VOA News: Africa: Regional Leaders Meet Over Guinea-Bissau, Mali Crises

VOA News: Africa Africa Voice of America

Regional Leaders Meet Over Guinea-Bissau, Mali Crises May 3rd 2012, 01:10 West African regional leaders are scheduled to meet in an extraordinary summit in the Senegalese capital, Dakar, Thursday. The objective, say officials of the Economic community of West African States (ECOWAS), is to review strategies and come up with solutions to the current security situations in both Guinea-Bissau and Mali. The sub-regional bloc this week imposed diplomatic, economic and financial sanctions on Guinea-Bissau after the ruling junta there rejected ECOWAS' proposal to return the country's interim president. The junta refused to make a written commitment to restore constitutional rule. Sonny Ugoh, the communications director at ECOWAS, said regional leaders are committed to finding solutions to the security crises in both Mali and Guinea-Bissau. "Originally it was meant to be a summit of the contact group on Guinea-Bissau, just to take vital decisions as a follow up to the foreign ministers meeting," said Ugoh. "Now on the basis of recent developments in Mali, the summit has been enlarged, so it is now a full extraordinary summit of heads of state to look at current developments in those two countries and take decisions on the basis of these developments," said Ugoh. "You can be sure that the leaders will take a robust view of the [Guinea Bissau situation] and respond vigorously in order to make sure that the targeted sanctions that were imposed on the military high command and their affiliates get the kind of effect [intended]." Ugoh said ECOWAS is committed to reforming Guinea Bissau's military sector and to professionalizing the national army. In Mali, the ruling junta said its forces thwarted an attempted counter coup d'état orchestrated by loyalist soldiers who support deposed President Amadou Toumani Toure. Gunfire erupted Tuesday in the Malian capital, Bamako, outside the national broadcaster compound, the airport and the army bases of both sides. The junta there rejected an ECOWAS proposal to restore democracy after saying the regional bloc failed to keep its part of a signed agreement. Some Malian politicians say ECOWAS is to blame for the confusion following the rejection of the proposal. Ugoh insists the regional bloc frowns on any forceful seizure of power. An interim president was recently installed, which paved the way for a prime minister to be named. "We had hoped that with these two developments, the country has stabilized and then we can start the one-year process of the election that will lead to a new president to replace the former President Amadou Toumani Toure. But unfortunately, here we are with this current development, these shootings," said Ugoh. He said the junta in Mali promised to return to the barracks after the interim president was sworn in. He said the security situation in Mali undermines ECOWAS' effort to help restore democracy and resolve the Tuareg rebellion in that country's north. "It's not even helpful to the situation we find ourselves in, in the north of the country, where some portions of the country has been taken over by separatists," said Ugoh. Media files: AFP ECOWAS emergency meeting 24Dec10 480.jpg (image/jpeg, 0 MB) Reuters_mali_ecowas_230_27march12.JPG

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VOA News: Africa: New Efforts to Recruit Child Soldiers Reported in DRC

VOA News: Africa Africa Voice of America

New Efforts to Recruit Child Soldiers Reported in DRC May 3rd 2012, 01:06 Rebel groups in the Democratic Republic of Congo have reportedly stepped up efforts to recruit child soldiers, as fighting in North Kivu continued Wednesday between the Congolese army and defecting soldiers. Armed men entered at least one secondary school last week in the eastern DRC town of Kitchanga, intent on recruiting new fighters, officials at the National Endowment for Democracy learned Wednesday. At that school, "the kids would have been no older than 16 years old," said Josh Marks, who manages the organization's Central Africa program. An Amnesty International statement also released Wednesday reported thousands of residents have fled their homes due to the increasing violence, which left at least three women dead since Saturday. Amnesty's DRC expert, Aachraf Sebbahi, said four boys and seven young adults have sought refuge at the United Nation's peacekeeping mission, known as MONUSCO. "They claimed that they were threatened by soldiers who wanted to recruit them," said Sebbahi. "They were saying that they would have to fight for Bosco." General Bosco Ntaganda is a former rebel leader accused of war crimes.  He and his soldiers had been integrated into the Congolese military as part of 2009 peace deal, but recent increased pressure to arrest Ntaganda has allegedly sparked a mutiny among his supporters. A MONUSCO spokesperson in Kinshasa confirmed on Wednesday that around 10 children and young adults have sought protection with their office in Kitchanga. However, he would not confirm if the children were fleeing forced recruitment, saying MONUSCO needed to speak further with the youth. According to Amnesty's Sebbahi, the tensions sparked by the threat of Ntaganda's arrest have led to an increase in child soldier recruitment – but she said Ntaganda's supporters are not the only ones responsible. "All the sources are saying that probably many more children have been forcibly recruited by these troops loyal to Bosco, but also by other armed groups," she added. General Bosco Ntaganda, a Rwandan national, led an armed group known as the National Congress for the Defence of the People (CNDP). The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Ntaganda in 2006, accusing him of using child soldiers. Media files: reuters_drc_Bosco_Ntaganda_eng_480_5oct10.jpg (image/jpeg, 0 MB) reuters_drc_Bosco_Ntaganda_eng_230_5oct10.jpg SHRYOCK-05-03-2012-DBA-DRC-CHILD SOLDIERS-2-SHRYOCK-MOUNOUBAI.Mp3 (audio/mpeg) SHRYOCK-05-03-2012-DBA-DRC-CHILD SOLDIERS - 1- SHRYOCK-SEBBAHI.Mp3 (audio/mpeg)

