Former US First Lady Lady Bird Johnson Dies

By Greg Flakus Houston 12 July 2007

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Former First Lady and environment champion Lady Bird Johnson has died at her home in Texas. The widow of President Lyndon Johnson was 94 and had been in failing health for some time. VOA's Greg Flakus has more about this remarkable woman in this report from our Houston bureau.

Lady Bird Johnson (2002 photo)

Although she came to prominence as the wife of a president, Lady Bird Johnson was regarded as a woman of great influence in her own right. She was a strong advocate for such programs as Headstart, to help underprivileged children succeed in school, and environmental protection. As first lady, she started a program of highway beautification that eliminated billboards from some stretches of federal roadways.

She was born Claudia Alta Taylor and acquired the nickname Lady Bird at birth when a nurse described the infant as pretty as a lady bird. She was considered shy while growing up in the small east-Texas town of Karnack, but she blossomed when she attended the University of Texas in Austin. That is where she met then congressional aide Lyndon Johnson, who proposed to her on their second date as Mrs. Johnson later recalled in a TV interview. "I think we both knew that we were better together than we were, or would be, apart," she said.

Mrs. Johnson helped her husband both morally and financially in his first run for Congress and was at his side in 1960 as he ran for the Democratic presidential nomination. He lost that to Massachusetts senator John F Kennedy, who later asked him to run with him in the vice presidential position. Kennedy won the election and Johnson became vice president. On November 22, 1963, President Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas and Mr. Johnson was thrust into the White House. Lady Bird had now become first lady of a land in mourning.

During her time in Washington, Lady Bird Johnson became known as a strong woman with southern charm and a genteel manner. As first lady she developed her own office within the White House, with two news media representatives to help her champion her causes with the public.

President Johnson chose not to run for re-election in 1968, amid growing discord over the Vietnam war. After he left office in January, 1969, he and Lady Bird retired to his family ranch in the Texas hill country, west of Austin.

After President Lyndon Johnson died in 1973, Mrs. Johnson continued her advocacy of environmental projects and helped establish a wildflower center in Austin that bears her name.

Lady Bird Johnson is survived by her two daughters, Lynda Bird Robb, wife of former Virginia Senator Chuck Robb, and Luci Baines Turpin, as well as seven grandchildren.

US Food Safety Official: China Takes Problem Seriously

By Stephanie Ho Washington 11 July 2007

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The top U.S. food safety official says he believes the Chinese government is serious about improving the quality of its food products. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's David Acheson spoke Wednesday following a series of scandals involving tainted products from China. VOA's Stephanie Ho reports from Washington.

The safety of a wide range of Chinese products is global headline news these days.

Patients in Panama died from poisonous ingredients in medicines made in China. In the United States, American consumers have contended with tainted pet food, contaminated toothpaste and a U.S. government alert on imports of seafood products from China.

Head of China's food and drug agency, Zheng Xiaoyu, executed for taking bribes (March 4, 2003 photo)

On Tuesday, China executed the head of the its food and drug agency. He was accused of taking bribes to certify fake and substandard drugs.

In an interview in Washington Wednesday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's David Acheson says the move shows that Beijing does take the issue of contaminated food and drugs seriously.

"But simply executing somebody typically isn't going to solve the problem," he said. "They [problems] are typically more complex than that. I do not believe it is one person who has messed up here. It is an infrastructure struggle."

This view is supported by Jeffrey Bader, director of the Brookings Institution's China Institute. He says the Chinese government lacks a system of transparency, which has proven to be an obstacle for U.S. officials trying to get more information about contaminated or unsafe products that come from China.

"And the experience of the USDA [U.S. Department of Agriculture], the FDA [Food and Drug Administration], the U.S. embassy, was pretty similar - that they get essentially no response, or opacity, from the [Chinese] authorities and from the manufacturers," said Bader. "And, now that China is fully integrated into the global production chain, that is not satisfactory."

China Wednesday announced strict new food and drug safety measures that call for the country's estimated 450,000 uncertified food producing operations to be certified by 2012.

The Food and Drug Administration's Acheson says Beijing will have a difficult time regulating so many producers, especially since most of them are small and employ fewer than 10 people. But he said he is convinced China has its own incentives to address the problem.

"They want to fix it," he said. "I think they want to fix it. I mean, what's the driver? I'm sure for China, they're looking at it from an economic perspective, as much as anything else."

Acheson said U.S. concern for the safety of food imports from China is not new. He added that food safety problems are not unique to China and stressed that the U.S. government is not singling out the Asian nation for special attention.

US Senate Republican Opposition to Bush Strategy in Iraq Continues to Grow

By Deborah Tate Capitol Hill 11 July 2007

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U.S. Senator Olympia Snowe is the latest Senate Republican to break with President Bush on his strategy in Iraq. She is cosponsoring legislation calling for a withdrawal of U.S. combat troops from Iraq by April of next year. VOA's Deborah Tate reports from Capitol Hill.

Olympia Snowe (2006 photo)

Senator Snowe, a Maine Republican, says she is backing the legislation because Iraqi leaders have failed to make the necessary compromises toward establishing a unity government.

Under the measure, which has been proposed as an amendment to a defense policy bill, U.S. troops would begin pulling out of Iraq within 120 days.

Several other Republicans have said they would support the measure, including Senators Chuck Hagel of Nebraska and Gordon Smith of Oregon.

The House of Representatives is expected to vote on its version of the legislation on Thursday.

Harry Reid (16 Feb 2007)

The Senate's top Democrat, Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada, hopes that growing Republican opposition to the unpopular war will help force a change in strategy in Iraq. He is using the defense bill as a vehicle for that change.

