Rice Meets Arab Ministers in Advance of Riyadh Summit

By David Gollust Aswan, Egypt 25 March 2007

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U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice met foreign ministers of four moderate Arab states in the Egyptian city of Aswan Saturday in advance of the Arab League summit next week in Riyadh. U.S. officials would like to see the Arab states renew their 2002 peace overture to Israel. VOA's David Gollust reports from Aswan.

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrives at the Old Cataract Hotel in Aswan, Egypt, 24 Mar 2007

Senior officials in the Rice party say they do not want to appear to be trying to tell the Arab League what to do.

But they are making clear they would like to see that organization reaffirm the 2002 peace initiative, and preferably supplement it with some sort of new political overture to Israel.

In the peace plan, initiated by Saudi Arabia, the Arab League member countries offered Israel normal relations, if it returned to 1967 borders and reached a two stage settlement with the Palestinian including the return of refugees.

But the 2002 initiative was overshadowed by the violence of the second Palestinian Intifada and later by the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq.

In a talk with reporters, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs David Welch said Secretary Rice told her foreign minister colleagues from Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates that U.S. efforts to restart the Israeli-Palestinian peace process would be enhanced, if there was a parallel Arab-Israeli negotiating track. "The Secretary emphasized in the gathering with the foreign ministers the importance of Arab-Israeli reconciliation as an element in broadening peace, but also in helping to establish a track between the Israelis and Palestinians," he said.

A senior U.S. official who spoke to reporters said Rice was not preaching to her Arab colleagues about what needs to be done, but said none-the-less the United States views some sort of outreach to Israel by the Arab League to be of critical importance.

Rice also met with security and intelligence chiefs from the four countries of the so-called Quartet of moderate Arab states. The official said that conversation focused on, among other things, ways to curb arms smuggling to Hamas and other radical factions in the Palestinian areas, and to assure that aid flowing to those areas does not end up in the hands of extremists.

The senior official said the Arab Quartet members believe the Bush administration has struck the right balance on the new Palestinian unity government by continuing to back an international aid ban against it, but agreeing to continue contacts with non-Hamas members of the cabinet.

Rice continues her Middle East mission, her third thus far this year, with a meeting here Sunday morning with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

She then flies on to Israel where she will meet Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in Jerusalem after talks in the West Bank city of Ramallah with Palestinian Authority chief Mahmoud Abbas.

UN Imposes New Sanctions Against Iran Over Nuclear Program

By Barbara Schoetzau New York 25 March 2007

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The 15-mmeber UN Security Council voted unanimously Saturday to impose new sanctions on Iran over its refusal to end its uranium enrichment program. From VOA's New York Bureau, correspondent Barbara Schoetzau has the details.

Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki speaks (R) as Iranian Ambassador to the United Nations Jared Zarif (L) listens after members of the Security Council voted to put new sanctions on Tehran

The resolution freezes the assets of more than 28 Iranian individuals, companies and institutions, including the state-owned Bank Sepah, commanders of Iran's Revolutionary Guards and companies they control. It also places an embargo on arms exports and calls on members to voluntarily restrict loans and financial assistance to the government of Iran.

The resolution calls on Iran to comply with International Atomic Energy Agency requirements, halt its nuclear enrichment program and return to negotiations over its nuclear program.

Britain, France, and Germany drafted the original resolution. British Ambassador Emyr Jones Parry said the sponsors are pleased that the Council was able to act unanimously after weeks of negotiations to send a clear message to Iran that it must comply with its legal obligations. "This is a legal act by the Security Council requiring Iran to actually implement what we have said. We, therefore, incrementally increased pressure on Iran. It is an appropriate response, but our hope was, and our preference, was to see a negotiated outcome. That is to say that it is open to Iran if she accepts to suspend enrichment and research and development, then we want to get into negotiations, we want to find a better way forward. The choice is Iran's but the offer on the table includes undeniably the development of a civil nuclear capability in Iran," the British ambassador said.

Iran insists its nuclear program is for civilian purposes, not producing nuclear weapons, and refuses to suspend the program as a precondition for negotiations. Speaking though an interpreter, Iran's Foreign Minister, Manoucheyhr Mottaki, told the Council that suspension is not an option or a solution. "Iran does not want confrontation nor does it want anything other than its own inalienable rights. I can assure you that pressure, intimidation will not change Iranian policy. The world must know, and it does, that even the harshest political and economic sanctions - or other threats - are far too weak to coerce the Iranian nation to retreat from their legal and legitimate demands," he said.

The new resolution tightens a measure passed in December that prohibited trade in sensitive nuclear materials and ballistic missiles and also froze the assets of individuals and institutions associated with atomic programs.

UN Secretary-General to Meet Israeli and Palestinian Leaders

By Robert Berger Jerusalem 25 March 2007

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The Secretary-General of the United Nations has arrived in Israel for separate talks with Israeli and Palestinian leaders. As Robert Berger reports from VOA's Jerusalem bureau, the Middle East peace process and the fate of three kidnapped Israeli soldiers are topping the agenda.

Israeli Defense Minister Amir Peretz, left, listens to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, right, upon the latter's arrival at Ben Gurion airport near Tel-Aviv, Israel

U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon hopes to give a boost to the stalled peace process during a visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories. He spoke upon arrival at the airport in Tel Aviv. "The United Nations has had crucial political and operational roles in the Middle East for more than 60 years. We were there at Israel's creation and I would dearly wish to be there again when a comprehensive solution to the conflict is achieved," he said.

Mr. Ban will hold separate meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. But the Secretary-General disappointed both sides from the outset.

His decision not to meet with Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh drew angry reaction from the ruling Islamic militant group Hamas, which described it as "discrimination." Hamas agreed to share power with Mr. Abbas and other moderates in a national unity government that assumed power a week ago. The group said the new government represents the entire Palestinian people and the UN is supposed to be a non-political organization that represents all countries.

Israel, on the other hand, was hoping that Ban would boycott the Palestinian government. Israel refuses to deal with the new regime because Hamas rejects key international demands for lifting crippling sanctions--namely, renunciation of violence and recognition of the Jewish state.

