VOA News: Middle East: UN Security Council Close to Agreement on Full Syria Mission

VOA News: Middle East Middle East Voice of America

UN Security Council Close to Agreement on Full Syria Mission Apr 21st 2012, 04:35 The U.N. Security Council appeared close to agreement Friday on the authorization of an expanded observer mission of up to 300 military monitors to be deployed to Syria to report on whether a fragile truce holds and if the parties implement other elements of a U.N.-backed peace plan. Council members met late into the evening Friday to negotiate language of a draft resolution written by Russia that combined elements of an earlier European-drafted text. Council diplomats said they would reconvene Saturday morning with a view to a vote. The measure is a follow-up to Security Council resolution 2042, adopted unanimously on April 14, which approved a small contingent of up 30 unarmed U.N. military observers to be sent to Syria to monitor the cease-fire. A handful of those observers are on the ground in Syria now. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon followed up earlier this week with an official request to the Security Council for an expanded mission. After Friday's negotiations, French Ambassador Gérard Araud said this is a new type of mission for the council to authorize, because the observers would be going into "a war zone," not into a post-conflict situation. "So that's one of the concerns. We want to send the observers, because it is very important to send it as quickly as possible, but at the same time we have to take into account the danger for the observers," said Araud. "So that is the reason why we are precising [sic] that the secretary-general will have to assess the situation on the ground. Simply to say, 'well, actually I can send them, or actually I have to withdraw them, or actually I can send them only on some spots'." More than 9,000 Syrians have been killed since Bashar al-Assad's government cracked down on political dissenters more than 13 months ago. Tens of thousands more have fled the country or been internally displaced. Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin, who oversaw the drafting of the text, said he hoped there would be a unanimous vote on Saturday. "We hope it is going to send a strong and good political signal. And we hope the people who have been courageous enough to go there with the advance party will know they are not out there in limbo. That more people will come and that the [UN] secretariat and the Security Council is taking this exercise very seriously," said Churkin. The near-final version of the text that capitals will be reviewing overnight underlines the need for Damascus and the United Nations to quickly agree on appropriate air assets for the mission - such as helicopters and airplanes - that would be necessary to transport the monitors around Syria. There also is a provision for "further steps" should the resolution not be implemented. Activists have reported some violence, including the army's shelling of the flashpoint city of Homs, since the Syrian government said it was implementing a cessation of hostilities on April 12. In a letter to the United Nations this week, the government also accused the armed opposition of truce violations. But despite the breeches, the cease-fire appeared to be holding. Media files: reuters_Syria_near_homs_protest_480_20april2012.jpg (image/jpeg, 0.1 MB) reuters_Syria_near_homs_protest_230_20april2012.jpg

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VOA News: USA: US Supreme Court to Review Immigration Law

VOA News: USA USA Voice of America

US Supreme Court to Review Immigration Law Apr 21st 2012, 03:11 <!--AV--> The United States Supreme Court on Wednesday will review a restrictive immigration law from the southwestern state of Arizona. The law requires police to check a person's immigration status during routine traffic stops or other actions. The Arizona statute has brought immigration laws to the forefront on a state and federal level. Alhassanne Foungounou plays his guitar and sings of liberation on YouTube. Foungounou requested asylum in the United States when his Tuareg protest songs angered the Niger government. But Foungounou returned home to Niger after Arizona passed a tough immigration law and he was nearly arrested. We asked him about it on Skype. "I like the United States a lot but the Arizona law is not good. The vender asked me for my ID [identification] and I gave her my work permit. Soon after that the police came. It was like I killed someone," said Foungounou. Foungounou was in the U.S. legally, but he did what Arizona officials hope to accomplish with the law. Arizona shares a border with Mexico. Governor Jan Brewer said she wanted to make conditions so uncomfortable that illegal immigrants would voluntarily leave her state. The law requires legal immigrants to carry documentation with them at all times or be jailed. It also requires police to check a person's immigration status if the officer suspects the individual is in the country illegally. The law was to end years of frustration over Arizona's estimated 460,000 illegal immigrants. After several court challenges, its future is up to the U.S. Supreme Court. Michael McLaughlin said the law is refreshing and should be upheld. His wife is a German immigrant who followed the legal path to citizenship 42 years ago. He and other volunteers are trying to get strict laws in all 50 states. They plan to demonstrate in front of the Supreme Court. "We have about 8 million illegal aliens in the United States, 7 million of whom are working in non-agricultural jobs at the same time that we have 22 million Americans looking for full-time employment," said McLaughlin. If the Supreme Court upholds the law, individual states could enact their own immigration rules. Kristina Campbell is a law professor at the University of the District of Columbia. "They really are opening up a can of worms if you believe in the principle of federalism - that we are several states, but one nation. We have the same laws at the federal level. Then, I think turning around and saying, 'Well you guys can do whatever you want on this particular issue' is problematic." Ali Noorani of the National Immigration Forum opposes the law, but he sees the benefit of getting the nation to address immigration. "You know what? We've got to get our act together. We've got to figure this out. Whether it is Arizona or Alabama, the country is losing because we have a dysfunctional immigration system," said Noorani. The justices are expected to have a decision in June. Media files: scotus_immigration_law_preview_teaser_230_20april2012.jpg SCOTUS_IMMIGRATION_PREVIEW_for_web-fixed-x264-Platform_YTHQFull__801790.mp4 (video/mp4)

