WDBJ 7 news at 5 for 06/14/04

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[VO-NAT]

Coming up next on the newscast, the Pledge of Allegiance survives a case in the U-S Supreme Court.
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Plus at least one group says the Commonwealth's Standards of Learning are keeping too many students from graduating high school.
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The warm humid weather will continue with scattered showers and thunderstorms through most of the work week. I'll have your forecast..

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[ANCHOR=Jean]
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The U-S Attorney General says an Al-Qaida terrorist had plans to blow up an Ohio shopping center.
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[VO-NAT]
Investigators continue to search for an American they believe is being held hostage in the Middle East.
(----------------)
[ANCHOR=Jean]
Plus a soldier from the Roanoke Valley is injured in Kuwait. News 7 at 5 is next.

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(/////SOT/////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=for which it stands]
(( ))
[RUNS=:04]
[OUT Q=one nation under God.]
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[VO-NAT]
At least for now, millions of children can continue to recite the Pledge of Allegience ...and the words " one nation, under god."
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[5-Pledge]

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In today's U-S Supreme Court ruling, the justices did not deal with the key issue of the separation of Church and State.
Instead they focused on the legal status of the father who brought the case.
Teri Okita explains.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Michael Newdow/Plaintiff;]
[SUPER=01-Dave Gordon/Elk Grove Unified School District;]
[SUPER=01-Teri Okita/CBS News;]
[RUNS=]
[OUT Q=CBS News Washington]

(( TRACK: ON THIS FLAG DAY, THE HIGH COURTS DECISION TO PRESERVE THE PHRASE ONE NATION, UNDER GOD IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE WAS MORE ABOUT DOMESTIC WRANGLING AS IT WAS THE SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE.
nat Newdow (I'm dissapointed)
THE CASE WAS BROUGHT TO THE COURTS BY CALIFORNIA ATHEIST, MICHAEL NEWDOW WHO SAYS HIS NINE-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER SHOULDNT BE SUBJECTED TO RELIGION IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
TRACK: INSTEAD OF DECIDING ON THE CRUX OF THE CONTROVERSY WHETHER UNDER GOD WAS UNCONSTITUTIONAL THE COURTS RULING TOOK AIM AT NEWBOLD'S PARENTAL STATUS.
THE JUSTICES SAID THAT NEWDOW LACKED THE LEGAL AUTHORITY TO SUE ON BEHALF OF HIS DAUGHTER, BECAUSE HES NOT THE CUSTODIAL PARENT. THE CHILDS MOTHER IS THE LEGAL GUARDIAN AND TOLD THE COURT SHE HAS NO OBJECTION TO THE PLEDGE. REGARDLESS, NEWDOW SAYS HELL KEEP FIGHTING.

(Super: Michael Newdow/Plaintiff)
SOT: " eventually it's going to be litigated and eventually it's going
to be overturned

(MORE NATSD OF KIDS RECITING PLEDGE)

TRACK: THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION ARGUED THAT THE REFERENCE TO GOD IS MORE ABOUT CEREMONY AND HISTORY THAN RELIGION. THE CALIFORNIA SCHOOL DISTRICT ASKED THAT THE SUPREME COURT GET INVOLVED TO SETTLE THE MATTER FOR GOOD .

(Super: Dave Gordon/Elk Grove Unified School District)
SOT: we would have preferred that the court had ruled on
merits and settled it once and for all, we are pleased that we can continue reciting the pledge each and every day in our schools.

(Super: Teri Okita/Reporting)
STANDUP: The Justices have ruled on similar cases already deciding that public schoolchildren are not REQUIRED to cite the pledge and that prayer at school-sponsored events must be banned. Teri Okita, CBS News, Washington.))