Israel does not see the U.N. as a key mediator in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, a role that has traditionally been played by the United States. But Israeli officials believe the Secretary-General can play an important role in achieving the release of three kidnapped soldiers-one held by Hamas in Gaza and two others held by Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Defense Minister Amir Peretz made that clear when he greeted MR. Ban at the airport. Peretz said Israel is confident that Mr. Ban will do everything he can to implement U.N. Resolution 1701 which calls for the return of the captive soldiers to their homes in Israel.

Cautious Calm Returns to Democratic Republic of Congo

By Naomi Schwarz Dakar 25 March 2007

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Residents of Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, are relieved but bitter, as calm has returned after two days of brutal fighting between government forces and the guard of opposition leader and former vice-president Jean-Pierre Bemba. Dozens are reported dead, and the death toll is expected to rise as more information becomes available. Naomi Schwarz has more on the story from VOA's regional bureau in Dakar.

A man looks into a looted shop window, 24 March 2007, in Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo

Jean-Tobie Okala, the deputy spokesman for the U.N.'s military mission in Congo, known by the French abbreviation MONUC, said he went outside for the first time this morning, after more than 48-hours of fighting. "The situation in the Congolese capital is calm. I went to the downtown. I can say that there are a lot of damages but social and economic activity are resuming," he said.

Okala said MONUC forces spent the past few days protecting and evacuating civilians and attempting to mediate between the government and Bemba.

The government issued a warrant for Bemba's arrest Friday, accusing him of treason and calling the clashes a rebellion. He has taken refuge in the South African Embassy in Kinshasa.

Local journalist Eddie Issango says many of Bemba's guard have fled across the river to neighboring Congo-Brazzaville or have turned themselves and their weapons into the U.N.

MONUC spokesman Okala says the government must once again look for ways to find solutions for the many challenges facing the DRC after decades of brutal war. "They have to secure the country. They have to reform security services. They have to promote social justice, promote women. So there is no time to waste," he said.

But Michel Nourredine Kassa, head of Kinshasa-based Leadership Training Initiative, said there remains a lot of anger over the events of the past few days. "There is a sense of relief, I guess, but beyond this sense of relief what I feel is a sense of extreme bitterness. Bitterness at how futile this chapter of this country's political life has been. Futile fighting when there were a thousand other options to settle this dispute than using violence," he said.

But despite the violence of the past days, all too familiar to Congolese who survived a civil war that left more than four million dead, Kassa says a sense of optimism remains. Mr Kassa added, "They are still hopeful because they know that they have voted and they know that their vote counts. It will never be like before."

Last year, the DRC held democratic elections that were widely hailed as an important step toward peace for the beleaguered nation. President Joseph Kabila won the vote, but the election was marred by violent clashes.

Kassa says looks he forward to a time of peace in the DRC, when the National Assembly will become a place for healthy - and peaceful discussion - by members of the government and a robust opposition.

VOASE0325_People In America

25 March 2007

Billie Holiday, 1915-1959: The Lady Sang the Blues
She was one of the greatest jazz singers in America.

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VOICE ONE:

I'm Shirley Griffith.

VOICE TWO:

Billie Holiday

And I'm Steve Ember with the VOA Special English program, PEOPLE IN AMERICA. Every week we tell about a person important in the history of the United States. This week, we tell about Billie Holiday. She was one of the greatest jazz singers in America.

(MUSIC: "God Bless the Child")

VOICE ONE:

That was Billie Holiday singing one of her famous songs. She and Arthur Herzog wrote it. Billie Holiday's life was a mixture of success and tragedy. Her singing expressed her experiences and her feelings.

VOICE TWO:

Billie Holiday was born Eleanora Fagan in nineteen fifteen in Baltimore, Maryland. Her parents were Sadie Fagan and Clarence Holiday. They were young when their daughter was born. Their marriage failed because Clarence Holiday was not at home much. He traveled as a musician with some of the earliest jazz bands.

Sadie Fagan cleaned people's houses. But she could not support her family on the money she earned. So she moved to New York City where the pay was higher. She left her daughter in Baltimore with members of her family.

VOICE ONE:

The young girl Eleanora Fagan changed her name to Billie, because she liked a movie star, Billie Dove. Billie Holiday loved to sing. She sang and listened to music whenever she could. One place near her home had a machine that played records. The building was a brothel where women who were prostitutes had sex with men for money.

Billie cleaned floors and did other jobs for the prostitutes so she could listen to the records. It was there that young Billie first heard the records of famous black American blues artists of the nineteen twenties. She heard Bessie Smith sing the blues. And she heard Louis Armstrong play the horn. Both musicians had a great influence on her.

VOICE TWO:

Billie Holiday once said: "I do not think I'm singing. I feel like I am playing a horn. What comes out is what I feel. I hate straight singing. I have to change a tune to my own way of doing it. That is all I know."

Here is Billie Holiday singing a popular song of the Nineteen thirties, "More Than You Know."

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

Billie Holiday had a tragic childhood. When she was ten, a man sexually attacked her. She was accused of causing the man to attack her and sent to a prison for children.

In nineteen twenty-seven, Billie joined her mother in Harlem, the area of New York City where African-Americans lived. Billie's mother mistakenly sent her to live in a brothel. Billie became a prostitute at the age of thirteen. One day, she refused the sexual demands of a man. She was arrested and spent four months in prison.

VOICE TWO:

Two years later, Billie's mother became sick and could not work. Fifteen-year-old Billie tried to find a job. Finally, she was given a job singing at a place in Harlem where people went at night to drink alcohol and listen to music.

For the next seventeen years, Holiday was one of the most popular nightclub singers in New York. She always wore a long white evening dress. And she wore large white flowers in her black hair. She called herself "Lady Day."

VOICE ONE:

In the early nineteen thirties, a music producer, John Hammond, heard Billie Holiday sing in a nightclub. He called her the best jazz singer he had ever heard. He brought famous people to hear her sing.

