Lebanese Army, Militants Engage in Heavy Clashes

By Margaret Besheer Beirut 29 May 2007

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Sporadic gunfire during the day between Lebanese soldiers and Islamic militants in a Palestinian refugee camp ended in heavy clashes just before sunset near the northern port city of Tripoli. From the Lebanese capital, VOA's Margaret Besheer has more on the day's developments.

Lebanese army's armored personnel carrier behind a shattered wall in Tripoli, 29 May 2007

A Lebanese soldier was killed Tuesday when Sunni militants allied with Fatah al-Islam fired on a Lebanese Army position outside the Nahr el-Bared Palestinian refugee camp.

The soldier's death raises to 34 the number of Lebanese troops killed since fighting erupted nine days ago.

Sporadic clashes during the day Tuesday gave way to heavy fighting just before sunset, with the Lebanese army firing artillery to silence the militants' fire.

Several hundred al-Qaida inspired militants are believed to be holed up inside the Nahr el-Bared refugee camp.

Most of the camp's residents have now evacuated to the nearby Beddawi refugee camp, where displaced Palestinians protested Tuesday against their poor living conditions and to show their desire to return home.

Mohammed Akra, a displaced resident, said Nahr el-Bared residents are demanding to return to their homes in the camp because they are suffering more than anyone can imagine.

Nahr el-Bared has been a no-go zone for journalists and civilians for the last nine days. Only evacuating residents have been allowed out after they have been screened by the Lebanese Army to be sure they are not escaping militants or smuggling weapons.

Lebanon's government has vowed to root out the militants, while the militants have vowed to fight to the death.

Muslim cleric Walid Abu Haider urged all parties to act quickly to reach a political understanding that would guarantee the displaced Palestinians would be allowed to return to their homes.

Meanwhile, in an upscale Christian neighborhood of Beirut, a man suspected of belonging to Fatah al-Islam was arrested Tuesday after police raided the apartment where he was staying.

Police officials said the man had rented the apartment using a forged Lebanese name and passport and had in his possession several other forged foreign passports. Police also confiscated several CDs and other material that appeared to be related to the group's work.

Venezuela's Chavez Threatens Another Private Television Station

By Michael Bowman Washington 29 May 2007

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Two days after forcing a private Venezuelan television station off the air, President Hugo Chavez has threatened to crack down on another non-governmental TV broadcaster. VOA's Michael Bowman reports from Washington.

A demonstrator holds a sign against Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez during a protest against the closure of private network RCTV (Radio Caracas Television) in Caracas, 29 May 2007

It has been two days since opposition-allied Radio Caracas Television ceased transmission, replaced by a state-funded network called Venezuelan Social Television. Protests against the move continue to grow and expand across Venezuela, with students and others taking to the streets in many cities.

Government backers have mounted counter-demonstrations in the capital. President Hugo Chavez has brushed aside concerns voiced by international press freedom groups that liberty of expression is under attack.

At the same time, however, officials have launched an investigation of another broadcaster, Globovision, accusing the opposition private television station of using subliminal messages to incite an assassination attempt on the president.

Hugo Chavez

Addressing supporters, Mr. Chavez delivered a direct message to Globovision, which has provided extensive coverage of anti-government demonstrations.

He says, "To the people of Globovision, if you want to continue calling for disobedience and inciting a presidential assassination as was done openly two nights ago, when Globovision clearly urged that I be killed - then I am warning you in front of the entire nation that you calm down because I will apply the minimum."

The president did not elaborate, but Venezuelan media experts say Mr. Chavez' rhetorical use of the word "minimum" is meant to suggest the opposite, that the maximum sanction would be applied. Moments later, the president said he is prepared to die to defend his beliefs and he asked if opposition media outlets are similarly prepared.

Globovision's director, Alberto Frederico Ravell, called government accusations against his station "ridiculous."

The Inter-American Press Association has labeled Mr. Chavez' crackdown on Venezuela's private news media "undemocratic."

Mr. Chavez acknowledged increasingly fierce protests in the country, but said upheaval is normal during revolutionary times. The self-proclaimed socialist leader said student demonstrators are being manipulated in defense of Venezuela's capitalistic oligarchy.

US Responds to Putin's Call for Meeting on Forces in Europe

By Al Pessin Washington 29 May 2007

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A Pentagon spokesman says the United States would be "disappointed" if Russia stopped meeting its obligations under the Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty. The comment came the day after Russia called for a meeting of the treaty's signatory nations next month. VOA's Al Pessin reports from the Pentagon.

Vladimir Putin (file photo)

At his daily briefing, Pentagon Spokesman Bryan Whitman responded to President Putin's call for a meeting. "The U.S. position on this is that we would be disappointed at any suggestions that Russia might cease to implement its obligations under the CFE Treaty. NATO, as you know, places a high value on the treaty's contribution to European security," he said.

At the State Department, a spokesman told reporters the Conventional Forces treaty has served the international community well, but that it is Russia's right to call a meeting and U.S. officials will be happy to attend.

Russia wants a three-day meeting starting on June 12 in Vienna.

The 1990 treaty regulates the size and composition of conventional military forces in Europe. It resulted in a reduction of Cold War era forces facing off against each other on the continent. The treaty was amended in 1999, but some countries have refused to ratify the amended version until Russia withdraws its forces from Georgia and Moldova.

