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	• NEWS >> ATW February 24, 2005 Yearly Script Program Index -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- OPEN/WELCOME Hi and welcome to Assignment: The World for the week of February 24th, 2005. I’m Julie Philipp. In our top story this week… the President works to mend fences in Europe. 1—BUSH TRIP As President and Mrs. Bush left the White House Sunday, they headed to a series of meetings across Europe. The biggest item on his agenda was strengthening ties with allies who had sharp disagreements over the war in Iraq. The President also talked with his counterparts about European negotiations to persuade Iran to end its nuclear program. European leaders pushed their case to end a 15 year ban on selling weapons to China, something President Bush has opposed. By the end of his visit, the President had met with more than two dozen European leaders, most of those in his first stop in Belgium. He was greeted there by unprecedented security precautions that were prompted by an alliance of 88 environmental, peace, and human rights activists who planned to protest the visit. Among the good news resulting from the President’s trip: the European Union will train more than 700 judges, prosecutors and prison guards outside of Iraq. The E-U will also provide 3 million dollars to run a recruiting office in Baghdad. Unprecedented (adj) Without any previous example, not customary or usual ATW FACT The area that now encompasses the modern state of Syria is an ancient and important crossroads. Early civilization flourished there in part because its where 3 continents, Asia, Africa and Europe, come together. INTRO REST OF THE NEWS In the rest of the news this week… -- Protests grow louder in Lebanon… -- Israel takes an important and controversial step… -- and two US Presidents make a personal trip through devastation. #2—LEBANON BOMBING Calls for Syria to remove its troops from Lebanon continue to grow louder. Thousands gathered Monday to protest the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. Many Lebanese blame Syria for Hariri’s death, a charge Syria continues to deny. Syria has as many as 15-thousand troops stationed in Lebanon. The troops have been there since a civil war tore that country apart in the 1970s. Also on Monday, the head of the Arab League said Syria will soon take steps to withdraw its army. Amr Moussa met with Syrian President Bashar Assad, a meeting prompted by the U-N as a part of the investigation into Hariri’s death. While Moussa says Syria will take steps to bring its troops home, it was not clear when that withdrawal would begin nor how many troops would be involved. The U-N, the U-S, and France have all made formal demands that Syria abide by agreements dating back to 1989 to end all involvement in Lebanon. Stationed (n) place or position where someone has been assigned to stand, posted #3—ISRAEL/GAZA PULLOUT 9-thousand Israeli settlers have until July to find new homes. Israeli cabinet ministers voted over the weekend to approve a plan to dismantle 21 settlements in Gaza and four in the West Bank. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon called it the most difficult decision he has ever made but one that was vital to his country’s security. On Monday, Israel also freed 500 Palestinian prisoners. While both moves were welcomed by Palestinians, they were not pleased by Israel’s decision to keep a key piece of West Bank land near Jerusalem. Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas told reporters that Israel must dismantle all of its settlements and halt construction of a controversial barrier. decision (n) The passing of judgment on an issue under consideration. #4— —CLINTON BUSH TRIP Former US Presidents Bill Clinton and George Bush are back home after traveling together to witness relief efforts in the areas hit hardest by December’s tsunami. The current President Bush asked his two predecessors to lead the private US aid efforts. The two men made stops in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and the Maldives. Though a final total is unlikely, as many as 180-thousand people died December 26th of 2004 when a tsunami swept through coastal areas of the Indian Ocean Predecessor (n) One who precedes another in time, especially in an office or position POP QUIZ #1 In our story about President Bush, where did we tell you he began his trip to Europe. Was it… 1. Germany 2. Slovakia 3. Belgium And the answer is number 3. The President began his European trip withmeetings in Belgium. OLD CLUE #1—DAYTONA It's time now for the answers to our Clues in the News. Our first clue was the location of Daytona Beach, Florida. Jeff Gordon took over the lead of the Daytona 500 with just 2 laps to go and then held on to win for a third time in America’s biggest stock car race. This was the 47th Daytona 500. The winner’s check has risen from a little over 19-thousand dollars in 1959 to just under 1 and a half million dollars this year. OLD CLUE #2—BUSH IN EUROPE Fill in the blanks on our second clue and you got Bush in Europe. While the President spent much of his time trying to smooth over continuing differences with his counterparts over the war in Iraq, he made the trip for other reasons. Among those were talks with members of the European Union. The E-U is a potentially power trade competitor with the U-S with close to half a billion people living within the borders of its member countries. But the E-U is also a potentially important ally in the search for peace in the Middle East, a goal the President says is within reach. OLD CLUE #3—KYOTO PROTOCOL And finally, unscramble our third clue and you got Kyoto Protocol. That’s the name of the agreement that went into effect late last week legally binding 35 nations to cut emissions of so-called greenhouse gasses. A growing number of scientists blame those emissions for a rise in the planet’s temperature. Signers of the agreement say they must now work to add the participation of the largest emitter of greenhouse gasses, the United States. The President says agreeing to the conditions in the treaty would have devastating consequences to the American economy. He also doubts the scientific research that links greenhouse gasses to climate change. THIS WEEK IN WORLD HISTORY This week