Painter Takes Art Therapy to Young People in Uganda

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Former child captives of rebels worked with American artist Ross Bleckner, a U.N. goodwill ambassador. Transcript of radio broadcast:

This is the VOA Special English Development Report.

In recent years, rebel groups in northern Uganda have often kidnapped children. They use boys as soldiers and girls as sex slaves. Some children are later released. Others escape.

Now, some of these former captives have learned to express their feelings through art. They worked with an American artist known for paintings that deal mainly with loss and remembrance.

Ross Bleckner heading an art therapy class

Ross Bleckner is an art professor at New York University. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime has named him as a goodwill ambassador to combat human trafficking. That title became official at a recent ceremony in New York for the opening of an exhibition called "Welcome to Gulu."

There were two hundred paintings by young people from Gulu, Uganda. Most of the paintings were sold to raise money to assist the former captives. Ross Bleckner also donated some of his own paintings to sell.

He held art therapy sessions with twenty-five young people in Gulu earlier this year. Many were kidnapped as young as age nine, and many have lost their parents. They are now thirteen to twenty-one years old.

Some of the children reportedly were forced to kill or harm other children while part of the Lord's Resistance Army. The International Criminal Court is seeking the arrest of the rebel group's leader. Joseph Kony is charged with crimes against humanity and war crimes.

Ross Bleckner had never been to southern Africa before he set up his workshop classes in Uganda in January. He began by teaching basic methods of painting. His students were very quiet at first, he says, but that changed as they started to trust him.

He told the students that each one had a story that was special, and that each one of them was special. Their stories were sad, and they painted their feelings. But he also asked them to think of something beautiful and paint that, too.

The young people worked hard, he says, and kept him busy fourteen hours a day. But he says he felt the greatest satisfaction when a thirteen-year-old painted the word "gun" and then put a big "X" through it.

Some of the young people painted Joseph Kony. They still feared him. But Ross Bleckner says, "With everything they have been through, they are hopeful."

And that's the VOA Special English Development Report, written by Jerilyn Watson, with reporting by Cagla Guvelioglu in New York. For a link to see works from "Welcome to Gulu," go to voaspecialenglish.com. I'm Steve Ember.

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US Senators Debate Supreme Court Nominee's Controversial Comment

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A high-ranking Republican senator says President Barack Obama's nominee for a seat on the Supreme Court should apologize for a comment made years ago about the roles of race and gender in judicial opinions. Meanwhile, Democratic senators are downplaying the remark, and expressing confidence that Sonia Sotomayor will be confirmed the nation's first Hispanic Supreme Court justice.

Supreme Court nominee and federal appeals court judge Sonia Sotomayor, 26 May 2009

Since her nomination last week, Sonia Sotomayor has been heavily scrutinized, but not on her possible views concerning abortion, gun control, or any other issue that often divides Americans on political or moral grounds. Rather, the focus has been on a 2001 speech in which Sotomayor said she would hope that "a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experience would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who has not lived that life."

Many Senate Republicans say they are troubled by the remark, as it suggests the federal appeals court judge is inclined to consider race and gender in judicial decisions rather than adhering to an impartial application of the law.

Republican Lindsey Graham, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee that will vote on Sotomayor's nomination, spoke on Fox News Sunday.

"She thought a Latina woman, someone with her background, would be a better judge than a guy like me, a white guy from South Carolina," said Lindsey Graham. "And it is troubling, and it is inappropriate. I hope she will apologize."

Democrats say Sotomayor's comment was taken out of context and has been overblown. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy of Vermont appeared on NBC's Meet the Press program.

"It would be absolutely wrong to assume that people's individual experience does not influence their thinking," said Patrick Leahy. "That does not mean they cannot follow the law."

In announcing her nomination, President Obama highlighted Sotomayor's life story as a child of Puerto Rican parents whose childhood years were spent in public housing in New York. He also stressed the need for judges who can empathize with the concerns and struggles of everyday people.

Alabama Republican Senator Jeff Sessions:

"Everybody should have empathy," said Jeff Sessions. "Everybody should have feelings and sensitivity to other human beings and show that in their life. But a judge is required, I think, to be neutral. To rule on the law and the facts."

Sessions added, however, that Sotomayor has impeccable academic and judicial credentials. That point was also made by California Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein on CBS's Face the Nation program.

"This is, in fact, an amazing woman," said Dianne Feinstein. "She is, in fact, the American dream. Out of a housing project in the Bronx [New York City] comes this women who ends up at the top of her class at Princeton [University]. Editor of the Yale Law Review [journal], a distinguished assistant district attorney. She was a corporate attorney, she was a district court judge, and she was an appellate court judge."

If confirmed by the Senate, Sotomayor would replace retiring Supreme Court Justice David Souter, who was nominated by President George H. W. Bush in 1990.

Democrats outnumber Republicans in the Senate, but do not possess a majority large enough to block Republicans from using a procedural motion known as a filibuster to prevent a vote from going forward.

In 2005, then-minority Senate Democrats mounted an unsuccessful effort to filibuster the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, who was nominated by former-President George W. Bush. Joining the filibuster at the time was then-Senator Barack Obama.

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Burma's Government in Exile Plans New Political Strategy for Democracy

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Burma's opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi (2008 file)

Burma's government in exile says it is changing its strategy to reach democracy, following the military government's decision to prosecute Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi. Tensions in Rangoon are reported to be rising as the trial progresses.

The government in exile, the National Coalition Government for the Union of Burma, says it will announce its new strategy for a transitional process to democracy in late June. It says the trial of opposition-leader Aung San Suu Kyi has undermined the credibility of the military's planned 2010 elections.