Russia rejects the idea of connecting those two issues, but President Vladimir Putin has said he wants to suspend Russia's participation in the treaty and has threatened to withdraw from it permanently. The statement Monday calling for the meeting said Russia has been adhering to the amended treaty, while other signatories have refused to ratify it. The statement also cites the expansion of NATO into areas formerly under the influence of the Soviet Union.

Russia's concerns about the treaty are also widely seen as related to its opposition to U.S. plans to put parts of its new missile defense system in Poland and the Czech Republic.

The White House reports President Bush and President Putin spoke about several issues during a phone conversation on Monday, but did not say whether missile defense or the Conventional Forces treaty were among them. The two men will meet next week in Germany during the annual Group of Eight summit.

Refugees Intent on Return to Bhutan Thwarted in Attempt to Cross Border Into India From Nepal

By Steve Herman New Delhi 29 May 2007

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Refugees in Nepal trying to make their way back home to Bhutan via India have clashed with Indian border troops. Casualties are reported on both sides after Indian forces opened fire. VOA's Steve Herman reports from New Delhi.

After being refused permission by India to transit through the country to get to Bhutan, a group of refugees in Nepal turned violent as they tried to force their way across the border.

Bhutanese refugees carry injured and shout slogans, as Indian policemen are seen in background, in border town of Karkarvitta, 29 May 2007

A top police official in the Indian state of West Bengal, Raj Kanojia, says the initial attack by thousands of refugees on Indian border guards took place Monday at Karkavitta and continued on Tuesday.

"They attacked them with bricks, and they threw acid bombs at them," he said. "This morning the whole thing started again and there have been some injuries, especially on the security forces' side. We arrested about 30 to 35 people but regarding the injuries (to the refugees) we won't be able to comment because they are all in Nepal."

The senior police official told VOA News that he could not confirm media reports that Indian forces fired on the refugees on the Nepalese side of the border. Both sides of the border are under curfew and it has been difficult to verify the number of injured refugees and their condition.

The director of the Asian Center for Human Rights, Suhas Chakma, says it is not surprising that refugees would be fired upon by Indian personnel.

"The Indian security forces are always known for using disproportionate force, so when somebody is trying to cross the river the Indian security forces resorting to firearms cannot be ruled out," Chakma said.

The United States has offered to re-settle 60,000 of the more than 100,000 refugees who have languished in Nepal for 15 years after being kicked out of Bhutan. The refugees are mostly ethnic HIndu Nepalese. Some insist on going back to Bhutan, although the Buddhist kingdom has given no indication it will accept them despite requests by American and other diplomats that Bhutan take a token number.

Human rights expert Suhas Chakma says many of those who do not want to go the United States are allied with the Maoists.

"Some of the refugees, which are being guided by the Communist Party of Bhutan, they believe they should be returned to Bhutan instead of being resettled in third countries," Chakma said.

The tension between those who want to go to America and others hoping to return to Bhutan led to a clash Sunday in a refugee camp in Nepal. Officials say two refugees were killed when police opened fire in an attempt to quell the violence between the two factions.

An estimated 10,000 refugees in Nepal timed their march to the Indian border to coincide with a second round of mock elections in Bhutan. The small kingdom, which did not begin to build a modern infrastructure until the 1960s, is transitioning from an absolute monarchy to a parliamentary democracy. The mock elections are a dress rehearsal for voting scheduled for next year.

Bush Orders New US Sanctions on Sudan

By Paula Wolfson White House 29 May 2007

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The United States is imposing tough new sanctions on Sudan in an effort to end the bloodshed in its troubled Darfur region. VOA's Paula Wolfson reports President Bush is also calling for stronger international pressure on the Sudanese government.

US President Bush speaks in the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House in Washington, 29 May 2007

President Bush says the genocide in Darfur must stop.

"For too long, the people of Darfur have suffered at the hands of a government that is complicit in the bombing, murder and rape of innocent civilians," he said.

In an unusual early morning appearance at the White House, the president announced a tightening of U.S. economic sanctions on Sudan. He said Americans will be barred from dealings with 31 companies with ties to the Sudanese government, including some involved in the country's growing oil business.

Mr. Bush said U.S. sanctions are also being imposed against certain individuals deemed responsible for the violence.

"These sanctions will isolate these persons by cutting them off from the U.S. financial system, barring them from doing business with any American citizen or company, and calling the world's attention to their crimes," said President Bush.

The president is imposing these sanctions by executive order. At the same time, he said the United States will work with its allies to draft a new U.N. Security Council resolution designed to increase international pressure on Sudan's leaders.

"It will impose an expanded embargo on arm sales to the government of Sudan," he said. "It will prohibit the Sudanese government from conducting any offensive military flights over Darfur. It will strengthen our ability to monitor and report any violations."

The announcement came roughly six weeks after the president warned the Sudanese government that its intransigence on Darfur could result in stiff penalties.

Mr. Bush had been expected to announce the enhanced sanctions last month in a speech at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. But he held off at the last minute, after U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon asked for more time for diplomacy to work.

The secretary-general had hoped to convince the Sudanese government to allow international peacekeepers into Darfur, to bolster an overwhelmed all African force. Mr. Bush said Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir has taken a different course.

