Quick Guide & Transcript: Countdown begins for House Democrats, U.S. hunts al Qaeda in Somalia

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(CNN Student News) -- January 10, 2007

Quick Guide

The First 100 Hours - Find out how the House kicked off its first 100 hours of lawmaking.

Somalia Strike - Travel to an unstable African nation where the U.S. is hunting terrorists.

The Fight for Iraq - Witness some of the fiercest fighting recently seen in the Iraqi capital.

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: Hi, I'm Monica Lloyd, and we welcome you to an all-new edition of CNN Student News. Off to the races. House Democrats try to speed through the challenging goal of passing six pieces of legislation, in a hundred hours. Off on a mission: U.S. fighters and helicopters target terrorists near the horn of Africa. We'll take you to a country that's anything but stable. And on the streets of the Iraqi capital: U.S. and Iraqi troops team up to take on insurgents in some of the most intense fighting seen in four years.

First Up: The First 100 Hours

LLOYD: First up, the countdown has begun. The House of Representatives began its lawmaking work yesterday afternoon. The Democrats, who won a majority in last year's midterm elections, are trying to speed through several bills in their first hundred hours of work. If they succeed, their legislation will still have to get Senate approval. And even then, it could still be vetoed by President Bush, a Republican But Andrea Koppel describes how they're focusing on one thing at a time.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. NANCY PELOSI, SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: The clerk will report the title of the bill.

ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN REPORTER: And with that-- the Democrats ambitious hundred-hour agenda was off and ticking ...six bills -- to be debated and voted on over six days -- each focused on a different issue: minimum wage, stem cell research, student loans, prescription drug prices and cutting subsidies to big oil -- all popular campaign promises Democrats hope to make good on. Their message:

REP. BENNIE THOMPSON: Here's a chance for congress to stop dragging it's feet -- to become the 'do something congress.'

KOPPEL: First up -- a bill to enact the remaining 9/11 commission recommendations ... including screening all incoming cargo at large ports within the next three years: A pipe dream -- according to the top Republican on the Homeland Security committee.

PETER KING (R), NEW YORK: There's 11 million containers that come into the country. There is no technology right now that is guaranteed to work.

KOPPEL: Another problem -- paying for it.

DON YOUNG (R), ALASKA: What we are asking in this bill is expenditure of huge dollars for really window dressing. And not results.

KOPPEL: Blocked by Democrats from reviewing it in committee or offering amendments -- Republicans smelled politics.

REP. ILLEANA ROS-LEHTINEN (R), FLORIDA: It's truly a shame that the new Democratic leadership has chosen to turn what was a bipartisan, carefully calibrated approach to safeguarding our nation's security in the aftermath of 9/11 into a partisan political tool.

KOPPEL: Democratic Majority leader Steny Hoyer disputes that notion -- and says it is all about protecting the nation's security -- which is why they wanted to get it done in the first 100 hours. But clearly -- there is a political component involved in the timing. The Democrats want to present a united front early in this new congress. Andrea Koppel, CNN, Capitol Hill.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Shoutout

CARL AZUZ, CNN STUDENT NEWS: Time for the Shoutout! You're looking at a map of eastern Africa. Which of these countries is Somalia? If you think you know it, shout it out! Is it A, B, C or D? You've got three seconds--GO! Located on the "Horn of Africa" -- and you can see why it's called that -- Somalia is the letter "B" on this map. That's your answer and that's your Shoutout!

Somalia Strike

LLOYD: Somalia is a highly unstable country. Islamic extremists want to take over its interim government. And in December, troops from neighboring Ethiopia invaded to push them out of the Somali capital. The U.S. is also involved: Since members of al Qaeda may be among the militants, American gunships have launched a number of attacks this week. Barbara Starr filed this report from nearby Kenya, explaining what's behind the offensive.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARBARA STARR, CNN REPORTER: Here in east Africa, there are long memories of al Qaeda attacks. The U.S. military actions comes as welcome news here. The U.S. military has now assembled essentially an armada off the coast of Somalia. The aircraft carrier Eisenhower is now in the region, its aircraft available to conduct bombing missions if so ordered. Also, those aircraft available to conduct reconnaissance over Somalia as they continue the hunt for al Qaeda suspects that they believe had been fleeing from Mogadishu.

