Return to Transcripts main page
CNN 10
Aftermath of Boston Bombings
Aired April 25, 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: It`s Thursday, and today the barricades on Boylston Street are down. Pedestrians, shoppers and business owners are returning to the Boston street and some of them are adding to a makeshift memorial, honoring the victims of last week`s violence there.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This is the memorial that`s been set up here in Copley Square. Everything here from the crosses to the teddy bears to the flowers were all gathered up from other parts of Boylston Street that were close along the way. This may be the most touching part of all these - the shoes hung along the barrier everywhere along this little memorial here, and it`s growing, people keep coming by, and it doesn`t look like it`s going to stop anytime soon.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
AZUZ: And other way, people are trying to help is by making donations to relief groups and charities. One that was set up by the city of Boston, has already gotten more than $21 million in donations. You can learn more about how to get involved with the recovery efforts from CNN`s "Impact Your World" page. There is a link up at cnnstudentnews.com
More than 260 people were injured in last week`s bombing. At least 14 of them lost a limb. Jake Tapper shows us how they are getting support from others who faced similar experiences.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Obviously, she got her pretty looks from you, huh?
JAKE TAPPER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Veterans who lost their limbs fighting the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, are back home offering hope to victims of the Boston Marathon terrorist attack.
GABE RAMIREZ, WOUNDED VETERAN: This doesn`t matter. This is just a chain to (inaudible).
TAPPER: Celeste Corcoran and her 18-year old daughter Sydney were at the Boston Marathon to cheer on Celeste`s sister, who was running the race for the first time. They were waiting by the finish line when the bombs that would change their lives forever, exploded. Celeste lost both of her legs, her daughter was wounded by shrapnel.
CELESTE CORCORAN, BOSTON MARATHON ATTACK VICTIM: I can`t do anything right now.
RAMIREZ: Right now, yes. But I`m telling you, in, you know, with all my heart, you`re going to be more independent, you know, than you ever were.
TAPPER: This veteran, Marine Sergeant Gabe Ramirez is also a double amputee. Almost 1600 U.S. troops have lost one or more of their limbs since the beginnings of the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. Limb loss injuries that would have once been fatal, are now not only survivable, but some wounded service members are even returning back to the combat zone. Military medicine has filled this advancement in prosthetics, but it`s civilians in Boston who will benefit this time.
RAMIREZ: This is - this is the start, you know. This is a new beginning for the both of you.
TAPPER: Celeste is keeping up her spirits. She`s even talking about running the Boston Marathon next year.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Today`s first "Shoutout" goes out to the students of the St. Mel School in Woodland Hills, California. What does the word "avian" refer to? Here we go. Is it water, birds, robots or audiovisual equipment. You`ve got three seconds, go!
Avian comes from the Latin word "avis" , which means "bird". That`s your answer and that`s your "Shoutout."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
AZUZ: Officials from the World Health Organization say a current strain of avian or bird flu is one of the most dangerous in recent years. Like the name suggests, the virus usually affects birds. But it can be passed to people, especially if they handle contaminated poultry. Researchers say they found the virus in chickens, dogs and pigeons at live markets. In China so far, 22 people have died from this strain of bird flu, and the health authorities say, they`ve seen the first case of this illness in Taiwan this week. The patient`s condition is described as sever. Officials say he`s been traveling between Taiwan and a province in eastern China.
They`re screening other travelers for signs of the virus.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It`s time for our "Shout Out, extra credit.
On Twitter, what is the characters limit for each tweet. You know what to do. Is it 80 characters, a 140 characters, 130 characters or unlimited. Three seconds and go.
On Twitter, you can use up to 140 characters for each tweet. That`s your answer and that`s your "Shoutout Extra credit."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
AZUZ: On Tuesday, 140 characters caused the Dow Jones Industrial Average to drop around 140 points. The tweet was a hoax. But the reaction was very real, here`s what happened.