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VOA News: USA: Farming by GPS Saves Money, Environment

VOA News: USA USA Voice of America

Farming by GPS Saves Money, Environment May 3rd 2012, 00:17 As spring planting goes into high gear in the United States, farmers are going high-tech in order to use less fertilizer, save money and protect the environment. <!--AV--> Satellite-based GPS navigation systems are becoming standard on modern farm equipment, helping farmers get the most from their fields. Mixing tradition with technology On a weedy patch of land an hour and half from Washington, D.C., farmer Brad Eustace is tilling razor-straight lines with a GPS-guided tractor. With the computer in control, he barely has to steer. "You can do a straight line a whole lot easier," he says. The GPS computer receives signals from earth-orbiting satellites to keep track of where his tractor is and where it has gone. Hoses deliver precise amounts of fertilizer right into the grooves that the tiller cuts.<!--IMAGE--> That process prepares the field for when farmer Jimmy Messick comes back days, or even weeks later, with a GPS-guided corn planter…   "The seed goes right on top of this row. This tilled row," Messick says. "The corn planter will come back, and it will be putting the seeds exactly on top of these tilled strips that the machine previously has put the fertilizer in." Saving money Placing seed and fertilizer together with centimeter precision means fewer loads of fertilizer go on the fields. "You're able to use less," Messick says. "Of course, you're saving money. And you get the same performance out of the crop." Messick has cut amounts of one fertilizer ingredient in half. On a 600-hectare farm, he says that saves him tens of thousands of dollars. And that's not all he's saving. Nutrients from farm fertilizers are a leading cause of water pollution. Environmentally friendly "If we get better at applying only what's needed, where they're needed, then that's less nutrients that can move off and get into water systems and watersheds," says Virginia Tech University farming expert Tim Mize. Jimmy Messick also uses GPS when he sprays weed killer. Before, he says, it was easier to miss spots or overlap. "You weren't sure what had been done, and what hadn't been done," he says. "With this system, you come back next week, next month, and you know what you sprayed and what you didn't spray." GPS technology is guiding large-scale farm equipment across the country and some harvesters also monitor how much crop is produced in each part of a field. "You get an idea of where the productive areas of the field are," says Virginia's Tech's Mize, "where the less productive areas are, and you fertilize accordingly." With the price of fertilizers and fuel going up, along with the global demand for food, Mize says the name of the game today is getting the most crop with the least resources. "Anytime you can reduce inputs and increase your bottom line, that's technology that everybody wants." It's hands-free technology that's saving money and the environment. Media files: GPS_farming.jpg farmer Brad Eustace.jpg GPS_Farming_Web-fixed-x264-Platform_YTHQFull__542196.mp4 (video/mp4)

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VOA News: USA: Commercial Launch to ISS Delayed Again

VOA News: USA USA Voice of America

Commercial Launch to ISS Delayed Again May 2nd 2012, 23:32 A private company called SpaceX plans to attempt something that has only been accomplished by governments - sending a spacecraft up to the International Space Station, or ISS.  But SpaceX issued a statement Wednesday saying the May 7 launch to the ISS had to be postponed, adding that SpaceX is "continuing to work through the software assurance process with NASA."  A new launch date has yet to be set. If all goes according to plan, SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket carrying its unmanned Dragon capsule will lift off from Cape Canaveral in Florida. Then, the cargo-carrying spacecraft will journey toward the International Space Station, where it will dock, if all goes well. It is the first time a private company will attempt such a mission. This demonstration launch had been targeted for November 2011, then rescheduled multiple times this year. Elon Musk, the chief executive officer at SpaceX, said at a NASA news briefing last month that many things can go wrong with such complex, relatively new technologies. He said the biggest challenges have been related to Dragon's planned proximity and berthing operations with the space station, and he said software testing has been the main cause of delays. "Does the software always do the right thing in a particular circumstance?  And when you've got 18 engines and you've got six flight computers and a whole bunch of other systems, the test matrix of that is enormous," said Musk. Musk said the Falcon 9 rocket, which has been tested twice, is not the issue.  Nor are the elements of the Dragon spacecraft that were tested during its orbital mission in 2010, such as its thrusters, heat shield and parachutes. He emphasized that Dragon is an autonomous, robotic spaceship and that berthing with the space station is a complicated maneuver. "It's not as though there is somebody flying it with a joystick or that there is somebody on board who can make real-time corrections," he said. "Dragon is making lots of decisions all the time to optimize the probability of success, so there's a lot of intelligence on board the spacecraft and all of that has to be tested thoroughly, and that's the biggest driver of the timeline." SpaceX made history when it successfully tested its Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon capsule in December 2010.  It is the only commercial company to re-enter a spacecraft from Earth orbit.  But the next step is for the reusable Dragon to make it to the space station, which is zooming around the Earth every 90 minutes. The station is well stocked, so there are no concerns if the astronauts do not get the cargo on this demonstration flight. To date, NASA has invested $381 million in SpaceX's commercial cargo capabilities.  The U.S. space agency is investing in commercial companies to handle low-Earth orbit transportation so NASA can focus on the next generation of spacecraft that can go deeper into space. Media files: NASA-Dragon_capsule_eng_16apr12.JPG (image/jpeg, 0.1 MB) NASA-Dragon_capsule_sq_eng_16apr12.jpg

