US Senate Approves Homeland Security Bill

By Deborah Tate Capitol Hill 13 March 2007

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The U.S. Senate, following the House of Representatives' lead, has approved a broad homeland security bill by a 60 to 38 vote. But President Bush says he will veto the legislature unless one particular provision is stripped from the measure. VOA's Deborah Tate explains from Capitol Hill.

US Capitol, Washington DC

The legislation aims to implement the remainder of the recommendations put forward by the bipartisan commission that probed the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States.

The bill includes measures to improve rail, aviation and cargo security, as well as funds for state and local emergency communications systems. It also seeks to improve intelligence sharing among federal, state and local officials.

Senator Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, who calls himself an independent Democrat, is chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. He appealed for bipartisan support of the bill ahead of the vote:

"America is safer than it was on 9/11 01, but not yet safe enough," said Joe Lieberman. " This bill, which I believe is non-controversial and ought to receive nonpartisan support, will make the people of America, in an age of terrorism, safer yet."

But the legislation includes a measure vehemently opposed by the Bush administration that would give federal baggage screeners at airports collective bargaining rights.

Majority Democrats argue that screeners have been denied such rights since joining the federal payroll after the 2001 terrorist attacks.

Republican opponents of the provision say the Homeland Security Department needs flexibility in setting screeners' schedules and procedures.

Senator Mitch McConnell, the Senate's top Republican, voted against the overall bill because of the collective bargaining amendment.

"It does have a fatal defect," said Mitch McConnell. "It has turned into, unfortunately, a reward to big labor by including a collective bargaining provision."

The Democratic-led House of Representatives has passed its own version of the homeland security legislation, with a similar provision extending collective bargaining rights to airport baggage screeners. The Senate and House bills must be reconciled before a final bill is sent to President Bush for his signature.

The president has vowed to veto the legislation if the collective bargaining measure is not removed.

Shi'ite, Sunni Split Feeds Iraq Conflict

By Margaret Besheer Washington 13 March 2007

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For the last year, Iraq has been consumed by violence that has pitted Shi'ite Muslims against Sunni Muslims. Some see the battle as religious, dating to the 17th century disagreement over who would succeed the Prophet Muhammad. Others say it is a modern day fight for political dominance.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki (front) talks to Iraqi army soldiers in Baghdad, 9 Mar 2007

Sunnis and Shi'ites have more beliefs that unite them than divide them. They share the same holy book, the Koran, and practice the five pillars of Islam, including the pilgrimage (Hajj) to Mecca.

Yet today in Iraq, they are fighting each other in a battle that Georgetown University Islamic History Professor John Voll says at its core is about the relationship between majority Shi'ites and minority Sunnis. The Shi'ites have been out of power and oppressed for a long time, while the Sunnis have been in power and do not want to share it.

Professor John Voll

"No politically dominant elite ever gracefully gives up power to a persecuted minority," he noted.

Professor Marius Deeb of The Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies agrees.

"The conflict is really Saddamists versus anti-Saddamists. Unfortunately it took the form of the Sunnis, the old Saddamists, fighting the Shi'ites who come to be, unfortunately, pro-Iranian," he noted.

In February 2006, Sunni insurgents bombed a Shi'ite shrine north of Baghdad. That unleashed an all-out sectarian conflict in Baghdad and its surrounding areas that is still not under control.

Iraqis gather at the ruins of a shrine in Samarra in this 22 Feb, 2006 file photo

"You have the great symbols of the Shi'ite tradition and the great symbols of the Sunni tradition become the words and symbols for mobilizing," said Voll. "This is why the destruction of the Golden Mosque in Samarra was such an important event. It represented an image and a symbol of the Shi'ite identity itself, and by destroying, it was a way of trying to continue to show the vulnerability of the Shi'ites."

Iraq's government is dominated by Shi'ite Muslims and many of them are closely allied with Iran. That concerns Iraq's mostly Sunni neighbors. In 2004, Jordan's King Abdullah warned of what he called the potential for a new Shi'ite crescent of governments and movements stretching from Lebanon to Iran.

Professor Deeb says the concern should not be so much about a Shi'ite crescent, but rather about the rise of militant Islam in all its forms.

Professor Marius Deeb

"We can speak of a militant Islamic crescent which Iran and Syria are leading it with Hezbollah and Hamas and Islamic Jihad," he said. "They have the same agenda, an agenda which is destructive, unfortunately. Which will not lead to peace and reconciliation and end of conflict."

So what will bring the two sects together? Professor Voll says reconstruction of Iraq would be a good first step, providing areas where the two groups can cooperate.

"Economic reconstruction reduces the ability of Mehdi army and Sunni resistance militias to appeal to people," he said.

Professor Deeb says compromise and power sharing are important to reconciliation. Ultimately, he says, Iraqis need to discover again that they are part of one nation and let their national identity bind them together.

Iraq's Shi'ite PM Visits Sunni Stronghold of Ramadi

By Barry Newhouse Baghdad 13 March 2007

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Iraq's Shi'ite Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki has made his first visit to the Sunni stronghold city of Ramadi in western Iraq. VOA's Barry Newhouse reports from Baghdad the trip was promoted as a symbolic visit by the Shi'ite leader to the heart of al-Anbar province's Sunni insurgency.

Iraq's al-Anbar province governor Maamoun Sami Rashid al-Alwani (L), Prime Minister Nur al-Maliki (C) arrive in Ramadi 13 March 2007

The prime minister's unannounced visit to Ramadi comes as U.S. forces continue to arrive in al-Anbar province as part of the expanding troop surge.

