Return to Transcripts main page

CNN 10

Government Shutdown Explained; U.N. Security Council Votes to Require Syria to Eliminate Chemical Weapons; Terrorist Bombing Crime Lab

Aired September 30, 2013 - 04:00   ET

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

CARL AZUZ, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome to CNN STUDENT NEWS. On this last day of September, our first story is about a standoff in the U.S. government. A shutdown showdown. This is straight out of civics and social studies: the House of Representatives and the Senate have to agree on bills and the president must sign them for them to become law. But the government is divided. On one side, the Republican controlled House of Representatives had voted Sunday to approve a spending plan to keep funding the government, but only if President Obama`s Affordable Care Act, also called Obamacare is delayed for a year. Part of the law has been delayed for some businesses. The House wants it delayed for everyone. That won`t work for the other side - the Democratic-controlled Senate and the president. They agree the government should get the funds it needs to operate, but they say any changes to Obamacare a deal killer. They all have until midnight tonight to work at a deal to avoid a partial shutdown.

Meantime, in the resources box at cnnstudentnews.com we have an explainer on what a shutdown would and would not include and how Obamacare factors into this.

There`s been some political action at the United Nations, too. It concerns the civil war in Syria. The Security Council where a lot of the U.N.`s power is, held a vote on Friday night. Its 15 members agreed unanimously to require Syria to get rid of its chemical weapons as it has promised to do or Syria could face consequences. The resolution does not say what those consequences might be, and it doesn`t threaten military force against Syria, something the Obama administration wanted to do. Some American lawmakers criticized the resolution saying it`s not strong enough and that it won`t do much to end Syria`s civil war.

Time for the "Shoutout." What is this formula used for: if you think you know it, shout it out! Is it for temperature conversion, distance conversion, light refraction or buoyancy. You`ve got three seconds go.

If you multiply degrees Celsius by nine fifths and then add 32, you calculate degrees Fahrenheit. That`s your answer and that`s your "Shoutout."

It`s a lot of conversion and fluctuation when measuring the Earth climate. Warming, cooling, warming again. Most folks agree that average temperatures have risen in recent decades. What`s controversial, whether people are causing it.

An international group of climate change scientists says it`s 95 percent sure humans are to blame, but some say, there`s still room for doubt.

INDRA PETERSONS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: It`s the intergovernmental panel on climate change, is now saying exactly what you said: 95 percent certain that humans have caused most of the warming since 1950. Let`s put this in perspective: where was the stands previous. No, there have been previous reports here. In 2007 it was 90 percent, so we`ve definitely made a headway here, but look at that jump - when you talk about from just 2001 where they were only 66 percent sure. Now, we always know, most people have that basic understanding, there`s a lot of carbon being released into environment and with that, temperatures are on the rise. What is so key in this particular report: we`ve been hearing a lot of talk about something called "The pause." Let`s explain what the pause is and what`s this controversy is. Notice, since 1950, we warned about .22 degrees Fahrenheit per decade, notice the steady climb up. But since 1998, we`ve seen a slower rate in that growth. Only .09 degrees Fahrenheit per decade.

So, if we`re this huge cause, people are saying why are we slowing that rate down? Well, they are saying, you need to look at this big picture here. There are previous times within this general trend when we`ve seen a slowdown and even a decrease, but meanwhile, you`ve got to pay attention to the big picture. That`s what ITCC wants to say to you, regardless that trend is still up that we are continuing to warm. Now, a lot of people are saying, OK, what is this? What`s going on? Well, one of the biggest controversies is, if you`re talking this model and you`re going forward, and you`re saying, what`s going to happen in the future, you should be able to take that same weather model, go backwards 15 years and say, the result is what we have today. Well, this is the conflict: we can`t do that for the last 15 years. We`re not getting that result currently.

AZUZ: One way the military and police can guard against future attacks is by learning from the past, and the same way a detective might gather evidence from a crime scene. Evidence from a bombing scene, from the smallest shred of paper, maybe, can lead investigators to the bomber. CNN got an exclusive look into a top secret lab where technology and criminology intersect.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BARBARA STARR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: CNN`s cameras are the first ever allowed inside this warehouse. The location is so secret, we`ve agreed to only say, we are somewhere outside of Washington D.C.

