Apr 20

CARL AZUZ, CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR: In this Tuesday edition of CNN Student News, we are diving into the world's most expensive bowl of noodles. Mmm. Hope you're hungry for some commercial-free headlines. I'm Carl Azuz. Let's go.

First Up: Ash Cloud Update

AZUZ: First up, officials are planning to re-open the skies over Europe -- at least partially. The problem has been ash from a volcano in Iceland. It's stranded millions of air travelers. Experts are concerned that this ash could cause problems in plane engines. Authorities say they're not going to compromise anyone's safety, but they feel comfortable starting to get air travel back to normal. Meantime, the UK is getting a jump on helping out stranded passengers. It sent the Royal Navy to get them! Ships are expected to arrive in Spain this morning to pick up service members coming home from Afghanistan. This ash has been heading east from Iceland toward Europe. Now, some of it is heading west, back across the Atlantic ocean toward North America. Chad Myers explains what's behind the shift.

CHAD MYERS, CNN WEATHER ANCHOR: We talked about the jet stream, how it was coming up and over the volcano, pushing it down, and that's how it got into Europe. So, you're saying, "How in the world did it get the other way? How did it get west? I thought the winds blew this way?" But when you have a high pressure here and a low pressure here, the jet stream came down, spun around, and then went back up through the Straits of Gibralter for a while over the last week. Like Thursday and Friday of last week. Some of that ash got caught up in the lower levels and got pushed by the west winds, from the east to west winds, here across the Atlantic Ocean and into Newfoundland and some of the other Atlantic Canada provinces.

Toyota to Pay Fine

AZUZ: Toyota is going to pay the biggest fine ever for a single violation. The U.S. Transportation Department claims that the company took too long to tell the U.S. government about a "sticky pedal" problem in some of its cars. So, it fined Toyota $16.4 million. The company has agreed to pay that, but it denies the government's accusation, saying, "We could have done a better job of sharing relevant information... but we did not try to hide a defect to avoid dealing with a safety problem." This fine is less than one-tenth of one percent of the amount of money that Toyota has on hand.

Remembering Columbine

AZUZ: We want to take some time now to mark a tragedy that happened 11 years ago today. Two students at Columbine High School in Colorado opened fire inside the school, killing 13 people and wounding 23 others before they took their own lives. The attack shocked the country. And every year since, people have taken time on April 20th to remember and pay tribute to the victims. The Columbine Memorial, which opened in 2007, is located near the school. It serves as a place for people to reflect on the tragedy and on the lessons that were learned from it.

Is this Legit?

MATT CHERRY, CNN STUDENT NEWS: Is this legit? Wall Street is an actual street in New York City. True! The phrase is used to describe the investment community as a whole, but the actual Wall Street is also where a lot of investment companies are located.

Wall Street Reform

AZUZ: Later this week, President Obama is planning to go to Wall Street to give a speech about Wall Street. The issue is financial reform. There's a proposal in the U.S. Senate right now that looks at ways to avoid another economic crisis. The House passed a similar bill back in December. The debate over the Senate version is getting ready to start, but Republicans and Democrats are split over some of the plans that are in it. And as Sandra Endo explains, tension between the two sides is heating up.

(BEGIN VIDEO)

SANDRA ENDO, CNN CORRESPONDENT, WASHINGTON, D.C.: A showdown is set in the Senate over financial reform. Republican lawmakers say the Democrats are proposing a plan which would give the federal government too much control over the financial industry.

SENATE MINORITY LEADER MITCH MCCONNELL, (R) KENTUCKY: We want to make sure that we don't set up a system whereby we empower the government to continue to do what it has been doing: running banks, insurance companies, car companies. We have now seen them nationalize the student loan business, which will cost 31,000 jobs. The American people are saying we don't want another bailout, but they also don't want a kind of perpetual government, massive interventions across the board, running private businesses.

ENDO: Republicans are taking issue with the Democrats' proposal to have banks set aside funds in case of a bankruptcy. But Democrats say their plan would set up an early warning system to spot another financial meltdown.

