Algeria Bombing Death Toll Now 33

By Challiss McDonough Cairo 12 April 2007

Download
Algeria's interior minister says the death toll from Wednesday's double car bombing in Algiers has risen to at least 33, with more than 220 people wounded. The attack has awakened fears that the country could slide back into the political violence of the 1990s. VOA Correspondent Challiss McDonough reports from our Middle East and North Africa bureau in Cairo.

Prime Minister Abdelaziz Belkhadem said the Algerian president led an emergency cabinet meeting and ordered what he called "a series of measures to end these criminal acts."

He gave no details of the measures.

The prime minister said the bombings were designed to drag Algeria back to "the crisis years."

The deadly attacks awakened fears that Algeria could return to the bloodshed of the 1990s, when a brutal civil war between government forces and Islamic extremists left some 200,000 people dead.

Algerian policemen search a young man as they perform security checks in a district of Algiers, 12 Apr 2007

Regional analyst Marina Ottaway of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace said the attack is also likely to shift the always-delicate balance of power between the civilian government and the military, which became particularly entrenched during the civil war.

"Politically, I think the greatest danger is that this is going to set back the process of transformation and of reforming the country," she said. "President Bouteflika has made considerable progress in the last few years in wrestling power from the military and putting it back in the hands of the civilian government. Of course, any return to terrorism, essentially, and to violence, is going to enhance the role of the military again."

The bombings in Algiers came just over a month before key parliamentary elections, which are expected to serve as a sign of Algeria's progress toward reform.

Ottaway doubts the bombers were trying to influence the outcome of the vote, but says the attack does seem aimed at shattering the growing sense of security. She says that alone will shift the balance of power toward the military.

"Now, I have trouble seeing how that plays into the hands of these terrorist groups," she added. "In other words, I am not sure that that is what they were trying to achieve, because it seems to me that the increased power of the military also means increased repression, increased violence used against them."

The first of the two bombings was particularly brazen, targeting the prime minister's office in the center of the capital. The second targeted a police station in an eastern suburb. Algeria's main Islamic militant group has claimed responsibility. It was formerly known as the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat, but several months ago changed its name to the al-Qaida Organization in the Islamic Maghreb, and pledged allegiance to Osama Bin Laden and his terrorist network.

A series of recent attacks in the Algerian countryside and in neighboring Tunisia and Morocco have targeted mainly security forces and foreigners. In recent weeks, according to Algerian media reports, Algerian security forces have been conducting an intense campaign against al-Qaida militants in the region of Kabylie, east of the capital.

European analysts have expressed particular concern that the Algiers bombings could signify a resurgence in Islamic extremist militancy in North Africa, fearing it could potentially spill over into Europe, which has historically close ties with the Maghreb.

Nigerian Opposition Cry Foul Over Pre-Poll Holiday

By Sarah Simpson Lagos, Nigeria 12 April 2007

Download
In Nigeria, a last-minute decision by the government to declare Thursday and Friday national holidays is forcing a delay in a crucial court ruling on the upcoming presidential election. The court is deciding whether Nigeria's vice president and top opposition politician, Atiku Abubakar, can keep his name on the ballot sheet for the presidential polls. Abubakar's camp is crying foul. Sarah Simpson reports for VOA from Lagos.

The Nigerian government says it declared Thursday and Friday public holidays so that voters can travel home to vote in Saturday's state elections.

Atiku Abubakar

Opposition politicians say that the holidays have been called to delay a crucial court ruling on whether Vice President Atiku Abubakar can run as a candidate in presidential elections, to be held a week later.

Presidential polls on April 21 are set to be a milestone in Nigeria's troubled history, marking the first time that power will pass from one civilian elected head of state to another.

The Supreme Court, the highest court in Nigeria, was scheduled to making a ruling Thursday on whether Abubakar could run the election.

But that date has been put back until Monday - just five days before election day - as a result of the last minute holiday announcement.

Abubakar's spokesman, Garba Shehu, said that the holiday announcement has compromised voting before a ballot has been cast.

"This is another form of rigging - rigging by other means," Shehu said. "They are placing us at a disadvantage and they are placing their own party, the PDP, an unfair advantage."

After some initial confusion, banks opened for business as usual Thursday and street traders plied their wares regardless of the holiday announcement.

