Freed Terrorism Suspect Feels 'Victimized' by Australia

By Phil Mercer Sydney 30 July 2007

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Mohamed Haneef, an Indian doctor looks on after he reached his father-in-law's home in Bangalore, India, Sunday, 29 July 2007

An Indian doctor has arrived home from Australia after charges against him linked to the failed car bomb attacks in Britain were dropped. Mohamed Haneef says he understands why he was initially detained in Australia, but says his detention went on for too long. From Sydney, Phil Mercer reports.

In an interview aired on Australian television before his departure, Mohamed Haneef said he was relieved to have been cleared of terrorism offenses, and he strongly denied any links to extremism.

Asked in the paid interview whether he had ever been a supporter of a terrorist group, the 27-year-old Indian doctor said it was not in his nature to ever support or be involved in such activities.

He said he understood why he was questioned - a second cousin of his was allegedly involved in the unsuccessful June 30 attack on Glasgow airport in Scotland, and Haneef's mobile phone SIM card was found in Britain during the investigation into the plot. But Haneef is angry that he was held for almost four weeks, when the case against him was so weak.

He was allowed to leave Australia several days ago and has arrived home in the Indian city of Bangalore. On his arrival, he told well-wishers he had been "victimized" by Australian officials

"It's an emotional moment for me, being with my family and at home," Haneef said. "And with you all here after a long wait of 27 days, going through the trauma of being a victim as I was, being victimized by the Australian authorities."

Haneef was charged with supporting an extremist organization by giving the mobile phone card to his relative in Britain. Australian prosecutors asserted that the phone card was found inside the jeep that was used in the attack on Glasgow airport. In fact, the card was discovered in the English city of Liverpool, several hundred kilometers away.

Terrorism charges against the 27-year-old Indian national were dropped last Friday by Australia's chief prosecutor, who studied the evidence and said a "mistake" had been made in formally charging Haneef.

Haneef's working visa was canceled after he was charged with terrorism offences. He says he would consider returning to work in Australia in the future if the work permit were reinstated, but that does not seem likely.

Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews is not budging. He says Haneef's departure from Australia - which Andrews calls hasty - has only heightened his suspicions.

"Nothing that I saw in the interview with Dr. Haneef changed my mind as to the suspicions and doubts that I had about the matter," Andrews said.

Opposition politicians are calling on Andrews to resign, and for the government to order a public inquiry into the way Haneef was treated.

But Andrews says he based his decision on "secret" information that might be made public later. And Prime Minister John Howard said Monday that the government "will not be apologizing to Dr. Haneef."

US Ambassador Expects UN Darfur Resolution This Week

By Stephanie Ho Washington 29 July 2007

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Washington's envoy to the United Nations, Zalmay Khalilzad, says he expects the world body to agree this week on a resolution to send a combined U.N.-African Union force to the war-torn Sudanese region of Darfur. VOA's Stephanie Ho has more on the story.

Zalmay Khalilzad (file photo)

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Zalmay Khalilzad, says the crisis in Darfur, a large province in western Sudan, is a high priority for the Bush administration. "One of the highest. And I went to Sudan myself, with the members of the Security Council to demonstrate how important this was for us," he said.

For four years, pro-government Arab janjaweed militias have been battling ethnic African rebels in Darfur. The janjaweed are accused of terrorizing villagers and committing atrocities including murder and rape. More than 200-thousand people have died in the conflict. More than two million others have been driven from their homes.

The Security Council has been working on a draft resolution to authorize an international peacekeeping force for Darfur that would bolster seven thousand African Union monitors who are already there but have been unable to stem the violence. The U.N. and the African Union would supply a total of 26-thousand troops, a plan the government of Sudan has said it will accept.

Speaking on CNN's Late Edition program, Khalilzad said Security Council members are nearing consensus on a U.N. resolution. I believe that we are very close. I expect that we will get an agreement this week," he said.

President Bush has labeled the fighting in Darfur genocide. Since November, the United States and other western countries have been pressing Sudan to accept an expanded international force in Darfur. Recently, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice criticized Khartoum for what she said were stalling tactics holding up deployment of the hybrid force.

One of Khartoum's main defenders is China, which has veto power in the Security Council and is Sudan's largest foreign investor. Beijing has opposed harsh economic sanctions, but earlier this year helped persuade Sudan to accept U.N. peacekeepers.

On Friday, though, China again called for patience on the Darfur issue. Beijing's special envoy for Darfur, Liu Guijin, told the official China Daily newspaper that coercion, in his words, "will lead us nowhere." He added that other parties must, also in his words, "learn to deal with the Sudanese government" as a "legitimate government that deserves respect."

Beijing next month celebrates the one-year countdown to its hosting of the Olympic Games. Foreign activists have warned they will call the international sporting event the "genocide games" unless China uses more leverage to help bring peace to Darfur.

Chinese Authorities Prevent Multinational AIDS Rights Conference

By Daniel Schearf Beijing 29 July 2007

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Chinese authorities have banned activists and experts from holding a multinational conference in southern China on the legal rights of people infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. As Daniel Schearf reports from Beijing, although Chinese officials have become more supportive of AIDS prevention efforts, discrimination against people with HIV is common, and authorities are still suspicious of activists.

The conference was to bring together Chinese and foreign activists this week in the southern city of Guangzhou to discuss AIDS discrimination. They also were to consider establishing a legal aid center in China for people with HIV and the activists who support them.

Fifty participants from South Africa, India, Thailand, and Canada had planned to attend.

But on Thursday authorities told organizers the conference would not be allowed.

Asia Catalyst, a New York organization that works with activists in Asia to promote human rights, social justice and environmental protection, co-organized the conference. Its partner was China Orchid AIDS Projects in Beijing.

Sara Davis

"We were contacted by authorities, who told us that the combination of AIDS and law and foreigners was too sensitive and that the meeting had to be canceled," Sara Davis, the founder and director of Asia Catalyst.

China has in recent years moved from officially denying having an HIV problem to supporting AIDS education and prevention campaigns.

Last year, China outlawed discrimination against people with HIV or AIDS. Officials have also promised anonymous testing and free treatment for poor people infected with the disease.

