CNN Student News with transcript Week 7, 2015

CARL AZUZ, CNN HOST: On this ninth day of February, 2015, welcome to CNN STUDENT NEWS.

I`m Carl Azuz at the CNN Center.

A big meeting scheduled this week for the leaders of France, Germany, Russia and Ukraine. They`ll be discussing the conflict in Ukraine. It`s

been going on for almost a year now between Ukrainian government forces who want closer ties with Europe and separatists who want closer ties with

Russia.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry says Western countries are united in support of Ukraine`s government.

But while the U.S. considers giving weapons to Ukraine`s military to fight the rebels, Germany says that`s not the solution, it carries the

possibility of starting a conflict with Russia, who`s been accused of supporting the rebels.

Months of fighting has killed more than 5,000 people and obliterated landscapes, cities and a once renowned airport.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Nowhere has the fighting been fiercer in the worst war to hit Europe since

the Balkans, than here. Donetsk, once proud Sergey Prokofiev International Airport.

Ukraine`s army is still shelling here despite being pushed out of this former stronghold two weeks ago by these Russian-backed separatists,

themselves heavily armed.

This is their form of airport shuttle.

(on camera): We`re moving now in an armored car toward the new terminal of the airport, territory which the separatists have taken, but is still

regularly under fire from the Ukrainian military.

(voice-over): We pull into the airport long-term underground parking.

(on camera): He`s saying there are occasionally shells that are still landing here.

(voice-over): The fight for here killed hundreds, as Ukrainians used service tunnels to hold part of the complex. The last call for passengers

on this walkway passed months ago. These pictures from three years ago showing how it used to sparkle.

(on camera): Hard to imagine how, just six months ago, we were here flying out of Donetsk at this, that was then a state-of-the-art international

terminal. Just look at the destruction and how this symbolizes how far Eastern Ukraine has fallen.

(voice-over): Mortars often fall here, so we move fast. They used to call this the new terminal, open two years ago for football fans coming to see

the European championship.

But that newfound European optimism has evaporated. The war here is entering a new phase of the heaviest of weapons and the random shelling of

civilians, in which victory has become more important than its spoils.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

AZUZ: Did you know that one of the nicknames for the state of Connecticut is The Land of Steady Habits?

We`re sure glad Canton Middle School has a steady habit of watching CNN STUDENT NEWS. It`s in Canton. Its mascot is The Warriors.

In Coconut Creek, Florida, between Fort Lauderdale and Boca Raton, it`s good to be part of your day of the South Florida Jewish Academy.

And on the West Coast, in San Bernardino, California, hello to the Spartans. San Gorgonio High School is rounding out today`s Roll.

Our next story today takes us to the United Kingdom.

From 1901 to the 1950s, its national and royal anthem was “God Save the King.” But that title changes depending on who`s on the throne. And Queen

Elizabeth II took the throne in 1953.

Her power is mostly ceremonial. Britain`s governing and lawmaking authority lie with parliament.

But the queen is a highly respected figure in her country. She`s had a front seat to so much world history since the Second World War. She`s one

of the world`s wealthiest women. And later this year, she`ll officially become the longest serving monarch in British history.

With that kind of accomplishment added to her many others, why wouldn`t she want to celebrate in public?

MAX FOSTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: When Queen Elizabeth II came to the throne, Winston Churchill was still prime minister. And in September, she

overtakes Queen Victoria as Britain`s longest serving monarch.

FOSTER: Crowned in Westminster Abbey on the 2nd of June 1953. Since then, she`s received 12 different British prime ministers, met every serving U.S.

president, apart from Lyndon Johnson, and had encounters with seven popes, going back to Pius XII.

She`s sat for over 130 patriots, launched more than 20 ships and conferred more than 400,000 honors.

The queen, now 88, has four great grandchildren, including her future heir, Prince George. Accession Day for the queen brings mixed emotions. It`s

the day she acceded to the throne, but it`s also the day she lost her father. So she always spends it privately at her country home at

Sandringham, which is where he died.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just The Facts.

The Crusades were a series of military expeditions that started in 1095 and continued for centuries. They were organized by Christians and their goal

was to stop the spread of Islam, after Muslims had conquered most of the ancient Christian territory in the Holy Land.

Though the early Crusaders were successful, they killed tens of thousands of civilians when they conquered Jerusalem. Ultimately, the surrounding

Muslim countries recaptured the land the Crusaders had taken.

AZUZ: Last week, President Obama mentioned the Crusades at the National Prayer Breakfast. And that caused some controversy. First, the event, the

National Prayer Breakfast. It`s held every year on the first Thursday of February. It dates back to 1953, when President Eisenhower established its

goal of seeking God`s guidance for the country.

Since then, every U.S. president has attended it. In fact, it`s usually highlighted by a presidential speech.

That`s what brings us to the event from last week.

