WDBJ 7 news at Noon for 08/06/01

[HEADLINES]

[TALENT=Kimberly]

(----------------)
[VO-NAT]

Since making landfall, Tropical Storm Barry has weakened to a tropical depression.
While its status has changed, the risk of flooding remains.
Barry's also leaving thousands of residents in the dark.
(----------------)
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]

And it's no longer a Code Red alert-- now there's a Code Red TWO for Internet users.
We'll explain, coming up.
(/////////////)
[TALENT=Leo]
[SS=None]

And a heat wave's building into the area...I'll have your forecast...
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[SS=None]

Don't go away-- News 7 at noon is next.

[Noon-open]
[SUPER=#4054; News 7 Headline Banner]
[SUPER=@Kimberly1;]
[SUPER=@Leo1; ]

[Video-Open]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=net]
[GRAPHIC=none]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Barry is down, but definitely not out--
The tropical system still holds the threat of flooding throughout the Gulf Coast.
(------------)

[Barry]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=Tropical Storm]

Good Afternoon, I'm Kimberly McBroom.
Barry is Alabama- bound.
It's been down- graded to a tropical depression.
While the system is losing a lot of its punch, it's still bringing soaking rains across the Gulf Coast.
The national hurricane center says six to eight inches of rain is expected over portions of northern Florida, Georgia, Mississippi and Alabama.
Some locations have already reported up to ten inches.
Meanwhile Florida is deploying damage assessment teams.
Officials say they won't know the exact extent of damage until it stops raining.
Drew Levinson joins us now with the latest from Florida.
[LIVE=NEWSPATH/FULL]
[SUPER=01-Drew Levinson/CBS News;]
[SUPER=05-Destin, FL]

((ROLLCUE:...))
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Gov. Jeb Bush/(R) Florida;]
[SUPER=05-Destin, FL;]
[RUNS=:00]
[OUT Q=back to you.]
(( Barry's Bite was more like a nibble. Fortunately there isn't serious damage along along Florida's panhandle is minimal today and that's good news for the residents who live along the gulf of Mexico.. and for summer vacationers.
What damage was there is .. is already being cleaned up this morning)
The storm did put out the lights for about 37-thousand electric customers as tree limbs landed on top of power lines.
The biggest problem however--flooding in Florida and Southern Alabama That's because Barry is laboring its way North dumping rain in the inland areas. Up to eight inches of rain is expected.

SOT GOV.JEB BUSH/FLORIDA
"AS THE STORM GOES NORTH THE RIVERS WILL BRING THAT WATER RIGHT BACK DOWN TO US AND WE EXPECT TO SEE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF FLOODING."

(NATSOUND OF STORM FROM LAST NIGHT)

Barry barrelled on shore just after midnight. It had the appearance of a major storm. Though one report had it reaching winds of 74 miles per hour--the speed necessary to classify it as a hurricane--it was never designated a Hurricane. But the Very Strong Tropical storm did bring with it sheets of rain overnight. )

[toss-2-Leo]
LEO WX CENTER

[WXPRO/FULL]WX MAPS[L'burg-Fire]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=01-25 1;40:05]
[GRAPHIC=Fire]

Authorities want to know how a Lynchburg home managed to catch fire twice in a little over twelve hours.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg]

Firefighters extinguished a blaze that heavily damaged this home on Craig Street last night.
They were called back to the scene around ten this morning when neighbors noticed smoke billowing from the attic and windows.
It took crews about twenty minutes to knock the fire down.
The cause is under investigation.
(------------)

[Middle-East]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Israeli officials say they've captured a Palestinian who was on his way to carry out a suicide bombing in Tel Aviv.
This, just one day after an attack on an Israeli military compound.
Allen Pizzey has more.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Tel Aviv, Israel; :00]
[SUPER=01-Marwan Barghouti/Fateh Leader; :51]
[SUPER=01-Allen Pizzey/CBS News; 1:20]
[RUNS=1:27]
[OUT Q=Pizzey, CBS News, Tel Aviv.]
((
(SCRIPT)
(Drive-by aftermath)

vo: The latest death in the escalating cycle of violence was an eight months pregnant Israeli woman. Tahiya Bloomberg's husband and two others...including her 14 year-old daughter...were wounded in the drive-by shooting near an Israeli settlement on the occupied West Bank.

