Tom: Hey everyone! It is Friday, September 25. I am Tom Hanson and Channel One
News starts right now.
It is day four of Pope Francis' visit to the United States. Today he will speak to the
United Nations general assembly, and then hold a mass with 20,000 people in New
York City's Madison Square Garden. But he has already made history, becoming the
first pope to speak in front of lawmakers from both Houses of Congress yesterday.
Pope Francis received a standing ovation as lawmakers welcomed him to the heart of
the U.S. government.
Tom: His speech focused on topics familiar to these lawmakers, including climate
change and religious extremism.
Pope Francis: A delicate balance is required to combat violence perpetrated in the
name of a religion.
Tom: On immigration, Francis called for greater understanding of those who come to
the U.S. looking for a better life.
Pope Francis: We must not be taken aback by the numbers, but rather view them as
persons, seeing their faces and listening to their stories.
Tom: Outside the capitol, thousands watched and listened to the pope on large
monitors. The pope ended his speech with a call to protect the family, and to focus on
the nation's children.
Pope Francis: God bless America.
Tom: The pope then headed to New York City where he attended prayers at the famous
St. Patrick’s cathedral.
And just as pope Francis left our nation's capital, the White House and political leaders
are getting ready to welcome another leader tonight, President Xi of China.
China's president spent the first part of his trip to the U.S. touring and meeting with
Microsoft, Apple and Boeing executives. Those discussions were about business deals
and selling products to China's 1 billion people.
But today, the tougher part of the trip starts when President Xi talks with President
Obama. On the agenda, China's controversial buildup of military in the South China Sea
and human rights in the country.
The U.S. has also accused China of cyberattacks on the U.S. government and private
companies.
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Next up, a terrible tragedy during a religious ritual in Saudi Arabia. Hundreds were killed
in a stampede near the Muslim holy city of Mecca.
The crush of people was just too massive for Saudi Arabia’s security forces to control.
More than 700 people died in a morning stampede during the Hajj pilgrimage, an annual
journey many Muslims make to the holy site of Mecca.
This year, about 2 million people took part in Hajj, and the tragedy unfolded in Mina, just
outside mecca. Hajj is the largest annual gathering of people in the world, and
controlling the crowds is a huge security challenge, even for the 100,000 Saudi Arabian
forces.
The last major incident during the Hajj was in 2006, when 346 pilgrims died in a
stampede.
Alright coming up, he, she, or ze? One college is making major changes when it comes
to gender norms.
Alright, Demetrius is here with a story about adding some new words to our vocabulary.
Demetrius: That’s right Tom. Now, “he” and “she” is basically English 101 when it
comes to pronouns, right?
Tom: Right.
Demetrius: But have you heard of “ze”, or what about “per”, or even “ve”? Well it is part
of a growing trend of going "gender-neutral," which is not defining either a boy or a girl.
Male: It gives our students a way to feel more comfortable on our campus and letting
people know who they really are.
Demetrius: On the campus of Ohio University, you no longer have to go by he or she, a
new policy allows the use of "gender-free" pronouns.
Female: So there's no awkwardness about asking me if I would please call them what
they want to be called.
Demetrius: That's the idea behind it, to make students feel accepted. Students and
faculty now have the ability to put a preference on the pronoun they prefer in their
profile.
For example, instead of “he” or “she”, students can now choose to be called “ze” or “ve.”
Demetrius: Ohio University is one of just a handful of colleges to implement the change,
but the idea of "gender-neutrality" isn't just gaining momentum on college campuses.
Now, many public schools have "gender-neutral" bathrooms.
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And some major stores, like Target, have taken steps to create gender-neutral displays
for kids, mixing products that were once separated into boys and girls. As well as
removing the blue and pink packaging on toys. This idea got lots of target fans.
Female: My husband and I have been trying to raise him with no gender distinctions. So
I love the idea of taking him through the aisles and him just being exposed to whatever
he sees.
Demetrius: But also, a lot of haters.
