CNN Student News with transcript Week 18, 2014

CARL AZUZ, CNN ANCHOR: It`s April 28, 2014. I`m Carl Azuz. This is CNN STUDENT NEWS. Ten minutes of current events with no commercials. First up today, a prime minister resigns. The official from South Korea took responsibility for the sinking of a ferry on April 16. The ship was headed to a tourist resort off South Korea`s coast, when it tilted suddenly and eventually sank. Officials aren`t sure yet why it went down so quickly, but of the 476 people aboard only 174 of them survived. The captain and 14 crew members have been arrested. There`s a criminal investigation going on right now.

Prime Minister Chung Hong-won says the country`s government didn`t respond quickly enough to the disaster and that it disappointed the public. He wasn`t South Korea`s leader. That`s the president, but the prime minister`s action is the highest profile resignation following the accident.

In Vatican City history was made yesterday for the Roman Catholic Church. John XXIII and John Paul II, man who led that church were canonized or declared saints. Pope Francis called the man of courage, for whom God and faith were more powerful than the tragic events of the 20th century. This was the first time that two papal canonizations happened at once, also the first time that two living popes attended the ceremony. Current Pope Francis and Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI who resigned last year.

Teachers, for more on the canonization significance, please look up Thursday show in our online archives.

Is Ukraine headed for civil war? We`ve talked about how many people in Eastern Ukraine have ties to Russia. They want to be allied with their eastern neighbor. In other parts of Ukraine, like the capital, many want to be closer to Western Europe.

Last week, Ukrainian forces said they killed five fighters who supported Russia. Then Russia started military drills near Ukraine`s border saying Ukraine`s attacking its own civilians. It`s clear why things are tense.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In Ukraine today, a country bracing itself for war. Ukrainian military training volunteers to defend the east if Russia were to invade. And dropping leaflets warning residents to stay at home and keep their children safe.

Schools there are already eerily empty.

In an ominous warning delivered on national television, Ukraine`s prime minister accused Russia of risking World War III.

ARSENIY YATSENYUK, UKRAINIAN PRIME MINISTER (through translator): Military aggression by Russia on Ukraine`s territory will lead to military conflict in Europe. The world has not yet forgotten World War II, but Russia already wants to start World War III.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: With the situation on the ground deteriorating rapidly, President Obama spoke urgently with European leaders to build unity behind a new round of sanctions against Russia.

U.S. officials say the additional penalties would target key Putin allies and possibly institutions such as banks they do business with.

But even as officials drafted the final language, the president conceded such measures are unlikely to deter Russian aggression.

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: I think it`s important for us not to anticipate that the targeted sanctions that we are applying now necessarily solve the problem. What we`ve been trying to do is to continually raise the costs for Russia of their actions while still leaving the possibility of them moving in a different direction.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: For their part, Russian leaders continued to accuse the U.S. of orchestrating the crisis.

SERGEY LAVROV, RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER (through translator): There can be no one sided demands here. And we are being presented them. First of all, I mean the United States of America, which has an outstanding ability to turn everything on its head.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

AZUZ: We are rapping up our financial literacy month coverage. We`ve been talking about terms that are especially useful if you`re considering higher education. Today is related to saving for that. It`s 529 – as in 529 Savings Plan. This is a kind of account that`s usually set up by a relative. It`s a way to save money for most forms of higher education, like college or trade school, and while the plans are different depending on the state they are based in, they usually provide some tax advantages for those who invest in them. So, they can save money while they are saving for their children`s college tuition.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Time for “The Shoutout”. The scale that measures the intensity of tornadoes is named for what scientist? If you think you know it shout it out. Is it Herbert Saffir, Charles Richter, Theodore Fujita or Robert Simpson?

In 1971, Dr. Ted Fujita at the University of Chicago devised the skeleton measure the damage caused by tornadoes. That`s your answer and that`s your shoutout.

AZUZ: Today, scientists use the enhanced Fujita, or EF scale to classify tornadoes. It estimates wind speeds of tornadoes, based on the damage caused. For instance, and EF- tornado, the lowest rating may have winds of 65 to 85 miles per hour and may lightly damage some roofs. An EF-5, the most intense has winds of over 200 miles per hour and can destroy entire buildings. The EF scale will be one tool storm trackers have with tornado season ramping up.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The U.S. see some of the most violent and destructive storms in the spring, sometimes producing large tornadoes, in fact less than two weeks after the Moore, Oklahoma tornadoes struck, another hit El Reno, about 30 miles away. The El Reno tornado ended up being the widest tornado recorded in history.

Both towns, in fact, the entire state of Oklahoma, lie in a place called tornado alley.

