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	• NEWS >> ATW Week of November 29, 2007 Yearly Script Program Index -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- OPEN/WELCOME Hi and welcome to Assignment: The World for the week of November 29th… I’m Teej Jenkins. Our top story this week, world leaders gather in Maryland with hopes of Middle East Peace. TOP STORY- UNITED STATES 38 degrees, 59 minutes north latitude 76 degrees, 30 minutes west longitude Declaring it a priority for his remaining term in office, President George Bush welcomed leaders from throughout the Middle East to Washington for talks of peace. In separate meetings Monday, President Bush met with both Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. The long-anticipated conference brought Palestinians, Israelis and Arab leaders to Annapolis, Maryland for talks aimed at restarting final status peace talks. The meetings received a boost when Syria agreed to attend but expectations among delegates for any substantive results remain low. Palestinian and Israeli officials came despite not reaching basic terms for negotiations. The Palestinians and other Arab leaders hope to discuss final borders, Jerusalem and the issue of Palestinian refugees at the conference. Israel, however, sees the gathering as a starting point to begin talks after the conference. boost (v) an act, remark, or the like, that helps one's progress, efforts. ATW Fact The number of girls participating in high school sports surpassed three million for the first time in 2006-07. The sport with the heaviest participation… basketball. INTRO REST OF THE NEWS In the rest of the news this week… Lebanon’s President steps down The power struggle in Pakistan continues And Australia elects a new leader #2 - AUSTRALIA 37 degrees, 49 minutes south latitude 144 degrees, 58 minutes east longitude Australia has a new Prime Minister and he's promising to make some changes. Kevin Rudd, the leader of Australia's Labor Party, was elected Prime Minister this week ending eleven years of conservative rule under John Howard. Rudd promises to have closer ties with key allies of Australia but also said he would change some policies that had made Howard a solid ally of the Bush Administration. Rudd said he would bring home 500 Australian troops from Iraq and would sign the Kyoto Protocol on climate change, a move that further isolates the United States from the rest of the world. In addition to losing the Prime Minister position, John Howard found himself fighting for his own Parliamentary seat, one he has held since 1974. If unsuccessful in holding his seat he would be the first prime minister since 1929 to lose both seats. conservative (adj) a supporter of conservative political policies. #3 – PAKISTAN 33 degrees, 42 minutes north latitude 73 degrees, 10 minutes east longitude The power struggle in Pakistan continues to intensify as another former leader calls for an end to “emergency rule”. Former Prime Minister Nawarz Sharif returning from exile to a jubilant welcome immediately called the conditions put in place by Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf “not conducive” to free and fair elections. Sharif’s arrival is the latest challenge to Musharraf, who is growing increasingly unpopular since declaring the state of emergency. In related news, another former Prime Minister, Benazir Bhutto, filed nomination papers to participate in upcoming national elections. Both Bhutto and Sharif are attempting to return to power. After filing, Bhutto said she was pleased that the government had allowed Sharif to return to Pakistan. Both Bhutto and Sharif present interesting challenges to Musharraf. Should the opposition parties refuse to take part in the elections it would undermine Musharraf’s claim to be moving his country toward democracy. jubilant (adj) Exultingly joyful. #4— LEBANON 33 degrees, 53 minutes north latitude 35 degrees, 30 minutes east longitude Lebanon’s Prime Minister is working to calm mounting worries over the resignation of Lebonon’s President… Emile Lahoud. Lahoud stepped down without naming a successor and turned over security powers to the army, stating that his country was in a “state of emergency”. Prime Minister Fuad Saniora dismissed the declaration saying “There is no need for any Lebanese to be concerned.” The departure of Lahoud, an ally of Syria, has been sought by the anti-Syrian majority of Lebanon’s Parliament. They are seeking to put one of its own in the presidency. Security ~(adj.) of, pertaining to, or serving as security. POP QUIZ #1 In our story about the Middle East Peace Conference, we told you it received what when Syria agreed to participate… was it a? 1. blow 2. boost 3. kick back And the correct answer is number two, the conference received a boost when Syria agreed to come to the United States and take part in talks. OLD CLUE # 1—LOCATION – SAUDI ARABIA Now its time for the answers to last week’s clues in the news. Find the location of our first clue and you find Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, or OPEC, met recently. In his closing statement, the OPEC Secretary General reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to supply oil to the world’s poor while protecting the environment. He did not mention the weakening U-S dollar or any plans to change OPEC’s oil outputs. OLD CLUE # 2— CIVIL RIGHTS MARCH Fill in the blanks of our next clue and you get Civil Rights March. Thousands of protestors marched in Washington DC on November 16th to demand federal action on "hate crimes" The march was a direct response to the "Jena Six" case in Jena, Louisiana. Six black teenagers were prosecuted for the attack on a white student following the hanging of a noose in a tree at their high school. No one was charged with a crime for hanging the noose. Organizers said more then 100 busloads from as far away as Florida and Michigan brought protestors to Washington, D.C. to take part in the march. OC #3 – KOSOVO ELECTION Unscramble our next clue and you get Kosovo Elections. European Union foreign ministers warned Kosovo not to declare its independence following Parliamentary elections held recently. They fear leaders will declare independence December 10th when U-N mediators are due to report back to U-N Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on negotiations to find an agreement between Kosovo and