Mr. Maliki met with tribal leaders and al-Anbar's governor, saying the central government is working to solve the violent province's many problems.

The prime minister said Iraqi officials are focusing on improving security, government services and the economy in al-Anbar. He also said local officials told him there is a desperate need for many basic things such as food rations.

U.S. officials say al-Anbar, a vast province that stretches west of Baghdad to the Syrian and Saudi Arabian borders, is a key city in the country's Sunni insurgency and a stronghold for al-Qaida in Iraq. Several thousand of the more than 25,000 additional American forces being sent to Iraq are headed to al-Anbar, which has been the deadliest province for American forces in Iraq.

The U.S. military has fought a long-running Sunni insurgency in the area, despite massive military operations over the years in cities such as Fallujah and Ramadi.

Marine Captain Paul Duncan, who is based in Ramadi, says part of the problem in securing the area before was the military's tactics.

"For the longest time, al-Qaida was sending their fighting forces to Ramadi sort of towards their version of a boot camp for terrorism," he said. "And then the old school mentality of 'to go in, clear the area and then leave it' just didn't work. You need that sustained presence."

In recent months, with more coalition forces conducting daily operations throughout the city, Captain Duncan says Sunni tribes that had long fought U.S. forces in al-Anbar, are turning against local al-Qaida groups.

"When we first came in about a year ago, there were six tribes working with us, about 12 to 15 actively working against us and about three to four on the fence," he added. "Now, we have 16 tribes actively working for us, still about three on the fence and six working against us. But as soon as we are able to provide security in their areas, we believe they are going to flip as well."

Iraqi and U.S. officials credit part of their successes in al-Anbar province to Sheikh Abdul Satar Abu Risha, a Sunni tribal leader who has been instrumental in persuading tribes to turn against al-Qaida forces in the region.

Since tribal leaders decided to work with Iraqi and U.S. forces, military and police recruitment rates have increased and more police stations have sprung up in the Ramadi.

But as more Iraqi and U.S. forces enter Baghdad to try to stabilize the capital, American officials have predicted that insurgents leaving the city could try to destabilize regions further away. Diyala province, northeast of Baghdad, has seen a spike in violence in recent months and worsening sectarian fighting between Sunni and Shi'ite militias. On Tuesday, 700 more U.S. troops arrived in Diyala to try to crack down on the fighting.

Bush in Mexico, Seeks to Repair Frayed Ties

By Paula Wolfson Merida, Mexico 14 March 2007

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President Bush spent Tuesday highlighting U.S. ties with Mexico, and his desire to find common ground on the controversial issue of immigration. VOA's Paula Wolfson reports from Merida - the last stop on his five nation Latin America tour.

Presidents George Bush (r) and Felipe Calderon touring Mayan city of Uxmal

President Bush spent much of the day behind closed doors with Mexican President Felipe Calderon.

At the top of the agenda was what to do about the flow of illegal Mexican immigrants across their common border.

Speaking at an arrival ceremony in the sun-drenched grounds of a restored country estate turned luxury hotel, Mr. Bush promised action.

"And so Mr. President, my pledge to you and your government - but more importantly, the people of Mexico - is I will work as hard as I possibly can to pass comprehensive immigration reform," said President Bush.

But President Calderon made clear his country is impatient, noting the toll illegal immigration has taken on Mexico.

"Mexicans lose in each migrant, the best of our people, young people, working people, and audacious people, strong people - people that leave Mexico because they don't find the opportunities here in order to pull through with their lives," he said.

His public comments were direct - far more so than those uttered by any of the other Latin American leaders who met with Mr. Bush during his travels.

Mr. Calderon criticized a new U.S. law that authorizes funding for a fence along parts of the border. And he recalled the promise President Bush made shortly after taking office to make hemispheric relations a priority - a vow that was broken after the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States.

"I believe that it is now time to retake the spirit of these words and to direct our relationship toward a path of mutual prosperity," said Felipe Calderon.

Dan Bartlett

A top aide to President Bush - White House Counselor Dan Bartlett - said Mr. Bush was not surprised by the criticism, noting immigration is a tough topic for all concerned.

"It's a very emotional debate," said Dan Bartlett. "It's an emotional debate in our own country, and I'm sure it's a very emotional debate in this country, because the lives - so many lives are affected, and children are affected, and moms and dads are affected."

Trade and development were also on the agenda for the Bush-Calderon talks, along with the growing threat of narco-trafficking.

It was the first meeting between the two men since Mr. Calderon's inauguration in December after a razor-thin election victory.

Following their talks, they took some time off to visit the remains of an ancient Mayan city at Uxmal. Throughout President Bush's visit, security was tight. But there were no signs of the kind of boisterous demonstrations seen earlier during his Latin America tour.

Mexico was the last stop in a journey that took the president to Brazil, Uruguay, Colombia and Guatemala. He returns to Washington on Wednesday.

VOASE0313_Health Report

13 March 2007

Laying the Roots for Healthy Teeth in Young Children
Experts say good dental care starts at birth by paying attention to a baby's gums.

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This is the VOA Special English Health Report.

It might seem hard to imagine that a bad tooth could be deadly.

More than 41,000 students in the Philippines brushed their teeth at the same time last month to set a world record, organizers said. The record was 33,038 in the United Kingdom.