"President Bashir's actions over the past few weeks follow a long pattern of promising cooperation while finding new methods for obstruction," he said.

Sudan quickly condemned the actions ordered by President Bush, calling the sanctions unjustified. There was also a strong negative reaction from China - a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, and a major consumer of Sudanese oil.

More than 200,000 people have been killed in Darfur and more than two million more have been displaced since 2003, when rebels launched an uprising. Government-backed militias are accused of atrocities against civilians in battling the rebels. The United States labeled it "genocide" in 2004.

VOASE0529_Health Report

29 May 2007

Multivitamins Urged for All Pregnant Women in Developing Countries
Scientists report a drop in low birth-weight babies in pregnant women in Tanzania who took vitamins every day.

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This is the VOA Special English Health Report.

A recent study in Tanzania found that when pregnant women took vitamins every day,

fewer babies were born too small.

Babies that weigh less than two and one-half kilograms at birth have a greater risk of dying. Those that survive are more likely to experience problems with their development. And experts say that as adults they have a higher risk of diseases including heart disease and diabetes.

The World Health Organization estimates that every year twenty million babies are born with low birth weight. Nine out of ten of them are born in developing countries.

The new study took place in Dar es Salaam. Four thousand two hundred pregnant women received multivitamins. The pills contained all of the vitamins in the B group along with vitamins C and E. They also contained several times more iron and folate than the levels advised for women in developed nations. Pregnant women especially in poor countries may find it difficult to get enough vitamins and minerals from the foods in their diet.

The scientists compared the findings with results from a group of four thousand women who did not receive the vitamins.

A report by the scientists, from the United States and Tanzania, appeared in the New England Journal of Medicine. Wafaie Fawzi of the Harvard University School of Public Health led the study.

None of the women in the study had H.I.V., the virus that causes AIDS. The scientists reported earlier that daily multivitamins were a low-cost way to reduce fetal deaths in pregnant women infected with H.I.V.

The earlier work in Tanzania also found improvement in the mothers in their number of blood cells known as lymphocytes. Lymphocytes increase the body's immunity against infection.

The new study in pregnant women who were not infected with the AIDS virus found that multivitamins reduced the risk of low birth weight. Just under eight percent of the babies born to women who took the multivitamins weighed less than two thousand five hundred grams. The rate was almost nine and one-half percent in the group of women who received a placebo, an inactive pill, instead of the vitamins.

But the vitamins did not do much to reduce the rates of babies being born too early or dying while still a fetus. Still, the researchers say multivitamins should be considered for all pregnant women in developing countries.

And that's the VOA Special English Health Report. I'm Steve Ember.

VOASE0529_Explorations

29 May 2007

What Keeps Works of Shakespeare So Alive and Well After 400 Years?
How events and cultural influences shaped his writing, and how his art, in turn, has influenced language and popular culture. Second of two programs.

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VOICE ONE:

I’m Steve Ember.

VOICE TWO:

And I’m Barbara Klein with Explorations in VOA Special English. Today, we complete our story about the influential English writer William Shakespeare. He wrote plays and poems during the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries. They remain very popular today.

VOICE TWO:

Last week, we talked about Shakespeare's history, his plays and his poems. Today, we talk about the events and cultural influences that affected Shakespeare and his art. We also discuss the countless ways his works have influenced language and popular culture.

(SOUND)

Gwyneth Paltrow and Joseph Fiennes in ''Shakespeare in Love''

GWYNETH PALTROW: "Master Shakespeare. Good sir, I heard you are a poet. But a poet of no words?"

VOICE ONE:

That was part of a dancing scene from the popular nineteen ninety-eight movie "Shakespeare in Love." The film suggests one way in which Shakespeare might have been influenced to write "Romeo and Juliet:" because of his relationship with a brave and lovely woman. The movie is only very loosely based on real events, but it is a wonderful story.

VOICE TWO:

Many of Shakespeare's works were influenced by earlier writings. During this time, students would probably have learned several ancient Roman and Greek plays. It was not unusual for writers to produce more current versions of these works. For example, in his play "The Comedy of Errors" Shakespeare borrows certain structural details from the ancient Roman playwright Plautus.

VOICE ONE:

For his tragic play "Macbeth," Shakespeare most likely used a work on Scottish history by Raphael Holinshed for information. It is also no accident that this play about a Scottish king was written a few years after James the First became King of England in sixteen-oh-three. This new ruler was from Scotland and London was alive with Scottish culture. Shakespeare may have borrowed from other writers, but the intensity of his imagination and language made the plays his own.

VOICE TWO:

Shakespeare was also influenced by the world around him. He describes the sights and sounds of London in his plays. His works include observations about current political struggles, the fear of diseases, and the popular language of the city's tradesmen and other professionals.

Shakespeare's knowledge of the English countryside is also clear. His works include descriptions of deep forests, local flowers, and the ancient popular traditions of rural people.

VOICE ONE:

Shakespeare became a well-known writer during a golden age of theater. His years of hard work paid off. Over the years, he invested income from his acting company by purchasing land and other property. He retired to the countryside a wealthy man. William Shakespeare died in his hometown of Stratford-upon-Avon in sixteen-sixteen at the age of fifty-two. While many plays by other writers of his time have been forgotten, Shakespeare and his art live on.

