• NEWS >> ATW January
6, 2005
Yearly
Script Program Index
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OPEN/WELCOME
Hi and welcome to Assignment: The World for the week of January 6th, 2005. I’m Elissa Orlando.
In our top story this week…the world tries to cope in the wake of a killer earthquake and tsunami.
1—TSUNAMI: NOW
Experts say the death toll that began with an earthquake December 26th may never be fully known but it will certainly be more than 150-thousand people. The huge waves that followed the earthquake swept coastlines around the Indian Ocean. Millions of people are homeless and without even the most basic services. Helicopters carrying supplies have, in some cases, had to drop aid packages from the air. Huge numbers of people in need made it impossible for the aircraft to land. Japan has pledged 500-million dollars to help the nations affected by the tsunami, primarily India, Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia. The U.S. has thus far pledged 350-million dollars. On Monday, President Bush called on his two predecessors to head a private charitable fund raising effort. Health officials say the most immediate threat now comes from contaminated food and water.
Pledged (v) formally promised to do something
ATW FACT
Since 1900, drought has killed more than 10 million people worldwide. That’s more than the death toll from floods, wind storms, earthquakes, volcanoes and landslides combined.
(Source: NY Times)
INTRO REST OF THE NEWS
In the rest of the news this week…
--Can future tsunamis be detected in time for a warning?...
--Palestinians face the choice of a new leader…
-and some renewed hope for peace in Sudan.
#2—TSUNAMI: THEN
The huge wall of water that crashed over Indian Ocean nations on December 26th began with an earthquake. Experts say the quake began about six miles below the ocean floor off of the island of Sumatra. The first waves traveling away from the quake are small but build quickly in speed and size. Tsunamis are common in the Pacific Ocean but rare in the Indian Ocean. That’s part of the reason no early warning system was in place. 7 south Asian countries will meet Sunday to discuss implementing such as system during a meeting this weekend. But even with a warning system in place, scientists say it is difficult to predict where waves of the greatest size and force will strike. The best devices now available are expensive. The United Nations will reportedly be looking at the many other options available to help avoid any future disasters in the Indian Ocean.
Tsunami (n) very large ocean wave caused by underwater earthquake or volcanic eruption
#3—ISRAEL/ELECTIONS
Interim Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas appears to be the front runner to win that job from voters this weekend. Masked gunmen gave Abbas a warm welcome at a rally in Gaza this past weekend. Abbas would later have to leave the rally through a window because followers had become so enthused. At a series of public events, the man who wants to succeed the late Yasser Arafat has called out against violence and for a negotiated settlement with Israel. He has also told reporters that he has no plans to crackdown on armed militants, something Israel has demanded. He said Palestinians owe the gunmen a debt for their resistance to Israeli occupation. While Abbas is heavily favored to win on Sunday, critics say he lacks the charisma and street credentials of Arafat.
Enthused (v) great or intense feeling for a subject or cause
#4— —SUDAN TREATY
21 years of civil war may finally be coming to an end in Sudan. An agreement signed in Kenya late last week triggered a permanent cease fire and set the conditions for an end to the war. U-N officials hope this will finally provide a solution for the humanitarian crisis in the western Darfur region of Sudan where disease and hunger have claimed 70-thousand lives since March. An additional 2-million people are believed tohave fled from their homes in that time. Talks toward peace between the government and southern rebels ended with agreements on how to share power and natural wealth. The two sides also agreed to steps to be taken during a six year transition period that would phase in a series of measures in three disputed areas of Sudan.
Humanitarian (adj) kindness, compassion, merciful
POP QUIZ #1
In our story about the tsunami, where did we tell you the earthquake that caused it began? Was it
And the answer is number 3. The earthquake that caused the tsunami began beneath the ocean floor near Sumatra.
OLD CLUE #1—CROATIAN ELECTION
Its time now for the answers to our Clues in the News.
Our first clue was the location of Zagreb, the capital of Croatia. Voters there and throughout the former Yugoslav state went to the polls Sunday to elect a new president. None of the 13 candidates for the job received more than 50 per cent of the vote. That will mean a run-off election January 16th between the two top vote getters, incumbent President Stipe Mesic and Deputy Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor. Both candidates favor entry for Croatia into the European Union. Both also favor cooperation with international courts looking into Balkan war crimes allegations. Croatian voters seemed less than impressed with total turnout just over half of those eligible.
OLD CLUE #2—UKRAINE RUNOFF
Unscramble our second clue and you got Ukraine Runoff. After three runoff elections and the apparent poisoning of one of the major candidates, Ukraine has finally chosen a new president. Current Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych finally conceded to opposition candidate Viktor Yushenko. Yanukovych stepped down as prime minister, saying he found it impossible to hold any government post. He had been declared the winner of a runoff election in late November but huge crowds of protestors called that vote a fraud. In the latest round of voting held December 26th, Yushchenko emerged the winner with a margin of at least 8 percentage points. He will soon pick his own prime minister and cabinet.