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VOA News: Asia: Top Afghan Officials Welcome Pact with US

VOA News: Asia Asia Voice of America

Top Afghan Officials Welcome Pact with US May 2nd 2012, 23:22 The partnership agreement signed by President Barack Obama and Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai on Tuesday is getting a generally positive reception from officials in Kabul. Some top Afghans are welcoming the long-term U.S. commitment to their country's security. In announcing the agreement at Bagram Air Base, President Obama told Americans it marked the beginning of the end of the long U.S. military commitment in Afghanistan. "My fellow Americans, we have traveled through more than a decade under the dark cloud of war. Yet here, in the pre-dawn darkness of Afghanistan, we can see the light of a new day on the horizon," he said. Some members of Afghanistan's government are praising the agreement because, they say, it shows that the United States will not abandon their country. The Afghan parliament is expected to approve the proposal, possibly as early as next week. Parliament member Shukria Barekzai said she supports it. "It is very early to say that the parliament may pass [it] or not.  But for my point of view, as long as it is good for the country and good for the Afghan people, we would like to vote for it," Barekzai said. Afghanistan's former ambassador to the United States, Said Tayeb Jawad, says the plan signals America's commitment to remain engaged in his country, and that the agreement is not a threat to Afghanistan's neighbors. "It in fact encourages the regional countries to contribute to the safety and security of Afghanistan.  At the same time, if the neighboring countries have ill intentions, they will understand the United States is there to stay," Jawad said. The plan does not specify U.S. troop levels in Afghanistan.  But it gives Washington the option of keeping troops there for a decade after 2014, to train Afghan forces or for operations against al-Qaida. Some experts in Washington say that the war will not be winding down soon, and that U.S. special forces might need to stay in Afghanistan for years to come. A reminder of that came shortly after Mr. Obama's plane left Bagram Air Base.  The Taliban set off a suicide car bomb at a foreigners' housing compound, and militants killed at least seven people. But Caroline Wadhams of the Washington-based Center for American Progress, told Alhurra Television that the agreement might help advance talks with the Taliban. "I think what it does is that this agreement, in a sense, strengthens the hand of the Afghan government in some kind of negotiation process that the U.S. hopes will occur with the insurgency.  It gives the Afghan government a stronger card to play in that process," Wadhams said. Another detail not included in the agreement is the amount of financial support the United States will give Afghanistan.  Officials in Washington say that will be decided by Congress. Former Afghan Ambassador Jawad says that after many months of negotiations, there was a desire to have an agreement in place before this month's NATO summit in Chicago. "But they would like to see more commitment on the U.S. part as to the financial commitment Afghanistan will be receiving.  Therefore there was a push on the Afghan government to quantify the amount of assistance Afghanistan would be receiving," Jawad said. Still, Jawad says, it is a positive agreement that will benefit Afghanistan and the region. Media files: apObamaKarzai2May2012-resizedpx480q100shp8.jpg (image/jpeg, 0.2 MB) apObamaKarzai2May2012-resizedpx480q100shp8Tease.jpg

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VOA News: Africa: Africa - a Forgotten Issue in French Election