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VOA News: USA: Secret Service Scandal Continues to Shake Washington

VOA News: USA USA Voice of America

Secret Service Scandal Continues to Shake Washington Apr 21st 2012, 02:08 A week into a scandal involving U.S. Secret Service agents - who allegedly brought prostitutes to their hotel in Colombia ahead of President Barack Obama's arrival for a summit - reverberations continue in Washington. Several agents have been forced out of their jobs. Congress plans extensive hearings into a scandal that has tarnished the agency and embarrassed the White House. As photos surfaced of one of the Colombian women allegedly involved, other details also have emerged - including the identities of two agents ousted so far from the agency. David Chaney and Greg Stokes - both supervisors - are among the agents leaving. The agency has expanded its investigation to determine exactly how many personnel may have been involved.   <!--AV--> At least 11 members of the U.S. military also are believed to have been involved - the military is conducting its own investigation. In his only remarks so far, the president said he had respect for the Secret Service, but awaits the results of investigations. "I'll wait until the full investigation is completed before I pass final judgment," said Obama. The White House is defending the Secret Service director who faces increasing pressure from the U.S. Congress.   Press Secretary Jay Carney angrily rejected suggestions by prominent Republicans that the Secret Service scandal - along with other recent controversies - reflect a failure of leadership by the president. "It is preposterous to politicize the Secret Service, to politicize the behavior of, the terrible conduct of some soldiers in Afghanistan in a war that has been going on for 10 years." There is anger over the scandal on both sides of the political aisle. "It's so, what would be the word, disgusting, disconcerting, and every D-word you can think of," said House of Representatives Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi. House and Senate committee hearings next week will ensure that the Secret Service scandal remains prominently in the headlines. Media files: ap_us_obama_secret_service_480_18april2012.jpg (image/jpeg, 0 MB) ap_us_obama_secret_service_230_18april2012.jpg Secret_Service_Scandal_-_web_version_4x3-fixed-x264-Platform_YTHQFull__554714.mp4 (video/mp4)

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VOA News: Africa: South Sudan, Sudan Claim Control of Heglig Despite Withdrawal

VOA News: Africa Africa Voice of America

South Sudan, Sudan Claim Control of Heglig Despite Withdrawal Apr 21st 2012, 00:28 Sudan and South Sudan are both claiming to be in control of the Heglig oil fields, despite assurances from the Southern government that it is withdrawing its troops to avert a return to war. The countries have given different accounts of the withdrawal. Early Friday, South Sudan said it was commencing an orderly and voluntary pullout from Heglig immediately. Later that evening, however, South Sudan's ambassador to the United Nations, Agnes Oswaha, told reporters at U.N. headquarters in New York that southern forces were still in complete control of Heglig. She did confirm that all southern forces would be out of Heglig within 72 hours. "The Republic of South Sudan took this decision because it does not wish to see a return to war and seeks an immediate resumption of negotiations between the two parties," said Oswaha. Meanwhile, Sudan's ambassador to the United Nations, Daffa-Alla Elhag Ali Osman, said earlier that Sudanese forces had retaken Heglig by force.   "It's a pleasure and great honor for me and with great jubilation I convey to you that our heroic Sudanese Armed Forces have chased out the aggressors from Heglig," said Osman. Ali Osman said Sudan is ready to resume talks with South Sudan if, in his words, the south's leaders "come to their senses" and negotiate without conditions. Noting the withdrawal, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon issued a statement calling on the governments of both countries to resume negotiations "immediately." In Washington, U.S. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said the United States is urging South Sudan to fully withdraw all forces from Heglig, and is calling on Sudan to immediately end any reprisal attacks. "In parallel, we are also calling on the government of Sudan as we have regularly to halt their own cross-border attacks, particularly the provocative Arial bombardments, so that we can get back to a place where these two sides are working together and using mechanisms like the joint-border verification and monitoring mechanism to work through their issues," said Nuland. South Sudan seized the Heglig oil fields on April 10, sparking fears of all-out war between the two countries. In a speech Wednesday, Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir threatened to crush South Sudan's government like an "insect." The South's information minister said Friday that Juba still considers Heglig to be part of its territory and wants the status of that area and other contested regions to be determined by international arbitration. The two Sudans have been unable to resolve disputes over borders, oil, and citizenship stemming from the South's independence last July. Chief disputes include the future of the oil-producing Abyei region and the sharing of oil revenue. The South took over three-fourths of Sudan's oil fields when it separated, but uses northern pipelines for export. The countries have been fighting along their disputed border but the U.S. special envoy to Sudan, Princeton Lyman, said Thursday that both sides want to avoid a larger conflict. "In the discussions I have had in both Khartoum and Juba, I can say with confidence that virtually everyone I have talked to has said, 'Look we don't want to go to all-out war with the other. We need to find a way out," said Lyman. Before their separation, north and south Sudan fought a 21-year civil war that eventually led to southern autonomy and independence. Media files: reuters_sudan_citizens_rally_soldiers_480_20april2012.jpg (image/jpeg, 0.1 MB) reuters_sudan_citizens_rally_soldiers_230_20april2012.jpg