But doctors in the Washington area say a twelve-year-old boy died last month from a tooth infection that spread to his brain. They say it might have been prevented had the boy received the dental care he needed.

Experts at the National Institutes of Health say good dental care starts at birth. They say breast milk is the best food for the healthy development of teeth. Breast milk can help slow bacterial growth and acid production in the mouth.

But dentists say you should clean your baby's gums and early teeth after each feeding. Use a cloth with a little warm water. Do the same if you bottle feed your baby. Experts say if you decide to put your baby to sleep with a bottle, give your baby only water.

When baby teeth begin to appear, you can clean them with a wet toothbrush. Dentists say it is important to find soft toothbrushes made especially for babies. And use them very gently.

The use of fluoride to protect teeth is common in many parts of the world. This natural element is often added to drinking water supplies. The fluoride mixes with enamel, the hard surface on teeth, to help prevent holes, or cavities, from forming.

But the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry points out that young children often swallow toothpaste when they brush. The group notes that swallowing fluoridated toothpaste can cause problems. So young children should be carefully supervised when they brush their teeth. And only a small amount of fluoridated toothpaste, the size of a green pea, should be used.

Parents often wonder about what effect thumb sucking or sucking on a pacifier might have on their baby's teeth. Dental experts generally agree that this is fine early in life.

The American Academy of Family Physicians says most kids stop sucking their thumbs by the age of four. If it continues, the group advises parents to talk to their child's dentist or doctor. It could interfere with the correct development of permanent teeth.

Dentists strongly advise a first dental visit at least by the time a child is one year old. They say babies should be examined when their first teeth appear.

Healthy teeth are meant to last a lifetime. Daily cleaning is important to preventing infections and other problems. We will talk more in the future about dental care for children and adults.

And that's the VOA Special English Health Report, written by Caty Weaver. Transcripts and audio files of our reports are at voaspecialenglish.com. I'm Steve Ember.

VOASE0313_Explorations

13 March 2007

Bungee Jumping: Stretching the Limits of Fear, Just for Fun
Some people call it crazy, but enough find it exciting to make it a popular sport around the world.

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VOICE ONE:

I’m Steve Ember.

VOICE TWO:

Bungee jumping off the Victoria Falls bridge in Zimbabwe

And I’m Shirley Griffith with EXPLORATIONS in VOA Special English. Imagine standing at the edge of a tall bridge. Hundreds of meters below you, river water rushes by. You take a deep breath and jump off the bridge, head first into thin air. As a reaction to such excitement and fear, the hormone adrenaline floods through your body.

There is nothing but a long rubber rope attached to your ankles, holding on to your very life. Some people call it crazy. Others say it is exciting. Whatever you may think, bungee jumping has become a popular extreme sport all over the world.

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

A land diver climbs up a tower before his jump

Bungee jumping is not a new activity. Men on Pentecost Island in the South Pacific have been doing land jumping for hundreds of years. The men tie long vines from plants around their ankles. They spend days building tall towers out of vines and logs. Then they jump off these structures. It takes a great deal of skill to jump correctly and safely. Land diving for them is an important cultural activity.

According to their beliefs, the first land diver was a woman. She decided to run away from her abusive husband. So, she climbed up a tall tree and tied some vines around her feet. Her husband chased after her up the tree. He reached out to grab her, but the woman jumped and the man followed. The vines saved her life, but her husband died.

VOICE TWO:

A land diver jumps from a tower

Land diving has become a way in which these island men show their bravery in front of the women. People of the village sing loud songs to show their support for the brave divers. This tradition is also a way for the men to voice their troubles in public. For example, a man can discuss his marriage problems before he jumps. The villagers – including his wife - must stand and listen.

VOICE ONE:

This ancient custom caught the interest of some students at Oxford University in England. In the late nineteen seventies, they formed a group called the Dangerous Sports Club. They liked to invent risky and sometimes crazy activities. They were some of the first people to test several of what are now called extreme sports. They are said to have invented modern bungee jumping.

In the spring of nineteen seventy-nine, members of the group jumped off the Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol, England. They were attached to the bridge by a bungee cord, a long elastic rope that stretches. They were dressed in black and white clothing and held bottles of Champagne wine. The press quickly reported on their wild activities. The group soon received even more attention when they organized a bungee jump off the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California.

(MUSIC)

VOICE TWO:

A man named A.J. Hackett of New Zealand later heard about this group. He decided to make the sport into a business. Mister Hackett worked with his friend Henry van Asch who was an expert at skiing. They started developing bungee ropes and materials. Scientists at Auckland University helped them. The two men knew that people would find bungee jumping exciting and fun. And they knew people would pay money for the experience.

To show the world about bungee jumping they held a major jump in nineteen eighty-seven off of the famous Eiffel Tower in Paris, France. They later got permission to open the first bungee jumping operation on the Kawarau Bridge in Queenstown, New Zealand.

Many people paid seventy-five dollars to jump off the bridge with a bungee cord attached to their ankles. Mister Hackett worked hard to make sure the public knew how safe his materials were. He developed a method to guarantee safety called the “Bungee Code of Practice.”

VOICE ONE:

Bungee jumping might seem frightening. But it is a very safe activity if you go to a well-established bungee jump company. People who work for bungee operators usually have a great deal of training and experience. They use very strong and carefully made rubber ropes. They choose a rope based on the jumper’s body weight. This is so they can manage how much the rope stretches when the person falls.

