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Quick Guide & Transcript: U.S. and Iran agree to discuss Iraq, Wildfires scorch parts of U.S.

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(CNN Student News) -- May 14, 2007

Quick Guide

Democratic Ideals - Find out the only topic on the agenda for upcoming talks between the U.S. and Iran.

Missing Soldiers - Learn about the search efforts under way to find three missing U.S. soldiers in Iraq.

Florida on Fire - View the damage caused by wildfires that are scorching parts of the southeastern U.S.

Transcript

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

AMANDA ROSSETER, CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR: Thanks for joining us for a new week of CNN Student News. I'm Amanda Rosseter. President Bush pays a visit to Jamestown, Virginia, to take part in a celebration for the colonial settlement that's been 400 years in the making. Thousands of troops are searching for three American soldiers who are missing after a surprise attack in Iraq over the weekend. And firefighters battle against the flames, as wildfires blaze across parts of the U.S., leaving behind thousands of acres of scorched earth.

First Up: Democratic Ideals

ROSSETER: First up today, getting ready to talk. The United States and Iran have been at odds for a long time. In fact, there haven't been any diplomatic relations between them for decades. But they're also the two countries with the most influence over Iraq. And as Elaine Quijano explains, President Bush says it's time for the two nations to sit down and talk.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN REPORTER: On a visit commemorating the 400th anniversary of Jamestown, America's first permanent English settlement, President Bush predicted democratic ideals would eventually prosper worldwide.

U.S. PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH: These values took root at Jamestown four centuries ago. They have flourished across our land. And one day, they will flourish in every land.

QUIJANO: But in Iraq, getting democracy to take root amid the violence has proven daunting, and the effort complicated, the White House believes, by Iranian interference. Now, more than four years into the war, President Bush is allowing top U.S. officials to sit down with their counterparts from Iran, a country he once labeled part of the "axis of evil." A White House spokesman says in the next few weeks U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker will meet with the Iranians in Baghdad for talks limited to a single topic: Iraq. Said the spokesman, "This is not about the United States and Iran. This is about Iraq. This is about Iran playing a constructive policy role inside Iraq."

QUIJANO: The U.S. wants Iran to use its influence with Iraq's majority Shia population to forge political reconciliation. And the U.S. wants Iran to stop sending bomb components into Iraq. But Republican Senator and presidential hopeful John McCain has reservations. The U.S. could risk elevating Iran's international standing.

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN: Remember, this is the world's largest state sponsor of terrorism. They're dedicated to the extinction of Israel. There are enormous difficulties, but if there's something to be gained, okay.

QUIJANO: The Bush administration insists talks on Iraq do not mean the U.S. is going soft on Iran over its nuclear ambitions. Vice President Dick Cheney tried to underscore that message just days ago with a blunt warning to Iran, delivered from the deck of a U.S. carrier poised in the Persian Gulf:

U.S. VICE PRESIDENT DICK CHENEY: And we'll stand with others to prevent Iran from gaining nuclear weapons and dominating this region.

QUIJANO: As for the upcoming Baghdad meeting, the U.S. will not say which side initiated it. A spokesman would only say that it resulted from informal meetings during regional conferences over the last couple of months. Elaine Quijano, CNN, traveling with the President in Jamestown, Virginia.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

400th Anniversary

ROSSETER: Now you just heard President Bush made his remarks at a celebration for America's first permanent English colony. The settlement at Jamestown, Virginia, was founded four centuries ago. Today, people can travel to Jamestown and see history come to life. Visitors there can learn about colonial times and see how people lived hundreds of years ago. Leon Moore of WAVY has more on the anniversary celebration at the living history museum.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LEON MOORE, REPORTER: From learning about our president's family tree to taking in sounds possibly played by a future president, this weekend's 400th anniversary celebration has something for everyone.

JANICE DAUS, VISITOR: My elementary school fortunately was in Colonial Williamsburg, so we did take a lot of trips growing up. But that was years ago, and now it's nice to see this as an adult and appreciate it more.

MOORE: Appreciate seeing people like wheelmaker Paul Zelesnikar, shaping our sense of the past.

PAUL ZELESNIKAR, WHEELMAKER: It's very rewarding. Very rewarding to be able to talk about it, to be able to do it.

MOORE: And what would a celebration be without songs and games? All experiences Janice Daus will try to squeeze in.