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Virginia is handing out fewer high school diplomas.
And one group says the state's lower graduation rate is unfair to students.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond]

Just Children says thousands of students won't graduate because of the state's new requirements.
Beginning this year, seniors must pass Standards of Learning exams in order to earn a standard diploma.
The group says the state is punishing students for the public education system's failures.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 11:00:51]
[IN Q=WE'RE NOT REQUIRING OUT SCHOOLS]
((STONEWALL ODOM: WE'RE NOT REQUIRING OUR SCHOOLS TO BE ACCREDITED UNTIL 2005-6 BUT WE'RE ASKING THESE KIDS TO PERFORM AT THE TOP OF THE GAME.))
[SUPER=01-Stonewall Odom/Wants SOL Requirements Suspended; :00]
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[OUT Q=TO PERFORM AT THE TOP OF THE GAME.]
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[VO-NAT]

State officials say Virginia's tougher diploma requirements are justified.
(/////SOT/////)
[SOT 12:30:53]
[IN Q=THIS IS ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT]
((CHARLES PYLE/VA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION: THIS IS ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT WHEN A STUDENT GRADUATES FROM HIGH SCHOOL HE HAS THE BASIC READING AND WRITING SKILLS HE'S GOING TO NEED TO MEET WITH SUCCESS IN THE WORKPLACE, COMMUNITY COLLEGE, FOUR-YEAR INSTITUTION. WE DO STUDENTS NO FAVORS IF WE SEND THEM OUT WITHOUT THOSE SKILLS.))
[SUPER=01-Charles Pyle/Virginia Dept. of Education; :]
[RUNS=:20]
[OUT Q=SEND THEM OUT WITHOUT THOSE SKILLS.]
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[VO-NAT]

The group wants Governor Warner to study the issue.
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[(toss to R)]
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[SS=NONE]LEO IN WX-CENTER

[SKYTRACKER/FULL] RADAR [WXPRO/FULL] WEATHER TODAY TOMORROW FORECAST

[SS=NONE]LEO TOSS BACK [5-Ashcroft-Ohio]

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An Al Qaida cell allegedly wanted to blow up a shopping mall in Columbus Ohio-
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[VO-NAT 11]

A federal indictment unsealed today charges that Nuradin Abdi- a somali immigrant- plotted with admitted al-Qaida operative Iyman Faris to blow up a Columbus shopping mall.
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[SOT 37]
[IN Q=]
((JOHN ASHCROFT/ATTORNEY GENERAL: UPON RETURNING TO THE COLUMBUS, OHIO, AREA, IT IS ALLEGED THAT ABDI, ALONG WITH ADMITTED AL-QAIDA OPERATIVE FARIS AND OTHER CO-CONSPIRATORS, INITIATED A PLOT TO BLOW UP A COLUMBUS-AREA SHOPPING MALL. ))
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[OUT Q=Columbus-area shopping mall.]

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Ashcroft declined to give details about the alleged plot, but said al Qaida is seeking to hit the United States hard.
Abdi has been in custody on an immigration violation since last November.

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No sign of an American engineeer missing in Saudi Arabia.
Tonight the State Department says it's doing all it can to help the Saudis with their investigation.
Scott Rapoport has more as the family waits and hopes.
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[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Paul Johnson III/Son of Kidnapped American;]
[SUPER=01-Scott Rapoport/Reporting;]
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[OUT Q=Scott Rapoport, CBS News ]
((AT A FLORIDA HOME ADORNED WITH YELLOW RIBBONS...THE FAMILY OF A MAN BELIEVED KIDNAPPED HALF A WORLD AWAY...AWAITS WORD ON HIS FATE. Paul Johnson III / Son of Kidnapped American "There's nothing new. I have not heard nothing." PAUL JOHNSON IS MISSING IN SAUDI ARABIA. AND AUTHORITIES DON'T SEEM ANY CLOSER TO FINDING HIM SINCE HIS PICTURE, AND PASSPORT, WERE POSTED ON AN ISLAMIST WEBSITE LATE SATURDAY... ... ALONG WITH A MESSAGE FROM HIS CAPTORS... THREATENING HIM WITH VIOLENCE LIKE THAT SUFFERED BY ARAB PRISONERS IN ABU GRAIB. THE KIDNAPPERS SAYING JOHNSON ... AN ELECTRONICS ENGINEER FOR LOCKHEED MARTIN...WAS TARGETED BECAUSE OF HIS WORK ON RADAR SYSTEMS OF APACHE HELICOPTERS. Paul Johnson III / Son of Kidnapped American "He doesn't deserve this. And I plead with y'all to please let my father go. He don't deserve it."
JOHNSON IS THE LATEST WESTERN VICTIM OF INCREASED VIOLENCE IN SAUDI ARABIA. ON SATURDAY, AMERICAN KENNETH SCRUGGS WAS SHOT AND KILLED OUTSIDE HIS HOME IN RIYADH...THE SECOND AMERICAN TO BE KILLED IN LESS THAN A WEEK.
VIDEO SAID TO SHOW THE DEATH OF U.S. DEFENSE CONTRACTOR ROBERT JACOBS LAST TUESDAY AWAS POSTED TO AN AL-QUEDA LINKED WEBSITE. BOTH MURDERS ARE CLAIMED BY MILITANTS LINKED TO AL QUEDA. THE RESULT HAS BEEN A MASSIVE SECURITY CRACKDOWN BY THE SAUDI GOVERNMENT. CROWN PRINCE ABDULLAH MAKING A PERSONAL PLEA TO HIS PEOPLE TO TURN IN MILITANTS. HUNDREDS HAVE BEEN ARRESTED IN THE LAST YEAR. STILL, THIS NEW TACTIC OF TARGETING WESTERNERS IS PROVING DIFFICULT TO STOP. WITH 35-THOUSAND AMERICANS LIVING IN SAUDI ARABIA...AND TENSIONS RUNNING HIGH...THE STATE DEPARTMENT IS URGING AMERICANS TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY. SCOTT RAPOPORT...CBS NEWS.))