Female #2: I think it is kind of odd that they would even go that way. I mean, ever since
I grew up, I’ve always known Barbie to have its own aisle. And it’s easier to shop at
when it’s separated.
Demetrius: And on OU’s campus, the newly implemented pronouns have had mixed
responses from students as well.
Male #2: Some people don't feel comfortable with them because "I didn't learn that in
my 3rd grade grammar class."
Demetrius: But university officials hope people will get used to it and the idea will
continue to spread.
Demetrius: Demetrius Pipkin, channel One News.
Tom: Thanks Demetrius.
Alright now, our next up, if ball is life, then basketball shoes are really important. And
one teen is making sure other athletes have the sneakers they need to succeed. Here’s
Azia Celestino.
Azia: The shoes don't necessarily make the basketball player. But a good pair does
help. Vacaville High School sophomore Shanneil Turner learned that lesson when her
first pair failed her during school try-outs last year.
Shanneil Turner: When I went up for a layup, like the third day of tryouts, my shoes kind
of ripped at the bottom. So I was like, 'Oh no.'
Azia: At the time, her family couldn't get a new pair of shoes. But the Boys and Girls
Club stepped up with a scholarship and bought her these colorful Nikes.
She says, they got the job done.
Shanneil: Pretty good. We had a winning season 13-7.
Azia: The shoes sparked an idea. Why not create a charity to help other teens who can't
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afford basketball shoes?
Shanneil: I knew some of my friends who didn't do it because their parents were like,
they couldn't afford stuff to play with.
Azia: The program will be called Shanneil's Locker. Anna Eaton, executive director of
Vacaville’s Boys and Girls Club, is helping Shanneil get it off the ground.
Anna Eaton: Building an interest pool so that she knows that there is going to be
support and now she needs to structure how the money, how the shoes, how the
awards are given out to the needy children.
Azia: Shanneil says she wants to start small by helping junior high and high school
basketball players. Eventually, she plans to branch out into other sports.
Eaton: So when she talks about Shanneil's Locker, she's just so low-key. But you know,
it's an exciting thing that's happening and hopefully her story will inspire other teenagers
to act on things that they see that can serve their community.
Azia: Azia Celestino, Channel One News.
Tom: And to check out more young people who are making an impact, head on over to
Channelone.com.
Alright coming up, we are rolling out the Next Big Thing.
We have got a bike that does the pedaling for you. But before we ride into this week's
Next Big Thing, let's see what you thought about last week's idea.
We told you about NeverWet, a spray guard that keeps your clothes, shoes, and just
about anything else from getting wet, dirty or muddy. So, is it the Next Big Thing?
Well almost all of you seemed to think so. Ninety-two percent of you said yes, keep me
high and dry. And eight percent of you said no, ix-nay on the spray.
Cayden said, “Totally the next big thing. Now, I won’t be afraid to wear white!”
Mrs. Armijo's class said, “This product is useful for many people including young kids,
now their clothes can stay dry and clean!”
But Kamel said, “I can never see myself using this. Why do you need to be dry? I enjoy
being wet.”
Now since it was invented in the 19th century, the basic concept of the bicycle has
pretty much stayed the same. But technology is putting a new spin on biking.
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This is the Copenhagen Wheel, and it works like this. Replace your ordinary wheel with
the Copenhagen Wheel.
The bike now functions like an electric hybrid car. It is designed to help you along hilly
paths or long journeys that may leave you out of breath.
The wheel captures your energy when you break or go downhill, and then gives you that
energy back in a super charged push when you need it uphill with up to 10 times your
regular foot power. The sensors kick in when it feels you getting tired.
All you need to do is plug the wheel into the wall to recharge it. And it connects right to
your smartphone. So you can monitor your ride, keep track of your miles, maps, and
physical activity.
So what do you think? Is the Copenhagen Wheel the Next Big Thing? Well, head on
over to Channelone.com to vote and weigh in.
Alright guys, the weekend is almost here. We are out of time, but we will see you right
back here on Monday.
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