Return to Transcripts main page


Uhuru Kenyatta Declared Winner in Kenyan Presidential Elections; Conclave to Elect New Pope to Begin Tuesday

Aired March 11, 2013 - 04:00:00   ET


TOMMY ANDRES, CNN GUEST STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR: I`m Tommy Andres from CNN Radio, and I`m filling in from Carl as we start a new week of CNN STUDENT NEWS.

First up, we are heading to Kenya, it has the largest economy in East Africa. It`s a relatively stable country in the region that isn`t always stable. And it`s a major U.S. Ally in the war against terrorism. So, what happens in Kenya, can have a big impact on other countries. Here is what happened there this weekend.


UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I therefore declare Uhuru Kenyatta the newly elected president ...


UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ... of the Republic of Kenya.

RAILA ODINGA: Now, it is clear that the constitutionally sanctioned process of electing a new set of leaders to take us to the next level has been thwarted by another tainted election.


ANDRES: Uhuru Kenyatta, the son of Kenya`s first president, is said to become its youngest president. He`s also facing charges from the International Criminal Court. The charges against Kenyatta involve his alleged role in violence after Kenya`s last presidential election in 2007, when he was not a candidate. Kenyatta denies those charges. Raila Odinga was Kenyatta`s main challenger in this election. He is the one who said it was tainted. Kenya`s constitution says the candidate has to earn just more than 50 percent in order to win. Kenyatta got 50.07 percent. Odinga said he`ll challenge the election results in court.


UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Is this legit? Vatican City is the smallest country in the world. It`s true. Vatican City, which is also called The Holy See is smaller than the National Mall in Washington D.C.


ANDRES: Vatican City is also the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church. The pope is the head of that church, but right now, there is no pope. Pope Benedict XVI resigned last month. Tomorrow, cardinals, leaders in the Catholic Church will start the process of electing a new pope during a conclave. Jonathan Mann explains what that is and how it works.


JONATHAN MANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It`s the oldest enduring electoral system in the world. And many of its traditions have been unchanged for centuries. The conclave, which literally means locked with a key dates back to a time when cardinals were locked in until they chose a new pope. Now, it`s the world that`s locked out, figuratively speaking, as much of the conclave will take place behind closed doors. The gathering begins with a morning mass in St. Peter`s Basilica. In the afternoon the 115 voting cardinals, those under 80 years old, enter the Sistine Chapel where each will take an oath of secrecy. The penalty, automatic excommunication. After the oath, preparations are made for the election taken by secret ballot. Lots are drawn to select three cardinals who will help collect ballots, three more cardinals to count the votes, and three others to review the results. Printed on the ballots, the words "Eligo in Summum Pontifecem," meaning I elect as Supreme Pontiff. Each elector writes the name of one candidate on the lower half of the ballot and folds it in half. Cardinals are not allowed to vote for themselves. Then in order of seniority, the cardinals take their ballots to the altar. Each places a folded ballot onto a small desk and then the ballot is dropped into a chalice.

Once all the votes are cast, the ballots are tallied, and the results are read aloud. More than a two thirds majority is needed to declare a winner, in this case, 77 votes. If there is no winner, there is another vote. If there is still no winner, two more votes are scheduled for the afternoon. Voting continues up to four ballots each day until there is a winner. The ballots are burned after each session in an incinerator inside the chapel. If there`s no winner, they are burned with the chemical that gives off black smoke telling the crowd waiting in St. Peter`s Square that a new pope has not yet been selected. When there is a winner, white smoke, a sign from the cardinals that they have chosen a new pope to lead the church. Jonathan Mann, CNN, Atlanta.



UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Today`s "Shoutout" goes out to Mr. Bredehoeff`s history class at the Tina-Avalon school in Tina, Missouri. The USS Monitor was a naval ship involved in what war? Here we go, was it the War of 1812, Civil War, Spanish-American War or World War I? You`ve got three seconds, go!

