CNN Student News Transcript: May 29, 2008

(CNN Student News) -- May 29, 2008

Quick Guide

Joint Statement on Darfur - Discover what humanitarian issue the leading White House hopefuls agree on.

Determined To Drive - Meet some classic car owners who take special pride in their retro rides.

Cell Phone Use - Explore whether cell phone use might be connected to certain health issues.

Transcript

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

CARL AZUZ, CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR: Hi, there. I'm Carl Azuz. Whether you're watching us on Headline News, online or on iTunes, we thank you for stopping by for this Thursday edition of CNN Student News.

First Up: Joint Statement on Darfur

AZUZ: First up, John McCain, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are standing together on what they call "an issue of tremendous importance." They're talking about the situation in the Darfur region of Sudan, something the United Nations considers the worst humanitarian crisis in the world. The violence there has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives and forced millions of people to flee their homes. Zain Verjee has more on the White House hopefuls' historic response.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ZAIN VERJEE, CNN REPORTER: We know what they disagree on; pick almost any topic. But this is amazing unity by the three presidential candidates. Even they admit it, calling it an uncommon step. People are now seeing this rare newspaper ad that says, "We stand united and demand that the genocide and violence in Darfur be brought to an end."

What's really striking is to see the signatures of Senators McCain, Clinton and Obama on the same page in agreement.

According to rights groups, hundreds of thousands of civilians have been massacred in Darfur with the government's green light. Now, the three candidates are calling the killings unacceptable, and they warn the Sudanese government it would be a huge mistake for the Khartoum regime to think that it will benefit by running out the clock on the Bush administration.

They say whoever becomes president will keep up the heat. According to one political scientist at the University of Virginia, an extraordinary show of unity by presidential candidates like this hasn't happened since the 1940s, when foreign policy advisers of the candidates back then issued a joint statement and resolved to end World War II. Zain Verjee, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Shoutout

NINETTE SOSA, CNN STUDENT NEWS: Time for the Shoutout! According to AAA, what state had the lowest average cost of gas on Wednesday? If you think you know it, shout it out! Is it: A) Alaska, B) New York, C) Missouri or D) Wisconsin? You've got three seconds -- GO! Yesterday in Missouri, a gallon of regular unleaded averaged the low, low price of about $3.76, the cheapest in the country. That's your answer and that's your Shoutout!

Gas Prices

AZUZ: If that doesn't sound like much of a bargain, consider this: Missouri is about 19 cents lower than the national average. It's gone up 22 days in a row and is getting close to four dollars. In fact, drivers in eleven states and the District of Columbia are already forking over more than four bucks a gallon when they fill up.

Determined To Drive

AZUZ: So, how can you avoid paying more at the pump? Well, you could drive less. The U.S. government says that's what a lot of Americans are doing. In March, travel on public roads was down by 11 billion miles from the year before. But Richard Roth met up with a group of guys who refuse to stay off the streets.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RICHARD ROTH, CNN REPORTER: They were burning rubber when I arrived at a supermarket parking lot. In America, roaring gas prices are burning a hole in drivers' pockets. Gas prices and times change. Welcome to the weekly car rally of the "Rockin' Rodders."

ROTH: Why keep an old car?

MIKE DELVECCHIO: I've had one since high school and never wanted to get anything new.

ROTH: Did something special happen in high school in that car?

DELVECCHIO: Uh, a lot of things, but we can't talk about them.

ROTH: Boomers cruisin' with cars rolling out of the past.

ROTH: Is Marty Mcfly in the back seat by any chance?

ROTH: I would soon learn more about men and their cars.

ROTH: What kind of relationship, I say, what kind of relationship do you have with your car? How would you describe it?

CARL AMATO: Umm, I'm in love with it!

ROTH: America has always been in love with the automobile.

OLD ADVERTISEMENT: Look! There is even plenty of room for the feather on her hat.

ROTH: Since its invention in the 1890s, the car has been at the center of the American dream.

OLD ADVERTISEMENT: We're the merry Texaco men! We may be showmen; tomorrow we'll be serving your cars.

ROTH: And the movies revved up the glamour.

MOVIE CLIP: Is she gonna ride with you?

ROTH: From "American Graffiti" to "Rebel Without a Cause," speed and romance went hand in hand. I don't share the love. You see, I don't drive.

ROTH: This is just what I love: cars, cigars.

BRIAN G.: Ready? Let's head west.