The rope attaches through a harness device tied around the jumper’s ankles. Often, operators use a body harness as well. This is so that you have twice the protection in case one harness breaks. Good bungee operators make sure all equipment is in excellent condition. They should also do several checks to make sure all ropes, harnesses and ties are correctly attached.

VOICE TWO:

It is important to remember that this sport is not safe for everyone. People who have high blood pressure or a heart condition should not try jumping. People with back or knee injuries or who suffer from epilepsy should also avoid this sport. And remember, if you do not feel like experiencing it yourself, you can always watch other people jump.

VOICE ONE:

Now you have jumped, bounced up and down several times on the rubber rope, and are hanging by your ankles in the middle of the air. You may be wondering what you are supposed to do now. Do not worry. The operators have different choices for getting you back to land right side up again. Often times, a bungee guide on a rope will attach to your rope and help you back up to the structure you jumped from. One extreme sports company gives a warning on its Web site. It warns that bungee jumping might lead to big smiles and deep feelings of happiness and excitement.

(MUSIC)

VOICE TWO:

Bloukrans Bridge in South Africa

Since its beginnings in New Zealand, commercial bungee jumping has spread to countries everywhere. One of the highest bungee jumps in the world from a structure is near Locarno, Switzerland over the Verzasca Dam. The drop measures two hundred and twenty meters. In fact, you can see the character James Bond jump off this very bridge in the nineteen ninety-five movie “GoldenEye.” Or, there is the two hundred and sixteen meter jump from the Bloukrans Bridge in South Africa. This is the highest single arch bridge in the world.

VOICE ONE:

Of course, not every place has a body of water with a bridge from which you can jump. Some amusement parks offer bungee jumping from crane machinery. In the Andes Mountains of Peru, you can visit Action Valley outside the city of Cusco. Visitors can jump from a metal box that hangs from cables high up in the air. Most of these companies can sell you video recordings or photographs of your jump. This way you can prove to your family back home that you were brave enough to bungee.

VOICE TWO:

Now, extreme sports companies are finding ways to make bungee jumping even more frightening. Some offer bungee jumps at night, or jumps where you fall off a structure backwards. There are also bungee jumps from flying helicopters and hot air balloons. You can also try bungee jumping for two. Some companies can harness two people together so you and a friend can experience twice the excitement. A.J. Hackett’s company even offers a sky jump off the tallest building in Macau. Just how far would you go to experience the fast rush of bungee fear?

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

Hosiah Mudzingwa helps run a bungee operation on the Victoria Falls bridge between Zimbabwe and Zambia in Africa. He has been jumping from this one hundred and eleven meter drop for many years. From the steel bridge you can see the giant waters of Victoria Falls, one of the largest waterfalls in the world. Mister Mudzingwa explains that every human being wants to feel the rush of adrenaline. He says when you bungee jump, you leave all stress and bad thinking behind. He says you come back up with a new mind.

VOICE TWO:

Preparing to jump; the Zambezi River is in the background

But what does a person who is new to bungee jumping think about this sport? Tim Rooney recently traveled to Victoria Falls. He only had twenty-four hours to spend in Zimbabwe. But he made sure he found time to jump off this famous bridge towards the powerful Zambezi River. Here is what he had to say about the experience.

(SOUND)

TIM ROONEY: “Hi, I’m Tim Rooney from Washington DC. Jumping off the bridge was one of the most spectacular, poetic moments of my life.

"The idea hadn’t really occurred to me until we got to the falls and we saw the view. I decided what better way to get to know this view than to jump into it.

"I think that the jump had more of a scary impact on my girlfriend who had to watch the whole thing. To an observer, a bungee jump looks like a terribly violent process. But the actual experience of it is one of floating. You jump and you don’t have any sensation of being tugged or falling or anything. You just are floating up and down. It is one of the most calm, wonderful things I have ever done. I recommend everybody do it.”

VOICE ONE:

This program was written and produced by Dana Demange. I’m Steve Ember.

VOICE TWO:

And I’m Shirley Griffith. You can read and listen to this program on our Web site, voaspecialenglish.com. Join us again next week for Explorations in VOA Special English.

Merida, Mexico Will be Last Stop of Bush's Latin America Tour

By Greg Flakus Merida, Mexico 13 March 2007

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Merida, Mexico, is the last stop on President Bush's tour of Latin America. There he will meet with Mexican President Felipe Calderon, who shares many of Mr. Bush's views on free markets, trade and development. President Bush has been dogged by protests most of the way on his Latin American trip, but as VOA's Greg Flakus reports from Merida, he can expect a much calmer scene there.

Newspaper headlines refer to President Bush's visit

People dance on the streets at night in Merida and spend their days in the parks and plazas of this colonial city with its many monuments, old churches and municipal buildings. People here are also used to American visitors, many of whom come to see the nearby ruins of the ancient Mayan city of Uxmal, which President Bush will tour with his Mexican host, President Calderon, on Tuesday.

Many Merida residents have been impressed and, to some degree, annoyed by the tight security imposed by authorities for the Bush visit. Some protesters, mostly from Mexico City and elsewhere, are here, but no one expects the kind of violent clashes that occurred in South America.

Helen Torres

Sitting in the shade of palm trees at a downtown plaza, Helen Torres says she believes the visit will go well.

She says people here are very calm and do not get roiled up about political matters.

Merida, which is the capital of the Mexican state of Yucatan, is a city of just under a million people about one thousand kilometers southeast of Mexico City, but even farther from the hectic and conflictive Mexican capital in terms of its ambiance. Political turmoil and protest marches are not a common part of life here.