(MUSIC)

VOICE TWO:

It would be impossible to list all of the ways in which Shakespeare's works have influenced world culture. But we can give a few important examples. The first example would have to include his great effect on the English language. During his time, the English language was changing. Many new words from other languages were being added.

VOICE ONE:

Shakespeare used his sharp mind and poetic inventiveness to create hundreds of new words and rework old ones. For example, he created the verb "to torture" and the noun forms of "critic," "mountaineer" and "eyeball." Many common expressions in English come from his plays. These include "pomp and circumstance" from "Othello"; "full circle" from "King Lear", and "one fell swoop" from "Macbeth."

VOICE TWO:

The Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, D.C., is the home of the largest collection of Shakespearean materials in the world. The Library also has many other fine examples of books and art from this early modern period. In March of two thousand seven the Folger organized an exhibit called "Shakespeare in American Life" to celebrate its seventy-fifth anniversary.

VOICE ONE:

The many objects on display show some expected as well as some surprising ways in which Shakespeare has influenced past and present culture. You can learn about the many Shakespeare societies that have formed over the years in the United States. You can see which famous American politicians liked to quote his works.

Or, you can read about the many movie versions of his plays. One vegetable company even named itself after the Shakespearian character Falstaff to sell its brussels sprouts.

VOICE TWO:

The list of cultural creations influenced by Shakespeare is almost endless. From paintings to television to music and dance, Shakespeare is well represented. For example, the nineteenth century "Otello" by Giuseppe Verdi is an opera version of the tragic play "Othello." It is about a ruler who believes wrongly that his wife has been with another man. One famous song from this opera includes the wife, Desdemona, mournfully singing "Ave Maria."

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

Over a century later, the American songwriter Cole Porter transformed the Shakespeare comedy "The Taming of the Shrew" into the musical play "Kiss Me Kate." The musical was later made into a movie. Songs like "Brush Up Your Shakespeare" are popular favorites.

(MUSIC)

VOICE TWO:

In nineteen fifty-seven the famous jazz musician Duke Ellington released "Such Sweet Thunder." In the song "The Telecasters" Duke Ellington musically recreates the three witches in Shakespeare's "Macbeth." Ellington uses three trombone instruments. His use of silent breaks adds a special tension to the song.

(SOUND: "The Telecasters")

VOICE ONE:

Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim

worked together on a modern version of "Romeo and Juliet." Their popular musical play took place on the West Side of New York City. The opposing groups are a gang of young people and a group of new immigrants. The award-winning movie version came out in nineteen sixty-one. Here the main character Maria sings about the happiness of being in love in "I Feel Pretty."

(MUSIC)

VOICE TWO:

A poster from the 1976 Shakespeare Festival of Dallas

It is not just new versions of the plays that live on in popular culture. Shakespeare's plays have been translated into every major language in the world. All across the United States, the plays are performed in schools, theaters and festivals. There are over one hundred Shakespeare festivals and many permanent theaters that perform his works. In Washington, D.C. alone two theaters perform the plays of Shakespeare and other writers of his time.

We leave you with words of praise by Ben Jonson, a playwright who lived during Shakespeare's time. Mister Jonson knew long ago that the works of Shakespeare would hold their magic through the ages.

(MUSIC)

VOICE THREE:

"Triumph, my Britain, thou hast one to show
"To whom all scenes of Europe homage owe.
"He was not of an age, but for all time!"

VOICE ONE:

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

VOICE TWO:

And I’m Barbara Klein. Our reader was Shep O'Neal. 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.

Americans Honor War Dead on Memorial Day

By Paula Wolfson White House 28 May 2007

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Americans are honoring the nation's military war dead on this Memorial Day holiday in the United States. VOA's Paula Wolfson reports President Bush led observances at Arlington National Cemetery.

This is the day when America remembers those who died in service to their country. And nowhere is the extent of their sacrifice more on display than in Arlington National Cemetery - where seven generations of the fallen are buried.

U.S. President Bush commemorates Memorial Day while speaking at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia, 28 May 2007

"Today, we honor the warriors who fought our nation's enemies, defended the cause of liberty and gave their lives in the cause of freedom," he said.

President Bush spoke in the cemetery's amphitheater - a massive white structure surrounded by seemingly endless rows of small white headstones.

Many of the nation's greatest military heroes are buried in Arlington. But so too are hundreds of thousands of men and women whose names are known only to the families and communities that mourn them.

They include several hundred soldiers killed since the September 11 attacks on the United States in places like Kabul and Kandahar, Baghdad and Ramadi. The sod is still fresh on those graves, many covered with personal messages, flowers and flags.

"Like those who came before them, they did not want war, but they answered the call when it came," Mr. Bush said. "They believed in something larger than themselves. They fought for our country, and our country unites to mourn them as one."

The president said their sacrifice must not be in vain, and the cause of protecting freedom will never end.

President Bush lays wreath at Tomb of The Unkowns at Arlington National Cemetery, 28 May 2007

"From their deaths must come a world where the cruel dreams of tyrants and terrorists are frustrated and foiled, where our nation is more secure from attack and where the gift of liberty is secured for millions who have never known it," the president said.