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VOA News: Economy: IMF Gets Hundreds of Billions More for Emergency Loans

VOA News: Economy Economy Voice of America

IMF Gets Hundreds of Billions More for Emergency Loans Apr 20th 2012, 23:47 Nations around the world are pledging more money for emergency loans to help member nations of the International Monetary Fund cope with any new economic crisis.   The Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, Christine Lagarde, said the members of the IMF have made commitments to provide as much as $430 billion for loans to help members through economic difficulties. "We have commitment North of [more than] $430 billion, and that almost doubles the lending capacity of the fund," said Lagarde. She spoke Friday in Washington after meetings with Central Bank Governors and Finance Ministers from the world's 20 leading economies.  G20 officials said the pledges were part of a broad international consensus, and came from a significant number of nations.   "It really shows the resolve of the international community to have available the tools in the tool kit to  resist and defend against crisis," said Lagarde. Those tools also include efforts to better manage spending, debt, interest rates, and other economic policies to encourage growth. Concerns about Europe's economic troubles have been a major topic this week among finance officials gathered in Washington for semi-annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.   Earlier, IMF experts said Europe's continuing debt crisis is the most likely threat to global growth. G20 officials said the money would be available to any of the IMF's 188 member nations, however, not targeted at any particular region. Media files: ap_imf_lagarde_world_bank_480_20april2012.jpg (image/jpeg, 0 MB) ap_imf_lagarde_world_bank_230_20april2012.jpg

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VOA News: Asia: Arnel Pineda's Incredible Journey Comes to the Big Screen

VOA News: Asia Asia Voice of America

Arnel Pineda's Incredible Journey Comes to the Big Screen Apr 20th 2012, 22:51 How does it feel to be plucked from relative obscurity in the Philippines and catapulted into the role of front man for the legendary American rock band Journey? A new documentary, Don't Stop Believin': Everyman's Journey, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York last night, follows the journey of Filipino singer Arnel Pineda from the streets of Manila to mega concert venues with a legendary band. The film was directed, written and produced by Filipino-American Ramona Diaz, who said when she first heard about Pineda's story, she knew someone had to make a movie about it. She just didn't realize at the time it would be her, she said during a telephone interview. "One thing led to another, and pretty soon we were talking with the manager, and pretty soon, we were on tour with them," she said. Pineda's is a true rags-to-riches story. At 12, his mother died, leaving him homeless. As a child, he lived in poverty in his native Manila, at times resorting to collecting scrap metal just to get a little money for food. "I would hang out with my friends and they would make me sing in exchange for food," he says in the movie.  "I'd tag along just so I could eat.  Then we would go to the park and I'd sleep there with other homeless kids." Over the years, he drifted in and out of bands and was eventually successful enough to relocate to Hong Kong in 1991. After 15 years performing there, he returned to Manila, where he hoped he would at least make it big in the Philippines. While playing in a cover band called The Zoo, an avid fan began to post videos of Pineda on YouTube. Pineda's voice is eerily reminiscent of Journey's iconic ex-lead singer Steve Perry's, and as luck would have it, Journey was seeking another lead singer. Several months after the videos started to be posted, Diaz said Neil Schon, Journey's guitarist, called, and soon thereafter Pineda was with the band on the road and in the recording studio. "This was coming out of nowhere. He was not a YouTube sensation back in the Philippines," said Diaz. "He was not a star; he was singing in small clubs." After spending a lot of time on the road with Pineda and the band during a tour, Diaz said all of the fame and glory has not gone to the singer's head. "In the film he talks about how everything is fleeting. It's up and down. It's a cycle. He's on the up, but he knows it's not going to be forever. He's been around the block. He tried to make a career for 20 years in the Philippines," she said. "It's hard to keep your feet on the ground. It's amazing Arnel has been able to. You live in a bubble. People start telling you you're God's gift to this band." Another challenge Pineda faced was getting Steve Perry fans to accept him, Diaz said. But that has become less of a problem. "When you watch him perform you can't help but really be blown away," she said. "I think reluctantly he really converted some die hard Perry fans." Media files: pinedatease copy.jpg

