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NEWS >> ATW Script- February 27, 2003

Yearly Script Program Index

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OPEN/WELCOME


Hi and welcome to Assignment: The World for the week of February twenty-seventh, 2003. I’m Elissa Marra.

In our top story this week… the United States, Britain and Spain introduce a new resolution on Iraq.

#1— IRAQ

Declaring that Iraq has failed to take its final opportunity to disarm, the U-S, Britain and Spain circulated a new resolution on Iraq before a still sharply divided U-N Security Council Monday. It doesn't specifically mention war, but it does speak of a material breach, a key phrase which Washington and London used to indicate that the time has come to trigger the serious consequences warned of in the first resolution. The positions of the U-S and its allies are now pitted against that of France, Germany, Russia and China, who introduced their own resolution Monday, calling for four more months of inspections. The new U-S resolution points out areas where Iraq has been deficient and it states that Iraq’s December report contained omissions and false statements. It also points to Iraq's repeated failure to disarm and abide by U-N resolutions. In the meantime, six-thousand U-S Marines arrived in Kuwait Monday. U-S troops are now at full strength in the Gulf region should the U-S attack Iraq. Agreements with Jordan and Turkey to use their military bases for U-S troops are expected at any time.

Ally (n) a nation joining with another for a common cause.

ATW FACT

The U-S pledged a fifteen-billion-dollar aid package to Turkey for U-S troops to use military bases there.

Source: The Washington Post, February 23, 2003

INTRO REST OF THE NEWS

In the rest of the news this week…

--U-S Secretary of State visits East Asia…

--Israel steps up its military to end bombings …

--and finally, Malaysia hosts a two-day summit.


#2— POWELL TRIP

U-S Secretary of State Colin Powell met with top Chinese officials Monday and said China is eager to play a positive role in helping to resolve the developing crisis over North Korea’s nuclear weapons program. Washington has been pressing Beijing—North Korea’s most powerful ally—to take a more active role in helping to resolve the nuclear crisis, pushing for “multilateral talks.” The talks would likely involve China, Japan, South Korea and Russia, but China continues to sidestep the proposal. Powell started his East Asia trip in Tokyo, Japan and then flew to Beijing, China, which was followed by a stop in Seoul, South Korea, where he attended the Tuesday inauguration of South Korean President-elect Roh (Roe) Moo-hyun. (Moo-win)

Multilateral (adj) participated in by more than two nations.

#3— MIDDLE EAST TENSIONS

Israeli troops withdrew from a Gaza Strip town early Monday after demolishing homes and roads during a thirty-hour raid aimed at ending Palestinian rocket fire at a nearby Israeli town. About twenty Israeli tanks, escorted by three Apache helicopter gunships, two bulldozers, jeeps, armored personnel carriers and buses entered the area to fortify Israel’s position on Sunday bit pulled back Monday. The Israeli military stepped up its operations in Gaza two weeks ago after a bomb blew up an Israeli tank, killing the four-man crew. Since then, thirty-two Palestinians and an Israeli soldier have died in Gaza.

Personnel (n) referring to people or persons.

#4— MALAYSIAN CONFERENCE—non-aligned movement summit

Presidents, ministers, sheiks and kings representing more than half the globe met Monday for a two-day summit that kicked off with a call from the host country, Malaysia, to outlaw war. Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir (ma-Ha-tear) Mohamad welcomed national leaders from the one-hundred and fourteen-nation Non-Aligned Movement, which represents fifty-five per cent of the world’s population, including Iraq and North Korea. Although Malaysia has been a close U-S ally in the war on terrorism, Mahathir (ma –Ha-tear) stressed that Washington should not use force to quash militancy in Iraq, but address the root causes instead.

Outlaw (v) to make unlawful or illegal.

POP QUIZ #1

In our story about Iraq, what was introduced Monday by the U-S, Britain and Spain? Was it…

1- A new chief weapons inspector

2- a new resolution

3- a new budget on possible war


And the correct answer is number two… U-S, Britain and Spain introduced a new resolution to the U-N Security Council.

OLD CLUE #1— NEW DELHI, INDIA

And now it’s time for the answers to our last clues in the news…

Find the location of our first clue and you get New Delhi, India. India test-fired a cruise missile jointly developed with Russia and capable of hitting major cities in Pakistan. The missile, called the Brahmos, cannot carry a nuclear warhead, but it has a range of one-hundred and eighty-five miles, can carry over four-hundred pounds and can be launched from ships, submarines and planes. The tests came at a time of strained relations between the nuclear-armed neighbors.

OLD CLUE #2—ISRAELI COALITION

Fill in the blanks of our second clue and you’d get, “Israeli Coalition.” Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's new government took shape Monday as a three-party coalition that is expected to take a tough line on the Palestinian uprising and on restarting peace negotiations. Sharon, who’s hawkish Likud Party scored a resounding victory in last month's elections, is likely to present his new government to Parliament for formal approval before the end of the week.

OLD CLUE #3—CYPRUS VOTE

And finally, unscramble our third clue and you’d get “Cyprus Vote.” The Greek Cypriot opposition leader, Tassos Papadopoulos, claimed a surprise victory in the island's presidential election last week, defeating the veteran right-wing incumbent. Papadopoulos won over fifty per cent of the votes, while his opponent took only 38 per cent. Papadopoulos was ahead in polls, but was not expected to make the required 50 per cent plus one vote in the first round. There was no need for Sunday’s scheduled second round of voting.