(Defence Ministry aftermath)

vo: A few hours earlier a lone Palestinian opened fire outside the Ministry of Defence in the heart of Tel Aviv wounding eight soldiers and two civilians. The gunman was shot and later died in hospital. It was the first attack of its kind here and the fact that the shooter was a thirty year-old father is a marked change from the usual pattern of suicide attackers being young...single men.

(Barghouti attack aftermath)

vo: Israel has adopted a policy of assassinating those it claims are planning terror attacks. Missiles fired from a helicopter narrowly missed killing leading PLO official Marwan Barghouti. The Israelis said his bodyguard was the target.

SOT Marwan Barghouti, Fateh leader

"They have to stop this aggressive policy against our people, against the Palestinian people and if they kill this, assassinate this leader or other leader they will not achieve peace or achieve security. (11) It will backfire on the Israelis and the Israelis will pay the price." (17)

(List/Roadblock)

vo: The Israelis have published a list of people they say are terrorists whom the Palestinian Authority must arrest. In the meantime security along what Israel calls its "seam line" with Palestinian areas has been tightenedbut no one here thinks that will thwart every planned attack...and peace remains as elusive as the bombers.
Allen Pizzy CBS News, Tel Aviv

))[Code-Red]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=Internet]

It's been slithering its way through Internet- ready computers since Saturday--
A new worm, dubbed "Code Red TWO" is similar to "Code Red".
That's the worm that infected Internet sites all over the globe last week.
Code Red Two moves faster than the FIRST worm, but attacks computers the same way by targeting Web sites.
It also leaves computers vulnerable to other people wanting to hack their way in.
Meanwhile, security experts are trying to determine how much damage Code Red TWO has done so far.

[11Hate-Crime]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=01-37 TC-31:48]
[GRAPHIC=none]

Members of a predominantly gay church in Roanoke say they will NOT let an attack on two members discourage them.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

This comes just days after an incident of gay bashing at the Metropolitan Community Church in downtown Roanoke.
On Wednesday night, two men were attacked as they left a bible study around 8:30.
Church members have faith attitudes towards the gay community will change.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 17:51:00]
[IN Q=I dont believe its a setback]
((REV. CATHERINE HOUCHINS: I DONT BELIEVE ITS A SETBACK. I THINK ITS AN ALERT. JUST LIKE ALL PEOPLE IN OUR WORLD UNFORUNATELY THERE IS A LOT OF EVIL, WE HAVE TO BE CAUTIOUS. BUT WE DON'T BELIEVE ITS A SETBACK. WE SEE IT AS A CHANCE TO COME TOGETHER TO BE STRENGTHENED AND TO GO FORWARD, TELLING THE MESSAGE THAT WE HAVE TO TELL THIS COMMUNITY.))
[SUPER=01-Rev. Catherine Houchins/Metropolitan Community Church]
[RUNS=16]
[OUT Q=to tell this community]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Houchins says the incident prompted four new members to join the church.
The two that were injured escaped with just minor cuts and bruises.
No one has been arrested for the attack.
(------------)
[Tease1] [HARD MUSIC UNDER]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]

Still to come on the newscast, Russian authorities who accused an American student of spying still have not let him leave the country,
(--------------)
[VO-NAT ]
Also closer to home, people from across the world gather in Roanoke to remember what they learned in the days when their school was segregated.
(---------------)

[NO LEO IN WX CENTER]
[Streaming Video] [music up full] [comm1]

[Russian-Student]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=None]

The father of the U-S exchange student just released from a Russian prison last week says his son is bouncing back from the experience.
John Tobin, junior was released Friday on parole.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Moscow, Russia;]