But AIDS activists are still harassed, and Davis says discrimination remains common.

"If their identity becomes known they risk being evicted from their homes, they lose their jobs, their children are refused access to education, are turned away from schools, and perhaps worst of all are often refused treatment from hospital workers," said Davis.

Davis says a legal aid center is needed to help people infected with HIV when their rights are violated.

She says despite the canceled conference, she is optimistic her group will be able to continue working with Chinese AIDS activists.

However, Chinese authorities have recently shown less tolerance for foreign activists who support the work of Chinese groups.

Earlier this month officials ordered the closure of China Development Brief, a well-respected publication run by a British national that reported on China's social development and civic activity.

VOASE0729_This Is America

29 July 2007

Critics Praise Three American Playwrights
Sarah Ruhl, Neil LaBute, and Suzan-Lori Parks are writing plays with great creativity and energy.

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VOICE ONE:

Welcome to THIS IS AMERICA in VOA Special English. I'm Barbara Klein.

VOICE TWO:

And I’m Steve Ember. This week we tell about three American writers whose fresh and imaginative plays are receiving great critical praise. Sarah Ruhl, Neil LaBute and Suzan-Lori Parks have very different histories and styles. But all three are adding great energy and creativity to the American theater.

(MUSIC)

A scene from "Dead Man's Cell Phone" at Woolly Mammoth Theatre

VOICE ONE:

At the Woolly Mammoth Theatre in Washington, D.C. the new play “Dead Man’s Cell Phone” has been a big success this summer. Sarah Ruhl wrote "Dead Man's Cell Phone." The play is both funny and serious. It deals with death, family, and, well, cell phones. It tells the story of a lonely young woman named Jean. The play starts at a restaurant where Jean is eating and reading quietly. The cell phone of the man at the table next to her starts to ring.

(SOUND)

Then it rings again.

(SOUND)

The cell phone keeps ringing and starts to interfere with her reading. Finally, Jean stands up to ask the man to answer his phone. But she discovers that he has died.

Jean (talking on his phone):

“I think that there is a dead man sitting next to me.

(Pause)

I don’t know how he died. I’m at a café.”

VOICE TWO:

Jean keeps the dead man's cell phone and gets involved in his life. She answers the phone when his friends, family and business contacts call him. She meets some very unusual people.

VOICE ONE:

Sara Ruhl

Sarah Ruhl studied to be a playwright at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. Her teacher was the well-known American playwright Paula Vogel. At first, Miz Ruhl studied poetry, but Paula Vogel influenced her to study theater. Sarah Ruhl knew theater well. She grew up going to play rehearsals in Chicago, Illinois with her mother who was an actress.

VOICE TWO:

Sarah Ruhl is only thirty-three years old, but she has already had extraordinary success. Her play “The Clean House” was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in two thousand five. The next year she won a MacArthur Foundation fellowship for her work. This organization gives five hundred thousand dollars to people in the arts and sciences who show great skill and creativity in their work.

VOICE ONE:

“The Clean House” is also a play that is very funny as well as serious. It tells about a controlling doctor named Lane who employs a Brazilian woman to clean her house. But Matilde does not like to clean. She says if the floor is dirty then one should look up at the ceiling because it is always clean.

Lane has a sister named Virginia who is lonely. Her favorite activity is cleaning. Virginia thinks it is an honor to clean your own house. She loves dust. She says dust always makes progress. Then when she removes the dust she knows she has made progress.

A scene with Virginia and Matilde from "The Clean House" at Wooly Mammoth Theatre

VOICE TWO:

Virginia secretly goes to Lane’s house and cleans all day while Matilde does her own favorite activity, creating jokes. The order of Lane’s life further falls apart when her husband, also a doctor, falls in love with a patient. In the end, this play is about loving and learning to help and forgive others.

VOICE ONE:

Sarah Ruhl has another new play being performed in New York City called "Eurydice". The play re-imagines an ancient Greek story with modern characters and visual effects. Eurydice dies on her wedding day. She must travel through the underworld and struggle to retain the memories of her lost love, Orpheus. Critics praised the play. They say it provides a fresh look at a timeless love story.

(MUSIC)

VOICE TWO:

Neil LaBute studied theater at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. He writes plays as well as movies that test the fine line between good and bad actions. His stories can be painfully honest in their examination of human relationships. Mister LaBute has said that a good relationship between people equals a bad story. He thinks that the common building material for a play is conflict. And he says his job is to look for ways to ruin a perfectly good day for people.

VOICE ONE:

A good example of a LaBute play is “The Shape of Things.” It was first performed in London in two thousand one. It tells about two university students, Adam and Evelyn, who meet at a museum. Adam is a museum guard who meets Evelyn while she is trying to ruin a piece of art at the museum to express her radical ideas. They soon fall in love. But Adam’s friends Phil and Jenny notice that something is not right about Adam and Evelyn. Evelyn slowly starts to change Adam’s physical and mental qualities. By the end of the play he is a completely new person. Then Evelyn reveals her terrible secret about her plan for Adam.

After London, the play was performed in New York City. Neil LaBute later directed and produced a movie version of “The Shape of Things” using the same actors. Here is Evelyn talking with Jenny about her studies:

Evelyn: So everything is good?

Jenny: Yeah, you know, OK. You?

Evelyn: Pretty great actually. Just studying…working on my art.

Jenny: Right., You‘ve got that big thing that you are doing.

Evelyn: Thesis project, for my degree.

Jenny: And it’s going well?

Evelyn: Yeah.

Jenny: What was it again?

Evelyn: I never said.

Jenny: Oh, well that’s why.

Evelyn: Right. It’s this sculpture thingie.

Jenny: Nice. I think what you have done with Adam it’s really great.

Evelyn: What I have done?

Jenny: Just, you know, he’s changed.

Evelyn: That’s right HE’s changed.

Jenny: Of course, I didn’t mean that you…

Evelyn: I know, I am just saying, you know, he did the work.

Jenny: Right.

VOICE TWO:

Another LaBute play is called “Fat Pig.” It tells about the relationship between Helen and Tom. Tom loves Helen but he does not like his friends' criticism of her because she is very overweight. His concern about other people’s opinions of Helen’s appearance finally ruins his relationship with her. The play is fiercely honest and at times upsetting. Neil LaBute’s plays are among the most emotionally demanding and morally shocking in current theater.

