Welcome to our last edition of CNN STUDENT NEWS for 2015. I`m Carl Azuz. And Fridays
are awesome!
For the past few days, our year end review series has looked back at some of the stories
that made headlines since January. Teachers, you could find all of our shows in the archive
section of CNNStudentNews.com.
After discussing U.S. news, politics and weather, we are turning our attention to international
headlines today. And we have an update on last month`s terrorist attacks in Paris, France.
Investigators are saying for the first time, they believe the attackers used encrypted
applications to plan the assaults, and to keep their messages secret. Cell phones recovered
from the crime scenes had encrypted apps on them. They aim to protect the privacy of text
messages and they`re hard for law enforcement to decrypt. So, that`s brought up a debate
about whether the application`s developers should create a way for investigators to see
certain messages.
Andrew Spencer now brings you a broad view of this and some other major topics of the
year.
An earthquake hit Nepal in April. With a magnitude of 7.8, it devastated areas in and around
Kathmandu, killing more than 8,000 people.
Terror attacks rocked Paris and the world on Friday, November 13th. Three groups of
attackers armed with guns and suicide vests hit six spots in and around Paris, including
a concert venue and a soccer stadium. The attackers killed 130 people and injured hundreds
of others.
The November attacks were also a grim reminder of what had had happened in January, when
two gunmen forced their way into the offices of the French satirical magazine "Charlie
Hebdo", a publication which had often lampooned the Muslim Prophet Muhammad.
Images of a young boy whose body washed ashore in Turkey drew more eyes to the flood off
refugees trying to enter Europe through whatever means they could find. Many of them, among
the 4 million Syrians fleeing the war in their country and the violence at the hands of ISIS.
Russia began conducting airstrikes in Syria in September, as the U.S.-led coalition had
done. But tensions grew quickly as the White House accused Russia of launching strikes
at non-ISIS targets including U.S.-backed rebels. In November, Turkey shutdown a Russian
fighter jet the Turkish government says violated its airspace. Russia denied that claim.
A Germanwings jetliner crashed into the French Alps, killing all 150 people onboard. Investigators
believe when the captain stepped out of the cockpit, the co-pilot intentionally crashed
the plane.
FIFA`s governing body faced an international investigation. The FBI charged multiple officials
with racketeering and wire fraud. A Swiss probe also looked at a potential corruption
into the betting process for future World Cups to be hosted in Russia and Qatar.
The White House celebrated what it saw as two huge diplomatic successes in 2015. The
first, normalizing relations with Cuba and reopening the U.S. embassy in Havana for the
first time in 54 years. The second, helping negotiate in an historic deal with Iran to
start lifting sanctions to curb the nation`s nuclear program.
Meanwhile, Great Britain celebrated the birth of another heir to the throne, as the Duchess
of Cambridge gave birth to her second child, Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana.
I`m Andrew Spencer, reporting.
We`ve covered a lot of geography in our "Roll Call".
Can you name the capital of Ecuador? It`s where we`re happy to see our viewers at Colegio
Americano de Quito, and it`s in the Ecuadorian capital of Quito.
Next, we`ve got some Panthers on the prowl.
First, the Cats of Rugby High School. Hello to everyone in Rugby, North Dakota.
Panthers are also stalking around Yazoo City. It`s in Mississippi. Great to see Yazoo County
Middle School.
If you live in the U.S., Canada, or Europe, you might be gearing up for the "Star Wars"
premiere this weekend and it`s not a spoiler alert to say the movie will have lasers in
it.
In medical science, they can be used as scalpels. In industry, they can be used to cut and wilt.
In entertainment, laser light shows.
But how closer are they to being used as military weapons?
The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory told CNN it hopes to demonstrate a fighter jet
laser as soon as 2020.
It really is a nationally tipping point, where we see the technology evolving and maturing
to the stage where it really can be used.
This year, the Air Force, the Pentagon research arm DARPA, and Lockheed Martin successfully
tested a laser turret that would allow near supersonic planes to surround themselves with
360-degree defensive laser shield. The Air Force Lab has already built working lasers
that can destroy aircraft from the ground, like this laser shoot down of an unmanned
plane in 2009, which was a precision breakthrough.
At sea, the U.S. Navy already has an operational laser weapon aboard the USS Ponce. But hitting
moving targets from a fighter jet flying hundreds of miles an hour is a lot harder.
A successful laser weapon can burn through strong materials remarkably fast with virtual
silence. Pilots could use it to defend against enemy planes, threats from the ground and
incoming missiles. No need to reload because ammunition is electrical-powered, not bullets.
To be effective, fighter jet lasers will have to be smaller and ground based lasers. They`ll
have to be accurate despite the G-forces, vibrations and speed that come with air combat.
In addition to fighters, the commander of Air Force Special Operations says he wants
defensive, high energy lasers aboard huge AC-130J Ghostrider Gunships by 2020.
Experts say it will be the beginning of a new era as laser weapons are poised to exit
science fiction and join missiles, guns, and bombs in the real world.
Thom Patterson, CNN.
You may know mistletoe is a plant. But did you know it`s a parasite? Mistletoe can be
bad for oak, poplar and apple trees, and it can be toxic if people and animals eat it.
So, if you find yourself under the mistletoe with the wrong person this Christmas, just
share that fun fact because no one finds a parasite romantic.
Now, that`s random!
All right. We`ve shown a lot of amazing basketball shots on CNN STUDENT NEWS. Usually, they`re
by a player not a mother and usually, they`re not made granny style.
This half court shot was worth half a tuition payment at a private high school. The mom
says she said a prayer and chuck it with her eyes closed.
Nope, but yep! Yes. You saw that, though the mom apparently didn`t. The ball bounced once,
then arced into the basket. Swish!
Now, she gets it. Yes, it counted. She had three chances to make it. This was her last
one. It will save the family $4,000 and give them a memory money can`t buy.
So, of course, it was worth the shot. The result was nothing but net. Even with the
swish, she totally banked it. It was a hot shot, a shot at funding, a shot in the arm
for tuition.
And though it`s almost time for us to bounce off-court, our staff at CNN STUDENT NEWS wishes
all of you a Merry Christmas, a Happy Kwanzaa, Happy Holidays. We hope you had a Happy Hanukkah.
And we thank you for another wonderful calendar year. Look forward to seeing you on January
4th, 2016. I`m Carl Azuz.