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VOA News: Americas: Panetta Reaches Out to Latin American Partners

VOA News: Americas Americas Voice of America

Panetta Reaches Out to Latin American Partners Apr 20th 2012, 22:58 U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta heads to South America as part of Washington's efforts to build partnerships in the region in the fight against drug trafficking and terrorism.  But the U.S. defense chief will also deal with the backlash of the scandal involving U.S. security personnel and Colombian prostitutes. It is a region that is often out of U.S. headlines. But now, the worry that drug and human smuggling networks in the area may turn into a terrorist corridor is driving U.S. leaders to point their attention South. This month, President Barack Obama attended the Summit of the Americas in Colombia, and his Secretary of Defense, Leon Panetta, is paying visits to Colombia, Brazil, and Chile - nations with which Washington has longstanding partnerships. "This is a way of making contact and dealing with the region at a time when there's growing concern over the ability of many countries to be able to handle the threat posed by transnational crime and, specifically, drug trafficking organizations," said Steve Johnson, a former Pentagon official specializing in Latin America. One U.S. concern is Venezuela's military buildup and the country's partnership with Iran.   Reports of the deteriorating health of Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez and the country's elections this year have Washington watching for signs of instability.   Venezuela is not on Panetta's itinerary, but analysts expect it to be an underlying factor in his meetings. "The important thing is not to overplay it, to give more importance to it than it really deserves, but at the same time to take it seriously so that when we deal with other countries we might be able to encourage them to keep an eye on it, to cooperate with us in trying to have a better understanding of what is going on," Johnson said. The U.S. defense secretary goes to Colombia days after allegations that U.S. military personnel, along with Secret Service agents assigned to guard President Obama, solicited prostitutes they met at a strip club in Cartagena - the site of the summit. Some in Colombia complain the affair distracted attention from the meeting. The U.S. military's top officer, General Martin Dempsey, called it an embarrassment. "We let the boss down because nobody's talking about what went on in Colombia other than this incident," Dempsey said. Panetta hopes to turn attention back to the issues of drug trafficking and anti-terror efforts. Media files: AP_Leon_Panetta_230.jpg Panetta_Latam_Advancer__427732.mp4 (video/mp4)

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VOA News: Africa: In Uganda's North, Support for Kony's 'Invisible Children'