Earlier, the president laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns, which contains the unidentified remains of members of the U.S. military killed in major conflicts. He was accompanied by several families of the fallen.

Palestinian Rockets Hit Israel Despite Threat of Retaliation

By Jim Teeple Jerusalem 28 May 2007

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At least seven rockets fired by Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip struck southern Israel, a day after Israel's prime minister warned that ending the rocket fire could take a long time. VOA's Jim Teeple reports from our Jerusalem bureau.

Hamas militants are keeping up their rocket attacks, despite threats of massive retaliation from Israeli officials and a plea by moderate Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to renew a ceasefire with Israel that collapsed more than a week ago.

Palestinians carry body parts covered in the flag of Hamas' Executive Force as other search for bodies after an Israeli missile strike on a Hamas base killed four militants in the Zeitoun neighborhood in Gaza City, Saturday, 26 May 2007

The Associated Press reports Israel's Army has been given approval to broaden ground operations against Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip. Israel has carried out daily airstrikes against Hamas militants in Gaza for more than a week, killing about 50 Palestinians, but the rocket attacks have continued.

Miri Eisen a spokeswoman for Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert will not say if Hamas leaders will be targeted by Israeli forces, but she says those who are firing rockets at Israel will pay a heavy price.

Israeli medics rush a man wounded by a rocket attack into a hospital's emergency room in the southern city of Ashkelon, 27 May 2007

"The citizens of the south are now under direct attack by Hamas rockets. We do not go into the operational details of how we will strike, but we state clearly to the Hamas, the Hamas-led government, the Hamas that are firing the rockets barrages into Israel, we will respond harshly and severely," she said.

Hamas leaders have warned Israel not to target their leaders, and have also threatened to kill an Israeli soldier being held by Palestinian militants in Gaza.

Hamas has for the time being also rejected a call by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to agree to a one-month cease-fire with Israel. Hamas leaders say they will only accept a cease-fire if Israel agrees to extend it to include the West Bank, something Israel rejects.

Seventeen Killed in Suspected Rwandan Rebel Attack in DRC

By Joe Bavier Kinshasa 28 May 2007

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At least 17 people have been clubbed or hacked to death by suspected Rwandan rebels in Democratic Republic of Congo's eastern province of South Kivu. Congo's United Nations peacekeeping mission said the violence appears to be a reprisal for recent army operations in the area. Joe Bavier is in the capital, Kinshasa, and has more for VOA.

Democratic Republic of Congo

The attacks, the worst in South Kivu in two years, took place late Saturday and early Sunday morning in three villages in Kanyola, an area some 50 kilometers west of the provincial capital Bukavu.

Local civil society coordinator, Constantin Chahrondagwa, told VOA, soon after returning from the scene of the attacks, that villagers had already begun burying the bodies of the 17 people killed in the violence.

All were murdered with machetes, axes, and clubs, he said. Among them were women and children.

Another 23 people were being treated for injuries, some serious, at local medical facilities. Chahrondagwa said 13 people had been kidnapped by the attackers, and there were fears that some of the hostages had been executed.

Soldiers and local people gather near a United Nations armoured vehicle in Kinshasa, Nov. 13, 2006

Congo's U.N. peacekeeping mission, known by its French acronym MONUC, said several letters had been left behind by what are believed to be members of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, or FDLR, a Hutu-dominated Rwandan rebel group based in eastern Congo.

They say the attacks were a reprisal for recent MONUC-supported operations carried out by the Congolese army aimed at chasing the FDLR from the area.

The Congolese army has already deployed extra troops to the area in an attempt to track down the perpetrators of the violence, MONUC said. U.N. peacekeepers were on their way to the scene of the killings Monday morning.

Thousands of FDLR fighters have been operating in eastern Congo since Rwanda's 1994 genocide. Some are former Rwandan soldiers and Hutu Interhamwe militia members responsible for the killings of an estimated 800,000 Tutsis.

Despite the official end of a 1998 to 2003 war, Congo's eastern provinces regularly witness violence at the hands of local militia, foreign rebel groups, and its own armed forces.

Concerns Mount About Separatist Violence in Northeastern India

By Steve Herman New Delhi 28 May 2007

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Merchants in Assam, in northeastern India, are staging a strike to protest a recent wave of fatal bombings and the inability of authorities to prevent attacks. VOA's Steve Herman reports from New Delhi on the violence that has been blamed on separatists in Assam.

Many shopkeepers lowered their shutters in the markets of Guwahati on Monday to protest a series of bombings in the capital of Assam. Business organizations called for the day-long strike to demand an end to the attacks blamed on separatists and to protest the inability of police and India's government to halt the violence.

Woman weeps as she looks at victims of explosion in Gauhati, 26 May 2007

On Saturday, a powerful bomb placed in a motorized rickshaw next to a maternity hospital tore through a market, killing seven people and injuring 30. It was the latest in a series of deadly explosions and other violent acts blamed on Assam separatists.

Assam's chief minister Tarun Gogoi told reporters in Guwahati on Sunday that the attacks are leading Assam "to the verge of devastation." He says the recent violence has already hindered development of the resource-rich state.

"It has definitely slowed down our progress, no doubt of it. But we're determined to deal with the situation, also because this terrorism will push Assam backward," he said. "It will lead to both the destruction of Assam, it will completely (ruin) the future of our students and create an unemployment problem more and more."