Serbia. Observers fear a move by Kosovo to declare independence will spark a chain reaction of ethnic secessions in the Balkans. THIS WEEK IN WORLD HISTORY This week in world history… November 29, 1929… American Explorer Richard Byrd and three companions make the first flight over the South Pole… flying from their base on the Ross Ice Shelf to the pole and back in 18 hours and 41 minutes. CHECK IT OUT INTRO One of the most important jobs in 18th century America was that of the village blacksmith… we visited the Genesee Country Village Museum to Check it out. CHECK IT OUT (Dennis) The main job of the blacksmith early in the century, early in the 1800's was tool making, it wasn't horseshoeing like most people seem to think. But almost everything that was made out of metal would come from a shop like this. If you needed a new hammer, you'd go down to see the blacksmith and he'd make it for you. And along our railing there, we have all sorts of things; door handles, hinges, latches, spoons, forks nails. Anything again, that was made out of metal, the blacksmith could make it or repair it. A lot of people come into the blacksmith shop and what they think their going to see is a big bonfire. Well you don't have to have a big fire, just a hot fire. And thats what the bellow does, the more you pump on the bellow there, the hotter that fires going to get. No matter what you're making in blacksmithing, whether its small like a nail or something larger like the tire..the iron rim over there, the process is pretty much the same. You put you're iron in there, you heat it up, you bring it out and you work it. (Narration) Today he's making a decorative hook to hang your coat or hat on and it all starts with one rod of metal. (Dennis) Yeah, this is what we call drawing it down, I'm just drawing it down to a point. Just making it smaller, then I'll flatten this out and make like a leaf design for it. (Narration) Once the leaf is hammered out, he can start working on the stem, pounding and pounding to shape it just right. (Dennis) The hammer does the one side and the anvil does the other. Pretty much rounds it up. (Narration) Once that's done, its time for the twist. He braces the metal rod in a clamp and cranks it out with a few good turns. (Dennis) You don't get it to look perfect. Anything you're making by hand is not going to come out looking like it was machine made. You see alot of hammer marks and stuff in handmade stuff. At least in mine. (Narration) With the invention of machines and mass production, the role of the blacksmith cooled over time. Dennis Schultz Blacksmith ISN’T IT COOL A pair of space walkers finished wiring the newest room on the International Space Station completing their last major task before the next shuttle mission scheduled for early next month. Commander Peggy Whitson and Daniel Tani finished linking the space station and the Harmony compartment…. Harmony will serve as a docking port for the new European laboratory called Columbus. ISSUE Last week, a cruise ship carrying tourists sank in the waters off of Antarctica. The sinking of the Explorer raises the issue of unregulated tourism in the region. While no people were injured, there is the threat of environmental damage. Nearly 35,000 tourists are expected to travel to Antarctica this year. Supporters of tourism say it is good business and that there shouldn’t be any restrictions on ships or the number of people traveling there. They say it is one of the last regions of the world that is truly wild and that if someone wants to visit, they should be able to visit. Others, however, are saying it isn’t safe, either for people or the environment. They say that tourism in Antarctica needs to be controlled. No one was hurt this time but without some controls, people may not be so lucky the next time. Well, we would like to know what you think? “Should tourism in Antarctica be restricted?” Discuss this issue with your classmates after the show and then write to us with your opinions MAILBAG We received over two hundred responses to our issue question, “Should the U-S end its trade embargo of Cuba?” The majority of you, 50 percent say yes the United States should end its trade embargo of Cuba. 43 percent say no, we should not. 7 percent are undecided. Many of you feel the embargo should not be lifted. Caleb G. of Pentwater, Michigan writes, “It would be too risky. They could easily send a hazard into the United States.” Ryan M. of Greenfield, Wisconsin adds, “If it is keeping Communism from spreading, than I don’t think it should be ended.” Adella S. of Mt. Sidney, Virginia agrees and writes, “When they change (their) government, then we should … trade with them.” The majority of you, however, feel ending the embargo is the better way to go. Sean L. of Hague, New York writes, “It could bring political change… faster. I think there shouldn’t be communism.” Magen of Eagle, Wisconsin adds, “The trade embargo should be lifted so they can do business with the world.” Seth P. of Alfred Station, New York adds, “The people of Cuba would lead better lives. I think it would be a nice change.” Finally, Andrew T. of Oconto Falls, Wisconsin says it isn’t working so why continue. Andrew writes, “It hasn’t worked for 30 years. It’s only hurting the poor people of Cuba.” We look forward to your responses to our two latest questions: “Should schools require students to wear ID badges?” and “Should tourism in Antarctica be restricted?” 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 Australia’s new Prime Minister we told you he announced he would sign… 1. a peace agreement 2. The Tokyo Proposal 3. The Kyoto Protocol And the correct answer is number three, Prime Minister -elect Kevin Rudd announced he would sign the Kyoto Protocol on climate change. NEW CLUES And now it’s time for next week’s clues in the news… Our first clue a location… 55 degrees, 45 minutes north latitude 37 degrees, 35 minutes east longitude Our second clue is a fill in the blank…it is two words. First word V blank N E blank U blank L blank Second word R blank F blank blank M And finally, our third clue is a scrambled letter clue… it is two words. First word S. U. Second Word C N M E O O Y 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. For all of us here at Assignment: The World, I’m Teej Jenkins. We’ll see you again next week. © 2007 WXXI-TV/ Assignment: The World. All Rights Reserved.