CNN Student News - November 4, 2016

CARL AZUZ, CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR: Awestruck, awe-inspiring, oh yeah, maybe. But it`s awesome that describes Fridays! 

I`m Carl Azuz. Great to see you. 

First up, the Brexit, Britain`s exit from the European Union just got more complicated. Over the summer, people in the United Kingdom voted 52 percent to 48 percent to leave the E.U., the political and economic association of European countries. 

British Prime Minister Theresa May had planned to get that process started early next year. 

But yesterday, the high court ruled that the nation`s parliament has to vote on the process, meaning Prime Minister May will need the approval of British lawmakers first. The government says that before the Brexit vote, British lawmakers had already determined to leave the decision up to 
British voters. 

So, the government plans to appeal the decision. But even if it`s upheld and stays in place, most experts expect that British members of parliament will support the Brexit. And giving them a vote means that the prime minister`s plans could be delayed. 

Supporters of the high court`s decision hope this will give Britons and their lawmakers more say in the nation`s terms for leaving the European Union. Critics say a majority of British voters already chose to leave, they want the government to move forward in honoring that decision.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SUBTITLE: A research group is claiming that bones found on Nikumaroro Island may belong to Amelia Earhart. 

The group is saying that arm bones recovered there match Earhart`s "longer than average" arms. 

A forensic imaging specialist estimated Earhart`s arm length from a photograph.

TIGHAR says the analysis shows Earhart`s arm length is "virtually identical to the castaway`s".

The partial skeleton was originally found on the Pacific atoll in 1940.

At the time, a doctor determined the bones couldn`t be Earhart`s because they were from a male. 

A 1998 TIGHAR examination of that doctor`s files concluded that the remains were from a female.

Amelia Earhart`s plane went missing in 1937 while she was attempting an around-the-world flight.

Numerous recovery expeditions, including TIGHAR`s, have failed to find Earhart`s wreckage.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

AZUZ: OK. Up next, a pipeline that shuttles gasoline to the U.S. Southeast has been shut down. Gas prices are going up in several states. 

Gas shortages are possible in some areas. 

Any if these sound familiar? The same pipeline was temporarily closed in September, causing the same problems. A leak led to an 11-day shutdown at that time.

Earlier this week, a construction crew in Alabama accidentally hit the pipeline with a piece of heavy equipment. It caused a massive explosion, killing one worker and injuring five others. 

This pipeline, the Colonial Pipeline, is important, because it runs from refineries in Houston, Texas, all the way up to terminals in New Jersey. 

One oil analyst characterized it as the aorta of East Coast gasoline supplies. Governors in Alabama, Georgia, governors in Alabama, Georgia and North Carolina are taking steps to try to avoid gas shortages and keep prices from shooting up. The pipeline could reopen this Saturday.

Hard to think of two folks who are traveling more around the U.S. right now than Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. 

And it`s not just the candidates themselves who are crisscrossing the country. They`re running mates are campaigning. Their spouses, children, current and former politicians all trying to get out the vote. 

And the money being spent can only be measured in millions. Between the Clinton and Trump campaigns, plus the outside groups that support them, $75 million are spent. But that is just on TV ads and that`s just this week alone. 

The big prizes are the battleground states, with the electoral votes that could turn the tide of the election. 

John King has a look at how the Electoral College could play out based on recent polling in several states.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Seven new polls in battleground states today that tell us Donald Trump is in better shape but still faces a stiff hill to catch up to Hillary Clinton. 

Let`s walk through these polls and let`s start with the ones conducted for us here at CNN. Number one in one of the biggest battleground states of all, Florida, always very close to the American politics, 49 percent for Hillary Clinton, 47 percent for Donald Trump, a two-point race, but statistically that`s a dead heat and a tie in a state that`s always close to the end.

