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(CNN Student News) -- April 28, 2008
Quick Guide
Afghan Attack - Learn about a violent attack on a military ceremony in Afghanistan.
Olympic Torch Relay - Hear about demonstrations during the Olympic torch's time in Seoul.
America Votes 2008 - Find out how two candidates claim to be leading in the popular vote.
Transcript
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MONICA LLOYD, CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR: It's a new week, and we're glad you're getting it started with CNN Student News. Hope you had a great weekend. From the CNN Center, I'm Monica Lloyd.
LLOYD: First up, the Taliban is claiming responsibility for an attack in Afghanistan that killed three people and wounded several others. The Taliban is an ultra-conservative religious group that took control of the Asian country in the 1990s. They aided Osama bin Laden following the 9/11 terrorist attacks and were driven out of power by U.S. and allied forces. Yesterday's violence took place during a military ceremony in the city of Kabul. Lonzo Cook has the details.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LONZO COOK, CNN REPORTER: The Afghan National Anthem plays; a 21-gun salute echoes in the background; President Hamid Karzai looks on. International dignitaries on hand for this important ceremony, including the NATO commander in Afghanistan and the U.S. ambassador. Just as the national anthem ends, watch and listen: bursts of gunfire; confusion amongst the assembled dignitaries; the camera turns away. By the time it turns back, President Karzai has been spirited away by his security detail. Only some in the stands realize they are under attack. Chaos, as Afghan soldiers stream away from the apparent source of the gunfire. The Taliban were quick to claim responsibility for the attack, saying they had sent what they called six martyrs armed with machine guns and rockets.
President Karzai escaped unharmed. So did the U.S. and British officials who were there. Within a few hours, Karzai appeared on state TV to address the nation.
This is the fourth attempt on Karzai's life since he became president six years ago. The Taliban have been stepping up their attacks against government security forces and their Western allies. Occasionally, they venture into the capital, like the January attack on an international hotel that left seven dead. President Karzai has been derided by many as the Mayor of Kabul, because it seems the capital is the only part of Afghanistan firmly under his control. On this day, even his control of Kabul was challenged for a brief but deadly time. Lonzo Cook, CNN.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
Fast Facts
GEORGE RAMSAY, CNN STUDENT NEWS: Time for some Fast Facts! Hamid Karzai was born in Kandahar, Afghanistan, in 1957. Both his father and grandfather served in Afghanistan's government. Before becoming president, Karzai led an uprising against the Taliban, which was in control of the Afghan government. In 2002, he attended President Bush's State of the Union address as an honored guest.
LLOYD: Traveling thousands of miles across more than a dozen countries and hitting some roadblocks and detours along the way. No, it's not an episode of "The Amazing Race." We're talking about the Olympic torch relay, which passed through South Korea over the weekend. About 30,000 Chinese students are studying there. And as Sohn Jie-Ae tells us, many of them showed up to see the flame.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SOHN JIE-AE, CNN REPORTER: The Olympic torch's journey through Seoul was marked by competing demonstrations. Thousands of Chinese students and residents in Korea made an enthusiastic turnout. "Go, go China," they shouted, turning the Olympic Park, where the torch started its relay, and almost the entire route, into a sea of red.
CHINESE RESIDENT IN KOREA: I cannot express it. I feel my heart beating. I was very excited.
JIE-AE: At the same time, sporadic protests by those who dared to cross this red sea of support. Flanked by a jogging policemen and police buses, the torch was passed from one bearer to another. When one defector from communist North Korea tried to rush the torch, he was quickly whisked away. Another North Korean defector's attempt to douse himself with oil and set himself on fire for a similar cause was also foiled. And at times, the pro- and anti-Beijing groups clashed in violent and vocal ways. "Show me proof, show me proof," demands a Chinese student when a human rights activist accuses the Beijing government of repatriating North Korean defectors in China.