GREG CARBIN, NOAA METEOROLOGIST: Tornado alley typically refers to a large area, the central United States, basically the Great Plains, and it`s the topography of that region of the country and really the topography of North America that sets up the conditions, in which severe thunderstorms and tornadoes can form.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This area is more prone to tornadoes, especially in the spring. Greg Carbin is a meteorologist for NOAA storm prediction center. He says it`s when the ingredients collide in this area that oftentimes create the perfect storm.

CARBIN: The Rocky Mountains across the western United States and then the Gulf of Mexico providing warm moist air, this environment sets up weather systems that can produce long lived, large thunderstorms that are associated with tornadoes.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: But so far this year, we haven`t seen as many tornadoes. In fact, the March tornado count is one of the lowest on record. On average, 80 tornadoes touch down in March, and this year, only 21 were reported. Carbin says, you can partly thank the brutal winter for the low tornado numbers.

CARBIN: There`s a relationship between colder air masses and the lack of fuel for thunderstorm development. And also, below normal temperatures across the northern Gulf of Mexico have prevented that fuel from being brought up into parts of the plains in the southern United States.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Just because severe weather season is getting off to a late start it doesn`t mean it will stay that way. Nonetheless, all meteorologists hope you`ll be aware, leave prepared and have a plan in place in case nature decides to put on the show.

JENNIFER GRAY, CNN METEOROLOGIST: In order to get a thunderstorm to mature and develop, you`ve got to have the perfect ingredients in place. Think of it like baking a cake. If you leave out one ingredient, it`s not going to work. So, in the case of a thunderstorm, you`ve got to have a triggering mechanism, cold front, a dry line, something to trigger these storms. You also have to have very strong winds in the upper levels. Now, once this happened, you need warm moist air from the south, we get that out of the Gulf of Mexico and then dry air coming in from the west. You also need wind direction change with height. When all of these ingredients come together, we can get some very strong and violent storms like we a lot of times see in the spring.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

AZUZ: It`s time for the CNN STUDENT NEWS “Roll Call.” We`ve gotten thousands of requests this year, including one from the pioneers of Wayne Middle School. They are watching from Wayne, West Virginia.

Another, from the Tigers of Durant High School in Durant, Mississippi. Glad to have you watching. And how about the chargers? Good to see our viewers at Bernie Champion High School, and you`ll find it in Bernie, Texas.

Teachers, we hope you`ll take a second to explore cnnstudentnews.com. Our website is awesome. You`ll find close captioning on the video. Just click the cc button. You`ll find questions written for every show. You can sign up for our daily email, where you`ll see in advance what we are covering. It`s all good, it`s all free at cnnstudentnews.com.

AZUZ: During his week-long trip to Asia, President Obama is meeting leaders, dignitaries, innovators and this. Asimo is a humanoid robot who was introduced to the president. It kicked the soccer ball out at him, which he filled it, but didn`t kick back. And then it showed off some sick dance moves.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Good job!

AZUZ: Maybe they are not as good as yours, but Asimo was programmed to dance as best it could, so you can`t blame the robot for hop and (INAUDIBLE). It seems the president didn`t want to join in. Maybe he was asked and replied, not I, Robot. Maybe he just didn`t like the things mechanics, but in a danceoff between man and machine, I bet anyone would be tempted to try the robot. We are out of time. I hope to see you Tuesday on CNN STUDENT NEWS.

CARL AZUZ, CNN ANCHOR: Yesterday on CNN STUDENT NEWS we talked about how conditions and geography factor in to the U.S. tornado season. A line of severe storms struck in three U.S. states Sunday night. More were expected, and that`s where we start today`s show.

Vilonia, Arkansas, part of tornado alley where twisters are relatively calm at this time of year. This was one of the hardest hit areas on Sunday. Buildings were leveled, cars were flipped and tossed down the road. In Arkansas alone, 14 people were killed, two other deaths were reported in Iowa and Oklahoma. The National Weather Service says a tornado that could have been half a mile wide roared through Mayflower, Arkansas. Around 18,000 homes and businesses lost power, schools were closed, shelters were set up in a church and a high school. If you are looking for ways to help those affected, CNN has a few ideas on its “Impact Your World” Website. You can find that at cnn.com/impact. Relief workers and investigators are in the communities that were hit. They are looking at the type of damage caused to figure out what kind of tornado caused it.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: This building was a concrete block, a cinder-block building. Some type of machine shop because I`m finding all the kinds of bar clamps and things like that. This was a moving, operating factory of some sort, and now which is completely destroyed, but the real problem today for the search and the rescue teams and for the people picking up their lives in Mayflower, Vilonia, El Paso is this. Let me show you this. Take – pick this up. Put a light on it. That – that was nails (INAUDIBLE) everywhere out here. The buildings are shattered, the nails are everywhere. More people can get hurt after the storm than during the storm if they are not very careful.