Eladio Cuello Quintana

As he sits in the plaza having his shoes shined, retired professional Eladio Cuello Quintana expresses minimal expectations for the Bush-Calderon meeting.

He says people here are not accustomed to such meetings and that they do not expect much. He says he does, however, hope that the two presidents can come to an agreement on immigration that will benefit Mexico.

Immigration reform is a goal President Bush has pursued for several years, but his attention was diverted by the terrorist attacks of September 2001 and the US Congress has been divided between those who favor the president's proposal for a guest worker program and those who want more effective enforcement at the border before any such program is considered. Some 12 million Mexicans live and work in the United States illegally, according to some estimates. Mexican immigrants send back more than $20 billion a year in remittances, the second largest source of income in Mexico next to oil.

During part of his trip, President Bush was shadowed by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who seeks to displace US influence in Latin America with his brand of populist socialism. Chavez, an admirer of Cuba's communist leader, Fidel Castro, has referred to President Bush as "the devil" and the United States as "the empire."

Felipe Calderon would be a natural foil to Chavez in that he and President Bush agree on most economic issues. But Calderon has his own problems at home, having won election last July by the slimmest of margins.

One area where the two presidents can work together effectively is in fighting cross-border crime and drug smuggling. Calderon launched a far-reaching campaign against organized crime right after assuming office in December and he is expected to seek more US help in furthering that effort during his talks with President Bush.

Women Peacekeepers Can Work With Female Victims, Set Example for Male Colleagues

By Barbara Schoetzau New York 12 March 2007

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Just one month ago the United Nations deployed its first all-women peacekeeping unit, a group of trained policewomen from India now serving in Liberia. From VOA's New York Bureau, correspondent Barbara Schoetzau reports this team is a sign of the continuing evolution of women in peacekeeping missions.

The first all-female unit of UN peacekeepers arrives in Liberia

In 2000, the United Nations adopted a landmark resolution to address the impact of war on women and spur greater participation of women in peace keeping. The U.N. department of peacekeeping operations appointed Comfort Lamptey as a gender adviser to help increase the role of women peacekeepers and study gender issues within peacekeeping operations.

Lamptey says the resolution grew out of the advocacy of women in war-torn regions who wanted a greater voice. Their regional advocacy caught the attention of U.N. officials.

"During the 1990s, we saw a rise in levels of internal conflicts in different continents, in Africa, in Asia, Eastern Europe and all the former Soviet Union states," said Comfort Lamptey. "I think what was clear was that while many of them were not engaged in the processes leading up to the conflict, they were being adversely effected by the war through violence against women, through the fact that they have to be solely responsible for the upkeep for their communities when the men are out fighting, through the fact that many women are becoming widows and single heads of households. And yet when it comes to actually helping to find solutions to peace, in spite of the impact of the war on them and the responsibilities that they assume during war time, they are not being consulted."

The reaction to women peacekeepers has been mixed in some locations, but their supporters say the advantages are clear. In some traditional societies, it is more acceptable for women to work with women. Lamptey has no doubt that women peacekeepers are better able to deal with women who have been victims of violence.

"I think that in a lot of countries women who have been subject to gender-based violence feel more comfortable talking to a woman," she said. "In many countries where women have been raped by men in uniform, they are more comfortable talking to another woman than men in uniforms. Having women in the field who are well-trained may be able to respond to women who have been violated."

As a side benefit, U.N. officials hope that women can set an example for male counterparts and reduce the instances of sexual exploitation that occurred in some peacekeeping units in recent years.

"My personal view, it's not scientific, is that the presence of more women can actually help dilute a macho approach to peacekeeping," noted Comfort Lamptey. "This is my own personal belief that if you have a contingent of 50 peacekeepers that are all men, the dynamics will be different than if you suddenly have 15 women, and 35 men."

Lamptey notes that in many societies, women peacekeepers have provided an extra benefit: they have become role models.

"We had women from Timor Leste and Burundi attest to the fact that the fact that we had women peacekeepers helped them galvanize their own aspirations to either join the local police, which we were helping to build in the case of Timor, the few women who were there served as role models," she said. "Similarly, in Burundi we had the head of the U.N. mission who was a woman and the local Burundi women said they were very inspired that the head of the UN in the country was a woman and that strengthened their own aspirations."

Increasing the numbers of women serving in the military components of peacekeeping missions is an ongoing struggle. Lamptey says troop-contributing nations rarely meet the number of requests for women made by the U.N. peacekeeping department. India, Pakistan, Nepal, Nigeria, Ghana, Ethiopia are among the top troop contributing countries. Lamptey says women account for less than two percent of the military in peacekeeping operations. Women make up four percent of the police and almost 30 percent of the civilian staffs of missions.

Los Angeles Highlights Role as Creative Center

By Mike O'Sullivan Los Angeles 12 March 2007

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Los Angeles gets little respect as an artistic or cultural center from its rivals on the East Coast, such as New York or Boston, but the sprawling West Coast city is highlighting its role as a creative hub. VOA's Mike O'Sullivan has details.

Evening view of downtown Los Angeles

Even its critics acknowledge that Los Angeles has wonderful weather and impressive scenery. And it is home to the entertainment industry, with all its glitz and glamour.

Yet Los Angeles receives only grudging recognition as a creative center.

