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STUDENT NEWS

Anniversary of Death of bin Laden

Aired May 1, 2012 - 04:00:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


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CARL AZUZ, HOST, CNN STUDENT NEWS: Hi, I`m Carl Azuz, welcoming you to a new day and a new month of CNN Student News. We`re going to take flight with some California teenagers in a bit, but we`re beginning today with an anniversary.

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BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Tonight I can report to the American people and to the world that the United States has conducted an operation that killed Osama bin Laden, the leader of Al Qaeda and a terrorist who`s responsible for the murder of thousands of innocent men, women and children.

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AZUZ: President Obama speaking exactly one year ago today, telling the country and the world about the death of Osama bin Laden.

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AZUZ (voice-over): Bin Laden was the leader of the Al Qaeda terrorist organization. He was connected to several attacks against Americans, including the ones on September 11th, 2001, in New York, Washington, D.C., and Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

U.S. intelligence tracked bin Laden to this compound in Pakistan. A group of U.S. Navy SEALs raided the compound. The terrorist leader was killed during a firefight there. Osama bin Laden`s body was buried at sea within 24 hours, in accordance with Islamic law.

This is the moment we talked about in yesterday`s show. When this beam was put into place on Monday, One World Trade Center became the tallest building in New York. It`s built in the same area as the old World Trade Center, which was destroyed in that terrorist attack from 2001.

The plan is for the new building to eventually reach a final height of 1,776 feet. That will make it the tallest building in the country.

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: See if you can ID me. I`m a country made up of different islands. I`m in the top 10 when it comes to world population. My constitution was written after World War II. I have an emperor, but my government is run by a prime minister.

I`m Japan. My current prime minister is Yoshihiko Noda.

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AZUZ: Prime Minister Noda is Japan`s sixth leader in five years. He came to power when the previous prime minister resigned after last year`s devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan. Yesterday, Prime Minister Noda thanks the United States for its support in the aftermath of that disaster.

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AZUZ (voice-over): He did this in person. The Japanese leader was at the White House yesterday meeting with President Obama. They both described the relationship between the U.S. and Japan as an essential alliance for their countries.

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AZUZ: Things are more tense between the U.S. and China. One issue that always comes up between the two countries is human rights. Chen Guangcheng is a Chinese human rights activist. He`s spoken out against a Chinese policy that tries to restrict families there from having more than one child.

Chen disappeared from his house about a week ago, and as Stan Grant explains, where Chen is now could have a major impact on China`s relationship with the United States.

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STAN GRANT, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Somewhere behind these walls may well be the answer to China`s great guessing game? Where is Chen Guangcheng? Within minutes of pulling out our camera, security at the United States Embassy in Beijing pounced.

The blind human rights activist has been in hiding after escaping house arrest in his provincial village and fleeing to Beijing. Now a close friend and fellow campaigner says Chen is indeed here, given refuge at the U.S. Embassy.

"When Chen Guangcheng first fled to Beijing, we had to keep moving him from place to place to ensure his safety -- and we agreed the U.S. embassy is the only absolutely secure location in town."

Chen had been under heavy guard for the last 18 months. He`d spent more than four years in prison, convicted of disrupting traffic and damaging property during demonstrations. Since his release, he`s been in lockdown.

And all of this now political time bomb, the fuse has been lit, the U.S. on one side, China on the other, Hillary Clinton, the U.S. secretary of state due to touch down here in a matter of days. And this is you, number one on the agenda.

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Today`s Shoutout goes out to Mr. Taylor`s students at the Boca Ciega High School in Gulfport, Florida.

Which of these modes of transportation uses an aileron? You know what to do. Is it a motorcycle, airplane, submarine or horse? You`ve got three seconds, go.

Ailerons are found on airplane wings. They help control the plane. That`s your answer, and that`s your Shoutout.

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AZUZ: And that`s the kind of information that aspiring aviators are learning at a flight school in California. They`re exploring how aircraft work, and they`re training on simulators. And of course, some of them get the chance to take a plane out for a test flight. But that`s allowed only after they finish their homework and Thelma Gutierrez has more on these young fliers.

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THELMA GUTIERREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In the skies above Compton, California, we discovered a hidden gem: a free after-school program, churning out young pilots. Yep, that young.