VOA News: Africa Africa Voice of America

Africa - a Forgotten Issue in French Election May 2nd 2012, 22:42 The economy, jobs and immigration are hotly debated issues during France's presidential campaign. But foreign affairs are taking a backseat - and the country's longstanding ties with Africa are no exception.   The Chateau Rouge neighborhood in northern Paris is a second home to many immigrants from North and sub-Saharan Africa.  The busy streets are lined with African hairdressers, restaurants, clothing shops and phone stores offering cheap calls to families back home. There are also a few battered posters of the two finalists in Sunday's presidential runoff vote - incumbent Nicolas Sarkozy and Socialist Party frontrunner Francois Hollande. Forty-year-old Paulette Wetche, a hairdresser from Cameroon, is not interested in either candidate. Wetche, who has French citizenship, is not sure how she will cast her ballot on May 6.  As far as she is concerned, all politicians make promises they never keep.  So there is not much difference between Sarkozy and Hollande. Cheikh Lo, an illegal immigrant from Senegal, does not agree. Lo says under President Sarkozy, life in France has been difficult.  He is praying for Hollande to win the elections because he believes the Socialist candidate will help illegal immigrants like himself get their working papers in France. Sarkozy has cracked down on illegal immigration during his five years in office.  During his campaign, he has also said that France has too many immigrants - in what analysts describe as a bid to woo far-right voters. But it is not certain that Hollande will help illegal immigrants like Lo if he becomes president.  In an interview on French radio Friday,  he said that during the current economic slowdown, it is necessary to limit economic immigration to France - and that he would crack down on illegal immigrants. France's relationship with Africa is, of course, far broader than just immigration.  When he was elected to office in 2007, Sarkozy vowed to a radical break from traditional French-African relations, which critics say was marked by lack of transparency and cronyism. At a 2010 summit with African leaders in the southern city of Nice, Sarkozy said France and Africa have a special relationship - and it is impossible today to address major international issues without Africa. Has Sarkozy charted the new French-African relationship he promised?  Pierre Cherruau, editor-in-chief of the online publication, Slate Afrique, is not so sure. "It is very difficult to cut these kind of [strings] because there is a strong economic background - some very important French companies are linked to this network, like the oil business or the nuclear business - companies like Areva," said Cherruau. Still, Cherruau says there have been some changes.  Under Sarkozy, France has reduced its military footprint on the continent.  Sarkozy's government also argues relations are much more transparent. While Sarkozy has retained ties to some longtime African leaders, he has also forged new ones - including with the current, democratically elected presidents of Ivory Coast and Senegal. Cherruau believes that if Hollande is elected, he could usher in yet more changes.  Hollande, for example, took a tough line early on against former Ivorian leader Laurent Gbagbo, who once had close ties to France's socialist party. But Cherruau says Hollande lacks African experience - and that if African leaders could vote next Sunday, they would probably pick Sarkozy. "Most presidents in Africa feel closer to the conservative party," he said. "Because in the past, they had relations with the right wing, with the conservative party." At Chateau d'Eau, Wetche does not believe Sarkozy has improved French-African ties.  She looks at the issue from her own experience; life for her family back in Cameroon is just as tough as ever. Wetche says things could change under an Hollande presidency.  But these are hard times, she says, and it is very difficult to know which politician to trust. Media files: French-Poll-2012.png (image/png, 0.1 MB)

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VOA News: USA: US Nuns Stunned, Angered by Vatican Reprimand

VOA News: USA USA Voice of America

US Nuns Stunned, Angered by Vatican Reprimand May 2nd 2012, 21:57 After a night on the street, dozens of homeless men and women file into a shelter in the Washington suburb of Silver Spring. A walk down the hall takes them to the cafeteria, where they get a hot breakfast, and loving attention from a secularly-clothed nun, Sister Mary Mulholland. "Lilly, how are you?" she asks one of them. "You don't look like you're too good today." They are the down and out of this city. But their lives are a little better because after 20 years as a Catholic school religion teacher, Sister Mary left the job to help people who have nowhere else to go. "This is how I get grounded in my life, this is what the Gospel means for me, to live out the gospel," says the 66-year-old sister. There are many nuns in America living out their faith like Sister Mary Mulholland.  But the Vatican says they are not doing enough to oppose abortion and same-sex marriage. Last month, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the panel that enforces Catholic orthodoxy, issued a "doctrinal assessment" of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, the umbrella organization that represents the majority of the 55,000 nuns in the United States.   The assessment said that "while there has been a great deal of work on the part of LCWR promoting issues of social justice in harmony with the Church's social doctrine, it is silent on the right to life from conception to natural death." The panel, headed by American Cardinal William Levada, appointed Seattle Bishop Peter Sartain to overhaul governance of the LCWR. Sister Mary Mulholland belongs to the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, an LCWR congregation headed by Sister Pat McDermott. "We are stunned, we are shocked," McDermott said. "I think the sense of being shocked has turned to a real deep sadness, and an anger, of the judgments that seemingly are being made about our lives." One of the judgments in the doctrinal assessment was that nuns are flirting with "radical feminism." McDermott says they are just living out the reforms of the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s, which allowed nuns to shed the habit and called on them to live among the poor. "And now we find ourselves being judged seemingly from another standard," she said. Donna Bethel of Christendom College, a conservative Catholic liberal arts school in Front Royal, Virginia, says the problem is that sisters are pursuing social justice the wrong way. "You can't say you're devoted to social justice, and ignore the problem of abortion," she said. "If you cannot respect life, what is the point of all the other rights?" McDermott sees it differently. "The Catholic tradition has always been a 'both-and' tradition, so faith without good works, that is not our story.  Faith with good works is our story," she said. For Sister Mary, that means trying to find someone a job and a place to live, and not trying to impose her beliefs on others. "We all carry a piece of the truth.  That is the way I see it," she said.  "And when we put it all together, we get closer to the revelation that God wants to come to." Critics say that while the Catholic Church's male hierarchy has avoided accountability for sex scandals, it is disciplining a dwindling group of American women who have consecrated their lives to their faith. Media files: ap_US_nuns_eng_2may12.jpg (image/jpeg, 0.1 MB)

