CNN Student News Transcript: March 21, 2008

(CNN Student News) -- March 21, 2008

Quick Guide

Midwest Flooding - See how massive flooding is impacting parts of the Midwestern U.S.

Riots in Tibet - Learn about the current tension between leaders of China and Tibet.

Women's History Month - Meet the woman who is the winningest coach in NCAA basketball history.

Transcript

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

CARL AZUZ, CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR: Welcome to this Friday edition of CNN Student News. From the CNN Center, I'm Carl Azuz.

First Up: Midwest Flooding

AZUZ: First up, parts of the Midwestern U.S. are still under water after deadly storms struck the region this week. Officials say at least 15 people have been killed by the severe weather. It's dumped as much as a foot of rain on some areas and caused major flooding across several states. The National Weather Service says some of the rising waters could hit record levels this weekend. Nicole Collins has more on the situation.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NICOLE COLLINS, CNN REPORTER: In Missouri it was a frightening experience for the people who were riding in this SUV when it was swept up by rushing flood waters.

CASEY NOLAN, CAR CAUGHT IN MOVING WATER: I didn't think we were going to make it out of there, because it was so swift. It's a miracle that we even got out of there.

COLLINS: Elsewhere in Missouri, you can see in this aerial video how flood waters took over this home and yard. In Oklahoma, powerful currents running below this road caused part of it to collapse. And in Ohio, some drivers found their normal routes had turned into dead ends.

CHARLES MCCLASKUI, MOTORIST: That road down there's flooded. This one over here's flooded. They're all startin' to get flooded.

COLLINS: And this woman found herself trapped in her home, so rescuers came knocking with a boat to get her to dry ground. Flood waters are rapidly going down here in Ohio. Right now, I'm standing up to my knees in a soy bean field. But just 24 hours ago, I would have been in over my head. In South Lebanon, Ohio, I'm Nicole Collins for CNN Student News.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Shoutout

STAN CASE, CNN STUDENT NEWS: Time for the Shoutout! Tibet is a region of what country? If you think you know it, shout it out! Is it: A) Nepal, B) India, C) China or D) Burma? You've got three seconds -- GO! The CIA recognizes Tibet as an autonomous region of China. That's your answer and that's your Shoutout!

Riots in Tibet

AZUZ: Tensions are sky high right now between Tibetan and Chinese leaders, after violent protests broke out recently in the Asian country. Tibet is located in the southwestern part of China, and it borders other regions to the north and east. Protests that started in the Tibetan capital of Lhasa last week spread into two of those regions, where Free Tibet activists clashed with Chinese security forces. Both sides acknowledge that people were killed in the fighting, but there's a dispute over the number of victims. The Chinese government is blaming the violence on supporters of the Dalai Lama, Tibet's spiritual leader. But he says he only has limited control over the Free Tibet movement. The protests have made headlines around the world. But Kristie Lu Stout explains why people living in China might run into some problems if they're trying to read about this situation online.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN REPORTER: As Beijing fights to end Tibetan protests, it's also battling to control the flow of images and information to the millions of Internet users inside China. Go to Google in China, search "free Tibet" and you'll see a page of search results. But click on one of the links, and you'll get this: one big error message. Now look for "Tibet" on CNN.com and you'll get the same thing. As for YouTube? You can't even access the main page. Such measures aren't unusual. China often presses the censor button. But a U.S.-based group that monitors Chinese digital media says this time, things seem different:

XIAO QIANG, BERKELEY CHINA INTERNET PROJECT: The scale of the control at the national gateway level and inside China is far more intense than anything I have seen before.

STOUT: Beijing has built something of a "great firewall of China," a complex system of monitoring and filtering of sensitive keywords. Popular Web sites like Sohu and Sina offer reports on the protests, but as dictated by China's official Xinhua News Agency. Xinhua has been reporting a significantly lower death toll than Tibetan exile groups, along with the government's allegations that the Dalai Lama is behind the violence. This university student and Internet user seemed to echo the government's official version of events. Li Fengmei says the Dalai Lama instigated the monks to demonstrate, and that when the government sent troops to stop the riots, they were attacked by monks. The Dalai Lama has denied orchestrating the protests and says he has never advocated violence.