Tuesday afternoon, a tweet came out from the Associated Press`s account. Quote, "Breaking: two explosions in the White House and Barack Obama is injured." Now, just to be clear, the president was fine, nothing happened at the White House. Someone hacked the A.P, it`s a news organization. Someone hacked the Twitter account to send out that tweet, but look at how the stock market reacted. This is a graph of Tuesday`s Dow Jones activity. That giant dip right around 1 P.M, that`s the reaction to the false tweet. The market bounced back when the truth came out, but it gives you an idea of how fast something like this can have an impact.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JULIE PACE, ASSOCIATED PRESS WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: It appears as though A.P`s Twitter account has been hacked, so anything that was just sent out about any incident at the White House is obviously false.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
AZUZ: Accounts for other news organizations have been hacked recently as well. This is raising some questions about security on Twitter.
Last week we reported on a story involving letters sent to the White House an the U.S. Capitol. The letters tested positive for ricin, a deadly poison. Paul Kevin Curtis with his lawyer in this pictures was arrested last week. He was suspected of sending those letters, but on Monday, the charges against him dropped. Investigators are looking into further Curtis might have been framed. He says he`s just happy to free.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KEVIN CURTIS, FORMER SUSPECT: I respect President Obama, I love - love my country, and would never do anything to pose a threat to him or any other U.S. official. This past week has been a nightmare for myself and my family. My mother has suffered, as well as my children. I would like to get back to normal.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
AZUZ: Now, for your comments, on yesterday`s story involving cameras, privacy and security, Austin responded, "The point of a security camera is to watch for illegal doing. They make streets, schools and stores safer.
Killian wrote "If another terrorist attacks, of there`s something police need to know, they could just ask to see surveillance. From Danielle, "Security cameras inside stores and such are all right, but on the streets and side works it`s just a little ridiculous."
Ashley says, if she were just talking to her friends or kissing her boyfriend, she wouldn`t want that on camera, "it violates our freedom." Felix writes, "A public place is not your private space, try your home. Public places with cameras help protect citizens. Alexis says, "With this investment in technology, we can not only start catching criminals after the fact, but possibly see what`s going on in an area and stop a crime before it`s committed.
And from Michael, "It`s annoying for cameras to be watching your every move, but necessary in situations such as what happened in Boston."
We know a lot of you want the issue of bullying to get more attention. This Sunday, cartoon network is showing a CNN documentary called "The Bully Effect." It follows one student who was a victim of bulling, and shows that happen when someone stood up for him. Here`s a preview.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He was failing out of school. He wasn`t involved at the family at all. He didn`t have any friends.
He was fading, and we just couldn`t bring him back and enter Lee (ph).
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We were going to film in this middle school for the year. And it was actually the first day of school, and we saw Alex by himself. The way the world was moving by him and not noticing him, and he looked so sad, and no one cared. And I thought that that might be a kid that`s experiencing bullying.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If you were still being bullied right now, what would you do that time?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If I were still being bullied now, yeah, I`d tell someone.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Alex`s change comes from kind of being forced into the public eye. And I think that it helped being embraced by so many people for what he had to say.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What games do you have? Because I got like--
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I have lots of friends now. I have a higher drive and a higher hope for myself.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
AZUZ: That special presentation of "The Bully Effect" is this coming Sunday on Cartoon Network, 5:30 and then again at 8:00 p.m. Now, before we go, we`re going to check out a flower that`s turning heads and turning up noses. This is putrella, the world`s tallest flower. We`re talking nearly eight feet tall. You may stop and smell the roses, but you don`t want to stop and smell this one. Putrella is putrid. Its scent has been compared to things we can`t say on our show. But its malodorousness is momentary. It only lasts a day or two, so I guess that flower doesn`t have much stamina (ph). But if you make friends with it, it will be your best bud. Either way, it`s time for us to leaf, so we`re going to put the petal to the metal. We`ll see you again tomorrow for more of CNN STUDENT NEWS.
END
