(24 Dec 2001)

POOL
Kandahar Air Base - 24 December 2001
1. Father Joseph Scordo, US Navy chaplain (centre, with glasses) lighting candles with other troops at the newly consecrated chapel at the airbase
2. Father Scordo leads the singing of the Christmas carol "O Come Let Us Adore Him"
3. Various shots of troops leaving the chapel to go "carolling" outside, some troops carrying weapons
4. Various shots of Carollers singing "God Bless America" and cheering

APTN
Kabul - 24 December 2001
5. Wide shot of Kabul flower market and Christmas tree shop
6. Various of Kabul's only Christmas trees seller
7. Hashmad working in his shop
8. Medium shot of boy counting money
9. Various shots men loading tree onto cart

POOL
Kandahar Air Base - 24 December 2001
10. Various shots of US marines sorting incoming mail for delivery for troops stationed at Kandahar air base
11. Various shots of marines distributing mail to men from each unit
12. Various shots of marines opening mail and Christmas presents

STORYLINE:

Christmas carols have rung out at Kandahar air base in southern Afghanistan, where US troops are stationed for the current military action.

The carolling was led by US Navy chaplain Father Jospeh Scordo, who has established a chapel at the air base.

Christmas has taken on a new importance in mainly-Muslim Afghanistan this year, thanks to the large number of foreigners in the country as a result of the war.

Kabul's only Christmas tree seller is doing a roaring trade.

"Foreigners come here to buy Christmas trees and flowers to decorate their rooms," said Hashmad, whose shop is on a street in the Afghan capital otherwise filled with flower sellers.

Hashmad supplies the decorations as well, and many of the trees in the shop are decorated before they are sold.

The US embassy has a tree in its front lobby, installed next to the rolled-up US flag taken down when the building was evacuated in 1989.

The tree has been decorated with lights, streamers, and photographs of the US President and military Commander-in-Chief, George W Bush.

At Kandahar Air Base in southern Afghanistan, Christmas mail from home was distributed to the 2,000 US Marines who have been stationed there for about two weeks.

The marines have been securing the air base, which is expected to be used as a southern command centre for the peacekeeping efforts in Afghanistan when the current military action has ended.

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