At one point, in front of a mostly religious audience, President Obama referred to history in a discussion of the present.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAKE TAPPER, HOST, “THE LEAD” (voice-over): Conservative Christians are up in arms about remarks President Obama made at the National Prayer Breakfast

Thursday about the Islamic extremists the U.S. is fighting in Iraq and Syria and the atrocities that these terrorists are committing in the name

of Islam.

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Lest we get on our high horse and think this is unique to some other place, remember that during

the Crusades and the Inquisition, people committed terrible deeds in the name of Christ.

In our home country, slavery and Jim Crow all too often was justified in the name of Christ.

TAPPER: Those comparisons did not sit well with many in the audience, especially with Republicans.

JAMES GILMORE (R), FORMER VIRGINIA GOVERNOR: Probably strategically and historically, the worst thing that a president could have said at this

moment, because of the existing crisis that is going on this day.

TAPPER: Former Virginia governor, James Gilmore, says he does not understand why the president felt the need to equate ISIS militants with

Christians from decades, if not centuries, ago.

GILMORE: The moment calls for presidential leadership. And instead, we got this — this moral equivalency that tried to equate Christian faith and

Christian activities in the United States with the same kind of brutality that we`re seeing overseas.

TAPPER: The president`s remarks came one day after a private roundtable at the White House with Muslim leaders to hear their concerns about civil

liberties and racial profiling.

CHRISTOPHER HALE, CATHOLICS IN ALLIANCE FOR THE COMMON GOOD: I think he`s really trying to lift up this idea that Muslims add value to our nation.

TAPPER: Obama supporters like Christopher Hale, who helped lead Catholic outreach for the 2012 campaign say the criticism is just gotcha politics.

HALE: I think it`s important that Christians do reflect honestly on our history and see both the good and the bad. I think the president was

calling on us to do that.

TAPPER: But some religious leaders also took issue with what they say is an unbalanced argument of moral equivalency.

RUSSELL MOORE, ETHICS AND RELIGIOUS LIBERTY COMMISSION: I don`t know why the president wants to stand up and to — to speak as though he`s in a

religious studies doctoral seminar at the University of Chicago rather than standing up as the commander-in-chief and saying we have an issue that

threatens our national security.

TAPPER: Russell Moore heads the Southern Baptist Convention`s public policy arm.

MOORE: It`s almost as though Franklin Roosevelt were to stand up and say it`s a date that shall live in infamy, but let`s remember that we surprised

the British at Yorktown, too.

TAPPER: Jake Tapper, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

AZUZ: Ignacio Perez is a photographer with the U.S. Navy. He says he is used to documenting aircraft take-offs like those from aboard the USS John

C. Stennis aircraft carrier. This was the shot of a lifetime.

Perez was covering a 5K run on the ship`s deck when he noticed a change in the atmosphere. So he moved to a better spot on the 115,000 ton warship

and documented its bow as it steamed through a rainbow.

It`s almost hard to picture until you see the picture and the picture comes into focus. If a picture is worth a thousand words, this one is worth a

pot of gold. We`re glad the camera and the photographer were in ship shape, because it`s a colorful conclusion to CNN STUDENT NEWS.

I`m Carl Azuz.

Hope you have smooth sailing the rest of your day.

CARL AZUZ, HOST: On this ninth day of February, 2015, welcome to CNN STUDENT NEWS.

I`m Carl Azuz at the CNN Center.

If you`re watching this in Boston, Massachusetts, you`re probably at home. The reason why leads off this edition of CNN STUDENT NEWS.

I`m Carl Azuz.

Three snowstorms in three weeks have pummeled parts of the Northeast. Everywhere from New York on up has gotten hit.

In Boston, average snowfall if 47 inches in a year. The Massachusetts capital has seen 70 to 80 inches of snow in two weeks.

One challenge, plowing it out of the way. That costs money, from paying the workers to fueling and running the equipment.

Boston`s mayor said his city has already gone through its $18 million budget for snow removal. Business has slowed down in some areas, with some

people unable to travel far from their homes and school was called off Monday and Tuesday in Boston and other cities in the U.S. Northeast.

(ON SCREEN)

Sound Check

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It is true that if, in fact, diplomacy fails, what I`ve asked my team to do is to look at all

options.

What other means can we put in place to change Mr. Putin`s calculus and the possibility of light defensive weapons is one of those options

that`s being examined. But I have not made a decision about that yet. I have consulted with not just Angela, but will be consulting with other

allies about this issue.

It`s not based on the idea that Ukraine could defeat a Russian Army that was determined. It is rather to — to see whether or not there are

additional things we can do to help Ukraine bolster its defenses in the face of separatist aggression.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(ON SCREEN)

Sound Check

AZUZ: OK, a few points about that.