Let`s move up north here to the state of Pennsylvania. This is a blue state, a traditional Democratic state for sometime, Hillary Clinton still leads, but this is somewhat encouraging for Donald Trump, only a four-point lead, 48 percent to 44 percent for Hillary Clinton in battleground 

Pennsylvania, a state she needs to hold. If Trump can get that and its electoral votes, that would be a big deal. 

Let`s move west as we go through the rest of our CNN poll, in the state of Arizona, where Hillary Clinton campaigns on Wednesday. A week or so ago, there were some public polling showing her ahead. Republicans now, though, coming home. This is a traditional Republican state. Donald Trump leads 49 percent to 44 percent, as Hillary Clinton campaigns out there, and runs TV ads as well, trying to change it.

Here`s a bit of a surprise: Nevada, a big Latino population, critical to both of President Obama`s victories. Look at this, in the west, Donald Trump pulling ahead in the state of Nevada, 49 percent to 43 percent. That`s a pretty big deal, as Donald Trump tries to get the math necessary to win the presidency.

Now, let`s move to some other polls as we come back toward the east. This one is the state of Wisconsin, traditionally a Democratic state, still a Democratic state if you look at this poll, not out of reach, a six-point lead, but a six-point lead for Hillary Clinton in the state of Wisconsin. 

Donald Trump has been there this week. He wants to keep that one on the map.

Let`s go quickly through a couple of others. Ohio, one of the biggest battleground states, always closely contested. This one, very good news for Donald Trump. Ohio, which has been so critical in our past recent presidential elections, moving Donald Trump`s way, a five-point lead for 

Donald Trump in a state again that he must win if he`s going to have a shot for the presidency.

And one more, the state where President Obama campaigned today, Obama won this in 2008, lost it in 2012, the hotly contested state of North Carolina, a very small Clinton lead, 47 percent to 44 percent. 

So, that`s a lot of polling to digest. 

Seven battleground states, let`s go to the map that matters most and run it through the process. 

This is where we have the race today. If Hillary Clinton protects the blue on this map, she`s the next president of the United States. But let`s walk through what we just went through. Donal Trump leading in Nevada, leading in Arizona. We don`t have any new Utah polling, but it`s pretty safe 
assumption if he`s gaining ground among Republicans in the west, let`s for the sense of this hypothetical, give them Utah as well, Donald Trump starting to move.

Again, we just showed you Donald Trump leading in Ohio. That moves him into a more competitive position, but still behind Hillary Clinton. If she can stop Donald Trump there, win either Florida or North Carolina and hold the blues, she`ll be the next president of the United States. But it is 
not unreasonable looking at those close races, even some Democrats concede Trump could well win Florida, Trump could well win North Carolina, look at what that would do. 

If Donald Trump continues his momentum in those states, that would get it to 272 to 264, meaning to win, Hillary Clinton must defend Pennsylvania, must defend Michigan, must defend Wisconsin, must keep Donald Trump from turning anything that`s blue on this map red. If he can get that close, 
he`s in the hunt. But he still has some significant challenges most of all in Florida and North Carolina. These two states, North Carolina and 

Florida, right now, the biggest of the big battlegrounds in this presidential race.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

AZUZ: You can play around with an interactive electoral map just like that. Our map got a new one altogether at CNNStudentNews.com. Scroll down to "extra credit resources" and click "road to 270".

And, teachers, while you`re on our website, why not sign up for our free daily email. It gives a preview of what`s on each day show and you`re going to love it.

(MUSIC)

AZUZ: Unless you`ve had perfect attendance, you might have had to produce an absentee excuse from a doctor or parent or the Chicago Cubs. Before the team won the World Series, they came up with a super official excuse note for anyone who might have missed school, work or other responsible due to late night baseball watching, and in the Cubs` case, celebrating.

I bet this was handed over in several places yesterday and I bet it was accepted. Just so long as the boss, teacher or supervisor wasn`t a Cleveland Indians fan, in which case, it would have been no excuse. They might have said, the Chica-go try that somewhere, because Ohio and you know
that while Cubs had 108 reasons to sleep in yesterday, Indians fans don`t want to get their goat, but be the goat next season.