A representative for the government in exile, Thaung Htun, says the new plan will ask all stakeholders to to join a credible political process."

"Aung San Suu Kyi is the key partner for dialogue, the key person for reconciliation," said Thaung Htun. "The regional players in the international community should say in one voice that 2010 election planned by the regime - if it is not inclusive - if it excludes Aung San Suu Kyi and other key ethnic leaders and the key stakeholders - that stand has to be made clear. After that in cooperation with the U.N. Secretary General, the regional players should have to push for a real inclusive democratic transition in Burma."

Thaung Htun says tensions are rising in Rangoon before the verdict, amid stepped up security and fears of public unrest if Aung San Suu Kyi is found guilty. She is charged for breaching her house detention order. The case is seen as a pretext for extending her detention and preventing her from participating in next year's elections.

On Sunday, the military government defended its prosecution of Aung SanSuu Kyi, saying that no one in the country is "above the law" and warned other countries against "meddling in the internal affairs of Burma".

Diplomatic efforts to pressure Burma's military towards reform and to release political prisoners have accelerated with the trial.

Several countries, including the United States and the European Union, have sanctions imposed on the military, while a broad range of countries, including Asian states, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia and and the Philippines have called for Aung San Suu Kyi's release.

A verdict in her case is expected Friday. If found guilty the 1991 Nobel laureate faces up to five years in jail. She has spent 13 of the past 19 years under detention.

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Six Palestinians Killed in Clash Between Rival Factions

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Palestinian security officers carry the two bodies of security officers killed during a shootout with members of Hamas in the West Bank city of Qalqilya, 31 May 2009

Six people have been killed in a clash between rival Palestinian factions in the West Bank.

A gun battle erupted in the West Bank town of Qalqilya, when Palestinian police raided a hideout of the Islamic militant group Hamas. Top fugitives in the house hurled grenades and fired assault rifles to try and drive the police back.

Six people were killed: two armed Hamas militants and a civilian supporter, and three policemen loyal to western-backed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. It was the deadliest infighting in the West Bank since Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip two years ago and drove out the Fatah forces of Mr. Abbas.

Hamas accused Mr. Abbas, who heads a moderate government in the West Bank, of collaborating with Israel.

Last week, Mr. Abbas met with U.S. President Barack Obama at the White House, and vowed to rein in militants who oppose the peace process.

The raid was coordinated with Israel because both sides have a mutual interest: preventing a Hamas takeover of the West Bank.

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Burma, Other Asian Nations Defend Security Actions

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Burma has defended its prosecution of democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi at an Asian security summit in Singapore. Delegates to the summit have urged her release along with 2,000 other political prisoners in the military-ruled country. Sri Lanka and Pakistan also defended their own internal security measures at the summit.

Burma's Deputy Minister of Defense, Major General Aye Myint, on Sunday said police had no choice but to charge Aung San Suu Kyi with violating the terms of her house arrest.

"It is no doubt that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has committed a cover up of the truth in her failure to report an illegal immigrant to the authorities concerned," said Aye Myint. "Thus, there was no option but to open legal proceedings in accordance with the law."

A portrait of Myanmar's opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi is attached to a balloon during a vigil in Singapore, 31 May 2009

Aye Myint was speaking to Asian security officials and experts at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.

Delegates to the annual summit made public calls for Burma's military rulers to release the democracy leader along with the more than two thousand other political prisoners in the country.

Aung San Suu Kyi is facing five years in prison for allowing an eccentric American man to stay in her house without official permission.

The trial has been widely condemned as an excuse to keep the democracy leader locked-up. Her lawyers say a verdict is expected at the end of the week.

Aye Myint repeated Burma's dismissal of the criticism as an interference in its internal affairs.

Also at the summit Sunday, Sri Lanka's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Rohitha Bogollagama, defended the military defeat of Tamil Tiger rebels.

"Sri Lanka will no doubt enter the annals of history as a classic, textbook example of a nation that successfully prevailed over the scourge of terrorism whilst tenaciously upholding the cherished values of democracy and human rights that have been deeply engrained in the psyche of our people," said Rohitha Bogollagama.

Critics have accused both the rebels and the Sri Lankan military of causing heavy casualties during the 25-year-conflict. The United Nations estimates thousands of civilians died in the final military assault on the rebels.

Pakistan's Secretary of Defense, Syed Athar Ali, told the Asian security summit there was a misperception that Pakistan was the source of extremism in the region. He argued instability actually trickled in from Afghanistan after the 9-11 attacks.

"[The] quandary lies in Afghanistan and, therefore, the solution has to be found in Afghanistan itself," said Syed Athar Ali. "Whereas Pakistan has played a lead role in global campaign against terror, and paid a very heavy price, the lack of success in creating stability in Afghanistan by coalition forces has impeded our efforts at stabilizing our western border region bordering Afghanistan."

Ali acknowledged that extremists had found a safe-haven in the largely unsecured border region, but says Pakistan security forces are now making great efforts to flush out the Taliban and other extremists.

But, he warned the weak government in Afghanistan and lack of international funding was likely to make the security situation worse.

American and British defense chiefs at the three-day summit asked Asian countries to contribute more funds and expertise to Afghanistan's development.

In other security concerns expressed Sunday, Singapore's Defense Minister Teo Chee Hean told delegates new friction could arise from overlapping territorial claims in the South China Sea.

He said more military transparency and information sharing was needed to prevent misunderstandings that could lead to conflict.

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Hooray for Hollywood!

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Cecil B. DeMille, Samuel Goldwyn and Louis Mayer helped make Hollywood the center of the movie industry. Transcript of radio broadcast:

VOICE ONE:

I'm Sarah Long.