in world history… Feb. 26th, 1869, the 15th Amendment to the US Constitution was ratified, providing the right of all citizens regardless of race or color to vote. The amendment did not extend that right to women, however. That would remain the law until the ratification of the 19th Amendment in 1920. FEATURE We’ve been visiting the Center for Anti Slavery Studies in Montrose, Pennsylvania for the past few weeks to learn more about the Underground Railroad. Instructors there want us to know it isn’t just a story of escaped slaves. Check it out. ATW FEATURE FEATURE (Sherman Wooden) I was interested in having the people from this county know that this is what actually happened here. There were people here, people walked through here. People came through here. There were people that we know of, but we didn't know of them as being, we knew of them as the abolitionists. We just knew them as people because it was a well kept secret. Then we found out that there was an extremely large group of individuals from here that were concerned. That they were against slavery. (Kim Glemboski) If you could picture, at the end of the forty five minute tour, you might be out of breath. You might think, that was a pain, we couldn't talk, we're scratched up, we're tired, we're hungry. And this is only forty five minutes, if you can imagine walking from North Carolina or Virginia to Canada. (laughs) you begin to see a little bit more, we hope that people come away with an understanding of how you need to rely on one another. What it meant to really trust someone with your life, and trust they would get you safely from one place to another. How you had to trust and take care of the people in your group, and most of all you had to be responsible for yourself at a time that was very, very dangerous. We hope that is what people come away with, its not just a black history, its not just a white history of the abolitionists. Its the story of people trusting one another and relying on each other to stay alive and to grow. ISN’T IT COOL RUNNING OF THE BRIDES They call it “The Running of the Brides”… each year up a thousand would-be brides make a mad dash for the dress of their dreams at Filene’s Basement in Boston, Massachusetts. Designer gowns that normally sell for 800 to eight thousand dollars are there for the taking at a fraction of the cost. When the doors opened it took only eight minutes for all those in line to get in and grab as many gowns as they could hold. Filene’s Basement has been holding the “Running of the Brides” since 1947. ISSUE Byron McCauley writes editorials for the Cincinnati Enquirer. Mr. McCauley, who is African American, thinks its time for Black History Month to go. In a recent editorial, he wrote that it is time for African American history to be taught as everyday history. He argued that “to set aside one month every year to explore it does us all a grave disservice.” Several readers agreed, writing back to him that its time to focus on all “American’s accomplishments and celebrate them as a whole without regard to sex, color or religion.” But others say the reasons that led historian Carter G. Woodson to want such an observance still exist. While even Woodson dreamed of a day when a highlighted week or month would no longer be necessary, some say history books are still heavily weighted toward European contributions to American society. Woodson and others see Black History Month as a way to stress the positive if still little known contributions of African American engineers, inventors, explorers, authors, businesspeople and philosophers. Well, we would like to know what you think? “Should Black History Month continue?” Discuss this issue with your classmates, friends and family and write to let us know your opinions. MAILBAG We received nearly four hundred responses to our issue question, ”Should children be allowed to drive ATVs?” The majority of you, seventy two percent, say yes children should be allowed to drive ATVs. Twenty one percent say no, they should not. Seven percent are undecided. Many of you feel ATVs are not safe for children. Phil of Pocahontas, Iowa writes, “They could really hurt themselves by rolling or crashing one. I think there should be an age (limit).” Tyler R. of Omro, Wisconsin agrees and writes, “They do stupid stunts and drive recklessly. Most kids I know are only 12-13 (and) they get tickets for driving on the road.” Sam B. of Moorhead, Minnesota adds, “Kids should not be able to drive ATVs because (they are) not safe on roads.” The majority of you, however, feel that as long as there are some rules it is okay for kids to drive ATVs. Brooke G. of Bismarck, North Dakota writes, “Kids can get proper training so they won’t get hurt. We should have a parent with us whenever we drive.” Henry B. of North Freedom, Wisconsin writes, “If you have the right training and pay attention… you should be able to ride.” Nina B. of Fairport, New York thinks it is okay, “As long as they take a test and have a license and they are with an adult.” Randall C. of Fairfield, Virginia adds, “Children should be able to drive… if the size of the ATV matches the child’s size.” Finally, Jordon R. of Wall Lake, Iowa writes, “Kids should be able to ride… if they have the right gear and proper training. They need to have some fun… other than doing their homework all the time!” We look forward to receiving your responses to our issue questions: “Should the US agree to the Kyoto Protocol?” and “Should Black History Month continue?” 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 tour of areas affected by the Tsunami, which former Presidents did we tell you made the trip. Was it 1. Carter and Bush 2. Ford and Bush 3. Clinton and Bush And the correct answer is number three. Former Presidents Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush toured countries hit by the December tsunami. NEW CLUES And now it’s time for next week’s clues in the news… Our first clue a location… 6 Degrees, 10 minutes north latitude 1 Degree, 21 minutes east longitude Our second clue is a newsmaker: WILLIAM REHNQUIST And finally, our third clue is a scrambled letter, two words: CAMADYE DRAWAS 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 Julie Philipp. We’ll see you next week. © 2005 WXXI-TV/ Assignment: The World. All Rights Reserved.