John Tobin, SENIOR spoke with reporters today after reuniting with his son yesterday.
[SUPER=04-File Tape;]

Tobin served half of a one-year sentence for marijuana possession, but was accused by some Russian officials of being a spy.
He denies the charges.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 10:22:33 ]
[IN Q=The main thing]
((JOHN TOBIN/STUDENT'S FATHER:THE MAIN THING IS THAT JACK, AS HE'S TOLD YOU ALL, HE'S NOT BITTER, HE'S NOT, IN A SENSE, HE'S HAD A MARVELOUS EXPERIENCE. I KNOW IT SOUNDS A LITTLE RIDICULOUS TO SAY THAT BUT HE'S GOT TO SEE RUSSIA FROM THE INSIDE AND HE'S GOT SOME STORIES TO TELL. ))
[SUPER=01-John Tobin/Student's Father;]
[RUNS=:17]
[OUT Q=got some stories to tell.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

The younger Tobin has declined to speak publicly since his release.
He's expected to leave Moscow sometime this week.
(------------)

[11Lucy-Addison]

[ANCHOR=Teresa]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=jus]
[TAPE#=01-32 - TC-49:46]
[GRAPHIC=None]

A few hundred former students of Roanoke's Lucy Addison High School gathered together over the weekend.
They wanted to remember the life lessons they learned when Addison was the only black high school in the city.
Justin McLeod has more.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke; :03]
[SUPER=01-Levi Hale/Class of 1954; :08 (QUICK)]
[SUPER=01-Harold Cannady/Local Historian; :25]
[SUPER=01-Mattie Johnson/Class of 1961; :42]
[SUPER=@Justin2; :45]
[SUPER=01-Iris Dodd Manning/Class of 1954; 103:]
[SUPER=01-Charles Price/Former Instructor; 1:30]
[RUNS=1:53]
[OUT Q=News 7, Roanoke]
((((NAT SOUND AT PICNIC))
It was a day to reminisce, meet new friends, and say hello to old ones.
[SOT 25:33]
[IN Q=I wouldnt miss it for nothing]
((LEVI HALE/CLASS OF 1954: I WOULDN'T MISS IT FOR NOTHING (LAUGHS). I WOULDN'T MISS IT FOR NOTHING.))
[Runs= 03]
[OUT Q=it for nothing]
Nothing but good memories here. Its a reunion to remember the first all black high school in Roanoke. The school opened in the 1920's with the help and guidance of Lucy Addison.
[SOT 9:30]
[IN Q=One of the biggest she had to fight]
((HAROLD CANNADY/LOCAL HISTORIAN: ONE OF THE BIGGEST PROBLEMS SHE HAD TO FIGHT WAS THE IGNORANCE OF HER AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY BECAUSE A LOT OF THEM DIDN'T SEE A VALUE OF AN EDUCATION AT THAT TIME.))
[Runs= 09]
[OUT Q=at that time]

At that time, many blacks chose employment rather than an education.
But those who decided to attend school say it changed their lives for the better.
[SOT 13:31]
[IN Q=We had the best black strong]
((MATTIE JOHNSON/CLASS OF 1961: WE HAD THE BEST BLACK STRONG TEACHERS. THEY WERE ROLE MODELS. THEY WERE SOMEONE TO LOOK UP TO. AND THEY REALLY TAUGHT US GOOD STANDARDS OF LIFE.))
[Runs= 10]
[OUT Q=good standards of life]

The life of Lucy Addison High School eventually ended in the 1970's when integration took over.
Today, the building houses a magnet school.
But some still long for the good old days.
[SOT 23:17]
[IN Q=Integration is good]
((IRIS DODD MANNING: INTEGRATION IS GOOD BUT... REPORTER: YOU STILL WISH THERE WAS A SCHOOL. MANNING: I LIKE THE BLACK SCHOOLS LIKE ADDISON HIGH SCHOOL. THAT'S WHERE WE LEARNED EVERYTHING, THATS WHY WE'VE GONE AS FAR AS WE HAVE GONE NOW.))
[Runs= 12]
[OUT Q=we have gone now]

