WXXI-TV | Assignment: The World |


	• NEWS >> ATW October 16, 2003 Yearly Script Program Index -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- OPEN/WELCOME Hi and welcome to Assignment: The World for the week of October 16th, 2003. I’m Elissa Marra. In our top story this week…the danger in Iraq continues but help may be on the way. #1— IRAQ Security in the Iraqi capitol of Baghdad is even tighter this week after twin car bombs exploded on a busy street Sunday. The bombers had targeted a hotel where US and Iraqi officials live and work. Iraqi security forces forced the bombers to veer away from the hotel. The explosion that followed left at least 8 people dead and dozens wounded. It was the 7th fatal attack using cars since August. All of them have involved people or places linked to cooperation with the US occupation of Iraq. Meanwhile, members of the European Union are closer to offering financial help in the rebuilding of Iraq. The E-U will likely approve 233-million dollars in reconstruction aid, aid that would stretch over a 14 month period beginning in November. Final approval of the aid has been complicated by a number of disagreements within the E-U including the level of security in Iraq. Reconstruction (n) To build again ATW FACT Andrew Jackson has a new look. The US Treasury Department unveiled new versions of the 20 dollar bill which now have green, peach and blue in them. Its hoped the new bills will be more difficult to counterfeit. Source: WTN INTRO REST OF THE NEWS In the rest of the news this week… -Another Palestinian leader steps down… -The road to La Paz is anything but peaceful -and the transition continues in California. #2— ISRAEL UPDATES A power struggle among the Palestinian leadership may have put a long term hold on hopes for peace with Israel. Ahmed Queria is the second Palestinian Prime Minister to quit in as many months. In both cases, the prime ministers were unable to convince Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat to share any real power. In the latest argument, Queria wanted to be able to name his own head of security forces, something Arafat continues to refuse. Queria says he will stay on in his job until a new cabinet and a new prime minister are chosen in 3 weeks. Palestinians are reportedly angry over the infighting between their leaders. That anger increased when Israel destroyed tunnels used by Palestinians to smuggle weapons into the Gaza Strip. 8 Palestinians including two children were killed. Dozens more were wounded. For its part, Israel continues to push for Arafat’s physical removal from the region. Smuggle (v) To illegally bring in or take out #3— BOLIVIA Martial law has been imposed outside a city named for peace. El Alto is a mostly poor, industrial city outside of Bolivia’s capitol, La Paz. It was the site Sunday of clashes between police and demonstrators opposed to a plan to sell gas to the US and Mexico. The protests which began two weeks ago have turned deadly. At least 11 people have died thus far. The government led by Ptresident Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada says its plan would earn 1.5 billion dollars for Boliva. Protestors say the gas should be used instead to benefit Bolivians more directly at home. Boliva is the poorest nation in South America.Opposed(v) To be in contention or conflict with #4— CALIFORNIA RECALL The transition continues in California after an historic election. For only the second time in US history, a sitting governor was recalled or forced out of office before the end of his term. In place of Gray Davis is governor-elect Arnold Schwarzenegger. The movie star and former body builder handily won the race of more than 100 candidates who wanted to replace Davis. The formal transfer of power should happen before Thanksgiving. A number of analysts are predicting a tough road for the new governor who may have to face a shortfall in California’s budget of up to 10 billion dollars. Recall (v) Process by which a public official may be removed from office POP QUIZ #1 In our story about Iraq, what organization is on the verge of granting funds to help Iraq to rebuild? NATO The United Nations The European Union And the correct answer is number three…the EU is close to a vote to approve more than 200 million dollars in reconstruction aid. OLD CLUE #1— ECONOMIC FORUM And now it’s time for the answers to our clues in the news… Our first clue was a location. Check the latitude and longitude and you would have found Singapore, the site of the World Economic Forum. Jordan’s King Abdullah formally opened the 3 day summit by calling for agreement on the US plan for peace in the Middle East. The economic conference drew 800 business, government and media leaders from 32 countries. There were also experts in trade, finance and economics. This was the 12 annual meeting of the group. OLD CLUE #2—NOBEL PRIZE Fill in the blanks of our second clue and you got Nobel Prize. Iranian Shirin Ebadi won this year’s Nobel Peace Prize. Ebadi was honored for her work to improve the status of women and children in Iran. She has been a judge, lawyer, lecturer, activist and writer. Ebadi is the first Iranian and only the 11th woman to win the Peace Prize since it was first awarded in 1901. Her work for human rights went on despite imprisonment and threats. Nobel Prizes were also awarded in Physics, Chemistry, Medicine, Literature and Economics. OLD CLUE #3—WORLD CUP And finally, unscramble our third clue and you have Women’s World Cup. The teams from Germany and Sweden went into overtime tied at one Sunday. Germany’s Nia Kuenzer used her head to deflect a long free kick past Swedish goalkeeper Caroline Joensson. The goal gave Germany its first ever Women’s World Cup. Germany got to the championship game by beating the favored American team. The US rebounded to beat Canada on Saturday to win this year’s bronze medal. THIS WEEK IN WORLD HISTORY This week in world history… on