The U.S. and most often Europe support the government of Ukraine. For almost a year now, it`s been battling separatist rebels who want closer

ties with Russia. And Russia has been accused of supporting those rebels.

President Obama is considering giving Ukraine`s government additional weapons to fight the separatists. He`s been discussing this with German

chancellor, Angela Merkel, who said last week she doesn`t like that idea.

President Obama said Western leaders can`t allow Europe`s borders to be redrawn at the barrel of a gun.

But they were redrawn last year, when Russia annexed a region of Ukraine named Crimea. That`s part of the reason why Russian President

Vladimir Putin remains so popular in his country, despite the struggles it`s facing.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: For his supporters, Putin has restored Russia to its rightful place in the world as a major power. He`s

brought back Crimea into the Russian fold. He`s given Russians, many of them, at least, back their pride.

(ON SCREEN)

What next for Vladimir Putin?

CHANCE: Well, this was really a perfect economic storm to — to hit Russia. International sanctions over its role in Ukraine were already

having an impact. And then, on top of that, the collapse of the global oil price, Russia`s main export, really pushed this country over a cliff.

More and more Russians are simply unable to pay their bills and buy food, and the real fear is that that`s going to get worse as this economic

crisis evolves and deepens.

It`s striking, really, that so far, the popularity of the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, is — is holding up, soaring even. He ended the

year with opinion polls giving him an incredible 85 percent approval rating.

All of that, of course, might change, as the economic pain increases, already, we`ve seen limited social protests on the streets against rising

prices, against spending cuts.

But I don`t think this economic crisis necessarily spells the end of Vladimir Putin.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

(ON SCREEN)

Roll Call

AZUZ: From the Midwest to the South Korean capital, it`s time to take roll. Let`s go.

Mickel Middle School is in the capital of Nebraska. That`s Lincoln. That`s where we`re linking up with the Missiles. Thanks for watching.

Next stop, Tuba City, Arizona. That`s where The Warriors are. A shout-out to Tuba City High School.

And in the capital of South Korea, that`s Seoul, it`s great to see our viewers at Yongsan International School of Seoul.

SpaceX is a private space exploration company. But it`s receiving $1.6 billion from NASA and that`s going toward a number of cargo resupply

missions to the International Space Station.

Its latest mission was supposed to lift-off from Florida on Sunday. That was delayed a couple of times, first because of a radar malfunction

and then because of the weather. The earliest it could be is tonight.

The company has been successful at getting supplies to the station, but if it can land a reusable rocket, SpaceX would make history.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Three, two, one.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is on a twofold mission. First, it`s carrying a deep space climate observatory into space

to monitor solar winds.

The second, the one that will be monitored closely around the world, involves the rocket booster`s reentry.

Traditionally, once the rocket has been propelled into space, the huge booster burns up or falls into the ocean on reentry as garbage.

But scientists hope to be able to reuse it, saving millions of dollars, ultimately perhaps changing the economics of space travel.

The SpaceX Falcon 9 is made up of two sections called stages. Together, the stages have a combined 10 engines. The payload is carried by

a capsule on the top of the rocket.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One…

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The rocket`s first stage powers lift-off, about two and a half minutes into flight at 80 kilometers high and traveling at

10 times the speed of sound, the first stage engines are shut down.

Seconds later, the first and second stage of the rocket separate. The second stage of the rocket continues on, sending the climate observatory

into orbit.

SpaceX is attempting to land Falcon 9`s first stage on a custom built floating platform it calls the autonomous spaceport drone ship. The rocket

stage has to significantly reduce its speed, obviously, deploy landing legs and then make a soft landing on the SpaceX logo.

This is SpaceX`s second attempt to land what is really a 14 story tall stage one. The first attempt in January almost successful, but landed too

hard.

X marks the spot and if stage one lands on it successfully, it will be a breakthrough in creating reusable rockets.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

(ON SCREEN)

Before We Go

AZUZ: If you`re the type to plan ahead, you`re thinking about potential careers and according to Salary.com, the average median salary

for photographers is about $55,000 a year. The average median for helicopter pilots is about $86,000 a year.

But when the two work together, the pictures are priceless.

JASON M. PETERSON: Hi. I`m Jason M. Peterson.

ROB MARSHALL: I`m Rob Marshall.

VIN FARRELL: I`m Vin Farrell and this is what it`s like.

MARSHALL: And this is what it`s like.

PETERSON: To shoot New York City.

FARRELL: To shoot New York City from above.

(ON SCREEN)

Wish You Were Here

PETERSON: Good to go.

FARRELL: I have a passion for taking pictures. I have a passion for symmetry and architecture. And because of New York on air, this is an

aerial content company, we get access to the sky. we do a lot of work for television and movies, but we also do a lot of work

for advertising.

Me and Jason Peterson, and Rob, our pilot, are going to head up this morning and go catch Coney Island and the Verrazano Bridge.