Now, minor injuries, we do believe now that most of the power has been shut off, but for a while, a lot of the power lines were full. I want to be very careful moving through here because of those nails, because of everything else. But here`s the electrical box from this building. All the (INAUDIBLE) right there. A big structure, a very sturdy structure completely destroyed. We know that I`m probably saying that this is F3 damage, because I can still see some walls, but there are buildings in Vilonia that we know of, especially one Dollar Store that there`s nothing left except the concrete that that building was seating on. Everything else completely gone. That indicated damage probably up greater than EF3, somewhere in the four or maybe even the five, the National Weather Service will be out here looking at it.

I think now, though, counting the dead, helping the injured and rescuing those that still may be trapped. It is such a wide area that there may still be people that need to be rescued.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

AZUZ: From Sunday into Monday evening, people around the world paused for a solemn event. It was Holocaust Remembrance Day. In Israel, where 75 percent of the population is Jewish, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Shimon Perez commemorated the Jews who were murdered during the Holocaust. The ceremony followed the sounding of a siren. Israelis all over the country stopped wherever they were to stand in silence.

In Poland, an event called the March of the Living brought together Jewish teenagers, adults and Holocaust survivors. They marched about two miles from Auschwitz to Birkenau, two Nazi concentration camps and tribute to those who perished there during World War II. 6 million Jews were murdered in the Holocaust. Millions of others fled or were forced to leave their homes. And when the allied forces liberated concentration camps, they immediately began hunting the Nazis responsible. Holocaust Remembrance Day aims to ensure this never happens again.

On our “Roll Call” this April 29th we are taking you to the North East, the South and the Wild West. First, I got to say hello to the Tigers. Tunkhannock High School in Tunkhannock, Pennsylvania, great to have you on our roll. Next, we are headed to Alabama, West Morgan Middle School is watching, home of the rebels of Trinity. And galloping out to the Centennial Day we are riding with the Colts. They are online at Pueblo South High School in Pueblo, Colorado.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Time for “The Shoutout.” Which of these medical breakthroughs was made first? If you think you know it, shout it out!

Was it the artificial heart, penicillin, x-ray or ultrasound? You`ve got three seconds, go!

Everything here was invented or discovered in the 20th century except x- rays which were discovered in 1895. That`s your answer and that`s your “Shoutout.”

AZUZ: These inventions and discoveries changed lives. They`ve helped people live longer. On the horizon in the 21st Century, creating organs with the 3D printer. That`s what bioengineers at the University of Michigan are working on. Operations without a single cut into the skin. Surgeons in Alabama and Washington State are learning that. From neurology to computer programming to architecture, traffic is getting sicker at the intersection of medicine and technology.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Instead of ink coming from that printer cartridge it was living human cells.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Personalized cell therapy, doctors twit immune system to make his own body rid itself of cancer.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Surgery without incisions.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There`s something new going on in sights now. Using the power of genomics and big data.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Overuse of antibiotics is blamed for the rise of superbugs.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Purified air, filtered water, vitamins C infused showers, posture perfect floors, all part of a new way to design, build and live.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

AZUZ: Al right. From the future to the past. Our next story deals with a lingering effect of the Cold War. This was a rivalry between the democratic United States and its allies, and the Communist Soviet Union and its allies.

It started shortly after World War II and lasted until the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991. The Berlin Wall, the Iron Curtain, they`ve fallen, but seems some old boundaries remain.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FAREED ZAKARIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Pundits have said that the crisis between Russia and the West over Ukraine is a symbol of a new Cold War. There`s been much talk about old dividing lines, Russia has been accused of building a new Berlin Wall, Putin has said he doesn`t want another Iron Curtain. But did you know that those old Cold War boundaries are actually still dictating lives today? Here`s how. Straddling the border between the Czech Republic and Germany, lies the largest protected wildlife zone in Central Europe. During the Cold War when that border was between communist Czechoslovakia and capitalist West Germany, it was heavily fortified with electric fences. Just as people were physically divided, a large herd of deer was split apart. A recent study of deer population used satellite tracking to follow the movements of 100 red deer. 50 in Germany, and 50 in the Czech Republic. The fences have been gone for a quarter century, and the land is open for migration, but researchers found the new generation of deer still respect the boundaries of the Iron Curtain. According to the scientists who led the project, biologically it would make sense for a mountain range to be the natural barrier between populations of deer, not this invisible fence. But mothers pass on to their young a sense of where it is safe to go. The electrified fence was a no-go, and these habits live on a generation later. Perhaps the deer are teaching us all a lesson, it can take a lot longer to break down barriers than to put them up.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