SEN. MARK WARNER, (D) VIRGINIA: What I would love to hear from the Republican leader is not these broad brush critiques. We have spent well over a year trying to get this to the best place possible. The one thing those of us on the committee have been working on, is we realize if we mess this up, it could have huge implications downstream. We want to get it right. This should not be a partisan issue.

ENDO: The president says Congress should act to pass new regulations quickly.

U.S. PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: If we don't change what led to the crisis, we will doom ourselves to repeat it.

ENDO: Let the filibuster begin. Senate Republicans say all 41 members will vote against allowing debate to begin on the current proposal. Behind the scenes, Democratic leaders and White House officials are trying to sway some Republicans to get on board with their plan. In Washington, I'm Sandra Endo.

(END VIDEO)

National Park Week

AZUZ: It's time to continue our tour around the country as we celebrate National Park Week. We started out West. Today, we're heading down South to Florida and the Everglades National Park. Down in the southern part of the state, the Everglades are the largest subtropical wildnerness left in the country. It was officially established as a national park in 1947. The park's area has been expanded several times since then. Right now, it takes up more than 2,300 square miles. The Everglades are home to all kinds of animals: amphibians, reptiles, dozens of species of mammals, and hundreds of different bird and fish species.

Money Word

TOMEKA JONES, CNN STUDENT NEWS: Today's Money Word is deflation. It's a general decrease in cost levels, and it can be caused by reduced spending. Put that in your word bank!

Fighting Deflation

AZUZ: For example, let's say you're like a lot of folks, and you just can't spend as much money dining out. Restaurants need customers to stay in business. And in order to get you in the door, they might drop some of their prices. That's one effect that deflation is having in Japan. But as Kyung Lah shows us, one chef is taking things in the opposite direction.

(BEGIN VIDEO)

KYUNG LAH, CNN CORRESPONDENT, TOKYO: What does a $120 dish look like? Like a cheap dish. Ramen, that is.

LAH: I'm being served chef Shouichi Fujimaki's audacious response to Japan's sluggish economy: the world's most expensive bowl of noodles. About $3 a bite. Maybe $4.

SHOUICHI FUJIMAKI, CHEF [TRANSLATED]: "Yes, everyone thinks I'm crazy," says the chef. The 10,000 yen ramen, equivalent to $120, is the only dish Fujimaki serves at his gourmet ramen shop. You have to order it three days in advance. I don't think I've ever had anything that's cost $120 in just one bowl. And while it's the best bowl of noodles this reporter's ever eaten...

LAH [IN JAPANESE]: Mmm, oishi!

LAH: ...the fact that he's still in business after opening in January is a sign that not all is lost in Japan to deflation. On the other end of the spectrum is this: This entire bowl of ramen costs just $3. In deflation-gripped Japan, it's proven to be one of the top sellers for this restaurant chain.

YUTA WATANABE [TRANSLATED]: "I'd never spend 10,000 yen on a bowl of ramen," says Yuta Watanabe, who says ramen is supposed to be cheap. This restaurant started selling the bowl for $4, then dropped it to $3. The cheap bowl now makes up 30 percent of its sales. The downward trend has followed the deflation spiral in Japan, that the Bank of Japan is fighting with low interest rates and quantitative easing. But it remains one of the main threats to the country's economic recovery. In this unprecedented recession and deflation, the cheaper the price for meals, the better, says the restaurant chain's president. Not so, says Fujimaki.

"I want Japan to be energized," he says. "We have to dream big to get out of this bad economy." One man's answer, where so far, economic policy has failed.

LAH: Delicious. [IN JAPANESE] Gochisosama deshita!

LAH: Kyung Lah, CNN, Tokyo.

(END VIDEO)

Before We Go

AZUZ: It's certainly food for thought. Now, before we go, we want to share some prix historic video. Not what you were expecting, was it? This is a grand prix. And what makes it historic: It's the first ever electric grand prix. Purdue University in Indiana hosted the inaugural event. Racers didn't start their engines, they just kind of powered them up. But there were spills and thrills, just like a normal grand prix.

Goodbye

AZUZ: And there was plenty of excitement in the air. I mean, you could feel it. It's electric. We're gonna let you track down the source of that pun. Some of your teachers might be in the background, saying "boogie woogie woogie." I'll let them explain that 'cause I don't want to. We'll meet you back here tomorrow for more CNN Student News. I'm Carl Azuz. We'll see you then.