Nigeria is Africa's most populous country and largest oil exporter. For many years the country was synonymous with coups and military regimes, until the restoration of civilian rule in 1999.

UN Chief Encouraged by Darfur Peace Efforts

By Peter Heinlein United Nations 12 April 2007

Download
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is expressing optimism that Sudan will soon accept the presence of attack helicopters in a robust peacekeeping presence in Darfur. VOA's Peter Heinlein reports the U.N. chief also called for the immediate release of a British journalist kidnapped in Gaza.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

Mr. Ban says he is encouraged by diplomatic efforts to win Sudanese approval of a dramatically strengthened peacekeeping force in its violence-wracked Darfur region. He said agreement has been reached on all issues except whether helicopter gunships will be included to support 2,200 heavily armed U.N. peacekeepers that would back up the 7,000 African Union troops already on the ground.

Mr. Ban described the remaining issue as simply a "misunderstanding."

"The remaining point is on this gunship helicopter. Seems to be misunderstanding on Sudanese government on this equipment," he said. "This is not for any offensive purpose. This peacekeeping is by definition peacekeeping operations, it is not for any offensive, but when you deploy troops you need to have mobility with some capacity of deterrence. This is just standard equipment for which they should have no concern."

The helicopters are part of the second phase of a three stage package Sudan agreed to last November, but Sudanese leaders have since backtracked on core elements of the deal.

Palestinian journalists hold posters of BBC correspondent Alan Johnston, during a car demonstration calling for his release in Gaza City, 12 April 2007

In his comments to reporters, Mr. Ban also joined in the calls for the release of British Broadcasting Corporation journalist Alan Johnston who was abducted last month in Gaza. The U.N. chief said freedom of the press must be protected "as a matter of principle."

"I have been closely following this issue, the abduction of BBC journalist Alan Johnston," he added. "I am deeply concerned. Even after one month of his abduction, he has not been released. His coverage of Palestinian issues has earned a great reputation worldwide. Freedom of coverage, as well as freedom of the press, should be protected as a matter of principle. I sincerely hope that those who are responsible for this abduction should release him unconditionally and immediately."

On another subject, Mr. Ban said he was "very much concerned" by the lack of progress in establishing a special tribunal on the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. He said he had spoken by phone Tuesday with current Prime Minister Fuad Siniora as part of his efforts to promote a national reconciliation process in Lebanon.

Mr. Ban's office has confirmed that he plans to travel to the region later this month. His itinerary includes a stop in Damascus for a meeting with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Pakistan President Defends Record on War Against Terror

By Benjamin Sand Islamabad 12 April 2007

Download
Senior military commanders from 21 countries, including the United States, Egypt and Saudi Arabia, have completed Thursday a two-day anti-terrorism conference in Islamabad. The symposium focused on improving international cooperation in the fight against terror, and comes as American lawmakers question host country - and key U.S. ally - Pakistan's commitment to the fight. VOA's Benjamin Sand has more from the Pakistan capital.

President Pervez Musharraf (front-2R) poses with senior military commanders participating in Land Forces Symposium in Islamabad, 12 Apr 2007

The two-day symposium was co-hosted by the Pakistan and U.S. armies in an attempt to improve military ties between various regional allies in the U.S.-led war on terror.

Addressing the conference's closing session Thursday afternoon, Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf rejected criticism that his country was somehow falling short in the fight against terrorism.

"There must be trust. If there is no trust, no commitment, then I think the coalition is meaningless," he said. "It is meaningless if we are not all on board, if we are bluffing each other, if Pakistan is bluffing, and if I am bluffing, I think we should be out of the coalition."

Both U.S. and Afghan authorities say hundreds, perhaps thousands of Taleban insurgents have established military bases inside Pakistan's remote tribal areas.

Security experts have also linked elements within Pakistan's powerful military intelligence to many of the fugitive Taleban insurgents.

President Musharraf denied any ties between Pakistan's intelligence agencies and the militants and promised to continue his country's role in fight against regional extremism.

Pakistani army troops patrol a mountain area at Sholam checkpoint near Wana, the main town of Pakistan's South Waziristan tribal area along Afghan border, 11 Apr 2007

Pakistan has also sharply criticized new U.S. legislation that would link military aid to Islamabad with improved efforts against Taleban insurgents and al-Qaida linked militants.