"This Department of Defense authorization bill and the amendments that will be offered to it are the next chance we have to chart a responsible new course out of Iraq," he said.

But it remains to be seen whether enough Republicans back the proposed timeline for a troop withdrawal.

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, echoing comments made by President Bush a day earlier, urged lawmakers to wait to assess the war until they receive a briefing from the top U.S. commander in Iraq, General David Petraeus, in September.

"We should wait for that assessment before rushing to judgment," he said.

McConnell and other Republican leaders are vowing to try to block anti-war amendments from coming to a vote.

On Wednesday, they successfully blocked an amendment sponsored by Democratic Senator Jim Webb of Virginia, which called for requiring active-duty troops to spend as much time at home as they do on deployments. Currently, Army soldiers who deploy for 15 months get just 12 months at home.

UN Chief Says Darfur Remains his Highest Priority

By Sonja Pace London 11 July 2007

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United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon says stopping the killing and finding a political solution in the Darfur region of Sudan remain his highest priorities. VOA's Sonja Pace reports from London, the U.N. chief has been meeting with Middle East peace envoy Tony Blair.

Ban Ki-moon at London's Chatham House, 11 Jul 2007

Speaking at London's prestigious Chatham House research center, U.N. chief, Ban Ki-moon described the humanitarian crisis in Darfur as "devastating," and said the world can no longer accept further delays in the peace process.

"The tragic cycle of violence has been allowed to continue for too long," he said. "I think the people in Darfur have suffered too much. The international community has waited too long."

After increasing international pressure, the Sudanese government last month agreed to allow a combined 20,000-strong peacekeeping force, made up of the U.N. and the African Union, into Darfur. Mr. Ban said this was progress.

Condoleezza Rice

Speaking in Washington Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice warned, however, that the Khartoum government must not be allowed to continue playing what she called a cat and mouse game over ending the violence.

It is estimated that some 200,000 people have died in Darfur's ethnic and political conflict since 2003.

In London, Mr. Ban also met with the new Middle East peace envoy Tony Blair. Mr. Blair has been named the representative of the Middle East Quartet, which is made up of the United States, the European Union, the U.N. and Russia.

Mr. Ban said there is widespread concern about the Palestinian factional fighting and the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza. He also expressed concern over the divisive political situation in Lebanon and the ongoing violence in Iraq. And he issued a warning.

"However [much] military action may be effective, there is always a limitation unless they are accompanied by political dialogue and reconciliation amongst themselves," he said.

Mr. Ban cited a number of other global issues the U.N. is dealing with, including North Korea, Iran and terrorism. And he cited another problem that, he said, concerns all of mankind - climate change.

"I'm convinced that this challenge and what we do about it will define us, our era and ultimately our global legacy," said Ban.

Mr. Ban cautioned that the U.N. cannot be everywhere and cannot provide all the answers, but he said it can provide a forum for finding solutions.

VOASE0711_Education Report

11 July 2007

Students Do Not Always Like Being Told What to Wear (Duh!)
A look at clothing policies in American schools.

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This is the VOA Special English Education Report.

Students in uniform at a Texas middle school

A listener in Fukuoka, Japan, Shinji Abe, would like to know about school uniform policies in the United States.

American schoolchildren often wear uniforms if they attend religious or other private schools. Most public schools do not require uniforms. But over the last ten years or so, more of them have moved in that direction, including high schools.

Students may have to wear a specially purchased uniform. Or they may just have to dress alike -- for example, white shirts and dark colored pants or skirts.

Even schools that do not require uniforms generally have a dress code or other rules about what they consider acceptable. Policies commonly ban clothing that shows offensive images or words, or simply too much skin. Items like hats may be restricted because, for example, different colors may be connected with violent gangs.

Some parents like the idea of uniforms. Some say it means they do not have to spend as much on clothing for their kids. Others, though, argue that uniforms represent an unnecessary cost. There are also debates about whether uniforms or other dress policies violate civil rights.

Students and parents have taken legal action against school dress requirements. Just last week, a judge blocked a middle school in Napa, California, from enforcing a dress code unless families have a way out of it.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California brought the case for the families of several students who were punished. Most attention centered on a girl who wore socks with the Tigger character from Winnie the Pooh.

The school said its clothing policy, including no pictures of any kind, was needed to control a growing problem with gangs. The families argued that the policy violated free speech rights as guaranteed by the United States and California constitutions.

The United States Supreme Court says student expression is protected as long as it does not harm the work and discipline of a school.

Americans value individual freedom. But some educators believe dressing alike helps improve student learning. They believe that uniforms help create a sense of unity and reduce the risk of fights. They also say uniforms make it easier for security reasons to tell if someone belongs at the school or not.

But just how effective are school uniform policies? Studies have found mixed results. That will be our subject next week.

And that's the VOA Special English Education Report, written by Nancy Steinbach. I'm Steve Ember.

VOASE0711_The Making of a Nation

11 July 2007

US History: George Herbert Walker Bush Is Elected President in 1988
For a time after the party conventions, it appeared that a majority of Americans would vote for Michael Dukakis. But then he began to lose popularity. Bush succeeded in making him look weak on crime and defense.

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VOICE ONE:

This is Rich Kleinfeldt.

VOICE TWO:

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

(MUSIC)

Today, we tell the story about the presidential election of nineteen eighty-eight.

VOICE ONE:

America's fortieth president, Ronald Reagan, was one of the most popular. During his eight years in office, many Americans did well financially. Many felt more secure about the future of the nation and the world. The threat of nuclear war did not seem so strong or frightening.