AZUZ: Many of us got started on a simple playground slide, and it was a pool slide or a slipping slide, then we graduated to water parks. This is Fert (ph). That`s German for crazy. It`s also the name of this beast, which at 168 feet tall is the world`s tallest water slide. The water park that has it says it`s taller than Niagara Falls and hopefully safer to go down. Those who climb the 264 steps to the top will slides at speeds faster than 65 miles per hour. Which will make some of their friends ask, what are you thinking? Why would you fall for something like that? Are you slipping? Are you want a downslide, are you age to (ph) out of your mind? We`ll let you pour over those for a while and slide more stories your way tomorrow on CNN STUDENT NEWS.

CARL AZUZ, CNN ANCHOR: Seventy-five million people. That`s how many in the eastern U.S. had some risk of severe weather yesterday. That`s what first up this Wednesday on CNN STUDENT NEWS. Parts of Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee were raked by suspected tornadoes. The storms killed at least 17 people in those three states, in addition to those who died in the central U.S. earlier this week. In Louisville, a logging town in east Mississippi, the damage from twisters was severe. Same thing in Tupelo, in the northeastern part of the state. A newspaper reporter there said that some buildings were just wiped away. A woman whose home was destroyed said that it hurts to look and not be able to come home, but that she was grateful that her dog survived and wasn`t hurt.

Forecasters are getting better at predicting these storms, sometimes as much as a day in advance. Communications are also improving. Radio warnings, news casts, social media posts are all helping save lives. But not everyone has a safe place to go to. Like an underground basement or a hardened safe room. So challenges remain.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN COATES, INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE: From my experience, it`s the worst that I`ve experienced, but again, we just have to make it happen, and that`s the IOC`s approach.

We haven`t had to, as an IOC, send people – like this before. We`ve been struggling to get them to understand the problem. Test events are starting this year, and yet in the test event department, these two people working.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

AZUZ: OK. That was the vice president of the International Olympic Committee, the IOC. He is saying that Rio de Janeiro, Brazil is way behind in preparing for the 2016 Olympic Summer Games. Any city planning to host the Olympics is subject to scrutiny. Will construction be done on time, will the area be safe? We heard concerns about Sochi, London, Beijing and now Rio. But the IOC say says it`s having to take a more hands-on approach this time around. There have been delays, communications problems, skyrocketing costs and Rio is hosting the World Cup Tournament this summer. So it`s been preparing for that, too. The city`s mayor says there`s no reason for concern about the Olympics, and Rio organizers say Brazil is spending almost $11 billion to make sure everything comes together. This will be the first Olympics ever held in South America.

As Rio scrambles to prepare and reassure future tourists that it`s worth the trip, a Mexican city is working to lure tourists back. We are taking you to Puerto Vallarta, a resort in Mexico`s Pacific Coast, a heaven for fishing, golf and sunbathing. It`s been hit by a recession, sickness and concerns about the Mexican drug war, but it says that violence is hundreds of miles away.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RAFAEL ROMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Where they are parasailing Pacific Ocean or taking a tour on a historic ship on a beautiful afternoon, or dancing through the night at a trendy dance club, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico seems to always be in the party mood.

CARLOS GERARD-GUZMAN, PUERTO VALLARTA TOURISM DIRECTOR: We are not just another beach town.

ROMO: Carlos Gerard-Guzman is a tourism director in Puerto Vallarta, a beach resort on the Mexican Pacific Coast. His job is to revitalize an industry that was all but dead five year ago. Drug violence throughout Mexico had driven away many tourists, and then, in 2009, an influenza scare made a bad situation even worse.

GERARD-GUZMAN: We were basically paralyzed like almost three months with no guests. No cruise ships in three months, and then (INAUDIBLE) with no flights. People were afraid to fly.

ROMO: Many hotels laid off employees and kept a skeleton stuff, some businesses closed down and many wondered whether tourists would ever come back. Recovery has been slow, but promising, thanks to significant investments in promotion in Mexico and abroad. New or renovated infrastructure, like this $2.4 million piers is also part of the plan.

This multimillion dollar project is one of several that had been completed here in Puerto Vallarta in the last couple of years. Tourism officials say their goal is to attract new tourists and to send a message to those who have been here in the past that it`s time to return. In 2012, 3.7 million people visited Puerto Vallarta, a figure that increased by 5 percent last year. Almost 40 percent are foreigners, mainly American and Canadian.