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

Suzan-Lori Parks from studiotheatre.org

Suzan-Lori Parks started writing while studying at Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Massachusetts. She first studied chemistry, then later changed to English and German literature. She said she started to hear voices in her head that led her to write down what they were saying. Suzan-Lori Parks read one of her stories in a class taught by the famous writer James Baldwin. He asked her if she had ever considered writing for the theater.

VOICE TWO:

The plays of Suzan-Lori Parks usually deal with black culture, American history and family relations. Her nineteen ninety-nine play, “In the Blood,” is a modern version of the nineteenth century novel “The Scarlet Letter” by Nathaniel Hawthorne.

The play tells about a homeless woman named Hester as she cares for her five children. It gives an intense and honest vision of motherhood, poverty and suffering.

Miz Parks does not limit herself to writing plays. In two thousand three she wrote the book “Getting Mother’s Body.” She has also written screenplays for movies, including “Girl 6” directed by Spike Lee.

VOICE ONE:

In two thousand one, Miz Parks won a MacArthur Foundation fellowship. The next year she won the Pulitzer Prize for her play “Topdog/Underdog.” She became the first black woman to ever receive the award.

“Topdog/Underdog” tells the story of two African-American brothers, Lincoln and Booth. Lincoln works at a game center as a target for a shooting game. To be the target, he dresses up like President Abraham Lincoln. His brother Booth plays card games to win money. Their parents left the brothers when they were young children and they have depended on each other to survive. The play is a striking exploration of their many emotions and the tense competition between the two men.

VOICE TWO:

Miz Parks recently put into action one of her largest projects yet. In two thousand two, she decided to write one play a day for a year. The published collection of these plays is called “365 Days/365 Plays.” Here are the first few lines of “2- For-1” performed by the American Theater Company of Chicago.

(SOUND)

Writer: “Is the rule that I have to keep writing until I think of a play?”

Editor: “There are no rules”

Writer: “What if my mind is blank?”

VOICE ONE:

From November thirteenth of last year until November twelfth of this year, these plays are being performed every day all over America. More than seven hundred colleges, performance organizations and theater groups are performing the works. One goal of the project is to bring together a worldwide theater community. For more on this special event, visit www.365days365plays.com.

(MUSIC)

VOICE TWO:

Our program was written and produced by Dana Demange. Transcripts and archives of our shows are at voaspecialenglish.com. I'm Steve Ember.

VOICE ONE:

And I'm Barbara Klein. Join us again next week for This is America in VOA Special English.

VOASE0729_Development Report

29 July 2007

Working With Clay: A How-to Guide
Clay is formed by the action of wind and water on rocks over thousands of years.

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This is the VOA Special English Development Report.

Clay is found almost everywhere in the world. It is formed by the action of wind and water on rocks over thousands of years. The rocks change in both chemical and physical ways. Chemically, elements like potassium and aluminum are added and taken away. Physically, the rocks break down into smaller and smaller pieces. After a long time, some of the rock changes to clay.

Clay is important because it is used around the world to make containers of all kinds. Potters add water to soften the clay. This makes it easier to form into shapes by hand or by machine. Then it is fired in an extremely hot stove. The result is a container with a hard surface that will last for many years.

In many countries, clay was formed from volcanoes. This kind of clay usually contains many minerals. So the fires to make containers from volcanic clay must be hotter than those used for non-volcanic clay. The fires may be as hot as one thousand four hundred degrees Celsius.

It is also important to dry the clay containers slowly. This means that the highest temperature should not be reached too fast.

You can add materials to clay to gain desired results. For example, you can add sand to prevent tiny breaks or lines from forming in the finished product. But you should not use sand from the coasts of oceans. Instead, you should use sand from rivers or from other areas of land that are not near the sea.

You can usually find good clay in low areas of islands or land, especially if volcanoes helped form the land. Clay often exists in fields covered with some water. The clay will be found about one meter below the ground. River banks often also have clay about one meter or less under the surface.

You can recognize clay because it is very shiny when it is wet. You can also perform a test. Take some of the material and add enough water to it to make it seem like you are making bread. Then press it in your hand until it is about the size of an egg. It is probably clay if it holds together instead of falling apart when you stop pressing.

You can learn more about working with clay from publications that can be ordered online from EnterpriseWorks/VITA. The address is enterpriseworks.org. Click on the "Publications" link under "News & Resources."

And that's the VOA Special English Development Report, written by Gary Garriott. Transcripts and archives of our reports are at voaspecialenglish.com. I'm Steve Ember.

ASEAN Ministerial Meeting Tackles Thorny Issues With Draft Charter

By Nancy-Amelia Collins Manila 29 July 2007

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The 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations are struggling with a number of controversial issues in the drafting of a new charter. The ASEAN foreign ministers are gathering for an informal meeting in Manila before opening their annual meeting Monday. VOA's Nancy-Amelia Collins is in the Philippine capital Manila where the meeting is being held.

The foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, hope to spend Monday finalizing the draft of a charter. The document is considered a milestone for the group because it will create a rules-based community similar to the European Union.

But finishing the document may not be easy. One of the most controversial issues is Burma's objection to a proposal to create a regional human rights body.

Enshrining human rights in the charter has been a thorny issue: several ASEAN nations have authoritarian or one-party governments and Burma's human rights record is considered dismal.

The United States and the European Union have long called on ASEAN to pressure Burma's military government to make good on its pledges to bring democracy to the country and release opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi from house arrest.

Burma's Foreign Minister Nyan Win (r) is welcomed by Philippine Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo prior to the 14th ASEAN Regional Forum in Manila, 29 Jul 2007

Philippine Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo says ASEAN still hopes Burma will eventually follow its so-called road map to democracy.

"We continue to hope that in spite of the fact that, you know, after 10 years, we're still in the road map to democracy, but we continue to hope that since they are, they now have a national convention, that eventually that road map to democracy will be complete," said Romulo.

Human rights groups complain that ASEAN's principle of non-interference in member's domestic affairs has fostered undemocratic governments in the region.