VOICE TWO:

And I’m Steve Ember with PEOPLE IN AMERICA in VOA Special English. Today we tell about three people who helped make Hollywood the center of the movie industry.

VOICE ONE:

When you hear the name Hollywood, you probably think of excitement, lights, cameras and movie stars. Famous actors are not the only important people in the entertainment business. Directors and producers are important, too. Today, Hollywood is full of producers and directors. However, very few are as famous and successful as Hollywood’s first motion picture businessmen, Cecil B. DeMille, Samuel Goldwyn and Louis Mayer.

VOICE TWO:

Cecil Blount DeMille was born in Ashfield, Massachusetts in eighteen eighty-one. Both his parents were writers of plays. His father died when he was twelve years old. His mother kept the family together by establishing a theater company. Cecil joined the company as an actor.

He continued working in his mother’s theater company as an actor and a manager until nineteen thirteen. That year, he joined Jesse L. Lasky and Samuel Goldfish to form the Jesse L. Lasky Feature Play Company. Goldfish later changed his name to Samuel Goldwyn.

VOICE ONE:

Far left, Jesse L. Lasky; center, Samuel Goldwyn; second from right, Cecil B. DeMille

The three men started making motion pictures immediately. They loved working in the movie business. They were deeply interested in its creative and financial possibilities. DeMille, Lasky and Goldfish began working on a movie version of the popular American western play, “Squaw Man.” DeMille urged that the movie be made in the real American West. He chose Flagstaff, Arizona. DeMille and the company traveled to Flagstaff by train. When they arrived, DeMille thought the area looked too modern. They got back on the train and keep going until they reached the end of the line. They were in a quiet little town in southern California. The town was called Hollywood. DeMille decided this was the perfect place to film the movie.

“Squaw Man” was one of the first full-length movies produced in Hollywood. It was released in nineteen thirteen and was an immediate success. DeMille is considered the man who helped Hollywood become the center of the motion picture business.

He quickly became a creative force in the new movie industry. His success continued with “Brewster’s Millions,” “The Call of the North” and “The Trail of the Lonesome Pine.”

VOICE TWO:

Cecil B. DeMille was among the very few filmmakers in Hollywood whose name appeared above the title of his movie. His name was more important to movie-goers than the names of the stars in the movie. DeMille’s movies were known to be big productions. He combined a lot of action, realistic storytelling and hundreds of actors to make some of Hollywood’s best movies. He made many kinds of movies including westerns, comedies, romances and ones dealing with moral issues.

DeMille gained a great deal of fame with the kind of movie known as an epic. An epic tells a story of events that are important in history. DeMille’s epic movies were based on the settling of the American West, Roman history or stories from the Bible. His first version of the historic film “The Ten Commandments” was a huge success among silent films in nineteen twenty-three. In nineteen fifty-six, he released a new version of “The Ten Commandments” to include sound. It is broadcast still on American television during the Christian observance of Easter.

VOICE ONE:

Cecil B. DeMille produced and directed seventy movies. In nineteen forty-nine he received a special Academy Award for “thirty-seven years of brilliant showmanship.” He died of heart failure in nineteen fifty-nine.

One of DeMille’s last films was “The Greatest Show on Earth.” It won the Academy Award for best picture in nineteen fifty-two. It was about people who performed in the circus. Some people say it was a fitting subject because Cecil B. DeMille often was called the greatest showman in Hollywood.

VOICE TWO:

In eighteen ninety-five, a thirteen year old boy from Warsaw, Poland found his way to the United States. Samuel Goldfish was alone. He had no money. He found work as a glove maker. He continued working in the glove-making industry until he was almost thirty years old.

In nineteen thirteen, Samuel and his wife’s brother, Jesse L. Lasky, and Cecil B. DeMille formed the Jesse L. Lasky Feature Play Company. It produced the movie “Squaw Man.”

In nineteen sixteen, Goldfish started a business with Edgar Selwyn. They combined their names Goldfish and Selwyn and called the new company Goldwyn. Samuel Goldfish liked the name and changed his to Samuel Goldwyn in nineteen eighteen. The Goldwyn Company made many successful motion pictures. Yet, the company was not a financial success.

In nineteen twenty-two, Samuel Goldwyn was forced to leave the company. The Goldwyn Company then joined with Metro Pictures and Louis B. Mayer Productions to form Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, known as MGM. Samuel Goldwyn was not part of the deal. He promised never to be a joint owner of another company. He formed his own company Samuel Goldwyn Productions.

VOICE ONE:

Lucille Ball

Samuel Goldwyn was one of the great independent producers during the “Golden Age” of Hollywood. Most of his films were successful financially and popular with critics. He insisted that his films be well made and of high quality. This became known as the “Goldwyn Touch.”

Goldwyn usually paid for his films himself. He bought the best stories and plays to be made into movies. He employed the best writers, directors and actors.

And he discovered new actors including Lucille Ball, Gary Cooper, Susan Hayward and Will Rogers.

Goldwyn was extremely independent. He had a strong desire to control every element of the production and marketing of his films. He made all decisions concerning his films including choosing directors, actors and writers. His best films include “The Little Foxes,” “The Best Years of Our Lives” and “Porgy and Bess.” His movies received many Academy Awards.

VOICE TWO:

Samuel Goldwyn was known also for his sense of humor. He created funny expressions. In Hollywood they are known as Goldwynisms. One of his most famous expressions was “Include me out.”

In nineteen forty-six, Goldwyn received the Irving Thalberg Memorial Award for his excellent movie productions during the Academy Award ceremonies that year. He died in nineteen seventy-four.

Samuel Goldwyn was in the movie business for almost sixty years. He is considered one of the most influential film producers ever.