Musharraf said such efforts could be counter productive, stressing Pakistan has already committed more than 85,000 troops to the fight and has lost hundreds of soldiers.

"We have contributed our maximum, We have suffered the maximum but we will continue until victory," he said.

President Musharraf also defended a series of controversial peace agreements between Islamabad and tribal militants along the Afghan border.

Pakistani masked tribesmen patrol with their weapons in a mountain area of Wana, in the South Waziristan tribal territory bordering Afghanistan, 04 Apr 2007

He said tribal forces allied with the government have recently killed more than 300 foreign militants in the South Waziristan tribal region, which is known for harboring Taleban and other extremists.

But critics say pro-Taleban extremists have used the agreements to carve out sanctuaries in parts of both North and South Waziristan, leading to a sharp rise in cross border attacks against Afghan and coalition forces.

VOASE0412_Economics Report

12 April 2007

Finding a Buyer for Chrysler
Investor Kirk Kerkorian makes a $4.5 billion offer for the US automaker, part of Germany's DaimlerChrysler, but faces competition.

Download
Download
This is the VOA Special English Economics Report.

Who will succeed in buying Chrysler, the troubled carmaker in the United States? The competition is just getting started.

Dieter Zetsche

Dieter Zetsche, chairman of DaimlerChrysler, confirmed last week that his company was in talks with possible buyers for its Chrysler Group. Chrysler has been part of the German company for less than ten years.

Investor Kirk Kerkorian has offered four and one-half billion dollars for Chrysler through his investment company, Tracinda. He says he would seek a "true partnership" with Chrysler workers and labor union members.

He tried to buy Chrysler in nineteen ninety-five. Now Mister Kerkorian has even offered one hundred million dollars for the right to negotiate the sale with DaimlerChrysler.

But published reports suggest that DaimlerChrysler officials have not shown much interest in his offer. Three other groups have also made offers.

Chrysler was one of America's Big Three independent automobile makers, along with General Motors and Ford. But Chrysler joined with Daimler-Benz in nineteen ninety-eight.

Since the merger, Chrysler has struggled. The company has lost market share in the United States to Japanese carmakers like Toyota. Last year, the Chrysler Group lost one and one-half billion dollars. The company is cutting jobs in North America.

Besides Kirk Kerkorian, two private equity groups have offered to buy Chrysler. Cerberus Capital Management has made an offer. So has a partnership of the Blackstone Group and Centerbridge Partners. The value of these offers has not been made public.

Private equity groups are specialists in what is known as taking a publicly traded company private. They buy all the stock in the company. Then they make changes to the business in an effort to add value. Finally they sell the company back to public shareholders for a profit.

Magna International, a Canadian maker of car parts, has also made an offer to buy Chrysler. Magna reportedly has offered more than four and a half billion dollars.

Labor unions are likely to play an important part in negotiations to sell Chrysler. Workers have said they will oppose any sale if it means more job cuts, or cuts in pay or retirement benefits like health care. Not only that, the company is said to have at least fifteen billion dollars too little in its retirement plan.

And that's the VOA Special English Economics Report, written by Mario Ritter. Transcripts and audio archives of our programs are at voaspecialenglish.com. I'm Steve Ember.

VOASE0412_American Mosaic

12 April 2007

YouTube Awards Honor a World Where Anyone Can Be a Movie Producer
Also: a question from Burma about the historic Battle of the Alamo. And the music of Robin Thicke.

Download
Download
HOST:

Welcome to AMERICAN MOSAIC, in VOA Special English.

(MUSIC)

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

We answer a question about The Alamo …

Listen to some music from Robin Thicke …

And report about the YouTube Video Awards.

YouTube Video Awards

HOST:

The popular Web site YouTube recently presented its first online video awards to recognize the creative efforts of its large community. YouTube viewers around the world voted for their favorites in seven different video categories. Faith Lapidus tells us about three of the winners.

FAITH LAPIDUS:

Thanks to YouTube, any creative person with a special camera and a computer can create a video and share it online. Millions of people around the world watch these videos on their computers. So the creators of popular videos can become famous very quickly. Some videos have been watched millions of times.

