CNN Student News Transcript: March 31, 2008

(CNN Stdent News) -- March 31, 2008

Quick Guide

Roadblocks Removed - Discover the latest steps toward a Middle East peace plan.

Zimbabwe Election - Consider some questions raised by Zimbabwe's recent election.

Theme Park Economics - Hear a report about the economics of theme park attendance.

Transcript

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

MONICA LLOYD, CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR: It's the end of the month but the start of a new week of CNN Student News. We're glad to have you with us. I'm Monica Lloyd.

First Up: Roadblocks Removed

LLOYD: First up, some obstacles to a peace plan between Israelis and Palestinians are being moved out of the way. President Bush is pushing for a deal to be in place before he leaves office, and the most recent step includes clearing a few roadblocks, literally! Israel's agreed to take down the barriers in the West Bank, an area that's home to about 2.5 million Palestinians. Atika Shubert has more on the situation.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN REPORTER: In a sign of building frustration, a Palestinian rally at an Israeli checkpoint in the West Bank turned violent on Sunday. Protesters were dispersed by Israeli forces with tear gas and stun grenades. It happened just as U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice held talks with Israel's Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Palestinian Prime Minister Salaam Fayyad in a bid to improve conditions in the West Bank. Shortly after the meeting, Israel announced it agreed to remove 50 roadblocks and 1 checkpoint in addition to allowing 5,000 more work permits for Palestinians in Israel. That may be precisely the kind of concrete progress Rice was looking for.

CONDOLEEZZA RICE, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: What we have to do is to have meaningful progress toward a better life for the Palestinian people, toward economic viability for Palestinians, even as we move for the establishment of a state.

SHUBERT: Israel will also allow the deployment of 700 Palestinian policemen to take more responsibility for securing the West Bank, though Israeli forces will continue to operate freely. But a recent United Nations report said Israel established 28 new checkpoints and roadblocks across the West Bank since the latest round of peace talks started in November. The U.N. says Israeli forces also increased the number of arrests and hours under curfew in West Bank towns, and the number of houses demolished by Israel increased by more than 70%. A long list of Palestinian grievances that will take more than this one gesture by Israel to address. The agreement to lift roadblocks is one small step in the peace talks, but there's still a long way to go and the clock is ticking. President Bush has said he still wants to see a peace deal by the end of this year. Atika Shubert, CNN, Jerusalem.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Fighting in Iraq

LLOYD: We're gonna stay in the Middle East now and follow up on a story from last week in Iraq. We told you about deadly clashes in Baghdad and Basra between Iraqi forces and Muqtada al Sadr's Mehdi militia. The fighting broke out last Tuesday and claimed hundreds of lives. But this weekend, al Sadr told his followers to cease fire. Iraq's prime minister welcomed the move and said he hopes it will help stabilize the region.

ID Me

CARL AZUZ, CNN STUDENT NEWS: See if you can I.D. Me! I'm an African nation that was formerly called Rhodesia. I gained my independence from the United Kingdom in 1980. Since then, I've had only one ruler. A really tough one today. We're talking about Zimbabwe, a country that's home to more than 12 million people.

Zimbabwe Election

LLOYD: Right now, they're waiting on the results of this weekend's presidential election. Robert Mugabe, the country's one and only ruler, is facing a serious challenge from two candidates. Mugabe has been involved in a lot of controversy during his time in office. According to the CIA, he rigged the 2002 election to stay in power. And there are concerns about violence breaking out over this year's results. The Zimbabwean government isn't letting news organizations into the country to cover the election, but Robyn Curnow is at the country's border with South Africa with this report.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROBYN CURNOW, CNN REPORTER: This is as close as we've been allowed to get. ZImbabwe is just behind this border post and past the Limpopo River behind that. In Zimbabwe, millions of people have turned out to vote. Polling is now over, and according to people we've been speaking to here at the border post here in the north of South Africa, it has been a relatively peaceful, smooth day. Many people have worried that there was a very heavy police presence within the polling stations and outside the polling stations. But as we look ahead to the next few days and weeks, it is very difficult to predict what is going to unfold beyond that border, because there are many questions that are still left unanswered.

