VOASE0603_This Is America

03 June 2007

Philip Roth: Writing Award-Winning Books for Almost 50 Years
His bold stories explore how individuals face the tensions of family, politics, sex and race.

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VOICE ONE:

Welcome to This is America in VOA Special English. I'm Steve Ember.

VOICE TWO:

And I'm Barbara Klein. This week we tell about Philip Roth. It would be hard to pick an American writer with more published works, critical praise and honors than Philip Roth. He has written more than twenty books and has received almost that many major literary awards.

Both in the United States and internationally, Roth is respected as one of the most important writers of modern times. His intelligent stories have become an important part of literary culture. They explore how individuals face the tensions of family, politics, sex and race.

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VOICE ONE:

Philip Roth pictured in his 1969 book "Portnoy's Complaint" Photo: Anne Mudge

Philip Roth was born in nineteen thirty-three in Newark, New Jersey. He later went to Bucknell University in Pennsylvania to earn his college degree. At the University of Chicago in Illinois, he earned a master's degree and also taught English. His interest in serious fiction began during college when he read the works of several important American writers. He says the books by writers like Thomas Wolfe, John Steinbeck and Ernest Hemingway were his teachers.

VOICE TWO:

Roth’s first book, "Goodbye, Columbus," was published in nineteen fifty-nine. It was a collection of six short stories. One of the stories, "Defender of the Faith," was also published that year in The New Yorker magazine. It is about a young Jewish soldier training at an American army base at the end of World War Two. He lies to his Jewish army officer in order to get special treatment.

The story caused a great dispute. Jewish religious leaders criticized it. They were angry that Roth wrote about a Jewish teenager who is aggressive and imperfect. These people thought Roth violated his religion and invited discrimination against Jewish people. But literary critics praised this new book. "Goodbye Columbus" received the National Book Award in nineteen sixty.

VOICE ONE:

Philip Roth wrote two more books before publishing "Portnoy's Complaint" in nineteen sixty-nine. This darkly funny book became a bestseller and made its writer very famous. It tells about a middle-class Jewish family in New York City through the eyes of Alexander Portnoy. Alexander wants to be a good Jewish son, but he also feels trapped by the requirements of family life. To make himself feel better, he carries out unusual sexual acts.

“Portnoy’s Complaint” received praise as well as intense criticism. It made some people angry. Jewish religious leaders said this book invited discrimination against Jewish people. One literary critic also denounced Roth himself.

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VOICE TWO:

Philip Roth did not welcome this new level of attention. He soon moved from New York City to the countryside. He wrote more books. Several of them are about the character Nathan Zuckerman who is a writer. These include "My Life as a Man" and "The Anatomy Lesson." He also wrote several books whose main character is a man named Philip Roth. These include "Deception" and "Operation Shylock."

Roth explores the differences between imagined stories and real life. Many details about these characters are similar to the real Philip Roth's own life. Critics and readers often like to ask Roth what is true and what is fiction. But Philip Roth's work is much more than a description of himself. He has said that his books are not about whether or not he has lived the experiences described. They are literary objects that require him to see his subjects as clearly as possible, then use his skills of invention.

VOICE ONE:

In nineteen-ninety eight Philip Roth won the Pulitzer Prize for his book “American Pastoral.” Time magazine has listed this book as one of the best one hundred novels in the English language. The story is about a man named Seymour Levov who has what seems to be the perfect American life. He has a nice home, a good job and a loving family.

But his life starts to collapse after his daughter Merry performs an act of terrorism to protest the Vietnam War in the nineteen sixties. Roth expertly describes one family’s difficult situation during a tense time in American history.

VOICE TWO:

In two thousand four Philip Roth published another important book, “The Plot Against America." This book is told from the point of view of a young Jewish boy living with his family in Newark, New Jersey during the nineteen forties. Mister Roth re-imagines the events that led to World War Two.

He writes a different history in which Charles Lindbergh wins the nineteen forty presidential election instead of Franklin Roosevelt. Lindbergh had become a real-life hero after flying across the Atlantic Ocean in nineteen twenty-seven.

In the book, Charles Lindbergh is a great supporter of the Nazi leader Adolf Hitler. This imagined president decides to keep the United States out of World War Two.

He also establishes a plan to move Jewish families into the middle of the country to break up the close culture of Jewish communities. These events did not take place.

But Roth’s descriptions are so realistic that you have to remind yourself his story is an imagined version of American history. And you realize how easy it could have been for the United States to carry out destructive policies under a strong leader with bad ideas.

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VOICE ONE:

Philip Roth's latest book is called "Everyman." It tells about the life and death of an older man from New Jersey. You never learn the name of this main character. The book starts at a funeral and ends on a hospital operating table. The powerful story explores memories from the man's childhood. It gives details about his three marriages and his children. The language of the book is clear and direct. The man often questions death and the thought of no longer existing. He faces the fear of leaving behind life and the people he loves.

VOICE TWO:

Near the end of the book, the main character visits the Jewish cemetery where his parents are buried. He meets an older man who is digging a grave for a funeral. The worker explains how he digs a grave. He says that digging is peaceful work that gives him time to think.

The main character learns that this man had dug the graves of his parents. And he realizes that the man will soon dig his grave also.

"Everyman" might seem like a sad and depressing book. But Roth's skill as a storyteller and his way with language make it pleasurable to read. Roth faces the subject of death honestly and bravely.

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VOICE ONE:

The judges and honored writers on stage at the 2007 PEN/Faulkner awards

Philip Roth recently won the PEN/Faulkner award for "Everyman." It is the largest literary prize judged by writers in the United States. Roth is the only writer to have received this literary prize three times. Last month, Roth attended the PEN/Faulkner ceremony in Washington, D.C. to accept the award. He and the other writers nominated for the award read from their books.

Philip Roth spoke to a group of reporters after the event. He talked about the books he has recently read and enjoyed. This spring he started rereading the books of the Russian writer Ivan Turgenev. He said this writer’s books “First Love” and “Spring Torrents” are wonderful. And they are also short books like “Everyman.”

Roth also talked about how he works. Listen as he describes the demands and rewards of being a writer:

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Philip Roth speaking at the PEN/Faulkner awards

It’s a job. It definitely has not become easier nor has it become harder. It’s work, it’s hard work. And I do it regularly, every day, usually six days, sometimes seven.

I work long days, I work eight, nine, ten hours. And it’s just as taxing as it always was, just as frustrating, just at difficult as it always was.

And at a certain stage in the writing of the book it ceases to be taxing and difficult and you get into a rhythm, and you get it. And then, there is no pleasure like it. Then it’s bliss.

VOICE TWO:

Philip Roth also said he believes that the number of people reading books is decreasing. He says people have a limited amount of free time. They have many television and computer screens to look at instead of reading books. He says that the age of the book is coming to an end and there is nothing to be done about it.