THIS WEEK IN WORLD HISTORY

This week in world history… on March first, 1954… Puerto Rican nationalists opened fire from the gallery of the U-S House of Representatives, wounding five congressmen.

FEATURE
CIVIL RIGHTS EXHIBIT

The Civil Rights movement of the 1950s and 60s mark one of the defining moments of this country’s history. We went back into the ATW Archives to check out an exhibit at the George Eastman House on the photography of the American Civil Rights movement. Check it Out!

(Michael Sladden) We have an exhibit of 75 photographs with all kinds of resources to go along with them. The project is called Appeal to this Age. It's photography of the civil rights movement from 1954 to 1968. And it really covers the southern civil rights movement, the modern era, from the time of the Brown vs. Board Supreme Court Decision, the Montgomery Bus boycott and then moves through the period of Dr. King's assassination in Memphis in 1968.

(Wyatt) The exhibit features three photographic styles. The photojournalist covering the news events of the movement. Creative photographers who used the civil rights movement and southern segregation as the raw material for their artwork, and the movement photographer who actually joined the movement.

(Sladden) It was not just a black American movement, it was a black and white American movement for freedom and justice for black people, in part because many white people felt they couldn't truly be fully invested with democracy, they couldn't be truly free. If one part of the society was not free, it did not receive equal justice and treatment. That race remains the fundamental issue in our society, it still is the gauge which we can judge whether we are achieving the goals of democracy in America, to not become complacent and think that everything is just a-okay but instead take some lessons and remembrances from the movement and use them to advance the cause of equality in the country.

(Wyatt) For ATW, I'm Wyatt Doremus.

ISN’T IT COOL!
Sea Lions

How is the United State’s Navy protecting warships in the Gulf? With sea lions, of course! Several well-trained California sea lions have been deployed to Bahrain. The sea lions can dive and recover items at depths up to 650 feet and are trained to locate swimmers or divers near piers and ships and attach a tag. Human security personnel can then track and apprehend the suspects. The U-S Navy won’t comment but if there is a war with Iraq, it is possible these clever operatives will be used for more than harbor patrols.

ISSUE

A women’s Division-three college basketball player has chosen her own form of anti-war protest this season. Toni Smith of Manhattanville College turns ninety degrees away from the American flag during the playing of the national anthem. She said she couldn’t honor the flag that represents a country that plans to attack Iraq. All of her teammates continue to face the flag and some still place their hands on their hearts. Some people say they may not agree with what the college player is doing, but she does have the right to freedom of expression under the first amendment of the Constitution. Others argue that her behavior is “disgraceful” and that she shouldn’t disrespect the American flag. Well, we’d like to know what you think… “Do you support Toni Smith’s flag protest?” Discuss this issue with your classmates after the show and then write to us with your opinion.

MAILBAG

We received over three hundred responses to our issue question, “Would you like educational video game choices?” The majority of you, seventy three percent say no, you would not like educational video games. Twenty three percent say yes, you would. Just four percent are undecided. Many of you feel educational video games are a great idea. Justin J. of Amherst, Wisconsin writes, “You get to have fun but still learn about something. It would be cool to have an educational (video) with interesting graphics and color.” Stevie K. of Waunakee, Wisconsin adds, “Some educational videos (could) help you learn… but there should still be fun ones.” Mark M. of Loudonville, New York writes, “You will get better at what you are learning; the more you play a game.” The majority of you, however, feel video games are all about having fun. Nicole H. of Alma, Wisconsin writes, “Kids like games with action. Even if their parents buy educational games, most kids won’t play them.” Ashley H. of Minot, North Dakota agrees and adds, “Kids need a break … if they made video games educational, kids wouldn’t buy them.” Krystal W. of Omaha, Nebraska writes, “Parents might make kids only get the educational games so the other ones are discontinued.” Finally, Natasha P. of West Hurley, New York says some are already educational games. Natasha writes, “In my favorite game… you have to read a lot and I found out some new words like ‘cithara’, (sith-ara) an old music instrument.”

MAILBAG CLOSE

We look forward to receiving your responses to our two latest issue questions… “Are restaurants responsible for our health?” and “Do you support Toni Smith’s flag protest?” If you would like to receive an Assignment: The World Press card, please enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope. You may write to us here at Assignment: The World, Post Office Box three-zero-zero-twenty-one, Rochester, New York… one-4-6-zero-3… or you may contact us at the A-T-W website at http://atwonline.org./ We also read e-mail at atw@wxxi.org.


POP QUIZ #2


In our story about Colin Powell’s trip, who did we tell you is North Korea’s most powerful ally? Is it…

1) Russia

2) South Korea

3) China

And the correct answer is number three… China is considered North Korea’s most powerful ally.

NEW CLUES

And now it’s time for next week’s clues in the news…

Our first clue is a location…

33 Degrees, 14 minutes north latitude
44 Degrees, 22 minutes east longitude

Our second clue is a fill-in-the-blank, it’s two words…

_ R A _

_ U _ M I _

And finally, our third clue is a scrambled letter, it is two words…

E U Y T K R

A E S B

These are clues to stories we think will happen in the coming week. You can find the answers on radio and television newscasts and in newspapers and newsmagazines. We’ll reveal the answers on next week’s show. Good luck!

GOOD-BYE



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And that’s it for this week’s show. From all of us here at Assignment: The World, I’m Elissa Marra. We’ll see you again next week.










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