Is this a turning point for Zimbabwe? WIll Robert Mugabe win a 6th term freely and fairly? Will he accept the results if he loses? Will he be able to get a majority, a 51% majority, to keep on to his presidency? If not, will he accept a runoff with the other opposition candidates? And how will all that pan out and change the political landscape? A lot riding on what people voted on today and how these votes will be counted and processed. But I think the biggest question is how much more can Zimbabweans endure after having suffered so much. Robyn Curnow, CNN, on the border.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Women's History Month

LLOYD: The end of March marks the close of Women's History Month. And we're diving into deep waters as we wrap up our coverage of famous female pioneers.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AZUZ: Lynne Cox first dove into swimming at age nine. She wasn't the first woman to swim the English Channel, but when she did it at age 15, she did it faster than anyone, man or woman, ever had before! That was the beginning of a streak of record-shattering swims. What's even more incredible are Lynne Cox's firsts, which are like a geography lesson: First person ever to cross the Strait of Magellan in 42-degree waters! First to swim 1.2 miles in Antarctica. First person to swim across the Bering Strait, crossing the International Date Line; she said it was like swimming from the present into the future. Cox will certainly be remembered in the future; the International Swimming Hall of Fame says she's the "best cold water, long distance swimmer the world has ever seen." She doesn't wear a wet suit, just a swimsuit and a smile when she achieves success. And we honor Lynne Cox's success this Women's History Month.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Word to the Wise

AZUZ: A Word to the Wise...

disposable income (noun) the amount of money a person has available for spending or saving

source: www.investorwords.com

Theme Park Economics

LLOYD: When times are tight, your disposable income might be more likely to end up in the save column than the spend one. There's nothing wrong with saving up for a rainy day, but what about the businesses that depend on people having a little fun? Brooke Anderson looks at how the ups and downs in the U.S. economy put theme parks on a financial roller coaster.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AUDRENET RAWLS: I have a 9-year-old sister who loves Disneyland. I personally love Six Flags Magic Mountain. Both of those happen to be very expensive, and the economy is going down greatly.

BROOKE ANDERSON, CNN REPORTER: Audrenet Rawls is one of many Americans feeling the economic pinch and potentially cutting back on her leisure activities.

RAWLS: You can spend a little cash every now and then to kinda lift yourself up, entertain yourself. You just can't do that often.

TAYLOR FAMILY: I'm Alicia.

ANDERSON: The Taylor family says going to theme parks is one of their favorite pastimes.

BETH TAYLOR: I have two sets of twins. These are the oldest, and then I have little ones that are 5. So, theme parks are a big attraction for us.

ANDERSON: However, if the economy continues to worsen, Beth will make fewer trips to the park.

TAYLOR: It's an extra, it's not a must. Theme parks is not a definite thing to do.

ROLLER COASTER SCREAMING: Ahhhh!!

ANDERSON: Last year, U.S. theme parks attracted more than 300 million guests who spent more than $10 billion. Economist Christopher Thornberg says this year will likely be a different story.

CHRISTOPHER THORNBERG, PRINCIPAL, BEACON ECONOMICS: My feeling overall is that the industry will take a hit.

ANDERSON: Ohio-based Cedar Fair took a hit, reporting a $4 million loss in revenue last year after an $87 million profit the year before. Thornberg says this trend could spell disaster for young people counting on park jobs.

THORNBERG: A lot of kids who may have found summer employment won't find it this year.

ANDERSON: Theme park insiders, like Six Flags CFO Jeff Speed, reject this claim.

JEFF SPEED, EXEC. VP/CFO, SIX FLAGS INC.: Spending is continuing to show increases and our attendances are showing increases. The business is not immune to the economic cycles, but we feel like we're essentially resilient.

ANDERSON: International Theme Park Services President Dennis Speigel agrees.

DENNIS SPEIGEL, PRESIDENT, INT'L THEME PARK SERVICES: People decide not to take the long vacations and stay closer to home. And when they stay closer to home, they visit those smaller amusement parks, theme parks, water parks and other leisure attractions that are in their area.

ANDERSON: That's what some, like Los Angeles student Chris Rausch, feel.

CHRIS RAUSCH: We're gonna still keep going.

ANDERSON: Others have alternatives in mind.

RAWLS: Be cheap and go to the beach. Either way, you have fun.

ANDERSON: Whether on the beach or in the park, the state of the economy is a roller coaster ride for all. Brooke Anderson, CNN, Hollywood.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Goodbye

LLOYD: Riding roller coasters, laying out at the beach: How are you spending your Spring Break? Head to our blog, let us know and tune in tomorrow for more CNN Student News. We'll see you then. E-mail to a friend