VOICE ONE:

Louis B. Mayer

Louis B. Mayer began as a theater operator in Havermill, Massachusetts in nineteen-oh-seven. Over the next several years he bought more theaters. Soon he owned the largest group of theaters in New England. In nineteen seventeen, Mayer formed his own movie production company. In the early nineteen twenties, Louis B. Mayer Pictures joined two other companies to form Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.

Mayer was appointed vice president and general manager of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. He had a strong fatherly way of supervising the company and actors.

The company had some of the biggest names in show business including Judy Garland, Clark Gable, Katherine Hepburn and Elizabeth Taylor. A popular expression used at the time was MGM had “more stars than there are in heaven.” MGM produced some of the most popular movies of all time including “The Wizard of Oz,” “Gone with the Wind” and “The Philadelphia Story.”

VOICE TWO:

In the nineteen thirties and nineteen forties, Louis B. Mayer was the most powerful businessman in Hollywood. He earned more than one million two hundred thousand dollars a year. He was paid more than anyone else in the United States.

In nineteen fifty, Mayer received a special Academy Award for “excellent service to the Motion Picture industry.” He died in Hollywood, California in nineteen fifty-seven. He was seventy-two years old.

VOICE ONE:

Cecil B. DeMille, Samuel Goldwyn and Louis B. Mayer are remembered for their excellent movies and their continuing influence in the motion picture industry. They led the way for movie producers and directors of today and those still to come.

VOICE TWO:

This program was written and directed by Lawan Davis. Our studio engineer was Keith Holmes. I’m Steve Ember.

VOICE ONE:

And I’m Sarah Long. Join us again next week for PEOPLE IN AMERICA in VOA Special English.

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Heart to Heart: Some Heartfelt Expressions

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Do you wear your heart on your sleeve? Transcript of radio broadcast:



Now, the VOA Special English program WORDS AND THEIR STORIES.

Each week, this program explains the many meanings of English expressions. Today’s expressions include a very important word – heart.

We will try to get to the heart of the matter to better understand the most important things about words and their stories. So take heart. Have no fear about learning new expressions. Besides, popular English words can be fun. There is no need for a heavy heart. Such feelings of sadness would only break my heart, or make me feel unhappy and hopeless.

Now, let us suppose you and I were speaking freely about something private. We would be having a heart to heart discussion. I might speak from the bottom of my heart, or say things honestly and truthfully. I might even open up my heart to you and tell a secret. I would speak with all my heart, or with great feeling.

When a person shares her feelings freely and openly like this, you might say she wears her heart on her sleeve, or on her clothing. Her emotions are not protected.

If we had an honest discussion, both of us would know that the other person’s heart is in the right place. For example, I would know that you are a kind-hearted and well-meaning person. And, if you are a very good person, I would even say that you have a heart of gold. However, you might have a change of heart based on what I tell you. Our discussion might cause you to change the way you feel about something.

But, let us suppose you get angry over what I tell you. Or worse, you feel no sympathy or understanding for me or my situation. If this happens, I might think that you have a heart of stone. And, if you say something to make me frightened or worried, my heart might stand still or skip a beat.

Yet, even though you may be angry, I would know that at heart, you are a kind person. In reality, you do care. And any argument between us would not cause me to lose heart or feel a sense of loss.

My heart goes out to anyone who loses a friend over an argument. It really is a sad situation, and I feel sympathy for the people involved.

I promise that what I have told you today is true – cross my heart.

I really wanted to play some music at the end of this feature. In fact, I had my heart set on it. So here it is, “Don’t Go Breaking my Heart” by Elton John.

(MUSIC)

This VOA Special English program, WORDS AND THEIR STORIES, was written by Jill Moss. I’m Faith Lapidus.

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Obama: Sotomayor 'Right Choice' for Supreme Court

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Supreme Court nominee Judge Sonia Sotomayor smiles as President Barack Obama applauds, in the East Room Ceremony of the White House in Washington, 26 May 2009

U.S. President Barack Obama is defending his Supreme Court nominee against racism charges from some Republican critics. The president says Judge Sonia Sotomayor should be confirmed swiftly.

President Obama, in his weekly address, is calling on the Senate to give Judge Sotomayor a swift, rigorous and principled confirmation.

"After reviewing many terrific candidates, I am certain that she is the right choice," he said. "In fact, there has not been a nominee in several generations who has brought the depth of judicial experience to this job that she offers."

Born to Puerto Rican parents, who moved to New York during World War II, Sotomayor would be the first Hispanic to serve on the Supreme Court and the third woman. If confirmed by the Senate, she would join Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the only other woman on the court.

Some Republicans say Sotomayor is a "racist," after comments she made in 2001 in a lecture at the University of California Law School were recently made public.

"I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn't lived that life," said the judge.

In an interview with NBC television on Friday, Mr. Obama tried to deflect the criticism of his nominee. "I am sure she would have restated it, but if you look in the entire sweep of the essay that she wrote, what is clear is that she was simply saying that her life experiences will give her information about the struggles and hardships that people are going through, that will make her a good judge," he said.

And in his weekly address, the president dismisses those who are opposing Sotomayor's nomination on the basis of her comment.

"There are, of course, some in Washington who are attempting to draw old battle lines and playing the usual political games, pulling a few comments out of context to paint a distorted picture of Judge Sotomayor's record," said Mr. Obama.

Republicans do not have enough votes in the Senate to block Sotomayor's nomination. Many in the opposition party are refraining from criticizing the president's nominee, largely to avoid offending Hispanics, one of the nation's largest and fastest-growing ethnic groups.

Mitch Daniels (file photo)

In the weekly Republican message, Governor Mitch Daniels of the central state of Indiana is criticizing the Democrats' policy on climate change.

