warning has been issued. It is the latest in a series of quakes that has rattled Indonesia recently. More than
1,000 people are believed to have died after twin earthquakes destroyed buildings in Padang just over two weeks ago.
CNN News Item 85
The huge ice-storm earlier this week is still affecting a million people from the mid-west to the Atlantic
coast. Many remained in extreme cold and without electricity, 42 people have died as a result of the cold and
icy conditions. Kentucky has seen some of the worst of the storm toll, 12 people have died there. County
emergency officials are even telling people to head south and find a motel because their shelter is filled to
capacity. The campus of Mary State University is haven for some folks where a heated dormitory has been
converted to a shelter. Emergency officials say they still haven’t been able to reach everyone who may need help.
CNN News Item 86
Severe weather in the nation’s midsection this afternoon. A state of emergency has been declared in
three Indiana counties. Interstates 70 and 65 are both closed in parts of the state due to flooding. Meanwhile
emergency crews are rescuing trapped residents in homes, and some even stuck in their cars. Floodwaters in
Indianapolis buried cars and covered streets this morning. The Plains States and Midwest have been pounded
with severe weather and strong storms for more than three days. In Andrew County, Missouri, residents are
cleaning up after flooding Friday. Several counties reported flash flooding, blocking roads and uprooted trees.
Northwestern Minnesota was also slammed by a tornado. The twister snapped trees, downed power lines and
damaged homes in Hubbard County. No reports of any serious injuries there.
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CNN News Item 87
Greenpeace is trying to stop suspected whalers. It’s been tracking in the Antarctic Ocean. The
environmental group located the whaling fleet after searching for more than a week. Greenpeace is warning
it will take non-violent action to stop any whales from being killed. The most commercial whaling is banned.
Japan operates on a loophole that does allow scientific research. Japanese whaling officials say they are
doing nothing illegal. CNN News Item 88
On this Earth Day, Washington is calling for more fuel-efficient cars and trucks. The standards would
require new vehicles to average 31.6 miles per gallon by the year 2015. A new energy law calls for the fleet
wide average of new cars and trucks to reach 35 miles per gallon by the year 2020. The current rule calls for
27.5 miles per gallon for cars. SUVs, pickup trucks and vans need to get 22.5 miles per gallon.
Transportation Secretary Mary Peters announced this proposal which is expected to be finalized before
President Bush leaves office. CNN News Item 89
Authorities around the Gulf of Mexico are in a race against time. They are trying to control an oil spill
that’s heading toward the Louisiana Shore. Yesterday, it was about 23 miles off the coast of Louisiana, could
reach land by Friday. If that happens, officials say it could create an ecological disaster. This is all from the
Deepwater Horizon. That’s the oil rig that sank in the Gulf last week. The company that owns the rig is
trying to stop the leak underwater. Meantime, authorities on shore are trying to block the oil from getting to sensitive areas. CNN News Item 90
It has been a wild gas chase for a lot of people in Atlanta. A pump without a plastic bag on the handle or
a “No Gas” sign is hard to come by thanks to supply issues from Gulf Coast refineries. Experts say
consumer’s panicking and topping off their tanks is also to blame. Georgia’s governor says gas should flow
more freely. Now the EPA has eased up on some pollution restrictions for the short term. Any available gas
equals happy and relieved buyers and sellers. CNN News Item 91
Forty six and cloudy, that’s the forecast for Copenhagen, Denmark as a Climate Summit brings in
15,000 world leaders and environmentalists. One big subject, no surprise, climate change. You may know
from science class that the earth goes through warming and cooling periods. The last cooling one between
the 1940s and the 1970s. Scientists say it’s been getting steadily warmer since then. But there is major
disagreement about whether people have anything to do with it. Many leaders in Copenhagen don’t wanna
get hung up on that. They are trying to reach an international climate deal. It could limit greenhouse gases
which many scientists blame for climate change. And in fact how much we pay in gas and electric bills. But
one reason why an agreement could be hard to get. Recent accusations that scientists at a top research lab
haven’t told the whole truth about climate change.
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CNN News Item 92 NBA
Hello again, we’re back with action from the NBA. Shaquille O’neal is turning 37 years old on Friday,
but The Big Cactus as he is known out in Arizona, is turning back the clock and putting in some big time
performances. After scoring 45 points on Friday, last Friday, he posted 33 for the Suns in a victory over the
Lakers on Sunday. Shaq’s former teammate Kobe Bryant, also had a big game. Kobe, heating up in the third
period, the lay up, the foul to go along with it, part of his 17 points in the quarter and 49 points over all in
this ball game. How about Shaquille O’neal, the big man in fine form, the diesel with the dunk and the foul,
the Suns up by eight. Then Shaq with a heads up play on the foul line, he misses the free throw, we all know
he does a lot of that but then he manages to slam the rebound home. O’neal with 33 points, first time he’s
had back to back 30 point games in five years, He also hit Mart Barns for the key three pointer there, the
Suns handing the Lakers, their second straight loss, 118 to 111. Lebron James and the Cavaliers visiting
Atlanta on Sunday night, fourth quarter action, the Hawks up by 3, James gets it out to Moore Williams and
that’s a huge triple for the Cavls to tie the game. Time running out, James has the basket ball up top, draws
the foul on the drive to the basket, giving the rogue team a chance to steal the game. Lebron, would missed
the first, he hits the second free throw to give Cleveland, a one-point lead. Joe Johnson with a chance to win
it but the shot is no good, the Cavaliers holding on 88-87, a dramatic win over Atlanta. Now could Boston
stay half a game ahead of the cavaliers in the Eastern Conference? The Celtics hosting Detroit, fourth quarter,
Rasheed Wallace nails a three to get the Pistons within won, the visitors starting getting hot, Deshawn Prince,
hurting the defending champs from the outside. The Pistons up by 8 and then Richard Hamilton who have 25
points sealed the deal for Detroit, Hamilton also had nine assists in the second straight start in place of an
injured Ivan Anderson. 105-95, Pistons, your final score. CNN News Item 93
After Caster Semenya posted a world best time of African Junior Championships 3 weeks ago, track’s
governing body, the IAAF, asked the South African Athletic Federation to administer a gender test. Then on
Wednesday, the 18-year-old, unheard of until the summer, pulled off a stunning win in the Women’s 800
Meters at the World Championships, further fueling speculation. The IAAF confirmed there are currently
two investigations underway, one in South Africa and one in Berlin where the World Championships are taking place.