PETERSON: The pilot, honestly, is really everything. You know, a great pilot is a cinematographer. And they`re setting me up for the shot

as much as I am taking the shot.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I`m the guy who puts people in place.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And I`ve got to know what he wants to get from the camera to make the shot happen.

PETERSON: One of my favorite experiences is the first time we flew over the Empire State Building. The doors open on the helicopter, tilt it

over, down the peak. Even the images we captured, which were really amazing, still didn`t capture what that moment was like.

Seeing Coney Island from above is one of my favorite shots that I`ve ever taken, direct, overhead, seeing Coney Island, all of the rides, it

doesn`t look like an amusement park, it looks like a box of candy, almost, from above. You know, that sort of view has been amazing.

FARRELL: My purely selfish intention, on one level, is to just take great shots and have cool pictures and have cool images and it`s pretty

cool to do that, to have the ability to do that.

AZUZ: He makes a good viewpoint. From any view, the bird`s eye view gives a viewy viewsable view that viewfinders view unviewusally well.

You`ve got to agree that shooting from sky to sea is a sight to see. The sights you see from skyscrapers scraping the sky, you see?

I`m Carl Azuz for CNN STUDENT NEWS, where the sky is the limit.

CARL AZUZ, HOST: Hey, thank you for taking 10 minutes for CNN STUDENT NEWS.

I`m Carl Azuz.

This Wednesday, we`re starting with a tragic story involving a 26- year-old woman named Kayla Mueller. She was an aid worker from Arizona. She had traveled all over the world to work with humanitarian groups.

In August, 2013, she was taken hostage after leaving a hospital in Aleppo, Syria. The ISIS terrorist group initially demanded $7 million for

her release.

But ISIS said it did not kill Mueller. It said on Friday she had been killed in a Jordanian air strike in Syria.

The U.S. government says there`s no evidence that civilians were in the area of the strike, but that in any case, ISIS is responsible.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOSH EARNEST, DEPUTY WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: This, after all, is the organization that was holding her against her will. That means they

are responsible for her safety and her well-being and they are, therefore, responsible for her death.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

AZUZ: Kayla Mueller`s family says her whole life was dedicated to helping people in need of freedom, justice and peace.

The next story today involves silent witnesses to events on the road – – dash cameras. They`re finding uses in everything from protecting police and civilians to documenting disaster.

One recent example involves a plane crash in Taiwan. A TransAsia Airways flight had at least one engine failure last week, causing it to

clip a road and crash into a river. Forty people aboard the flight were killed. Three are still missing. But 15 survived it.

And their accounts, plus video from drivers` dash cams are helping investigators determine why the plane went down.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (voice-over): Dash cams seem to be everywhere. They`re cameras mounted on a vehicle`s dashboard or windshield to record

footage of the road ahead. Police have been using dash cams for years to show what takes place when they pull someone over or give chase.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK, he just crushed. He just crushed.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But sometimes they capture unexpected incidents, like this.

Dash cams are so popular in Russia that many people don`t leave home without them. As a result, Russia`s dash came videos have become an online

phenomenon, capturing road rage, even this unbelievable video of a meteor falling from the sky.

Dash cams can protect drivers from accusations of blame in accidents, prevent insurance fraud, deter police officers from taking bribes and

potentially show proof of violent attacks from other motorists.

In the U.K., some insurance companies offer drivers who have a dash cam installed discounts on their insurance premiums.

Dash cams have captured everything from the conflict in Ukraine to bush fires in Australia. Dash cam videos may get some people in trouble,

but they can also be invaluable in finding the cause of a crash in the air and on the ground — a small price to pay for peace of mind and a picture

of what really took place on the pavement.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

(ON SCREEN)

Roll Call

AZUZ: The Sagebrush State, The Silver State, The Battle Born State — they all point to one state — Nevada. And one of the schools watching

there is Learning Bridge Middle Charter. The Owls are in Ely and on our Roll.

Now we`re traveling northeast to The Green Mountain State. That`s Vermont. And Winooski is a city in its northwest, where we found the

Spartans of Winooski Middle High School. From The Green Mountain State to The Mountain State, East Hardy High School rounds out our Roll. It`s in

Baker, West Virginia with the Cougars.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (voice-over): Measles is caused by a virus. A typical case will start with a mild to moderate fever, runny nose, red eyes

and a sore throat. Then other symptoms may start to appear, including a blotchy body rash and tiny white spots in the mouth.

Complications from the disease can lead to ear infections, pneumonia and diarrhea.

It spreads through the air and is highly contagious. We`re talking a reproduction rate of 12 to 18 people for every person infected. The

current vaccine has been used in the United States since 1968. Before that, almost all children got it before turning 15. For every 1,000

children who gets measles, one or two will die from it.