But other people who love books hope Roth’s prediction is wrong. They believe the best way to make sure it does not come true is for people to pick up a book and start reading more. And, if you want to read a good story that will make you think, you can read a book by Philip Roth. His next book, "Exit Ghost", comes out in October.

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VOICE ONE:

Our program was written and produced by Dana Demange. I'm Steve Ember.

VOICE TWO:

And I'm Barbara Klein. You can see pictures of Philip Roth at our Web site, voaspecialenglish.com. You can also find transcripts and audio archives of our programs. Join us again next week for THIS IS AMERICA in VOA Special English.

VOASE0603_Development Report

03 June 2007

Newsmaker: Robert Zoellick, Nominee to Lead World Bank
There are many calls for reform in the bank's operations and lending policies. But rebuilding relations and respect after the resignation of Paul Wolfowitz could be the new president's first job.

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President Bush looks on as Robert Zoellick speaks at the White House

This is the VOA Special English Development Report.

Robert Zoellick is President Bush's choice to head the World Bank. He is fifty-three years old and currently a vice chairman at Goldman Sachs, the New York investment bank. He has held a number of government positions over the years.

From two thousand one to two thousand five he served as the United States trade representative. He helped launch the Doha Round of world trade talks which were suspended last July. He also worked on free trade agreements with Singapore, Chile, Australia and Morocco.

In two thousand five, President Bush asked Mister Zoellick to become deputy secretary of state. There, he helped negotiate a peace agreement between the government of Sudan and rebels in Darfur. That agreement later collapsed. He resigned in June of last year to join Goldman Sachs.

But last week, President Bush nominated Bob Zoellick to a five-year term as the eleventh president of the World Bank. The board of governors at the bank is expected to confirm the choice to replace Paul Wolfowitz.

Mister Wolfowitz resigned last month; his last day is June thirtieth. An investigation found that he violated bank rules in two thousand five when he negotiated a pay increase for his girlfriend, a bank employee. He denied any wrongdoing and said bank officials shared responsibility for the dispute. He joined the bank as president in two thousand five after serving as deputy secretary of defense.

European nations led efforts to remove Paul Wolfowitz, accusing him of corruption over the pay issue. But they generally did not support a change in the appointment process. Traditionally, the United States has appointed the World Bank chief while Europe has chosen leaders for the International Monetary Fund. The two lenders were created in the nineteen forties.

Some countries, however, have criticized the sixty-year-old tradition. They say it makes the development lenders into tools of rich nations. Brazil, South Africa and Australia urged the United States to appoint a new bank president using an open process not limited by nationality.

The World Bank is owned by its one hundred eighty-four member nations. Many development experts and others are calling for reforms in its operations and its lending policies for poor countries. But rebuilding relations and respect could be Robert Zoellick's first job.

And that's the VOA Special English Development Report, written by Jill Moss. I'm Shep O'Neal.

US Authorities Foil Terror Plot at JFK Airport

By Jeff Custer Washington 02 June 2007

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U.S. officials in New York say they have foiled a plot to explode jet fuel tanks and a pipeline at the city's John F. Kennedy International Airport. One official called it "one of the most chilling plots imaginable". VOA's Jeff Custer reports from Washington.

This courtroom sketch shows Russell Defreitas, second left, at his arraignment at federal court in New York in connection with a plan to set off explosives in a fuel line that feeds John F. Kennedy International Airport

State and federal authorities in New York say they have arrested three people Saturday and are seeking a fourth in connection with the plan to use explosives to attack airport fuel tanks and pipelines that service JFK airport.

U.S. Attorney Rosalynn Mauskopf told reporters the pipelines are fed by a major fuel facility in near-by New Jersey which also has links to other area airports. "The devastation that would be caused had this plot succeeded is just unthinkable," she said.

Federal authorities say they filed charges against the group after an investigation that began in January of 2006.

The officials say they arrested former airport employee Russell Defreitas in New York. Defreitas is a U.S. citizen and Guyana native.

Two suspects were arrested in Trinidad. One of them, Abdul Kadir is said to be a former member of parliament and former local mayor in Guyana. The officials say the fourth individual is still at large and is believed to be in Trinidad

U.S. Attorney Mauskopf says the case provides a picture into how these types of plots develop, explaining "..how these plots have international connections - how this particular one spread from the United States, Brooklyn New York - through Queens, JFK Airport, abroad, into Guyana and Trinidad."

The officials say the plot never got past the planning stage, and did not pose an imminent threat to air passengers.

Lebanese Army Intensifies Campaign Against Militants

By Margaret Besheer Nahr El-Bared, Lebanon 02 June 2007

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For a second day, the Lebanese Army intensified its shelling of Islamist militants holed-up in a Palestinian refugee camp in northern Lebanon. The army is trying to bring the two week-long standoff to an end. Officials say at least three soldiers and an unknown number of militants were killed in Saturday's fighting. From the camp's outskirts, VOA's Margaret Besheer has more.

An explosion strikes a building in Nahr el-Bared refugee camp near Tripoli, Lebanon, 2 June 2007

After a lull in fighting Friday evening, the army renewed its offensive on Saturday with artillery and machine gun fire, sending plumes of smoke over the camp.

A helicopter belonging to the country's small air force also fired missiles and machine guns at targets on the western side of Nahr el-Bared along the Mediterranean coast.

While Palestinian negotiators try to find a peaceful solution, the Lebanese government has demanded that the Islamic militants surrender and face justice. Fatah al-Islam's leader says they will fight to the death.

The Lebanese government says Fatah al-Islam triggered the fighting when it attacked army positions around the camp and in Lebanon's second largest city, Tripoli, two weeks ago.

Nahr el-Bared camp, established in 1948, is a labyrinth of buildings along narrow streets. Until May 20, it was home to more than 40,000 Palestinians. Aid agencies say about 10,000 remain in worsening conditions.

VOA spoke via telephone with a resident who is still inside Nahr el-Bared. Milad Salami is a nurse at one of only two clinics still open. He says conditions are deteriorating and that dead animals and garbage are rotting in the streets.

He says they received food and water two days ago before the heavy bombardments began. There has been no electricity since fighting began two weeks ago, and there is no tap water, because the water tanks on the buildings were destroyed in the shelling.

Salami confirms reports from other refugees that several buildings housing civilians have collapsed from the shelling.

He says they were able to rescue some people, but could not reach everyone because of the bombardments.

Under a 1969 Accord, the Lebanese Army is restricted from entering Palestinian refugee camps. Much of the fighting has been going on at the camp's edges. The army has accused the militants of taking up positions in mosques and mingling among the civilian population, using them as human shields. The army has warned the Palestinian residents not to harbor the terrorists.

Salami says he is located in the center of the camp, and that no one there is sheltering militants. He says residents on the edges of the camp are certainly harboring them.

Salami and his family remain in their home, along with two other families they have taken in. He tells VOA he does not want to go to Nahr el-Bared's few shelters, because they are over-crowded.