October 20, 1973… one of the most recognized buildings in the world, the Sydney Opera House opened its doors. Its distinctive roof shells cover several auditoriums. The Opera House hosts an average of 3000 events a year. FEATURE INTRO Want to see what baseball looked like in the 1800's? This week we're taking you out to the ball park...check it out! FEATURE VINTAGE BASEBALL (Wyatt Doremus) “Welcome to Silver Baseball Park in Mumford, New York. A place where baseball is played the same way our forefathers played the sport in the 1800’s. It’s all part of a special program called ‘Vintage Baseball’ here at the Genesee Country Village and Museum.” (Connie Bodner: Senior Director of Programs) “Vintage Baseball is a movement I would say around the country and it is an attempt to play Baseball the way it was meant to be played. Men get together, women as well and they recreate the whole world of baseball as it existed before the sport became professional, so were talking 1830’s to 1870’s.” (Wyatt) “Baseball was a much different game than the version we now play today. The players did not wear gloves in the field, the ball was a little bigger and much softer and if you hit the ball over the fence it was a double, not a home run.” (Tony Brancato: Live Oaks Baseball Club) “There was no overrunning of bases, no sliding, no bunting, no stealing…a lot of things that have changed over the years, it makes it more of a game which is more similar to modern slow pitch softball than it is baseball.” (Wyatt) “The museum worked very hard to make Silver Baseball Park look as authentic as possible. There is a Tally keepers perch where the announcer calls the game from, a refreshment stand serving items from the late 19th century and of course a vintage scoreboard.” (Connie) “We have young lads who dress in period appropriate clothing and keep track of the score for us. Well we hope that they certainly learn a lot about the origins and development of baseball…they will certainly learn that it was a gentlemen’s game at that time before things went professional, it was all about politeness all about sportsmanship and so those are things that we hope people will take away.” (Wyatt) “For ‘Assignment: The World’ I’m Wyatt Doremus.”ISN’T IT COOL Some baby red pandas made their public debut in Syracuse, New York this week. The 15-week old pandas, weighing just over three pounds each, explored their new exhibit to the delight of zoo officials. Red Pandas are endangered, with fewer than two thousand in the wild. It is native to countries such as Nepal, northeastern India, China and Myanmar but is threatened by loss of habitat due to deforestation and poaching. ISSUE An 11 year old Oklahoma girl was suspended recently for violating her school’s dress code. But while the school implemented the rule to prevent gang related activity, Nashala Hern is wearing a head scarf that’s important to her religion. The dress code adopted in 1997 prohibits the wearing of any head covering indoors. Federal regulations do not allow any exceptions for religious beliefs. The school’s attorney says, “You treat religious items as you would any other item, no better, no worse.” But the student and her parents say that to remove the scarf would violate the way she observes her religion. Other critics feel the scarf poses no threat and in fact is far more modest than most school wear. So, what you think… “Should dress codes allow religious exceptions?” Discuss this issue with your classmates after the show and then write to us with your opinions. MAILBAG We received over four hundred responses to our issue question … “Should there be a do-not call registry?” The majority of you, 78 percent, say yes there should be a no-call registry. Thirteen percent say, no there should not. Nine percent are undecided. Many of you fear that eliminating telemarketing will cause many people to lose their jobs. Dillon S. of Fairfield, Virginia writes, “People will not be able to support their families. The economy is bad enough… this would make a bad situation worse.” Michael H. of Pittsford, New York adds, “They are only calling to politely ask a question. The person answering the phone can just say no, thank you.” The majority of you, however, feel a no-call registry is a good idea. Amanda C. of Latham, New York writes, “The do-not call registry could help make the world a better place. Businesses can still advertise by T.V. commercials, magazine articles and much more.” Brendon R. of Rockford, Michigan writes, “Telemarketers bother people way too much…people who do not want to be bothered should be able to have their privacy.” Stephanie W. of Rush, New York adds, “Salesmen do not have the right to bother you at meals or during your free time.” Finally, John S. of Washburn, Wisconsin thinks a no-call registry is a good idea. John reminds us that often “You might not want or need the stuff that they are selling. (With a no-call registry) they won’t be disturbing you.” MAILBAG CLOSE We look forward to receiving your responses to our two latest issue questions… “Should dress codes allow religious exceptions?” and “Should the US spend 87-billion dollars to rebuild Iraq?” 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 Women’s World Cup, which nation did we tell you won its first world championship? The US Germany Sweden And the correct answer is number two… Germany beat both the US and Sweden en route to its first ever World Cup in Soccer. NEW CLUES And now it’s time for next week’s clues in the news… Our first clue a location… 39 Degrees, 46 minutes north latitude 98 degrees, 34 minutes east longitude Our second clue is is a fill-in the blanks, it is two word… First word S__I__ER Second word T__IA__ And finally, our third clue is a scrambled letter…three words: SHUB PRIT 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 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. © 2003 WXXI-TV/ Assignment: The World. All Rights Reserved.