The foreign ministers also must settle such charter details as to how to handle votes and how to punish nations that break the charter rules. Currently, ASEAN members act only after achieving a consensus and violations of decisions are not punished.

After some revisions the charter is expected to be adopted and ratified at a leader's summit in November and ratified by member states by the end of 2008.

The ASEAN charter is not the only issue up for discussion at Monday's meeting. Other issues include fighting terrorism, creating a regional body to respond quickly to disasters, and setting up a safety watchdog to make sure nuclear plants in the region are not used to produce weapons.

The foreign ministers also will hold bilateral meetings with a number of neighboring nations and key partners, including the United States. On Thursday, the ASEAN Regional Forum meets, with senior officials from the European Union, China, Japan, the U.S. and other nations.

Indian Government Faces Allegation of Gender Bias

By Anjana Pasricha New Delhi 29 July 2007

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When India's first woman president took office this week, it was described as a boost for millions of women. But soon after, a senior woman police officer was denied a top appointment, stirring a fiery debate in the country on whether gender bias persists in the government. Anjana Pasricha has a report from New Delhi.

Pratiba Pratil looks on as she walks out of central Parliament house after her swearing-in ceremony, 25 Jul 2007

For many people, 72-year-old Pratibha Patil's recent election as India's president was a symbol of empowerment for women in a country where they still face widespread discrimination.

But the same day that Mrs. Patil was sworn in, the government passed over a female police officer, Kiran Bedi, who was next in line to take over as Delhi's police chief, in favor of a junior colleague. The government said only that it was an "administrative decision."

The move has stirred a controversy - it was the third instance in recent months that women were pushed aside to allow men to take top positions in the government. Two bureaucrats, Veena Sikri, and Reva Nayyar in line to take the jobs as Foreign Secretary and Cabinet Secretary were similarly passed over.

Women's groups have cried foul, saying competent officers are being overlooked in the government due to gender bias.

Ranjana Kumari, director of the Center for Social Research, says the gains made by selecting a woman president have been undone.

"We believe that the appointment of president was not by choice, it was just a compulsion of politics," said Kumari. "I don't think people sitting in power are thinking about really empowering women in India. It is not a hidden glass ceiling, it is an iron ceiling actually. That is what we are now thinking, the system is still not willing to provide spaces."

Kiran Bedi was the country's first woman police officer. She has won widespread praise for being tough and independent, and made a mark in several assignments. She has protested the government's move in denying her the top job.

"The current situation is a very, very sad message, and we are up against mountains," said Bedi. "The system has won because the system is very closed."

Women's groups point to the low female representation in the government - eight percent of parliament members, 15 percent of the bureaucracy and three percent of the judiciary - as evidence that India continues to be male dominated.

They point out that efforts to pass a bill to reserve one third of the seats in parliament for women have repeatedly been blocked by lawmakers, although both leading political parties say they support the move.

It is not as if women have not held top offices in India - Indira Gandhi was prime minister for nearly 14 years, (1966-77 and 1980-84) and her daughter-in-law Sonia Gandhi, heads the governing? Congress Party coalition. But critics say their rise to power was fueled by the fact that they belong to a powerful political dynasty.

Bush Urges Congress to Modernize Law to Monitor Suspected Terrorists

By William Ide Washington 28 July 2007

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President Bush is urging Congress to quickly amend a law on foreign surveillance that he says is "badly out of date." Mr. Bush says that at a time of heightened alert to prevent terrorist attacks on U.S. soil, intelligence professionals need a more modern law to help them effectively assess those threats. VOA's William Ide has more from Washington.

President Bush speaks at the American Legislative Exchange Council, 26 July 2007

In his weekly radio address, Mr. Bush appealed to Congress to modernize the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). The president says he wants Congress to make the changes before it breaks for summer recess next month.

He says the key problem is that FISA was written into law nearly three decades ago and notes that it needs to be revamped to better address modern technologies used by terrorists.

"Our intelligence community warns that under the current statute, we are missing a significant amount of foreign intelligence that we should be collecting to protect our country," said Mr. Bush. "Congress needs to act immediately to pass this bill, so that our national security professionals can close intelligence gaps and provide critical warning time for our country."

Mr. Bush says the legislation his administration is proposing is the product of months of discussions with members of both parties in the House and the Senate. It includes proposals that would allow U.S. telecommunications companies to cooperate more fully with the government in gathering information.

"Today we face sophisticated terrorists who use disposable cell phones and the Internet to communicate with each other, recruit operatives, and plan attacks on our country," added Mr. Bush. "Technologies like these were not available when FISA was passed nearly 30 years ago, and FISA has not kept up with new technological developments."

The proposed legislation also includes changes to allow the government to collect intelligence about foreign targets in foreign locations without obtaining court orders.

Mr. Bush's proposed changes come in the wake of a long and heated debate in the U.S. over his Administration's previous monitoring of terrorist suspects.

Shortly after the September 11 terrorist attacks in 2001, Mr. Bush authorized the National Security Agency to eavesdrop, without court warrants, on calls between people in the U.S. and suspected terrorists abroad, even though the law requires such warrants.

The Bush Administration argued it had the authority to conduct warrantless surveillance, because of special powers granted by Congress in the wake of the September 11 attacks.

The administration said the wiretapping was necessary to help the U.S. act quickly to prevent terror attacks. Earlier this year, the president put the program back under the authority of FISA and its special secret courts.

Civil rights advocates have harshly criticized the previous warantless program, and are criticizing the president's new proposals, saying they will erode the rights of Americans.

Democratic leaders in Congress say they are moving to address inefficiencies in the system and will make changes as "necessary." But they also cite concerns about expanding the government's surveillance powers.

VOASE0728_People In America

28 July 2007

Ronald Reagan, 1911-2004: One of America's Most Popular Presidents
Before he became the 40th president, Reagan was an actor and governor of California.

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ANNOUNCER:

Welcome to People in America in VOA Special English. Today Gwen Outen and Steve

Ronald Reagan

Ember tell about America's fortieth president, Ronald Reagan. Experts say Ronald Reagan re-defined the American presidency during his two terms in the nineteen eighties. He became president when he was sixty-nine years old. It was a far different place from that of his birth on February sixth, nineteen eleven.