This is just part of 100,000 pieces of evidence from terrorists bombings in 25 countries.

Analysts here looking at every bomb fragment for clues to a bomber`s identity and bomb design.

Bombs from Boston, to the attempted underwear bombing of an airline to IED attacks in Iraq and Afghanistan have all been analyzed here. It`s just a fingerprint`s smudge on the piece of metal, but whose is it? Lifting fingerprints involves some of the most sensitive techniques: here super glue vapors are blasted onto cell phone circuit boards from IEDs .

MARY KATHRYN BROOK, PHYSICAL SCIENTIST, TEDAC: This fumes are attaching to any finger prints that are left behind on this surface, and then they form a plastic image over that fingerprint.

STARR: Ultraviolet light picks up fine details. Prints are gathered off documents, even food wrappers. IED parts gathered years ago in Iraq are checked for prints. Beyond using fingerprints, the lab recreates exploded bombs to help identify bombmakers.

For the first time, you`re seeing new 3d images from IEDs. Looking at tiny details for clues on how the device was put together.

CARLO ROSATI, SENIOR TOOL MARK EXAMINER: Although there may be many people out there every time we stop one, that`s one less that we have to worry about.

STARR: The lab has 100,000 boxes of evidence. Every item is scrutinized as it`s coming in. With the hope that some clue will lead the experts to the bomb maker and save lives. Barbara Starr, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

AZUZ: It`s time for the CNN STUDENT NEWS "Roll Call." We`re marching over to Maysville, Kentucky, first to give a royal welcome to the Royals of Mason County High School. It`s a mascot fit for a king. We`ve also got some good prospects from Arizona: the prospect tours, I should say. We strike gold in Apache Junction Arizona where you`ll find Apache Junction High School. And Belleville, Illinois is where we find the Radars. Central Junior High School. Thanks to all of you for tuning in to ten minutes of awesome.

And speaking of awesome today it`s time for "CNN Heroes". It`s a program that recognizes the extraordinary accomplishments of ordinary folks. People who see a problem take a step to solve it and then wind up changing the world. Nicholas Lowinger knows all about taking steps to help someone. He`s got more shoes than any one person could ever use.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NICHOLAS LOWINGER: September is back to school. And from us, kids, it means back to school shopping.

I used to take those things for granted, until I realized that there were a lot of kids who didn`t have those sort of luxuries.

I remember my first shelter visit, seeing kids who were just like me, the only difference being - they had footwear that was falling apart.

UNIDENTIFIED BOY: I was nervous to go back to school. My shoes were old and too small for me.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When I lost my job, I had to decide, either to spend money on the shoes or medicine or diapers.

LOWINGER: Kids get blisters on their feet, because they have to wear whatever shoes they can get, and it just wasn`t right. My name is Nicholas Lowinger, I`m 15, and I give new shoes to kids living in homeless shelters across the county. My family`s garage is filled with the (inaudible) boxes full of new shoes.

Shelters send these orders with the kids` name, gender, shoe size - I`ve donated new sneakers to over 10,000 kids in 21 states.

UNIDENTIFIED GIRL: Oh, thank you.

LOWINGER: Homeless children, they shouldn`t have to worry about how they`ll be accepted or how (inaudible).

Tiana.

UNIDENTIFIED GIRL: Wow! Shoes!

LOWINGER: It`s more than just giving them a new pair of shoes.

UNIDENTIFIED GILR: Yeah!

LOWINGER: I`m helping kids be kids.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

AZUZ: Well, what`s good for the goose maybe good for the gander, but it`s not necessarily good for keeping your lawn clean. That`s why someone invented the goosinator. Looks and works like a remote controlled hovercraft, but it`s on a mission to get geese get done (ph). First, it looks just like a bird brained idea, until it gets close and the birds take flight. It`s not harmful, it is effective, but it`s also $3500 and it makes you wonder will the geese return. Too many of them make the water fowl. And it`s only worth the prize if they don`t come beak - oh yeah! Goose ponds. They worth at least a gaggle. They`ve helped us goose up our show today, and while we`d like to goose (ph) linger, we`ve got to take flight. So we`ll see you Tuesday.

END