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CENTENNIAL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS: This is for you, Carl!
CARL AZUZ, CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR: Gotta say thanks to the students at Centennial High School in Ellicott City, Maryland for that. As a former drummer, I can tell you were right on rhythm! I'm Carl Azuz. Today's commercial-free subjects include economics, social studies and health. Let's go ahead and get started.
AZUZ: First up, economics, as President Obama presents his ideas for the federal government's 2012 budget. You or your family have to make budgets, looking at how much money you earn versus how much you spend. The government does the same thing, but with a lot more zeroes. In fact, this budget request from the president, which is just for 2012, is for $3.7 trillion; more money than most of us can even imagine.
The goal of a budget is to make sure you don't spend more than you make. But that's exactly what the U.S. government is doing right now, which is why we have what's called a deficit. President Obama says his new budget will cut that deficit by $1 trillion over the next 10 years by making some pretty big cuts to a lot of government programs, and by making more money from increasing some taxes. But there are critics on both sides. Some Republicans argue that the president's proposed cuts won't do nearly enough, and some Democrats say that President Obama wants to cut too much.
Another important thing to keep in mind. What the president released is a budget request. He doesn't actually decide on what the budget is. That's the job of Congress, and it can choose to accept, reject or modify the president's plan.
Protests in Iran
AZUZ: Going global now, with headlines of political protests in two different countries. First, Iran, where tens of thousands of people marched through the capital yesterday. They were speaking out against the Iranian government. Security forces were out on the streets too. At times, they allowed the protesters to march, but there were also reports of fighting between police and protesters. This YouTube video shows tear gas being used to break up a protest. It's hard for CNN to verify some of the reports coming from Iran because the country makes it hard for journalists to cover these kinds of protests. And the Iranian government slowed down the internet in what seems like an attempt to limit how much information gets out.
Algeria Unrest
AZUZ: The other country we're looking at where people are calling for change in their government is Algeria. This is a north African nation that's home to nearly 35 million people. As you can see from these pictures, protesters and security forces faced off against each other this past weekend. Yesterday, Algerian officials said they're going to lift a "state of emergency" that Algeria has been under since 1992. Some experts say that decision might be an attempt for Algeria to avoid uprisings like we've seen recently in Egypt and in Tunisia.
I.D. Me
TOMEKA JONES, CNN STUDENT NEWS: See if you can I.D. Me! I'm an organic compound that works as a stimulant. I affect the body's nervous system, as well as the heart and kidneys. I have a bitter taste, but no odor. I'm caffeine, and having too much of me can make you anxious or irritable.
AZUZ: It's the caffeine, plus the other stimulants in energy drinks, that can give young people health problems. This is according to new medical research on the risks of energy drinks. Caffeine, as you know, is a legal stimulant. It's just that large amounts of it can be dangerous. One study found that almost half of all caffeine overdoses back in 2007 happened in people younger than 19.
So what are the risks? Well, caffeine -- too much of it -- can mess up your sleep patterns. It can increase your blood pressure, which can put a strain on your heart. And if you're on any medications, caffeine can interfere with them and cause additional problems. Symptoms of too much caffeine: nausea, dizziness, rapid heart rate and seizure. I wanna be clear we're not talking about sports drinks, like Gatorade or Powerade. Those can actually be good for you, helping hydrate you after a big game. You can distinguish energy drinks by their ingredients. Energy drinks might include caffeine, taurine and guarana, additional stimulants that can hit different people in different ways.
Responding to this report, the American Beverage Association says a lot of drinks you can get have caffeine in them, and that "young adults getting coffee from popular coffeehouses are getting twice as much caffeine as they would from a similar size energy drink."
Giffords' Recovery
AZUZ: U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords is talking to her brother-in-law. Might not sound like a major news story, but it is a huge step for Rep. Giffords, whom you see here. She was shot in the head last month during an attack in Arizona. Family members and officials say she is making incredible progress in her recovery. Part of that is her conversations with her brother-in-law Scott Kelly, an astronaut currently on board the international space station. Giffords' husband, Mark Kelly, is also an astronaut. He's scheduled to go into space in April.