TASNEEM KHATIB, STUDENT PILOT: It was this one.

GUTIERREZ (voice-over): I had to see for myself what it was all about, so I came to meet aviation students like Tasneem Khatib, who`s learning to fly long before she`ll ever drive.

KHATIB: It`s a great experience. It makes me feel like I can do anything.

GUTIERREZ (voice-over): Tasneem is only 11. She`s been studying aviation since she was 9.

KHATIB: Kids can like learn a lot of different things about aerodynamics and math and science.

GUTIERREZ (voice-over): Jose Pineda is 9. He calls himself a veteran with three years under his belt.

JOSE PINEDA, STUDENT PILOT: I`m going to be up in the air, it`s like it`s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. But you can`t explain within words.

Well, one of my (inaudible) goals is to be a pilot, of course.

GUTIERREZ (voice-over): Of course, considering the fact that he`s been training since he was 6, Jose could fly solo in another seven years when he turns 16.

The man behind the youth outreach program is Robin Petgrave, a pilot and entrepreneur who founded Tomorrow`s Aeronautical Museum and Flight School to give inner-city children an alternative to the streets.

ROBIN PETGRAVE, FOUNDER, Tomorrow`s Aeronautical Museum and Flight School: When a kid learns how to fly, they learn discipline. They learn self-control. They learn time management. They learn why all this stuff that their teachers are cramming their throat is important -- math, history, communication skills.

GUTIERREZ (voice-over): Petgrave`s inspiration? The Tuskegee Airmen.

PETGRAVE: It`s all dedicated and named after a specific Tuskegee Airman. They`ve autographed this airplane. That way they fly with us forever, and their legacy will never be forgotten.

GUTIERREZ (voice-over): After school, students must complete their homework. Then they can spend time on a flight simulator and learn about the aircraft. If they want to earn flight time, they have to work for it by sweeping floors or washing planes, anything it takes.

Kellyn Hubbard has been in the program since he was 8. At 16, he`s ready to solo.

KELLYN HUBBARD, STUDENT PILOT: What I`m getting out of here is that I`ve been put in advanced pilot (inaudible) when I go to the military because I already have my certificate. I already know the basic instruments, know the basic maneuvers, know everything basic about flying.

GUTIERREZ (voice-over): For Jose, Tasneem and the others, the sky really is the limit -- Thelma Gutierrez, CNN, Compton, California.

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AZUZ: Last Thursday we brought you the story of a teenager who turned to Facebook to raise awareness about the dangers of drunk driving, and we asked how you would get the word out.

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AZUZ (voice-over): Jackson would take to several forms of media: TV, radio, billboards, YouTube would also be great. "Do whatever you can to make a difference in the world for the better."

Santiago suggests "collecting data about the issue and presenting it to as many people as possible via Twitter, Facebook and asking teachers to show it to students and their parents."

Jaymie says, "You just have to be creative. Offer the drinker a ride home or post on a Facebook page that you will be a sober driver and are willing to drive people home."

Page writes, "`Kony 2012` was very popular. Getting the word out in an informational video similar to `Kony` will definitely raise awareness, as something that is too hard to ignore."

And Tri-Minh suggests teaching teenagers to learn about dangerous hazards before they can get their driver`s licenses. They will not get their licenses if they don`t understand completely.

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AZUZ: Before we go, high school junior Regan Kerr might have a future in fashion.

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AZUZ (voice-over): She made her own prom dress, but that`s only part of why this is improve. If you look closely, the dress is made out of tabs from soda cans, 5,114 tabs, to be exact. It took Regan five months of non- stop sewing and she ran into some challenges.

REGAN KERR, DRESS DESIGNER: The zipper in the back became a problem because you have to sew around it and make sure you`re not interfering with the zipper. The colored pop tabs became kind of interesting. Actually, everyone asked me that, and I say, "They`re not all mine." I didn`t drink 5,000 sodas.

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AZUZ: We were all thinking it, so we`re glad she addressed that question. Now believe it or not, this is the first time Regan had ever made a dress. So in case anyone was doubting her skills with a needle, it`s pretty obvious she can "so-da."

There are a lot of creative prom dress ideas out there. And that one is certainly a "can-didate." We`re back tomorrow with more headlines. For CNN Student News, I`m Carl Azuz.

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