VOA News: Africa Africa Voice of America

In Uganda's North, Support for Kony's 'Invisible Children' Apr 20th 2012, 22:25 Tonight thousands of teenagers hit streets of the United States armed with T-shirts and posters as part of a campaign to make Ugandan rebel leader Joseph Kony even more famous than he already is. <!--IMAGE-RIGHT-->Sponsored by Invisible Children -- the U.S.-based advocacy group whose spectacularly successful Kony 2012 documentary reached over 100 million people -- "Cover the Night" aims to aid in the capture of the notorious leader of the Lord's Resistance Army. In parts of Uganda, the U.S.-based group and its documentary have been accused of arrogance, over-simplification and misrepresentation of the country in order to make money. In the northern region, a place ravaged by decades of LRA violence, reactions are more mixed. A place for survivors Twenty kilometers outside Gulu sits a modest orphanage. Comprising just three concrete blocks in a tall grass, the structures are home to more than 30 children whose families were killed by LRA forces. For many of them, capturing Kony is the only thing that matters. "We found out that there are very many children that were staying on their own, like child-headed families," says orphanage manager Nelda Apiyo, explaining that many had had to survive on their own for years. "And then also we found out that there are very many street kids who are just hanging around town and they don't know where to stay." For youth such as fifteen-year-old Nancy Apio, memories of the war between the Ugandan government and the LRA are still fresh. "My dad was in the garden and then the rebels, they came and they killed him," she says. "They just cut him in two pieces. There was an uncle to me, he went to the garden. He was making charcoal. When they found him there, they killed him and they threw him in the fire." A local screening Most of these children have not seen Kony 2012, but several weeks ago a public screening was held in Gulu, and over 10,000 people showed up. It did not go well. "When they went for the screening, they expected to watch a film where they were going to see Joseph Kony capturing young children, killing them one by one, and doing all the destruction that had been happening before," says Roy Arnold, a young man working in a Gulu café. "But then unfortunately, they brought a documentary where a white guy was speaking throughout the movie, and some young kid was playing." According to 19-year-old Okane Francis Otim, an orphanage resident who was in the audience that night, things quickly got out of hand, and riot police were called in to control the crowd. "They just started shouting, they destroyed many things," he says. While Otim personally thinks Invisible Children's campaign is a good thing, unlike many other Ugandans he says he would even be willing to wear a T-shirt with Kony's face on it, if it would help the cause. "That one I can do," he says, echoing a sentiment shared by most of the orphans. "It will be showing the sign that there is something that people should do, and that T-shirt will be showing it." An unending war For the orphans and their facility manager, the war is not yet over. Some are missing family members who were abducted and could be fighting with the LRA across the border in Congo. "We have a girl whose father was taken, and up to now she still doesn't know whether he is alive or not," says Apiyo. "But she is still having hope that one day their father will come back. So I believe if they come and then they chase away Kony, the relatives of people here will come back." Fourteen-year-old Concy Attoo was born in a rebel camp in the bush, and has no memory of her parents, both of whom are dead. "[My] life has been very hard, but at least things are improving," she says. "They no longer have to hide in the forest, and now they have enough to eat every day." Gulu, now a bustling commercial center, was once a destination for children from surrounding villages who made nightly treks into the war-torn city to escape LRA attacks. There is no question that things are looking up in the region. Although the LRA may have fled Uganda, says Apiyo, the campaign to capture Kony remains paramount. "It's not peaceful," she says. "What Kony has done ... led to poverty. People are still suffering, because some other people, they can't produce. If you produce, and your leg is not there, how can you manage to get food for your children?" One hundred U.S. troops were sent to central Africa last year to advise the Ugandan military in their continuing hunt for Kony, whose weakened rebel group is now scattered throughout the region. Regardless of what they think of Kony 2012, many in Gulu hope the hunt for Kony succeeds. Media files: AP_KONY_480_20april12.JPG (image/jpeg, 0.1 MB) Kony_Joseph_300x300_ap.jpg

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VOA News: Arts and Entertainment: 'One Day on Earth' Delivers Global Message

VOA News: Arts and Entertainment Arts and Entertainment Voice of America

'One Day on Earth' Delivers Global Message Apr 20th 2012, 22:30 "One Day on Earth," a film created by Kyle Ruddick and Brandon Littman, documents one day in the life of humanity from every country on the planet. <!--AV--> More than 15,000 people contributed footage from their ethnic communities and helped to create a global patchwork of universal themes - including birth, love, creativity, war and death - all filmed on the same day, Oct. 10, 2010. The film will be presented in 170 countries on Earth Day this Sunday, April 22.  The filmmakers describe in their own words how the film was made. According to director Kyle Ruddick, the idea for the film was inspired by music. "You can take music from all over the world and you can combine it," he says, "and I thought that cinema should have something that immediate, that in the moment, and I had this idea that basically, what if as many people across the world filmed at the same time during one day." The film is roughly based on the cycle of life. "There is definitely a story to this movie, there is a narrative," Ruddick says. "But the way that we found it, was to really listen to all the perspectives and go through 3000 hours of footage. It was a very laborious and enjoyable process, actually. It was about the discovery of what people have sent to us. And that was really an exciting process because every day you are discovering something new you didn't know about that was beautiful and profound and from a place in the world you hadn't seen before." For producer Brandon Littman, the logistics were a challenge. "Filming in every country in the world requires a lot of friends and a lot of supporters," he says. "We spent long days and nights establishing communication from large organizations like the United Nations and the Red Cross and Red Crescent to smaller NGOs and filmmakers around the world. I think at the time there were about 15,000 members of "One Day on Earth." And what do filmmakers hope viewers will take away from the film? "My hope is that people see this movie and they feel interconnected and they feel incredible gratitude for being alive and hope for the future," Ruddick says, "but they also feel responsibility to the challenges they face on a personal and global level." Media files: One_day_on_earth_.jpg One_day_on_earth_WEB-desktop-standardQT-fixed-x264-Platform_YTHDFull__359768.mp4 (video/mp4)