With incoming fire heard in the background, Salami said his home has been hit seven times and he does not know how much longer it will stand.

Bush Prepares for G-8 Summit

By Scott Stearns White House 02 June 2007

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President Bush visits Germany in the coming week for the annual meeting of the world's leading industrialized nations, known as the G-8 summit. VOA White House Correspondent Scott Stearns reports on the president's agenda for the meeting.

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

President Bush says leaders of the G-8 nations will discuss ways they can advance trade, fight disease, promote development, increase access to education, and address the long-term challenge of global climate change. In his weekly radio address, the president said it is in America's interests to help these efforts succeed.

"When we help lift societies out of poverty, we create new markets for American goods and new jobs for American workers. When we help reduce chaos and suffering, we make America safer, because prosperous nations are less likely to breed violence and export terror."

In the days leading up to the G-8 summit, Mr. Bush appeared to address some European concerns about his commitment to climate change. He vowed to set voluntary goals for reducing U.S. greenhouse gases by the end of next year. He says America is investing billions of dollars in clean energy technologies and will share that information with developing nations.

In the Democratic radio address, Massachusetts Congressman Ed Markey dismissed the president's new plan for climate change as shifting from denial to delay. Markey says the president has failed to set any meaningful limits on the pollution believed responsible for global warming, lagging behind European allies such as Germany, which is meeting new energy demands with solar cells.

"The agenda for the G-8 summit is clear and urgent," he said. "The world needs to set binding limits on the emissions of heat-trapping pollution that causes climate change. The world's most renowned scientists now agree that our rapidly warming climate is man-made not natural."

G-8 leaders will meet with a number of African heads of state at their summit to discuss support for good governance and anti-corruption measures.

President Bush this past week called on Congress to spend $30 billion over the next five years to help fight AIDS in Africa. He also launched a program to help African nations get the technical assistance they need to strengthen their financial markets.

"And it will encourage the international financial community to create several new private equity funds that will mobilize up to $1 billion of new private investment in Africa," he added. "By taking these steps, we can help African entrepreneurs access capital, so they can grow their businesses and create jobs across the continent."

The president asked Congress to spend $525 million over the next five years to help provide a quality education for up to four million children in poor nations.

Mr. Bush also tightened U.S. economic sanctions against Sudan and called on the U.N. Security Council to stop Khartoum from conducting offensive military flights over the troubled Darfur region, where more than 200,000 people have been killed and more than 2 million displaced since 2003.

"The people of Darfur have suffered long enough. We will not avert our eyes from a crisis that challenges the conscience of the world," he said.

In addition to the G-8 summit in Germany, President Bush will also visit the Czech Republic, Poland, Italy, Albania, and Bulgaria.

Nigerian Militants Announce Suspension of Attacks on Foreign Oil Workers

By Sarah Simpson Lagos 02 June 2007

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One of the main militant groups operating in the Niger Delta says it will suspend hostilities for one month to allow the government of new President Umaru Yar'Adua to create a plan for peace in the oil-rich Niger Delta region. The group has also released six foreign hostages. But as Sarah Simpson reports from Lagos four more foreign oil workers have been kidnapped in the oil-rich region.

One of the main militant groups operating in the Niger Delta , the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, or MEND, on Saturday announced a one-month suspension of attacks on oil installations. The MEND spokesman, who goes by the name Jomo Gbomo, told VOA by email, his only means of communication with reporters, that he hopes the Nigerian government will use the reprieve to consider "positive and realistic measures towards a just peace in the Delta."

He said attacks will resume, after one month, with "greater purpose."

More than 100 foreigners have been kidnapped in the region this year. Some of the abductions are the work of criminal gangs seeking ransom, while others have been carried out by militant groups, like MEND, demanding that local villages get more of the region's oil wealth. The victims are usually released unharmed following payment of a ransom.

Nigerian authorities said Saturday that men dressed in what looked like police uniforms entered a compound used by oil-services company Schlumberger in the oil city of Port Harcourt late Friday. They say the assailants seized four foreign nationals under cover of darkness, without firing a shot.

Rivers State Police Commissioner Felix Ogbaudu pointed out that the dark uniforms of the Nigerian police are easy to copy, especially at night.

Police officials say the nationalities of the abductees could not be immediately confirmed, though they say a British, Dutch and Pakistani national are believed to be among the group.

This was the second hostage-taking incident in a day. Eight Asian oil workers were abducted Friday in Port Harcourt.

Thousands of oil workers have already fled the Delta because of security fears. The rising tide of militancy and criminal gang activity has forced a 25 percent cut in Nigerian oil production.

Separately on Saturday, MEND announced the release of six foreign hostages -- four Italians, one U.S. citizen and a Croatian. The men had been held for just over month.

Nigeria is the largest oil producer in Africa and the third largest supplier to the United States. All of Nigeria's crude is pumped from the troubled Delta.

Newly elected President Umaru Yar'Adua, sworn into office Tuesday, has promised to tackle unrest in the Delta. He called a Niger Delta Summit to open on Monday but already that has been delayed.

President Yar'Adua has also promised to upgrade Nigeria's police force, which has been plagued by charges of corruption and incompetence.

Iraqi PM Says No Talks Yet on Long-Term US Bases

By Barry Newhouse Irbil 02 June 2007

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Iraq's Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki says there have been no talks with U.S. officials about establishing long-term American military bases in Iraq. VOA's Barry Newhouse reports from Irbil, where Mr. Maliki responded to recent comments from the U.S. Defense Secretary about American military plans in the region.

Iraq's Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki (File)

Prime Minister Maliki told reporters that any plans for more permanent U.S. bases in the region will be made by Iraqi voters and the government.

He says one side has no right to talk about this issue on its own. He says there have been no discussions on an agreement for foreign forces to stay in Iraq for some 50 years, and that the issue ultimately will be up to the Iraqi people.

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates told reporters earlier this week that American officials are looking into plans for a long-term military presence in Iraq similar to U.S. bases in South Korea. Mr. Gates said the arrangement would be based on a mutual agreement with the Iraqi government and would limit what U.S. forces could do in the country.

Mr. Maliki spoke to reporters in Irbil, the capital of Iraq's Kurdish autonomous region, where he said he also discussed the status of Kurdish-controlled military forces known as Peshmerga.

Some Sunni Arab lawmakers have charged the troops are an unlawful Kurdish militia. But Kurdistan's President Masoud Barzani said he and the prime minister agreed that the Peshmerga are part of Iraq's military.

Mr. Barzani says the situation with the Peshmerga has been resolved, and they are considered to be regional guards.

The two leaders also rejected recent comments by a Turkish general who threatened to retaliate for attacks by Kurdish separatists in Turkey.

Turkey has accused Iraqi Kurdish officials of allowing the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) to use Iraqi territory for terrorist attacks on Turkish forces. Kurdish officials deny the charge.