"The scheme to radically change the sources and the cost of American energy, through a system known as 'cap and trade' may be well intentioned, but it will cost us dearly in jobs and income, and it stands no chance of achieving its objective of a cooler earth," he said.

Mr. Obama and Democrats in Congress are backing a "cap and trade" bill, which aims to cut greenhouse gas emissions 17 percent by 2020. It would allow businesses to buy licenses to emit greenhouse gases from other firms that use less energy. Republicans say it will be too costly for businesses.

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Gates: 'Painful' Sanctions May Be Required Against North Korea

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US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates delivers keynote speech at Asia Security Summit in Singapore, 30 May 2009

U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates says "painful" sanctions against North Korea may be the only way to peacefully end its nuclear program. Speaking to a summit of Asian defense leaders in Singapore, he also urged Asian support for Afghanistan.

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates criticized North Korea Saturday for recklessly pursuing nuclear and missile capabilities while many of its people starved.

North Korea on Monday exploded a nuclear device and tested a series of missiles in defiance of the international community.

Gates told Asian defense officials they were all familiar with North Korea's tactic of creating a crisis and then demanding payment to end the crisis.

He said the United States and its allies were still open to dialogue with North Korea, but would not bend to provocation.

He said if North Korea would not conform to international norms, "painful" sanctions would be needed to end the nuclear program.

"We will not stand idly by as North Korea builds the capability to wreak destruction on any target in the region or on us. At the end of the day, the choice to continue as a destitute, international pariah or chart a new course is North Korea's alone to make. The world is waiting," he said.

Gates was speaking in Singapore at the Shangri-La Dialogue, an annual meeting of Asian defense ministers and experts on the region.

This year's meeting has been dominated by concerns about how to deal with a nuclear North Korea.

Talking about the U.S. role in Asia, Gates told the conference Washington's commitment to its allies was as strong as ever, but that greater multilateral cooperation was needed to deal with both old and new challenges to security.

Gates met Saturday afternoon with his counterparts from Japan and South Korea. The three sides pledged a common response to North Korea's actions.

Aside from so-called "rogue" nations like North Korea, he said Asia was also under threat from extremists.

"Extremists in Asia have engaged in terrorist acts such as in Bali, terrorist activity and guerrilla warfare in Mindanao, and they have plotted attacks in several Southeast Asian nations," he said. "They are inspired by and at times receive support directly from groups operating along the Afghan-Pakistani border ... Failure in a place like Afghanistan would have international reverberations. And, undoubtedly many of them would be felt in this part of the world."

Gates said he would like to see more Asian support for funding Afghanistan's security and building the country's institutions. He said there was a great need in Afghanistan for civilian experts, which he would like to see more Asian countries provide.

Gates applauded intelligence sharing on violent extremists in Asia, which he said had led to fewer terrorist attacks. He also commended cooperation in Asian seas against piracy and arms and drugs smuggling.

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Pakistan Claims Victory Over Militants in Swat Valley Capital

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The Pakistani military says it has prevailed over Taliban militants in Mingora, the main town in Swat Valley. The military says it gained control a week after re-entering the town to dislodge Taliban fighters.

Major General Athar Abbas (File photo)

Major General Athar Abbas told reporters that government forces are in full control of Mingora, despite encountering pockets of resistance on the outskirts of the town.

Abbas said 25 militants, including two top Taliban commanders, were killed and three other commanders were arrested during military operations over the past 24 hours.

He said a huge cache of arms and ammunition were discovered along with a training base of militant leader Maulana Fazlullah, whose fighters have waged a two year long battle to impose strict Islamic law in the region.

Abbas said local citizens were key to the military's success in Mingora.

"The people of Mingora have started pinpointing the militants who were trying to pose as innocent citizens," he said.

Even with Mingora in hand, Abbas said the battle was far from over in Swat, where government forces are still fighting militants in two other neighboring districts.

Abbas also said the battle includes keeping track of top Taliban militants in the region.

"We are refraining from announcing or declaration unless or until in hand, some proof, some smoking gun, which is difficult but we are trying our best. But I can assure you, that the top tier leadership have been targeted and it is constantly being followed with our intelligence," he said.

It is impossible to independently confirm information released by the Pakistani military because the conflict area is closed to non-combatants.

Military analysts say the real sign of military success will be if the Pakistani army can hold its territory and keep Taliban militants from coming back to fight another day.

The military launched a major offensive nearly one month ago in Swat Valley and neighboring areas to oust Taliban militants who were extending their control over the northwestern region, near the border with Afghanistan.

The campaign is strongly backed by Washington and other Western allies, who see it as a test of the government's resolve to fight extremism in the Pakistan.

The United Nations says the fighting has caused more than 2 million people to flee the region, raising fears of a humanitarian crisis.

Pakistani rescue worker struggle to recover an injured victim from the rubble at the site of suicide car bombing in Lahore, Pakistan, 27 May 2009

This week, Pakistan experienced two deadly terrorist attacks: one in Lahore that killed around 30 people; and another in Peshawar at a popular market that left at least 14 people dead.

Major cities, including the capital, Islamabad, were put on high alert after a top Taliban commander claimed responsibility for the Lahore attack, calling it revenge for the Swat Valley offensive.

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Quarantine Precautions in Place as Swine Flu Cruise Ship Docks in Australia

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Cruise ship 'Pacific Dawn' sailing past Sydney Opera House in a 2007 image provided by P&O Cruises

A cruise liner at the center of Australia's A-H1N1 virus outbreak has docked in Brisbane after three crew members tested positive for the virus. Tough quarantine measures have been put into place for the arrival of the Pacific Dawn. Australia now has more than 200 confirmed cases of the virus, which is commonly known as swine flu.