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VOA News: Europe: Africa - a Forgotten Issue in French Election

VOA News: Europe Europe Voice of America

Africa - a Forgotten Issue in French Election May 2nd 2012, 22:42 The economy, jobs and immigration are hotly debated issues during France's presidential campaign. But foreign affairs are taking a backseat - and the country's longstanding ties with Africa are no exception.   The Chateau Rouge neighborhood in northern Paris is a second home to many immigrants from North and sub-Saharan Africa.  The busy streets are lined with African hairdressers, restaurants, clothing shops and phone stores offering cheap calls to families back home. There are also a few battered posters of the two finalists in Sunday's presidential runoff vote - incumbent Nicolas Sarkozy and Socialist Party frontrunner Francois Hollande. Forty-year-old Paulette Wetche, a hairdresser from Cameroon, is not interested in either candidate. Wetche, who has French citizenship, is not sure how she will cast her ballot on May 6.  As far as she is concerned, all politicians make promises they never keep.  So there is not much difference between Sarkozy and Hollande. Cheikh Lo, an illegal immigrant from Senegal, does not agree. Lo says under President Sarkozy, life in France has been difficult.  He is praying for Hollande to win the elections because he believes the Socialist candidate will help illegal immigrants like himself get their working papers in France. Sarkozy has cracked down on illegal immigration during his five years in office.  During his campaign, he has also said that France has too many immigrants - in what analysts describe as a bid to woo far-right voters. But it is not certain that Hollande will help illegal immigrants like Lo if he becomes president.  In an interview on French radio Friday,  he said that during the current economic slowdown, it is necessary to limit economic immigration to France - and that he would crack down on illegal immigrants. France's relationship with Africa is, of course, far broader than just immigration.  When he was elected to office in 2007, Sarkozy vowed to a radical break from traditional French-African relations, which critics say was marked by lack of transparency and cronyism. At a 2010 summit with African leaders in the southern city of Nice, Sarkozy said France and Africa have a special relationship - and it is impossible today to address major international issues without Africa. Has Sarkozy charted the new French-African relationship he promised?  Pierre Cherruau, editor-in-chief of the online publication, Slate Afrique, is not so sure. "It is very difficult to cut these kind of [strings] because there is a strong economic background - some very important French companies are linked to this network, like the oil business or the nuclear business - companies like Areva," said Cherruau. Still, Cherruau says there have been some changes.  Under Sarkozy, France has reduced its military footprint on the continent.  Sarkozy's government also argues relations are much more transparent. While Sarkozy has retained ties to some longtime African leaders, he has also forged new ones - including with the current, democratically elected presidents of Ivory Coast and Senegal. Cherruau believes that if Hollande is elected, he could usher in yet more changes.  Hollande, for example, took a tough line early on against former Ivorian leader Laurent Gbagbo, who once had close ties to France's socialist party. But Cherruau says Hollande lacks African experience - and that if African leaders could vote next Sunday, they would probably pick Sarkozy. "Most presidents in Africa feel closer to the conservative party," he said. "Because in the past, they had relations with the right wing, with the conservative party." At Chateau d'Eau, Wetche does not believe Sarkozy has improved French-African ties.  She looks at the issue from her own experience; life for her family back in Cameroon is just as tough as ever. Wetche says things could change under an Hollande presidency.  But these are hard times, she says, and it is very difficult to know which politician to trust. Media files: French-Poll-2012.png (image/png, 0.1 MB)

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VOA News: USA: Gingrich Suspends US Presidential Campaign