OLD CLUE #3—NEW YEAR
And finally, fill in the blanks on our third clue and you got New Year’s Day. The beginning of a new year is traditionally a time of celebration. This year, cities across the world also held memorials to the victims of the Asian tsunami. 1 million revelers in Sydney, Australia observed a moment of silence. German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder called on his countrymen to donate the money they would normally spend on fireworks. Fireworks displays were cancelled in Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia. Sweden’s Prime Minister asked all Swedes to light candles for the 25-hundred Swedish tourists who remain missing. In France, the normally festive Champs Elysees was draped in black cloth.
THIS WEEK IN WORLD HISTORY
This week in world history…January 7th, 1822, Africa’s first republic was founded. Originally called Monrovia, what is now Liberia began as a home to men and women who had been slaves in the United States. Liberia is in West Africa between Cote d’Ivoire and Sierra Leone.
FEATURE
Volunteer fire departments are always looking for new members and you don’t have to wait until you’re all grown up to get involved. We visited a Fire Explorer group to learn how you might get involved with your local volunteer fire department. Check it out.
(David Metzger) Fire Explorers are between the ages of 15 and usually 18. At 18 they would then join the volunteer fire departments. And most of them, our expolorers come from Brighton schools or they live within the fire district so they can get to the fires faster and help us quicker.
The Fire Explorers respond with fire fighters to calls and one of their main purposes is to relieve fire fighters from duties outside of the structure so they can be inside fighting the fire and the explorers are doing things outside such as getting equipment off of trucks, trying to think ahead of the firefighters knowing what we will need. Setting up air pact stations, changing air pacts, making fire hydrants. Those are all things they would do initially with the call and then there is the cleanup afterwards takes a long time and they are very involved with that also.
They all carry pagers and the pager tells them where the call is just like it tells the volunteer firefighters where the call is and then they would respond anyway they can. By car, by skateboard, by parent to the call and then stop helping. They carry their gear in the car so they can go right to work.
When you see someone start at 15 years of age and they learn and they become young adults to senior adults or senior people and going off into their life. The experiences they get from Fire Explorers and as they take those with them, it is really amazing as I see these youth grow and change. I've been involved with the program for a long time and I've seen, having them come back and talk to them about what they are doing its very rewarding and a fantastic experience.
ISN’T IT COOL
Valley of the Golden Mummies
Viewers the world-over got the chance to watch as Egyptologists and television technicians’ unearthed ancient Egyptian burial tombs in the Valley of the Golden Mummies.
Researchers chose the location because it shows the life of ancient, ordinary people… not royalty.
Other tombs revealed more decorated mummies including one covered with gold.
ISSUE
Fox Broadcasting aired a 90 minute special this week called “Who’s Your Daddy”. The reality show, which featured an adopted woman trying to identify her biological father, angered some adoption advocates. It also prompted critics to charge that reality shows have gone too far in pushing the bounds of good taste. They say the producers of such shows are only interested in finding new, more outrageous and often demeaning ways to challenge participants. Critics hope that TV producers might try to aim their sights higher than lower. But those who defend reality programming say that people who appear on such shows are willing participants who know what they’re getting into. They say viewers also know what type of show is on and can always turn to another channel. They argue that if reality shows were not popular, no one would be watching them. So, what do you think? “Has reality TV gone too far? Discuss this issue with your classmates after the show and then write to us with your opinions.
MAILBAG
We received nearly three hundred responses to our issue question…Should Barry Bond’s records be recognized?
The majority of you, sixty percent say no, they should not be recognized.
Thirty five percent say yes they should. Just five percent are undecided.
Many of you feel if Barry Bond’s used steroids, he did so before they were illegal.
Eric B. of Rochester, New York writes, “He took steroids when they weren’t illegal. Little kids look up to Barry so why break their hearts just because he took steroids.”
Rick G. of Jenson, Michigan agrees and adds, “He didn’t know they were steroids. His trainer gave them to him.”
Jacob H. of Kohler, Wisconsin reminds us that steroids only make you stronger; they don’t make you a better hitter. Jacob writes, “He still has to know when to swing. He has to make his body work, steroids just make him stronger.”
The majority of you, however, feel the use of steroids is cheating and that his records should not be recognized.
Jordan B. of Denison, Iowa writes, “He used drugs to increase his statistics and that is illegal.”
Megan of Blue Mounds, Wisconsin adds, “I don’t think he should have any special credit for doing what he did because he cheated.”
Kate P. of Verona, Virginia agrees and writes, “I would rather be a not so very good baseball player, than be number one and cheat.”
Finally Nancy F. of Elba, New York writes, “I think he should be ashamed of himself. (He) should have taken more responsibility (for) what he was doing.”
We look forward to receiving your responses to our issue questions: “Should illegal immigrants be granted drivers licenses?” and “Has reality TV gone too far?”
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 Croatia, what did we tell you is the capital city of that country? Is it
And the correct answer is number one. The capital city of Croatia is Zagreb.
NEW CLUES
And now it’s time for next week’s clues in the news…
Our first clue a location…
6 Degrees, 8 minutes south latitude
106 Degrees, 45 minutes east longitude
Our second clue is a newsmaker:
IYAD ALLAWI
And finally, our third clue is a scrambled letter, two words
WEN CRESSNOG
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 Orlando. We’ll see you next year.
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