American law does not permit presidents to serve more than two terms. So, in nineteen eighty-eight, the country prepared to elect a new one.

VOICE TWO:

There were three main candidates for the Republican Party nomination. They were George Bush, Robert Dole, and Pat Robertson. Bush had just served eight years as vice-president. Dole was the top Republican in the Senate. Robertson was a very conservative Christian who had a nation-wide television program.

George Bush gained from Ronald Reagan's popularity. Reagan's successes were seen as Bush's successes, too. Neither Robert Dole nor Pat Robertson won enough votes in local primary elections to threaten Bush. He was nominated on the first vote at the party convention. The delegates accepted his choice for vice president, Senator Dan Quayle of Indiana.

VOICE ONE:

Eight candidates competed for the Democratic Party's nomination. One was Michael Dukakis. He was governor of Massachusetts. Another was Jesse Jackson. He was a Protestant clergyman and a long-time human rights activist. He had competed for the nomination four years earlier.

In nineteen eighty-eight, Jesse Jackson received about twenty-five percent of the votes in local primary elections. But he did not win his party's nomination. Delegates at the convention chose Governor Dukakis, instead. For vice president, they chose Senator Lloyd Bentsen of Texas.

(MUSIC)

VOICE TWO:

Vice President Bush debates Michael Dukakis

For a time after the party conventions, public opinion studies showed that a majority of Americans would vote for Dukakis. Then, however, Dukakis began to lose popularity. Political observers said he campaigned too long in his home area before starting the national campaign.

Dukakis also suffered from criticism from George Bush. Bush attacked his record as governor. He said Dukakis had not been severe enough with criminals. He said Dukakis would weaken America’s military power and he accused Dukakis of not protecting the environment.

VOICE ONE:

Governor Dukakis made charges of his own. He accused Bush of not telling the truth about his part in what was called the Iran-Contra case. He said Bush knew that the government had sold weapons to Iran in exchange for Iran's support in winning the release of American hostages in Lebanon. And he said Bush knew that the money received for the weapons was being used illegally to aid Contra rebels in Nicaragua. He also criticized Bush for being part of an administration that reduced social services to poor people and old people.

VOICE TWO:

Television played a large part in the campaign of nineteen eighty-eight. Each candidate made a number of short television films. Some of these political advertisements were strong, bitter attacks on the other candidate. Sometimes it seemed the candidates spent as much time on negative campaign advertisements as they did on advertisements that made themselves look good.

In the end, Bush's campaign was more effective. He succeeded in making Dukakis look weak on crime and military issues. He succeeded in making himself look stronger and more decisive.

On Election Day in November, Bush defeated Dukakis by almost seven million popular votes.

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

George Herbert Walker Bush is sworn into office. His wife, Barbara, is beside him.

George Bush was sworn-in on January twentieth, nineteen eighty-nine. In his inaugural speech he said:

BUSH: "No president, no government can teach us to remember what is best in what we are. But if the man you have chosen to lead this government can help make a difference, if he can celebrate the quieter, deeper successes that are made -- not of gold and silk, but of better hearts and finer souls -- if he can do these things, then he must ... We as a people have such a purpose today. It is to make kinder the face of the nation and gentler the face of the world. My friends, we have work to do."

VOICE TWO:

George Bush had led a life that prepared him for public service and leadership. His father had served as a United States senator.

When America entered World War Two, George decided to join the Navy. He became a pilot of bomber planes. He was just eighteen years old -- at that time the youngest pilot the Navy ever had. He fought against the Japanese in the Pacific battle area. He completed many dangerous bombing raids. He was shot down once and was rescued by an American submarine.

VOICE ONE:

George came home from the war as a hero. He became a university student and got married. He and his wife, Barbara, then moved to Texas where he worked in the oil business. He ran for the United States Senate in nineteen sixty-four, and lost. Two years later, he was elected to the House of Representatives.

He ran for the Senate again in nineteen seventy, and lost again. But by that time, he had gained recognition. Over the next eight years, he was appointed to a series of government positions. He was ambassador to the United Nations. He was chairman of the Republican National Committee. He was America's representative in China before the two countries had diplomatic relations. And he was head of the Central Intelligence Agency.

VOICE TWO:

In nineteen eighty, Bush competed against Ronald Reagan for the Republican nomination for president. He lost. But the party chose him to be its vice presidential candidate. Bush gained more power in the position than many earlier vice presidents. After two terms, he felt ready to lead the nation.

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

The new president took seven foreign trips during his first year in office. Observers said his visit to Europe in the spring was especially successful. President Bush met with the leaders of the other countries in NATO, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. He proposed a major agreement on reducing troops and non-nuclear weapons in Europe. The Soviet Union called this proposal a serious and important step in the right direction.

VOICE TWO:

In June, the government of China crushed pro-democracy demonstrations in Beijing. President Bush ordered some restrictions against China to protest the situation. Many critics, however, felt that this action was not strong enough.

Unlike in China, communist governments in central and eastern Europe were not able to prevent the coming of democracy. Since nineteen eighty-seven, Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev had permitted members of the Warsaw Alliance to experiment with political and economic reforms. Reforms were not enough, however. One after the other, these countries rejected communism. Communist governments were removed from office in Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland, and Romania.

VOICE ONE:

In the middle of the summer, President Bush visited Hungary and Poland. Both nations were trying to reform their economies. Both were suffering from severe problems as they changed from a centrally controlled economy to an economy controlled by free market forces. President Bush promised America's advice and financial help. For almost fifty years, the United States had led the struggle against communism around the world. Now, many of its former enemies needed help.