STOUT: But China's "great firewall" is not perfect. Creative Internet users sidestep the censors by, among other things, misspelling words that have been filtered. For example, a Web site may not allow you to post a comment with "Da Lai," the Chinese words for the Dalai Lama. But type in the letters "D-L," and you get information about the Dalai Lama. China's chat rooms, which are subject to censorship, meanwhile, are busy hosting some reaction to the unrest. There was no way to tell if this site was being monitored, but one participant writes: "I'm 100% supportive of the government oppression of the riot!" But also on the same site, this comment: "The thing that angers me most is that the party is blocking out information again on this. It's helplessly dumb." China, working to restrict access on the information superhighway, while some users try to work around the roadblocks. Kristie Lu Stout, CNN, Hong Kong.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Five Years in Iraq

AZUZ: Yesterday's story about the five year anniversary of the war in Iraq certainly got you talking on our blog! Here's a sample:

Corey says: If we listened to anti-war groups and pulled out of Iraq, they would feel great at first. But that is showing other countries we won't really do anything if we are attacked. I am shipping out for basic training in June for the Air Force, because I believe what we are doing is right!

James says: I think we should withdraw from Iraq. If the other nations think we are weak, so be it. We need to stop being the world police and just protect ourselves.

Brett wrote: There is a need for a friendly country in that area of the world, where people don't like us so much.

Andrea wrote in to say: Like most Americans, I believe that the war in Iraq is not benefiting our country. Families are devastated with increasing deaths of their loved ones. And not only are soldiers dying, but a lot of money is being wasted towards the war.

AZUZ: Thanks, guys. Keep the comments coming. We'll update the blog over the weekend.

Women's History Month

AZUZ: Bust out those brackets, it's time for March Madness, when college basketball dominates the sports world. Seems like a good time to talk about one of the most successful people in the game.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AZUZ: The winningest coach in NCAA basketball history, with more than 970 victories, isn't a man. It's 55-year-old Pat Summitt, whose Lady Volunteers swished their way to a seventh NCAA basketball title in 2007. In reporting on Summitt's incredible achievements during her 33 years at Tennessee, it's hard to decide where to start: Honored as Coach of the Year too many times and by too many organizations to mention. Racking up 800 wins faster than any basketball coach in history. Olympic Gold Medalist team coach. First female basketball coach to net a million-dollar annual salary. Inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame the very first time she was eligible; that was back in 2000. The list just keeps going. So, how far could Summit get? 1,000 wins maybe? More? With talent like this, it seems like anything is possible. Honoring Pat Summitt this Women's History Month.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Promo

AZUZ: If you want to learn about the accomplishments of some other superlative female sports stars, as well as pioneering women in business, science and politics, head to CNNStudentNews.com! You'll find a link to more Women's History Month profiles in the Spotlight section on our page.

Off the Beaten Path

AZUZ: And finally, let's take a quick look at some stories from Off the Beaten Path. You've heard of an eye for an eye. How about a ham for a ham? This butcher busted a would-be thief trying to pillage prosciutto from his restaurant. So, he responded with his own pig product and smacked him in the face with a frozen ham! The thief got away, but not with any meat. Speaking of culinary curiosities, say hello to some point-conscious primates. Nutritionists at Chicago's Brookfield Zoo say these gorillas, and a lot of their furry friends, have been packing on the pounds. Goodbye fatty foods. Hello Weight Watchers! Guess the fitness craze isn't just limited to humans. And this isn't a driving course. It's a road in Florida with some unusually sized speed bumps. An apartment manager built the bumps because people were speeding near a bus stop. Some drivers think the deterrents are too big, too square and too hard to get over. But the bumps are on private property, so drivers will just have to find a way to get over it.

Goodbye

AZUZ: And that's where we drive off into the sunset. Have a great weekend, everyone. I'm Carl Azuz. E-mail to a friend