I`m Carl Azuz for CNN STUDENT NEWS.

CNN Student News - November 3, 2016

CARL AZUZ, CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR: Give us ten minutes. We`ll give you an explanation of world events. I`m Carl Azuz for CNN STUDENT NEWS.

First up this Thursday, struggles in France. Authorities there have cleared out "The Jungle", the nickname for a massive migrant and refugee camp that had swelled in the French port city of Calais. Many of the people there were from war-torn violent or impoverished countries. They`ve streamed by the hundreds of thousands into Europe, and "The Jungle" formed because Calais is just miles from Britain, the country where many of the migrants want to start over.

But European Union rules say they have to apply for asylum to stay in the first European country where they set off. So, authorities in France are trying to resettle them there. Part of that process involves clearing out camps like "The Jungle", where living conditions were terrible and French 
officials say crime rates were uncontrollable. But other camps are growing in several other places, like parts of Paris. 

And though French law says migrants are eligible for housing while they`re waiting to see if they can legally stay in France, there`s a serious shortage of housing in Paris. With more migrants arriving daily, the strain in the city becomes more visible.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MELISSA BELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The Calais jungle is now a thing of the past. Its tents torn down and its inhabitants relocated to emergency shelters in France`s regions. But as the camp in Calais has closed, others have grown, like this one near a Paris metro station.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: As we know the Paris are opening the door. There are rumors in the whole Europe that France is giving the papers, so all of them are coming toward France right now.

BELL (on camera): The number of migrants living around Stalingrad station have swelled over the course of the last couple of weeks from several hundred to two and a half thousand, according to the aid associations who helped them. We`re talking about Eritreans, Somalis, Sudanese and Afghan 
nationals, most of whom have applied for asylum here in France. They`re simply waiting now for their applications to be processed and living in the meantime in the most appalling conditions.

(voice-over): Sara (ph) is just 17 years old. She arrived at the Stalingrad camp a week ago. And she says she`s had no help in claiming asylum.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It`s very cold, someone is drinking, they talking together. How we can sleep? So when I sleep in the night I cry. Always I can cry. How I can sleep?

BELL (on camera): Are you scared?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I worry myself, I don`t have anybody there. 

BELL (voice-over): Soon, migrants arriving in Paris will be taken to this camp in the north of the city. It was due to open in November and it shouldn`t be long, say authorities, after Calais, they want migrants off all of France`s streets.

Stalingrad is to be cleared by the end of the week. Its tents torn down and its inhabitants relocated to emergency shelters in the greater Paris region. The question is, how many more will be drawn to the streets of a country that now appears to be offering than just its streets?

Melissa Bell, CNN, Paris.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

AZUZ: With eight justices and one vacancy, the U.S. Supreme Court is about a month into its newest session. It will probably run until the beginning of next summer. 

The high court has taken up a pretty wide range of cases. One involves whether the stripes and badges of a cheerleading outfit can be protected by copyright. One involves alleged racial bias by a juror in a case in Colorado. One involves money that the Apple technology won in a case 

involving a patent dispute with the Samsung tech company.

There`s a lot for justices to consider in these cases alone, but it begs the question, how do they get on a docket in the first place with so many lawsuits playing out across the country?

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEFFREY TOOBIN, CNN SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST: For the Supreme Court, the big issue is often what cases they hear as much as how they decide those cases.

SUBTITLE: How the Supreme Court selects cases.

TOOBIN: The justices get thousands of petitions every year, asking them to hear cases. But they only agree to decide about 70 of those cases. 

The main reason the justices take a case is what`s known as a split in the circuits. There are 13 circuit courts of appeals, and sometimes, two of those circuits address the same issue and come out differently. In almost all those cases, the Supreme Court agrees to decide the case.