VOICE TWO:

In the autumn of nineteen eighty-nine, there was a dramatic expression of the changes taking place in the world.

On November ninth, East Germany opened the wall that had divided it from the West since nineteen sixty-one. Within days, citizens and soldiers began tearing it down. The fall of the Berlin Wall ended almost fifty years of fear and tension between democratic nations and the Soviet Union. All over the world, people renewed their hopes and dreams of living in peace. And former enemies looked to the United States to lead the way.

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

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

VOICE TWO:

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

Russia Mulls EU Peacekeeping Proposal for Palestinian Territories

By Peter Fedynsky Moscow 10 July 2007

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Russia says it is prepared to consider a proposal by a group of European Union foreign ministers to send peacekeepers to the Palestinian territories. The Moscow response comes as Russian citizens evacuated from recent violence in Gaza returned home. VOA correspondent Peter Fedynsky has this report from the Russian capital.

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Mikhail Kamynin told Ekho Moskvy Radio in Moscow that his country is prepared to consider a European Union proposal to send peacekeepers into the Palestinian territories. But Kamynin added that it would be impossible to develop the proposal without the approval of the Israeli and Palestinian sides.

Russia, along with the United Nations, the European Union and the United States, is a member of the Quartet on the Middle East, whose goal is to mediate the peace process in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The proposal for peacekeepers was made by 10 foreign ministers from the EU's Mediterranean countries during a meeting in Slovenia last week. They published it in the French newspaper Le Monde as an open letter to new Middle East envoy Tony Blair. The peacekeeping proposal was initially advanced by French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner.

Retired Russian General Leonid Ivashov, 10 July 2007

Speaking at a Moscow news conference, retired Russian General Leonid Ivashov, former information director for the Russian Army General Staff, said the population density in the Palestinian territories makes it unlikely that Israel can maintain peace in Gaza through military force.

Ivashov, now a military analyst, says Israeli actions in Gaza will mostly likely consist of police and special forces operations. He says army units would only be used for support, to make precision strikes or in blocking actions.

Russian evacuees from Gaza arrive at Domodedevo Airport in Moscow, 10 July 2007

Meanwhile, 22 Russian, Ukrainian, and Kazakh citizens evacuated from Gaza this week arrived in Moscow Tuesday sharing impressions of the fighting between Hamas and Fatah factions. Sarah, an 18-year-old Russian student, returned home with a deep sense of relief.

Sarah says it was "very frightening. Everybody worried about what would happen, would it be war, or what? It was very frightening, but for us it's over."

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was in the Palestinian territories in late June. He met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas during his trip and underscored the need for agreement among Palestinians themselves.

Bush Says His Iraq Policy Needs More Time to Work

By Paula Wolfson White House 10 July 2007

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President Bush is urging Congress and the American people to give his Iraq policy time to work - this as a new poll shows opposition to the war remains high. We have more on the story from VOA White House Correspondent Paula Wolfson.

Days before the president is due to send an interim report on Iraq to Congress, he made an appeal for patience.

"I fully understand as we are watching the violence on TV every night, people are saying: 'Is it worth it? Can we accomplish an objective?' Well, first I want to tell you yes, we can accomplish and win this fight in Iraq. And secondly, I want to tell you we must," he said.

President Bush speaks during his visit to GrafTech International Ltd. in Parma, Ohio, 10 July 2007

During an appearance in Cleveland, Ohio, Mr. Bush urged Congress to look beyond the interim report, which is due on Capitol Hill by Sunday, July 15. He said lawmakers should wait until September, when the U.S. Commander in Iraq, General David Petraeus, issues his final report on the situation following the deployment of 30,000 additional troops.

"I believe that it is in this nation's interest to give the commander a chance to fully implement his operations," he said. "And I believe Congress ought to wait for General Petraeus to come back and give an assessment of the strategy that he is putting in place before they make any decisions."

But many members of the House and Senate are running out of patience. They are attaching amendments dealing with the Iraq war to legislation making its way through Congress that authorizes defense spending.

Sen. Carl Levin, (l), discusses legislation to change course of the war in Iraq during a news conference on Capitol Hill, 10 July 2007

Democrat Carl Levin of Michigan, the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, wants a firm timetable for a draw-down of U.S. troops.

"Without setting a date to begin a phased reduction of troops and a phased redeployment of troops there is much too little pressure on the Iraqi leaders to do what only they can do: which is to work out a political settlement," he said.

Republican leaders in the Senate have vowed to block the Levin amendment. But a growing number of Republican Senators have doubts about the president's strategy.

Perhaps the most prominent is Senator Richard Lugar of Indiana, the top Republican on the Foreign Relations Committee. He stunned Washington with a recent speech on the Senate floor in which he questioned the president's war policy and spoke about the split the unpopular conflict has created in the Congress and in America.

Senator Richard Lugar (file photo)

"Unless we recalibrate our strategy in Iraq to fit our domestic political conditions and the broader needs of United States national security, we risk foreign policy failures that could greatly diminish our influence in the region and the world," he said.

All this comes as a new poll shows more than 70 percent of Americans favor removing almost all U.S. troops from Iraq by April.

The poll by the USA Today newspaper and the Gallup polling organization surveyed more than one thousand Americans last weekend. The poll also puts the president's approval rating at 29 percent.

VOASE0710_Health Report

10 July 2007

The ABCs of Allergies
A brief explanation of allergic reactions and the treatments available.

