Quick Guide & Transcript: Iran seizes UK troops at sea, European Union turns 50

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(CNN Student News) -- March 26, 2007

Quick Guide

British Troops Seized - Learn what's at the heart of a controversy involving Iran and captured British troops.

Happy 50th, E.U.! - Get a front-row seat for a European celebration that comes along once in 50 years.

Poison in Pet Food - Find out what rat poison has to do with a major recall of national pet food brands.

Transcript

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THOMAS ROBERTS, CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to this March 26th edition of CNN Student News! Glad to have you along-- I'm Thomas Roberts. Tension on the high seas: London decries the capture of 15 British troops, by Iranian forces. And a release seems nowhere on the horizon. Bash in Berlin: A 50th birthday party brings 27 European nations together, and celebrates the success of a historic union. And a warning to pet owners: Certain foods can seriously sicken your best friend. We'll tell you what rat poison has to do with all of it.

First Up: British Troops Seized

ROBERTS: First up-- A showdown between two countries separated by thousands of miles. In the Persian Gulf Friday, Iran seized eight British Royal Marines and seven Royal Navy sailors. The big question is, where exactly were the British troops when they were captured? An Iranian news agency says they've confessed to trespassing in the country's waters; But Britain's prime minister says there's no way that that happened. Robin Oakley explores the growing wave of controversy.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROBIN OAKLEY, CNN REPORTER: The fifteen British sailors and Marines, one of them a woman, were captured Friday by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy. Tehran alleges they had trespassed into Iranian waters as they patrolled the Persian Gulf on anti-smuggling duties. On Sunday, the affair took a new turn with Tony Blair using a meeting of EU leaders in Berlin to warn Iran's leadership they must swiftly release the captives.

TONY BLAIR, UK PRIME MINISTER: I hope the Iranian government understands how fundamental an issue this is for us. We've certainly sent those messages back to them very very clearly, indeed. I hope that this can be resolved over the next few days, but the quicker and easier it will be for all of us. But they should be under no doubt at all about how seriously we regard this act which was unjustified and wrong.

OAKLEY: Mr. Blair's intervention marked a change of tactics. The British government had previously been playing the affair low key, arguing that it was a purely technical dispute about boundaries. Eight British sailors and Marines who were captured in 2004 in a similar incident were released after three days, though that was not before they had suffered the humiliation of being paraded blindfolded on Iranian television. Concern has grown however, because after two visits to the British Foreign Office by Iran's London Ambassador, and exchanges between the Iranian authorities and British envoys in Tehran, Britain has not been told where the captured sailors and Marines are or allowed any access to them. In New York, Iran's Foreign Minister suggested the troops could face charges.

MANOUCHEHR MOTTAKI, IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER: The Iranian authorities intercepted these sailors and Marines in Iranian waters and detained them in Iranian waters. In terms of legal issues, it's under investigation.

OAKLEY: Mr. Blair has been strongly supported by other EU leaders. But while British ministers remain hopeful of an early release for the men, the prime minister's intervention will inevitably ratchet up the tension. That's already been increased by the U.N. Security Council voting to intensify sanctions against Iran over its nuclear enrichment program. Robin Oakley, CNN, London.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Shoutout

CARL AZUZ, CNN STUDENT NEWS: Time for the Shoutout! Which of these countries does NOT border the Persian Gulf? If you think you know it, shout it out! Is it: A) Iraq, B) Iran, C) Qatar or D) Yemen? You've got three seconds--GO! Yemen, which borders Saudi Arabia to the south, does not border the Persian Gulf. That's your answer and that's your Shoutout!

U.N. Sanctions

ROBERTS: With the British troops in custody, Iran made headlines again on Saturday for a separate reason altogether: The United Nations Security Council voted for new penalties against the middle eastern country for disobeying a UN order to stop its controversial nuclear program.

ALEJANDRO WOLFF, ACTING US AMB. TO UN: While we hope that Iran responds to this resolution by complying with its international legal obligations, the United States is fully prepared to support additional measures in 60 days should Iran choose another course.

ROBERTS: International officials think Iran is trying to build illegal nuclear weapons. But the country's leader has maintained all along the program is only for peaceful purposes. He said Sunday the new UN resolution is illegal, and that Iran's nuclear program would continue without delay.

