CNN 学生新闻 09.07,2007 

CARL AZUZ, CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR: Thanks for joining us as we close out the week here on CNN Student News! From the CNN Center, I'm Carl Azuz. Losing a legend: Music lovers around the world are mourning today, as one of opera's most famous performers dies at age 71. Stepping up security: Guards at an American air base in Germany are keeping a close watch on things after police foil an alleged plot that may have targeted the site. And helping with healing: This 12-year-old is fighting against cancer, but not just his own. He's leading a drive to help others suffering from the disease.

AZUZ: We begin on a sad note today, as opera mourns the loss of one of its greatest performers. Luciano Pavarotti was a giant in the music world. He made his operatic debut in 1961 and entertained audiences for more than 40 years with his enormous talent and personality. The renowned singer died Thursday morning in his home town in Italy, losing his battle with pancreatic cancer. Brooke Anderson looks at a life filled with music.

BROOKE ANDERSON, CNN REPORTER: He was widely considered the greatest tenor of his time; in his prime, a singer capable of hitting the most demanding notes. But it was far more than mere technical skill that turned Luciano Pavarotti into a worldwide star. It was also the force of his personality. The man who would become larger than life began life modestly in the Italian city of Modena. He was the son of a baker and amateur singer.

LUCIANO PAVAROTTI: I dreamed to become a singer when I was four and I hear my father singing in the church signing with a beautiful tenor voice. And I say to myself, well, let's try to do something.

ANDERSON: Do something, he would, winning an international singing competition by age 25. But his big break came later in the 1960s when he appeared with Dame Joan Sutherland in some acclaimed operatic performances.

His U.S. debut came in 1965, and by the 1970s he was earning rave reviews at New York's Metropolitan Opera.

In 1979, at the height of his musical prowess, Time magazine put him on its cover, declaring him "opera's golden tenor." Millions of record sales followed, earning him the title "classical music's best-selling artist." And he raised millions of dollars for charity through benefit concerts, often sharing the stage with pop stars. One of the highlights of his career may have come in 1990, when Pavarotti joined Placido Domingo and Jose Carreras to form the "Three Tenors." Brooke Anderson, CNN, Los Angeles.

STAN CASE, CNN STUDENT NEWS: A Word to the Wise...

vigilant (adjective) watchful for signs of danger

Source: www.wordcentral.com

AZUZ: Guards at an American military base in Germany are being especially vigiliant right now. That's because German police say they've broken up an alleged terrorist plot that may have been targeting the installation. The situation has raised debate about the possibilities of terrorism in Germany. And as Frederik Pleitgen explains, it's left some people around the base on edge.

FREDRIK PLEITGEN, CNN REPORTER: Security is always tight at Ramstein Air Base in Germany. But since the alleged terror conspiracy was uncovered, soldiers on guard duty here seem to be looking just a little more closely. Ramstein is one of the U.S. military's transport hubs for Iraq and Afghanistan, and may have been one of the intended targets of the alleged terrorists. While none of the soldiers was willing to talk to us, American civilians working at or visiting the base say they are anxious.

CIVILIAN: I'm very concerned about it, yes, but it's just that. I don't let it control my life.

CIVILIAN: We are living right next to the base, and it's shocking to see that something could be so close to us, and just a little bit scared.

PLEITGEN: But Tammy Dean and Linda Clayer, both married to U.S. servicemen here, say they feel safe in the towns close to the base, even if the news on Wednesday was a shock.

TAMMY DEAN, MILITARY SPOUSE: I think security on base is pretty good. We're still proud to be here, but it was an eye-opener.

PLEITGEN: An eye-opener for the German government, as well. Investigators say the three suspects, two German converts to Islam and a Turk, were motivated by a deep hatred of the United States. Officials tell CNN they had acquired sophisticated detonators for the explosives they'd stored, explosives made of the same material as those used in the London terror attacks in 2005. And authorities are looking for others, in Germany and beyond, who they believe may have ties to the plot.

We're not only investigating the 10, these attacks need logistics and preparation. And therefore we need to identify all of the people who wanted to or actually are taking part in the preparations.