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VOA News: Asia: Search Continues for Victims of Kashmir Avalanche

VOA News: Asia Asia Voice of America

Search Continues for Victims of Kashmir Avalanche Apr 20th 2012, 21:04 In the early morning hours of April 7, a huge avalanche and landslide struck a Pakistani army battalion headquarters located high in the mountains of Kashmir. Rescuers are still searching for survivors beneath rubble that spans one-square-kilometer at the Siachen glacier, in a region long known as a flashpoint between India and Pakistan. Pakistani soldiers continue to dig, inch-by-inch, in search of 140 colleagues buried under this massive pile of rock.   Rescuers using sniffer dogs and life-detection equipment have braved blizzard-like conditions and threats of fresh avalanches to search through the rubble and snow. But two weeks after the calamity flattened the Gayari rear base, no victims have been found. Rescuers have not even located evidence of the buried military complex. <!--AV--> Daunting rescue effort continues Regional army commander Brigadier Saqib Mehmood Malik is supervising the rescue effort. "The mass of snow and ice and rocks that you see here, this is 200 to 250 feet [61-76 meters] above the ground level. So therefore, this effort is of a very, very large magnitude," said Malik. Located at an altitude of 4,000 meters, the disaster zone is just a few kilometers away from the Indian outposts on the disputed Siachen Glacier. Despite the harsh conditions, Malik refuses to give up the search for the victims. "So, being a Muslim I believe that I have hope and I will not let it die, I will not let it die," he said. Colonel Saeed Iqbal, a former commander of the flattened Pakistani military base, says the incident has saddened him. "Here we used to play cricket and very proudly we used to say that this is the world highest cricket ground. And you can see those flags, my office was there and living was there, our mess was there," said Iqbal. Calls to demilitarize Siachen Glacier The latest human tragedy on the world's highest battleground has once again revived calls for demilitarization of the Siachen Glacier, where Pakistan and India together have suffered less than 1,000 casualties, but extreme weather conditions have caused more than 7,000 deaths. The human tragedy in the glacial region has revived calls for Pakistan and India to end what many critics describe as a "senseless" conflict over the 78-kilometer long Siachen Glacier. The standoff began in 1984 when Indian troops occupied positions on the northern tip of the "Line of Control" dividing Kashmir. Pakistan responded by establishing posts on Siachen. Since then, the 28-year-old conflict has cost billions of dollars and killed more than 8,000 soldiers on both sides, giving it the reputation as the world's highest, coldest and most expensive battlefield. Resistance to end costly conflict Army spokesman Major-General Athar Abbas said despite the financial and human losses, Pakistan will not unilaterally pull out forces from the disputed glacier.    "Yes, of course, the loss of life is right in front of everyone on both sides, and our position is that we must go back to the 1984 position and then determine what should be the actual line of deployment, but not before that. This is just an actual ground position line which is because these forces are eyeball-to-eyeball," said Abbas. While the digging continues for victims, there is hope that the tragedy could push the two sides toward resolving a conflict that many say is the easiest of all the disputes plaguing India and Pakistan. Media files: reuters_pakistan_rescue_effort_siachen_glacier_480_18april2012.jpg (image/jpeg, 0.1 MB) reuters_pakistan_rescue_effort_siachen_glacier_230_18april2012.jpg Pakistan_Avalanche_FOR_WEB_SD-fixed-x264-Platform_YTHQFull__038221.mp4 (video/mp4)

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VOA News: USA: Florida Man Accused of Killing Unarmed Teenager Released from Jail