STARR: There are also four navy warships off the coast. Again doing the same mission. It is believed many al Qaeda suspects have been on the run into southern Somalia for weeks now, ever since the Islamic militia there they were affiliated with fell from power when the Ethiopian military invaded that country.

STARR: African and U.S. intelligence officials have been coordinating closely in the last many days apparently in the run-up to this AC 130 gunship strike against the Ras Kamboni terrorist camp deep in southern Somalia that was hit by the United States. The U.S. has long wanted to get many of the suspects it believes are hiding in Somalia all of them affiliated with attacks in this region, at least three of them said to be affiliated with the 1998 attack on U.S. embassy bombings in Tanzania and here in Kenya.

STARR: For the U.S., officials say that while they may have dealt a blow to al Qaeda, no one is predicting the end of that network here in east Africa. Barbara Starr, CNN, Nairobi, Kenya.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Is this Legit?

AZUZ: Is this legit? The country of Somalia is larger than the state of Texas. NOPE..not legit. With more than 246 thousand square miles of land area, the country of Somalia is actually smaller than Texas.

The Fight for Iraq

LLOYD: Bullets sliced through the air while missiles and mortars blasted their targets Tuesday in some of the fiercest fighting in the Iraq war. An Iraqi spokesman said at least 50 insurgents were killed in the operation, another 21 captured, many of them either al Qaeda fighters or those loyal to the late Saddam Hussein. Michael Holmes takes us to the heat of the battle.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN REPORTER: U.S. jets screamed overhead...Apache strike helicopters fired missiles - all in the heart of Baghdad. The battlefield was the Haifa Street area of the capital...the scene of previous battles with insurgents, but this was a torrid and bloodier affair. U.S. and Iraqi military officials said dozens of insurgents had been killed or wounded...many detained, including what were described as 'some foreign nationals.' No reports yet on U.S. or Iraqi casualties.

Haifa Street is in a predominantly Sunni district, and home to Ba'athist loyalists...it's also one of the city's main arteries, linking north and south.

There have been numerous skirmishes in the area. U.S. officials told this time CNN the fighters were a combination of foreigners, former regime elements and members of al Qaeda in Iraq.

The fighting began Saturday when Iraqi police went to retrieve 27 bodies dumped in the area...they came under fire and retreated. The Iraqi army entered the area, fighting flared, and U.S. forces were called in as back up.

Eventually 500 Iraqi and 400 U.S. troops were involved in combating what U.S. officers described as a force using sophisticated tactics...attacking, retreating, re-grouping and attacking again. Snipers were also being used in the fight.

The Iraqi government said the area had always been problematic...a spokesman said it contained what he called 'dens of terror.' He also said the fighting would continue.

ALI AL-DABBAGH, IRAQI GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN: Operations will be thunderous and stealthy to stop groups in that area from threatening Baghdad's security. We must cleanse this area.

HOLMES: But as darkness fell over Baghdad, the shooting died down...what the dawn will bring, uncertain. Iraqi officials say failure however in the battle for Baghdad is not an option - one reason why they welcome the prospect of additional U.S. troops. Michael Holmes, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Promo

LLOYD: It's definitely an international show today, with stories from Somalia to Iraq. And we've set up a great way for you to show your students where these countries are. Just log on to our homepage, CNN.com/EDUCATION, and scroll down 'til you see our "maps" section on the right-hand side. And see if you can label the individual countries for extra credit!

Before We Go

LLOYD: And before we go, his original goal was to sail around the world in a yacht. But for the time being, Ken Barnes will be spending time on terra firma. The California sailor tried to become the first American to circumnavigate the globe solo. But the treacherous waters near cape horn thrashed his ship, and it took a few days for rescuers to find him. Here you see Barnes greeting relatives and friends on his return back home.

Goodbye

LLOYD: That brings today's show full circle. But stay where you are, there's more headline news coming up after the break.

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