCREEN GRAPHIC)

May 4, 1961 - The Freedom Riders start their trip through the Southern U.S. to protest segregation.

May 4, 1970 - Four students are killed at Kent State University when National Guardsmen fire into a crowd of protesters.

May 4, 1979 - Margaret Thatcher becomes the first female prime minister of Great Britain.

Times Square Incident

AZUZ: Okay, moving from the past to the present, authorities are looking for clues in that failed bombing attempt in New York City over the weekend. One of the things that they're checking: security cameras. There are a bunch of those all over Times Square, where it happened. This is one of the first videos released by the police. Now, you see the man in the spotshadow on the right of your screen. He's changing his shirt. Officials are trying to figure out who he is. He's not a suspect; he's just someone that they want to talk to. Authorities say it's too early to know who was involved. But Attorney General Eric Holder -- the top law enforcement official in the country -- has promised that whoever is responsible will be brought to justice.

United Nations

AZUZ: We're gonna stay in New York and move over to the United Nations building for a meeting about nuclear weapons. That is where Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the president of Iran, was yesterday. This meeting is designed for countries to discuss ways to cut down on the number of nuclear weapons around the globe. Of course, some countries, including the U.S., argue that Iran is trying to make nuclear weapons. Iran says its nuclear program only has peaceful purposes. During his speech at the U.N. yesterday, President Ahmadinejad blasted several nations, especially the U.S. and Israel. He argues that those countries want complete control over nuclear weapons and nuclear power. Several delegates walked out during his speech.

Water Main Break

AZUZ: Heading over to Boston, Massachusetts, where nearly 2 million people are waiting for officials to run tests to make sure that the water is safe to drink. This might look like good video; it is a serious problem: a water pipe that broke over the weekend and sent millions of gallons rushing out of the pipeline. It happened about 12 miles west of Boston, but it affects around 30 communities in the region. Welders have repaired the pipe, but authorities have to run a lot of tests to make sure that water is safe. And until those tests are finished, you have to boil the water before you can drink it or use it to cook.

Shoutout

TOMEKA JONES, CNN STUDENT NEWS: Time for the Shoutout! The Socratic method is used in what field? If you think you know it, shout it out! Is it: A) Engineering, B) Teaching, C) Painting or D) Aviation? You've got three seconds -- GO! The Socratic method is a version of teaching, and on this National Teacher Day, today's Shoutout and show are dedicated to all of you teachers out there!

Blog Comments

AZUZ: And so's this next segment. Teachers, here's what your students are saying about how you've inspired them. Gracie thanks Miss Freeman for giving her the courage to go out and be the best person she can be. Megan says Mr. Fish gave her the confidence to get in front of people and speak. From Ningxia: Mr. Zhu opened the door of "why and how" and taught the importance of thinking. Miss Wang shared the joy of painting. Cole says Senorita Gandara and Senora Gregor helped in math. Trevor notes that Mr. McGowan makes the whole class laugh. And Melvin thanks Mrs. Betty and Mrs. Schoeck for helping him control his attitude. Tell us how your teachers help you! CNNStudentNews.com is the address; share your comments and first names only, please.

Before We Go

AZUZ: Before we go, they say that laughter is the best medicine. But this...?

[VIDEO OF PEOPLE LAUGHING]

AZUZ: That is kinda creepy. I don't care if it was World Laughter Day. World Laughter Day; that's not a joke. It's an annual event that's charged with chuckles, giddy with giggles, chock full of chortles and governed by guffaws. These jokesters seem to be taking the theme pretty seriously.

Goodbye

AZUZ: For them, it's no laughing matter. You thought we'd let that go without a pun? Please, don't make me laugh. All right, listen. On a serious note, I wanna give a Shoutout to the students of Bridgewater Middle School; specifically, their band. Thank you guys for stopping by CNN Center last week; it was good seeing you. On that note, we are done for the day. Please make sure to tune in again tomorrow. For CNN Student News, I'm Carl Azuz.