Prime Minister Maliki said Iraqi land must not be used as a staging ground for military operations into neighboring countries. He urged Turkish officials to resolve disputes through dialogue, not military action.

VOASE0602_People In America

02 June 2007

Mary Lyon, 1797-1849: A Leader in Women's Education in the Nineteenth Century
She opened the first independent school for the higher education of women.

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ANNOUNCER:

Welcome to People in America in VOA Special English. Every week at this time, we tell the story of someone important in the history of the United States. Today, Steve Ember and Shirley Griffith tell about Mary Lyon. She was a leader in women's education in the nineteenth century.

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VOICE ONE:

During the nineteenth century, women's education was not considered important in the

Mary Lyon

United States. Supporters of advanced education for women faced many problems.

States did require each town to provide a school for children, but teachers often were poorly prepared. Most young women were not able to continue on with their education in private schools.

If they did, they often were not taught much except the French language, how to sew clothing, and music.

Mary Lyon felt that women's education was extremely important. Through her lifelong work for education she became one of the most famous women in nineteenth century America. She believed that women were teachers both in the home and in the classroom.

And, she believed that efforts to better educate young women also served God. If women were better educated, she felt, they could teach in local schools throughout the United States and in foreign countries.

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VOICE TWO:

Mary Lyon was born in Buckland, Massachusetts, in seventeen ninety-seven. Her father died when she was five years old. For Mary, hard work was a way of life. But she later remembered with great pleasure her childhood years in the home where she was born.

This is how she described what she could see from that house on a hill:

"The far-off mountains in all their grandeur, and the deep valleys, and widely extended plains, and more than all, that little village below, containing only a very few white houses, but more than those young eyes had ever seen."

VOICE ONE:

At the age of four, Mary began walking to the nearest school several kilometers away. Later, she began spending three months at a time with friends and relatives so she could attend other area schools. She helped clean and cook to pay for her stay.

When Mary was thirteen, her mother remarried and moved to another town. Mary was left to care for her older brother who worked on the family farm. He paid her a dollar a week. She saved it to pay for her education. Mary's love of learning was so strong that she worked and saved her small amount of pay so she could go to school for another few months.

Mary began her first teaching job at a one-room local school teaching children for the summer. She was seventeen years old. She was paid seventy-five cents a week. She also was given meals and a place to live.

Mary Lyon was not a very successful teacher at first. She did not have much control over her students. She always was ready to laugh with them. Yet she soon won their parents' respect with her skills.

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VOICE TWO:

When Mary Lyon was twenty years old, she began a long period of study and

Mary Lyon

teaching. A new private school opened in the village of Ashfield, Massachusetts. It was called Sanderson Academy.

Mary really wanted to attend. She sold book coverings she had made. And she used everything she had saved from her pay as a teacher. This was enough for her to begin attending Sanderson Academy.

At Sanderson, Mary began to study more difficult subjects. These included science, history and Latin. A friend who went to school with Mary wrote of her "gaining knowledge by handfuls." It is said that Mary memorized a complete book about the Latin language in three days. Mary later wrote it was at Sanderson that she received the base of her education.

VOICE ONE:

After a year at Sanderson Academy, Mary decided that her handwriting was not good enough to be read clearly. She was a twenty-one-year-old woman. But she went to the local public school and sat among the children so she could learn better writing skills.

In eighteen twenty-one, Mary Lyon went to another private school where she was taught by Reverend Joseph Emerson. Mary said he talked to women "as if they had brains." She praised his equal treatment of men and women when it came to educating them.

VOICE TWO:

Three years later, Mary Lyon opened a school for young women in the village of Buckland. She called it the Buckland Female Seminary. Classes were held in a room on the third floor of a house.

Mary's students praised her teaching. She proposed new ways of teaching, including holding discussion groups where students exchange ideas.

Mary said it was while teaching at Buckland that she first thought of founding a private school open to daughters of farmers and skilled workers. She wanted education, not profits, to be the most important thing about the school. At that time, schools of higher learning usually were supported by people interested in profits from their investment.

VOICE ONE:

In eighteen twenty-eight, Mary became sick with typhoid fever. When her health improved, she decided to leave Buckland, the school she had started. She joined a close friend, Zilpah Grant, who had begun another private school, Ipswich Female Seminary.

At Ipswich, Mary taught and was responsible for one hundred thirty students. It was one of the best schools at the time. But it lacked financial support. Mary said the lack of support was because of "good men's fear of greatness in women." Zilpah Grant and Mary Lyon urged that Ipswich be provided buildings so that the school might become permanent. However, their appeal failed.

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VOICE TWO:

Mary resigned from Ipswich. She helped to organize another private school for women, Wheaton Female Seminary in Norton, Massachusetts. It opened in eighteen thirty-five.

She also began to raise money for her dream of a permanent, non-profit school for the higher education of women. This school would own its own property. It would be guided by an independent group of directors. Its finances would be the responsibility of the directors, not of investors seeking profit. The school would not depend on any one person to continue. And, the students would share in cleaning and cooking to keep costs down.

VOICE ONE:

Mary Lyon got a committee of advisers to help her in planning and building the school. She collected the first thousand dollars for the school from women in and around the town of Ipswich. At one point, she even lent the committee some of her own money. She did not earn any money until she became head of the new school.

Mount Holyoke Seminary for Women in South Hadley, Massachusetts

Mary Lyon opened Mount Holyoke Seminary for Women in eighteen thirty-seven. It was in the town of South Hadley, Massachusetts. She had raised more than twelve thousand dollars. It was enough to build a five-story building.

Four teachers and the first class of eighty young women lived and studied in the building when the school opened. By the next year, the number of students had increased to one hundred sixteen. Mary knew the importance of what had been established -- the first independent school for the higher education of women.

VOICE TWO:

The school continued to grow. More students began to attend. The size of the building was increased. And, all of the students were required to study for four years instead of three.

Mary Lyon was head of the school for almost twelve years. She died in eighteen forty-nine. She was fifty-two years old.

She left behind a school of higher education for women. It had no debt. And it had support for the future provided by thousands of dollars in gifts.

In eighteen ninety-three, under a state law, Mount Holyoke Female Seminary became a college. Mount Holyoke College was the first college to offer women the same kind of education as was offered to men.

VOICE ONE:

People who have studied Mary Lyon say she was not fighting a battle of equality between men and women. Yet she knew she wanted more for women.

Her efforts led to the spread of higher education for women in the United States. Historians say she was the strongest influence on the education of American young people during the middle of the nineteenth century. Her influence lasted as the many students from Mary Lyon's schools went out to teach others.

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VOICE TWO:

This Special English program was written by Vivian Bournazian. I'm Shirley Griffith.

VOICE ONE:

And I'm Steve Ember. Join us again next week at this same time for another People in American program on the Voice of America.