Now, what kind of cases do they take? 

The Supreme Court only deals with federal law. So, they will only decide cases that involve interpreting federal laws or cases that involve the U.S. constitution which is the ultimate law of the land.

Sometimes the justices do what`s called strategic voting. They think, you know, I think this lower court decision is wrong. But if I vote to hear this case, my colleagues will make the law even worse. So, I`m going to vote to leave the case alone rather than risking a bad Supreme Court decision that could last for decades.

We often hear about 5-4 Supreme Court decisions. But it`s always worth remembering that it only takes four justices to make the most important decision of all, which is to hear the case in the first place.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

AZUZ: Farming the wind. America`s first offshore wind farm is about to open.

These large turbines will be located about three miles off the coast of Block Island, which is south of Rhode Island. The cost to build the project, $300 million.

These turbines are huge, almost 600 feet tall from the bottom to the tip top of the fan blade. 

It took a while for people to get behind this project. Some fishermen were concerned about the impact on their industry. The Kennedys, a prominent 

American political family, were concerned about how the turbines would look. You can see some offshore wind farms from the beach.

Most of the world`s offshore turbines are in Europe. Leases for the American ones were issued by the Department of the Interior, which oversees 

U.S. land management and conservation. These turbines will start whirring this month and their developer estimates they`ll reduce Block Island`s electric rates by 40 percent.

Well, we are five days away from the election that will determine America`s next president. Election Day is Tuesday, November 8th. And the latest 

polls suggest it could be a very close race between Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.

The CIA world fact book describes America`s government type not as a democracy, but as a federal presidential republic. U.S. voters do not 

directly choose their leaders. They choose a group of electors who actually determine the president. 

This group is called the Electoral College, and while you heard it defined and seen the Electoral College map, how exactly does the system work?

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

REPORTER: What is the Electoral College? 

The Electoral College is not a building or institution, it`s just a name given to a designated group of people who cast each state`s official votes for president. 

This group is made up of 538 people. Each state has a different number of electors based on their representatives in Congress. So, states like California and Texas have more votes than states like North and South Dakota. The only exception, the District of Columbia, which has three electors, despite not having any voting members in Congress.

How does it work? 

Each party selects their own group of electors and state that empowers the electors who represent the candidate who won the most votes. Except 

Nebraska and Maine forward electors based on a combination of statewide results and districts won. 

The candidate who receives at least 270 Electoral College votes becomes the next president.

What if there`s a tie? If there is a tie or if somebody doesn`t get to 270, the House of Representatives appoint the president and the Senate chooses the vice president.

Why does the system exist? In short, the Electoral College was created as a compromise of a several different proposals by the nation`s founders. 

Critics say the system allows candidates to become president without necessarily securing a majority of voter support, which happened in 2000. 

Advocates argue, it ensures less populated states aren`t completely ignored.

How are these people selected? The electors are chosen by their political parties in each state. The only rule is that they cannot currently hold office.

Can an elector ignore the popular vote? Yes, it`s called faithless elector, but it`s rare and it has never affected the outcome of an election. Some states require formal pledges, enforced by fines and possible jail time. But historically speaking, members rarely depart from the will of the people.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

AZUZ: Students at the University of Oregon had a really cool idea of how to dispose of pumpkins. Step one, freeze them in liquid nitrogen, step two, drop `em from four stories up. Bam! The hypothesis was that once these gourds were chilled to a temperature of negative 321 degrees 

Fahrenheit, they`d shatter on impact.

Good call, y`all. Plus, while it may not be pumpkin pie, pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin spice or pumpkin cookies, it`s clear they had a blast breaking pumpkin glass. It might put a chill on your bones to have to clean up all that frozen fruit, but they had a vine time making it, stem from a really 
gourd idea, and if it grows on enough people, it could entertain nitrogenerations.

I`m Carl Azuz for CNN STUDENT NEWS.