Hammond produced Holiday's first records. He got the best jazz musicians to play. They included Benny Goodman on clarinet, Teddy Wilson on piano, Roy Eldridge on trumpet and Ben Webster on saxophone. They recorded many famous songs with Billie Holiday. "I Wished on the Moon" is one of them.

(MUSIC)

VOICE TWO:

In the late nineteen thirties, Billy Holiday sang with Artie Shaw's band as it traveled around the United States. She was one of the first black singers to perform with a white band. But racial separation laws in America made travel difficult for her.

During this time, a new nightclub opened in the area of New York called Greenwich Village. It was the first club that had both black and white performers. And it welcomed both black and white people to hear the performers. The nightclub was called Cafe Society.

It was here that Billy Holiday first sang a song called "Strange Fruit." A school teacher named Lewis Allan had written it for her. The song was about injustice and oppression of black people in the southern part of the United States. It told about how mobs of white men had killed black men by hanging them from trees.

Many people objected to the song. It was unlike any other popular song. But it was a huge hit. Here is Billie Holiday singing "Strange Fruit."

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

In the nineteen forties, Holiday started using the illegal drug heroin. Soon her body needed more and more of the drug. It began to affect her health.

In nineteen forty-seven, Billie Holiday was arrested for possessing illegal drugs. She was found guilty and sentenced to nine months in prison. When she was released, New York City officials refused to give her a document that permitted her to work in any place that served alcoholic drinks. This meant Holiday no longer could sing in nightclubs and jazz clubs. She could sing only in theaters and concert halls.

Ten days after her release from jail, she performed at New York's famous Carnegie Hall. People filled the place to hear her sing. This is one of the songs she sang at that concert. It is called "I Cover the Waterfront."

(MUSIC)

VOICE TWO:

In nineteen fifty-six, Billie Holiday wrote a book about her life. The book was called “Lady Sings the Blues.” A friend at the New York Post newspaper, William Dufty, helped her write the book. A few months later, she was arrested again for possessing illegal drugs. But instead of going to prison, she was permitted to seek treatment to end her dependence on drugs. The treatment was successful.

That same year, she performed her second concert at Carnegie Hall. Here is one of the songs Holiday sang that night. It is called "Lady Sings the Blues." She and Herbie Nichols wrote it.

(MUSIC: "Lady Sings the Blues")

VOICE ONE:

Billy Holiday's health was ruined by using illegal drugs and by drinking too much alcohol. Her last performance was in nineteen fifty-nine. She had to be led off the stage after singing two songs. She died that year. She was only forty-four. But Lady Day lives on through her recordings that continue to influence the best jazz singers.

(THEME)

VOICE TWO:

This Special English program was written by Shelley Gollust. It was produced by Lawan Davis. I'm Steve Ember.

VOICE ONE:

And I'm Shirley Griffith. Listen again next week at this time for another PEOPLE IN AMERICA program on VOA.

House Democrats Challenge President Bush on Iraq War Funding

By Dan Robinson Capitol Hill 23 March 2007

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In a direct challenge to President Bush, the House of Representatives has, on a roughly party line vote of 218 to 212, called for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq no later than the end of August 2008. VOA's Dan Robinson reports from Capitol Hill, the president has condemned the House action, and reiterated a veto threat.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, right, accompanied by Rahm Emanuel, center, and David Obey, walk to the Speaker's office on Capitol Hill in Washington, Mar 23, 2007

Democrats succeeded in passing a measure that ties funding needed to support U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan with requirements to limit the duration of deployments, and force President Bush to certify the readiness of military units.

The beginning of a withdrawal period would be triggered, if the president cannot certify to Congress at two key points this year, that the Iraqi government is satisfactorily reaching political, economic and security benchmarks.

During the debate, the Democratic appropriations chairman, David Obey, asserted that, wording, timelines and benchmarks aside, the primary significance is Congress' determination to exert some control over the president's Iraq policy.

"What is important is that, for the first time, this Congress will be exercising its constitutional responsibilities to provide real oversight on the executive branch of government, and we will be trying to set this country on a new direction," he said.

Congressman John Murtha, a Vietnam War veteran, referred to U.S. troops killed and wounded in Iraq, and money in the bill for military health care, saying Iraqi leaders must be held to commitments to shoulder more of the burden.

"When you see 3,000 [U.S. troops] that have been killed, or 25,000 that have been wounded, it is individuals that have been wounded, individuals that have been killed, and those families are suffering. They [Iraqis] have a civil war. We have to put benchmarks in this bill, so the Iraqis start to do it themselves, and the Americans aren't forced to make up the difference and do it themselves."

Democratic leaders were generally successful in persuading most outspoken anti-war Democrats to support the bill, even though it gives a longer timetable for withdrawal than they wanted.

Only 14 crossed party lines to oppose their leadership, while only two Republicans voted for the bill.

Republican minority leader John Boehner made a final appeal against the measure:

"Who doesn't believe that if we go down this path, we are going to leave chaos and genocide in Iraq, and we are going to tell our enemies all around the world that you can take on the United States, you can push them to the edge, and, at the end of the day, they will just go home?" he asked.

Both sides also turned to war veterans to make their case.

"Internationally announcing our timelines for withdrawal literally hands the enemy our war plan, and gives them hope that they will win, if they just wait it out," said Sam Johnson is a Texas Republican. "What world superpower would do such a thing?"

Pennsylvania Congressman and Iraq war veteran Patrick Murphy delivered emotional remarks for Democrats:

"In the last four years the Republican Congress followed this president, as thousands of brave American soldiers returned home in coffins with our American flag," he said. "Nineteen of those coffins had American soldiers I served with in Iraq, 19 paratroopers."

After the vote, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi spoke to reporters.

"It [Congress] voted 'no' to giving a blank check to an open-ended commitment to war without end to the President of the United States, and 'yes' to begin the end of the war and the redeployment of our troops," she said.

The Senate, which Democrats narrowly control, may begin debate next week on a measure containing about $3 billion less than the House version, with a non-binding call for a U.S. withdrawal by March 2008.

