NEWS >> ATW Script
December 12, 2002
Yearly Script Program Index
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We look forward to receiving your responses to our two latest issue
questions
Should states restrict cell phone use while driving?
Responses are due Monday, December 16 and Who or what would you
choose as Newsmaker of the Year? Responses are due Monday, January
6.
OPEN/WELCOME
Hi and welcome to Assignment: The World for the week of December twelfth,
2002. Im Elissa Marra.
In our top story this week
weapons inspectors turn up their first
discrepancy.
#1 IRAQ UPDATE
Baghdads arms declaration to the U-N arrived in the U-S by a German
Lufthansa airline Monday. Copies of the report went out to the International
Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna, another to the U-N Inspection Commission
in New York and a third to the U-N Security Council, also in New York.
The report is written in Arabic and totals 12-thousand pages. In it
Iraq denies owning any weapons of mass destruction, or the intent to
produce or obtain any in the future. The long-awaited document includes
bound copies of volumes devoted separately to nuclear, chemical, biological
and missile activities. The U-N Security Council agreed to give the
U-S, Russia, France, China and Britain full access to the Iraqi declaration.
The other ten council members, including Iraqs neighbor, Syria,
will only see the declaration once sensitive information is removed,
such as possible bomb-making instructions. In the meantime, weapons
inspectors returned Monday to Iraqs huge nuclear complex for further
inspections.
Obtain (v) to come into possession of.
ATW FACT
Brushfires in drought-stricken Australia have scorched 250-thousand
acres of land in one week. The Southern Hemisphere summer temperatures
have reached one-hundred and four degrees, fanning the fires even more.
Source: World Television News, 12/12/02
INTRO REST OF THE NEWS
In the rest of the news this week
-the Caribbean Community held a summit in Cuba.
-the space shuttle Endeavour returns homefinally
-and finally, President Bush nominates a new treasury secretary.
#2 CUBAN SUMMIT
Cuban President Fidel Castro hosted the leaders of fourteen Caribbean
Community states on Sunday. Only the tiny state of Montserrat was absent.
Castro told the leaders that Cuba plans to renew its request to join
a major European aid agreement and he promised one-thousand medical
workers to help fight AIDS in Caribbean countries. Cuba initially withdrew
its request to join the Cotonou Agreement between Europe and seventy-seven
developing nations back in 2000, accusing European officials of imposing
discriminatory conditions involving human rights in the communist nation.
Castro said some conditions had changed and that is why Cuba now wants
to join.
Discriminatory (adv) a judgement, good or bad, against a person or idea
based on the association and not based on merit.
#3 SHUTTLE RETURNS
After a record-setting streak of bad weather, space shuttle Endeavour
returned to Earth Saturday, bringing home a U-S astronaut and two Russian
cosmonauts. The three spent the last six months living aboard the international
space station. The spaceship swooped through a hazy afternoon sky and
touched down on the runway, three days late, to complete a five-point-seven-million
mile journey. NASA made the decision that the shuttle had to land Saturday,
as on-board supplies and fuel was running low. The Endeavour crew was
able to land in Florida, but would have landed in California as an alternate
site.
#4 BUSH NAMES SNOW
President George Bush on Monday introduced John Snow, chair of the
transportation and railroad conglomerate C-S-X Corporation, as his choice
for the vacant U-S Treasury post. If approved by the U-S Senate in coming
weeks, Snow will replace ousted Treasury Secretary Paul ONeill,
who was asked to step down last Friday. Snow served as a deputy undersecretary
for transportation during the Ford administration and brings a background
in law and economics. Speaking at the White House, Snow pledged to help
build and maintain a prosperous economic policy for the country.
Conglomerate (n) a corporation consisting of a number of divisions in
a variety of unrelated industries.
POP QUIZ #1
In our story about Iraq, the U-N shared the declaration with some Security
Council member countries? Was it because they
Need to remove sensitive material
Didnt have enough copies
Need to translate from English
And the correct answer is number one
sensitive material needs
to be removed, such as bomb-making instructions.
OLD CLUE #1 DOHAR, QATAR
And now its time for the answers to our last clues in the news
Find the location of our first clue and youd get Dohar, Qatar.
The U-S military opened a new command center at a heavily guarded base
in Qatar. The base would be ready to serve as the main headquarters
for a war against Iraq. Two senior U-S senators met on Sunday with U-S
commanders participating in military exercises at the base. On Monday,
the troops based in Qatar began a week-long computer-assisted war game
that is a rehearsal for a possible war.
OLD CLUE #2TERROR TRIAL
Fill in the blanks of our second clue and youd get Terror
Trial. The trial of four men suspected of ties to al-Qaeda started
last week in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. The mentwo Algerians,
a Frenchman and a Dutchman-- were charged with plotting attacks on U-S
targets across Europe. Specifically, they are accused of running a terrorist
support network out of a Rotterdam apartment to assist strikes against
the U-S Embassy in Paris and a military base in Belgium.
OLD CLUE #3BRAZILIAN LEADER
And finally, find the role of our newsmaker and youd get, Brazilian
Leader. Brazils President-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva
was scheduled to visit with U-S President George Bush Tuesday at the
White House. The newly elected da Silva will officially take office
in Brazil on January first. Da Silvas visit was mostly intended
as a relationship-building trip, although the two leaders discussed
trade between the countries. Da Silva wants to move Brazil away from
its excessive dependence on the U-S for goods and support more local,
Brazilian companies.