Drug violence has not really stopped in Mexico, but officials say, it happens far away from tourists` destinations like Puerto Vallarta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

AZUZ: Next today, there is no one cure for cancer. There are treatments, like surgery, chemotherapy and radiation, and while they can help people live longer, or even push cancer into remission, they often come with side effects, and questions about quality of life are raised. If there`s one person who can discuss that quality, it`s Stephen Sutton, a cancer patient in Britain.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

STEPHEN SUTTON: That old saying go, when life gives you lemons, make lemonade. But what you do when life gives you cancer.

ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Steven Sutton was diagnosed with cancer in December 2010. He was just 15 years old. He created a bucket list on Facebook, of 46 things he wanted to do before he ran out of time.

SUTTON: Some things on my bucket list include: skydiving, crowd surfing in a rubber dinghy, playing drums in front of a huge crowd. I ended up doing it live at Wembley (ph).

SHUBERT: But as he checked off each item, something else happened.

SUTTON: Since starting the bucket list, I`ve had people come up to me and offer to raise funds for me. For me personally to go on holiday or to take off a new item on my bucket list. But I`ve actually refused and decided to give the money to charity instead.

SHUBERT: He set a goal to raise 10,000 pounds, while he`s now raised more than 3 million. That`s about $5 million, and it`s continuing to grow with celebrities chipping in with their support every day.

SUTTON: Since starting the bucket list, my life has changed completely. I`m now doing so many weird and wonderful things. And so much more. The amount of opportunity is (INAUIDBLE) my way, it`s absolutely meant. And the one thing I`ve really enjoyed is the fund raising and help others. So, that`s the main thing I want to concentrate on.

SHUBERT: The money goes to teenage cancer trust. The charity that has helped them to each surgery, each round of radiation and chemotherapy.

SIOBHAN DUNN, TEENAGE CANCER TRUST: We aren`t a large charity, we raise about 12 million pounds a year. And in less than a week, Stephen has raised a quarter of our budget.

SHUBERT: But no amount of money can reverse the cancer in Stephen`s body. He`s exhausted his medical options and is now living as comfortably as he can under hospice care.

On the 22 of April, Stephen posted this message, “It`s a final thumbs up for me. I`ve done well to blag things as well as I have up until now, but unfortunately, I think this is just one hurdle too far.”

But Stephen held on.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Amazing young man, Stephen Sutton.

SHUBERT: For how long – he doesn`t know, but he has promised to continue posting for as long as he can.

SUTTON: I don`t really want to die, but if my story teaches others not to take life for granted, then so be it. In the meantime, I`ll be try and enjoy every second as much as possible. Cancer sucks, but life is great.”

SHUBERT: Atika Shubert, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

AZUZ: On our “Roll Call” today, we are visiting Saudi Arabia, Netherlands and Puerto Rico. Sounds like worldwide Wednesday. We`ll start in the Middle East where we are online at Jubail International School. They are on a roll in Jubail, Saudi Arabia.

Next, to Europe, thank you for watching at Dristar (ph) college, it`s in Gouda, a city in Netherlands. And we`ll wrap up today`s roll in Puerto Rico. Good to see our viewers in Port Buchanan. They are watching in Timley`s (ph) Middle School.

AZUZ: Clip springer. Kind of sounds like something that keep a bag of chips fresh. Dwarf antelope, sounds more like this. But whether you call her Clip Springer or antelope, you got to call her cute. She`s the latest addition to Chicago`s Lincoln Park Zoo. Her mom wasn`t taking very good care of her, so zoo keeper stepped in to bottle feed the little girl, so you can`t bottle this much sweetness. She weighs four pounds and will tap out at about 24 pounds as an adult. Of course, as a baby she can`t lope yet, but there`s a clip spring in her step, and she`s got plenty room in it to grow. So, best to leather, just roam around while we hoof it and planning to bounce back your way tomorrow.

I`m Carl Azuz for CNN STUDENT NEWS.

CARL AZUZ, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, thanks for taking ten minutes to watch CNN STUDENT NEWS. I`m Carl Azuz at the CNN Center and today`s commercial free coverage begins in Iraq. The Middle Eastern country had nationwide elections yesterday. The first since U.S. combat troops left the country in 2011. Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is running for a third term in office. He says turnout was expected to be historically high, and that`s despite worsening waves of violence.

At least seven people were killed yesterday in attacks at polling stations. The United Nations says last year was Iraq`s deadliest since 2008, that more than 8800 people, mostly civilians were killed in different attacks. Sectarian violence, fighting between Sunni and Shia Muslims is the cause of a lot of it, but terrorism also factors in. With Al Qaeda linked groups fighting Iraqi government forces.