The chief minister, from the governing Congress Party, urged the leading separatist group, the United Liberation Front of Assam, known as ULFA, to halt the attacks and return to what he called "the national mainstream."

In the meantime, paramilitary forces have been sent to Assam because of fears of more bombings.

Indian media quote ULFA leader Jiten Dutta as taking responsibility for Saturday's explosion and warning of more attacks in coming days.

A cease-fire between ULFA and the Indian government collapsed last year.

Police say they shot dead two ULFA members in the Assamese capital during what they described as a fierce gun battle hours after Saturday's blast.

Authorities also say they discovered and defused a large bomb Saturday that was hidden inside a lunch box on a crowded passenger train headed for the area.

The recent attacks are seen as an attempt to intimidate non-Assamese living in the state and to rally support from the indigenous population, who are more closely related to Burmese and Chinese than to the Indian majority.

The separatists began one of India's longest-running insurgencies in 1979 and have used bases in Bangladesh, Bhutan and Burma across the porous border. The militants contend India's government does little for the Assamese while exploiting the region's tea crop, natural gas and other resources.

Venezuelans Protest Shutdown of Private TV Station

By Brian Wagner Caracas 28 May 2007

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Venezuela's replacement of a popular opposition television station with a new state-backed network drew fierce criticism that President Hugo Chavez is curtailing democratic freedoms. Demonstrators, including university students, gathered at several locations in Caracas Monday after Radio Caracas Television ceased broadcasting and was replaced with a new state-funded channel. Venezuelan security forces have fired tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters. Injuries were reported. In Caracas, VOA's Brian Wagner reports angry crowds protested across the capital Monday.

The state-backed Venezuelan Social Television began operations shortly after midnight, occupying the same frequency used by Radio Caracas Television. Communications officials had ordered the private station to hand over control for its transmitting equipment, after refusing to renew RCTV's public broadcasting license.

The new station's inaugural broadcast included traditional Venezuelan song and dance and a statement from the station's president, Lil Rodriguez.

Rodriguez says Venezuela has emerged as a self-respecting nation and now it has a new resource to broadcast messages of dignity for the nation and its people.

Promotional material for the new station said programming will include news, sports, soap operas and documentaries aimed at embracing pluralism and cultural diversity in the nation. Some of the programs broadcast Monday included cartoons and documentaries about rural areas and farming projects in the nation.

RCTV executives have condemned the decision to remove the private station from public airwaves and have vowed to challenge the move in the courts. Critics held marches late Sunday outside the National Telecommunications Commission to oppose the government's decision. Police said 11 officers were injured in clashes with protesters.

Demonstrators in Caracas protest government's closing of Radio Caracas Television, 28 May 2007

RCTV employees and university students staged protests Monday in parts of the city to criticize what they say is an attack on free speech. Bank worker Marycel Montiel said she joined one protest to denounce the authoritarian policies of President Chavez.

Montiel says the closing of RCTV is an affront to free speech in Venezuela, and compared it to measures taken in Cuba. She says the Venezuelan people do not want the nation to become another Cuba; they want freedom.

The European Union's German presidency Monday expressed concern about the government's failure to hold and open competition for the TV license and said it expects Mr. Chavez to uphold freedom of speech.

Supporters of television station Radio Caracas Television, RCTV, protest in Caracas, 26 May 2007

Meanwhile, Information Minister Willian Lara warned of possible legal measures against other media outlets for alleged political attacks on the government. In a press conference, Lara accused U.S. broadcaster CNN and Venezuelan cable network Globovision of using video images to create subliminal messages and false information. He says officials may file lawsuits in Venezuelan courts and abroad against the broadcasters.

Globovision chief Alberto Federico Ravell rejected the charges as ridiculous and baseless.

US, Iran Affirm Common Goals in Iraq During Rare Talks

By Barry Newhouse Irbil, Iraq 28 May 2007

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Rare talks between Iran and the United States have concluded in Baghdad, where U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker said officials on both sides affirmed they share common policies aimed at a future stable and democratic Iraq, but he also insisted Iran stop supporting insurgent militias. VOA's Barry Newhouse reports from Irbil that as the talks concluded, a bomb blast in Baghdad killed at least 19 people and wounded some 46 others.

Nouri al-Maliki (file photo)

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki opened the talks by saying he was confident Iran and the United States have the will to reach common ground in their Iraq policies.

Maliki says Iraqi officials would participate in the meeting not as a mediator between the two sides, but as a principal party in trying to direct the dialogue in a positive direction.

After nearly four hours of talks, U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker said Iranian and U.S. officials agreed on the broad principles that guide their policies for a democratic and peaceful Iraq.

U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker, right, and his Iranian counterpart Hassan Kazemi Qomi, left, attend a meeting at the Iraqi Prime Minister's office in Baghdad, 28 May 2007

"We also made it clear from the American point of view that this is about actions, not just principles," he said. "I laid out for the Iranians a number of our direct specific concerns about their behavior in Iraq."

Ambassador Crocker said U.S. officials accused Iran of carrying out actions that oppose its stated goal of securing Iraq, such as training and providing weapons to insurgent militias that undermine the Iraqi government. He said the Iranian delegation, led by Ambassador Hassan Kazemi Qomi, did not respond to the allegations.