Li Yan ran the relay as a representative of Chinese university students in Korea. "I am very happy and proud," he says. "But I am also disappointed because I don't think many Koreans were interested in the torch relay." Indeed, we failed to find Koreans to interview at a mostly Chinese celebration for the last leg of the torch in Seoul.
Despite a number of close calls, the Olympic torch managed to complete its tour of Seoul without a major mishap. The next round, it travels to the communist North Korea's capital of Pyongyang, where no demonstrations are expected. Sohn Jie-Ae, CNN, Seoul.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
Shoutout
RAMSAY: Time for the Shoutout! How many continents is the Olympic flame visiting during the torch relay? If you think you know it, shout it out! Is it: A) Four, B) Five, C) Six or D) Seven? You've got three seconds -- GO! No stops in Antarctica, as the torch travels to six continents on its way to the Summer Games. That's your answer and that's your Shoutout!
LLOYD: Back in the U.S., Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are gearing up for the next round of presidential primaries in North Carolina and Indiana on May 6th. And the candidates are currently debating over... debates! Clinton is calling for a Lincoln-Douglas debate, modeled on the historic face-offs between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas in 1858. Obama says no more debates are needed before next week's contests. To recap where things stand: It takes 2,025 delegates to win the Democratic nomination. Obama is currently leading 1,724 to 1,589. But Clinton says another set of numbers is in her favor. Josh Levs breaks it down.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOSH LEVS, CNN REPORTER: In the wake of her Pennsylvania victory, Hillary Clinton has made an interesting statement about the popular vote.
SEN. HILLARY CLINTON, (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I have received more votes by the people who have voted than anybody else.
LEVS: Technically that's true. RealClearPolitics counted up the popular vote, though four caucus states cannot be counted because they don't release their popular votes. Among the states that report the numbers, Clinton has just over 15.1 million votes. Obama has just below 15 million. But this total includes Florida and Michigan. Neither is being counted by the Democratic party, and Obama took his name off the ballot in Michigan. Without those two states, Obama has 14.4 million votes, while Clinton has 13.9 million. Clinton acknowledges how she's doing the math.
CLINTON: If you count, as I count, the 2.3 million people who voted in Michigan and Florida.
LEVS: Obama often insists he will win with the most votes.
SEN. BARACK OBAMA, (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We've won twice as many states. We've won the popular vote by a fairly substantial margin.
LEVS: After he lost Pennsylvania, a reporter asked him whether Florida and Michigan should count toward the popular vote. He didn't take a position.
OBAMA: If you want to count them for some abstract measure, you're free to do so. But the way that the popular vote is translated is into delegates. That's how these primaries and caucuses work.
LEVS: But the delegate count has all sorts of complexities; it is not always a direct reflection of the number of votes. In the end, the popular vote may be the clearest sign of how split Democrats nationwide are in this race. Josh Levs, CNN, Atlanta.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LLOYD: Ok, you heard in that report that the results of the Michigan and Florida primaries aren't being counted. The reason is that both states moved their contests earlier than the Democratic National Party allowed, so they both lost all of their Democratic delegates.
Before We Go
LLOYD: Before we go, a gathering of who's who in Washington, D.C. The White House Correspondents' dinner brings out the big names: Ashlee Simpson, the Jonas Brothers. Oh, and some politicians and members of the press were there, too. Seriously though, presidents and the press have been dining together at the annual event since 1924. Since it's his last one in office, President Bush spoke about what the future might hold for him after he leaves the White House.
BUSH: This is my last White House Correspondents' dinner as president. You know, I'm not sure what I'm gonna do next. After he left office, Vice President Gore won an Oscar and a Nobel Peace Prize. Hey, I don't know, I might win a prize, Publisher's Clearing House or something.
Goodbye
LLOYD: But there are some perks to enjoy while he's still in office, like leading the U.S. Marine Band. We close today's show with a look at the conductor in chief. See you tomorrow! E-mail to a friend 
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