Jon Goodman, who heads the civic group Town Hall Los Angeles, says art and technology are converging in L.A., where movies are made with computer software, and medical schools use entertainment technology to train students to interact with patients.

"Twenty first century art, design and entertainment requires technology," said Jon Goodman. "The real convergence is not TV going to the computer, or movies going to computer. The real convergence is technology, art and design all coming together."

Disney Concert Hall

Los Angeles architect Frank Gehry uses computer-generated designs to create architectural landmarks like the Disney Concert Hall in downtown Los Angeles.

Gehry and Los Angeles mayor Antonio Villaraigosa came to another cultural center, the Getty Museum, to launch the campaign promoting Los Angeles as a creative center. The promotion features a full month of activities, ranging from art shows and museum exhibits to dramatic performances. The mayor says the city is due for some recognition.

"This is an opportunity for us to celebrate what LA is all about," said Mayor Villaraigosa. "It is a place of many, many cultures. It is the place where the world comes together, where immigrants come like Frank Gehry from Canada, with a dream, and live that dream in a way that makes us all feel so special."

Gehry came to Los Angeles at age 17. Now 78, he has spent his career in the city, a place he says is not bound by traditions and orthodoxies.

"It is an open system here, maybe because it is so dispersed," said Frank Gehry. "And it has been under the radar. It is nice to focus on it."

Don Levy, a senior vice president for Sony Pictures Digital Entertainment, says Los Angeles is a center for all kinds of innovation.

"Creativity is not limited to the arts," said Levy. "Creativity is really about imagination, and imagination is really the underpinning of virtually all innovation. That includes science, medicine and business. And Los Angeles is a city filled with imaginative people looking at new ways to present ideas, fashion, design, technology, as well as entertainment."

Los Angeles officials say creative endeavors are also good for business, providing hundreds of thousands of jobs and injecting $13 billion a year into the local economy.

Cheney Says Iraq Pullout Would Further Destabilize Middle East

By Stephanie Ho Washington 12 March 2007

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Vice President Dick Cheney says a precipitous withdrawal from Iraq would be dangerous for the United States and for the entire Middle East. His comments came in Washington Monday in a speech to a gathering sponsored by an influential lobbying group. VOA's Stephanie Ho has more on the story.

Dick Cheney speaks at AIPAC 2007 Policy Conference in Washington, DC, 12 March 2007

In a speech to a friendly audience, Vice President Cheney said pulling U.S. troops out of Iraq before Iraqis could defend themselves could be disastrous.

"Shi'ite extremists, backed by Iran, could be in an all-out war with Sunni extremists, led by al Qaida and remnants of the old Saddam regime," said Dick Cheney.

He added that chaos in Iraq is likely to spark greater instability around the world.

"Having tasted victory in Iraq, jihadists would look abroad for new missions," he said. "Many would head for Afghanistan to fight alongside the Taleban. Others would set out for capitals across the Middle East, spreading more discord as they eliminate dissenters and work to undermine moderate governments."

Also speaking at the conference, Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni urged other Middle Eastern governments to join Israel in opposing Iran, whose president has called for Israel's destruction.

"The Iranian threat is clear, not just to Israel and the Western world, maybe Arab and Gulf states feel it too," she said. "They also cannot afford a nuclear Iran, and believe me, love for Israel has nothing to do with it. They know, as we do, that even if the Israeli-Palestinian conflict magically disappeared, Iran's radical ideology would remain."

She also urged Arab and Muslim countries that condition their relations with Israel on the end of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to move quickly and establish relations with her government.

"You have the power to change reality and to encourage Palestinians to embrace co-existence," she said. "Do not wait for peace to come before you normalize relations with us. Normalize relations now, and peace will come."

Livni is in Washington for talks with U.S. officials on the Arab peace plan, known as the Saudi initiative. It calls for Israel to withdraw from all territories seized during the 1967 Six Day War, in exchange for normal relations from all Arab countries. A Palestinian state would be established in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

US Hopeful of Security Council Action on Kosovo

By David Gollust Washington 12 March 2007

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The U.S. State Department's top diplomat for Europe says he believes the U.N. Security Council will be able to approve a final-status plan for Kosovo, despite the failure of U.N. envoy Martti Ahtisaari to conclude a deal with the Balkan parties. Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs Dan Fried spoke to reporters Monday after talks in Kosovo, Serbia and Macedonia. VOA's David Gollust reports from the State Department.

Martti Ahtisaari (file photo)

Though U.N. envoy Ahtisaari's final negotiating mission in Vienna ended in stalemate, U.S. officials say the main parties, Serbia, and Kosovo's ethnic Albanian majority, actually agree on 80 percent of his peace plan.

They say they believe the U.N. Security Council, which will now take up the issue of Kosovo's status, will be able to agree on a settlement plan without a veto by Moscow, Serbia's main political backer.

The Ahtisaari plan would grant Kosovo, a Serbian province which has been a U.N. protectorate for nearly a decade, what amounts to supervised statehood with trappings of independence including its own flag, anthem and constitution, while protecting the rights of its Serb minority.

Ethnic Albanian child sits near a graffiti painted wall reading "Free Kosova" in Kosovska Mitrovica (file photo)

The plan falls short of Kosovar Albanians' demands for full, outright independence. Serbian leaders adamantly oppose partitioning their country, with Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica warning that Security Council approval of the plan would be, as he put it, the most dangerous precedent in the history of the U.N.

But in a talk with reporters, Assistant Secretary Fried said he believes a deal is possible in the Security Council on a revised plan dealing with the parties concerns.