THIS WEEK IN WORLD HISTORY
This week in world history
on December twelfth, 1937
Japanese
aircraft sank the U-S gunboat Panay on Chinas Yangtze River. Japan
apologized and paid two-point-two-million dollars in reparations.
FEATURE
MEMORIAL ART GALLERY FEATURE
If you ever wanted to be a famous sculpture then this next feature
is for you, check it out!
Wyatt:
Here at the Memorial Art Gallery in Rochester, NY kids are getting a
first hand look into the world of French Artist Edgar Degas as well
as an opportunity to make their very own Sculptures.
Marlene Hamman-Whitmore; Curator of Education at Memorial Art Gallery:
We had about 15 3rd and 4th graders and we talked about what artists
do, there's lots of different ways to be an artist but the most important
thing is that an artist communicates what he or she feels about the
world around them and theres lots of different ways to do that.
The exhibition that is currently up is Edgar Degas Figures in
Motion and really the focus of the exhibit is the sculptures he
did. There are 73 bronze statues. One of the kids favorite pieces was
Little Dancer: Aged 14 years, it is his largest sculpture
that he ever did, that we know ofit stands about 40 inches tall
and it was the only sculpture that he ever showed in his lifetime.
Well what the children did after the exhibition was they went down to
our creative workshop which is our art school and they made theyre
own sculpture similar to the way Degas worked. They began with wire,
or a wire skeleton if you will and then they added plastacine clay and
then they went back and added colored clay for the details
so what
they did was, they pretty much made a sculpture the way the Degas made
sculpture I think that one of the main goals of Memorial Art Gallery
or really any museum is to really give kids a bigger view of whats
out there, to really expand theyre horizons--so it gives kids
really the freedom to move towards a space to see for themselves. It
gives them a taste of some of the possibilities and I think thats
the most important thing you can do for a child.
Wyatt:
For Assignment the World Im Wyatt Doremus
ISNT IT COOL!
Cuba Chess
The worlds largest exhibition of simultaneous chess was played
in Havana, Cuba last week. The event, held as part of the closing ceremonies
of what has been named the first Cuban Olympics, pitted five-hundred
and fifty Cuban chess masters against eleven thousand amateurs. The
amateur chess lovers included Cubas President Fidel Castro who
spent a little more than an hour playing Cuban Grand Master Silvino
Garcia, before heading to a summit of Caribbean leaders.
ISSUE
Its the time of year that we ask you, our viewers, to consider
who, or what, you think made the biggest impact on the world during
the year 2002. You might look to world leaders who are working toward
peace in their regions, or you may think that a leader who caused the
most tumult and terror was in the news most. In years past, some viewers
chose people that impact the lives of children, like parents, teachers,
sports figures or astronauts. One year, the computer won as Newsmaker
of the Year, so its not limited to just people in the news. As
you consider your choice, think about the entire year and who or what
you read or heard about most in the news. It could be good news or bad,
but let us know the person or thing you found to be the most influential.
Wed like to know
Who or what would you choose as Newsmaker
of the Year? Discuss this with your classmates after the show
and then write to us with your opinions.
MAILBAG
We received nearly nine hundred responses to our issue question, Would
you consider being a teacher? The majority of you, fifty percent
say yes you would consider being a teacher. Forty four percent say no,
you would not. Six percent are undecided. Many of you feel teachers
do not get paid enough money for all their hard work. Chucky F. of Rome,
New York writes, It is too much work and responsibility for the
pay. Rachel U. of Staunton, Virginia adds, I wouldnt
make enough money to support my family. Teachers do a lot of work for
a little amount of money. Joe M. of Liverpool, New York has additional
concerns. Joe writes, I would get sick a lot from kids having
colds. The majority of you, however, feel teaching would be a
rewarding career choice. Maggie B. of Wind Lake, Wisconsin writes, Money
isnt everything. Just being able to be with children and teaching
them would be fun. Katie B. of Adams, New York adds, Its
not about the money; its about doing what you like. You could
really make a difference in someones life. Stephanie D.
of Pittsford, New York agrees and writes, True teachers derive
pleasure in their occupation, even though they dont get paid large
sums of money
they can help students in life by simply helping
to educate them about the world. Amanda L. of New Berlin, Wisconsin
adds, Every day teachers make sure this new generation is educated.
One of their students could discover the cure for cancer. Just think
of the power. Finally Becky W. of Randolph, New Jersey writes,
I like to take care of little kids. It would be a great experience
even though it is extremely hard.
MAILBAG CLOSE
We look forward to receiving your responses to our two latest issue
questions
ard to receiving your responses to our two latest issue
questions
Should states restrict cell phone use while driving?
and Who or what would you choose as Newsmaker of the Year?
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 the space shuttle, why did NASA determine that the
shuttle had to land Saturday? Was it because
More bad weather was on the way
A computer glitch occurred
On-board supplies and fuel were running low
And the correct answer is number three
Endeavour had to land
because supplies and fuel was running low.
NEW CLUES
And now its time for next weeks clues in the news
Our first clue is a location
10 Degrees, 30 minutes north latitude
66 Degrees, 58 minutes west longitude
Our second clue is a fill-in-the-blank, its two words
_ A L _ S
_ E _ U _ E
And finally, our third clue is a scrambled letter, it is two words
T P N A E R M L A I
E T V O
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. Well reveal the answers on next weeks
show. Good luck!
GOOD-BYE
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And thats it for this weeks show. From all of us here at
Assignment: The World, Im Elissa Marra. Well see you again
next week.
© 2003 WXXI-TV/ Assignment: The World.
All Rights Reserved.