VOA News: USA USA Voice of America

Florida Man Accused of Killing Unarmed Teenager Released from Jail Apr 20th 2012, 21:18 The Florida man accused of killing an unarmed African-American teenager is expected to be free soon on $150,000 bail.  George Zimmerman is charged with second degree murder in connection with the shooting death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in February.  Zimmerman claims self-defense.  George Zimmerman appeared in court not only to seek his release as he awaits trail - he used the opportunity to apologize to the dead boy's parents who attended the proceedings. "I wanted to say I am sorry for the loss of your son," he said.  "I did not know how old he was, but I thought he was a little bit younger than I was, and I did not know if he was armed or not." <!--AV--> The fact that Trayvon Martin was not armed, and that Zimmerman was, is partly why the case has attracted so much attention. Florida has what's called a Stand Your Ground law that allows people to use deadly force if they feel their lives are in danger.   Zimmerman says he shot Martin in self-defense after Martin attacked him.  Zimmerman's father testified by telephone about how his son looked after the confrontation. "His face was swollen quite a bit," said Robert Zimmerman. "He had a protective cover over his nose, his lip was swollen and cut." Prosecutors portray Zimmerman as the aggressor who confronted Martin as he walked back to his father's home from a nearby convenience store.  Prosecutors contend that Zimmerman has a history of violence. Zimmerman's wife Shellie contradicted that in her testimony by phone. Prosecutor: "You would tell the court that he is not a violent person?" Shellie Zimmerman: "Absolutely, he is not a violent person or a threat to the community." <!--IMAGE-LEFT--> Also hanging over this case is the controversial subject of racial profiling.  Martin's family and supporters argue that Zimmerman, a white Hispanic, neighborhood watch volunteer, stopped Martin because he was black. That has led to numerous protests across the country. Part of this outcry came after police initially allowed Zimmerman to go free.  And the volatility of the case was on the mind of Zimmerman's attorney after the hearing. "It is an enormously high profile case and there is a lot of anger - or let's say a lot of high emotions - that exist," said defense attorney Mark O'Mara. "I don't want that to spill over on to the family or my client's safety." The hearing ended with the court setting conditions for Zimmerman's release. "I am going to grant the motion and set bond in the amount of $150,000 with the following conditions - electronic monitoring GPS," said Florida judge Kenneth Lester. The judge also ruled that Zimmerman must check in with authorities every three days.  He is scheduled to return to court in May to be formally charged. Media files: ap_florida_george_zimmerman_480_20Apr12.jpg (image/jpeg, 0.1 MB) ap_florida_george_zimmerman_230_20Apr12.jpg ap_florida_martin_parents_230_inline_20Apr12.jpg T_Martin_Bond_Hearing_Web-fixed-x264-Platform_YTHQFull__604077.mp4 (video/mp4)

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VOA News: Asia: High-Rise Buildings Pose Growing Security Threat in Kabul

VOA News: Asia Asia Voice of America

High-Rise Buildings Pose Growing Security Threat in Kabul Apr 20th 2012, 19:03 In two high profile attacks in the Afghan capital, insurgents used high-rise buildings that were under construction to target Afghan and foreign institutions.  Our reporter has more on the growing security threat these buildings pose and why they are being constructed so close to sensitive areas of Kabul.   Earlier this week, insurgents targeted the presidential palace, foreign embassies and other strategic locations during a deadly attack in Kabul. The 18-hour assault that began Sunday only ended when Afghan security forces backed by NATO helicopters fired on the last attackers who had seized an unfinished building in the diplomatic enclave. In a similar attack last September, insurgents occupied the upper floors of an unfinished building in Kabul, firing bullets and rockets at the U.S. Embassy, NATO headquarters and Afghan intelligence headquarters. Kabul has seen a construction boom in recent years, but many of the buildings that have emerged among mud houses and the rubble of war remain incomplete for years due to very slow construction work. Afghan finance ministry advisor Najib Manalai is closely watching this development and considers unfinished high-rise buildings a grave threat to security in the capital. "We have several buildings all around the presidential palace which could be easily used by anyone who wants to attack the palace," said Manalai. "Kabul has such buildings all over the city; some of them even close to military installations. These buildings have been built out of the norms of the city. Besides a security threat they have other negative sides too." The building used during last year's attack on the U.S. Embassy in Kabul is reportedly owned by a member of the Afghan parliament. Manalai says property owners and officials who allows these buildings to go up are equally to blame. "We can't say high-ranking officials in the government are unaware of the construction of these buildings," he said. "They are partners in many of these buildings. It is said that when permission for a big building is needed, a mayor is brought in to do the job. As soon as the mayor signs the papers on that huge building he is replaced by another mayor." Kabul residents, like Lema, who live close to these unfinished high-rises are also worried about their safety.   "These buildings could be used by insurgents, suicide bombers and other criminals, because nobody knows who owns them, nobody protects them and nobody can question who they belong to," said Lema. "We have a building which lay incomplete for the last eight years. No one knows who the owner of the building is. It has no protection and no one oversees it. We see people coming into the building at night, but no one comes into it during the day." Kabul's technical deputy mayor, Abdul Ahad, says there are at least three such high-rise buildings whose owners are unknown, and the properties have changed hands at least three or four times. He says this is just part of the problem. "According to our last year's evaluations around  50 percent of such buildings have illegally been constructed and have no legal permits from the municipality," said Ahad. "This is a huge issue. We are working on a new construction evaluation rule and will reevaluate all these illegal constructions based on these new rules." The Kabul official says the new rules will mandate that work be completed within a certain timeframe and that overall, there will be greater oversight of future construction projects. Media files: reuters_afghanistan_soldier_building_insurgents_480_16april2012.jpg (image/jpeg, 0.1 MB) reuters_afghanistan_soldier_building_insurgents_230_16april2012.jpg