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

Ronald Wilson Reagan was born in Tampico, Illinois. His mother Nelle, father Jack, and brother Neil lived above a bank in the town. Ronald Reagan’s family began calling the baby “Dutch.” The nickname remained for the rest of his life.

Jack Reagan worked at a general store. The family was poor. Yet, in a book about his life, Ronald Reagan wrote that he never felt poor. He was good at sports, especially football. During the summers, he was a lifeguard at a local swimming pool. He reportedly rescued many people from drowning.

Ronald Reagan said there was a feeling of security throughout his childhood. But it was not perfect. His father was dependent on alcohol.

VOICE TWO:

Ronald Reagan studied at Eureka College in Illinois. After seeing a play at college, he said: “More than anything in the world, I wanted to speak the actor’s words.”

But Ronald Reagan did not have enough money to go to New York or Hollywood to become an actor. So, after college he found a job as a sports broadcaster for a radio station in Iowa. Later he moved to a bigger radio station in Chicago, Illinois. He announced the action of baseball games. This work took him on a trip to California. He took a screen test to become an actor. Warner Brothers Studios offered him a job.

Ronald Reagan as ''The Gipper.''

Ronald Reagan moved to Hollywood and became a movie star. He appeared in many movies. “Knute Rockne – All American,” is probably his most famous. It is where he got the nickname “The Gipper.”

Mister Reagan played George Gipp, one of the greatest college football players ever. In the movie, he speaks of the school’s football team as he is dying.

RONALD REAGAN:

“...Ask them to go in there with all they got, win just one for the Gipper.”

VOICE ONE:

Those words, “win one for the Gipper,” later became a political battle cry for Ronald Reagan. In nineteen forty, he married actress Jane Wyman. They had two children, Maureen and Michael. But the marriage ended in nineteen forty-nine.

Ronald Reagan became president of the main labor group for movie actors in nineteen forty-eight. He served six terms. He met actress Nancy Davis through the union. They married in nineteen fifty-two. They later had two children, Patti and Ron.

At this time, Ronald Reagan was a member of the Democratic Party who described himself as a liberal. But, he became increasingly conservative as his worries about communism grew. He opposed anyone in the movie industry who supported communism.

(MUSIC)

VOICE TWO:

In the early nineteen fifties, Ronald Reagan began to appear on television. He presented dramatic shows produced by the General Electric Company. He became a spokesman for the company. Mister Reagan learned a lot about public speaking. He began to campaign for Republican Party political candidates a few years later. Reagan developed the ability to reach people through his speeches. He later became known as “The Great Communicator.”

Nancy Reagan supported her husband’s political interests. Political experts say she was always his most important adviser.

In nineteen sixty-six, Ronald Reagan announced his own candidacy for governor of California. Democrats in the state did not think he was a serious candidate. However, Mister Reagan was elected governor by almost one million votes.

Ronald Reagan received mixed public opinion as governor of the nation’s most populated state. He was praised for lowering California’s debt, yet criticized for raising taxes. Voters re-elected him as governor in nineteen seventy.

VOICE ONE:

Ronald Reagan was unsuccessful in his first two attempts to win the Republican nomination for president. Then, in nineteen eighty, he became the Republican Party’s presidential candidate. His opponent was President Jimmy Carter.

Ronald Reagan debates Jimmy Carter in 1980

The two men debated on national television. Ronald Reagan spoke directly and simply to the American people and asked them some questions:

RONALD REAGAN:

“Are you better off than you were four years ago? Is it easier for you to go and buy things in the stores than it was four years ago? Is there more or less unemployment in the country than there was four years ago?”

VOICE TWO:

Ronald Reagan won the United States presidential election by a huge majority. He and his vice-president, George Herbert Walker Bush, were sworn into office in January, nineteen eighty-one. Many people called the change in political power “The Reagan Revolution.”

President Reagan immediately began to work to honor a major campaign promise. He called on Congress to lower taxes. But only two months later, tragedy struck. A mentally sick man shot the president and three other people outside a hotel in Washington. President Reagan and his press secretary, James Brady, were severely wounded.

Mister Reagan had a bullet in his left lung, close to his heart. But he showed his sense of humor at the hospital. As the president was taken into the operating room he said he hoped all the doctors were Republicans.

Ronald Reagan recovered from the shooting and returned to work within two weeks.

VOICE ONE:

The President now began work on his main goal to reduce the size of the federal government. He had campaigned on the idea that the government was too costly and interfered too much in the lives of Americans.

Mister Reagan and Congress reduced taxes and cut spending for social programs. The administration argued that these actions would create economic growth.

Extremely high inflation rates did begin to fall. But the United States’ debt rose sharply. This was partly from big increases in military spending.

The Reagan economic policy became known as “Reaganomics.” It had, and still has, supporters and opponents. Some people argued that the cuts in social programs greatly hurt poor people. Others said the policy improved the economy.

President Reagan sought re-election in nineteen eighty-four. His Democratic opponent was former Vice-President Walter Mondale. Again Mister Reagan won the election by a large amount.

(MUSIC)

VOICE TWO:

President Reagan dealt with many serious foreign issues while in office. He sent American Marines to Lebanon to stop the fighting among several opposing groups. But more than two hundred Marines were killed in an extremist bomb attack.The so-called “Reagan Doctrine” was the Administration’s most famous foreign policy. That policy was to support anti-communist forces anywhere in the world. Under the policy, American forces invaded the Caribbean island nation of Grenada. The policy also led to secret United States support for rebels in Nicaragua.

President Reagan met with Soviet Leader Mikhail Gorbachev several times in an effort to reduce nuclear weapons. He gave a famous speech at the Berlin Wall that divided Soviet-controlled East Germany from West Germany on June twelfth, nineteen eighty-seven.

RONALD REAGAN:

“General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet

President Reagan after his speech in front of the Brandenburg Gate in West Berlin, on June 12, 1987.

Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization: Come here to this gate! Mister Gorbachev, open this gate! Mister Gorbachev, tear down this wall!”

VOICE ONE:

Some historians say Ronald Reagan helped cause the fall of the Soviet Union. They say his military spending forced the Soviets to spend more, too. They say this led to the communist nation’s economic failure.