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A local soldier stationed in Kuwait is expected to recover, after falling more than 20-feet from a watchtower.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Cloverdale;]
Army private DeWayne Beckner of Cloverdale was climbing the tower Thursday to relieve another soldier, when an explosion went off and knocked him off balance. The 21-year-old was taken to a military hospital, where he's being treated for head injuries. Hospital officials say he is expected to recover. His parents, Allen and Susan Beckner say they're just grateful the situation wasn't worse.
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[SOT 713]
[IN Q=oh i was]
((ALLEN BECKNER/SON INJURED IN KUWAIT: OH I WAS RELIEVED, I WAS RELIEVED TO HEAR HIS VOICE AND THAT HE WAS DOING ALRIGHT.))
[SUPER=01-Allen Beckner/Son Injured in Kuwait;]
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[OUT Q=was doing alright]
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[VO-NAT]
Beckner was deployed to Camp Udairi (You-darey), Kuwait in January. His family says after he's released from the hospital, he will most likely be transferred back to Germany, his home base.
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Up next on
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[VO-NAT]
Healthcheck, new research suggests cholesterol lowering medication could have an impact on your vision.
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[COMM #1]

[5-Dish-Network]

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A Christiansburg company is growing at a record pace.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Christiansburg;]
Echo Star Dish Network has just signed on its 10-millionth customer. The Satellite Television provider opened an office in the New River Valley four years ago. Company officials say the work ethic at the local office has been a big reason for all the growth.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT:9:17:00]
[IN Q=Our employees]
[SUPER=01-Lorie Deal/EchoStar Director of Operations;]
((LORIE DEAL: OUR EMPLOYEES HERE ARE REALLY TAKING THOSE TECHNICAL SUPPORT CALLS. SO WE'RE REALLY KEEPING THE CUSTOMERS
WE HAVE SO TO GET TO 10 MILLION WE HAVE TO KEEP WHO WE HAVE RIGHT? SO OUR CSR'S ARE WORKING HARD TO DO THAT.))
[RUNS=:11]
[OUT Q=hard to do that.]
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[VO-NAT]
Echostar celebrated the milestone with a barbecue and by giving employees an extra day of paid vacation and free Dish Network services. Echostar is trying to hire another 300 people by the end of the year.
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[5-Eye-Disease]

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The old saying, "An Apple a day keeps the doctor away," may hold true for the eye doctor.
A new study says fruit AND cholesterol lowering medications can help keep your vision clear.
Dr. Mallika Marshall has more.
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[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Dr. Eunyoung Cho/Brigham and Women's Hospital; :16]
[SUPER=01-Dr. Mallika Marshall/CBS News; :38]
[SUPER=01-Dr. Gerald McGwin, Jr./University of Alabama; :50]
[RUNS=1:32]
[OUT Q=Marshall CBS NEWS]

((AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION OR A-M-D IS THE LEADING CAUSE OF BLINDNESS AMONG AMERICAN SENIORS... TAKING OUT THE CENTER OF VISION. BUT THERE MAY BE A WAY TO KEEP IT FROM HAPPENING AND IT MIGHT BE AS EASY AS THIS:
(nat- apple eaten)

(SOT-Dr. Eunyoung Cho/Brigham and Women's Hospital)
"we found that fruit intake was related to a reduced risk of AMD." :06
DOCTOR EUNYOUNG (hon-young) CHO'S NEW STUDY FOUND THAT PEOPLE WHO ATE AT LEAST THREE SERVINGS OF FRUIT A DAY HAD A 36 PERCENT LOWER RISK OF DEVELOPING A-M-D. SO WHAT IN FRUIT DOES IT? SCIENTISTS SAY THEY DON'T KNOW... BUT THEY "DO" KNOW YOU SHOULD EAT IT.

(SOT - Dr. Cho again)
"now you have another reason to increase your fruit intake." :04
STANDUP: (Dr. Mallika Marshall/CBS NEWS/Boston, MA) THE FINDING DOESN'T COME AS A SHOCK SINCE FRUIT HAS MULTIPLE HEALTH BENEFITS. BUT WHAT MIGHT BE SURPRISING IS THAT A DRUG CALLED STATINS, TAKEN BY MILLIONS TO LOWER CHOLESTEROL, MAY ALSO HELP VISION.

(SOT- Dr. Gerald McGwin, Jr./University of Alabama)
"while they clearly are effective in lowering cholesterol, which is what they're primarily prescribed for, they may have other effects on the body." :07
IN RECENT RESEARCH DOCTOR GERALD MCGWIN FOUND THAT, LIKE FRUIT, STATINS MAY ALSO REDUCE THE RISK OF A-M-D. BUT HIS LATEST STUDY FOUND THE PILLS MIGHT ALSO STOP THE DEVELOPMENT OF GLAUCOMA... WHICH ROBS PERIPHERAL VISION.

(SOT- McGwin again)
"people who used statins for 2 years or more had a 40 percent reduced risk for glaucoma." :05
LIKE FRUIT WITH MACULAR DEGENERATION.... EXPERTS AREN'T SURE WHY STATINS MAY AID IN THE PREVENTION OF GLAUCOMA. BUT THE FACT THAT A NEWER TREATMENT.... AND ONE OF THE OLDEST AROUND..... MAY KEEP PEOPLE SEEING CLEARLY.... HAS DOCTORS LOOKING HARD FOR AN ANSWER. DOCTOR MALLIKA MARSHALL, CBS NEWS.))

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Coming up next on the newscast,
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[VO] former President Clinton and his wife Hillary get framed at the White House.
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[COMM#2]

[5-Clinton-Portrait]

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Former President Bill Clinton paid a visit to the white House today-
This was not business though- but instead the unveiling of the former president's official portrait.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 1:35]
((YOU KNOW MOST OF THE TIME THE ONLY ARTIST THAT DRAWS YOUR PICTURE IS A CARTOONIST.))
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[SUPER=01-Bill Clinton/Former President;]
[RUNS=05]
[OUT Q=is a cartoonist.]
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[Vo-Nat]
[Super=03-Washington, DC;]

The portraits of Mr. and Mrs. Clinton will hang in the white house for years to come.
Mr. Clinton's portrait will be placed near the grand staircase just inside the North Entrance of the White House.

Mrs. Clinton's portrait will hang one floor below- alongside other first lady portraits.
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Steve Mason is standing by with today's Sportsticker. After the break he has news from the worlds of Nascar, the N-B-A and Golf.
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[VO-NAT]
Then following that, we'll see Richard Branson break the world record by DRIVING across the English Channel.
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[S5-Golf]

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Good afternoon everyone welcome to your Monday ticker which starts on the links. A bunch of seriously good golfers got together today for the National Kidney Foundation of the Virginias.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke; :00]

This is the seventh annual Kidney Foundation event here in the valley and it was held at the Roanoke Country Club and the committee works in several different ways to help raise money to fight kidney disease and to encourage organ donation.
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[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Paige Thomas/Kidney Foundation Golf Organizer; :00]
[RUNS=:19]
[OUT Q=...edn of the day"]
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[VO-NAT]

About a hundred golfers participated. One major way the committee raises money for kidney research and funding is the skins game. Ashley Plantation pro Chip Sullivan and joined Pro Dickey Linkous in the competition for cash . The a percentage of the money the pros make they give right back to the kidney foundation. The amateures give it all back.
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[SOT]
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[SUPER=01-Chip Sullivan/Skins Game Competitor; :00]
[RUNS=:22]
[OUT Q=....take home all the monday today"]
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[S5-Race]

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To the fast track. Jimmy Jonshon is now in second place in the Nextel Cup points race after yesterday's win at Pocono.