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This is the VOA Special English Health Report.

An allergy is an unusually strong reaction to a substance. Many things can cause allergies. The most common cause is pollen. Trees usually produce pollen in the spring, grasses in the summer and weeds in the fall as part of their reproductive process.

Other causes include organisms such as dust mites and molds. Chemicals, plants and dead skin particles from dogs and cats can also cause allergic reactions. So can insect stings and some foods.

The most common kind of allergic reaction is itchy, watery eyes and a blocked or watery nose. Allergies can also cause red, itchy skin. Some reactions can be life-threatening -- for example, when breathing passages become blocked.

Avoiding whatever causes an allergy may not always be easy. Antihistamine drugs may offer an effective treatment. Another treatment used in some cases is called immunotherapy. A patient is injected with small amounts of the allergy-causing substance. The idea is that larger and larger amounts are given over time until the patient develops a resistance to the allergen.

In the United States, experts estimate that up to four percent of adults and up to eight percent of young children have food allergies. Every year these allergies cause about thirty thousand cases of anaphylaxis, a severe reaction that requires immediate treatment.

It can result in trouble breathing and in some cases death. The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases says one hundred to two hundred people die. It says most of the reactions are caused by peanuts and tree nuts such as walnuts.

People can also be allergic to medicines. The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology says about five to ten percent of bad reactions to commonly used medicines are allergic. In other words, a person's immune system overreacts and produces an allergic reaction. The most common reactions include skin rashes, itching, breathing problems and swelling in areas such as the face.

But the academy estimates that allergic reactions to drugs cause one hundred six thousand deaths each year in the United States alone. It says antibiotics such as penicillin are among the drugs more likely than others to produce allergic reactions. So are anticonvulsants and hormones such as insulin. Other kinds include some anesthesia medicines, vaccines and biotechnology-produced proteins.

And that's the VOA Special English Health Report, written by Mario Ritter and Caty Weaver. I'm Steve Ember.

VOASE0710_Explorations

10 July 2007

New Seven Wonders of the World Are Announced After Voting Campaign
And the winners are: Chichen Itza, Christ the Redeemer, the Great Wall of China, Machu Picchu, Petra, the Colosseum and the Taj Mahal.

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VOICE ONE:

I’m Steve Ember.

VOICE TWO:

And I’m Barbara Klein with EXPLORATIONS in VOA Special English. Two thousand five hundred years ago, the Greek historian Herodotus is believed to have made a list of what he thought were the most extraordinary structures in the world. His list became known as the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. People all over the world recently voted to create a new list. Join us as we explore the New Seven Wonders of the World.

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

There was nothing wrong with the list of ancient wonders that Herodotus made. The list included places such as the Hanging Gardens of Babylon in what is now Iraq. This was a huge system of gardens with trees and flowers. The Colossus of Rhodes is also on the list. It was a thirty-seven meter tall metal statue of the Greek sun god Helios. The statue was built on the Greek island of Rhodes.

VOICE TWO:

But this wondrous list only included structures near the Mediterranean Sea. This was the only area of the world known to the ancient Greeks. Only one of the seven places still exists today. The Great Pyramids of Giza in Egypt were built about four thousand five hundred years ago as a burial place for an ancient ruler. For thousands of years, they were the tallest structures in the world.

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

The Swiss explorer Bernard Weber decided the list of seven wonders needed updating. But he says he did not want one person to decide on the new list. He wanted everyone to vote for the world's cultural treasures. He knew that with the modern technologies of the Internet and cell phones everyone in the world could vote.

In two thousand one Mister Weber started an organization called the New Seven Wonders Foundation. He later invited people around the world to vote on places they thought belonged on the new list. A group of building experts later reduced the list to twenty-one places. These experts included Japanese architect Tadao Ando and Iraqi-born British architect Zaha Hadid.

VOICE TWO:

From two thousand six until last Friday, people around the world voted on their favorite places by using the Internet and cell phones. The group says it received about one hundred million votes. But the group admits it did not check for repeat voting. The results were announced on July seventh in a ceremony in Lisbon, Portugal. Here is the new list of world wonders.

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

Chichen Itza

Chichen Itza is a temple city built by the Mayans over one thousand years ago in what is now Mexico. Its name means “at the mouth of the well of the Itza people.” The many large stone structures at Chichen Itza were built during different periods with different styles. One holy building is a triangular shaped step pyramid called the Temple of Kukulcan. This huge structure has a staircase on each of the four sides that leads to the religious altar at the top. There are many other temples and even a large court area where the Mayans played ball games.

VOICE TWO:

Christ the Redeemer

Christ the Redeemer is a large religious statue on a hill overlooking the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Catholic religious leaders in the city started planning the project in the nineteen twenties. This thirty-eight meter statue of Jesus was completed in nineteen thirty-one. It is made of concrete and soapstone materials. Christ the Redeemer was designed by the Brazilian engineer Heitor da Silva Costa and the French sculptor Paul Landowski.

VOICE ONE:

The Great Wall of China

The Great Wall of China is one of the largest building projects ever carried out. This wall extends for over seven thousand kilometers and was built to defend against foreign invaders. The oldest parts of the wall were built over two thousand six hundred years ago. More recent parts were built about five hundred years ago. The ruler Qin Shi Huang Ti created the first unified China about two thousand two hundred years ago. This ruler connected the many different parts of the wall into one huge system.