President Reagan enjoyed very high public approval ratings throughout his presidency. Many Americans considered him a friendly leader, a “man of the people,” filled with hope for America.

VOICE TWO:

Ronald and Nancy Reagan returned to California after his second term ended in nineteen eighty-nine. In nineteen ninety-four, Mister Reagan wrote an open letter to the American people. He informed them that he had the brain disease Alzheimer’s. The former president expressed his love for the country and thanked Americans for letting him serve. And, he wrote: “I know that for America there will always be a bright dawn ahead.”

Ronald Reagan died at his home in California on June fifth, two thousand four. He was ninety-three.

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

This program was written by Caty Weaver. Mario Ritter was the producer. I’m Gwen Outen.

VOICE TWO:

And I’m Steve Ember. Listen again next week for another People in America in VOA Special English.

VOASE0727_In the News

27 July 2007

In '08 Campaign, a Debate Brings Everyday Citizens Into the Process
CNN and YouTube invited the public to record questions for the Democratic presidential candidates.

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This is IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English.

Democratic candidates Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, Senator Barack Obama, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson and Senator Joseph Biden

Presidential hopefuls in the United States still travel the country, meeting people and shaking hands. But now they also have to reach out for money and support online, and not just through official campaign Web sites. They also use social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace and video sharing sites like YouTube.

This week, the eight Democratic candidates gathered for a debate that was the first of its kind. Anyone with Internet access could record a question on video and send it in through YouTube. The debate aired live on CNN, the Cable News Network.

Many of the questions involved foreign policy, especially the Iraq war. The mother of a soldier was concerned that her son is about to return to Iraq.

The mother of a soldier asks the candidates a question

QUESTION: "How many more soldiers must die while these political games continue in our government?"

Senator Barack Obama pointed out that he has always opposed the war.

BARACK OBAMA: "The time for us to ask how we were going to get out of Iraq was before we went in, and that is something that too many of us failed to do."

Senator Obama also said that if elected president, he would be willing to meet with leaders from Iran, North Korea and Venezuela.

But Senator Hillary Clinton, the Democratic front-runner, had a different position.

HILLARY CLINTON: "Because I think it is not that you promise a meeting at that high a level before you know what the intentions are. I do not want to be used for propaganda purposes."

Other questions dealt with racial and social issues, like same-sex marriage.

QUESTION: "Hi, my name is Mary. And my name is Jen. And we're from Brooklyn, New York. If you were elected president of the United States, would you allow us to be married … to each other?"

Most of the candidates who had a chance to deal with this issue said they would support civil unions, a step short of marriage.

This new form of debate was praised because it forced candidates away from the usual questions they expect.

Aid workers recorded a video with children at a refugee camp near Darfur. In another one, a melting animated snowman asked about global warming.

And a man from Michigan wanted to know if "our babies are safe." He meant guns, and he had a large rifle. He asked the candidates about their positions on gun control.

Still, some critics said the public should have been able to choose the questions, instead of CNN.

More than two and a half million people watched the debate on television. Viewing by younger people ages eighteen to thirty-four was said to be the highest ever for a debate in cable news history.

Still, it was the second most-watched debate of the campaign season so far. A CNN-YouTube debate for the Republican candidates is planned for September seventeenth. The election is in November of next year.

If you have a question about the process of electing the president, we might be able to answer it on the air. Write to special@voanews.com. Please include your name and where you are from.

And that's IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English, written by Brianna Blake. I’m Steve Ember.

Congressional Democrats Subpoena Top Bush Aide Karl Rove

By Paula Wolfson White House 26 July 2007

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Congressional Democrats are stepping up pressure on the White House as they investigate charges the Bush administration has been using the Justice Department as a political tool. VOA White House correspondent Paula Wolfson reports they have issued a subpoena for a top presidential aide, and are calling for an independent investigation of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.

White House Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove waves upon his return to the White House in Washington, 24 July 2007

Perhaps no one at the White House is closer to President Bush than his long-time political adviser Karl Rove.

On Thursday, the Senate Judiciary Committee issued subpoenas for Rove and another White House aide, Scott Jennings.

Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy of Vermont made the announcement on the Senate floor:

"There is a cloud over this White House and a gathering storm," he said.

The subpoenas stem from an investigation into whether nine federal prosecutors were fired by the Justice Department for purely political reasons.

Leahy said the prosecutors resisted attempts to influence political corruption cases to benefit Republican candidates. He rejected White House arguments that they were sacked simply because their legal performance was not good enough.

"The evidence shows that senior officials were apparently focused on the political impact of federal prosecutions and whether federal prosecutors were doing enough to bring partisan voter fraud and corruption cases," he added.

President Bush has already refused to permit testimony on the matter from other former and present White House officials. Mr. Bush has told Congress that he has the right to withhold public testimony by those who offer him private advice.

Attorney General Alberto Gonzales testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington before the Senate Judiciary Committee, 24 July 2007

The president has also stressed that he stands behind Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. But the chorus of complaints about Gonzales is growing louder by the day. Shortly before the latest subpoenas were issued, four Democrats on the Justice Committee called for an independent investigation into allegations that Gonzales knowingly and willingly lied under oath in congressional testimony.

Senator Charles Schumer of New York said the attorney general has engaged in a pattern of lies.

"The attorney general took an oath to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Instead, he tells the half-truth, the partial truth and everything but the truth," he said.

The formal request for a special prosecutor to investigate allegations of perjury came in a letter to the U.S. government's top lawyer, Solicitor General Paul Clement.

At a Capitol Hill news conference, Senator Schumer was asked if any Republicans support the request. He replied that he had talked to Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, the top Republican on the Justice Committee, and a critic of the attorney general but he gave no details of the conversation.

A short time later, Specter said an independent investigation is not warranted and he questioned Schumer's intentions.

"Senator Schumer is not interested in looking at the record," said Mr. Specter. "He is interested in throwing down the gauntlet and making stories in tomorrow's newspapers."

Specter said he still hopes a compromise can be worked out with the White House so that Congress can find out if indeed the administration has sought to politicize the Justice Department.

In addition to hiring and firing practices, lawmakers are also looking into a controversial domestic surveillance program and whether the White House took action to mislead Congress and to silence opposition within the Justice Department.