DAUS: Since you do have to pay a price to come here.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Shoutout

CARL AZUZ, CNN STUDENT NEWS: Time for the Shoutout! You know Jamestown is located in modern-day Virginia. What was Virginia's first capital? If you think you know it, shout it out! Was it: A) Richmond, B) Williamsburg, C) Jamestown or D) Charlottesville? You've got three seconds -- GO! And the answer is: C! You guessed it -- Jamestown wasn't only a first settlement; it was Virginia's first capital too. That's your answer and that's your Shoutout!

Missing Soldiers

ROSSETER: Thousands of troops are searching for three U.S. soldiers who went missing after a surprise attack in Iraq over the weekend. A U.S. military spokesman says "every effort available" is being made to find the three men. John Lorinc has more now on the search.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN LORINC, CNN REPORTER: A day later and still no sign of three American soldiers, missing since their convoy was ambushed in this area south of Baghdad early Saturday. Five others --- four U.S. troops and an Iraqi interpreter --- were killed in the attack. A large search operation has now been launched to find the missing soldiers.

MAJOR-GENERAL WILLIAM CALDWELL, U.S. MILITARY SPOKESPERSON: We've got about 4,000 U.S. forces that have been directly associated now with this ongoing effort.

LORINC: A coalition of insurgent groups that includes al Qaeda in Iraq has claimed responsibility for the capture of the troops and the deaths of the others in the convoy. The Islamic state of Iraq made the claim on Web sites frequently used by the group.

Elsewhere in Iraq, dozens were killed Sunday by a suicide truck bomb in the northern town of Makhmoor. The town's mayor says the bomber detonated himself at a gas station close to several government offices, as well as the offices of the leading Kurdistan democratic party. Attacks tend to be less common in the Kurdish-controlled regions of northern Iraq. For CNN Student News, I'm John Lorinc.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Promo

ROSSETER: If you're looking to pinpoint any of the countries featured in today's show, our downloadable maps can help you track them down. Head on over to CNN.com/EDUCATION and scroll down to the Maps section to check them out.

Florida on Fire

ROSSETER: Firefighters are racing to put out flames across parts of the southeastern United States. Dry conditions have played a part in Georgia and Florida, where more than 250 active wildfires are going on right now. Two large fires alone have burned more than 550 square miles of land in the two states. One was started by a lightning strike a little more than a week ago, while the other one began back in mid-April. John Zarrella is in Florida with more now on the fires.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN REPORTER: A race against changing weather conditions. Bulldozers move in, cutting new fire lines and widening existing ones. Flames are just a few feet away. Division supervisor Jamie Rittenhouse plots his next move.

JAMIE RITTENHOUSE, DIVISION SUPERVISOR: So just go in there, box it in, try to make your way through the flame. Give it some room in case the wind shifts, OK?

ZARRELLA: The strain of the struggle shows on firefighters' faces. It has already been a long day knocking down spot fires as the wind picks up, fanning the flames.

ZARRELLA: The idea is to keep it from jumping into that next stand of timber, right?

RITTENHOUSE: Yes. Yes, 'cause then that means we lose everything we worked hard on the last couple days. All this is gone if it jumps over there and we can't catch the spot.

ZARRELLA: The next 24 hours are critical. After two days of relative calm, the winds are gusting again. Will the fire lines hold?

ZARRELLA: What the forestry teams want to happen is for this fire here to burn its way all the way over to the road in the distance there. That's the fire break. Once it gets there, they're hoping that the fire break will be wide enough to stop the fire right there. Of course if the winds kick up, the problem would be these flames could jump that fire break into the next stand of trees.

ZARRELLA: The question for firefighters like Julian Priest is always the same: have we done enough?

JULIAN PRIEST, FLA. DIVISION OF FORESTRY: We're widening lines as fast as we can widen lines.

ZARRELLA: Rain would help. A lot of it. Sunday it was the prayer of the day in Lake City. John Zarrella, CNN, Columbia County, Florida.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Before We Go

ROSSETER: Before we go, a cow with a little something extra. This newborn heifer's like most other cattle: two eyes, two ears, two noses. Ok, so maybe there's one thing that makes her different. Yes, little Lucy the calf was born with two noses. It's not something you see every day. In fact, her owner says he had to look twice to believe his eyes. But Lucy doesn't seem to mind, since all four nostrils work just fine.

Goodbye

ROSSETER: And that's where today's CNN Student news hoofs it out the door. Thanks for watching. I'm Amanda Rosseter.


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