(CNN Student News) -- May 3, 2010
Download PDF maps related to today's show:
• Times Square, New York
• Arkansas & Tennessee
• Arizona
Transcript
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MICHAEL BLOOMBERG, MAYOR, NEW YORK CITY: Let me say that we are very lucky. Thanks to alert New Yorkers and professional police officers, we avoided what could have been a very deadly event.
CARL AZUZ, CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR: That story out of New York City leading off our show today. I'm Carl Azuz. This is CNN Student News.
AZUZ: Things are more or less back to normal in New York's Times Square. The area was put on lockdown for a while over the weekend, and here is why: Saturday night, someone left an SUV with the engine running on the street. A T-shirt vendor noticed it, saw smoke coming out of it, told a nearby police officer. The officer looked inside and spotted what authorities think might have been a bomb. That's what triggered the lockdown. Times Square is usually filled with tourists and people going to the theater. Authorities immediately evacuated the area. You can see some of that in this iReport. Some people were moved out of Times Square. Others were kept inside the hotels or theaters they were already in.
Eventually, the bomb squad was called in. That's the guy in the gray suit just to the left of center of your screen there. Inside the SUV, they found a device made from gasoline cans, propane tanks, fireworks and electric clocks. Police say it apparently didn't work. Instead of exploding, it just filled the SUV with smoke. The vehicle was taken out of Times Square yesterday. Officials have started an investigation into the whole thing. They're checking the vehicle and its contents for fingerprints. They're going over surveillance footage and amateur videos from Times Square to see if they can identify who left the SUV there. Authorities are treating this incident as a potential terrorist attack.
AZUZ: Next stop, Louisiana. Officials there are making some predictions about an oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Ken Salazar, the secretary of the interior, is warning the region to prepare for the worst. Several government officials think the leak could continue for weeks. The fishing industry in part of the Gulf will be shut down for at least 10 days.
All of this started with an explosion on an offshore oil rig last month. The rig sank; it caused a leak. And now, more than a million and a half gallons of oil have spilled into the Gulf. The Coast Guard and the company that owns the rig are both doing what they can to contain this spill. President Obama, who visited the region yesterday, says those efforts will keep going for as long as it takes.
U.S. PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: I'm not going to rest, and none of the gentlemen and women who are here are going to rest or be satisfied, until the leak is stopped at the source, the oil on the gulf is contained and cleaned up, and the people of this region are able to go back to their lives and their livelihoods. Currently, the most advanced technology available is being used to try and stop a leak that is more than 5,000 feet under the surface. Because this leak is unique and unprecedented, it could take many days to stop. That's why we're also using every resource available to stop the oil from coming ashore and mitigating the damage it could cause.
Severe Storms
AZUZ: North from the Gulf Coast, a couple states are recovering from severe weather. Parts of Arkansas were hit by heavy storms, possible tornadoes on Friday. One person was killed. About two dozen others were hurt. Meanwhile, "extremely dangerous" flooding in Tennessee is responsible for at least five deaths over the weekend. Nashville got between 6 and 10 inches of rain in just 12 hours on Saturday. The city's mayor called it "one of the most severe rain events Nashville has ever experienced." He urged people to stay home and off the roads. There was more rain in the forecast for Tennessee yesterday.
Teacher Appreciation Week
AZUZ: Well, it's time to give a little thanks to your teachers! This is Teacher Appreciation Week. And to celebrate, we want you to head to our blog and talk about your favorites. But put some thought into this one. Tell us how your teachers make a difference in your lives. It could be by showing you CNN Student News. If you want to go for some extra credit, and we know you want some extra credit, send us an iReport for Teacher Appreciation Week. You can do it all at CNNStudentNews.com.
Immigration Reform
AZUZ: The issue of immigration getting a lot of attention right now. Part of the reason seems to be a new law in Arizona. We covered that last week. The law requires any immigrants in Arizona to have immigration documents with them at all times. It also requires police to question anyone who might be in the U.S. illegally.