Apr 19

CARL AZUZ, CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR: Know your national parks! You're going to learn a lot about them over the next 5 days as CNN Student News celebrates National Park Week. Hello, everyone. Welcome to today's show. I'm Carl Azuz.

First Up: Polish Funeral

AZUZ: We begin today in Poland, where President Lech Kaczynski and his wife have been laid to rest. They were killed in a plane crash last week in Russia. More than 90 other passengers on the flight, including many Polish officials, died as well. Yesterday, Kaczynski's twin brother led mourners at the funeral. Tens of thousands of people gathered on the streets in Poland as the president and first lady's coffins were brought to the service. Many stayed outside the cathedral in a large square where the ceremony was shown on giant TVs. Yesterday's service concluded a national week of mourning in Poland. Some officials estimated that more than a million people took part in events that paid tribute to President Kaczynski. Russia's president, Dmitry Medvedev, attended yesterday's funeral. Other world leaders, including President Obama had planned to be there, but they weren't able to make it.

Volcano Close Up

AZUZ: That was because of huge clouds of ash coming out of a volcano in Iceland. You see some of the images over my shoulder here. The volcano started erupting last month; it got worse last week. That is when officials started getting concerned about the ash, especially about the effect that it could have on planes. One expert explains the reason for their concern.

MARY SCHIAVO, FORMER INSPECTOR GENERAL, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION: When it gets into the jet engines and the jet engine inlets, literally, it remelts this material, this ash material, and it forms a glass-like substance on the jet engine vanes, and the parts and it can clog them and it will stop them.

AZUZ: Having an engine stop in midflight, not something you want. That is why so many flights have been canceled and why so many world leaders weren't able to attend the funeral in Poland. The impact of this on the aviation industry has been massive; bigger than you might think. Some officials are saying it's actually worse than the time right after the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001. And there's an economic impact here, too. According to experts, airlines have been losing at least $200 million a day. That means as of yesterday, they'd wracked up about a billion dollars in losses. There is some possible good news, though, especially for all of the travelers who've been stranded. Officials ran a few dozen test flights yesterday and said the skies over a lot of Europe might be safe for air travel, although they couldn't make any guarantees. Meantime, Gary Tuchman has some incredible pictures to show you. He took a helicopter to the volcano where all this ash is coming from. Check out what he found.

(BEGIN VIDEO)

GARY TUCHMAN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT, ATLANTA: This was the first day visibility was good enough to see up close the Iceland volcano erupting. So, we flew aboard a helicopter to get as close as the pilot dared. He dared to get a lot closer than we imagined, only several hundred feet away from a display that looked like it was from another world. Boulders shooting out of the crater, lightning bolts in the smoke that towered hundreds of feet high.

Looking at this volcano erupting this close up is both awe-inspiring and frightening. It's been quiet since the 1820s. This volcano stopped erupting in 1823; it had been doing so for about two years. It's hard to imagine the economic catastrophe if it lasted that long now.

This part of the mountain range is where the eruption began last month. Now, it's mostly quiet with just pockets of smoke. But here, the eruptions are huge, dramatic, and show no signs of weakening. There is another nearby volcano called Katla which hasn't erupted in almost 90 years, and historically erupts around every 50 years. It's feared it could be far more devastating than this one.

HREGGWIDAR NORDDRAHL, UNIVERSITY OF ICELAND: Magma might find its way from this volcano into Katla. What happens then, I don't know.

TUCHMAN: So, is it possible the magma from this volcano could cause Katla to erupt?

NORDDRAHL: It might cause some activity, yes.

TUCHMAN: We found it hard to believe we could fly right next to this incredibly powerful display of mother nature, while whole countries are closing down their airports because of it. And there is absolutely no way of knowing how long it will last. Gary Tuchman, CNN, Hvolsvollur, Iceland.