YouTube viewers recently chose the best videos of last year. The Most Creative Award went to the rock band OK Go for the video of its song "Here It Goes Again."

(MUSIC)

In this video, the four band members jump and dance on and around eight exercise machines called treadmills. The entire video was filmed in one recording. The video is very funny. It shows the band's creativity, skillful balance and careful movements. "Here It Goes Again" has been watched about fifteen million times.

The Most Inspirational Award went to Juan Mann from Australia for his "Free Hugs" video. In this video, Juan stands in busy public places holding a sign that says he is giving free hugs.

At first, strangers look at him with distrust and walk by. But soon, people stop to put their arms around him and give him a hug. Policemen try to stop his hug campaign. But many people help him to continue his free hugs activism. The video is a nice example of different kinds of human interaction. It has been watched about thirteen million times.

The Most Adorable Award went to Dony Permedi for an animated cartoon about a bird. It is called "Kiwi!"

(MUSIC)

A kiwi bird cannot fly. But in the video, the bird works hard to make his dream of flying through the clouds come true, even though he makes a big sacrifice. So far, this video has been watched more than seven million times. To see these videos and the other winners, visit www.youtube.com/ytawards. You can decide which video you think is the best and take part in a very popular part of Internet culture.

The Alamo

HOST:

Our VOA listener question this week comes from Burma. Ko Maw Gyi asks about the Alamo and the famous battle that took place there.

The Alamo

The Alamo in San Antonio, Texas, is one of the most famous places in the United States. More than two million people visit it every year. The Alamo includes gardens and buildings that provide information about Texas history. But most people go there to see the place where a battle was fought more than one hundred seventy years ago.

The battle at the Alamo in eighteen thirty-six was perhaps the most celebrated event in Texas history. The area that is now the state of Texas was then part of Mexico. The people of Texas wanted to change this. On March second, eighteen thirty-five, a group of Texan leaders declared independence and announced the birth of the Republic of Texas. They named Sam Houston to command the troops.

Texan fighters defeated Mexican troops in San Antonio in December of eighteen thirty-five. They then occupied the Alamo building. It was part of a religious center at the time.

General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna led the Mexican army to end the Texas rebellion and punish its leaders. The army arrived in San Antonio in February of eighteen thirty-six. About two hundred Texans inside the Alamo survived for thirteen days against the much larger Mexican army. These Alamo defenders included the famous Western heroes Jim Bowie and Davy Crockett. But they were defeated and Santa Anna’s army entered the Alamo on March sixth.

History experts now say one hundred eighty-nine people defending the Alamo were killed, including Bowie and Crockett. Different stories tell about how they died, and history experts still cannot agree about which are true.

The battle of the Alamo began a series of events important in United States history. Sam Houston and his Texan troops defeated Santa Anna’s forces in April of eighteen thirty-six and gained independence. for Texas. Later, the Republic of Texas became part of the United States. People continue to "Remember the Alamo" as a heroic struggle against a more powerful opponent. And as a place where men sacrificed their lives for freedom.

Robin Thicke

HOST:

Robin Thicke has written songs for popular singers including Christina Aguilera, Usher and Mary J. Blige. Now he is enjoying new success as a singer. Katharine Cole tells us more.

KATHERINE COLE:

Robin Thicke grew up in a home of entertainers. His mother, Gloria Loring, is a singer and actress. His father, Alan Thicke, is a songwriter but is probably best known for his work as a television actor.

Robin Thicke’s first album, “Beautiful World,” was released in two thousand two. His latest album is called “The Evolution of Robin Thicke”. He says he wanted to write songs that were completely honest and sing them with the emotion he was feeling when he wrote them. Here he sings his hit love song, “Lost Without U.”

(MUSIC)

Like other recording artists, Robin Thicke's songs have become increasing popular through ringtones. Ringtones are songs downloaded from a Web site to a wireless telephone. When the telephone rings, you hear the song instead of the usual sound a telephone makes. Thicke's song “Wanna Love U Girl” is among the most favorite ringtones.

(MUSIC)

We leave you with another song from the album “The Evolution of Robin Thicke.” This is “Can U Believe.”

(MUSIC)

HOST:

I'm Doug Johnson. I hope you enjoyed our program today. It was written by Lawan Davis, Dana Demange and Nancy Steinbach. Caty Weaver 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.