The Monitor was an iron-clad union ship used during the U.S. Civil War. That`s your answer and that`s your Shoutout


ANDRES: The Monitor helped change the face of naval warfare, with the ship from wooden ships to iron ones. It sank around 150 years ago, but that wasn`t the end of the ship`s story. In 1973, the wreckage of the Monitor was found. 2002, remains of two crew members were discovered. And just this past Friday, those remains were laid to rest. Barbara Starr fills in the details.


BARBARA STARR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Shoes worn by sailor 150 years ago, perhaps in the final moments of his life on board the USS Monitor, a renowned Civil War battleship.

(on camera): This is extraordinary. We are looking mismatched, put a pair of shoes that one of the sailors wore.

DAVID KROP, MARINER`S MUSEUM: He had a different shoe on his left foot than he did on his right. And it`s hard to explain why that is. One of the possible options is that as these guys were leaving the ship the night of the sinking, it was chaotic, it was dark.

STARR (voice over): The shoes, just one clue in the detective story that started 240 feet below the surface of the sea. Who were the two men whose skeletons were found in the ship`s turret in 2002? The Navy is burying them with full honors at Arlington National Cemetery, not knowing the answer yet.

STARR: This is the 120 ton turret of the USS Monitor. It`s seating in this water preservation tank right now. This is the precise spot were they found the remains of the two Navy sailors.

More clues, buttons from a uniform, a gold ring, a comb, some coins. The Monitor itself made history as the first iron-clad ship, caught in the storm of December 30th 1862 off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, it flipped over and sank. 16 sailors were lost.

Captain Bobbie Scholley led Navy dives to the wreckage.

CAPT. BOBBIE SCHOLLEY (RET.), NAVY DIVE TEAM COMMANDER: We needed to take all the appropriate steps necessary to recover those sailors with all the honors and dignities.

STARR: A military lab analyzed the bones. DNA samples were taken, facial reconstructions were made. African-American sailors and officers were eliminated. The remains were Caucasian. The buttons - not from officer`s coats. The list is now down to five or six men, two possibilities - Robert Williams (ph) and William Ryan (ph). Back at the water`s edge at Virginia, where the Monitor battled the Confederacy, the official who oversees the ship`s legacy says it`s more than just history.

DAVID ALBERG, NOAA: Whether it was 150 years ago, or two weeks ago in Afghanistan, the nation`s commitment to bring her fallen home, laying them to rest and returning them to the families stays as strong today as it ever was. Barbara Starr, CNN, Newport News, Virginia.


ANDRES: Teachers, don`t forget to tell us what you think about today`s show- the feedback link is on our homepage. That`s also where some students reply to our latest blog. We asked what you thought about women competing in male-dominated sports. Bobby is all for it. "Women should have a chance to try and show their talents." Claire thinks, "Girls competing in sports is OK, if the girls are physically able to play them." But Scott says, "In sports like wrestling, with physical contact, girls should have their own division."

Scott might think differently when he hears Danielle Coughlin`s story. She is a high school senior who loves to wrestle. When reporter asked her about her competitive spirit, Danielle had a very humble response.


UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Would you rather be described as like tough or intimidating or something like that?


ANDRES: Her hard work paid off, because Danielle is a high school wrestling champ, and she didn`t get the title by competing against other girls, she beat her all male opponents on the Massachusetts division Tuesday tournament, Danielle is the first girl in the state`s history to win a wrestling title. Here is how she described the moment.

COUGHLIN: Definitely say it was probably the moment in my life. And I`ll get my hand raised after that match and thinking that eight years worth of hard work got me there.


ANDRES: If you want to talk to Danielle about her huge accomplishment, do you have a question you want to ask her? If so, you can tell us on our Facebook or a blog or send us an iReport.

Ever wished someone else could do your chores for you? Apparently, it just takes some training. Jessie here can be an alarm clock, she can fetch her owner a towel for the shower. She even does house work. Maybe not the most thorough dusting, but still impressive. Youtube videos like this one have made Jessie a big hit. She is eight years old, and I feel pretty sure she didn`t know how to do any of this stuff as a puppy. So I guess you can teach an old dog new tricks. But don`t expect her to do them right when you ask. After all, Jessie is a terrier.

That`s where we pause for today. I`m Tommy Andres. Have a great day.