ROTH: Gas prices are going over four dollars a gallon. Maybe the love affair not so big with the car anymore?

BRIAN G.: No, uh, the love affair is still there. It's just that the people aren't traveling. I get in these cars, I feel like a kid again. It just feels great. Brings you back memories of when you had cars back in the day.

ROTH: Brian and the Cruisers don't drive their hobby cars enough to really get hosed at the pump.

BRIAN G.: You don't even know how to pump gas?

ROTH: I don't even know. Like, I would put this in my mouth.

ROTH: Why don't you take the train or bus? Isn't this a pain in the neck, this loading up of gasoline?

BRIAN G.: This is the way it's done, Richard.

ROTH: I think you're actually converting me slightly. I am getting to like the car, a little bit more, riding with you.

BRIAN G.: I've always had a love for cars.

ROTH: We're like Thelma and Louise. Let's go! Where's the cliff?

ROTH: Richard Roth, CNN, Port Chester, New York.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Is this Legit?

SOSA: Is this Legit? The first cell phone premiered in 1983. Totally true. The so-called "brick" weighed 2 pounds, cost about $4,000 and offered just a half-hour of talk time.

Cell Phone Use

AZUZ: Thankfully, cell phones are a lot cheaper these days and let us talk a lot longer. But some doctors are raising concerns about the possible impact of all that talking; not on our jaws, but on our brains. You see, they believe that cell phone use leads to cancer. Most of the scientific community disagrees, but Dr. Sanjay Gupta examines this debate.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: The prevailing scientific wisdom about cell phones and health effects is that, for the most part, they're safe. But, most established scientific organizations also concede that we probably can't prove that they're safe for sure. There's just not enough data out there. One of the most interesting things is that the prevalence of cell phone use around the world makes this a particularly interesting public health issue. Now, people really come down on both ends of the spectrum here. Dr. Keith Black, who was Johnny Cochran's neurosurgeon, he believes that cell phones, as well as other things in the environment, do contribute to brain cancer. Dr. Vini Khurana, a neurosurgeon out of Australia, shares that belief. In fact, he says that cell phones out there can increase your brain cancer risk by several fold, in addition to memory problems, in addition to concentration problems. He is convinced of that after looking at more than 100 studies. Now, we've talked to several people, including the American Cancer Society, including the trade groups as well; the cell phone trade group. They say this: There is a consensus among leading health organizations regarding published scientific research showing no reason for concern. And again, that does seem to be the case. But the question is, are the studies out there long enough, are they good enough, and do they look at children? Children have started using these phones as well.

Now, one of the tumors they're most concerned about is something known as an acoustic neuroma. Take a look here at this image. Spin that brain around and you sort of hone in on that part of the ear, going to the inner ear there; that red area is the tumor. That is the acoustic neuroma. That is a tumor of concern. Now, take a look at this MRI scan. That big white mass, that is what that tumor looks like on an MRI scan. Dr. Vini Khurana, again, Dr. Keith Black, believe acoustic neuromas are put at greater risk by the use of cell phones.

Now, take a look at cell phones. I mean, over the years, cell phones have changed quite a bit, as you might know. For example, these cell phones over here, they used to come in a bag; they came out before a lot of you were probably born. This cell phone, 1983. This Motorola flip phone was in 1994, and then so on. This is one that came out in 2001. Most cell phones give off between 850 and 1900 megahertz. Scientists will say they were safe then, they're safe now, they've always been safe. But they have gone down in the amount of non-ionizing radiation. That is what cell phones give off: non-ionizing radiation. Best bet, according to the experts we talked to: wear an ear piece, and if you are carrying your cell phone, don't put it in your pocket; put it in the approved holster and wear it on your belt.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Blog Report

AZUZ: Welcome to the blog report. The topic: memorable headlines from the past school year. The comments: yours! Mrs. Klaver's 7th grade world geo class was divided between the disaster in Myanmar and the turbulent events in China. A lot of folks like Mike, Sara and Alice commented on Myanmar. Kaylan remembered the story about the earthquake pictures taken by a Chinese wedding photographer. Rach and Steph put in a note about the wildfires in the Everglades, saying we need to preserve our environment. And Tiffany remembered my most embarrassing moment: when I was caught on camera dancing, and it was displayed for the whole world to see.

Goodbye

AZUZ: Thank you Tiffany, and thanks to my producers for a surprise that just keeps on surprisin'! We'll see if we can surprise you tomorrow with some more offbeat images. I'm Carl Azuz.