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VOA News: Arts and Entertainment: Arnel Pineda's Incredible Journey comes to the Big Screen

VOA News: Arts and Entertainment Arts and Entertainment Voice of America

Arnel Pineda's Incredible Journey comes to the Big Screen Apr 20th 2012, 19:14 How does it feel to be plucked from relative obscurity in the Philippines and catapulted into the role of front man for the legendary American rock band Journey? A new documentary, Don't Stop Believin': Everyman's Journey, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York last night, follows the journey of Filipino singer Arnel Pineda from the streets of Manila to mega concert venues with a legendary band. The film was directed, written and produced by Filipino-American Ramona Diaz, who said when she first heard about Pineda's story, she knew someone had to make a movie about it. She just didn't realize at the time it would be her, she said during a telephone interview. "One thing led to another, and pretty soon we were talking with the manager, and pretty soon, we were on tour with them," she said. Pineda's is a true rags-to-riches story. At 12, his mother died, leaving him homeless. As a child, he lived in poverty in his native Manila, at times resorting to collecting scrap metal just to get a little money for food. "I would hang out with my friends and they would make me sing in exchange for food," he says in the movie.  "I'd tag along just so I could eat.  Then we would go to the park and I'd sleep there with other homeless kids." Over the years, he drifted in and out of bands and was eventually successful enough to relocate to Hong Kong in 1991. After 15 years performing there, he returned to Manila, where he hoped he would at least make it big in the Philippines. While playing in a cover band called The Zoo, an avid fan began to post videos of Pineda on YouTube. Pineda's voice is eerily reminiscent of Journey's iconic ex-lead singer Steve Perry's, and as luck would have it, Journey was seeking another lead singer. Several months after the videos started to be posted, Diaz said Neil Schon, Journey's guitarist, called, and soon thereafter Pineda was with the band on the road and in the recording studio. "This was coming out of nowhere. He was not a YouTube sensation back in the Philippines," said Diaz. "He was not a star; he was singing in small clubs." After spending a lot of time on the road with Pineda and the band during a tour, Diaz said all of the fame and glory has not gone to the singer's head. "In the film he talks about how everything is fleeting. It's up and down. It's a cycle. He's on the up, but he knows it's not going to be forever. He's been around the block. He tried to make a career for 20 years in the Philippines," she said. "It's hard to keep your feet on the ground. It's amazing Arnel has been able to. You live in a bubble. People start telling you you're God's gift to this band." Another challenge Pineda faced was getting Steve Perry fans to accept him, Diaz said. But that has become less of a problem. "When you watch him perform you can't help but really be blown away," she said. "I think reluctantly he really converted some die hard Perry fans." Media files: pinedatease copy.jpg

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VOA News: Africa: Deposed Malian President Arrives in Senegal

VOA News: Africa Africa Voice of America

Deposed Malian President Arrives in Senegal Apr 20th 2012, 17:17 Ousted Malian president Amadou Toumani Toure has arrived in Dakar with his family. The office of Senegal's president, Macky Sall, had announced earlier Friday that the former president and his family were on their way to Senegal. There was no word on how long they might stay. Mr. Toure fled his home in Bamako during the coup that ousted him from office last month, and he had been staying at the Senegalese embassy in the Malian capital. Meanwhile, Mali's coup leaders said late Thursday they had released 22 political and military leaders from detention. The detainees included former prime ministers Modibo Sidibe and Soumaila Cisse, deposed defense minister Sadio Gassama, bank executives, and the head of police. The arrests earlier this week drew international condemnation. Renegade soldiers seized power in the coup March 22, accusing Mr. Toure of failing to properly equip the army to handle a Tuareg rebellion in the north. After the economic regional bloc known as ECOWAS imposed harsh sanctions against coup leaders, the junta agreed last week to form a civilian transitional government to organize new elections. Mr. Toure formally resigned on April 8, allowing the new interim government to take power. Some information for this report was provided by AP and AFP. Media files: RTR30IC9_Mali_Toure_20APR12.jpg (image/jpeg, 0 MB) RTR30IC9_TEASE_Mali_Toure_20APR12.jpg

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