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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Concord, NC; :00]

We are 14 races into the 36 race season. The top 10 drivers and any other driver with in 400 points of the top spot will qualify for the 10 race shootout that will determine the championship. One driver happy that there are still 12 races before the cut off date at Richmond is Jeff Burton who is 738 points out after the first third of the season.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Jeff Burton/25th in Nextel Cup Points; :00]
[RUNS=:24]
[OUT Q=......run really well now"]
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[S5-Stuff]

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[ENG#=3]

Game five of the NBA finals tips off tomorrow night on Detroit's home court. The Pistons lead the series 3 games to 1 and can wrap up the series with the win. The Lakers Kobe Bryant has made only 12 of 38 shots in the last two losses and averaged 15 points.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=01-Larry Brown/Detroit Pistons Head Coach; :00]
[RUNS=:16]
[OUT Q=......a great great player"]
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[ANCHOR=]

That's it for the ticker, coming up at six, Bobby Labonte talks about his consistent season, but don't go away, Jean will be right back.

[5Marketwatch]

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On Wall Street today, fears of inflation and higher interest rates pulled the stock markets lower.
As Alexis Christoforous tells us investors are anxious to see tomorrow's report on consumer prices.
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[SOT]
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[SUPER=01-Alexis Christoforous/CBS Marketwatch;]
[RUNS=:00]
[OUT Q=News 7 at 5.]

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[5-English-Channel]

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[ENG#=2]

What do you do if you are worth millions and like to make a splash in the news ? Well in Richard Branson's case, you buy yourself a James Bond type car...and drive across the water between England and France.
Richard Roth reports from London.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT]
[IN Q=]
[SUPER=03-Dover, England; :00]
[SUPER=07-Richard Branson; :42]
[SUPER=01-Richard Roth/CBS News; 1:01]
[RUNS=1:33]
[OUT Q=CBS NEWS LONDON]
((THE BILLIONAIRE BUSINESSMAN'S ROUTINELY CALLED A FLAMBOYANT AND SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTER. BUT RICHARD BRANSON - TODAY IN A CAR THAT CONVERTS TO A BOAT WITH THE TOUCH OF A BUTTON - HAS NEVER BEEN CALLED ONE OF THE IDLE RICH.

(APTN)

CROSSING THE ENGLISH CHANNEL IN THE AMPHIBIOUS CRAFT, BRANSON SET A NEW SPEED RECORD -- COVERING THE TWENTY-TWO MILES FROM DOVER TO CALAIS IN JUST OVER AN HOUR AND FORTY MINUTES.

(aptn; except water coming over windscreen = BBC)
CALLED THE ''AQUADA" THE TURF AND SURF HYBRID CAN DO A HUNDRED MILES AN HOUR ON LAND, THIRTY ON WATER, AND WONDERS FOR A MIDDLE-AGE MAN'S SPIRITS.

SOT BRANSON: a lot of fun. a few big waves from the ferries coming by
which drenched us. not the best dinner jacket in the world, but anyway we had a good laugh.
(reporter question): A damp James Bond?
SOT BRANSON: A very damp James Bond!
//edit// q: any seriously worrying moments out there? not too seriously worrying. the conditions were as near perfect as you could imagine.

(aptn, except last shot - BBC)
NARR: THE AQUADA SELLS FOR MORE THAN A HUNDRED AND THIRTY THOUSAND DOLLARS, AND ACCORDING TO A SPOKESWOMAN BRANSON LIKED THE CAR SO MUCH -- HE DECIDED TO BUY A FEW.
RICHARD ROTH CBS NEWS LONDON
RICHARD ROTH CBS NEWS FOR KAY-CAL NINE NEWS, LONDON.))
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