Next story today, the same storm system that brought deadly tornadoes to the central and south eastern U.S. has had another disastrous affect – flooding. What looks like a river in this Florida neighborhood was actually a street. Look at this. A rush of muddy water where there should be asphalt and traffic. The Florida Panhandle is no stranger to heavy storms and hurricanes, but some of the folks CNN talked to in the area told us they`ve never seen anything like this. Almost 19 inches of rain in just 24 hours fell on parts of Florida and Alabama.

Florida`s governor has declared the state of emergency and warned that more rain and flooding could be ahead. He says 200 rescues out of 300 requests have been made. In some places responders have had to get creative.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They have gone up there with chainsaws, just tried to be able to cut holes in the roofs, just tried to be able to get the people out of there because the water levels are roof and chest-high and deeper, and apparently in some of these homes and so there`s nowhere to go but up, and once you get there in the attic, you know, you really can`t go anywhere else. So, they are trying to utilize the chainsaw to be able to just cut some folks out. I don`t have a specific update on how far we are on that progress. I`m just getting two those locations. It`s just been a logistical nightmare.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

AZUZ: Middle East respiratory syndrome or MERS, has sickened hundreds of people in Saudi Arabia. Those who`ve come down with the virus in other places had traveled to the Middle East first. There hasn`t been a case in the U.S. The CDC is working with hospitals to prepare for the possibility. MERS attacks the respiratory system. It`s killed almost a third of those who`ve gotten it. What scientists don`t know about MERS is how it spreads exactly and how to prevent infections. For now, they are telling travelers to keep cautious and keep their hands washed.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LEONE LAKHANI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It`s a deadly coronavirus called MERS- Cov for shorts. The virus comes from the same group as a common cold and attacks the respiratory system. It`s not clear exactly how the virus is spread, but the World Health Organization says to look out for symptoms like fever, cough, shortness of breath in conjunction with recent travel to the Arabian Peninsula. That`s because all the cases so far have related to travelers to the region.

MERS was first detected in Saudi Arabia in 2012, and that`s where the majority of cases still are. Others were reported across the Middle East, in Europe and as far as Malaysia.

So far more than 300 cases have been reported worldwide, including more than 100 deaths.

But in the past month, there`s been a 30 percent spike in the total number of cases, including nearly two dozen reported here in the UAE. Authorities say they are monitoring the situation and there`s no need for panic, but social media is rife with messages of concern.

“So, when are we supposed to freak out about the MERS coronavirus in the UAE,” says one. “Should we be wired about MERSA, about the lack of transparency from health authorities,” says another. Health authorities in Saudi Arabia are under growing pressure. The health minister was removed from its post as a number of cases in the kingdom spiked. More than 100 new cases in the past month alone. Officials say they don`t know what`s causing the sudden surge, but they are calling on the World`s Health Organization and other medical experts to help curb it. Sending up text messages to 30 million residents earlier this month asking them to contact the ministry with questions. That`s essential in the country where millions of Muslims converge in the Holy City of Mecca every year for pilgrimages. But with the recent uptake in the number of cases, public concern is sure to rise. Leone Lakhani, CNN, Abu Dhabi.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Time for the “Shoutout.” Which of these stories made headlines in 1901? If you think you know it, shout it out!

Was it, World`s Fair opens in Chicago, Grover Cleveland elected president, first private telephone installed or New York requires license plates? You`ve got three seconds, go!

New York State was the first to require license plates in 1901. Car owners made the plates themselves. That`s your answer and that`s your shoutout.

AZUZ: And they didn`t have numbers and letters on them that might have seemed random. Those first license plates had initials, kind of like a monogram for your car. The first state to actually issue plates itself was Massachusetts in 1903, the first number – 1. We`ve come a long way from those plates to cameras on traffic lights that take a picture when you run a red.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If you`ve drive through an intersection there`s a good chance they`ve seen you. And if you`ve received the traffic ticket in the mail, there`s a good chance you didn`t see them. It`s take a little more than 25 years, but re light cameras attached to traffic signals have become almost ubiquitous.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have red light cameras in more than 250 cities nationwide.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The cameras are a big part of business for American Traffic Solutions. ATS is the largest provider of cameras in the United States with revenues exceeding $200 million. The newest cameras are equipped with 29 megapixel centers that can capture high definition photos and video. Quick enough to see the inside of a moving car. Many of the photos and videos are sent here to Tempe, Arizona where they are processed by ATS employees. Workers review each traffic incident and forward them to the municipalities who decide whether or not to issue a ticket.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We issue as a company nearly 5 million violations per year on behalf of our customers.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But do the cameras make roads safer?

RUSS RADER, VP COMMUNICATIONS, IIHS: In general, the studies show that red light cameras reduce red light running violations by 40 to 50 percent, and injury crashes 25 to 30 percent.