Fierce Fighting Continues at Lebanese Refugee Camp

By Margaret Besheer Nahr el-Bared, Lebanon 01 June 2007

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The Lebanese army used artillery to bombard Islamic militants holed up in a Palestinian refugee camp in northern Lebanon Friday, as it intensified pressure on the militants to surrender. At least three Lebanese soldiers and an unknown number of militants were killed in the latest round of fighting, which began after the militants fired on Lebanese troops. From the outskirts of the camp, VOA's Margaret Besheer has more.

Lenanese army advances towards the Nahr el-Bared camp in northern Lebanon, 01 Jun 2007

The Lebanese army began pounding the militants' positions in Nahr el-Bared early Friday.

Security officials say Lebanese artillery targeted two of Fatah al-Islam's main positions and the army destroyed several sniper positions the militants had established on the northern edge of the camp.

The sound of artillery fire rang out like thunder over the refugee camp for hours with little pause. The army and the militants also exchanged machine gun fire throughout the day. Steady plumes of dark smoke rose over the camp that used to be home to more than 40,000 Palestinian refugees.

The International Committee of the Red Cross estimates that nearly 10,000 residents remain in the camp. The Lebanese Army has called on them not to shelter the militants.

Palestinian representative to Lebanon, Abbas Zaki, told al-Jazeera television that military action was limited to the camp's outer areas. He said there would be no storming of the camp's interior.

Dr. Ahmed Kheir, the founder and director of nearby El-Kheir hospital, says his facility is prepared should there be heavy casualties.

"We are prepared," he said. "Because you know, we are the nearest hospital here to the battle. We must be prepared. We are prepared by equipment and doctors and staff."

Lebanese army reinforces its positions around the Nahr el-Bared camp near Tripoli, Lebanon, 01 Jun 2007

Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora said earlier this week that the two-week-old crisis requires a peaceful solution that guarantees the eradication of the militant group.

The government has demanded that Fatah al-Islam surrender and face justice and has already charged 20 captured fighters as terrorists. Fatah al-Islam says it will fight to the death.

At least twice during the day, the Lebanese Army sent tank and troop reinforcements toward the camp.

Journalists have been barred from entering Nahr el-Bared since fighting erupted on May 20. Friday afternoon, soldiers pushed reporters further back from their perches on the camp's outskirts.

Al Qaida, Sunni Militants Clash in Baghdad

By Barry Newhouse Irbil 01 June 2007

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Iraqis in a predominantly Sunni neighborhood of Baghdad say Sunni insurgents and al-Qaida militants have been fighting there for the last two days. Few details have been reported about the clashes, but VOA's Barry Newhouse reports the fighting comes as U.S. commanders say they are pursuing new strategies to isolate al-Qaida-linked groups.

Soldiers from Alpha Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division search a home, looking for a man they suspect is affiliated to al-Qaida in Mosul, 03 May 2007

Residents of Baghdad's Amiriya neighborhood say fighters from outside Baghdad began pouring into the area Wednesday, sparking street battles. There are estimates that as many as 20 people have been killed in the fighting. Residents have told Iraqi media that local Sunni militant groups, angered by al-Qaida attacks on local Sunni leaders, have vowed to expel the group from the area.

The fighting comes as Iraqi government ministries announced that nearly 2,000 Iraqi civilians were killed in May, an increase of some 30 percent since April. Iraqi news media report that at least 44 bodies bearing signs of torture have been found in Baghdad since early Thursday.

As U.S. forces continue to arrive in the capital for the ongoing security operation, U.S. commanders are pursuing alliances with some Sunni tribal leaders to try and marginalize al-Qaida militants. Commanders in al-Anbar province are reporting that in recent months local tribal fighters have joined police and Iraqi army forces, stepping up attacks on al-Qaida groups.

Iraqi political leaders are also pursuing a strategy of creating councils of tribal leaders to bring security outside of the capital. On Friday, the deputy speaker of Iraq's parliament Khaled al-Atiya met with tribal leaders in southern Diwaniya province, a predominantly Shi'ite area.

He says his visit to Diwaniya had two purposes, to meet the people of Diwaniya and to talk about the security problems they face.

Also Friday, the powerful Shi'ite cleric Abdel Aziz al-Hakim of the Supreme Islamic Council of Iraq returned to his home in Najaf after seeking treatment for lung cancer in the United States and Iran. Hakim, who heads of one of the most powerful parties in the parliament, spent nearly two weeks abroad.

Palestinian Abductors Release Video of BBC Reporter

By Jim Teeple Jerusalem 01 June 2007

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Kidnapped BBC Gaza Correspondent Alan Johnston appeared for the first time Friday in a videotape released by his captors. VOA's Jim Teeple has details from our Jerusalem bureau.

Handout image released 01 June 2007 courtesy of IntelCenter is a video still from new hostage video of BBC reporter Alan Johnston

The video appeared on the al-Ekhlaas web site, which is often used by Islamic militants. Looking healthy and clothed in a red sweater against a black backdrop, Johnston spoke for about three minutes. Saying his kidnappers have treated him well, the veteran BBC correspondent read a statement that condemned Israeli, British and U.S. policies in the Middle East.

"Every day there are Palestinians arrested and imprisoned for no reason," he said. People are killed on a daily basis. The economic suffering is terrible, especially here in Gaza where the Israeli, the Israeli (unintelligible) here - absolute despair after nearly 40 years of Israeli occupation which has been supported by the West."

The video appeared to be heavily edited, with some of Johnston's comments sounding clipped, and repeated out of context.

A logo of the group that is reportedly holding him, Jayash al-Islam, or the Army of Islam, also appeared on the video. A speaker from the group whose voice had also been on an audio tape released in early May, repeated the group's demand for the release of radical Muslim cleric Abu Qatada al-Filistini, who is in British custody suspected of having links to al-Qaida.

The speaker, who identifies himself as a member of Jayash al-Islam, says if Britain frees Abu Qatada, it will reciprocate by releasing Johnston.

British authorities say as a matter of policy they will not make any deals for the release of Johnston, or any other British citizens seized by kidnappers.

The release of the tape was condemned by Palestinian government officials who have repeatedly called for Johnston's immediate release. Palestinian security authorities say they know where Johnston is being held in Gaza but have avoided using force to free him out of fear that he will be harmed.

Johnston, the only western correspondent based in Gaza, was abducted on March 12, making him the longest-held western hostage ever seized in Gaza. In the video that was released on Friday, Johnston attempted to speak to his family but the video was cut before he could complete his message.

VOASE0601_In the News

01 June 2007

US Seeks to Increase Pressure on Sudan to End Darfur Violence
Is it genocide? The disagreement over whether the four-year-old conflict meets the definition of a crime that rose out of the ashes of World War Two.

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This is IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English.