VOA News: USA USA Voice of America

Gingrich Suspends US Presidential Campaign May 2nd 2012, 21:23 Former U.S. House speaker Newt Gingrich has officially suspended his bid for the Republican presidential nomination, after winning just two state primaries and amassing more than $4.3 million in campaign debt. Gingrich made his announcement Wednesday outside Washington, telling supporters this has been "an amazing year" for him, his wife Callista and family.  Gingrich also thanked the more than 179,000 donors who he said helped make his campaign possible. Gingrich emerged as a strong contender after winning the South Carolina primary in January, but his campaign faltered after he lost the following primary in Florida.  His only other primary election win came in March in his home state of Georgia.  Last week, Gingrich lost contests in five states. Gingrich has said he plans on helping Republicans seize control of the Senate while maintaining their majority in the House of Representatives.  He masterminded the Republican takeover of the House in 1994. Gingrich's withdrawal leaves former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney and Texas Representative Ron Paul in the Republican race, but Paul is too far behind Romney, the presumptive nominee, in the delegate count to win the nomination. Gingrich, who was often critical of Romney during the nomination race, said Romney was by far a preferable alternative to Democratic President Barack Obama, who is seeking a second term in the November election. Also Wednesday, Romney released a statement saying Gingrich brought creativity and intellectual vitality to American political life.  Romney also said during the course of the campaign, Gingrich demonstrated both eloquence and fearlessness in advancing conservative ideas. Media files: AP-Gingrich_mn.jpg (image/jpeg, 0.1 MB) AP-Gingrich_tz.jpg

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VOA News: Arts and Entertainment: Lurrie Bell's Dream Comes True With 'The Devil Ain’t Got No Music'

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

Lurrie Bell's Dream Comes True With 'The Devil Ain't Got No Music' May 2nd 2012, 21:09 Bluesman Lurrie Bell says he always wanted to record an album of gospel music and his dream finally came true with the release of "The Devil Ain't Got No Music." Bell's introduction to music came from his father, the late harmonica great Carey Bell.  As the son of one of Chicago's most famous musicians, Bell says he never missed an opportunity to play the blues.   "As a kid I used go on to the west side of Chicago and hear my dad rehearse a lot with his band there, when I was a youngster," he said.  "I picked up the guitar and taught myself how to play a blues song and I've been playing it ever since.  I think I had to be five years old when I picked up the guitar." <!--AV--> Bell expanded his musical horizons when he spent seven years living with his grandparents in Mississippi and Alabama.  He says before returning to Chicago at age 14, he immersed himself in gospel while adding his own touch of the blues. "When I was living down in Lisman, Alabama I played gospel music, but I would put some blues licks in some of the church revivals and the Sunday school meetings," he said.  "But I never did forget what I learned about blues." Bell has done a lot of work in Europe and says it is a thrill to play there. "It really is.  The people there in Europe go way out of their way to show American culture," he said.  "They really let you know that they really love and appreciate that kind of music when you go over there [and play] in those European countries." Bell will perform at the 29th Annual Chicago Blues Festival, before embarking on the "Chicago Blues: A Living History" tour of Italy, France and Switzerland.  He's also slated to appear in Japan and Argentina. His new album "The Devil Ain't Got No Music" features traditional gospel tunes, as well as songs by Muddy Waters, Tom Waits, James Taylor, Thomas Dorsey, Mathew Skoller and Joe Louis Walker. Media files: amazon_Lurrie_Blue_Devil_300.jpg (image/jpeg, 0 MB) Levine_Lurrie_Bell_Devil_27apr12-32b.mp3 (audio/mpeg)

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VOA News: Africa: UN Reports Rebel Attacks in Eastern Congo

VOA News: Africa Africa Voice of America

UN Reports Rebel Attacks in Eastern Congo May 2nd 2012, 20:02 The United Nations mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo says armed groups in the eastern part of the country have been attacking regular army positions repeatedly in the past few days. The U.N. says the situation in North Kivu province is tense and unstable. Congolese rebel forces known as the CNDP have been attacking army and police positions in the town of Sake, only 37 kilometers from Goma, the capital of North Kivu province. The U.N. says that since the weekend, about 5,000 people have fled the fighting, and local media report that others are being prevented from fleeing. The CNDP were part of Congo's regular army but many of them are loyal to a rebel general, Bosco Ntaganda, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court for allegedly recruiting child soldiers. In the past two months since President Joseph Kabila said Ntaganda should stand trial, many CNDP soldiers have deserted the Congolese army. <!--IMAGE-RIGHT-->A U.N. military spokesman, Colonel Felix Basse, said the Congolese army is taking steps to restore order in North Kivu. He said it would be speculation to think that the CNDP could capture Goma, and although there had been massive desertions in North Kivu, about a third of those who had deserted have since rejoined the army. U.N. peacekeepers are keeping out of the clashes between the deserters and the Congolese army. Basse said the U.N. hopes the deserters will see reason and rejoin the ranks. The U.N.'s mission, he said, is to protect the civilian population, which means it has to respond to threats caused by the security gaps left by the Congolese army. Owing to the desertions, large areas of North and South Kivu provinces have been left without a regular army presence. The army and the U.N. force were operating jointly in the Kivus to protect civilians from Rwandan rebels and other militias, but since the latest split in the Congolese army that cooperation has been called off. The CNDP forces are the remnant of a Rwandan-backed rebel army that was officially integrated into the Congolese army from 2004 onward. Most of the CNDP are Rwandaphone, meaning they speak the Kinyarwanda language. There are underlying tensions in the Kivus between Rwandaphones and other communities. Earlier Wednesday, Bosco Ntaganda told the French news agency that he is not in control of the mutinous CNDP forces. Media files: North Kivu_South Kivu_DRC Curious Map_230.jpg ap_congo_rebel_general_ntaganda_260_june2010.jpg