Measles can also cause brain damage. According to the CDC, the best way to avoid getting measles is to be vaccinated.

(ON SCREEN)

The Daily Share

AZUZ: The measles, mumps and rubella vaccine isn`t 100 percent effective, but most of those who caught the measles in a recent U.S.

outbreak had not had the shot. There are currently more than 120 measles cases in 17 states. The majority of them are linked to an outbreak at

California`s Disneyland last December.

A handful, like a recent case in Georgia, are not. Officials say a baby who arrived in Atlanta from outside the U.S. has the measles. They`re

trying to keep it from spreading and that`s especially hard with measles, because as you heard, it`s incredibly contagious.

Germs and the surfaces that can host them are all around us. Thankfully, we have these amazingly adaptive immune systems and thankfully

most of the bacteria we come in contact with only makes us sick to think about.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RACHEL CRANE: An average of 5.5 million people ride the New York City subway system every day. So it`s only natural that it would be teeming

with bacteria.

(ON SCREEN)

New York City Subway Crawling with Germs

CRANE: A new study called PathoMap took over 3,000 samples from all of the subway stations to map the microgenomics of the city, something that

has never been done before.

And the findings may surprise you, even gross you out.

What would you say if I told you that scientists just found hundreds of different strains of bacteria in New York City`s subway stations?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That is really gross and I don`t really want to touch it anymore.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It`s actually scary.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Obviously, that is very concerning.

CRANE: Also shocking, almost half the DNA that was sampled is unidentifiable, meaning they do not match any other known organisms known

to scientists.

The study collected samples from turnstiles, garbage cans, subway poles, benches. And in some subway stations they found microbes of

meningitis, anthrax E. Coli, even the bubonic plague.

(LAUGHTER)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I`d say it`s about — it`s time to start practicing good hand washing.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Now that`s gross. That`s gross.

CRANE: But don`t worry, the bacteria poses no threat to public safety. They were found at incredibly low levels and some of them, they

weren`t even active. In fact, they also found good bacteria.

And hearing this and learning this, is that going to change the way you ride the subways?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Definitely.

CRANE: And is it going to change the way you ride the subways now?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, because I`ve always rode the subways with my hands in my pocket or either, you know, sitting down trying not to touch

anything.

CRANE: The bacteria found in the subway is really not all that different from the amount found above ground. I mean we`re surrounded by

countless bacteria and we`re doing just fine.

But that`s not going to stop me from using my sanitizer. Stay clean.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

(ON SCREEN)

That`s Random

AZUZ: When President Theodore Roosevelt took office in 1901, he brought along six children with him. And the family had a boatload of

animals. They had dogs, a lizard, guinea pigs, a badger, a blue macaw, a hyena, a bear — in fact, the teddy bear as we know it today was named for

Teddy Roosevelt.

Now that`s random.

(ON SCREEN)

That`s Random

(ON SCREEN)

5 Things To Know

AZUZ (voice-over): Less random, in wintertime anyway, are snow days. And some students in the U.S. Northeast are seeing a lot of them.

Boston, Massachusetts has set an all-time record for snowfall over 30 days. Its mayor says students haven`t had a full week of classes in three

weeks.

(on camera): And while snow days are often popular with students — in Georgia, we`d go crazy — they`re not popular with others.

Five reasons why.

One, forecasting weather not an exact science. Schools only set aside a certain number of snow days per year. If they call one and it doesn`t

snow, the day is lost.

Two, they`re tough on working parents. If they still have to work and their children are home, they have to scramble to arrange child care.

Three, they`re tough on some students. Those who depend on school for a healthy meal or a safe place to spend the day won`t get it.

Four, they`re costly. There`s clean-up, snow removal, overtime and schools can lose grant or foundation money if their test scores sink

because of snow days.

Five, there`s less time to learn. Students preparing for standardized tests or AP exams can fall behind if there are too many snow days.

(ON SCREEN)

Before We Go

AZUZ: We`ve taught robots to do all kinds of things — assemble and wash cars, make candy bars, explore Mars. This one can ski, sort of. It

can move forward on skis in snow. Jennifer is its name and games are its game. Students at the University of Manitoba programmed her to ice skate

and play hockey.

Now they`re working on downhill skiing.

She`s not ready for any black diamond runs yet, but she is an expert at snow plowing.

In fact, like Jennifer herself, you could say she`s got it down to a science.

We never at the moment our pons. They`d sound too robotic. And even though they`re built into almost all of our programs, these legendary

linguistics simply can`t be bot.

I`m Carl Azuz for CNN STUDENT NEWS.

CARL AZUZ, HOST: For the first time in 13 years, a U.S. president is asking Congress to formally authorize military force.

That`s our first story today on CNN STUDENT NEWS.

The White House plan was submitted yesterday. It`s got a time limit. It would expire in three years.

