Welcome to CNN STUDENT NEWS. I'm Carl Azuz. This is our last show of 2014.Before we head up for the holidays, we've got a few things to catch you up on, one of them, the U.S. stock market.Yesterday was the best day of the year for the Dow Jones Industrial Average of 30 important stocks. It rose 420 points.Why? Well, the Federal Reserve, the Central Bank of the U.S. made comments suggesting that the U.S. economy is on track to keep growing. Investors like that.Also, the Russian ruble's showing signs that it's stabilizing.That's good news for Europe.International markets are connected, so a jump in one can help others. Markets from Europe to Asia were making gains.Another story in the headlines: the flu. The Centers for Disease Control says it's widespread at 14 states,in one county in northwest Georgia, 17 percent of students were out sick, and 16 percent of teachers.So, the superintendent closed all ten schools days before the scheduled Christmas break.Similar situations in other states from North Carolina to Minnesota.Flu season usually starts in the fall, it pick s in January or February.This one could be worse, partly because officials say this year's vaccine isn't as effective as usual.Bringing good cheer, the roll call is here. We'll start with Nebraska. The corn husker state.Red riders are watching on this merry day. Loup city high is where they'll all be. From there we head south to Tennessee.