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VOA News: USA: Obama, Romney Look to November Showdown

VOA News: USA USA Voice of America

Obama, Romney Look to November Showdown May 2nd 2012, 20:09 President Barack Obama's surprise trip to Afghanistan on the first anniversary of the death of Osama bin Laden is the latest indication that foreign policy and national security issues will matter this election year, even if most political analysts predict that the economy will be the central issue in the U.S. presidential campaign.  While in Afghanistan, the president signed a long-term security agreement with Afghan President Hamid Karzai and met with U.S. troops at Bagram Air Field. And, in a televised address, Obama spoke about winding down the U.S. military commitment in Afghanistan. "I will not keep Americans in harm's way a single day longer than is absolutely required for our national security," the president said.  "But we must finish the job we started in Afghanistan and end this war responsibly." To highlight the one-year anniversary of bin Laden's death, the Obama presidential campaign released a video recalling the decision to go after the al-Qaida leader and the tense moments that followed. "He took the harder and the more honorable path," former U.S. President Bill Clinton said in the video. The Obama campaign also raised the issue of whether the president's expected Republican opponent in November, Mitt Romney, would have approved the bin Laden raid - based on a 2007 comment he made questioning the resources devoted to the manhunt. <!--AV--> Romney appeared in New York City on the bin Laden anniversary with former Mayor Rudy Giuliani. "Of course I would have ordered taking out Osama bin Laden, of course," he said.  "This is a person who had done terrible harm to America." President Obama gets high marks from the public for his handling of foreign policy and that's why Romney is likely to keep hammering away at the president's economic record. "We need a president who understands the power of free enterprise because he's lived it," Romney said.  "And I have, and I will, and I'll make sure that that is part of our future." The Obama-Romney race is shaping up as close, says Ken Duberstein, former chief of staff to President Ronald Reagan. "If this is a referendum on the American economy, Governor Romney has a good shot of being elected president of the United States," he said.  "If this is a referendum on the Republican Party and Governor Romney, President Obama has a decent chance of being re-elected." Romney is already shifting his focus away from conservatives to winning over moderates in November. "I think the fundamental issue is whether Governor Romney will define the Republican Party or will the far right define Governor Romney," Duberstein said. With the election six months away, the president has a slight lead over Romney in most public opinion polls. Media files: AP_Obama_Romney_480.jpg (image/jpeg, 0 MB) AP_obama_afghan-230.jpg Romney_-_Obama_FOR_WEB_SD-fixed-x264-Platform_YTHQFull__272659.mp4 (video/mp4)

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VOA News: USA: Circus Train is Home to Traveling Performers

VOA News: USA USA Voice of America

Circus Train is Home to Traveling Performers May 2nd 2012, 20:01 Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey is America's longest-running circus company. It began performances in the early 1890s.  More than a century later, the company maintains many of the traditions of the circus, including traveling by train, which is home to hundreds of performers. <!--AV--> Home on the rails Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey's newest show is called Dragons. Ringmaster Jonathan Iverson, a former opera singer, joined the circus about 10 years ago. He was drawn by the history and mystique of the company which calls itself "The Greatest Show on Earth." "The part of that mystique is the world's largest privately owned train. I love the train," Iverson says. "Three hundred fifty performers and cast and crew and animals are actually traveling on rails across America. That is the world's greatest carpool." That car pool - with 60 cars - is more than a kilometer-and-a-half long and crisscrosses the country for 11 months a year. Iverson shares his train car with his wife, a dancer in the show, and their two children.  Like the other families on the train, they cook and eat, take showers and do laundry - live their lives - in the privacy of their own car.<!--IMAGE--> "It is so much fun. It gives us sort of like a mini-vacation every week," Iverson says. "We really see the country. America is really, really beautiful." Alex Barney, a second generation clown, agrees. "Traveling by the train you are going through the middle of nowhere getting to the cities, you get to see what is left of the country. Definitely traveling by train is the key highlight for this job." In the middle of the 32 family coaches is the Pie Car, which has a custom-built kitchen and dining area. It is also a social center. Chef Michael Vaughan and his six person staff are in charge of meals. Vaughan says it is like feeding a big family. "Everybody here works together, all the groups, clowns, the globe riders, everybody we work together as a family." <!--IMAGE--> Vaughan sets up another kitchen at each performance venue, and often, throws a party after the show. Train school While their parents perform, children learn in a classroom set up behind the scenes. For teacher Manna Kettles, the unusual educational setup has advantages. "My experience working here with Ringling, in the past, I have seen that they are better off than some of the kids in the regular schools because we get more time with them in a small group and we are able to work one-on one with them," she says.  Sofia Petrov, 7, who is from Hungary, likes the circus school. "It is fun.  I get to meet a lot of new people from all over the world." Dragons, the company's 142nd show, brings together talent from 18 countries, including acrobat Paulo Dos Santos, who is from Brazil. He recently celebrated his two sons' birthday before the show.<!--IMAGE--> "This moment is so good because everybody is coming. I am so happy because I see, you see I have friends here and my children too," Dos Santos says. "We stay together, party together, show together, everything."   At each stop, they all have a chance to go into town, explore the area or simply do errands, either by bus or in their own cars, which are carried on the train as well. For ringmaster Jonathan Iverson, the circus train is like a city without a zip code. "This is home. The backyard changes," he says. "Today's backyard has Hershey's Park.  Tomorrow's backyard has the Grand Canyon. That is the magic of it. But we are always home no matter where we are, we are always home."    That, he says, gives this rolling community a sense of stability. Media files: A_City_Without_A_Zip_Code_WEB-desktop-FCPImportProResP109Tease.jpg Ringmaster Jonathan Iverson at home on the train with his family.jpg Circus Train Pie Car dining area and social center.jpg Ringling Brothers circus.jpg A_City_Without_A_Zip_Code_WEB-desktop-FCPImportProResP1-fixed-x264-Platform_YTHDFull__140140.mp4 (video/mp4)