US and Pakistan Differ on Cleaning Out Terrorist Sanctuaries

By Gary Thomas Washington 26 July 2007

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U.S. officials now publicly say that the possibility of U.S. military action against al-Qaida and Taleban safe havens in Pakistan's tribal areas cannot be ruled out. The U.S. has criticized Pakistan for what U.S. officials consider its soft approach to the safe haven issue. But as VOA correspondent Gary Thomas reports, the criticism may mask some quiet cooperation.

When the Taleban and their al-Qaida guests were ousted from Afghanistan in 2001, their leaders managed to escape across the border to the rugged and lawless tribal areas of Pakistan.

Until now, Washington has nudged Islamabad behind closed doors to get tough about cleaning out the terrorist sanctuaries. But after a U.S. National Intelligence Estimate earlier this month concluded that al-Qaida had regrouped in the tribal areas, U.S. criticism became more public and pointed.

Nicholas Burns (file photo)

In a Senate hearing Wednesday, Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns raised the possibility that the U.S. might act in the tribal areas if Pakistan does not.

"Given the primacy of the fight against al-Qaida and Osama bin Laden, if we have in the future a certainty of knowledge, then of course the United States would always have the option of taking action on its own," said Burns. "But we prefer to work with the Pakistani forces, and we in most situations, nearly every situation, do work with them."

In Islamabad Thursday, Pakistan's foreign minister Khurshid Kasuri called talk of a unilateral U.S. attack "irresponsible and counterproductive."

Analysts agree that any large-scale U.S. incursion into the tribal areas is extremely unlikely. But Daniel Markey, who was until recently on the South Asia Policy Planning staff at the State Department, says the United States is already involved in attacks inside Pakistan in an indirect way.

"I think the United States is involved, if not directly, then indirectly by providing intelligence, surveillance, satellite photos, and so on that would allow the Pakistanis to be more effective," said Markey. "So in that narrow sense, the United States already has been involved in attacks in Pakistan."

Some analysts believe U.S. actions may already be more direct. Larry Goodson, a professor of Middle East Studies at the U.S. Army War College, says Pakistani officials may be turning a blind eye to U.S. cross-border pursuit of terrorist suspects so long as such operations remain low-key and secret.

"I speculate that there is a backroom deal about you guys coming across, do what you've got to do, quietly, and as long as there's plausible deniability, we'll put up with it," said Goodson. "I don't know; that's just speculation. But I suspect that since there have been these kinds of cross-border operations that no one talks about, that there is something of -- it's not a green light, maybe sort of a yellow light -- for some of that activity to go forward.

Daniel Markey says the argument over the sanctuary issue centers on the different views that Washington and Islamabad have about the threat residing in the tribal areas.

"The United States and Pakistan don't necessarily see the problem of the tribal areas in identical ways," said Markey. "The United States is much more interested in the global terrorist threat, whereas Pakistan is much more interested in kind of local challenges to Pakistani stability and its influence in the region."

Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf cut deals with tribal leaders for their help in rooting out terrorist strongholds. Peter Rodman, who was assistant secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs in the Bush administration, says this approach did not work.

"The government of Pakistan reached some agreements on the ground last year with certain of the tribes, sort of non-aggression pacts," said Rodman. "I mean, the army backed away and made little treaties with some of these tribes, which were designed to deal politically with this problem. And we were very disappointed with that. We thought this really gave the Taleban a free hand. And that is how it has worked out, unfortunately, in some of these cases."

According to a report published earlier this year, a U.S. covert operation was planned to snatch al-Qaida second-in-command Ayman al-Zawahiri from his Pakistani safe haven in 2005.

However, the operation was called off at the last minute by then-Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld as being too risky after what was envisioned as small U.S. paramilitary team had ballooned into a large force.

VOASE0726_Economics Report

26 July 2007

Trying to Renew Trust in 'Made in China' Label
Chinese officials move to strengthen food safety laws, but also accuse some foreign media of overstating the problems with exports.

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This is the VOA Special English Economics Report.

China has recently been faced with serious issues of product safety. Some

In May, the Costa Rican Health Ministry ordered the removal of this Chinese toothpaste and other kinds made in China.

cases have brought attention internationally to the increased use of imported ingredients to make food and medicine.

In Panama, medicine made with a poisonous chemical killed or sickened more than one hundred people. A Chinese company had identified the additive as glycerin, a safe sweetener and thickener. But it was really diethylene glycol, a low-cost substitute commonly used in automobile antifreeze.

Some countries have banned Chinese-made toothpaste containing diethylene glycol. China has now told companies to discontinue this use, even though it says the toothpaste is safe.

Another industrial chemical, melamine, was found in wheat flour used to make pet food in North America. Thousands of dogs and cats died or became sick.

The United States has restricted some imports of Chinese seafood because they contained banned substances. And questions have been raised about other products, including children's toys covered in lead paint.

The European Union is China's biggest trading partner. Meglena Kuneva, its commissioner for consumer protection, was in Beijing this week. Chinese officials promised her they would provide the European Union with detailed reports on enforcement efforts against unsafe goods.

China agreed in January of last year to do this every three months. She said China has not done so.

Li Changjiang is director of the State Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine. She said China will work to guarantee the quality of its products.

China recently closed three companies linked to the Panama deaths and the pet food scare. And it executed the former head of its food and drug administration. He was found guilty of corruption for approving unsafe drugs.

This week, China said a conference of the State Council approved a proposed special measure on the supervision of food safety. The Xinhua news agency said it calls for stronger controls over producers, greater responsibilities for government and more serious punishment for illegal activities.

But Chinese officials have accused some foreign media of overstating problems with goods made in China. They say food imports from the United States also fail inspection sometimes. Next week, American and Chinese food safety officials plan to hold five days of meetings in Beijing to discuss cooperation.

And that's the VOA Special English Economics Report. I'm Mario Ritter.

VOASE0726_American Mosaic

26 July 2007

Sandra Bullock: Film Star, Producer, Wife
Also: Hershey's celebrates the one hundredth anniversary of the chocolate kiss. And listen to the orchestral music of Pink Martini.