Authorities in Queensland have put strict precautions into place to try to stop the spread of infection from the Pacific Dawn cruise ship.

Passengers disembarking the vessel in Brisbane have been met by a team of nurses and medical staff. Two thousand passengers and several hundred crew members will be screened for swine flu and asked to isolate themselves at home for a week.

Passengers, who do not disembark in Brisbane, will be kept onboard until the cruise liner departs for Sydney, its final destination, where similar precautions will be put into place.

Federal health minister, Nicola Roxon, says forcing the vessel to cancel a planned 10-day trip around the Great Barrier Reef is a necessary precaution.

"We apologize to passengers whose holidays have been disrupted by these developments but the actions being taken are designed to look after the health of passengers and crew and, of course, the Australian public," said Roxon.

The Pacific Dawn has been blamed for the recent increase in swine flu infections in Australia after health officials allowed hundreds of passengers to go home at the end of a previous cruise, despite a suspected outbreak onboard. At least 20 travelers were later diagnosed with the virus.

The flu outbreak is starting to affect the tourism industry, with one major airline announcing plans to scale back services between Australia and Japan by one-third because of a slump in demand from Japanese passengers.

More than 200 people in Australia have now contracted the contagious condition. Some scientists have said the government should cancel large sporting events and close schools to try to stop the spread of the respiratory disease. They have predicted that up to one fifth of the Australian population - about four million people - could be infected by the swine flu virus.

The Australian government has warned that the number of infections could rise rapidly.

Other infectious disease experts, however, have insisted Australia's is over-reacting to the outbreak of the A-H1N1 virus, insisting that, so far, the disease is no worse than other strains of influenza that kill hundreds of Australians every year during the colder winter months.

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Woman in the News: Judge Sonia Sotomayor

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Obama's nominee, if confirmed by the Senate, will be the first Hispanic justice on the U.S. Supreme Court. Transcript of radio broadcast:

This is IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English.

This week, President Obama announced his choice for an opening on the Supreme Court.

Judge Sonia Sotomayor at the White House after President Obama announced her as his nominee for the Supreme Court

BARACK OBAMA: "I have decided to nominate an inspiring woman who I believe will make a great justice, Judge Sonia Sotomayor of the great state of New York."

SONIA SOTOMAYOR: "I firmly believe in the rule of law as the foundation for all of our basic rights. I strive never to forget the real world consequences of my decisions on individuals, businesses and government."

Sonia Sotomayor is a federal appeals judge. If confirmed, she would be the first Hispanic on the nation's highest court. She would be the second woman among the nine justices, joining Ruth Bader Ginsburg. And she would be only the third woman ever to serve on the Supreme Court. Justices have lifetime appointments.

The next step is to prepare for Senate confirmation hearings. Senators are expected to question her about a comment she made at a law school in two thousand five.

SONIA SOTOMAYOR: "The court of appeals is where policy is made, and I know this is on tape and I should never say that because we don't make law. I know, I know. I'm not promoting it and I'm not advocating it. I'm, you know ... "

Conservative critics say legislators and other elected leaders are the only ones who should make policy. Another comment, involving ethnicity, has also angered conservatives. Some Republicans have argued that Sonia Sotomayor is too liberal for the Supreme Court. They say she could be an "activist judge" who will let personal feelings and political beliefs influence her rulings.

Democrats say her record shows that she is a moderate. In any case, Democrats hold a strong majority in the Senate. So, barring any unexpected problems, her chances for confirmation seem strong.

Republicans say they will demand a serious look at her many legal decisions. But political observers point out that Republicans may worry about offending Hispanics if they try to block her nomination. Hispanics are now the nation's largest ethnic minority, and a fast growing group of voters.

President Obama is urging the Senate to confirm Judge Sotomayor by August. The new court term begins in October. She would replace Justice David Souter who plans to retire in June.

Sonia Sotomayor will be fifty-five in June. She was born in New York City to parents from the American commonwealth of Puerto Rico. She grew up in a public housing project in the South Bronx, one of the poorest areas of the city.

She earned highest honors in history from Princeton University. Then she attended law school at Yale University. She became a federal judge in New York in nineteen ninety-two. The Senate approved her nomination by a Republican president, the first George Bush. Then, six years later, the Senate confirmed her appointment to the appeals court by a Democrat, President Bill Clinton.

Her newest appointment is not expected to change the political balance of the Supreme Court. Five of the nine current justices -- a majority -- are more conservative than liberal. Judge Sotomayor would replace a justice who has generally voted with the liberal minority.

And that's IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English. I'm Steve Ember.

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Short Story: 'Rappaccini's Daughter' by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Part 2

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A young man falls under the influence of a beautiful young woman. Last of two parts. Transcript of radio broadcast:

Now, the Special English program, AMERICAN STORIES.

(MUSIC)

Today, we complete the story "Rappaccini’s Daughter." It was written by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Here is Kay Gallant with the second and final part of “Rappaccini’s Daughter.”

(MUSIC)

STORYTELLER:

Many years ago, a young man named Giovanni Guasconti left his home in Naples to study in northern Italy. He took a room in an old house next to a magnificent garden filled with strange flowers and other plants.

The garden belonged to a doctor, Giacomo Rappaccini. He lived with his daughter, Beatrice, in a small brown house in the garden. From a window in his room, Giovanni had seen that Rappaccini’s daughter was very beautiful. But everyone in Padua was afraid of her father.

Pietro Baglioni, a professor at the university, warned Giovanni about the mysterious Doctor Rappaccini. “He is a great scientist,” Professor Baglioni told the young man. “But he is also dangerous. Rappaccini cares more about science than he does about people. He has created many terrible poisons from the plants in his garden.”