President Obama said it could be reconsidered by the next president at that time. He says the U.S. should not get dragged into another prolonged

ground war in the Middle East.

But the authorization would allow the president to put U.S. boots on the ground, something he said last year he would not do.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: And there`s no heavier decision than asking our men and women in uniform to risk their lives on

our behalf. As commander-in-chief, I will only send our the president`s into harm`s way when it is absolutely necessary for our national security.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

AZUZ: In 2001, Congress authorized President George W. Bush to go after the terrorists responsible for the 9/11 attacks. The Obama

administration believes this same authorization allows it to go after the ISIS terrorist group.

So why is it asking for Congress` approval?

The president says it will show the world the U.S. government is united in its resolve to fight ISIS.

But while lawmakers agree some kind of legislation is needed, they don`t all agree on what it should be.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. JOHN BOEHNER (R-OH), SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: I`m not sure that the strategy that`s been outlined will accomplish the mission the president

says he wants to accomplish. And his point, the president`s point is that he wants to dismantle and destroy ISIS. I haven`t seen the strategy yet

that I think will accomplish it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

AZUZ: Some Democrats and Republicans are concerned that parts of the White House plan are too vague, so it`s not clear whether Congress will

pass the authorization.

Tension in Yemen — the U.S. has suspended the work of its embassy in the Middle Eastern country and pulled out everyone who was working there.

It wasn`t a military evacuation. People were able to leave on commercial vehicles. But Yemen is very unstable. Its home base for a dangerous

terrorist group called Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. And it doesn`t have a working government since Houthi rebels took over earlier this year.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(ON SCREEN)

Houthis “Partisans of God”

The Houthis are a Shiite tribal militia from the Saada Province in Northwest Yemen. They follow the Zaidi sect of Islam, named after their

former leader, Hussein Badreddin al-Houth. Al-Houth was killed by the Yemeni military in 2004. The Houthis seized parts of Sana`a last September

and demanded more political influence. They are in conflict against al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.

AQAP and some Western diplomats accuse Iran of bankrolling the Houthis, which they deny. The Houthi slogan includes the phrases: “Death

to America!” and “Death to Israel!”

Roll Call

AZUZ: We always welcome your Roll Call requests. On each day`s transcript page, you`ll find it at cnnstudentnews.com.

On our Roll today, is Tift County High School. The Blue Devils are watching in Tifton, Georgia.

How about the Centurions?

They`re watching from Clarksville, Tennessee at Clarksville Christian School.

And Cherokee Middle School is here. This one is Cherokee, Iowa, the home of the Braves.

NBC, the National Broadcasting Company, has just suspended the highest rated news anchor in the US. Back in 2003, Brian Williams was covering the

Iraq War. He`s said several times since then that a helicopter he was traveling on was shot down by a rocket-propelled grenade.

But last month, some of the veterans on that helicopter posted on NBC`s Facebook page that Williams wasn`t aboard.

Williams apologized. He said he made a mistake in remembering the events of 12 years ago. He said he was actually on an aircraft that was

following the one shot down.

Because of concerns about his credibility, NBC is now investigating other claims Williams made over the years. His salary is $10 million per

year. His suspension lasts six months with no pay.

Next, a cheating scandal in Little League baseball, but it wasn`t devised by the young players. Little League has a rule that says every

player on a team has to live within certain boundary lines. It`s one thing that separates Little League from Major League baseball, where players are

from all over the place.

Breaking that rule cost one team from Illinois its championship.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANDY SCHOLES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: One of the feel good sports stories from 2014 is not so feel good anymore.

Jackie Robinson West, the first all African-American Little League team to win the U.S. championship, has been stripped of their title for

using players that did not come from the geographic area that they represent. An investigation by the Little League office found that Jackie

Robinson West used a falsified boundary map and that team officials met with neighboring Little League districts in Illinois to recruit players and

basically build a super team.

The team manager has been suspended and the district administrator has been removed from his position. Little League International CEO Stephen

Keener said in a statement, “This is a heartbreaking decision. What these players accomplished on the field and the memories and lessons they have

learned during the Little League World Series tournament is something that kids can be proud of. But it is unfortunate that the actions of adults

have led to this outcome.”

As a result of Jackie Robinson West vacating all of their wins, the U.S. championship has been awarded to Mountain Ridge Little League from Las

Vegas. This is the third time in a 68-year history of the Little League World Series that a team has had to vacate wins. The last time it happened

was 2001, when a team from Bronx, New York was stripped of their third place finish because pitching phenom Danny Almonte was found to be older

than he claimed to be.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

AZUZ: Some terms you might hear in a courtroom.

Taking the Fifth — when people invoke their Fifth Amendment right not to testify against themselves.

Nolo contendere — when a defendant accepts conviction but doesn`t admit guilt.

What about claiming insanity?

Last month, we took a look at how juries are chosen in U.S. court cases.

