Political and cultural divisions lead off CNN STUDENT NEWS this Thursday. I`m Carl Azuz.
We`re glad you`re watching. Over the past couple of weeks, we`ve told you about protests
going on in three world capitals, Kiev, Ukraine, Bangkok, Thailand, Karakas, Venezuela. These
are divided nations. Governments and those who support them are facing off against protesters
who want those governments changed. And what`s started as peaceful demonstrations in some
cases, have turned violent. Our look into these events begins in the Ukrainian capital
where dozens have died in recent fighting as other countries consider getting involved.
Capital cities are in chaos. Karakas ... Kiev.
On the streets of Bangkok.
The images are stunning and the atmosphere - it`s deadly.
Look at live pictures here of antigovernment protests taking place in the Ukrainian capital
Kiev.
When the protesters came up to the parliamentary building, they called government quite (ph)
around it, and this is when the flashes started.
I (inaudible) in Independence Square which has been the setup point for the opposition
movement.
And it is where the crowds have effectively been driven through the streets of Kiev.
It`s the long line of fires. Those are fires set by whom? What exactly are we looking at?
It is bad, as far as I can see, a burning fire, an (inaudible) and the purpose is clearly
to form a defensive barrier and stop the police and security services getting through.
This is all about whether Ukraine is a European nation or part of Russia. That`s what this
is really all about.
The protests are also taking place on the streets of Thailand. Protesters have been
camped out in Bangkok since November, demanding the prime minister step down.
It was a street process that was supposed to be peaceful, and then this happened.
One of the police officers was killed, at least three civilians in the ensuing violence,
Patricia, have also been killed. The protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban, who leads this umbrella
group of protesters, if you like. He said he was sorry about the violence, but he said
that they will backed out in force. So, they want to see her step down. She`s refusing
to go, she held an election. It was inconclusive. And now we are seeing that things are getting
up to boiling points on the streets of Bangkok.
Demonstrations last week left three people dead, four people have already died in protest
against the socialist government ...
Antigovernment protesters are still blocking the six lane freeway that leads through the
heart of Karakas.
That move to blockade (inaudible) comes just hours after the Harvard- educated, Ohio State
educated Leopoldo Lopez turned himself in to the National Guard. The government has
accused him of provoking what they called fascism after stocking this (inaudible) in
Karakas, which have now been going on a week. But if (inaudible) is much bigger than a fight
just against the government of Nicolas Maduro. This is Venezuela right wing opposition, fighting
against what they see as a 16-year old experiment in socialism. They say, enough is enough.
And (inaudible) of government.
An update last night concerning Ukraine. President Viktor Yanukovych said that negotiations had
begun aimed at stopping the bloodshed and stabilizing the situation in Ukraine "for
the sake of civil peace." The U.S. State Department said the Ukrainian government and opposition
were moving toward a truce, though fires set in Kiev continue to burn throughout the night.
The economies of the world are tied together. A boomer bust in one world capital can affect
the economies of others. Easy concept. But predicting what the global economy will do
is like predicting the future. One article I read yesterday said the global economy is
weak. Another says it`s on the up and up. One thing economists look at when making predictions
is unemployment.
Japan`s unemployment rate fell to 3.7 percent in December a six year low, while the availability
of jobs improved to a six-year high. And while that is good news, the number of contract
workers who are paid less than regular staff, is still at a record high. And this week,
Japan released GDP figures, which pointed to a slowing economy due to weak exports and
a concern over job security and wages. Now, that fear seems to be holding back consumer
spending before a rise in the national sales tax in April makes goods much more expensive.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has pressed large companies like Toyota to raise wages. It`s
not very clear that smaller companies will be able to follow soon.
The Middle East and North Africa region has a dubious honor of having the highest youth
unemployment rate in the world. The situation has most occurred in the countries of the
Arab Spring. In North Africa, youth unemployment is 29 percent.
I think what Arab Spring has, indeed, to a certain extent locked out or slowed down the
development of the private sector, because it slowed down - slowed down attracting investments
coming into the region.
U.K. unemployment picked at 8.4 percent in 2011, right to the height of the nation`s
double dip. Well, since then it`s tumbled rapidly toward seven percent, a figure deemed
significant by the Bank of England. But even that number is more than two percent higher
than pre-recession levels.
The creation of new jobs didn`t keep pace with the numbers people entering the labor
market, meaning that the rate of unemployment actually rose from 7.1 percent to 7.2.
The last two employment reports out of the U.S. were big disappointments. December showed
only a gain of 75,000 jobs. January only showed a gain of 113,000 jobs. But analysts are cautioning
not to read too much into these week numbers, because it`s believed that the severe weather
across the U.S. really kept people from job hunting and kept the employers from hiring.
And don`t be surprised to see February`s numbers impacted as well, as the Eastern part of the
country was pounded by snow and ice.
Time for the "Shootout." What U.S. city is known as the city of brotherly love? If you
think you know it, shout it out! Is it Nashville, Tennessee, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Flagstaff,
Arizona, or Loveland, Ohio? You`ve got three seconds, go!
William Penn called Philadelphia the city of brotherly love in hopes that it would be
a healthy and wholesome place. That`s your answer and that`s your shoutout.
People who know Kevin Grow say he has those Philadelphia ideals. He`s an 18-year old student
at Bensalem High School. He recently signed a contract with the Philadelphia 76ers. It`s
a two day agreement, not two years. Two day. But we have a feeling the thrill is going
to last a lot longer for the NBA team, for Kevin and for his growing number of fans.
Bensalem High School. Number 33 ....
Kevin Grow!
Meet the new breakout star of the Philadelphia 76ers. Already, a fan favorite and the center
of the team huddle.
His name is Kevin Grow.
Before he was a free agent, the 18- year old with Down syndrome was already a star player.
For four years, Kevin was the manager of the Bensalem High School basketball team. With
two minutes remaining in the final game of the season, Kevin`s coach took him off the
bench and put him in the game. He scored four three pointers, knocking in this ...
After the play went viral, it was only a matter of time before the pros came calling. The
(inaudible) signed Kevin to a ceremonial two-day contract with the team.
Congratulations!
You two!
I know you can - but you can play defense, too?
GROW: Yeah.
I say we give him a three-day time ...
Kevin hit the court for team practice sporting his new custom jersey, scouring extra points
with fans and family. The joy and love that he brings is just incredible.
We`re going to settle up and head out west for today`s "Roll Call". We`ll start with
the Hawks, they are perched in Volcano Vista High School in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Moving
up to Spring Creek, Nevada. This is Spartans country, Spring Creek High School. And springing
over the Rock Spring, that`s in Wyoming. It`s also where the tigers watching are Rock Springs
High School.
One of my favorite Winter Olympic events is the snowboard cross. The cameras all over
the course give you great views of what`s going on. But what does it look like for the
riders? We now know, thanks to British Olympian Zoe Gillings. She wore a helmet cam while
she was training for the games, and now we can see what top competitors see as they ride
camboard (ph) turns, jumps, drops and eventually pass their competition. It`s an event with
plenty of snowboarders, but absolutely snoboardom. We`re grateful that Gillings wore the camera
Sochi could show us what it was like. Though riding at that level would be an Olympic achievement.
We`ve got to go right now, but we`ll be right back tomorrow on CNN STUDENT NEWS.
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