i'm richelle carey.et's continue to delve into the issues on the presidential campaign. here is a mitt romney had to say about his conservative credentials. >> i can attest for my conservative credentials by quoting someone who endorsed me in my 2008 campaign. senator santorum was kind enough to say on the laura ingraham show, mitt romney this is a guy who is really conservative and who we can trust. and when he came out to endorse me, he said these words, he said he is the clear conservative candidate. he's right. i'm the conservative candidate and what we need in the white house is principled conservative leadership and i'll bring it. >> he says he'll bring it. but romney is struggling in his own childhood state. new american research group poll has rick santorum in the lead in michigan with 38%. romney follows close behind at 34%. ron paul and newt gingrich are a distant third and fourth with 12% and 7% respectively. what can we expect in michigan on tuesday? joining us live, dave marie, politics and

i'm richelle carey in for fredricka whitfield. furry in the streets of northern afghanistan today. this anti-american demonstration started calmly and turned violent. one person was killed, several u.s. troops hurt and an explosion and small arms fire outside an american base. the man who killed two u.s. officers in afghanistan yesterday is still at large. afghan officials have named him, they say he works at the interior ministry. more people hurt, more people killed today across syria. >> this is the city of ham ma where nine died in street battles before security forces and anti-government fighters. violence has not let up despite today's nationwide vote on whether to change syria's constitution. much more on that in a minute. an update from michael holmes who is in beirut. >>> nelson mandela, founding father of democracy in south africa, is out of the hospital. he was discharged today after being treated for an abdominal ailment. a family member said it was hernia surgery. the 93-year-old was impressened 27 years for fighting impar tied. he was awarded the nobel peace prize. >>

i'm richelle carey. in afghanistan, two high ranking american officers are shot and killed. the taliban say the americans were killed in retaliation for the burning of korans earlier this week. protesters have been out on the streets for five days now furious over the koran burning. we go live to afghanistan in a couple minutes. >>> former south african president nelson mandela is in the hospital. he had a hernia operation today and resting pretty comfortably. . he's 93 years old. the government official reassured everyone that the surgery was not an emergency. mandela will likely be released in the mebs two days. >>> and a prosecutor said a former rutgers university student acted purposely. ravi faces charges that include hate crimes. the roommate killed himself just days later. ravi faces up to ten years in prison. >>> a judge has dismissed the corruption case against silvio berlusconi. he was charged with bribery, but the judge rule that had the statute of limitations expired in the case. he survived a series of political corruption and sex scandals over his many years in

-- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com >>> i am rish richelle carey in for fredricka whitfield. two american officers have been shot dead inside a highly secured government building in afghanistan. the gunmen got away. the taliban saying the americans were killed in retaliation for the burning of korans in a nato base earlier this week. protestors have been packing the streets for five days now furious over the koran burning. >>> former south african president nelson mandela spending the night in the hospital. he had a hernia operation today. he is resting comfortably. nelson mandela is 93 years old now and could leave the hospital in a couple of days. a huge explosion rips through a neighborhood at the syrian city of homs. people there have been trapped by shelling and sniper fire three weeks now. syrian officials agree to a cease-fire to let wounded people and women and children get out. at least 75 people have been reported killed today. a voluntary recall is under way for about 40,000 goodyear tires. the wrangler solid armor tires made in 2009. the company is offering free r

i'm richelle carey. you're in the cnn newsroom on this saturday, the 25th of february. in afghanistan, two high ranking american officers are shot and killed. the taliban says the americans were killed in retaliation for the burning of korans at a nato base earlier this week. protesters have been packing the streets for five days now, pure yus over the koran burning. we will go live on afghanistan for details in just a couple of minutes. nelson mandela spending the night in the hospital. a family member tells us he had hernia surgery for that and he is resting comfortably. he's 93 years old. >>> and a huge explosion rips through a neighborhood in the syrian city of homs. people there have been trapped by shelling and sniper fire for three weeks now. syrian officials agreed to a cease-fire yesterday to let wounded people and women and children evacuate. at least 75 people are reported killed across syria just today. >>> nato's reacting swiftly to the shooting deaths of two american military officers in afghanistan. both were shot dead inside a government building in kabu

. >>> cnn newsroom continues for richelle carey who's in for fredricka whitfield. >> have a fantastic weekend. thank you so much. >>> we begin with a developing story from afghanistan. at least two u.s. soldiers shot and killed inside the interior ministry in kabul. the taliban are claiming responsibility. they say this is retaliation for the burning of korans at a u.s. air base. anti-american protests over this incident have been intense, they have been deadly. four afghan civilians were killed today. now all military advisers for the international security forces are being pulled out now. we have the very latest on what we know. nic, what do we know? >> reporter: well, the most interesting thing is the gunman who is believed to be northwestern is still at large. these two american officers found in what we understand from an afghan senior policeman was a secure part of this government ministry. obviously deep concerns as to how the security breach happened and of course the taliban claiming responsibility. they do this reasonably often. sometimes they're right, sometimes they're jus

i'm richelle carey with a check of our top stories.upts at a plow test in northern afghanistan. one person was killed and several u.s. troops reported an explosion and small arms fire. the man who killed two american officers in afghanistan yesterday, is still at large after officials say he works at the interior ministry. mitt romney picks up a key endorsement. the contender received the backing of arizona governor jan bluer two days before the important primary. we'll talk about what this could mean in our political hour starting at 4:00 p.m. eastern.

." >>> and i'm richelle carey in for fredricka whitfield. fury in the streets of afghanistan today. this anti-american demonstration started calmly, turned violent. one person killed. several u.s. troops were hurt in an explosion in small arms fire outside of an american base. meanwhile, afghan police are looking for the man who killed two u.s. officers in afghanistan yesterday. investigators know who he is. they say he works at the interior ministry. >>> the syrian government says a referendum people are voting on today is aimed at changing the institution and shows a step toward ending the deadly conflict. >> well, that hasn't stopped armed groups and security forces from battling today in homs and damascus and hama. across syria, at least 45 people were killed today. cnn's michael homes is watching developments in syria from beirut. >> us thats m >> thousands more syrians died. violence and anti-government protests in city from the south to the north. but many of the victims, again, in the now familiar and still besieged neighborhood are in the city of homs. the shelling began ju