But any legislation containing a timetable or other conditions faces a veto threat from President Bush, who condemned the House action as, in his words, "an act of political theater."

President Bush makes statement on US House of Representatives approval of bill on Iraq troop withdrawal at White House, 23 Mar 2007

"Amid the real challenges in Iraq, we're beginning to see some signs of progress," said Mr. Bush. "Yet, to score political points, the Democratic majority in the House has shown it is willing to undermine the gains our troops are making on the ground."

House Speaker Pelosi declines to say what strategy House Democrats will take in negotiations with the Senate, should a bill pass there, to reconcile differences to avert a veto.

House Republicans assert Democrats will ultimately be forced to accept a clean bill, without troop readiness requirements or withdrawal timetables that the president will accept.

Mozambique Arms Depot Explosion Kills Dozens, Injures More

By Delia Robertson Johannesburg 23 March 2007

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At least 83 people are dead, and about 300 have been injured in a series of explosions at an arms depot on the outskirts of the Mozambique capital, Maputo. VOA's Delia Robertson reports from our southern Africa bureau in Johannesburg.

Maputo resident reacts after blast at arms depot, 23 Mar 2007

The explosions at Mozambique's largest military arms depot near the international airport late Thursday afternoon is thought to have been caused by the high temperatures of around 38 degrees [centigrade] in the capital in recent days.

Mozambique Red Cross director, Fernanda Teixeira, said that one explosion led to another as ammunition of various types was ignited, sending incendiary projectiles into the neighboring suburb of Magoanine.

"But what we know is that the explosion was very big and some of these projectiles went to houses of people, damage the houses and killed people around," explained Teixeira.

Teixeira also said that the explosions occurred at one of the busiest times of the day.

"And this happened in a moment when normally people is going back from the office to the house, some children still in school, so it was a busy time, let's say," said Teixeira.

Thousands of people in the area are leaving their homes following the explosions which were heard up to the distance of 10 kilometers.

Mozambique has experienced a series of disasters recently. At least 140,000 people were displaced last month following flooding in Zambezi province; and unusual spring tides this week caused further damage. Teixeira says such events divert resources and attention from important development work.

"[The] main problem that I see is that the efforts of Mozambicans that should be directed to development work, we are now concentrating on responding to these emergencies and we are not giving the necessary attention to the normal development work that we need to do," said Teixeira.

South Africa has sent a team of experts to assist in assessing the damage caused by the explosions. President Thabo Mbeki said in a statement that South Africa would respond positively to any further requests for assistance from Mozambique.

VOASE0323_In the News

23 March 2007

Fighting in Mogadishu Leads to Appeal for Countries to Keep Their Promise to Help Somalia
A support plane for the African peacekeeping force in Somalia crashes near Mogadishu; officials say it was shot down.

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This is IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English.

A plane carrying eleven people aiding the African Union peacekeeping force in Somalia crashed Friday near the capital, Mogadishu. Officials say it was shot down by a missile shortly after takeoff from the airport.

Smoke from heavy fighting in Mogadishu

The apparent attack followed two days of intense fighting in Mogadishu between resistance fighters and Somali government forces and their Ethiopian allies. The fighting eased on Friday after one group of fighters said it had reached a ceasefire with Ethiopian forces.

Earlier this week, the commander of the African Union peacekeeping force in Somalia urged several African countries to speed up their promised deployment of troops to help secure Mogadishu.

On Wednesday, resistance fighters pulled the bodies of two pro-government soldiers through the streets of Mogadishu and burned them. At least twenty-five people have been killed in the fighting. Hundreds of people have been injured. Hundreds of others have fled their homes to escape the violence.

The spokesman for the African Union peacekeeping force says the violence in Mogadishu is becoming more deadly and better organized. However, he also said the violence should not stop other nations from honoring their promise to send troops.

The African Union peacekeeping force in Somalia currently includes fewer than two thousand Ugandan soldiers. Resistance fighters have attacked the Ugandan troops daily since their arrival in Mogadishu earlier this month.

Burundi has offered to send one thousand seven hundred troops. However, the nation says it does not have enough equipment for the force. Nigeria, Malawi and Ghana have also said they would send troops, but they have not yet provided a plan for deployment.

Even if all four countries sent peacekeepers, the force would still be far from reaching its goal of deploying eight thousand African troops in Somalia. The troops are needed to protect the country's temporary government. They are also needed to train Somali security forces and bring back order to the area.

Civil war in Somalia began in nineteen ninety-one. Since then, militias loyal to different groups have controlled parts of the country. There has been no central government to provide law and order or even basic services to the population.

Somalia's temporary government was formed in Kenya more than two years ago after an internationally led peace process. Ethiopia sent troops to Somalia in December to help the temporary government push an opposition Islamist movement from power. The Somali government has since struggled to control resistance violence in the capital.

The Somali government recently announced that it will hold a conference next month to bring warring groups together for peace talks.

And that's IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English, written by Brianna Blake. You can download transcripts and audio from our Web site, voaspecialenglish.com. I’m Steve Ember.

Defense Chief Calls on US Congress to Fund Iraq, Afghan Wars Without Conditions

By Al Pessin Pentagon 22 March 2007

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U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates says if the Congress does not approve additional funding for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan by mid-April, without special conditions, the department will have to make cuts that could affect troop training and deployments. VOA's Al Pessin reports from the Pentagon.

Secretary Gates began a news conference by reading a list of cuts the U.S. army would have to make. He said if there is no more money for the war by mid-April, the army would have to slow training for units heading to Iraq and Afghanistan, and if the money is delayed past mid-May some units would not be ready to deploy on time.

He said that would require units already deployed to stay beyond their scheduled return dates. He said the delays would also affect training for other units, and postpone the repair of military equipment and the purchase of urgently needed parts and other hardware.

US Defense Secretary Robert Gates, 07 Mar 2007

"This kind of disruption to key programs will have a genuinely adverse effect on the readiness of the army and the quality of life for soldiers and their families," said Mr. Gates. "I urge the Congress to pass the supplemental as quickly as possible."