He said the notion advanced by the Serbian Prime Minister, and at times by Moscow, that the Ahtisaari plan would touch off a wave of separatism in Europe or elsewhere is simply not valid:

"The precedent simply doesn't apply. We have said before, and will say again as many times as we have to, that Kosovo is not a precedent for any other area, whether that's Abkhazia, South Ossetia, Chechnya, Trans-Dniestria, Corsica or Texas. Okay? It just isn't and it won't be," said Fried. "We don't have to accept that rather dramatic language at face value."

Assistant Secretary Fried, just back from talks in Belgrade, the Kosovo capital Pristina and the Macedonian capital Skopje, said he thinks a moderate majority across the region supports the outlines of Ahtisaari plan, which he said would be far preferable to the tense status quo:

"There will be extremists who stage provocations, and we all know this," he added. "But extremists staging provocations in context where the international community is supporting a solution which provides for the rights of all the Kosovar citizens in general, and particularly for the rights of Serb community - that will be a far better situation than a situation where there is no process and no hope, and no status resolution. In that case there will be far more trouble, far more bloodshed, I fear."

Fried put no time frame on U.N. deliberations but said given Moscow's record of cooperation on the issue, including its role in the international contact group on Kosovo, there is no reason to assume a Russian veto.

He also said leaders of all the Kosovo communities agree that the 16,000-member NATO force in Kosovo, K-For, should remain there for some period of time and that is NATO's intention, as well.

International forces have been in Kosovo since 1999, when a NATO bombing campaign ended a bloody Serbian crackdown on ethnic Albanian separatists.

VOASE0312_Science In the News

12 March 2007

Compulsive Hoarding: When Collecting Things Becomes a Disorder
Hoarders are afraid to throw things away. They may save old newspapers, clothing, even old food; some people hoard animals. The problem is also a public safety concern.

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VOICE ONE:

This is SCIENCE IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English. I'm Bob Doughty.

VOICE TWO:

Horses are seized from a Maryland farm in December. Officials accused the owner of hoarding about 70 horses, many of them sick and hungry. She denied mistreating them but said things ''got out of hand.''

And I'm Faith Lapidus. On our program this week, we tell about compulsive hoarding syndrome. It is both a mental sickness and a public safety issue.

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

Many people in the United States are looking forward to the return of spring. During this season, millions of Americans do what is known as spring cleaning. They open windows in their homes to let in fresh air. They use cleaning products that make their homes smell nice. And they organize their belongings.

Some Americans have a strong desire to clean up their homes. This can also be called removing clutter. Clutter can be described as a disorganized collection of things. To remove clutter means to throw away the things you do not want. Then, organize the things you have decided to keep.

VOICE TWO:

In recent years, it has become easy to find information on how to attack clutter. There are books and even television programs on the subject. Specialty stores sell containers and boxes for storing things around the house.

Some Americans pay people to come to their home to remove clutter. Such people provide advice on what to keep and what to throw away. They also help with organizing things. However, the services of a professional organizer can be costly. Such services can cost up to two hundred dollars an hour.

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

A home with a stairwell filled with useless things

Some people have serious problems with clutter. They have a mental disorder called compulsive hoarding syndrome. Hoarding is the gathering of objects and not being able to throw them away. Most people would say the objects are useless or worthless. However, hoarders believe the objects could be useful some day. They may even develop an emotional connection to such things.

Hoarders are afraid to throw away things. Yet they continue to bring more and more things into their homes. They may save objects such as newspapers, clothing, and even old food.

VOICE TWO:

Hoarders live with so much clutter it may endanger their physical health. Dirt, insects, and bacteria that form over a period of time can cause sickness.

Safety experts say the homes of hoarders often are unsafe. A room filled with newspapers, for example, can cause floor supports to break down. In many cases, a room is filled from top to bottom with useless things. There is only a small space to walk from one end of the room to the other.

VOICE ONE:

One of the most famous hoarding cases involved two brothers in New York City. Homer and Langley Collyer were found dead in their home in nineteen forty-seven. Langley Collyer was buried under what appeared to be a mountain of old newspapers. The weight of the newspapers crushed him. Langley was Homer's caretaker. Medical experts believed Langley had been dead for several days before his brother Homer died of starvation.

Police found the home was filled with thousands of unused books, pieces of wood, and skins from large fruits and vegetables. The two brothers also saved pipes and very large automobile parts.

(MUSIC)

VOICE TWO:

Compulsive hoarding can have a severe effect on a family. Family members who share a home with the hoarder cannot understand why their loved one keeps so many useless and sometimes dangerous things. It prevents the family from enjoying their home. Experts say the hoarder should make a greater effort to keep the home clean and organized. However, it is not that simple.

Randy Frost is a psychologist at Smith College in Massachusetts. He also has studied hoarding. Mister Frost says it is more than a mental disorder. He says hoarding is a public health problem.

VOICE ONE:

Collecting waste, food or materials that can cause fires creates serious health risks. In the United States, hoarding violates laws that were created to protect public safety and property. Some cities have formed groups to deal with the problems caused by hoarding. Each group usually has representatives from one or more government agencies.

Agency officials say they often hear about hoarders from citizens who live near someone affected with the disorder. The citizens no longer want to see broken household equipment or old clothing lying on property near their homes.

