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Progress in Fighting Ebola; Authorizing U.S. to Go to War; NFL`s on the Rise despite Scandals; How Jury is Selected

CARL AZUZ, CNN ANCHOR: You`ve made it to Friday. It`s the last one of the month, and we`ve got ten minutes of news lined up for you.

A first story is about the Ebola virus, but it`s a hopeful one. According to the World Health Organization, the number of new Ebola cases is slowing

down in the three African countries that have been worst hit by the epidemic. Those are Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea. Combined, they

reported that 99 people caught Ebola last week. That`s the first week since last summer that officials have seen fewer than 100 new cases.

This doesn`t mean the outbreak is over, but officials say the international response to the incurable disease has moved into its second phase. The

first was slowing down Ebola`s transmission, the second is ending the outbreak.

There`ve been more than 22,000 confirmed or suspected cases of Ebola since this outbreak was first reported last March. Almost 8800 people are known

to have died from it.

In the "State of the Union" address earlier this month, President Obama asked Congress to authorize the use of force against ISIL or what you`ve

heard us call the ISIS terrorist group. The U.S. Constitution divides the war powers of the federal government. It designates the president as

commander-in-chief of the military, but it gives Congress the power to declare war, raise the army and fund it.

Historically, there`s been some push-pull between presidents and Congress over these powers.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ATHENA JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The AUMF is an authorization of the use of military force. It`s Congress`s way of giving the president permission

to use the U.S. armed forces in a conflict.

So, why do we need an AUMF? Well, it`s the law. That`s the short answer. Under the War Powers Resolution of 1973, the president can take U.S. forces

into hostilities, into a war, but after 60 days he has to stop those hostilities if he hasn`t gotten congressional approval.

Back in August, the U.S. launched airstrikes against ISIS forces in Iraq, and did so at the invitation of Iraq`s government. It wasn`t until

September that the U.S. forces began launching airstrikes against ISIS in Syria. At the time, the president said:

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: I have the authority to address the threat from ISIL.

JONES: But he said he`d like for the Congress to pass an authorization.

Just to show the world that the U.S. is united on this.

OBAMA: We are strongest as a nation, when the president and Congress work together.

JONES: The White House said this authority came from the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force. That was the authorization linked

to the war in Afghanistan. It was about bring the fight to the people who are responsible for 9/11.

So, a series of hearings back in September before, for instance, the Senate Armed Services Committee and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee were

people from the Obama administration like Secretary of State John Kerry and others were pressed on this issue.

SEN. JEFF FLAKE (R) ARIZONA: I`m a little confused at the position that`s being taken by the administration now.

SEN. ROBERT MENENDEZ (D) NEW JERSEY: I`m personally not comfortable with reliance on either the 2001 AUMF that relies on a thin theory that ISIL is

associated with al Qaeda.

JONES: Cut (ph) to the State of the Union address the president said .

OBAMA: I call on this Congress to show the world that we are united in this mission by passing a resolution to authorize the use of force against

ISIL.

We need

(APPLAUSE)

OBAMA: . that authority

JONES: And so, the other president said "We need that authority." And that`s the difference here. Now the White House is saying, "We need that

authority."

(END VIDEOTAPE)

AZUZ: In the U.S., the Super Bowl is two days away. It doesn`t matter whether you like football. There`s a good chance you`re going to be seeing

the NFL Championship game on Sunday.

Last year`s game, Super Bowl XLVIII was the most watched American TV event ever. It was seen by more than 111 million viewers. That`s over one third

of the entire country.

Since then, and an advance of Super Bowl XLIX, the National Football League has had some pretty big controversies heated image.

What do you call a championship game whose league and players have been accused of nothing less than attacking the brain, assaulting the body and

compromising the soul of competition? Why? That`s the Super Bowl! Yes, super. A fitting end to a season filled with defensiveness.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROGER GOODELL, NFL COMMISSIONER: I got it wrong in the handling of the Ray Rice Matter. And I`m sorry for that.

AZUZ: Denials.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I didn`t (INAUDIBLE) anyway.

AZUZ: And discipline.

ZYGI WILF, MINNESOTA VIKINGS, OWNER: We have decided that the appropriate course of action for the organization and for Adrian (ph) is to put them

under exempt list.

AZUZ: Star running back Ray Rice caught on video hitting his now wife. Star running back Adrian Petersen copying a plea to charges that he beat

his son with a switch.

Star quarterback Tom Brady dodging cheating allegations. And the head of it all, Commissioner Roger Goodell facing questions about how he handled it

all.

You might think this would put the success of this enterprise in question. You might think that, but you would be wrong.

Attendance is up, (INAUDIBLE) ratings for big chunks of the playoffs. For 17 straight weeks, and NFL game was the most watched show on TV.

And now teams are splitting more than $6 billion in revenue.

Money. There is lots of it. If there`s so much outrage over scandals, with NS, why do we keep watching? Well, the fact is, we do. We like it.

The game, at least.

More than 100 million people will watch this Sunday. And for the NFL that simple fact can be described with one word: Super.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

AZUZ: On CNN STUDENT NEWS, there are three things to love about every roll call. The first today, is Central Cast Middle School. The squirrels are

watching up in North Dakota. Good to see you all in Castleton. Second is re-education services. We are glad to have viewers in Perry (ph). It`s a

village in the buckeye state of Ohio.

And third, it`s in New Orleans, this is the home of the Rams, it`s the home of Louisiana`s GW Carver Preparatory Academy.

Article Three of the U.S. Constitution discusses the judicial power of the U.S.

Section one says judges shall hold their offices during good behavior, interesting tidbit there.

As far as the jury goes, section two says the trial of all crimes shall be by jury and shall be held in the state where the alleged crime was

committed.

But how was the jury chosen?

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DANNY CEVALLOS, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: The idea behind jury selection is to seek a fair and impartial jury. The reality is, that`s only the judge`s

goal. What most people won`t tell you that the different attorneys, they want to seat the most bias jury they can possibly find? Bias towards their

case.

First, the court actually has to summon jurors to the court house. That sounds simple, but believe me, it isn`t. In a typical capital case, if a

court summon say 300 potential jurors, they are lucky if 100 show up. And for the most part the judge`s main inquiry is based on whatever your

preconceived ideas are or what you`ve heard about this high profile case. Can you put all that aside? And render an impartial verdict?

Now, the attorneys are certainly involved. They can challenge jurors either for cause or using what are called peremptory challenges. This is a

challenge that an attorney can use to strike a juror for any reason at all, but they only get a few of them, so they have to use them wisely.

An interesting point about peremptory challenges. A lawyer can use them to get rid of a potential juror for any reason, and he doesn`t have to explain

why.

Unless the other side thinks: he`s using it to get rid of specific races of jurors.

Everybody`s got a theory on what race or gender, think this way, what particular religion, think another way, whether rich or poor people, think

one way or the other. And ultimately, it`s all guesswork.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

AZUZ: Forecast for Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. Well, it`s cold. With lows well below zero. Perfect for sledding, but in a city that`s

relatively flat, one man used leaves, snow, ice and tires to build up some curves and walls in his backyard. A luge!

He built it for a seven-year old daughter`s birthday party in the unmitigated joy of the neighborhood kids, because the climate is so called

in Saskatoon, the track could stick around until spring.

Of course, it`s possible, the neighbors gave him some icy stares or made a comment about their - next door. But the kids say, he`s a winter. Gave

them a great place to chill all day and stay on track for fun. I was going to drop at day luge of cold puns, but at this point in the show, sometimes

that just freeze up. I`m Carl Azuz for CNN STUDENT NEWS. Fridays are iceome.

END