(END VIDEO)

Jobless Benefits

AZUZ: In the United States, lawmakers have signed off on help for some people who are collecting unemployment benefits. That's the money that the government gives to people who don't have a job. Benefits ran out for more than 200,000 people earlier this month. But late last week, the Senate passed an extension so they could keep getting money, and President Obama signed it into law. This bill was scheduled to be voted on earlier in the month, but there was some debate over how it would be paid for; that led to the delay. People affected by the extension will get back pay -- that means they'll get some of the money they missed -- to cover the weeks when their benefits had expired.

This Day in History

(ON SCREEN GRAPHIC)

April 19, 1775 - The American Revolution begins with the battles of Lexington and Concord.

April 19, 1995 - A bomb destroys most of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, killing 168 people.

April 19, 2005 - Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger is elected to be the 265th pope; chooses the name of Pope Benedict XVI.

Oklahoma City Memorial

AZUZ: One of those historic moments you just saw is bringing people to downtown Oklahoma City today. It's the 15th anniversary of a tragic bombing that took place there. The Alfred P. Murrah building was eventually torn down, and this memorial was built on the site, along with a museum that's dedicated both to teaching people about the tragedy and educating visitors about the impact of violence in general. Beyond the nearly 170 people killed in the Oklahoma City attack, more than 500 others were injured. Today's ceremonies, which include memorial services and a day of community service, pay tribute to all of those victims.

Is This Legit?

TOMEKA JONES, CNN STUDENT NEWS: Is this legit? Yellowstone was the first national park in the U.S. This is true! Yellowstone was the first of the country's 392 national parks.

National Park Week

AZUZ: We said it at the beginning of today's show: It is National Park Week. And in honor of that, the National Park Service is waiving entrance fees to all 392 parks. They're totally free. What we're going to do is spotlight just a few of those parks starting with the very first one: Yellowstone. It was founded as a national park in 1872, more than 40 years before the National Park Service was even created. Yellowstone, if you've ever been there, you know it is massive. It covers nearly 3,500 square miles and takes up parts of Wyoming, Montana and Idaho. Home to all sorts of wildlife. It might be most famous for its geysers, including Old Faithful, which erupts pretty regularly, every 30 to 120 minutes.

Thunder Fireworks

AZUZ: Well, it's not as old as Yellowstone, but this Kentucky fireworks show knows how to bring the thunder. It's the Thunder Over Louisville, the country's largest annual fireworks show, and it's a blast. The Thunder is part of the opening ceremonies for the Kentucky Derby Festival. The horse race isn't for another couple weeks yet, but there are a lot of events leading up to it, including this illuminating display. Officials estimate that 700,000 people came out for the 21st annual Thunder. The show was delayed by about 15 minutes because of a computer glitch, but after a quick reboot, things went off without a hitch.

FIRST Robotics

AZUZ: Some fireworks happening here in Atlanta this weekend, too. But the electrifying display we're talking about now was indoors, and it was in the heat of competition. The FIRST Robotics Competition. FIRST meaning "For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology." The organization's goal: to inspire young people to be leaders in science and technology. And competitions like this are part of the way it does that. You've heard us talk on our show about how women are under-represented in those fields. We stopped by FIRST and talked with some of the female participants about their thoughts on that.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE, FIRST COMPETITOR #1: Science and technology is important at our school just because it proves that we can do one more thing that everyone else can, that all the guys can.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE, FIRST COMPETITOR #2: It's important just to show that girls can do anything that boys can do and get our name out there as well.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE, FIRST COMPETITOR #1: It also gives you the chance to really prove yourself, stand up for the rest of women. Kind of be an example, showing what we can do and that there should be more women in science.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE, FIRST COMPETITOR #3: In order to solve what's going on in the present and the future, we need to really focus in on science and technology and really take advantage of it.

Downloadable Maps Promo

AZUZ: From Europe to Yellowstone, Oklahoma to Atlanta, we've covered a lot of ground today. Our downloadable maps can help students pinpoint exactly where we've been. Head to our home page, CNNStudentNews.com, scroll all the way down, and look on the left-hand side. That is where you'll find these free geographic guides.

Before We Go

AZUZ: Things you say to your dog: sit, stay, shake hands, roll over, play dead, get ripped! A California gym owner is letting dogs tread on her treadmills! Even the fittest canines aren't really built for barbells. They'd probably rather chew on the bench than press from it. But when you can bring your best friend along on your best workouts, he'll finally know where you go, why you come home smelling so bad...