One day, Giovanni found a secret entrance to Rappaccini’s garden. He went in. The plants all seemed wild and unnatural. Giovanni realized that Rappaccini must have created these strange and terrible flowers through his experiments.

Suddenly, Rappaccini’s daughter came into the garden. She moved quickly among the flowers until she reached him. Giovanni apologized for coming into the garden without an invitation. But Beatrice smiled at him and made him feel welcome.

“I see you love flowers,” she said. “And so you have come to take a closer look at my father’s rare collection.”

While she spoke, Giovanni noticed a perfume in the air around her. He wasn’t sure if this wonderful smell came from the flowers or from her breath.

She asked him about his home and his family. She told him she had spent her life in this garden. Giovanni felt as if he were talking to a very small child. Her spirit sparkled like clear water.

They walked slowly though the garden as they talked. At last they reached a beautiful plant that was covered with large purple flowers. He realized that the perfume from those flowers was like the perfume of Beatrice’s breath, but much stronger.

The young man reached out to break off one of the purple flowers. But Beatrice gave a scream that went through his heart like a knife. She caught his hand and pulled it away from the plant with all her strength.

“Don’t ever touch those flowers!” she cried. “They will take your life!” Hiding her face, she ran into the house. Then, Giovanni saw Doctor Rappaccini standing in the garden.

That night, Giovanni could not stop thinking about how sweet and beautiful Beatrice was. Finally, he fell asleep. But when the morning came, he woke up in great pain. He felt as if one of his hands was on fire. It was the hand that Beatrice had grabbed in hers when he reached for one of the purple flowers.

Giovanni looked down at his hand. There was a purple mark on it that looked like four small fingers and a little thumb. But because his heart was full of Beatrice, Giovanni forgot about the pain in his hand.

He began to meet her in the garden every day. At last, she told him that she loved him. But she would never let him kiss her or even hold her hand.

One morning, several weeks later, Professor Baglioni visited Giovanni. “I was worried about you,” the older man said. “You have not come to your classes at the university for more than a month. Is something wrong?”

Giovanni was not pleased to see his old friend. “No, nothing is wrong. I am fine, thank you.” He wanted Professor Baglioni to leave. But the old man took off his hat and sat down.

“My dear Giovanni,” he said. “You must stay away from Rappaccini and his daughter. Her father has given her poison from the time she was a baby. The poison is in her blood and on her breath. If Rappaccini did this to his own daughter, what is he planning to do to you?”

Giovanni covered his face with his hands. “Oh my God!” he cried. “Don’t worry, the old man continued. “It is not too late to save you. And we may succeed in helping Beatrice, too. Do you see this little silver bottle? It holds a medicine that will destroy even the most powerful poison. Give it to your Beatrice to drink.”

Professor Baglioni put the little bottle on the table and left Giovanni’s room. The young man wanted to believe that Beatrice was a sweet and innocent girl. And yet, Professor Baglioni’s words had put doubts in his heart.

It was nearly time for his daily meeting with Beatrice. As Giovanni combed his hair, he looked at himself in a mirror near his bed. He could not help noticing how handsome he was. His eyes looked particularly bright. And his face had a healthy warm glow.

He said to himself, “At least her poison has not gotten into my body yet.” As he spoke he happened to look at some flowers he had just bought that morning. A shock of horror went through his body.

The flowers were turning brown! Giovanni’s face became very white as he stared at himself in the mirror.

Then he noticed a spider crawling near his window. He bent over the insect and blew a breath of air at it. The spider trembled, and fell dead. “I am cursed,” Giovanni whispered to himself. “My own breath is poison.”

At that moment, a rich, sweet voice came floating up from the garden. “Giovanni! You are late. Come down.”

“You are a monster!” Giovanni shouted as soon as he reached her. “And with your poison you have made me into a monster, too. I am a prisoner of this garden.”

“Giovanni!” Beatrice cried, looking at him with her large bright eyes. “Why are you saying these terrible things? It is true that I can never leave this garden. But you are free to go wherever you wish.”

Giovanni looked at her with hate in his eyes. “Don’t pretend that you don’t know what you have done to me.”

A group of insects had flown into the garden. They came toward Giovanni and flew around his head. He blew his breath at them. The insects fell to the ground, dead.

Beatrice screamed. “I see it! I see it! My father’s science has done this to us. Believe me, Giovanni, I did not ask him to do this to you. I only wanted to love you.”

Giovanni’s anger changed to sadness. Then, he remembered the medicine that Professor Baglioni had given him. Perhaps the medicine would destroy the poison in their bodies and help them to become normal again.

“Dear Beatrice,” he said, “our fate is not so terrible.” He showed her the little silver bottle and told her what the medicine inside it might do. “I will drink first,” she said. “You must wait to see what happens to me before you drink it.”

She put Baglioni’s medicine to her lips and took a small sip. At the same moment, Rappaccini came out of his house and walked slowly toward the two young people. He spread his hands out to them as if he were giving them a blessing.

“My daughter,” he said, “you are no longer alone in the world. Give Giovanni one of the purple flowers from your favorite plant. It will not hurt him now. My science and your love have made him different from ordinary men.”

“My father,” Beatrice said weakly, “why did you do this terrible thing to your own child?”

Rappaccini looked surprised. “What do you mean, my daughter?” he asked. “You have power no other woman has. You can defeat your strongest enemy with only your breath. Would you rather be a weak woman?”

“I want to be loved, not feared,” Beatrice replied. “But now, it does not matter. I am leaving you, father. I am going where the poison you have given me will do no harm. Good bye to you, Giovanni.”