The House of Representatives is scheduled to vote Friday on the Pentagon's $93 billion supplemental funding request. Democratic Party leaders want the House to attach conditions to the money, including a requirement to withdraw all U.S. combat forces from Iraq by August of next year at the latest, and earlier if the Iraqi government does not make progress on key political issues. President Bush says he will veto the bill if it has those requirements.

A veto would also deprive the Defense Department of the money it needs, but Secretary Gates says he, too, is opposed to attaching conditions to the funding.

"I've also discussed other concerns that I have with the legislation that I've articulated on the record, in terms of setting specific dates and specific conditions," he added.

Pentagon officials and senior military officers have said requiring a troop withdrawal by any specific date would limit the options of commanders, enable insurgents to simply wait until that date to launch a new wave of attacks, and potentially endanger U.S. forces.

US Secretary of State Heading Back to Middle East

By Scott Stearns State Department 22 March 2007

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U.S. President George Bush is sending Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to the Middle East Friday for talks in Egypt, Israel and Jordan aimed at resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. VOA White House Correspondent Scott Stearns has the story.

Secretary Condoleezza Rice (left) with President Bush

President Bush says he is sending Secretary Rice back to the Middle East because securing peace there is a U.S. priority.

"She's going to continue our efforts to involve all parties -- the Palestinians, the Israelis, Arabs -- to work for a solution that will lead to peace, and that is a Palestinian state, living side-by-side with Israel in peace and security," said President Bush.

Rice is scheduled to meet with Israeli and Palestinian officials, as well as Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Jordanian King Abdullah.

President Bush says he has been in contact with regional allies to remind them of what he says is his strong commitment to the two-state solution.

"This will be hard work. It's not easy to get all parties headed in the right direction," he said. "But it's necessary work for this country, and it's necessary for our secretary of state, with my strong approval, to be moving the process forward."

Rival Palestinian groups Hamas and Fatah agreed on a unity government earlier this month in Saudi-sponsored talks.

The Bush administration says it will have contacts with non-Hamas members of the new government. But the administration will not deal with Hamas, which it lists as a terrorist group, and which refuses to recognize Israel, renounce violence and abide by past peace accords.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert says his country is willing to make what he calls painful concessions to advance the long-stalled peace process.

He says a Saudi initiative calling for Israel to return all territory occupied in 1967 in exchange for normal relations with Arab neighbors could be a convenient basis for future talks.

UN Secretary-General Unhurt After Explosion in Iraq's 'Green Zone'

By Margaret Besheer Irbil 22 March 2007

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Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, right, shakes hands with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon ahead of their meeting in Baghdad, 22 Mar 2007

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has paid a surprise visit to Baghdad. VOA's Margaret Besheer reports from northern Iraq, that Mr. Ban got an unpleasant taste of what life is like for ordinary Iraqis, when a mortar landed directly outside the building where he and Iraq's prime minister were holding a news conference.

The Secretary-General was visibly shaken, briefly ducked for cover, but was unhurt after the blast that appeared to be from a mortar.

It fell directly outside the building where the press conference was being held in the heavily-protected Green Zone.

As security guards tried to usher Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki out of the room, he calmly told them nothing was wrong and the press conference continued for a few more moments until officials abruptly ended it.

Moments before the blast, Mr. Ban said he would reconsider expanding the U.N. presence in Iraq once the security situation has visibly improved.

"This is one of the subjects which I have discussed and I will consider on the basis of my assessment of this visit," he said.

The United Nations scaled back its presence in Iraq after the August 2003 bombing of its Baghdad headquarters killed 22 staffers, including top envoy Sergio Vieira de Mello.

In a separate development, the U.S. military announced it has released into Prime Minister Maliki's custody an aide to radical Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr.

Sheikh Ahmed Shibani was detained two-and-one-half years ago in the southern city of Najaf.

In a televised meeting with Mr. Maliki, the cleric pledged his help in making the government's attempts at peace and reconciliation a success.

The warm reception for the cleric underlines the close ties Mr. Maliki has to Moqtada al-Sadr, whose support won Mr. Maliki his job last year. Iraqi officials say they have been holding talks with various insurgent groups in an effort to stabilize the security situation.

VOASE0322_Economics Report

22 March 2007

Socially Responsible Investing Grows
$2 trillion is invested using what are considered socially responsible methods.

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This is the VOA Special English Economics Report.

More and more people are considering the social and environmental results of their investments. Socially responsible investing has become a fast-growing part of the investment industry. Over two trillion dollars are invested using socially responsible methods. This is about nine percent of all money invested under professional management.

One way to invest is through mutual funds. A mutual fund gathers money from many investors to buy different securities. Mutual fund supervisors can use socially responsible methods to choose which investments they will buy. The funds' supervisors may buy only stocks of companies that meet the requirements set out by the fund. This process is called screening.

For example, a fund could invest only in companies that take measures to protect the environment. The most commonly screened stocks are related to companies that make cigarettes.

The Social Investment Forum in its two thousand five report said separate accounts use socially responsible screening the most. These are accounts that are privately managed for individuals or organizations.

Shareholder advocacy is another form of socially responsible investing. One example is the movement to stop investing in companies that did business in South Africa during the period of racial separation in that country. Shareholders sometimes sell stocks of companies that do not share their social values.

Community investing is the most direct form of social investing. This means providing credit or investing in businesses in a local community.

Today, about half of American families own stock in some form. And more people are considering the effect their investments have. This has caused some companies to consider social issues as well as business plans.

A recent public opinion study by Harris Interactive and the Wall Street Journal asked people what they thought were the best and worst American companies. The people named the software maker Microsoft as the best company.

One of the main reasons is the company's chairman, Bill Gates. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has given billions of dollars to organizations around the world to support health care and education.

And that's the VOA Special English Economics Report. Transcripts and archives are at voaspecialenglish.com. I'm Mario Ritter.

VOASE0322_American Mosaic

22 March 2007

'A Diamond Is Forever': How a Few Simple Words Changed an Industry
Also: A report on The World Almanac and Book of Facts, and music by Sonya Kitchell.