Now, every three years the school holds a reunion in Roanoke.
This year's event attracted more than seven hundred people, from as far away as Alaska and Germany. Even former teachers of Lucy Addison made the journey home.
[SOT 18:27]
[IN Q=And you think about]
((CHARLES PRICE/FORMER INSTRUCTOR: AND YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT THEY DID TO HELP SHAPE YOUR LIFE TO SEE ALL THESE STUDENTS SOMEWHERE TOUCH MY LIFE AS MUCH AS MUCH AS I TOUCHED THEIRS.))
[Runs= 13]
[OUT Q=I touched theirs]

Lucy Addison High School may be gone but its not forgotten.
After all, many say its founder and its vision continue to be a real class act. Justin McLeod, News 7, Roanoke.))

[Tease2] [SOFT MUSIC UNDER]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]

Up next on the newscast, Leo will have the HOT forecast,
(-----------------)
[VO-NAT ]
and we'll see if Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan were able to knock the eight hundred pound gorilla off the top of the box office.
(-----------------)
[MUSIC UP FULL]
[COMM BREAK #2]

[Box-Office]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=tbr]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=None]

Movie goers are rushing in record numbers to see Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan's new movie.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 6:46:34 CBS]
[IN Q=I'm from L-A...]
[SUPER=04-"Rush Hour 2";]
[RUNS=:10]
[OUT Q=last night for dinner.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

"Rush Hour Two" grossed nearly 67 MILLION dollars in its opening weekend.
That is the best debut ever for a comedy, and the third best non-holiday opening on record.
[SUPER=04-"Planet of the Apes";]

Meanwhile "Planet of the Apes" is following the pattern of other big studio movies this summer. It opened big...but took a nosedive in its second week.
After taking in 68-and-a-half MILLION dollars and setting a record last weekend for the top non-holiday debut, ''Planet of the Apes'' took in 28-and-a-half million this weekend.
Despite the 58 percent drop, "Apes" has still made more than 124 MILLION dollars since its debut.
(------------)
[Take Chyron Full] Disney's G-rated modern fairy tale ``The Princess Diaries'' had a storybook opening with a strong third-place debut of 23-point-two million. The dinosaurs of Jurassic Park Three fall to fourth place. Julia Roberts and Catherine Zeta Jones' "America's Sweethearts" came in fifth with eight-point four million dollars.
[super=77-"Rush Hour 2"/66.8/"Planet of the Apes"/28.5/"Princess Diaries"/23.2/"Jurassic Park III"/12.1/"America's Swee
thearts"/8.4;]

[super=#555;reset]

[Weather] [NOON WEATHER] [08/06/2001] [TWO SHOT]
[WXPRO/FULL] ROANOKE STATS LYNCHBURG STATS
[MUSIC UNDER] [COMMERCIAL]

[CK/VIEWERNET=]SCHOOL STATS
[SUPER=#573;]
[CK/WXPRO]WEATHER MAPS FORECASTS EXTENDED FORECAST

[Stocks]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=kor]
[TAPE# none]
[GRAPHIC=stocks]

On Wall Street at Noon, the DOW was DOWN 60 points.

[super=460-y/60/y/21;]

Nasdaq hs lost 21 points.

(x=up y=down)[tease3]
[SPORTS MUSIC UNDER]
[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
Coming up -
Baseball's Hall of Fame inducts several new members -
(----------------)
[VO-NAT ]
and it's pagentry like none other - as the world's largest arts festival colors Scotland - We'll have details after the break.
(---------------)
[MUSIC UP FULL]
[COMM BREAK #3]