No Iranian representatives spoke at the news conference following the talks, but Ambassador Crocker was asked about the concerns they had raised.

"The Iranians did not go into any great detail," he said. "They made the assertion that the coalition presence was an occupation and that the effort to train and equip the Iraqi security forces had been inadequate to the challenges faced."

Ambassador Crocker said U.S. officials responded by saying coalition forces are in Iraq by invitation of the Iraqi government and under U.N. Security Council authority and the United States has spent billions of dollars training Iraqi security forces.

The ambassador also said Iran had proposed setting up a "trilateral security mechanism" among Iraq, Iran and the United States. He did not provide details on the proposal and said it would be studied by officials in Washington.

In Tehran on Monday, Iran's foreign minister said the best way to end the sectarian fighting in Iraq would be an immediate pullout of U.S. forces.

The talks in Baghdad were a rare meeting between high-ranking Iranian and American officials. The United States broke off diplomatic ties in 1979 following the seizure of the U.S. embassy in Tehran. Ambassador Crocker described Monday's meeting as "businesslike" and focused exclusively on the security situation in Iraq. He said Iranian officials did not raise the issue of five detained Iranians held in U.S. custody.

The ambassador said the Iraqi government proposed another similar meeting among representatives of the three countries. He said U.S. officials would consider the invitation after they receive it.

VOASE0528_Science In the News

28 May 2007

A New Report says Arctic Sea Ice is Melting More Quickly Than Scientists Had Thought
Also on SCIENCE IN THE NEWS, experts say a big, but rare cat is close to disappearing from the wild. We also tell about broken bones and how to treat them.

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VOICE ONE:

This is SCIENCE IN THE NEWS, in VOA Special English. I'm Barbara Klein.

VOICE TWO:

Amur leopard

And I'm Steve Ember. On our program this week, we will tell about a new study of the Arctic Ocean. We will also tell about a big cat that animal experts say is close to disappearing from the wild. And, we will talk about broken bones and how to treat them.

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VOICE ONE:

A new report says sea ice in the Arctic Ocean is melting more quickly than expected. American scientists say the ice is melting even faster than computer programs had estimated.

The scientists work for the National Center for Atmospheric Research and the National Snow and Ice Data Center at the University of Colorado. Results of their study were reported on Geophysical Research Letters, a website of the American Geophysical Union.

Scientists know that climate change has a major effect on the Arctic Ocean partly because sea ice is disappearing. They also know that areas of open seawater are expanding. Such areas are known to take in sunlight and increase temperatures. Scientists say this has helped to cause the loss of the Arctic's ice cover.

VOICE TWO:

For the study, the American scientists compared eighteen computer programs with observations made by satellites and other instruments. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change used the computer programs to prepare its two thousand seven estimates of climate change.

The computer programs gave estimates of the amount of ice in the Arctic Ocean in the month of September. September is when the Arctic has the least ice, after the warm, summer months. The computer estimates suggested an ice loss of two and a half percent for every ten-year period between nineteen fifty-three and two thousand six.

Newer studies of the Arctic have used information gathered by aircraft, satellites and ships. This information showed a loss of September ice cover of almost eight percent for every ten-year period between nineteen fifty-three and last year. This means the ice is disappearing about thirty years faster than the computer programs estimated.

VOICE ONE:

The scientists say the programs might not have recognized the full effect of increased carbon dioxide and other gasses in Earth's atmosphere. They say their study suggests the gasses may have more of an effect than had been thought.

Climate change is causing Arctic sea ice to disappear faster than computer programs had suggested

The study also measured the amount of ice lost in the Arctic in March. That is when the most Arctic sea ice is present. It showed the loss of ice in March is much less than the loss in September. Yet the computer estimates were wrong about how much. The new report says the March loss was almost two percent for every ten-year period between nineteen fifty-three and two thousand six. That is three times more than the loss suggested by the computer programs.

Study organizers say their findings confirm that the Arctic's ice cover is melting…and that this is happening faster than had been thought. They also say the study shows that summer sea ice in the Arctic may disappear much earlier than scientists had expected.

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VOICE TWO:

Animal experts say one of the world's most beautiful and rare kinds of big cat is close to disappearing from the wild. A study earlier this year found that only about thirty Amur leopards still live free. The cats are also called Far Eastern leopards.

Recently, their numbers decreased by one. An unidentified person shot a female Amur, then beat her to death. The animal's body was discovered last month in the Barsovy National Wildlife Refuge in eastern Russia.

An official of the World Wildlife Fund, Darron Collins, said this was the third such killing in the area in the past five years. Mister Collins said the death of even one adult female is a huge loss for the endangered cat. He noted that the killing reduces the possibility for cubs, or young.

VOICE ONE:

It is not clear how many Amur leopards still live free. One population count was performed in February and March. Wildlife expert Dmitry Pikunov supervised this study. It found evidence of seven to nine males. The study identified three to seven females without cubs. Four leopards were identified as females with cubs. In all, five or six cubs were recorded. Six to eight animals could not be identified.

Researchers counted the Amur leopards by following the marks of their feet in the snow. The study involved thirty-five workers from three organizations, including the World Wildlife Fund. The Wildlife Conservation Society and the Pacific Institute of Geography of the Russian Academy of Science also took part.