(MUSIC)

VOICE TWO:

Machu Picchu

The ancient ruins of Machu Picchu sit high in the Andes Mountains of what is now Peru, eighty kilometers northeast of Cuzco. Experts believe the many stone buildings were built around the middle of the fifteenth century by the Incan ruler Pachacutec Yupanqui. The buildings include homes, burial places, religious centers, storage areas, and watch towers. In one area is the famous Intihuatana, or the “Hitching Post of the Sun.” This ancient stone sun clock shows astronomical events such as the spring and fall equinox when night and day are equal length. Experts do not know the exact role of the ancient city of Machu Picchu. It might have been built for ceremonial reasons or as a home for the Incan ruler.

VOICE ONE:

Petra was another ancient city built about two thousand years ago in what is now

Petra

Jordan. It was the capital of ancient Nabataea and was famous for its trade industry and water engineering systems. The area is also famous for the beautiful buildings carved into huge walls of solid red sandstone rock. "Petra” means rock in Greek. The monuments, burial places and religious buildings at Petra combine ancient Greek, Roman and Egyptian styles of building. One of the most well known buildings is called al-Khazneh which is Arabic for “the treasury.” The building was really a burial place for a ruling family. But long ago some people falsely believed treasures were stored inside.

(MUSIC)

VOICE TWO:

The Colosseum

The Colosseum in Rome, Italy was built about two thousand years ago by the Flavian rulers. This huge circular stone and concrete building could hold about fifty thousand people. For hundreds of years, people gathered there to watch games. They included fights between professional gladiator soldiers and naval battles between ships. Each of the first three levels of the Colosseum has eighty large rounded arch openings. The Colosseum was badly damaged over the centuries by a fire and a series of earthquakes. Starting in the thirteenth century, fallen stones from the Colosseum were taken to be used for other building projects. But the building has since been carefully repaired. The circular form of this building has influenced many modern sports buildings.

VOICE ONE:

The Taj Mahal in Agra, India was built by the Mogul ruler Shah Jahan in the

The Taj Mahal

seventeenth century. The building is famous for its beautiful white marble surface inlaid with small pieces of colorful stones. It is also a symbol of Shah Jahan’s love for his wife. He built this monument as a burial place for her. She is said to have asked him to build a monument in her memory. More than twenty thousand workers built the Taj Mahal. It beautifully combines the styles of Indian, Persian and Islamic building.

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VOICE TWO:

Fourteen other buildings did not make the list of the new seven wonders of the world. These include Angkor Wat in Cambodia; the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France and the Acropolis in Athens, Greece. They also include the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia; the Sydney Opera House in Australia and the Statue of Liberty in New York City.

This new list of wonders has its critics. The Egyptian antiquities expert Zahi Hawass says the list has no value because masses of people do not write history. The Egyptian government expressed its anger when the New Seven Wonders voting began. Egypt believed its pyramids should not need to be voted on since they have always been listed as a world wonder. The New Seven Wonders group gave the pyramids an honorary position on the list. So there are actually now eight wonders of the world.

VOICE ONE:

The United Nation’s cultural program UNESCO released a statement on the subject this week. UNESCO made it very clear that it had no link with the New Seven Wonders group. The statement says Bernard Weber wanted to work with UNESCO, but the group refused. UNESCO has said its goal is to protect places of cultural value and simply making a new list does not help their aim.

UNESCO added that the new list of wonders shows the opinions of some people who have Internet and not the opinion of the entire world.

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VOICE TWO:

This program was written and produced by Dana Demange. I’m Barbara Klein.

VOICE ONE:

And I’m Steve Ember. You can see pictures of these world wonders at our Web site, voaspecialenglish.com. You can also find transcripts and audio archives of our programs. Join us again next week for Explorations in VOA Special English.

这个月来的晚了些。。。

6月合辑制作完毕，包括2007年6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|VOASE0706.iso|335904768|A5AC0D832269F81984713311A39AC3FD|h=7BZMKHYHTIZHEFOYSROO3KSTXOGT6QUT|/

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 BiG BanG 3 > Razorback > DonkeyServer No2

很抱歉，这次的合辑发布晚了点，都是为了等VOA官网迟迟没有刊登的几期Words and Their Stories，既然是做合辑，等到了也觉得圆满了，我强迫症又犯了。。。

Arab League Delegation to Make Unprecedented Visit to Israel

By Robert Berger Jerusalem 09 July 2007

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The Arab League is sending a delegation to Israel this week for the first time. As Robert Berger reports from VOA's Jerusalem, the 22-nation organization is pushing a new initiative for Mideast peace.

The visit of the Arab League delegation to Israel is a sign of deep concern about the violent takeover of the Gaza Strip last month by the Islamic militant group Hamas.

Moderate Arab states want to push Israel to revive peace talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who heads a western-backed government in the West Bank. They believe that negotiations on the creation of a Palestinian state could prevent a similar takeover of the West Bank by Hamas.

So the foreign ministers of Egypt and Jordan will visit Israel this week on behalf of the Arab League to discuss what is known as the Arab peace initiative. It calls for all Arab states to establish full diplomatic ties with Israel in exchange for a full Israeli withdrawal to the 1967 borders.

Israel rejects that demand because it would mean giving up Jerusalem's Old City and all West Bank settlements. But Israeli officials say the visit of the Arab League delegation is "historic."

Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni

"The opportunity is to find the common denominator between Israel and the other moderates in the world, but also in the region," said Foreign Minister Tzippe Livni. "And there is [a] common denominator and there are mutual interests. Nobody wants to see Hamas succeed."

But after the forces of Mr. Abbas were routed by Hamas in Gaza, many Israelis believe handing him major concessions would be a grave mistake. Israel TV journalist Yohanan El Rom says Mr. Abbas did not abide by the internationally-backed "Roadmap" peace plan, so he should not be rewarded with a Palestinian state.