[S-MLB]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=sma]
[TAPE#=SP_96]
[GRAPHIC=Braves]
Andruw Jones help the Atlanta Braves to a win over the Milwaukee Brewers yesterday.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Milwaukee, WI/FOX; :00]
To Miller Park we go-- We pick it up in the top of the third, Milwaukee leading 4-3.
Not for long, though.
Dave Martinez singles to right field and Marcus Miles is gonna come on down to tie the game at 4 all.
[SUPER=35-Atlanta/12/Milwaukee/8;]
Then, Andruw Jones with another one bagger. This one to center field-- The hit plates B-J Surhoff and Chipper Jones to give Atlanta a 6-4 advantage.
A sacrifice fly makes it 7-4 Braves.
Milwaukee closes to within 1 in the bottom of the third.
Jose Hernandez singles in Richie Sexson and Devon White. But the Braves win it 12-8.
(------------)

[S-Hall]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=sma]
[TAPE#=SP-101]
[GRAPHIC=MLB]
Four of Baseball's all time greats were honored yesterday -
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Cooperstown, NY; :00]
Baseball's Hall of Fame welcomes four players to its honor roll in induction ceremonies this afternoon.
Being inducted into the Hall at Cooperstown, New York,
are Bill (maz-ur-AH'-skee), Kirby Puckett who starred for the Minnesota Twins, Dave Winfield, who had an awesome career
with the Padres AND the New York Yankees, and Hilton Smith.
(------------)

[S-Cats]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=sma]
[TAPE#=SP-98 50:47]
[GRAPHIC=Salem]
Meanwhile back on the field, the Salem Avalanche failed to get the better part of Wilmington on the road yesterday. The Av's lost 6 to 3 -
[graphic=hillcats]

A little closer to home - Lynchburg is in a three- game homestand with Kinston.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg/Indians vs. Hillcats; :00]

Last night, game two of the series. The Hillcats relievers relaxing.
In the top of the third, John Peralta smacks this shot off the right center-
[SUPER=36-Kinston/1/Lynchburg/0;]
field wall and the Indians third base coach is gonna wave Alex Requena home. He tries to make it, but relay is executed perfectly.
And catcher Jose Hernandez tags him out.
The Cats' Josh Bonifay finds the left field wall with this hit, but is thrown out at second on a nice Kinston defensive play .
Kinston wins 1-nothing.
(------------)

[Express]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=tbr]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=Express]

In local Hockey news, the Roanoke Express is continuing to build this season's team. Today it acquired right wing Brad Essex and left wing Tyler Deis (DEES) from the Mississippi Sea Wolves for center John Sadowski (SUH-DOW-SKEE) and future considerations.

[S-Brickyard]

[ANCHOR=steve]
[NEWSCAST=11pm]
[WRITER=sma]
[TAPE#=SP-97]
[GRAPHIC=Indy speedway]

Jeff Gordon celebrated a late birthday yesterday in front of 320 thousand fans.
The hometown boy collected his fourth win of the season and 56th of his career at the Brickyard 400. The win gives him a 160 point lead over Dale Jarrett in the points battle through 21 of 36 races.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Indianapolis, IN/NBC; :00]

Drivers would have to brave 400 miles or 160 laps at the legendary track.
Jimmy Spence was on the pole for the first time since 1994.
The first caution flag goes out just a few laps in in a four- car crash off turn two that involved Mark Martin, Matt Kenseth, Robert Pressley and Andy Houston.
Houston got loose and caused the wreck.
Ricky Rudd, competing for a points title, brings out the next caution.
His car was overheating on lap 22.
Pit road was also a dangerous place as Hut Striklin and Dale Earnhardt Junior get together.
Dave Blaney was also involved in a wreck as his car goes up in flames.
With 400 miles in the books, Tony Stewart was strong in second.
But he wasn't as strong as Steve Park, who was 4 seconds up.
But after a late caution, Jeff Gordon takes the lead on the re-start around 25 laps to go.
Jerry Nadeau brings out another caution, and we have a restart with 18 laps to go. Gordon holds on to win the Brickyard 400 for a third time.
He won this event back in 1994 and 1998.
Pit strategy was huge for Gordon yesterday.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q="that was]
[RUNS=12]
[OUT Q=once i got out front"]
***WIPE TO Boards***
(--------------)
[MOTION]
[SUPER=#556]
[SUPER=X5033;]
[SUPER=0129-Brickyard 400/1. Jeff Gordon//2. Sterling Marlin//3. Johnny Benson//4. Rusty Wallace//5. Kurt Busch//;]
[SUPER=X5009;]
[SUPER=0129-Brickyard 400/6. Ward Burton//7. Steve Park//8. Bill Elliott//9. Ricky Craven//10. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.//;]