The cameras may be effective, but they are not cheap. Installations can run up to $100,000 each. The cameras have also generated controversy. Critics contend that they are used by cash-strapped cities to increase the number of traffic tickets.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

AZUZ: We`re tracking cross country in the Northern U.S. today. It`s time for “The Roll Call.” We`ll start with the stampede. The stampeders of Stevens Middle School. They are located in Port Angeles, Washington. Making a stop in Minnesota, the rebels of Champlin Park High School are on the roll. They are watching from Champlin. And in the state of Maine, the Bulldogs are growling from Prospect Harvard. Good to see you all at peninsula school.

Kwasi Enin has made his choice. The 17-year old high school senior is going to Yale University. That`s impressive for anyone. Yale accepts around seven percent of the students who apply. And while Enin says he`s a student just like any student, he`s done something that very few ever have. He was accepted to every school in the Ivy League, all eight of them, an incredible accomplishment. So why did he pick Yale? Well, Enin sings and plays the viola. He wants to study both music and medicine and he thought that Yale had the best music program in the Ivy League combined with opportunities to study and travel that he liked. He`s also getting financial aid from Yale. He won`t say how much, but it`s reportedly one of several schools that offered to cover at least some of his costs.

Yale might be tough to get into for people, but it`s got one program that`s going to the dogs. If you have one, and it`s smart, you might be wondering how it thinks. That`s why students are trying to find out. They are studying whether dogs can learn socially like children do. In one experiment, for example, a dog used her mouth to open up puzzle boxes. But after seeing a student use her hands to do it, the dog used her own paws. That`s kind of a feat in itself. Forget Pavlov, this embarks on new territory. It`s something that for research could establish new dogma – if they are pawsistent, they may just dig up a breakthrough in dog mission. It`s time for us to scoot. I`m Carl Azuz and CNN STUDENT NEWS returns Friday.

CARL AZUZ, CNN ANCHOR: Fridays are awesome. Welcome to CNN STUDENT NEWS. It`s May 2nd, I`m Carl Azuz. First up, a Malaysian government report on the missing plane. There`s been no sign of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 or the 239 people on board since it disappeared on March 8. The families of the missing have been angry with Malaysia`s government. They said it hasn`t communicated well enough. That it`s been slow to release information. The country says it has nothing to hide and is working to find answers.

It released a preliminary report yesterday that it looks into what happened after the plane quit sending info about its location.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: For four hours air traffic control between Malaysia, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Thailand, they were all talking to each other trying to find the plane. The report makes it clear, between 1:38 and 5:38 local time, they were all saying, where is the plane, but nobody – nobody started the rescue coordination center.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

AZUZ: The search area for the plane has been expanded. Malaysian and Australian officials say the search could go on for months or years.

Next story, takes us to Nigeria, Western coastal country of Africa. Hundreds of Nigerians say their government isn`t doing enough to rescue about 200 girls who were kidnapped on April 15. Authorities believe a terrorist group named Boko Haram staged the kidnapping. Witnesses think the Islamic militants might have taken the girls and to have forced toward neighboring Cameroon. Some of the girls escaped, and the Nigerian government says it`s committed to continuing its search for the others. That`s little comfort to the families of the missing.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

VLADIMIR DUTHIERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Amina Shawok is one of the lucky ones. After armed attackers stormed her dormitory and kidnapped more than 200 of her fellow classmates, she made a run for it and escaped.

AMINA SHAWOK, ESCAPED FROM SCHOOL ATTACKERS (through translator): We thought they were soldiers, and they asked us to board a vehicle which was headed towards Zimbawa (ph), and my friends and I jumped from the vehicle and ran back home because we realized they don`t look innocent to us.

DUTHIERS: The militant group Boko Haram has been blamed for the abductions, and while dozens of students like Amina managed to escape, the numbers of those still missing is unclear. Amid the ongoing search, there`s been conflicting information from the government. And Nigerians in the capital Abuja are frustrated.

FRANCISCA SAMBO, NIGERIAN RESIDENT: But it`s really pathetic, because families are crying, people like expect that they release them, you know. So far the ones they abducted in the past, nobody heard from them again.

DUTHIERS: Last week, hours after saying all but eight girls have been fried, the Nigerian military was forced to retract that statement, saying the source have gotten it wrong.

Hauwa Gadzma is from Borno State where the school is located and where Boko Haram has launched a number of attacks in its stated aim at overthrowing the government.

HAUWA GADZMA, NIGERIAN RESIDENT: What the government is doing is they are trying to cover up and feel like they are doing something important, so they keep telling us, oh, these people escaped – these people. I feel they are just misinforming us, so we feel they are doing something, but they are really not doing anything.