"He is a leader of the Palestinian Authority in name only. He is weak, he has not kept his promises, the first item on the Roadmap was to dismantle the terrorist infrastructure, he did not do it," said El Rom. "He is reaping now his inaction. He is a failure as a leader."

President Abbas is also pushing for peace talks with Israel, saying the hope of a Palestinian state will improve his standing among his people and show them the benefits of moderation. But Hamas, which seeks Israel's destruction, says Mr. Abbas is an illegitimate leader and any negotiations with him are doomed to failure.

Israeli officials say Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is to meet with Mr. Abbas next week. The exact date and location of the meeting has not been announced.

Talks Fail, Fighting Erupts Outside Pakistan Mosque

By Benjamin Sand Islamabad 10 July 2007

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Negotiations to end the stand off have apparently broken down and a military assault has reportedly begun. A senior military official says the security forces have entered the compound. Hospital officials say at least two troops have been killed and at least seven others injured. The government says hundreds of women and children are being held hostage by a group of "hardcore terrorists" with possible links to al-Qaida. VOA correspondent Benjamin Sand reports from Islamabad.

Soldiers man positions outside Islamabad's Red Mosque, 9 Jul 2007

Huge explosions rocked the mosque early Tuesday morning as hopes for a possible breakthrough faded.

Just before midnight Pakistani Information Minister Muhammad Ali Durrani told reporters negotiators were still working toward ending the seven-day stand-off.

"We are trying our best to minimize the losses, that is why we are in the negotiations," said Muhammad Ali Durrani.

Officials say those talks broke down hours later and fighting erupted outside the mosque.

The government says militants are holding hundreds of women and children as human shields and there are fears of mass casualties.

The mosque's fiery, pro-Taleban leader, Abdul Rashid Ghazi has said everyone in Lal Masjid would rather die fighting than surrender to government forces.

VOASE0709_Agriculture Report

09 July 2007

California Growers Face Unwelcome Import: Light Brown Apple Moth
The insect, which can attack many different crops, has never been found before on the US mainland.

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This is the VOA Special English Agriculture Report.

An agricultural official inspects a trap for evidence of the light brown apple moth in Merced County, California

California is trying to control an invasion of the light brown apple moth. The insect is native to Australia and is now found widely in New Zealand, Britain, Ireland and New Caledonia. Hawaii had them in the late eighteen hundreds, but this is the first discovery on the mainland United States.

Officials say it could cause more than one hundred thirty million dollars in crop damage and control costs if the moth spreads to agricultural production areas. California is the nation's leading agricultural state. The industry is valued at thirty-two billion dollars.

The light brown apple moth can attack more than two hundred fifty kinds of plants and trees. It causes damage by feeding on leaves, new growth and fruit, including grapes -- bad news for California's wine industry.

More than thirty thousand traps have been deployed as part of the effort to fight the invasion. As of last week the traps had caught almost five thousand light brown apple moths. The insects have been found in several counties but mostly in Santa Cruz and Monterey along the Central Coast. The others have mostly been found in the San Francisco Bay Area, to the north.

The first discovery came in February. A private citizen captured two suspicious moths in a blacklight trap on his property near Berkeley. A laboratory confirmed their identity in March. Then, in May, the United States Department of Agriculture ordered action to prevent the spread of the insect.

It restricted the movement of products including nursery plants, cut flowers and greenery from several counties in California and all of Hawaii. Shipments must be inspected and declared insect-free before they can be transported to other states.

The California Department of Food and Agriculture says growers have the choice to destroy affected plants or treat them with a chemical, chlorpyrifos. Another substance, Bt, is a natural organism used as a biological control. In June, weekly ground treatments with Bt began on more than two hundred properties in two counties, Contra Costa and Napa. Napa is famous for its wine grapes.

Control plans are being developed for the wider area, based in part on the advice of experts from Australia and New Zealand.

Mexico has suspended imports of some products from the affected areas. It also is requiring more inspection of products from outside the affected counties.

And that's the VOA Special English Agriculture Report, written by Jerilyn Watson. I'm Faith Lapidus.

VOASE0709_Science In the News

09 July 2007

What You Can Do to Prevent Health Problems While Traveling
Advice on some ways to protect yourself from conditions such as airplane ear, deep vein thrombosis and hypoxia.

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VOICE ONE:

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

VOICE TWO:

An airline passenger gets some sleep as she waits for a delayed flight

And I'm Barbara Klein. Summer is a busy period for holiday travel. Many people will travel great distances in airplanes, cars or other vehicles. Today, we will offer suggestions about how to avoid health problems on a long trip.

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VOICE ONE:

Health officials in many countries say recent news reports have raised questions about the safety of passenger airplanes. The reports described an American man with a rare kind of tuberculosis. He flew two times across the Atlantic Ocean before agreeing to go to a hospital for treatment.

At first, public health officials attempted to warn people who were passengers on the long flights with the infected man. But officials said most of the passengers had a low risk of developing the disease. They suggested that the passengers could be tested if they wished to make sure.

Since then, health officials have found all the people who sat near the man. Officials said those persons needed to be tested for tuberculosis immediately, and then again in eight to ten weeks. It takes that long for the disease to develop. The officials also wanted the passengers to know they cannot infect anyone else with TB.