What exactly is genocide? The word was invented by Raphael Lemkin, a Jewish lawyer who fled Poland at the start of World War Two and came to the United States. He lost almost every member of his family to the Holocaust carried out by Nazi Germany.

Sudanese women in a refugee camp in Chad in July 2004 protesting the violence in Darfur

In a nineteen forty-four book, Raphael Lemkin wrote that by "genocide" he meant the destruction of a nation or an ethnic group. But not necessarily the immediate destruction. It can also describe a plan of actions taken against groups with the aim, in the end, to destroy the groups themselves.

His efforts led in nineteen forty-eight to a United Nations treaty against the crime of genocide. It took effect in nineteen fifty-one. It defines genocide as actions taken with the goal to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group.

The acts listed include killing or causing serious physical or mental harm. Creating conditions that are designed to cause the destruction of a group is also considered genocide. This includes taking measures to prevent births or forcibly removing the children of one group to another group.

So far, the Web site preventgenocide.org says one hundred thirty-seven countries have accepted the treaty. All countries that approve it are required to prevent and punish acts of genocide.

As the example of Darfur shows, there can be international disagreement about what represents genocide.

Four years ago, ethnic Africans rebelled in Darfur, in western Sudan. They said their needs were not getting attention from the government in Khartoum.

Since then, more than two million people have fled their homes to escape government forces and allied Arab militias. The United Nations estimates that at least two hundred thousand people have been killed, a charge that Sudan disputes.

In two thousand four, the United States Congress declared the violence to be genocide. But the United Nations does not use that term for the conflict.

This week, President Bush ordered more restrictions on Sudan. The new sanctions will bar dealings by Americans with about thirty companies tied to the government. He also called for stronger international pressure on Sudan to end the violence.

Sudan condemned the new sanctions. And China urged restraint. It said there has been recent progress thanks to the joint efforts of all parties. Sudan has agreed to a proposal for a large United Nations presence in Darfur. But critics say the government has been delaying the peacekeeping plan.

Critics accuse China of protecting Sudan from U.N. sanctions. China buys oil from Sudan. It also has other investments there and sells weapons to the government.

China has deplored calls by some activists to boycott the Olympics next summer as a protest over Darfur. Some activists call the Beijing Games the "Genocide Games."

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

6.1大礼包————VOASE07年5月合辑

5月合辑制作完毕，包括2007年5月的全部内容，Words and Their Stories的内容也收录其中。
源的地址（需安装 eMule，复制到地址栏）是：
ed2k://|file|VOASE0705.iso|321224704|995BBAAE708E62F04B404A686CE8EC5A|h=Z5JGOWT3L2LH2CAFPRQEYQPI2QUE5BUM|/

可能下载贴很快就会给VeryCD贴出来，还在老地方
http://lib.verycd.com/2007/02/07/0000138789.html

注意我换了Server 现在多数时间是在 Razorback > BiG BanG 1 > DonkeyServer No2

6.1这天，Dang给了我份最大的礼物就是——blogger又上不去了。。。

我很感动。。。在祖国的关爱下，健康成长。。。

Syria, Hezbollah Condemn UN Vote to Establish Hariri Tribunal

By Challiss McDonough Cairo, Egypt 31 May 2007

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Rafik Hariri

Syria's state-run press has roundly criticized the U.N. Security Council's vote to set up an international tribunal for suspects in the killing of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. Damascus has long said it will refuse to turn over any Syrian suspects to the court. Establishing the tribunal has also been an extremely divisive issue in Lebanon, where the Shi'ite armed group Hezbollah denounced the Security Council move as a violation of Lebanon's sovereignty. VOA's Challiss McDonough has more from our Middle East bureau in Cairo.

Rafik Hariri's son, Saad Hariri, called the UN move a "historic moment" and a victory for justice. But his political rivals in Hezbollah issued a statement calling the new U.N. resolution "a violation of Lebanese sovereignty and aggressive interference in Lebanon's internal affairs."

Syria's state-run newspapers condemned the U.N Security Council decision, calling it an American-Israeli plot for "political vengeance" against Syria.

Damascus has previously said it will refuse to cooperate with the tribunal if it indicts any Syrian officials, and the state news agency, SANA, said Syria's position has not changed. An early report by the investigator probing the killings implicated several senior Syrian officials, and Damascus has said it will not allow its citizens to be tried by foreign courts.

But after the Security Council voted, Damascus made an effort to portray its objections as rooted in concern for Lebanese interests, rather than its own.

Political Analyst Sami Baroudi

Political science professor Sami Baroudi of the Lebanese American University says it is possible that Syria's outright rejection of the tribunal is part of a long-term negotiating tactic.

"I'm not really sure whether the Syrian regime can completely [do] just blanket rejection of any cooperation. I think that would sort of complicate relations with other Arab countries and with the international community, and I don't think they're really ready for a step like that," Baroudi says.

The morning after the vote, the Iranian foreign minister paid a surprise visit to Damascus for talks with President Bashar al-Assad that included Lebanese developments.

In Lebanon, where Rafik Hariri and 22 others were killed by a massive car bomb blast more than two years ago, an international court to try the killers has long been an extremely divisive issue. The prime minister supports it; the president does not. The cabinet and the anti-Syrian majority bloc in parliament support it, but most of the opposition parties oppose it, especially those allied with Syria.

Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berry, an opposition leader with close ties to Damascus, has refused to convene the legislature for months to avoid holding a vote on the court. So the Security Council approved the tribunal under the legally-binding Chapter 7, without the plans being ratified by the Lebanese parliament.

The longtime U.N. spokesman in Lebanon, Timur Goksel, now teaches at the American University of Beirut. He said given the domestic political deadlock, the Security Council had little choice

"It had to be done, there's no doubt about it. We need justice in this country, in Lebanon. The problem is, it's too much personalized here. It's become not an affair of the state, an affair about justice, or a country or anything, but sort of a competition or a contest between the different political groups in the country. This is very unhealthy."

Opposition leaders have mostly been careful to say they do not necessarily object to the idea of the tribunal itself, but to the way it has been set up. Despite months of wrangling, they were unable to agree. Goksel says they still object to the idea of a court being "imposed" on Lebanon from outside.

"This is something Lebanon should have done by itself," Goksel says. "After all, this court is going to apply Lebanese law. But the judges will not be Lebanese, the majority of judges, and some people are not comfortable with that, which is understandable. On the main opposition side, especially on the Hezbollah side, I believe it's not against the court, but they just are afraid that this court might be used against them."

But since it will likely be at least a year before the court starts its work, Goksel is optimistic that there is time to resolve the outstanding issues.

"If a few political leaders can keep their mouths shut and not try to score points out of this for their own ends, I think this will be all right," Goksel says.

France and the United States have both hailed the tribunal as a positive step for Lebanon. And Lebanese government officials who supported the establishment of the tribunal say they hope it will help push the country back toward political consensus.

