I'm Carl Azuz welcoming you to CNN STUDENTNEWS.

Hosting an international event can come with anintense spotlight.

Yesterday, we talked about some of the challengesthat Russia is facing as it gets ready for next year's Winter Olympics.

There's also been a focus on a controversial Russian law that deals with homosexuality.

The law doesn't make it illegal to be gay.

But it prohibits distributing information to minors that promotes same sex relationships.

The law had some people concerned about the upcoming Olympics.

What kind of behavior would or wouldn't be acceptable from athletes or fans.

On Monday, Russian President VladimirPutin said everyone would be welcomed at the games.

Quote, "We are doing everything so that participants and guests feel comfortable in Sochiregardless of nationality, race or sexual orientation.

What kind of impact could President Putin statement have?

President Putin's comment is clearly an attempt to cook some of the international anger overRussia's antigay propaganda law, which makes it illegal to tell children here that gay andstraight relationships are equal.

It's being branded discriminatory.

His words are unlikely to satisfy gay and human right activists around the world who aren'tjust worried about what this law means during the Olympics, they are angry about its veryexistence.

And it will mean for gay people in this country before, during and after the games.

Next up today, advice and consent.

It's phrased right out of the U.S. Constitution, and it's one of the responsibilities of the U.S.Senate.

It works like this: the president nominates people to feel certain positions in the U.S.government.

Then, the Senate advises and consents or it doesn't.

Senators consider the nominees, ask them questions, then they either confirm or deny thenominees for the jobs.

This is Senator Lindsey Graham.

He is threatening to block every nomination from President Obama until he gets answersabout an attack on the U.S. facility last year.

To this date, we don't have the FBI interviews of the survivors conducted one or two days afterthe attack.

We don't have the basic information about what was said of the night of the attack that's beenshared with Congress as of this day.

The terrorists' attack Senator Graham is talking about is the one on the U.S. Consulate inBenghazi, Libya.

Four Americans were killed, and Senator Graham says they died in a different way than theObama administration says they did.

He's been pushing to get details on what happened and on the administration's response.

He wants the Senate to be able to question the survivors of the Benghazi attack.

what about Senator Graham's plan to block the nominations?

He can do that.

The rules of the Senate allow members to hold up nominations through different methods.

It's something Democrats and Republicans have done.

The goal is to force action or compromise.

It's time for "The Shoutout."

Which country is part of two continents?

If you think you know it, then shout it out!

Is it Australia, Mexico, Turkey or there aren't any.

You've got three seconds, go.

Turkey spans continental lines, the Bosphorus Strait separates the Asian part from theEuropean part.

That's your answer and that's your "Shoutout."