Counts performed seven years ago and three years ago showed higher leopard totals. Officials say about one hundred of the animals are needed for survival.

VOICE TWO:

Most of the land where the Amur leopard once lived was in China. New roads and climate change there threatened the animals. So did hunters who kill big cats for their body parts.

The surviving cats live in southwest Primorye. That area is near the border between Russia, China and North Korea.

The director of the Wildlife Conservation Society's Russia program organized an earlier count of Amurs. Dale Miquelle says the leopards should be counted in more modern ways. This would include use of radio, camera traps, and genetic testing.

Mister Pikunov says adult Amurs need about five hundred square kilometers with good forests to survive. He said they also need a large and continuing supply of animals like deer for food. He believes the answer to saving the Amur leopard is for governments to provide protected spaces for wildlife.

About three hundred Amur leopards live in zoos around the world.

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

Have you ever suffered a broken bone? The medical term for a broken bone is a fracture. But there are different kinds of fractures. A single fracture is when a bone is broken in just one place. You may have heard the term hairline fracture. This is a single fracture that is very small, like the width of a hair. A complete fracture is when the bone comes apart.

When a bone is broken in more than two places or gets crushed, the name for it is a comminuted fracture.

Still another kind is a bowing fracture. This happens with a bone that bends but does not break. It happens mostly in children.

Have you ever heard of a greenstick fracture? This is when a bone is bent and breaks along only one side, like a young stick of wood.

Another kind of break is an open or compound fracture. This is when the bone breaks the skin. This is very serious. There is both bone damage and a risk of infection in the open wound.

VOICE TWO:

A lot of things happen as the body reacts to an injury like a broken bone. You might suddenly feel lightheaded. You might also feel sick to your stomach.

People who are seriously injured can go into shock. They might feel cold and unable to think clearly. Shock requires immediate medical attention.

But while broken bones can be painful, they are generally not life-threatening. Treatment depends on the kind of fracture. A doctor takes X-rays to see the break and sets a broken bone to make sure it is in the correct position.

Severe breaks may require an operation to hold the bone together with metal plates and screws.

VOICE ONE:

Next, a person usually gets a cast put around the area of the break. Casts are usually worn for one to two months. The hard bandage holds the bone in place while it heals.

In some cases, instead of a cast, a splint made of plastic or metal will be placed over the area to restrict movement.

Doctors say broken bones should be treated quickly because they can restrict blood flow or cause nerve damage. Also, the break will start to repair itself, so you want to make sure the bone is lined up correctly.

Bones need calcium and vitamin D to grow and reach their full strength. Keeping your bones strong with exercise may also help prevent fractures.

Wearing safety protection like elbow pads and leg guards during activities is a good idea. If you think these might be restrictive, try a cast.

(MUSIC)

VOICE TWO:

This SCIENCE IN THE NEWS was written by Nancy Steinbach, Caty Weaver and Jerilyn Watson. Brianna Blake was our producer. I'm Steve Ember.

VOICE ONE:

And I'm Barbara Klein. You can read and listen to this program on our Web site, voaspecialenglish.com. Join us again next week at this time for more news about science in Special English on the Voice of America.

VOASE0528_Agriculture Report

28 May 2007

United States Urges Chinese To Accept New Rules for Food Safety
American and Chinese officials deal with food safety issue at trade talks.

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This is the VOA Special English Agriculture Report.

The United States has urged China to accept new safety rules for its food and drug exports. American officials said the rules would include a new list of Chinese exporters.

Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns and Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt made the statements. They spoke the day after high-level trade talks between the two nations.

Chinese Vice Premier Wu Yi, left, with Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson at US-China Strategic Economic Dialogue in Washington, 22 May 2007

The Americans met last week in Washington with a Chinese delegation led by Chinese Vice Premier Wu Yi.

The United States Food and Drug Administration said inspectors rejected more than one hundred shipments of food imports from China during April alone. The inspectors rejected them for being unclean or containing harmful substances.

China has a lot to lose if people fear its food and drugs. The nation earns an estimated thirty billion dollars yearly in food and drug exports. Companies in the United States would also suffer. For example, American companies depend on China for large amounts of apple juice.
Last week, United States health inspectors began examining toothpaste from China. The government acted after tubes of the teeth-cleaning substance were sent to Panama and the Dominican Republic. The toothpaste was found to contain diethylene glycol, a deadly chemical. But no deaths linked to the toothpaste have been reported.

In recent months, wheat flour produced in China for use in pet food sickened or killed many dogs and cats in the United States and Canada.

Critics of Chinese imports suspect that Chinese companies placed the industrial chemical melamine in the wheat flour to increase the amount of protein.

Worries increased when chicken, fish and pork in the United States were also found to contain melamine. The animals got the melamine in their feed. The chemical is used to make plastics and fertilizers. It is not meant for human food.

There also have been incidents of bad effects from foods made and used inside China. For example, a number of babies died because of falsely marked baby milk. Earlier this month, China announced new measures to make food companies improve conditions.

And that's the VOA Special English Agriculture Report, written by Jeri Watson. You can read scripts and download audio from our Web site, voaspecialenglish.com. I'm Steve Ember.