CNN news 2011-11-18
CARL AZUZ, HOST, CNN STUDENT NEWS: It`s time for you to take 10 minutes away from your schoolwork and let CNN Student News catch you up on the world`s headlines. I`m your guide, Carl Azuz. We`re starting today in the Pacific.
More U.S. troops could be headed to Australia. That`s one of the headlines that`s expected come out of President Obama`s trip there this week. The U.S. and Australia are allies. Australia has supported the U.S. in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as other military conflicts in the 20th century.
Now some countries are concerned about how strong China is becoming in the Western Pacific region. So as Brianna Keilar explains, having more American troops in Australia could be seen as a kind of defense against the spread of China`s influence.
BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN REPORTER (voice-over): The third time`s a charm. After canceling planned trips to Australia twice now, President Obama is finally headed down under.
KEILAR: While the president`s visit to the APEC summit here in Hawaii was more about emphasizing U.S. trade interests in Asia, his visit to Australia is more about U.S. military interests in the region.
KEILAR (voice-over): President Obama`s first stop, the capital city of Canberra, where he will address parliament, commemorating America`s 60- year military alliance with Australia.
Then he heads north to the military stronghold of Darwin, where he`s expected to announce a plan for a more pronounced U.S. military presence in the country. It`s a symbolic increase of America`s profile in the region, as China demonstrates its might.
VICTOR CHA, CSIS: Clearly the Chinese, as they experience larger and larger amounts of economic growth, are starting to flex their diplomatic muscle further away from the shores of China into Southeast Asia. And I think countries in the region are looking to the United States to help balance against that.
KEILAR (voice-over): American allies like Japan and Korea are concerned U.S. budget cuts could shrink America`s military commitments in Asia. China recently launched its first aircraft carrier, and has made territorial claims to much of the South China Sea.
ADM. ROBERT WILLARD: The South China, of vital interest to the region, of national interest to the United States, an area that carries an immense amount of commerce and an area in which we must maintain maritime security and peace.
KEILAR: The president`s stop in Australia is part of a push to highlight a new era in U.S. foreign policy, focusing less on Iraq and Afghanistan, and instead looking east -- Brianna Keilar, CNN, Honolulu.
AZUZ: Trouble and confusion surrounding the Occupy Wall Street protests in New York.
AZUZ (voice-over): . police moved in on Tuesday to kick protesters out of Zuccotti Park. It`s a private park they`ve used as a base to speak out against a lot of different issues. Protesters have been there two months, and city officials and the park`s owners say conditions have gotten dangerous and dirty.
So the park was cleared out on Tuesday morning. A couple of court battles followed. And when the dust settled, the New York Supreme Court had decided that, while protesters are allowed to gather in the park under their First Amendment rights, those rights do not allow them to stay there indefinitely, camping in tents and setting up other structures.
So to sum up: they can protest there; they can`t camp there.