Today, we`re exploring the insanity defense.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DANNY CEVALLOS, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: In an insanity plea, a defendant basically says I did the deed, but at the time I did, I didn`t know right

from wrong.

(ON SCREEN)

The Insanity Defense

CEVALLOS: Insanity is part of a group of defenses called excuse defenses. And in most jurisdictions, if a jury finds that a defendant was

insane, they must find that defendant not guilty.

Historically, the dominant test for insanity is known as the M`Naghten Test and it dates all the way back to 1843 in England. And the test

basically asks, at the time of the deed, did the defendant know the difference between right and wrong?

Now, wait a minute, that doesn`t mean whether the defendant personally believed what he was doing was right or wrong. It`s whether a defendant is

aware that the rest of society considers it wrong.

So if you hide a body or conceal a knife, than you are aware that everyone around you thinks what you are doing would be wrong.

Defendants usually have the burden of proving that insanity defense. In some jurisdictions, it`s by a preponderance of the evidence. And in

other jurisdictions, it`s by clear and convincing evidence.

An insanity defense usually relies on expert testimony, so you have to find an expert or a doctor or a medical professional who will testify that

you suffered from that medical condition. And, as medicine has evolved, more and more creative conditions apparently exist.

Ultimately, just because you have a creative insanity defense doesn`t mean it`s actually going to work, because, at the end of the day, you have

to convince a jury of your peers.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

(ON SCREEN)

Before We Go

AZUZ: Before we go, at first, it`s not clear what this is. But if you saw it coming at you, you`d want to get out of the way, because this

thing is snow joke. The monster barreling and blasting its way through winter is a train. It`s part of the Canadian National Railway that knows

how to handle snow. You just plow through it.

The same problem, same solution at the intersection, though this blast of snow completely whites out the camera.

Does the conductor have bad conduct?

It`s almost driven like a runaway train.

But when you train your eyes on it, you`ll see its motive isn`t loco. There is just no way you can stop the locomotion.

I think you`ve got the knack for more CNN STUDENT NEWS.

We`ll get back on track tomorrow.

CARL AZUZ, HOST: Fridays are awesome, even Friday the 13th of February.

I`m Carl Azuz for CNN STUDENT NEWS.

It`s great to see you.

There was a breakthrough yesterday at a conference in Minsk, Belarus. Representatives from France, Germany, Russia and Ukrainian gathered there

to discuss the situation in war-torn Ukraine.

The result of the talks, a cease-fire agreement. Fighting in Ukraine is scheduled to end on Sunday. The Ukrainian government and the separatist

rebels fighting it are set to pull back their heavy weapons, release all hostages and illegally held prisoners and start discussing elections in two

areas controlled by rebels who support Russia.

International officials are optimistic about the agreement, but parts of it are similar to a previous cease-fire made last September which fell

apart.

In another part of Europe, a verdict announced in the trial of the captain of the Costa Concordia. If that doesn`t sound familiar, this

should look familiar. It was a cruise ship sailed too closely to the rocks near a Tuscan island three years ago. Thirty-two people died in the

accident and on Wednesday night, a judge announced that Captain Francesco Schettino was guilty of causing a maritime disaster, multiple counts of

manslaughter and abandoning ship when people needed help.

His penalty?

Sixteen years in prison and court costs.

(ON SCREEN)

Shout Out

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Time for the Shout Out.

In the U.S. Congress, what kind of vote is required to override a presidential veto?

If you think you know it, shout it out.

Is it a simple majority in Senate?

Simple majority in House and Senate?

Three quarters vote in House?

Or two thirds vote in House and Senate?

You`ve got three seconds.

Go.

(BELL RINGING)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It`s not easy for lawmakers to override a presidential veto. That requires a two thirds vote in both the House and

the Senate.

That`s your answer and that`s your Shout Out.

AZUZ: A president can veto, refuse to sign any bill, preventing it from becoming law. And President Obama is expected to veto a piece of

legislation just passed by the Republican-controlled Congress.

The law would authorize construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline. The president has threatened to veto it. He believes the decision should be

made by the executive branch and the State Department is still reviewing the project.

Several polls have indicated most Americans support building the pipeline. A handful of Democrats in Congress joined Republicans in voting

for the law, but neither chamber is expected to have the two thirds majority required to override a likely presidential veto.

So what`s the pipeline all about?

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The Keystone XL pipeline extension would stretch about 1,200 miles, most of it in the United States, from

Alberta,

Canada down to Nebraska.

There are lots of pipelines out there, some of which would connect with this.

So why all the fuss about this extension?

First of all, the environment. Opponents say that they fear that this will spoil the landscape. If there is a spill, that it could contaminate

ground water, hurt humans and animals. And they say this is dirty oil, a type of oil that when it`s burned, produced more greenhouse gases.