Goodbye

AZUZ: ...And why you get so dog tired. I'm Carl Azuz. That shapes up all of today's headlines on CNN Student News.

Apr 16

CARL AZUZ, CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR: Some fast facts to get us going today: I'm Carl Azuz. This is CNN Student News. Fridays are awesome! Today's show is out of this world, or at least, that's where it starts.

First Up: Space Strategy

AZUZ: Space. What parts of it are we going to explore? How much money are we going to spend to get there? President Obama has a new strategy that answers those questions. He talked about it in a speech at the Kennedy Space Center yesterday. The president says he is 100 percent committed to NASA and its mission. He's proposing that the agency get an additional $6 billion over the next 5 years, with a goal of sending humans to Mars by the 2030s.

But under this plan, what you won't see is this: people walking on the moon. President Obama's strategy would cancel plans to send astronauts back there. He says, "We've been there before. There's a lot more of space to explore." Buzz Aldrin, one of the first men to walk on the moon, agrees with the president. But Aldrin's NASA crewmate, Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon, disagrees. He's part of a group of astronauts that have criticized the president's plan. Other NASA officials argue that the proposal could cost thousands of people their jobs. The president believes it's a way to move forward.

U.S. PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: This is the next chapter that we can write together here at NASA. We will partner with industry, we will invest in cutting-edge research and technology. We will set far-reaching milestones and provide the resources to reach those milestones. And step by step, we will push the boundaries, not only of where we can go, but what we can do.

Mine Safety

AZUZ: The president's also ordering a review of mines that have bad safety records. This comes after last week's tragedy at the Upper Big Branch Mine in West Virginia. President Obama has criticized the company that owns the mine, specifically because of its safety record. The company called that criticism "regrettable" and said the president may be misinformed about the mine's safety record. Meantime, the governor of West Virginia has asked all of the state's miners to show up for work today. But instead of producing coal, he wants them to spend the day re-evaluating safety procedures.

GOV. JOE MANCHIN, (D) WEST VIRGINIA: What better honor can we give those fallen miners than to say we're gonna dedicate this day, re-evaluate, have seminars, re-inspect. And those that have repeated violations will be heavily inspected. That's all we can do in honor of those miners, so that we never have another family or miner go through this.

Tea Party Rally

AZUZ: Switching over to politics, the Tea Party movement is getting ready for the midterm elections coming up in November. The group has released a list of "heroes and targets." The "heroes" on the list are candidates that the Tea Party plans to support in the elections. The "targets" are anyone that the group would like to see voted out of office. Of course, lists are not the only way that the Tea Party gets its message out. Rallies are the group's bread and butter. This one in Washington, D.C. yesterday was wrapping up a three-week tour across the U.S. The timing: no coincidence. Yesterday, of course, was Tax Day, and the group is opposed to what it sees as government overspending.

VA Tech Remembrance

AZUZ: In Blacksburg, Virginia and all over the U.S., people are taking time today to honor the victims of a deadly shooting. It happened on the campus of Virginia Tech University three years ago today. Police say a student at the school went on a shooting spree, killing 32 people before killing himself. Today, Virginia Tech and the local community are holding memorial ceremonies like this remembrance run from last year. Candlelight vigils and a community arts project are also scheduled to mark the day.

Word to the Wise

TOMEKA JONES, CNN STUDENT NEWS: A Word to the Wise...

dormant (adjective) temporarily inactive, or in a state of no external activity

source: www.m-w.com

Iceland Volcano

AZUZ: A volcano in Iceland had been dormant for more than 180 years. But then a few weeks ago, this started. The volcano is erupting, and some scientists say it could last for more than a year. That's about how long it went the last time this happened. That was back in the 1820s. This time, the impact is being felt all across Europe. Here, you see London's Heathrow Airport, planes on the ground. Where you don't see them is in the sky. The UK is not alone in this. More than half a dozen countries canceled flights yesterday; up to 6,000 total across the European continent. The problem is ash. When the volcano erupted, it sent this huge cloud of smoke and ash high up into the air. If a jet were to fly through that, it could cause the plane's engines to shut down. So, that's why there are so many cancellations. Rob Marciano looks at how weather and winds are playing a part in all of this.