But some analysts say the way the Security Council vote fell shows that the international community is also divided on the issue. Five countries -- Russia, China, Indonesia, South Africa and Qatar -- abstained from the vote and have voiced concerns about imposing the tribunal on Lebanon in the absence of a political consensus there.

When the international court convenes, which will be somewhere outside Lebanon, it will become the first U.N.-backed tribunal in the Middle East. Similar courts have been held for the former Yugoslavia, Rwanda and Sierra Leone. It is still not clear where the court will be located. The Netherlands, which has hosted other tribunals, says it is not interested.

US General Says He May Need More Time to Assess Iraq Surge

By Al Pessin Pentagon 31 May 2007

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The U.S. ground forces commander in Iraq says he might need more time to assess the impact of the new security plan, beyond the September assessment President Bush and the Congress are expecting. Lieutenant General Ray Odierno made the statement Thursday during a news conference via satellite with reporters at the Pentagon. He also spoke about increased efforts to reach out to insurgent groups and a new threat some of his forces are facing as they move into new areas in and around Baghdad. VOA's Al Pessin reports from the Pentagon.

General Odierno says the troop surge and the new approach to fighting the Iraqi insurgency are making progress, with increases in the number of coalition operations that find weapons caches, bomb factories and insurgent cells. But he also says insurgents attack every day, and he cautions against excessive optimism. The general says he might not be able to make even an initial assessment of the new strategy by September.

Lieutenant General Ray Odierno

"The assessment might be that I need a little more time," he said. "The assessment might be [that] I've seen enough and it's effective, or I've seen enough and it's not going to be effective. Right now, if you ask me, I would tell you I'll probably need a little bit more time to do a true assessment."

The general says the last of the additional combat troops will not be in place until mid-June, and they will need considerable time after that to make any significant impact.

"In a counterinsurgency, we've quickly learned they must be immersed into the local populace," he added. "And it will take new units anywhere from 30 to 60 days to really get a feel for their sectors so they truly can have an impact on security and stability in their area."

General Odierno says he is sending more troops to Diyala Province, just north and east of Baghdad, to fight insurgents who are fleeing to that area from the capital. He says it will continue to be a tough fight in Iraq for some time.

He also reports that some units are facing a new threat, what he calls "deep-buried IEDs," large improvised explosive devices that insurgents have buried around their strongholds.

"In terms of the IEDs, the problem is they're getting bigger and bigger, and it has a lot to do [with] because we were not in these areas, so it gave them time to make bigger IEDs and bury them," he noted. "As we get more presence in these areas it will be more difficult for them to do that."

Iraqi soldiers search a car in Baghdad, 30 May 2007

The general says those powerful bombs have increased the U.S. death toll, which rose to at least 115 in May, one of the highest U.S. monthly death tolls of the war.

General Odierno says insurgents are also targeting Iraqi security forces because they have become a bigger threat to the insurgents. He says he supports proposals to increase the size of the new Iraqi army so it is large enough to secure the country after coalition combat forces eventually withdraw.

At the same time, General Odierno says he has ordered his commanders to put more effort into contacting insurgent groups and trying to get them to stop their attacks.

"We have refocused our commanders at all levels," he explained. "I'm empowering them and trying to give them some tools to reach out because there are insurgents reaching out to us, which is the most important thing, so we want to reach back to them."

General Odierno says he believes most of the Shi'ite and Sunni insurgents in Iraq can be convinced to reconcile with the government, but not most of the insurgents affiliated with al-Qaida.

"I believe about 80 percent are reconcilable, both Jesh al-Mahdi and Sunni insurgents," he said. "I believe very few of al-Qaida are reconcilable."

General Odierno says reconciliation is essential for long-term stability in Iraq. And he says the coalition is trying to promote that, in part, through increased efforts on economic development, in addition to the security surge.

US Immigration Debate Creates Unusual Political Alliances

By Jim Malone Washington 31 May 2007

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The intense debate over immigration reform in the United States has revealed some rather unusual political alliances in recent months. VOA National correspondent Jim Malone has more from Washington.

The old saying that politics makes strange bedfellows certainly applies to the immigration debate under way in the U.S. Senate.

Illegal immigrants detained by US Border Patrol

The complicated proposal would grant legal status to the estimated 12 million undocumented workers now in the United States, tighten borders and crack down on employers who hire illegal immigrants.

The plan has the support of President Bush and a diverse bipartisan group of senators that includes Democrat Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts on the left and Republican Jon Kyl of Arizona on the right.

"And from my perspective, it is not perfec," said Kyl. "But it represents the best opportunity that we have in a bipartisan way to do something about this problem."

But Kyl and other conservatives who support the bill are paying a political price for their endorsement. Conservative activists like radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh see the proposal as a form of amnesty for millions who entered the country illegally.

"If you are in our country, you cannot be a burden to taxpayers," said Limbaugh. "You are not entitled to welfare or food stamps or other government goodies. And another thing, you do not have the right to protest."

"You are allowed no demonstrations, no foreign flag-waving, no political organizing, no bad-mouthing our president or his policies. You are a foreigner. Shut your mouth or get out. And if you come here illegally, you are going to jail," he continued.

Conservative opponents have found some uneasy allies on the political left.

Civil rights groups and labor unions object to a provision in the bill that would establish a temporary guest worker program that would allow immigrants to work in the United States for a limited time and then return to their home countries.

"As long as this two-tiered system exists, all workers will suffer, because employers will have available a ready pool of labor that they can exploit to drive down wages, benefits, health and safety protections and other workplace standards," said Linda Chavez Thompson, who is with the AFL-CIO, the largest federation of trade unions in the United States.

Immigration has also become a major issue in the early stages of the 2008 presidential campaign.

One Republican candidate, Colorado Congressman Tom Tancredo, has made stopping illegal immigration the centerpiece of his presidential campaign.

"Millions of listeners have helped us stop amnesty and make almost every candidate running for public office at least pretend to oppose illegal immigration. So join me, because securing our borders is the first step in securing our future," he said.

George W. Bush, 24 May 2007

Despite the opposition from the right and left, President Bush continues to insist that the compromise immigration reform proposal before the Senate is the best opportunity to address both border security and legalization of those already in the country.

"But if you are serious about securing our borders and bringing millions of illegal immigrants in our country out of the shadows, this bipartisan bill is the best opportunity to move forward," said the presient.

A recent New York Times-CBS News poll indicated that there is broad support for some of the major provisions in the immigration bill.

A large majority in the survey favored allowing illegal immigrants already in the country to gain legal status. There was also strong support for the creation of a new guest worker program.

The poll also showed that 82 percent of those asked supported tighter enforcement of the borders and stiffer penalties for businesses that hire illegal immigrants.

Republican political strategist Ed Goeas says passage of immigration reform will depend on political centrists from both parties being able to withstand opposition from both the right and left.