DUTHIERS: Zuluje Abdullahi (ph) has school age children. She`s shocked by the brutality of the attack and worried about what militants will do next in the region that has already seen so much. Deadly church and mosque bombings, assassinations of political figures and now this. Vladimir Duthiers, CNN, Abuja.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Is this legit? George H.W. Bush served as the 43 president of the United States. Not legit. George H.W. Bush was the 41 president. His son, George W. Bush served as the 43.

AZUZ: Former president George W. Bush is on the mountain bike trail with 16 veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, people who volunteered to serve during Mr. Bush`s presidency. The fourth annual W100K ride isn`t an easy one. Three days and 62 miles through the Texas hills. The president says its goal is to celebrate and honor those who fought for their country, those who aren`t letting their wounds hold them back.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Some of these scars are visible, some of them are not visible. Some of them are traumatic brain injury, TBI, or post-traumatic stress.

GEORGE W. BUSH, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT: Yes. That`s exactly right. Many of the men who have PTS will tell you that biking has helped them recover. It`s – PTS is an injury. And which means it`s fixable over time.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And I noticed you`ve dropped the D. It`s not PTSD any more.

BUSH: I have dropped the D. And thank you for reminding the viewers of that. D stands for disorder. And we don`t view and a lot of the experts don`t view PTS as a disorder. It`s injury. And that`s really important for a lot of reasons. It`s important to eliminate stigma.

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AZUZ: Driving by itself is dangerous business. Car crashes are a leading cause of death for American teenagers. According to a U.S. government site on distracted driving, 78 percent of teenagers and young people say they`ve read a text message while driving, 71 percent say they`ve sent one. A tragedy in North Carolina involving a similar distraction reminds all of us to stay focused on the road.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This yesterday was .

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is the real life one. It happened on Thursday on Business 85 in High Point. Texting wasn`t the distraction, investigators found out it was Facebook.

LT. CHRIS WEISNER, HIGH POINT POLICE DEPARTMENT: In a matter of seconds, the life was over for – just so that she could notify some friends that she was happy or, you know, she is going to work – whatever.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She` Courtney Sanford. She was 32 years old and on her way to work. Officer say Courtney crossed the median and hit a recycling truck head on.

WEISNER: The Facebook text happened at 8:33. We got the call on the wreck at 8:34.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Investigators were able to trace back that Facebook post. It said “The Happy Song, makes me so happy.”

WEISNER: Within seconds after that, you know, her life`s over. It`s really not worth it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Once investigators started comparing the tame of the wreck and her Facebook timeline, they found more.

WEISNER: She was also posting some selfies as she went down the road.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Lieutenant Chris Weisner was working this crash. But his main job – he`s a dad.

WEISNER: I have three boys at home, too, who drive, and it really – because you know they do it. And, you know, we`ve all been guilty of it. And it just brings home the realization that, you know, it`s really not worth it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Life changing seconds. She was letting her friends know how happy she was at that moment, and that moment was one of her last.

WEISNER: As said as it is, it`s also a grim reminder for everyone who`s left over that, you know, you just – you have to pay attention while you are in the car.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

AZUZ: May I have your attention, please, in the corn husker state? First school on today`s roll is in Kimball, Nebraska. We are talking about the Long Horns. Welcome to the CNN STUDENT NEWS roll. Glad to see Kimball High School is watching.

Next two schools are in place named Midlothian, but in different states. First is Midlothian High School in Midlothian, Texas, the Panthers are on the prow. And next, is Midlothian Middle School in Midlothian, Virginia. The mustangs are online. So, thanks to everyone in Midlothian.

A 30-year old English teacher from Maryland is the U.S. national teacher of the year. His name is Sean McComb. He was chose for the honor by an education committee and then recognized yesterday by President Obama and the ceremony at the White House. Mr. McComb is the 32 person to hold the title and he`s one of the youngest. One thing he did to earn the award was start a program at his high school. It worked to help students who were in the middle of the road academically to focus and move toward succeeding in college. McComb won`t be teaching next year. As part of his award, he`ll be traveling around the U.S. supporting and representing teachers nationwide.

It`s that time of the year when many of you are wearing tuxedos and corsages for the first time. And something made prom night a little more specials for two Colorado couples recently. They enjoyed the meal together at a restaurant, and when it came time for them to pay, the waiter said their bill was covered. An older couple that saw the students were reminded of their own prom, and in a gesture of nostalgia and kindness, they paid for the teenagers` meals. The students promised they`ll do the same thing for someone else someday. No need to be prompous (ph) about it. No need for promping circumstance to promulgate or promote it, a prompt payment, prom and promper, and the students will probably be floored on their way to the dance. CNN STUDENT NEWS. We`ll see you next week.