Over the weekend, thousands of people protested the Arizona law. Officials said 50,000 people marched in this demonstration in Los Angeles. There were similar protests in New York, Washington and Arizona. Critics of the law argue it will lead to racial profiling. They claim police will question people about their immigration status based mostly on their race.
Now, Arizona Governor Jan Brewer is working to address that criticism by making some changes to the law. She signed those changes into effect Friday. This is the big difference. Originally, police officers in Arizona could stop anyone based simply on a "reasonable suspicion" that they might be in the country illegally. Now, officers can only ask people about their immigration status while the officers are enforcing some other law; maybe speeding, maybe loitering. Governor Brewer says the changes "make it crystal clear and undeniable that racial profiling is illegal and will not be tolerated in Arizona."
Shoutout
TOMEKA JONES, CNN STUDENT NEWS: Today's Shoutout goes out to Ms. Killey's social studies classes at Haven Middle School in Evanston, Illinois! What type of musician is most likely to perform a cappella? You know what to do! Is it a: A) Cellist, B) Guitarist, C) Drummer or D) Singer? You've got three seconds -- GO! Since a cappella means "without instrumental support," a singer is the right choice here. That's your answer and that's your Shoutout!
AZUZ: Nearly 200 singers raised their voices in a choir performance recently. They didn't need any instrumental support, but they did get some help from technology. When the curtain went up, they weren't really there! John Vennavally-Rao takes note of how the ethereal ensemble came together.
(BEGIN VIDEO)
JOHN VENNAVALLY-RAO, REPORTER, CTV NEWS, TORONTO: At first, it may seem strange that Patrick Murray is all alone, given choirs are all about making music together.
PATRICK MURRAY [SINGING IN LATIN]: Singing "Lux Aurumque."
VENNAVALLY-RAO: The 20-year-old music major at the University of Toronto, singing to his computer a popular choral piece called "Lux Aurumque."
MURRAY: I recorded a video on my webcam along with the audio and then uploaded it to YouTube.
VENNAVALLY-RAO: On its own, a rather ordinary video. But Karen Koh of Singapore did the same. So did Steven Hansen in Sweden. And Melody Myers of Tennessee. Videos that kept coming in on YouTube, the different parts of the same song.
MELODY MYERS OF TENNESSEE, [SINGING IN LATIN]: Singing "Lux Aurumque"
VENNAVALLY-RAO: All singing to an instructional video from composer-conductor Eric Whitacre.
MURRAY: Everybody had to sync up their video to his video at the start of this beep.
VENNAVALLY-RAO: Producer Scott Haines put all those clips together; this, the extraordinary result: the conductor and the 185 voices on YouTube.
MURRAY: These people are from everywhere. 12 different countries represented in this video.
VENNAVALLY-RAO: A choir unlike any other.
MURRAY: There are people in Austria in this video. I've never been to Austria and maybe I never will, but here I am in this video singing with someone in Austria.
VENNAVALLY-RAO: Composer Whitacre wrote he found the final product overwhelming. The poetic symbolism about our shared humanity and the need to connect.
MURRAY: All you needed to participate was a webcam and a microphone. I think it's the future of creating music.
VENNAVALLY-RAO: And Whitcare says he hopes to one day compose an original piece for the virtual choir with hundreds, perhaps thousands, of people singing alone, together.
(END VIDEO)
Before We Go
AZUZ: Really great stuff there. Well, last but not least today, it's not a sun dress. It's a Capri-Sun dress! And it's not just for senior prom, it's for a senior project! If not Project Runway. The ingredients: 117 packets of juice! One boyfriend to help drink all that juice. Some thread, some hot glue, three weeks to assemble. All of it added up to a passing grade and a one-of-a-kind, if not comfortable-kind, of couture.
Goodbye
AZUZ: Now, if you're unsure how to address such a dress, just remember that in fashion, you always reap what you sew. We are piecing together more stories for you, so tomorrow, be sure to try us on for size. I'm Carl Azuz; we'll see you then!