"We both have our wings that are anti-immigration," said Goeas. "But that is a real opportunity for the president to come forward and say, here is what I have been trying to do on immigration, now is our opportunity to bring in both the middle [centrist] majority from the Democratic side and the middle majority from the Republican side and solve this problem."

The Senate has already made changes to the original immigration proposal and more challenges are expected before final approval. The Senate version would then have to be reconciled with a version yet to be passed by the House of Representatives, then signed into law by the president.

Bush Unveils Climate Change Proposal

By Paula Wolfson White House 31 May 2007

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President Bush will go to next week's Group of Eight Summit in Germany armed with a new proposal to combat global climate change. VOA's Paula Wolfson has details from the White House.

President Bush outlines his proposal during a speech in Washington, 31 May 2007

President Bush wants 15 major polluting countries to set a global goal by 2008 for reducing so-called greenhouse gases - emissions that warm the air and contribute to climate change.

"To help develop this goal, the United States would convene a series of meetings of nations that produce most greenhouse gas emissions, including nations with rapidly growing economies like India and China," he said.

Mr. Bush says countries will then set their own mid-term targets. He says each nation will come up with an individual plan of action based on its own unique mix of resources and energy needs.

In a speech to a coalition of groups concerned with international development, the president said the U.S. wants to work with others. He emphasized America's willingness to share its technological know how.

"The way to meet the challenge of energy and global climate change is through technology. And the United States is in the lead. The world is on the verge of great breakthroughs that will help us become better stewards of the environment," he said.

President Bush talked about improvements in clean coal technology, and the development of plant-based fuels such as ethanol. He said the United States hopes to reach agreements with many countries this year to drop tariffs on clean energy technologies and services

"If you are truly committed to helping the environment, nations need to get rid of their tariffs; they need to get rid of those barriers that prevent new technologies from coming into their countries," he said.

Climate change is sure to be one of the dominant issues when the leaders of the eight largest industrialized nations meet next week for their annual summit. Host Germany has already proposed its own formula for international targets, which has been rejected by the Bush administration.

White House officials deny this latest announcement by the president is designed to blunt criticism of the United States at the G8. The U.S. refused to sign the last major international agreement on greenhouse gases - the Kyoto Protocol - which runs out in 2012.

Britain's Blair Says World Waiting, Wanting, Zimbabwe Reform

By Delia Robertson Johannesburg 31 May 2007

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British Prime Minister Tony Blair has urged African governments to hold Zimbabwe to account and to do so urgently. VOA's Delia Robertson reports from Johannesburg that Mr Blair was speaking in Johannesburg on the final leg of his official farewell tour of the African continent.

Tony Blair, right, waves during a visit to local local community radio station in Soweto, South Africa, 31 May 2007

Mr. Blair said that decades of repression in Zimbabwe have forced as many as one-third of Zimbabweans to leave their country for opportunities elsewhere. While he expressed support for the effort of South African President Thabo Mbeki regarding Zimbabwe, he reminded his host that time is fast running out.

"Now I welcome the determination of the countries of southern Africa to tackle Zimbabwe's problems through the SADC [Southern African Development Community] and President Mbeki's leadership to bring the two countries leadership together. The world is waiting, wanting to engage with a reforming Zimbabwe government," he said. "We support therefore SADC's efforts to develop a clear plan but for the people of Zimbabwe this is urgent and change before the 2008 elections essential."

Mr. Blair had strong words for Sudanese President Omar el-Bashir over the crisis in Darfur, where some 200,000 people have been killed and millions are now dependent on food aid.

"I believe it is wrong that President Bashir, intent, I'm afraid, on bombing his way to a solution, is determined to obstruct any effort made to reinforce the Africa Union's inability to improve security and stability," he added.

Under Mr. Blair's leadership, the British government has expanded its programs in Africa, and the British leader has excellent relations with many African leaders. He urged other western governments to do more for Africa, saying that the time has past for international politics to be defined by narrow, traditional national interests.

"I believe that now, today, our self interest is in substantial part defined by the well being of others," he said. "The consequence of globalization is that our best chance of security and prosperity lies in advancing freedom, opportunity and justice for all."

"It follows that where oppression, poverty and injustice exist, it is not only our duty but also in our self interest to do what we can to bring about change for the better," continued Mr. Blair. "And I believe that nowhere is that clearer than here in Africa."

But Mr. Blair said African countries must respond equally, and meet their own commitments to strengthen their democracies, deliver essential services to their people, and work harder to eradicate corruption.

After his speech, Mr. Blair met with South African elder statesman Nelson Mandela, who welcomed the British leader warmly and described him a true friend of Africa. On Friday, Mr. Blair will meet with President Mbeki, before leaving the continent.

Egyptian Court Rejects Appeal for Nour's Release

By Cache Seel Cairo 31 May 2007

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An Egyptian court has refused opposition leader Ayman Nour's request for early release from prison. Nour, who ran against President Mubarak in Egypt's only contested presidential election, made the appeal for health reasons. Reporter Cache Seel has details from Cairo.

Ayman Nour (r) with Mohammed Mahdi Akef, leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, Cairo, 14 Aug 2005

In a closed session, Judge Adel Gomaa rejected jailed opposition leader Ayman Nour's bid to have the remainder of his sentence commuted. Nour is serving a five-year sentence after being convicted of forging petitions required to form a political party. He denies the charges and says the case is politically motivated.

Nour, who has been in prison since December 2005, is an insulin-dependent diabetic and he made the appeal for health reasons. His wife, Gamila Ismail, claims that harsh treatment in prison, including alleged beatings, along with his untreated diabetes, have eroded her husband's health to the point where his life is in jeopardy.

Gamila Ismail, wife of prominent jailed dissident Ayman Nour, displays a picture of his injuries from bad treatment inside his prison, 31 May 2007

"He was punished by sentencing him to five years in jail, but he was not punished to be put in death," she said. "This is why we are constantly asking for health release or release on health basis."

Before the verdict, she described herself as cautiously optimistic.

"Well, I had a wheelchair in my car today," she said. "I planned to take him back in a wheelchair and put him in a hospital and get him properly treated."

Nour's lawyer says he will appeal the decision as well as file complaints with the ministry of justice over Judge Gomaa's handling of the case. The lawyer, Amir Salem, says he was not only prevented from entering the courtroom, but the judge took less than five minutes to review the case.

"What happened today was a real violation for the criminal procedures law because the police forces, by force they prevented us, the defense for Ayman Nour to attend the court session and also they prevented Ayman Nour to attend the session," said Salem.

Salem says he is more optimistic about Nour's chances for a favorable verdict from the Administrative Court, which will review the case on June 12.

Nour, a former independent member of parliament, founded the opposition El-Ghad party in 2004. In Egypt's first multi-candidate presidential election one year later, he finished a distant second to incumbent President Hosni Mubarak. His case has brought harsh criticism from human rights groups as well as western governments, including the United States and other close allies of Egypt.