Supporters say the company that wants this, TransCanada, has already promised much more robust safety measures, that rail shipments are rising

already to bring this oil in and the rail shipments are riskier than the pipeline would be.

The second issue, jobs. Supporters like to cite a study that says somewhere around 42,000 jobs or more would benefit from this pipeline.

That includes not only the people who work on it, but people in restaurants and hotels and supply houses. But opponents say that`s all temporary.

That`s for one or two years while this thing is built. In the end, there may be only 50 permanent jobs coming out of this.

So that raises the real question, why would you want to build this thing at all?

It`s only 36 inches across.

Does it really make a difference?

Supporters say yes, it does. It means about 830,000 barrels of oil a day coming into the United States from a secure ally, reducing our

dependence on

Overseas oil from places like Venezuela or the Middle East.

Whereas opponents say, look, it is just not worth it. For all those various reasons they`ve already cited, even as supporters continue to say

look, it`s time, after all this debate, to dig the trenches and to get this pipe into the ground.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(ON SCREEN)

Roll Call

AZUZ: Its flag is green with a picture of Washington. Its nickname is Evergreen. It`s the state of Washington. It`s the state of Quincy High

School. You can`t catch the Jack Rabbits. They`re online in Quincy.

River Chase Middle School is in Pelham. That`s in the Yellowhammer State of Alabama. Watch out for the Panthers.

And Bitburg is a city in Germany. On yesterday`s transcript page, we heard from Bitburg Middle School. Thank you for watching.

In our reporting on the spread of measles in the U.S., we`ve talked a lot about vaccines. The CDC recommends vaccines against 16 different

diseases. Many shots in multiple doses for American children.

It says they`re our best defense.

But some parents delay or skip vaccinations for their children out of concerns about the number or safety of them.

How do vaccines work?

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): When you get a disease like measles or chicken pox, you develop immunity to it so you`ll

never get it again. A vaccine tricks your body into thinking you`ve had the disease when you really haven`t.

Here`s how it works. A needle delivers the virus into your body and in response, your immune system develops antibodies. That virus is either

killed or weakened so you won`t get sick.

The antibodies are defenders and fight off that particular germ and they stay in your bloodstream, always on the lookout for the invader. So

if you ever do encounter the germ, the antibodies will go into action mode and you won`t get the disease, or you`ll get a less severe version of it.

And if enough people get vaccinated, you achieve what`s called herd immunity — so many people are vaccinated, there`s little chance of a

widespread outbreak. That makes it a lot safer for people who can`t be vaccinated, like babies or some people with cancer.

Vaccines usually cause no side effects or just mild ones. For example, with the vaccine for measles, mumps and rubella, one out of every

six people will get a fever. One out of every 20 a mild rash. Serious side effects are less frequent. Seizures caused by fever, one out of 3,000

doses; a serious allergic reaction, one out of a million doses. And according to the Centers for Disease Control, deafness and permanent brain

damage have been reported after the MMR vaccine, but it`s so rare, it`s hard to tell whether those are caused by the vaccine or by something else.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

(ON SCREEN)

5 Things To Know

AZUZ: Just ahead of Valentine`s Day this weekend, we`re bringing you five things to know about the holiday.

But one thing we`ll say right off about this report, you`re going to love it.

First, the name. Saint Valentine`s Day was probably named after a Christian priest who was martyred in the third century. There were a few

people named Valentine, though, so it`s hard to be sure.

Second, the tradition. Valentine`s Day became associated with romance in the 1300s. Today, more than 60 percent of American adults say they

celebrate.

Third, the Valentines — commercially printed cards appeared in the U.S. in the mid-1800s. Europe started at least 100 years before that. One

hundred and fifty million cards and gifts are sent each year in America.

Fourth, what gifts?

Thirty-six million heart-shaped boxes of chocolate, according to History.com; 257 million roses, according to AboutFlowers.com; Valentine`s

Day is the number one holiday for florists.

And fifth, the money. The National Retail Federation expects Americans to spend almost $19 billion on the holiday. Men will drop about

$190, on average; women about $96. But you can`t put a price on love.

(ON SCREEN)

Before We Go

AZUZ: We may be near Valentines, but we could have showed you this near Halloween. It looks like a decrepit, run-down vacant witch`s house

that`s falling apart. It`s actually a lived in landmark in Beverly Hills.

It was first built in Culver City, California in 1920 and used as a movie studio office and dressing room. A producer moved it to Beverly

Hills in 1924 and it`s been a private home ever since.

It`s not for sale and it`s hard to say what it`s worth, whether it`s buyer beware or buyer bewitched, it`s hard to say which unless you are a

witch, in which case, the witch`s place is the place in which to lay your broom.

That`s a state of things.

We will be off Monday. There`s no show for President`s Day.

We hope to see you Tuesday when CNN STUDENT NEWS returns.