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HOST:

Welcome to AMERICAN MOSAIC, in VOA Special English.

(MUSIC)

I'm Doug Johnson. On our show this week:

We listen to music from Pink Martini …

Answer a question about actress Sandra Bullock …

And report about a sweet anniversary.

Hershey's Anniversary

HOST:

People around the world know and enjoy the chocolate candy from the Hershey Company. Company officials say they export Hershey's products to more than ninety countries. The Hershey Company celebrated an anniversary earlier this month in its hometown of Hershey, Pennsylvania. Faith Lapidus tells us about it.

FAITH LAPIDUS:

The street lights in Hershey, Pennsylvania are shaped like the candies the company is most famous for -- Hershey’s Kisses.

July seventh was the one hundredth anniversary of the Hershey's Kiss. The company

A Hershey's kiss

held a birthday party in its honor. Part of the celebration was the world’s largest Hershey's Kiss. The huge piece of chocolate weighed almost fourteen thousand kilograms. It was more than three and one-half meters tall. A representative from the Guinness Book of World Records officially named it the world’s largest piece of chocolate.

Hershey officials say the huge chocolate Kiss took one hundred fifty-two people nine days to produce. And they say the chocolate in it is equal to that of more than three million normal Hershey's Kisses.

The company began producing the chocolate with the unusual shape in nineteen-oh-seven. Officials today do not really know why the new candy was named a Kiss. One possible story is that the name came from the sound or motion of the chocolate during the manufacturing process.

Workers used to wrap each candy in a small piece of silver foil paper by hand until nineteen twenty-one. Then a machine was developed to do that. Today, the company produces more than eighty million Hershey’s Kisses every day. And modern wrapping machines finish the job. They can wrap more than one thousand Kisses every minute.

Some Hershey’s Kisses have remained the same over the years. But there are also many new versions. There are Kisses with an almond nut inside. Dark chocolate Kisses. And Kisses filled with caramel or peanut butter. There are also similarly shaped brown and white candies called Hugs.

Hershey’s Kisses are produced in Pennsylvania, California and Virginia. Recent news reports say the company will soon close one of its factories in California. The reports say the Kisses will be produced at a new Hershey factory in Mexico. They also say the candy company has closed at least three other factories this year.

Sandra Bullock

HOST:

Our listener question this week comes from Brazil. Anderlon Rocha de Oliveira wants to know more about actress Sandra Bullock.

Sandra Bullock

Sandra Bullock is one of the most popular movie stars in America. She is especially famous for her work in funny love stories. But she has also proven herself a fine dramatic actress in movies like "Crash," and "Infamous."

Sandra Bullock was born in Arlington, Virginia in nineteen sixty-four. Her mother was a German-born opera singer. She died of cancer in two thousand. Bullock's father was a voice teacher and Defense Department employee. He now leads her production company, Fortis Films.

Sandra Bullock began performing as a young girl, often in music shows with her mother. She was involved in theater in high school. Then she studied acting at East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina.

Bullock lived in New York City for a short time after college. She moved to Los Angeles, California after winning her first big job, a part in a movie made for television.

Sandra Bullock has performed in more than forty films. She has played a police officer, an alcoholic, a witch, a single mother, a rich lonely wife and many other characters. Her most recent movie, "Premonition," was released earlier this year.

Next up is a romantic comedy called "All About Steve." Bullock will play a woman who decides a reporter she sees on television is her true love. She starts to follow him all around the country hoping to persuade him that he loves her too.

Sandra Bullock does not have to do this kind of thing in real life. Two years ago she married Jesse James, the star of a television show called "Monster Garage."

Sandra Bullock is also known for helping others in need. She witnessed the terrorist attack on New York City in two thousand one. She was staying at a hotel several blocks away when the twin towers were destroyed. She gave one million dollars to the Red Cross to help those affected.

Bullock gave the organization another one million dollars to help victims of the Indian Ocean tsunami in two thousand four. And she continues to give time and money to help the city of New Orleans. That city is still recovering from the severe damage that Hurricane Katrina caused in two thousand five.

Pink Martini

HOST:

Pink Martini may sound like a kind of drink. But it is really a small orchestra of twelve musicians. A classically trained pianist, Thomas Lauderdale, created the group. He says the members of Pink Martini are like musical archeologists. They like to bring together sounds from different periods and parts of the world. Barbara Klein has more.

(MUSIC: "Tempo Perdido")

BARBARA KLEIN:

That was Pink Martini’s main singer China Forbes performing “Tempo Perdido” in

Pink Martini

Portuguese. It is from the group’s latest album, “Hey Eugene!” The song was first performed in nineteen thirty-four by the famous Brazilian actress and singer Carmen Miranda. The beat of the song captures the sounds of another time period.

China Forbes and Thomas Lauderdale met in college. Several years later, Lauderdale asked her to join his new band.

Pink Martini skillfully recreates older songs from around the world in a modern and fresh way. Sometimes they find long forgotten favorites. Other times, China Forbes and Thomas Lauderdale write their own music and give it a special sound from the past. They have sung in many languages including French, Spanish, Japanese and Italian. At times they even sing in English. Here is China Forbes singing a song she wrote called “Everywhere."

(MUSIC)

Thomas Lauderdale says Pink Martini is very much an American band. But the band members spend a lot of time in other countries. He says his band tries to show that Americans are serious about being involved with the rest of the world.

We leave you with “Bukra Wba’do.” This is Pink Martini’s first song in Arabic. The song title means “tomorrow and the day after.” A professor of Arabic helped China Forbes and the group of twenty-five singers learn the correct pronunciation. The resulting song shows off Pink Martini’s musical as well as language skills.

(MUSIC)

HOST:

I'm Doug Johnson. I hope you enjoyed our program today. It was written by Dana Demange, Nancy Steinbach and Caty Weaver, who also was our producer. To read the text of this program and download audio, go to our Web site, voaspecialenglish.com.

Send your questions about American life to mosaic@voanews.com. Please include your full name and mailing address. Or write to American Mosaic, VOA Special English, Washington, D.C., two-zero-two-three-seven, U.S.A.

Join us again next week for AMERICAN MOSAIC, VOA’s radio magazine in Special English.