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VOA News: Arts and Entertainment: Circus Train is Home to Traveling Performers

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

Circus Train is Home to Traveling Performers May 2nd 2012, 20:01 Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey is America's longest-running circus company. It began performances in the early 1890s.  More than a century later, the company maintains many of the traditions of the circus, including traveling by train, which is home to hundreds of performers. <!--AV--> Home on the rails Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey's newest show is called Dragons. Ringmaster Jonathan Iverson, a former opera singer, joined the circus about 10 years ago. He was drawn by the history and mystique of the company which calls itself "The Greatest Show on Earth." "The part of that mystique is the world's largest privately owned train. I love the train," Iverson says. "Three hundred fifty performers and cast and crew and animals are actually traveling on rails across America. That is the world's greatest carpool." That car pool - with 60 cars - is more than a kilometer-and-a-half long and crisscrosses the country for 11 months a year. Iverson shares his train car with his wife, a dancer in the show, and their two children.  Like the other families on the train, they cook and eat, take showers and do laundry - live their lives - in the privacy of their own car.<!--IMAGE--> "It is so much fun. It gives us sort of like a mini-vacation every week," Iverson says. "We really see the country. America is really, really beautiful." Alex Barney, a second generation clown, agrees. "Traveling by the train you are going through the middle of nowhere getting to the cities, you get to see what is left of the country. Definitely traveling by train is the key highlight for this job." In the middle of the 32 family coaches is the Pie Car, which has a custom-built kitchen and dining area. It is also a social center. Chef Michael Vaughan and his six person staff are in charge of meals. Vaughan says it is like feeding a big family. "Everybody here works together, all the groups, clowns, the globe riders, everybody we work together as a family." <!--IMAGE--> Vaughan sets up another kitchen at each performance venue, and often, throws a party after the show. Train school While their parents perform, children learn in a classroom set up behind the scenes. For teacher Manna Kettles, the unusual educational setup has advantages. "My experience working here with Ringling, in the past, I have seen that they are better off than some of the kids in the regular schools because we get more time with them in a small group and we are able to work one-on one with them," she says.  Sofia Petrov, 7, who is from Hungary, likes the circus school. "It is fun.  I get to meet a lot of new people from all over the world." Dragons, the company's 142nd show, brings together talent from 18 countries, including acrobat Paulo Dos Santos, who is from Brazil. He recently celebrated his two sons' birthday before the show.<!--IMAGE--> "This moment is so good because everybody is coming. I am so happy because I see, you see I have friends here and my children too," Dos Santos says. "We stay together, party together, show together, everything."   At each stop, they all have a chance to go into town, explore the area or simply do errands, either by bus or in their own cars, which are carried on the train as well. For ringmaster Jonathan Iverson, the circus train is like a city without a zip code. "This is home. The backyard changes," he says. "Today's backyard has Hershey's Park.  Tomorrow's backyard has the Grand Canyon. That is the magic of it. But we are always home no matter where we are, we are always home."    That, he says, gives this rolling community a sense of stability. Media files: A_City_Without_A_Zip_Code_WEB-desktop-FCPImportProResP109Tease.jpg Ringmaster Jonathan Iverson at home on the train with his family.jpg Circus Train Pie Car dining area and social center.jpg Ringling Brothers circus.jpg A_City_Without_A_Zip_Code_WEB-desktop-FCPImportProResP1-fixed-x264-Platform_YTHDFull__140140.mp4 (video/mp4)

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