PLEITGEN: Officials say investigators have begun sifting through evidence gathered at raids in over 30 locations in Germany over the past two days.

The foiled attacks have also sparked a political debate in Germany about this country's role in the fight against terrorism. Some politicians are calling for tougher laws on surveillance and more freedom for police to investigate terror suspects. Frederik Pleitgen, CNN, Ramstein, Germany.

AZUZ: The alleged plot in Germany is just one of the big stories we've been covering this week. Parts of Central America are cleaning up after suffering through Hurricane Felix. It slammed into Nicaragua on Tuesday as a Category 5 storm, the second one to make landfall this year. The hurricane drenched the region, dumping up to 10 inches of rain in some areas, and officials warned about possible flooding. On Monday, President Bush made a surprise trip to Iraq. He met with U.S. military commanders and Iraqi leaders to get their views on the situation there, and said that the buildup of U.S. troops has strengthened security in the Middle East nation. Both of those stories are covered in our weekly Newsquiz, which you can find at CNNStudentNews.com. If you want to get a leg up on the test, here's one of this week's questions.

CASE: Today's Shoutout goes out to Coach Smith's World History classes at Dr. Phillips High School in Orlando, Florida! Where would you find London's Beefeaters? You know what to do! Is it: A) Big Ben, B) Parliament, C) Tower of London or D) Westminster Cathedral? You've got three seconds -- GO! You'd find the Yeoman Warders, also known as the Beefeaters, at the Tower of London. That's your answer and that's your Shoutout!

AZUZ: Now, we started off today talking about a famous singer who died of cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, more than half a million Americans are expected to die of the disease this year. But Patrick Pedraja is doing something to try and change that. He fought his own cancer, and now he's helping others suffering from this disease.

PATRICK PEDRAJA, YOUNG HERO: The doctor came in and she said, "You have leukemia."' And it was devistating, horrifying and scary. All I knew about cancer was that both of my grandparents had died from it.

Well, I was in the hospital and I was watching the TV. And a Hispanic girl died because she couldn't find a bone marrow transplant match. You are most likely to find a match in your own ethnicity.

GRAPHIC: There are 6 million donors on the National Marrow Donor Registry. Only 27% are minorities. (Source: National Marrow Donor Program Registry)

PEDRAJA: I'm half Hispanic, and I decided to change it, because it could affect me too. I said, "Mom, I want to do something. Well, let's have a bone marrow drive." And she said, "What?'' I said "Yeah, wer're going to go drive for these bone marrow donors." And then it turned into Driving for Donors.

Hi. My name is Pat Pedraja. I'm 12 years old and I'm trying to sign people up to the National Marrow Registry. It's our responsibility as a human being to watch out for someone else.

Driving for Donors is a 30-city national marrow drive. We sold advertisement spots on the bus and on the head, and raised close to $100,000.

AIRAM DA SILVA: What Patrick is doing is something that comes from inside of him. It is something that is very personal to his heart. My sister died of leukemia because she could not find a match within the Brazillian community. Seventy percent of the case you do not find a match with your brother or sister, and you have to find a match in the national registry.

PEDRAJA: If you sign up to the registry, it's just a cheek swab. And you know that you could be the one to save a kid's life.

PEDRAJA: And you are going to be on the registry until your 61st birthday, which is a really long time away. This is your card. If you ever move or anything, just call it. And you are now a number.

GRAPHIC: DRIVING FOR DONORS: In only three months, Pat has signed up over 5,000 people to the National Bone Marrow Registry.

PEDRAJA: I don't need a bone marrow transplant myself. I am in remission and I feel fine, but I still have cancer.

DA SILVA: As a 12-year-old, he is showing that each one of us can do so much to save others people's life.

PEDRAJA: People don't know that it's such a big issue, that people are dying each day. And I want to change that.

GRAPHIC: Do you know a hero? CNN.com/Heroes.

AZUZ: We've also put a link to CNN Heroes on our Web site, CNNStudentNews.com. That's going to do it for us this week. As we head into the weekend, we'll leave you with the legendary voice of Luciano Pavarotti. See you on Monday.