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HOST:

Welcome to AMERICAN MOSAIC, in VOA Special English.

(MUSIC)

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

We answer a question about an advertising expression…

Play some music from Sonya Kitchell…

And report about the World Almanac.

The World Almanac and Book of Facts

HOST:

Listeners to American Mosaic send us letters and e-mails asking many kinds of questions about the United States. One place we sometimes look for answers is a book called The World Almanac and Book of Facts. Barbara Klein explains.

BARBARA KLEIN:

A new World Almanac is published every year and provides up-to-date information about many places and things. For example, you can find the names of actors who won Academy Awards in past years. The names of athletes who won major sports awards. Information about American cities and states.

The book also provides information about the nations of the world. It tells about world history, geography, business, science and technology and languages.

It presents the most important and most unusual news stories of the past year. And it gives interesting facts, such as the nation with the most refugees (Pakistan). The nation with the most vacation days each year (Italy). And the most popular dog in the United States (Labrador Retriever).

The New York World newspaper published the first World Almanac in eighteen sixty-eight. That is why it is called The World Almanac.

The World Almanac Web site says the publication has played a part in American history. For example, in nineteen twenty-three, Calvin Coolidge was sworn in as president after the sudden death of President Warren Harding. Mister Coolidge's father, a judge, read the oath of office from a copy of The World Almanac.

The Web site also says that several recent American presidents have used the book. It says there are photographs of presidents John Kennedy and Bill Clinton that show a copy of The World Almanac on or near their desks.

The Web site also claims that The World Almanac is the best-selling American reference book of all time. It says that more than eighty million copies have been sold.

The World Almanac now also publishes a computer version as well as a separate Almanac for children. The Kids Almanac provides information children might need for school reports. It also has games, puzzles and other activities children enjoy.

Speaking of Diamonds

HOST:

Our VOA listener question this week comes from Zimbabwe. Shadreck Chikwavaire asks about the meaning of the saying “diamonds are forever.” Many people around the world know that expression. It is the name of a popular book and movie about the fictional spy, James Bond. The theme song to the movie also became popular. Shirley Bassey sang it.

(MUSIC)

Diamonds are minerals that first formed billions of years ago deep under the ground. They result when pressure and heat act on the substance carbon.

A diamond is the hardest substance found in nature. But the mineral can be cut into different shapes and used to make costly jewelry such as diamond rings. In the United States, it is traditional for a man to give the woman he plans to marry a diamond engagement ring. People also wear jewelry made of diamonds on their ears, necks and wrists.

People are willing to pay high prices for diamond jewelry. One company controls most of the diamond market -- the De Beers Consolidated Mines Company of South Africa. Reports say the company used to keep diamonds mined in many countries and released a limited number for sale each year. Officials say the company does not do business that way anymore.

The De Beers Company first created the saying "A Diamond Is Forever." In the late nineteen forties, De Beers hired an advertising agency to help increase its sale of diamonds. The agency N.W. Ayer developed an extremely successful campaign linking diamonds and romantic love.

The campaign invented the slogan “A Diamond Is Forever,” meaning that a diamond is a never-ending sign of love. It also meant that a diamond would always keep its value. The company continues to use the slogan in its advertising more than fifty years later. And reports say it has been used to advertise diamonds in at least twenty-nine languages.

The advertising business also recognized the huge success of the saying. In two thousand, Advertising Age magazine named "A Diamond Is Forever" the best advertising slogan of the twentieth century.

Sonya Kitchell

HOST:

Sonya Kitchell writes and sings songs that are influenced by jazz and blues. She has a rich and low voice that can skillfully express many emotions and styles. The surprising part is that she is only seventeen years old. Faith Lapidus tells us more about this young artist who is making timeless music.

(MUSIC)

FAITH LAPIDUS:

Sonya Kitchell

That was “Let Me Go,” a song Sonya Kitchell wrote with her parents in mind. In the song she asks them to let her grow up and become more independent.

When Sonya was a child, her parents surrounded her with their artistic and musical interests. She started studying jazz singing at the age of ten. Soon, she started writing and performing her music live with a group.

Sonya says she tries to take in as much of the world around her as she can. Songwriting has become a way to process her experiences.

Sonya Kitchell’s first album, “Words Came Back to Me,” came out last year. Here is, “Train,” from that album. It is a song about wanting life to go by both faster and more slowly.

(MUSIC)

Sonya Kitchell is quickly becoming very popular. She has traveled and performed with well-known singers. Sometimes Sonya tries to write when she is on the road. But she says writing comes easiest when she is at her home in the northeastern state of Massachusetts. There, she takes walks in nature to clear her mind and think.

Sonya Kitchell says she has many goals for herself and her music. She wants to help make intelligent music more popular. She says popular music should go back to its roots and be enjoyed not only for its sound, but also for its message. We leave you with the gentle sounds of “I’d Love You.”

(MUSIC)

HOST:

I'm Doug Johnson. I hope you enjoyed our program today.

It was written by Dana Demange and Nancy Steinbach. Caty Weaver was our producer. To read the text of this program and download audio, go to our Web site, voaspecialenglish.com.

Send your questions about American life to mosaic@voanews.com. Please include your full name and mailing address. Or write to American Mosaic, VOA Special English, Washington, D.C., 20237, U.S.A.

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

UN Probe Finds Hariri Murder Political

By Peter Heinlein United Nations 21 March 2007

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A United Nations-appointed investigator is reporting significant progress in his probe into the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. As we hear from VOA's correspondent at the U.N. Peter Heinlein, the inquiry is coming to the conclusion that Mr. Hariri was probably killed, because he posed a threat to Syrian influence in Lebanon.

Flowers adorn the gravesite of Rafik Hariri in downtown Beirut

Belgian prosecutor Serge Brammertz chose his words carefully Wednesday as he briefed the Security Council on the progress of his Hariri assassination probe. Since he took over the investigation, he has developed a reputation as a meticulous and methodical investigator.