Shoutout
JOHN LISK, CNN STUDENT NEWS: Today's Shoutout goes out to Mr. Giorno's humanities class at Girard College Lower School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania! What country has the world's fastest growing economy? You know what to do! Is it: A) China, B) Japan, C) the United States or D) Russia? You've got three seconds -- GO! China has the world's fastest growing economy. That's your answer and that's your Shoutout!
AZUZ: It's because of that growth that China has made a move in terms of the world's largest economies. China is now the second largest, behind only the U.S. What does that mean for the former number two, Japan? We're checking in with Kyung Lah, who explains how a move in the economic rankings means a change in power.
(BEGIN VIDEO)
KYUNG LAH, CNN CORRESPONDENT, TOKYO: Step into Laox electronics store and you can hear the shift of economic might in Asia. Chinese greets shoppers. Sales signs are in Chinese. Workers assist shoppers in Mandarin. What's odd: we're in downtown Tokyo. But the people with the purchasing power here are not the Japanese. You don't have to tell this electronics store about the economic power shift in Asia. It's something they've seen for quite some time. When it comes to the number of paying customers, they see about 200 Japanese a day. Compare that with the number of Chinese: 1,000 customers every single day.
LIN DONG DONG, LAOX TRANSLATOR: I'm proud of China!
LAH: ...says Lin Dong Dong, a Chinese immigrant who's risen with the fortunes of his home country. He works for Laox as a translator but plans to become a doctor. Today, he's helping out this Chinese tour group here in Tokyo to spend money.
NOBUKAZU IINO, LAOX STORE MANAGER [TRANSLATED]: "Japan was once like China," says Laox's store manager, referring to Japan's economic surge in the 1980s. "It's China's turn now."
LAH: China has blazed ahead, expanding its manufacturing sector and domestic infrastructure. At this pace, Japan's government estimates China will overtake the U.S. economy in just 15 years. Japan, meanwhile, has been stuck in two decades of stagnation and deflation amid indecisive economic policymaking. It now faces a demographic tsunami: the world's fastest aging population, one of the lowest birthrates, and a debt-to-GDP ratio that's highest among developed nations. That may be a snapshot of economic might, but economists warn it's not so black and white.
KIRBY DALEY, SR. STRATEGIST, NEWEDGE: Japan's demographic tsunami, as it was termed, is very real and is going to stunt growth in that country for years to come. They need to get that situation under control. But China also has a demographic tsunami of its own, to re-use that term, coming as well.
UNIDENTIFIED CHINESE MALE [TRANSLATED]: "I know we became the world's number two economy," says this Chinese shopper. "But we still have very poor people and there's a gap between rich and poor. I hope China as a whole becomes a wealthy country like Japan."
KEIICHI YAMAMOTO, TOKYO RESIDENT [TRANSLATED]: "I envy China's hungry spirit," says Keiichi Yamamoto, who says what's missing most in Japan is passion and drive. "But I believe Japan still has potential. It'll come back again."
LAH: Two Asian powers adjusting to a new economic world order. Kyung Lah, CNN, Tokyo.
(END VIDEO)
Free Downloadable Maps
AZUZ: Japan, Algeria, Iran. You know where you can find all of them? CNNStudentNews.com! You scroll all the way down our page, and you'll discover our downloadable maps. These free resources help you pinpoint locations in the headlines. You can always track them down at CNNStudentNews.com.
Before We Go
AZUZ: Before we go, it's time to walk the dog. But this little lady doesn't need to go far. She just hops on a treadmill, cranks it up to two-and-a-half miles per hour, and she's on her way. The terrier and her 86-year-old workout partner hit the gym twice a day. It's nice that they exercise together. But if this gym rat wants to put on some serious muscle and all she does is walk on the treadmill...
Goodbye
AZUZ: ...I don't think she's going to get anywhere. But I bet I know her favorite feature on the machine is the paws button. Man, I tried. That tail end brings us to the end of today's show. For CNN Student News, I'm Carl Azuz. Bye.