I.D. Me

AZUZ: See if you can ID Me! This is my flag, but I'm not a single country. I'm actually an organization of 27 countries working for peace and prosperity. Many of my members use a common currency: the euro. I'm the European Union, and I was established as the European Economic Community in 1957.

Happy 50th, E.U.!

ROBERTS: At that time, the EU had only six member countries, and its growth is a sign of its success. The idea for the European Union followed World War Two. Officials wanted to get the nations to work together both economically and politically, so Europe could have lasting peace. Fifty years later, it's still going strong. Here's Diana Magnay with some scenes of celebration.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DIANA MAGNAY, CNN REPORTER: The main event on Sunday was the family occasion. Among the crowds, street acrobats. And a string of live performers onstage.

REBMANN HEIKO: I think it's great says Rebmann Heiko from Germany. Europe means freedom, peace and a future for the 27 countries that are members and for all the countries that will join.

MAGNAY: The last time Berlin partied this hard was for the soccer World Cup. It's not exactly Pink Floyd and the Wall - that famous concert back in 1990 to mark the fall of the Berlin Wall the year before. But it was that historic event and the subsequent collapse of communism through Eastern Europe that triggered perhaps the most momentous change in the EU's history. The accession of the new Eastern European states.

Tzveta Neltchinova is from Bulgaria - one of the newest EU members. She says life has become much easier for her since her country joined.

TZVETA NELTCHINOVA: Now you don't need permission to stay here, everything is much easier as a member of the European Union. You can travel freely and yeah, it's much better now.

MAGNAY: Conspicuously absent from the celebrations, Berlin's huge Turkish population. Germany's chancellor and current EU President Angela Merkel is openly against the idea of Turkey joining the EU.

REYHANE SENLER: We could always celebrate says Reyhane Senler, but that doesn't interest us. People who don't want us in the Union mean nothing to us.

MAGNAY: There was an official side to this birthday party, away from all the crowds. In Berlin's historical museum, EU leaders put their names to a renewed bid to reform the way that Europe operates, a small victory for the German chancellor. Behind the fun and fireworks, the hope that Europe can survive the next fifty years as well. Diana Magnay, CNN, Berlin.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Promo

ROBERTS: Despite the success of the union, some Europeans have their doubts about it. For one, they don't want nations to lose their individual identity and culture. Have your students find out just how this factors in, using today's free learning activity as your guide!

Poison in Pet Food

ROBERTS: Watch what you feed your pet. Several cats and dogs have gotten sick-- and some died -- after they ate wet, "cuts and gravy" style pet food. It's manufactured by Menu Foods, a company that makes dozens of brands, including Iams, Nutro, President's Choice and Eukanuba, to name a few. Mary Snow describes the deadly toxin that was found inside some canned foods.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARY SNOW, CNN REPORTER: How did rat poison wind up in pet food? That is still uncertain. But investigators in New York say what they do know is that they found a toxin called aminopterin in samples of pet food suspected of being tainted. The toxin is not a legal pesticide in the U.S. Doctors say it can be found in some forms of cancer treatments.

PATRICK HOOKER, NYS AGRICULTURE COMMISSIONER: This is one step in a long process that will lead us to know what has happened.

SNOW: The CEO of Menu Foods--the company that recalled over 90 brands of dog and cat food says he's both relieved and happy investigators found the problem during what he called an unprecedented search.

PAUL HENDERSON/MENU FOODS CEO: Our hearts go out to the thousands of pet owners across Canada and the United States for their losses and concerns.

SNOW: But the CEO says he is at a loss to explain where the toxin came from. And he says the company will test raw products to trace the origin. Veterinarian Dr. Ann Hohenhaus says knowing that rat poison is involved can help prevent animals from dying if they are suffering kidney failure.

ANN HONENHAUS /NY ANIMAL MEDICAL CENTER: It sounds to me like giving fluids intravenously or maybe by other routes is going to be key to trying to prevent or fix this problem.

SNOW: But she adds, there are a new set of worries.

HOHENHAUS: We don't know the long term effects are on their kidney function and only time is going to answer that question.

SNOW: Another question being posed: What about compensation for pet owners who lost a pet. The CEO of Menu-Foods says the company will take financial responsibility if it's proven that medical problems were linked to the food. Mary Snow, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Goodbye

ROBERTS: We're almost out of time for the day, but we'll leave you with another audiovisual exhibit of the European Union's spectacular celebration. For CNN Student News, I'm Thomas Roberts.

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