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	• NEWS >> ATW February 3, 2005 Yearly Script Program Index -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- OPEN/WELCOME Hi and welcome to Assignment: The World for the week of February 3rd, 2005. I’m Elissa Orlando. In our top story this week…Iraqis make an historic choice. 1—IRAQ/VOTE Preliminary figures aren’t expected until Sunday but officials in Washington and in Baghdad say the real results are already in. Both say the voting that went on throughout much of Iraq last weekend is a victory for democracy. It was the first national election in decades. Turnout was heaviest in many Shiite and mixed Sunni-Shiite neighborhoods in Baghdad and southern cities including Basra. Long lines of people waited to cast their ballots and at one site, officials ran out of ballots. In contrast, polls were all but deserted in many of the cities in the so-called Sunni Triangle north and west of the capital. Further north, thousands of Kurds made their choices, hoping to have a greater say in Iraq’s future after years of oppression under Saddam Hussein. They cast ballots for three tiers of government including the new National Assembly. Decades (n) Several periods of ten years ATW FACT Unlike the proportion in Iraq, the majority of the world’s Muslims is Sunni. In Saudi Arabia, for example, 90 per cent of Muslims there are Sunni with only 10 per cent Shiite. INTRO REST OF THE NEWS In the rest of the news this week… --More on the vote violence couldn’t delay.. --Israelis protest a pull-out… -and can free trade and free land co-exist? #2—IRAQ VOTE TWO Perhaps the biggest fear leading up to Sunday’s vote in Iraq was that the threat of violence would keep most voters at home. Militants did launch a series of attacks within two hours of the voting Sunday morning. Suicide bombers and mortar volleys killed at least 44 people and wounded a number of others. But by noon, American and Iraqi forces had helped to slow the violence and voting began to pick up. 60 per cent of Iraq’s Muslims are Shiites, a group encouraged by its clerics to vote in hopes of finally gaining power. Officials worry that a low turnout by the minority Sunni Muslims would undermine any new government that emerges from the vote. Some say unequal representation of Iraq’s religious and ethnic populations could later make tensions worse. The election will create a 275-member National Assembly as well as electing a president and two deputy presidents. They will name a prime minister and a cabinet that will serve 11 months until new elections are held. The new assembly will work to draw up a new national constitution. Unequal (adj) not the same in any measurable aspect #3—ISRAEL An estimated 130-thousand people demonstrated in Jerusalem Sunday, protesting a plan to evacuate all Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip and West Bank. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon wants to evacuate 85-hundred Israelis from a total of 25 settlements this summer. It would be the first time that Israel would remove settlements from territories claimed by Palestinians for their state. The huge crowd of demonstrators opposes the Prime Minister’s plan and wants the final decision to come by way of a national referendum. Public opinion polls indicate that more than 60 per cent of Israelis support the pullout plan. However, settlement leaders say they could muster the votes necessary to defeat the plan in a referendum. Evacuate (v) to withdraw or send inhabitants away from a threatened area #4— —CHAVEZ Land reform and U-S foreign policy were among the hot topics under discussion at the fifth World Social Forum. Many at the 6 day gathering cheered Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez for his efforts at land reform and against the United States. Chavez is considered the strongest voice against U-S efforts to create a Free Trade Area that would include 34 nations stretching from Alaska to Argentina. Opponents claim such a move would only benefit multi national corporations while enslaving workers. In his own country, Chavez is leading a controversial campaign to take profits from Venezuela’s oil production to fund huge social programs for the poor. He also wants to tax or take idle farmland, something his opponents say violates their constitutional property rights. Reform (v) a change for the better, correction of evils or abuses POP QUIZ #1 In our story about the Israel, how many settlements does the prime minister want to evacuate? Is it 1. 25 2. 35 3. 45 And the answer is number 1. Prime Minister Sharon wants to evacuate 25 settlements in the Gaza Strip and West Bank. OLD CLUE #1—WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM Its time now for the answers to our Clues in the News. Our first clue was the location of Davos, Switzerland, the site of the latest World Economic Forum. The annual meeting of top business executives and politicians featured signs of hope for peace in the Middle East. Israel’s Shimon Peres and for Palestinian Foreign Minister Yasser Abed Rabbo both said progress has been made toward a comprehensive solution in the region. German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said he’s confident that Iran has stepped away from any further efforts to develop nuclear weapons. He said diplomacy was the only way to proceed in an area already torn by military conflicts. OLD CLUE #2—OPEC MEETING Unscramble our second clue and you got OPEC Meeting. As winter continues to hit hard at parts of the United States, there will be no relief from the high costs of gas and heating oil. The nations that produce a third of the world’s oil supply decided to keep prices and production at current levels. The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries wanted to show buyers and consumers that prices, while not dropping, would at least not be going up. OPEC will look again at prices and production March 16th when the group will meet in Iran. OLD CLUE #3—IRAQ VOTE And finally, fill in the blanks on our third clue and you got Iraq vote. The voting in Iraq’s first election in decades wasn’t confined to just Iraq. Hundreds of Iraqis went to 11 polling stations throughout neighboring Jordan Sunday. More than 117-thousand Iraqis living in 7 countries across Europe registered to participate in the vote. And there were five polling places across the U-S including one in Detroit that drew nearly 10-thousand voters. Voters