VOICE TWO:

Many people are concerned about the way sicknesses are spread in airplanes. It is known that diseases like tuberculosis can be spread from person to person through the air. Bacteria that carry TB move into the air when an infected person talks or expels air suddenly from the lungs. People nearby take the particles into their lungs when they breathe. But experts say healthy people are not in great danger unless they are in a closed space with an infected person for a long time.

Experts said one reason for the low risk of infection is that the man showed no signs of TB. Another reason is that the planes he flew in were equipped with HEPA filters. The Federal Aviation Administration says seventy-five percent of all large passenger planes now use such devices to remove dangerous particles from the air.

VOICE ONE:

The letters H-E-P-A represent the words High Efficiency Particulate Air. HEPA filters capture at least ninety nine point nine seven percent of all particles in the air that are zero point three microns in size or larger.

America's Atomic Energy Commission developed HEPA filters sixty years ago to protect workers who were developing the atomic bomb. The first HEPA filters removed radioactive particles from the air. Today, the filters are used to clean the air in planes, hospitals, factories, and even private homes.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says HEPA filters are effective in clearing the air of many particles that cause disease. Makers of the devices say they kill bacteria and viruses because they help to remove the wetness that germs need to survive. But HEPA filters cannot remove disease-causing particles smaller than zero point three microns. These will continue to move around in the air and can infect people.

VOICE TWO:

Medical experts say the most common way to get an infection is by touching an infected surface, then touching the eyes, nose or mouth. They say the best way people can protect themselves is by washing their hands after touching an object where germs could be present.

Experts say the news about the man with drug-resistant tuberculosis has increased concerns about travelers who are sick. They say diseases that spread more easily than tuberculosis could cause health and security crises. In the past, public health workers were able to delay travel by persons suspected of having diseases such as influenza. They continue to ask everyone to act responsibly and not fly while they are sick.

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VOICE ONE:

Experts say people should know about other health problems that can strike when traveling by air. One of these is a condition called hypoxia. It results from a lack of oxygen to the brain. Experts say the body begins losing oxygen minutes after an airplane leaves the ground. The air pressure in a plane during flight is lower than at sea level. This makes it more difficult for the body to effectively use the same amount of oxygen as it would on the ground. Fewer oxygen molecules cross the tissues in the lungs and reach the bloodstream.

The result is a five to twenty percent drop in the amount of oxygen in the blood. This reduces the amount of oxygen that reaches the organs of the body.

VOICE TWO:

One effect of this lack of oxygen to the brain is a headache. When this happens, the heart attempts to fix the situation by beating harder and faster. This can make the traveler feel tired.

These signs of hypoxia are not dangerous in a healthy person. But a drop in oxygen level can cause a health emergency in people with heart or lung problems. They might lose consciousness or even suffer a heart attack.

Experts say that smoking cigarettes and drinking alcoholic liquids also reduce the body’s ability to use oxygen. So they suggest that people not drink alcohol or smoke cigarettes either before or during a flight. They also say persons with heart or lung problems should seek advice from their doctor before flying.

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VOICE ONE:

Another health danger for travelers is a condition called deep vein thrombosis. A thrombosis is a blood clot -- a condition in which some blood thickens and blocks the flow to the heart.

Blood clots can kill if they move to the heart and lungs and stop needed oxygen from reaching those important organs. This is known as a pulmonary embolism.

The World Health Organization says travelers who sit still for four or more hours face a greater risk of developing blood clots. But it says only one in six thousand people develop deep vein thrombosis.

Doctors say some people have more risk than others. These include people who have had clots in the past, pregnant woman and those who take birth control pills. People who weigh too much and those with heart disease or cancer also may have a greater risk. Others include people being treated with estrogen and those who recently had an operation.

VOICE TWO:

Experts say the chance of a clot also increases if a person does not drink enough water. They say travelers who sit for hours need to drink plenty of water -- not liquids that contain alcohol or caffeine. Passengers should also increase blood flow to the legs. Ways to do this include wearing support stockings on your feet. Passengers should also walk around every hour or so during the trip or at least move their feet and legs. Also, no one should sit for a long time with the knees pressed back against a seat.

Doctors say anyone with pain, swelling or red skin on a leg during or after a long trip may have a blood clot. Anyone with such signs should see a doctor as soon as possible. The condition many times can be treated with drugs that thin the blood and stop the clot from moving through the body.

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VOICE ONE:

Another health problem people may suffer during a flight is ear pain, also known as airplane ear. This is the result of difference in air pressure between parts of the middle of the ear and the outer ear.

The air pressure in both these areas is kept generally the same by the Eustachian tube. The Eustachian tube connects the middle ear to the nose. The tube opens when a person swallows or takes a deep breath. These actions equalize the air pressure by permitting air to flow into or out of the middle ear. Pressure differences result when the Eustachian tube is blocked. Then the eardrum cannot perform normally. The person may not be able to hear normally…and may also suffer pain.

VOICE TWO:

People with colds or allergic reactions are at greater risk of airplane ear because their Eustachian tubes may be blocked. And children may suffer airplane air more easily than adults because their Eustachian tubes are small and easily blocked. Generally, airplane ear is most painful during take off and landing. But it generally goes away a few hours after the flight. If not, a doctor can provide treatment.

Ways to prevent airplane ear include canceling plans to fly if you have a cold or an allergy. Passengers can use decongestant medicines before the flight, a nasal spray or special earplugs that can help equalize the pressure during landing and takeoffs. Swallowing and taking deep breaths during the flight may also help some people.

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VOICE ONE:

This SCIENCE IN THE NEWS program was written by Nancy Steinbach. Our producer was Brianna Blake. I'm Bob Doughty.

VOICE TWO:

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