VOICE TWO:

Persons suffering from compulsive hoarding syndrome do not only collect objects. Some collect cats, dogs or other animals. Most animal hoarders believe they are rescuing the animals with the purpose of caring for them. However, hoarders do not realize when they have too many animals. They are really doing more harm than good. They may not be able to provide medical care for the animals. Some animals may not be washed or fed.

Officials have been shocked at the condition of the homes of animal hoarders. Floors were covered with animal wastes. Infectious diseases were a problem. Some animals were found starving, while others had died.

An animal hoarder usually collects other things, such as clothing or magazines. Experts suspect that many hoarders have had uncaring parents or disorderly lives as children. The animals serve as a way for hoarders to get the love they always wanted.

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

Compulsive hoarding syndrome affects an estimated one million people in the United States. Compulsive hoarding is most commonly connected to obsessive-compulsive disorder, or O.C.D. This disorder causes people to have ideas that interfere with their daily activities. Such persons act on these ideas, even when they know the resulting actions are senseless.

For example, fear of being dirty may cause persons with O.C.D. to wash their hands again and again. They may inspect things repeatedly, like making sure all electrical devices are turned off.

VOICE TWO:

Sanjaya Saxena is director of the Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders Program at the University of California at San Diego School of Medicine. He says hoarders have high levels of uneasiness, depression and a need to be perfect.

In a recent paper, Professor Saxena reported discovery of an effective treatment for patients who suffer from compulsive hoarding. The study included seventy-nine patients with O.C.D. Thirty-two of them had compulsive hoarding syndrome. The study found that the drug paroxetine was effective in treating those suffering from compulsive hoarding. Researchers say the study suggests that more controlled studies of medicines to treat the disorder could offer more improvements.

VOICE ONE:

Professor Saxena also led an earlier study of the disorder. In that study, he and his team used images from a process called positron emission tomography to measure brain activity. They compared images of the brains of hoarders to those from other persons with O.C.D.

The hoarders had lower activity in an area of the brain called the anterior cingulated gyrus. This area helps to control decision-making and the ability to solve problems. The study suggested that different medicines could improve the success of treatment.

VOICE TWO:

Recently, another study identified a possible genetic marker for compulsive hoarding. The American Journal of Psychiatry published results of the study.

The lead researcher was Jack Samuels of the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Maryland. He and his team studied more than two hundred families with O.C.D. The researchers found evidence suggesting that an area of genes on chromosome fourteen was linked with compulsive hoarding. They said the linkage became stronger when two or more family members affected with compulsive hoarding were tested.

VOICE ONE:

Treatment of compulsive hoarding is very difficult. It may involve medicines and working with a mental health expert. The expert helps hoarders to understand their actions of saving worthless things. Patients are taught to develop a plan for organizing. They learn how to decide what to throw away. They learn to resist the urge to bring home more things.

Experts suggest taking a picture of the area to be organized before and after the work is completed. They say this will provide the patient with a feeling of progress. They also say the treatment program, changes in the way of thinking, and improved decision-making skills will help the patient for a long time.

(MUSIC)

VOICE TWO:

SCIENCE IN THE NEWS was written by Lawan Davis. Brianna Blake was our producer. I'm Faith Lapidus.

VOICE ONE:

And I'm Bob Doughty. We hope you can join us again next week for more news about science in Special English on the Voice of America.

VOASE0312_Agriculture Report

12 March 2007

How This Little Piggy Goes to Market
A guide to production systems for raising pigs.

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This is the VOA Special English Agriculture Report.

For Chinese, this is the Year of the Pig. So this is probably as good a time as any to talk about the different kinds of production systems for raising pigs.

Technician Adam Lewis, left, and support scientist Jeff Dailey connect video equipment to record sow and piglet behavior in a traditional indoor farrowing environment

One kind of operation is called a farrow-to-wean farm. The animals are born, or farrowed, in a farrowing barn. Pigs usually give birth two times a year. Each time they have about eight to twelve piglets.

The piglets drink milk from the mother sow for three to four weeks, or until they weigh between four and a half and seven kilograms. After they are weaned from their mothers, they are sold.

At another kind of operation, producers raise pigs for about six weeks. When the animals weigh eighteen to twenty-seven kilograms, they are sold to a finish farm.

A third kind of farm is the farrow-to-finish operation. Pigs are born there and stay there. The hogs are brought to market when they reach between ninety and one hundred fourteen kilograms.

These three basic production systems used in the United States are described at pork4kids.com, an industry Web site.

Young hogs raised for meat are called feeders. They feed on corn, wheat, soybeans and other grains.

Pigs need protection from heat, cold, rain and snow. Did you know that pigs can get sunburned? They also need enough space to move around easily. Some farmers and activists for animals say pigs do better outdoors in a pasture or yard than in crowded pens.

Ann Hutton and her prize pig Lauren

People who raise pigs say the animals are "escape artists," so a good strong fence is important. The smell from their waste can also be a problem. Some farmers spread the waste on cropland and plow it under immediately to help control the smell.

But producers have to be careful with untreated waste. It can pollute groundwater and cause other environmental and health problems.

To meet demand in the United States, producers keep about sixty million hogs at any one time. Most of these are in operations with more than five thousand pigs.

The world's largest producer of pork is China, followed by Mexico. The United States is third. Pigs provide about twenty-five percent of the American meat supply. About five percent of that is imported. But the United States is also a leading exporter of pork and pork products.

And that's the VOA Special English Agriculture Report, written by Jerilyn Watson. Transcripts and audio files of our reports are at voaspecialenglish.com. I'm Steve Ember.