going to sites in Maryland and California danced in the parking lots after their first ever act of democracy. The site in California was the only one west of the Mississippi and it drew voters from as far away as Phoenix and Denver. THIS WEEK IN WORLD HISTORY This week in world history…February 3rd, 1867, Prince Mutsuhito became Emperor of Japan. Over the next several decades, he would lead his country out of centuries of isolation to become a modern industrial and military power. FEATURE It’s one of Broadway’s favorite plays. Thousands of theater groups around the world have produced their own production of Annie and for one group of orphans the opportunity to meet the original Annie from the movie was an added treat. Wyatt Doremus checks it out. ATW FEATURE FEATURE (Wyatt) Aileen Quinn knows something about itchy red haired wigs. She also knows something about being front of cameras. On this night in Webster, New York the cameras are in the hands of parents and news crews. In 1982 the cameras were in the hands of John Huston (Aileen singing) Tomorrow you're only a day away (Wyatt) Getting picked over 8,000 other young actresses to play the title role in the movie Annie remains a special memory of Aileen Quinn. While Quinn has a talent for languages and an interest in journalism, it is acting and music that are in her heart. that love is part of what drew her to ignore a cold and make a surprise visit to talk to this latest cast of Annie. (Aileen) For this country especially now there are so many things we are going through. I think that the youth are very important, I know it is cliche to say that they are our future but they are and I think that any time you can interact with them and hopefully serve as some sort of positive role model, hopefully that is something I represent. Then I think that is a good thing. (Wyatt) Like her most famour role, Aileen Quinn is pleasant and positive. She's also honest particularly when it comes to acting. (Aileen) Rejection is something that you never get used to. Especially most actors, I consider myself an actress first before a singer or dancer, they are very sensitive. I don't think you ever get used to that, it does hurt especially when you really want the part. (Wyatt) For those aspiring actors and actresses who ignore all the warnings and simply must aim for the stars, Quinn recommends having a strong supportive family. She also says acting is something you really must love. ISN’T IT COOL BABY HIPPO It’s a baby hippo! A pygmy hippo to be exact and the Berlin Zoo recently celebrated its first birth of a baby pygmy hippo in 19 years! The male baby made its first public appearance recently after its birth on November 28 of last year. Pygmy hippos can be found in the wild in west Africa but they are a protected species with probably no more than a few thousand remaining. ISSUE The First Amendment to the US Constitution guarantees all citizens the freedoms of religion, speech, press, assembly and petition. According to a survey released this week of more than 100-thousand high school students, more than a third say the amendment goes too far in the rights it guarantees. Only half of the students feel newspapers should be allowed to publish freely without any government approval of stories. In that group, many feel the world has become too dangerous to allow possibly inaccurate, misleading or sensitive stories to be published. But proponents of the amendment say freedom of the press is essential to the American way of life. Censoring stories or limiting speech in any way, they say would be a dangerous step away from a free society. They insist that citizens and journalists should be able to question the government. So, what do you think? “Does the First Amendment go too far?” Discuss this issue with your classmates after the show and then write to us with your opinions. MAILBAG We received nearly six hundred responses to our issue question…”Is physical education important at school?” The overwhelming majority of you, ninety eight percent, say yes physical education is important. Just over one percent say no, it is not. And less than one percent are undecided. Some of you feel there are more important subjects that need your attention. Dakotah O. of Hague, New York writes, “It wastes so much time when you could be doing math, science or language arts.” Drew S. of Mequon, (mek-won) Wisconsin adds, “Some people can’t do the activity. Children that lack the ability (to play) should not be put under pressure to do (so). “ The great majority of you, however, feel physical education provides many benefits. Mari M. of Minot, (My-know) North Dakota writes, “Physical education is a time for kids to socialize and remain fit and healthy. It’s ideal for schools.” Alejandra M. of West Simsbury, Connecticut adds, “Our country has many overweight people. I think P.E. at least once a week could help that.” Paige R. of Weyers Cave, Virginia agrees and writes, “If they don’t start working out now they could have health problems as adults. Schools need to take action.”Bart of Des Plaines, Illinois adds, “… the more you exercise the better chance you have of staying healthy.” Samantha L. of Shoreham, New York reminds us that physical education teachers do more than teach us how to exercise. Samantha writes, “P.E. teachers teach us how to be balanced, eat healthy, exercise regularly and (have) good sportsmanship.” And finally, Alisha F. of Duluth, Minnesota writes, “It is a fact that studentsare more ready and able to learn after physical activity. Our children need to know how to take care of themselves and how to work with others. What is more important than these life skills?” We look forward to receiving your responses to our issue questions: “Is homework outdated?” and “Does the First Amendment go 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 OPEC, where did we tell you that group will meet in March? Is it Saudi Arabia Iraq Iran And the correct answer is number three. OPEC’s next meeting is in March in Iran. NEW CLUES And now it’s time for next week’s clues in the news… Our first clue a location… 30 Degrees, 30 minutes north latitude 81 Degrees, 42 minutes west longitude Our second clue is a scrambled letter, two words: ICER RIPT And finally, our third clue is a fill in the blanks, four words S__A__E O_ T__E U__I__N 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 week. © 2005 WXXI-TV/ Assignment: The World. All Rights Reserved.