ROB MARCIANO, CNN WEATHER ANCHOR: The way the weather pattern is set up right now -- and Iceland, obviously, to the north -- but we've got this funky upper air pattern about 30,000 feet, which is where that ash went to, up where the jets fly. And it's scooting around towards Scandinavia, back through parts of the UK and also into other parts of Western Europe. Here is the, here it is on the infrared satellite picture. You see it right there kind of heading this way. That's the cloud itself.

Kyrgyzstan Unrest

AZUZ: Major political change in Kyrgyzstan. The president of the central Asian country has resigned. Kurmanbek Bakiev left for neighboring Kazakhstan yesterday after he was forced out of power last week. This was all part of a deal between Bakiev and Kyrgyzstan's new government. Russia, the United States and several international groups helped in the negotiations. Kyrgyzstan's temporary government told the U.S. State Department that it plans to hold elections in six months. The U.S. says it hopes that Kyrgyzstan will become a model for democracy in the region. The country is important to the U.S. because there's a military base there. And that base supports NATO operations in Afghanistan.

Shoutout

MATT CHERRY, CNN STUDENT NEWS: As we wrap up National Library Week, today's Shoutout goes out to all the librarians out there! Where would you find the largest library in the world? Is it in: A) Athens, B) London, C) Washington, D.C. or D) Cairo? You've got three seconds -- GO! Washington, D.C. is home to the U.S. Library of Congress, the largest library in the world. That's your answer and that's your Shoutout!

Escape to Charity

AZUZ: Mackenzie Bearup's collection isn't quite that large, but she has rounded up more than 30,000 books. And just like a library, her goal is to share them with other people. Who she shares them with, and why, are what make Mackenzie a CNN Hero.

(BEGIN VIDEO)

MACKENZIE BEARUP, CNN HERO: I was in the fifth grade when I hurt my knee.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ready?

BEARUP: Yeah, I'm ready. The doctor diagnosed me with reflex sympathetic dystrophy. When something touches it, it's like a bomb goes off in my knee. Even though I've tried many different treatments, the only thing able to get my mind off the pain was reading.

Do you guys like to read?

My pediatrician told me about a home for abused children. Any child being in horrible pain like this, they need something, and something that I knew that helped me was books.

OK. This is called "Screaming Millie."

But the people in these shelters are just like you and me. They need things to get their mind off of whatever they're going through. I put flyers in mailboxes and I set up a Web site.

Thank you so much for donating.

My original goal was to get 300 books. Before I knew it, I had 3,000 books. My total right now is 38,000 books. And I've delivered books to libraries and reading rooms in 27 different shelters in six states.

And take as many books as you want.

If one child finds a love of reading through books I've given them, then that will help them in school and just turn their life around entirely. I really think that reading can do that for someone.

(END VIDEO)

Promo

AZUZ: Unless you're a librarian, there is one -- and only one -- way to get a Shoutout on our show. Teachers, you head to our home page, CNNStudentNews.com, it's whatyou are looking at right now. Now, in the Spotlight section, which you see, click on that iReport link. And once you get there, hit the "share your story" button to upload a picture of your school. That's it! That's all you gotta do. So start today at CNNStudentNews.com, and be on the lookout for your Shoutout.

Before We Go

AZUZ: Before we go, we are bringing you the ultimate in extreme sports. Get ready to shred... with your fingers? Well, why not. No helmets, no pads, no problem, right? It's called fingerboarding; it's kind-of like skateboarding. Maybe not like skateboarding. Everything's scaled down to size. But these guys are trying to land jumps and kick-flips, just like those of you who skateboard. It may look a little strange; maybe it's just the next generation of boarding.

Goodbye

AZUZ: I mean, after all, it seems like the perfect sport for the digital age. We're sure they won't get board with it. I don't know. We won't have any more puns; we're just sitting here, spinning our wheels. Hope you have a great weekend. We'll see you next Monday. For CNN Student News, I'm Carl Azuz.