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Quick Guide & Transcript: Alito confirmation hearings, Sharon health update
RELATEDSPECIAL REPORTCNN STUDENT NEWS(CNN Student News) -- January 9, 2006 Teachers: Please preview the first story in today's program, as it addresses a sensitive issue that may not be appropriate for all students. Quick GuideJudging Alito - Take note of the issues that Senators will be discussing with Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito. Sharon Gravely Ill - Find out what hangs in the balance as Israel's prime minister fights for survival. Royal Boot Camp - Learn whether a British prince will receive any special treatment as he begins his career in the army. TranscriptTHIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED. JUDY FORTIN, CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR: You're at the start of a new week, and a new installment of CNN Student News! Hello everyone, I'm Judy Fortin. A high-level job interview: What can supreme court nominee Samuel Alito expect, when he faces the Senate Judiciary Committee this week? High-level health concerns: What's hanging in the balance in the middle east, as Israel's prime minister remains in the hospital? And it's one way to weather the cold: Journey to a festival where the art doesn't last nearly as long as the memories. First Up: Judging Alito FORTIN: The Senate Judiciary Committee begins a sort of job interview today, for Judge Samuel Alito. He's President Bush's pick to succeed retiring Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'connor. The Senate has the final say on whether Alito actually gets the job. Elaine Quijano explores some of the issues he'll be questioned about in the hearings. Teachers, you may want to preview this segment, as it deals with a sensitive issue. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN REPORTER: More than two months after President Bush nominated him as associate justice of the Supreme Court, federal Judge Samuel Alito will get his chance this week to convince the 18 members of the Senate Judiciary Committee that he is the right person for the job. But abortion remains the issue that could possibly result in a Democratic-led filibuster to try to kill the nomination. SENATOR CHUCK SCHUMER (D-N.Y.): If judge Alito either abjectly refuses to answer questions or when he answers those questions proves to be so far out of the mainstream that he's going to impose him views on us and not follow the law, those would be some strikes against him that would make it more likely that we'd filibuster. QUIJANO: But Republicans say Judge Alito shouldn't be required to answer specifics on how he might rule on an abortion case, since one will likely come before the high court during his tenure. And Republicans maintain they'll fight back if Democrats push for a filibuster. LINDSAY GRAHAM (R-S.C.): I would consider that not only not an extraordinary circumstance, a threat to the independence of the judiciary, and I would stop it in its tracks with my vote. QUIJANO: Even the chairman and the ranking member of the committee -- both pro-choice -- say talk of a filibuster may be premature. SEN. ARLEN SPECTER (R-PA): I do not see any rational basis for filibustering Judge Alito. PATRICK LEAHY, (D-VT): I think we're getting ahead of ourselves. I mean, let's find out if he answers. This is really up to Judge Alito. QUIJANO: Alito's hearings come at a time when lawmakers from both parties have voiced concerns about President Bush's authorization of a secret government surveillance program. Republican Senator Arlen Specter plans to hold separate, open hearings in early February on the matter, but says he'll raise the issue of presidential power with Judge Alito. SPECTER: I want to hear what he'll have to say about the balance of authority between the president's wartime powers under article II to conduct electronic surveillance with what appears to be a conflict with congressional intent on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. QUIJANO: Standup (END VIDEO CLIP) Word to the Wise CARL AZUZ, CNN STUDENT NEWS REPORTER: A Word to the Wise... filibuster (noun) a method of slowing down legislative action by making long speeches Promo FORTIN: From nomination to confirmation: A nominee's path to the supreme court, is the subject of today's free learning activity at our web site! It can be a process that lasts months, but you can complete it in a day's schoolwork! Sharon Gravely Ill FORTIN: Israel's political future is uncertain, after its leader suffered a massive stroke last week. Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, who's been a key player in the middle east peace process, has been in critical condition at a Jerusalem hospital. John Vause considers what short-term effects Sharon's condition, could have on Israeli-Palestinians relations. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) JOHN VAUSE, CNN REPORTER: Outside the hospital where Ariel Sharon is being treated, Christian prayers for the leader of the Jewish state. Soon the Prime Minister will face another critical moment when doctors begin to slowly wake him from the drug induced coma which has kept him alive - in a critical but stable condition. DR. SHLOMO MOR-YOSEF , DIRECTOR GENERAL HADASSAH HOSPITAL: We will be able to give you more information about neurological function of the Prime Minister's brain. VAUSE: In other words, doctors hope to find out the full extent of the brain damage the 77-year-old Prime Minister has suffered. Doctors not directly involved in treating Ariel Sharon, say the crucial test will be whether he regains consciousness. DR. ZEEV FELDMAN - NEUROLOGIST, TEL HASHOMER HOSPITAL: If he regains consciousness, the fact the the left side of the brain is undamaged as reported by the Hadassah team, will enable him to talk, to undertsand and to have memory functions. VAUSE: But chances are, Ariel Sharon may never return to politics, never return to the weekly cabinet meeting he presided over for the last five years. EHUD OLMERT - ACTING ISRAELI PM EX POOL (HEBREW): If I could speak to him this morning, Ariel what do you say to us? What do you want us to do? He would say 'I really appreciate the fact you are all worried about my health, and I thank you, but go to work. VAUSE: But the Palestinians are hoping for more from the Israeli Acting Prime Minister; a return to the peace talks which Mr. Sharon had put on hold. SAAB EREKAT - CHIEF PALESTINIAN NEGOTIATOR: This may sound like wishful thinking, but I say to Mr. Olmert, I tell him, the only way to bring to an end the vicious cycle of violence and counter violence is resuming negotiations. VAUSE: But for now, there seems little chance of the Israelis and Palestinians returning to the peace process. While Israel deals with its own political turmoil the Palestinians will have to wait. John Vause, CNN, Jerusalem. (END VIDEO CLIP) Around the World FORTIN: Here are a few other international headlines for you. In Greece, a strong earthquake rattled much of the country Sunday. The quake had a 6.7 magnitude. Its epicenter was about 120 miles south of Athens, though folks in the Greek capital, and around the region, say they felt its jolt. There were reports of minor damage in southern Greece, and three people were injured on the island of Crete. And in Saudi Arabi Sunday, about two million Muslim pilgrims started the annual Hajj. The Hajj is a six-day pilgrimage to Mecca, the birthplace of the prophet Mohammed. Every able-bodied Muslim who can afford the trip is required to perform the Hajj. Mecca is revered as the holiest site in Islam. Shoutout AZUZ: Which of the following is not a residence of Britain's royal family? Is it: A) Windsor Castle, B) Buckingham Palace, C) Kensington Palace or D) Westminster Abbey? Though it houses the tombs of British kings and queens, the royal family doesn't actually live in Westminster Abbey. That's your answer and that's your Shoutout! Royal Boot Camp FORTIN: Britain's Prince William has a new residence, and he'll no doubt find it far less luxurious, than the royal palaces. The heir to the British throne is beginning a 44-week training regime at Sandhurst Military Academy, in preparation to become an army officer. Romilly Weeks explores Prince William's decision to follow in his younger brother's footsteps. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) ROMILLY WEEKS, ITN REPORTER: As Sandhurst's latest royal recruit, Prince William can't help feel a little daunted today. Former cadets described this moment as feeling like a cross between the first day at school and entering prison camp. While Williams didn't have to carry his own ironing board, over the next few weeks he will have to get used to a lot of ironing, a lot of drills and a lot of early mornings. SOT: He certainly got a wake up call. He'll learn that his new family is of course his color sergeant, and the academy's arm major. He will be treated like everybody else, he'll be "wales" or "cadet wales" and no doubt he'll hear that shouted across the drill square over the next five weeks on many occasion. WEEKS: Sandhrst is generall considered to have done young brother Harry a power of good, although he has been disarmingly frank about how he found the first few weeks of the notoriously tough regime. PRINCE HARRY: We marched around for the first few weeks in a green garb. Makes you look half like a gardener, half like a inmate. Apart from your little name right there, or you haven't got a number on the back or a ball and chain, but its pretty close to that. WEEKS: William, of course, is destined one day to be head of the armed forces. But they're not going to do him any favors during his training here. The commandant has said already that William's first task tomorrow is going to be to get a haircut. So a final goodbye to his father, and goodbye to civilian life. Like the rest of the new intake, Officer Cadet Wales, William will have no contact with the outside world for the next few weeks. No wonder the prince looked a little rueful. Rommily Weeks, ITV news, at Sandhurst. (END VIDEO CLIP) Before We Go FORTIN: Before we go, a heart-warming approach to the season of snow and ice, from northeastern China. And there's a cool twist to this year's ice and snow festival in Harbin: The show has sculptures fashioned in a Russian style. But whether they're art connoisseurs or just ice fanatics, the event helps them weather the cold, with a smile! Goodbye FORTIN: We hope to see you again tomorrow, online or on Headline News. For CNN Student News, I'm Judy Fortin. 
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