His predecessor, the German prosecutor Detlev Mehlis, had implicated Syrian intelligence officials and their Lebanese allies in a plot to kill Mr. Hariri in February 2005. Mehlis also accused Syria of obstructing his inquiry. Syria strongly denied the allegations, and condemned the Hariri assassination as a "heinous crime."

After Brammertz took over, he appeared to back away from Mehlis's sensational conclusions. He reopened the probe to consider other possibilities, and reported that Syria's cooperation had been 'satisfactory'. But in his latest comments to the Security Council, he says he has narrowed down the possible motives to one: a series of political setbacks to Syrian interests.

Brammertz told the Council the killers appear to have been spurred to action by a chain of events, including the U.N. Security Council's adoption of Resolution 15-59, demanding Syria's withdrawal from Lebanon. Another factor was the international uproar created by the move by Lebanon's parliament to override the country's constitution to extend the term of its pro-Syrian president Emile Lahoud.

In his latest report, Mr. Brammertz says his team of investigators is developing a "unifying factual theory" behind the crime. He suggests that one immediate cause for the assassination may have been concern that the anti-Syrian Mr. Hariri was likely to win in forthcoming elections.

"A number of factors shaped Hariri's environment in the period leading up to 14 February 2005," he said. "These include the inception of Resolution 15-59 and the implications of its implementation; the extension of the term of President Lahoud; the dynamics between Hariri and other political parties in Lebanon, Syria and other countries, and preparations ahead of the parliamentary elections scheduled for May, 2005. The Commission believes it is likely that a combination of these factors created the environment in which the intent to kill Rafik Hariri arose."

When asked whether he had concluded that Mr. Hariri was killed because he posed a threat to Syrian interests, Brammertz said that question would have to be decided by a tribunal.

"What we are saying is that we indeed believe, having enough information to support the hypothesis that the motive is most likely linked to his political activities," he added. "But still it will be up to a tribunal later on to determine in terms of responsibility who has to be considered responsible for this crime. It's not up to commission to say more."

Brammertz says the next step should be establishment of a tribunal to weigh the evidence and try suspects in the Hariri assassination. Lebanon's government has approved plans to establish the court, but the pro-Syrian speaker of parliament Nabih Berri, has not called the legislature into session to endorse the plan.

Gore Urges US Congressional Action on Global Warming

By Dan Robinson Capitol Hill 21 March 2007

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Former Vice President Al Gore has testified before Congress on the dangers posed by global warming. VOA's Dan Robinson reports, the environmentalist and former presidential candidate urged lawmakers to take steps to move the United States toward greater energy efficiency and de-facto compliance with the Kyoto Treaty.

Al Gore testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, 21 Mar 2007, before a joint hearing of the House Energy and Commerce, and Science and Technology subcommittees on climate change

Al Gore's Oscar-winning documentary, An Inconvenient Truth, tracked his efforts around the world to raise international awareness about global warming.

In a statement to a joint hearing of two congressional committees, he returned to the theme of his film, saying there is irrefutable evidence that the Earth is experiencing an unprecedented period of climate change.

Gore says the United States must take the lead, and lawmakers must summon the courage, to take steps that will help reverse the process, so future generations will not ask this question.

"What in God's name were they doing? Didn't they realize that four times in 15 years the entire scientific community in this world issued unanimous reports calling on them to act? What was wrong with them? Were they too blinded and numbed by the business of political life, or daily life, to take a deep breath and look at the reality of what we are facing?," said Gore.

"Did they think it was perfectly all right to keep dumping 70 million tons every single time of global warming pollution into this atmosphere? Did they think all the scientists were wrong?," he continued.

Gore cited recent studies saying that global warming may be worse than previously thought, and that the Arctic ice cap is melting more rapidly than previously predicted, and could disappear in as little as 34 years.

"This problem is burning a hole at the top of the world in the ice cover that is one of the principal ways that our planet cools itself. If it goes, it will not come back in any time scale relevant to the human species," said former vice president.

Gore appeared at a time when majority Democrats have made the issue of climate change a key part of their agenda.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi created a special committee on climate change and is encouraging legislation that would promote reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and encourage use of renewable fuels.

Republicans took the opportunity to renew criticisms of several aspects of Gore's film, and question conclusions he drew from scientific findings.

Congressman Joe Barton took aim at two of Gore's recommendations.

"Some of your ideas though, Mr. Vice President, I think are just flawed," said Joe Barton. "Your suggestion of a carbon tax is something that would harm our competitiveness, raise costs to American families, export jobs and actually do very little to improve our environment."

"Likewise a Kyoto-style cap and trade system for carbon dioxide will mainly increase the price of electricity while providing few if any environmental benefits," he added.

Gore urged Congress to pass legislation to encourage energy efficiency, including tighter standards for automobiles, and bar the construction of any new coal-fired power plants not capable of capturing carbon dioxide (greenhouse gases) that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere.

He also advocates steps to bring the United States into effective compliance with the existing Kyoto treaty, and says the effective date of a new treaty to succeed it should be moved up to 2010.

Gore's appearances in House and Senate committees marked his first return to the Capitol since 2001, when he presided over a congressional session that certified the victory of George W. Bush based on electoral college votes after the contested 2000 presidential election.

Although he has said he has no intention of running for president again, he still scores high in public opinion polls and has spoken out strongly against Bush administration policies in Iraq and other issues.

VOASE0321_The Making of a Nation

21 March 2007

History Series: Kennedy Begins His Presidency With Strong Public Support
Today, his inaugural speech is considered to be among the best in American history.

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VOICE ONE:

This is Rich Kleinfeldt.

VOICE TWO:

And this is Phil Murray with THE MAKING OF A NATION -- a VOA Special English program about the history of the United States.

(MUSIC)

John Fitzgerald Kennedy

Our program today is about the beginning of the administration of President John Kennedy.

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

January twentieth, nineteen sixty-one. John Kennedy was to be sworn-in that day as president of the United States.

It had snowed heavily the night before. Few cars were in the streets of Washington. Yet, somehow, people got to the ceremony at the Capitol building.

VOICE TWO:

The outgoing president, Dwight Eisenhower, was seventy years old. John Kennedy was just forty-three. He was the first American president born in the twentieth century.