CNN News Item 94 2009
From Europe to South America, the continent is hosting its first ever masters golf champion. Angel
Cabrera is beaming and looking great in that green jacket as he looks to bring it home to Argentina so that
his country men and women can share in the joy of the 39-year old winning the year’s first golfing major. If
you missed the final round of the masters, you missed one great day of golf. It began with
Kenny Perry
having the chance to become not only the oldest Masters’ champion but also the oldest masters, oldest
major’s winner. Unfortunately for him he could not finish it off at 18, so he went on to a playoff. Chad
Campbell out of the first playoff foul. Cabrera and Perry continued but it wouldn’t take long to see how this
one would go. On held Cabrera knocking down the parts on the second playoff foul to win a second major to
go along with his 2007 U.S. Open triumph.
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CNN News Item 95
A day after defending champions, Manchester United were held 2-2 at home by Porto in the first leg of
their quarter final, their arch rival Liverpool try to make home advantage count in the first leg of their match
up with fellow English premier League side, Chelsea, who beat them in last year’s semifinals. The 9th
meeting between the 2 teams in Europe took place in Amfield, where Liverpool who has not lost at home
this season, weren’t far on the stuff, Fernando Torres putting the Reds in front with a clinical finish on six
minutes, but on 39 minutes, Chelsea answered back, when Ivanovic got in with a header of a corner. And in
the second half, the Blues took over, another header of dead ball from Ivanovic on 62nd minute, followed by
a close range finish by Drogba 5 minutes later, wrapping up the scoring at 3-1 Chelsea. CNN News Item 96
Lance Armstrong is riding on even though the 7th Tour De France champion broke his collarbone in a
bicycle race spin on Monday. His manager says that’s not gonna stop him from competing in a race that he
has dominated, come July. Now Lance might even compete in an Italian race in the beginning of May though
he may need surgery. The Tour De France begins on July 4th. Lance is definitely staying at peak about all
this. On his way back home to the States, he even used Twitter to send messages to his fans he joked, “It’s
hard to twist left-handed.” CNN News Item 97
Disney teen superstar Miley Cyrus is apologizing for a picture in the upcoming issue of Vanity Fair. The
15-year-old said she took part in the photo shoot because she was told it would be artistic. After seeing the
photographs and reading the story, Cyrus says she feels embarrassed. The “Hannah Montana” star has issued
an apology to her fans about the photo. Vanity Fair is defending its position for taking the picture. The
magazine says Miley’s parents were present for the shoot and at the time approved the digital shots.
CNN News Item 98
Longtime television, film and stage actor James Whitmore has died. Whitmore earned numerous awards
throughout his career, including a golden globe in 1949 for his performance in the “Battleground” and an
Emmy in 2000 for his appearance in the 3 part episode of ABC’s legal drama “The Practice”. Among his
more recent roles, Whitmore played prison inmate Brooks in the “Shawshank Redemption”. James
Whitmore was 87. CNN News Item 99
The sudden death of Michael Jackson is making headlines around the world. The LA Coroner’s office
says autopsy results are expected by this afternoon, the official cause of death hasn’t been determined, but
Jackson’s brother Jermaine said yesterday the entertainer died of cardiac arrest. Fans again around the world
have gathered to remember his extraordinary life from the Apollo Theater in Harlem New York to his
childhood home in Gary, Indiana as well as Los Angeles and London expressing shock and sadness.
CNN News Item 100
Former first daughter Chelsea Clinton and her long-time boyfriend, Marc Mezvinsky, an investment
banker, are engaged. The couple sent Friday — sent out an e-mail on Friday announcing their news. And
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they wrote, “We’re sorry for the mass e-mail, but we wanted to wish everyone a belated Happy
Thanksgiving. We also wanted to share that we are engaged. We didn’t get married this past summer, despite
the stories to the contrary, but we are looking forward to next summer and hope you’ll be there to celebrate
with us. Happy holidays, Chelsea and Marc.” Those rumors of a wedding this past summer speak to the fact
that this is not just any young couple. Ms. Clinton wasn’t yet a teenager when she moved into the White
House. She’s now 29 years old and pursuing a second graduate degree.