[SUPER=X5009;]
[SUPER=0129-Brickyard 400/11. Kevin Harvick//12. Dale Jarrett//13. Jimmy Spencer//14. John Andretti//15. Bobby Labonte/
/;]
[SUPER=X5009;]
[SUPER=0129-Brickyard 400/16. Jeff Burton//17. Tony Stewart//18. Jeremy Mayfield//19. Terry Labonte//20. Joe Nemechek//
;]
[SUPER=X5009;]
[SUPER=0129-Brickyard 400/21. Jeff Green//22. Mark Martin//23. Elliott Sadler//24. Todd Bodine//25. Michael Waltrip//;]

[SUPER=X5009;]
[SUPER=0129-Brickyard 400/26. Jason Leffler//27. Bobby Hamilton//28. Ken Schrader//29. Hut Stricklin//30. Robby Gordon/
/;]
[SUPER=X5009;]
[SUPER=0129-Brickyard 400/31. Ryan Newman//32. Rich Bickle//33. Stacy Compton//34. Ron Hornaday, Jr.//35. Robert Pressl
ey//;]
[SUPER=X5009;]
[SUPER=0129-Brickyard 400/36. Buckshot Jones//37. Brett Bodine//38. Jerry Nadeau//39. Ricky Rudd//40. Dave Blaney//;]
[SUPER=X5009;]
[SUPER=0129-Brickyard 400/41. Casey Atwood//42. Matt Kenseth//43. Andy Houston//;]
[super=#555;reset]
[RUNS=:50]
[OUT Q=....last driver."]
(-----------)

[S-British]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=noon]
[WRITER=sma]
[TAPE#=SP-99]
[GRAPHIC=Golf]

The U-S Open, the L-P-G-A Championship, and now the Women's British Open.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Sunnindale, England/ABC; :00]
(seh ree pahk)Se Ri Pak has them all.
She shot a final-round 66 to cap an 11-under-par 277, finishing two strokes ahead of Mi Kim.
(Pahk) Pak got better as the rounds went by, starting with a 71, then a second round 70 and a third round 70.
But her final round was her best, a six under 66 for the win.
(------------)

[Edinburgh-Festival]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[NEWSCAST=Noon]
[WRITER=kmc]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=None]

And before we wrap up today--
It's the start of the world's largest arts festival..
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Edinburgh, Scotland;]

With the color and pageantry of Mardi Gras, the Edinburgh Fringe Festival got under way with an opening parade.
More than 100- thousand spectators were expected to attend.
The event offers a wide range of comedy shows, dramas, and visual arts over the next three weeks.
Celebrities including Joan Rivers, Clive James, and Alan Davies are scheduled to perform.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 20:13:08]
[IN Q=This group is something]
((THIS GROUP IS SOMETHING SPECIAL. WE'VE GOT PEOPLE FROM BRIGHTON, FROM MANCHESTER, FROM LIVERPOOL, FROM ALL OVER BRITAIN PLAYING WITH US.)) ((THIS IS FANTASTIC. THESE ARE THE NICEST PEOPLE. THEY'VE BEEN QUEUEING UP TO SEE US FOR HOURS. IT'S ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL.))
[RUNS=:17]
[OUT Q=absolutely wonderful.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Participants come from 49 different countries.
(------------)

[Quickcast] [WXPRO/FULL]Quickcast[REPRS@CL] SUPER=X4031; Fax/Copyright Noon/Weekends [SUPER=X4030; e-Mail/Copyright Noon/Weekends]