Both Eisenhower and Kennedy served in the military in World War Two. Eisenhower served at the top. He was commander of allied forces in Europe. Kennedy was one of many young navy officers in the pacific battle area.

Eisenhower was a hero of the war and was an extremely popular man. Kennedy was extremely popular, too, especially among young people. He was a fresh face in American politics. To millions of Americans, he represented a chance for a new beginning.

VOICE ONE:

Not everyone liked John Kennedy, however. Many people thought he was too young to be president. Many opposed him because he belonged to the Roman Catholic Church. A majority of Christians in America were Protestant. There had never been a Roman Catholic president of the United States. John Kennedy would be the first.

VOICE TWO:

Dwight Eisenhower

Dwight Eisenhower served two terms during the nineteen-fifties. That was the limit for American presidents. His vice president, Richard Nixon, ran against Kennedy in the election of nineteen-sixty.

Many Americans supported Nixon. They believed he was a stronger opponent of communism than Kennedy. Some also feared that Kennedy might give more consideration to the needs of black Americans than to white Americans.

The election of nineteen-sixty was one of the closest in American history. Kennedy defeated Nixon by fewer than one hundred-twenty thousand popular votes. Now, he would be sworn-in as the nation's thirty-fifth president.

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

Robert Frost

One of the speakers at the ceremony was Robert Frost. He was perhaps America's most popular poet at the time. Robert Frost planned to read from a long work he wrote especially for the ceremony. But he was unable to read much of it. The bright winter sun shone blindingly on the snow. The cold winter wind blew the paper in his old hands.

VOICE TWO:

John Kennedy stood to help him. Still, the poet could not continue. Those in the crowd felt concerned for the eighty-six-year-old man. Suddenly, he stopped trying to say his special poem. Instead, he began to say the words of another one, one he knew from memory. It was called "The Gift Outright."

Here is part of that poem by Robert Frost, read by Stan Busby:

VOICE THREE:

The land was ours before we were the land's.

She was our land more than a hundred years before we were her people ...

Something we were withholding made us weak

Until we found out that it was ourselves

We were withholding from our land of living ...

Such as we were we gave ourselves outright.

VOICE ONE:

Giving his inaugural speech

Soon it was time for the new president to speak. People watching on television could see his icy breath as he stood. He was not wearing a warm coat. His head was uncovered.

Kennedy's speech would, one day, be judged to be among the best in American history. The time of his inauguration was a time of tension and fear about nuclear weapons. The United States had nuclear weapons. Its main political enemy, the Soviet Union, had them, too. If hostilities broke out, would such terrible weapons be used?

VOICE TWO:

Kennedy spoke about the issue. He warned of the danger of what he called "the deadly atom." He said the United States and communist nations should make serious proposals for the inspection and control of nuclear weapons. He urged both sides to explore the good in science, instead of its terrors.

KENNEDY: "Together let us explore the stars, conquer the deserts, eradicate disease, tap the ocean depths, and encourage the arts and commerce ... Let both sides join in creating a new endeavor, not a new balance of power, but a new world of law, where the strong are just and the weak secure and the peace preserved."

VOICE ONE:

Kennedy also spoke about a torch -- a light of leadership being passed from older Americans to younger Americans. He urged the young to take the torch and accept responsibility for the future. He also urged other countries to work with the United States to create a better world.

John and Jacqueline Kennedy arrive at an inaugural ball on January 20, 1961

JOHN KENNEDY: "The energy, the faith, the devotion which we bring to this endeavor will light our country and all who serve it -- and the glow from that fire can truly light the world. And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you -- ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world: Ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man."

(MUSIC)

VOICE TWO:

John Kennedy's first one hundred days as president were busy ones.

He was in office less than two weeks when the Soviet Union freed two American airmen. The Soviets had shot down their spy plane over the Bering Sea. About sixty million people watched as Kennedy announced the airmen's release. It was the first presidential news conference broadcast live on television in the United States. Kennedy welcomed the release as a step toward better relations with the Soviet Union.

The next month, Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev made another move toward better relations. He sent Kennedy a message. The message said that disarmament would be a great joy for all people on earth.

VOICE ONE:

A few weeks later, President Kennedy announced the creation of the Peace Corps. He had talked about this program during the election campaign. The Peace Corps would send thousands of Americans to developing countries to provide technical help.

Another program, the alliance for progress, was announced soon after the peace corps was created. The purpose of the alliance for progress was to provide economic aid to Latin American nations for ten years.

VOICE TWO:

The space program was another thing Kennedy had talked about during the election campaign. He believed the United States should continue to explore outer space.

The Soviet Union had gotten there first. It launched the world's first satellite in nineteen fifty-seven. Then, in April, nineteen sixty-one, the Soviet Union sent the first manned spacecraft into orbit around the earth.

VOICE ONE:

The worst failure of Kennedy's administration came that same month. On April seventeenth, more than one thousand Cuban exiles landed on a beach in western Cuba. They had received training and equipment from the United States Central Intelligence Agency. They were to lead a revolution to overthrow the communist government of Cuba. The place where they landed was called Bahia de Cochinos -- the Bay of Pigs.

The plan failed. Most of the exiles were killed or captured by the Cuban army.

VOICE TWO:

It had not been President Kennedy's idea to start a revolution against Cuban leader Fidel Castro. Officials in the last administration had planned it. However, most of Kennedy's advisers supported the idea. And he approved it.

In public, the president said he was responsible for the failure of the Bay of Pigs invasion. In private, he said, "All my life I have known better than to depend on the experts. How could I have been so stupid."

VOICE ONE:

John Kennedy's popularity was badly damaged by what happened in Cuba. His next months in office would be a struggle to regain the support of the people. That will be our story next week.

(MUSIC)

VOICE TWO:

This program of THE MAKING OF A NATION was written by Jeri Watson and produced by Paul Thompson. This is Phil Murray.

VOICE ONE:

And this is Rich Kleinfeldt. Join us again next week for another VOA Special English program about the history of the United States.