Beatrice dropped to the ground. She died at the feet of her father and Giovanni. The poison had been too much a part of the young woman. The medicine that destroyed the poison, destroyed her, as well.

(MUSIC)

ANNOUNCER:

You have just heard the story "Rappaccini’s Daughter." It was written by Nathaniel Hawthorne and adapted for Special English by Dona de Sanctis. Your storyteller was Kay Gallant. This is Shep O’Neal.

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Mixed Israeli-Palestinian Reaction to White House Summit

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Palestinians are reacting positively to their leader's summit meeting with the president of the United States in Washington. But Israelis are skeptical.

Presidents Barack Obama (r) and Mahmoud Abbas at the White House, 28 May 2009

Palestinian officials say they are encouraged by President Barack Obama's meeting with his Palestinian counterpart Mahmoud Abbas Thursday at the White House. Mr. Obama called for the creation of a Palestinian state and condemned Jewish settlement expansion in the West Bank.

Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat says the new U.S. administration is taking the right steps to advance the peace process. "We want any Israeli government to accept the two-state solution, agreements signed, and stop settlement activities," he said.

The settlement issue is raising tension between Israel's new right-wing government and Washington. Israel says it will not build new settlements, but it reserves the right to build in existing communities to accommodate "natural growth."

The United States opposes any construction in the settlements, and settlers are outraged. Chanie Luz lives in the West Bank settlement of Bethel near the Palestinian-ruled city of Ramallah.

"We see it as a racist statement to say that the Jews can't have children, or that Jews can't build their houses, or the Jews can't add a room onto their house because they want to have a larger house," said Luz.

Israel's hawkish Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also opposes the creation of a Palestinian state. Israel pulled out of the Palestinian-ruled Gaza Strip in 2005, and today it is controlled by Hamas, a violent Islamic militant group that refuses to recognize the Jewish state. Hamas has fired thousands of rockets across the Gaza border at Israeli communities; and Netanyahu fears a Palestinian state in the West Bank would lead to a similar situation in Israel's backyard.

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Experts Say in US Outreach to Islamic World, Actions Matter Most

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As President Obama prepares to address the Muslim world in a scheduled June 4th speech in Cairo, Egypt, a diverse group of policy experts from academia and the U.S. government gathered in Washington to discuss specific steps the United States can take to improve its relations with the worldwide Muslim community.

Radwan Masmoudi, president of the Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy, says Muslims want President Obama to listen to them, too

Setting the theme at the annual meeting of the non-profit Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy, center President Radwan Masmoudi said he applauds the Obama administration's efforts to speak directly to the world's 1.5 billion Muslims. But Masmoudi said the United States must also listen to what the world's Muslims have to say.

"…the U.S. needs to engage the Muslim world in a serious dialogue, and we need to listen, to listen to their concerns, to their aspirations. And dialogue will open many channels and many opportunities for peace, for reconciliation, for democracy and human rights."

Actions must match words

Masmoudi said he believes there are high hopes among many Muslims around the world that the Obama administration will match its rhetoric about closer ties with the Muslim world with concrete actions, especially in pursuing peace in the Middle East.

University of Maryland professor Shibley Telhami says Muslims will base their opinion of the United States on U.S. policies

That point was echoed by Shibley Telhami, the Anwar Sadat professor for peace and development at the University of Maryland. Telhami said no matter how soothing President Obama's rhetoric might be, many Muslims around the world still perceive America's eight-year-old War on Terror as a veiled assault on Islam. In Telhami's view, Muslims are going to make their judgments about the United States based on U.S. policies and how they affect the issues central to their lives.

"The issues that they care about are very obvious. First is the Arab-Israeli issue, second, the wars that the U.S. is conducting in Iraq and Afghanistan, Pakistan," he said. "And the third is the presence of American forces in the region. And then of course there are a lot of other issues pertaining to the relationship with different countries and different regimes."

Telhami said President Obama should move quickly, in concert with America's regional partners, to demonstrate that the War on Terror is not a war on Islam. An important step, Telhami said, would be for Obama to begin reducing the heavy American military presence in the Arab world and to show that the United States can be an honest broker in any Middle East peace.

Arab-Israeli conflict key

U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison says the United States must work to fairly resolve the Arab-Israeli conflict

Indeed, sustained U.S. efforts to settle the Arab-Israeli conflict will be key to improving U.S. relations with the Muslim world, says Keith Ellison, a Minnesota Democrat in the U.S. House of Representatives and the first Muslim ever elected to the U.S. Congress.

"What we need today is a peaceful resolution of this conflict and a just resolution to this conflict. This will require an active, unrelenting commitment to keep the U.S. as a power that deals even-handedly and as an honest broker between the parties."

Ellison said he believes President Obama has the political muscle to convince pro-Israel members of Congress that a U.S.-brokered peace agreement in the Middle East would serve the interests not just of the Palestinians and the region's Arab states but of Israel as well.

Support for human rights, democracy crucial

Harvard University visiting professor Saad Eddin Ibrahim, a well-known Egyptian human rights defender and democracy activist, believes another barrier to better U.S. relations with the world's Muslims is continued U.S. support of undemocratic regimes in some Islamic countries. Ibrahim told the Washington gathering that President Obama must offer Muslims some basic reassurances.

Harvard visiting professor Saad Eddin Ibrahim says the United States must reaffirm its commitment to human rights and democracy in the Middle East

"That he is on the side of human rights and democracy for all and that he will cooperate on this basis and that will be at least one of the principle pillars of American foreign policy. That's very important to adopt, to realize and to announce very early on," he said. "The challenge now is to sustain that drive and to stay the course to the very end and not to give up midway as George Bush did."

Ibrahim noted that many undemocratic governments in the Muslim world tightened their grips after the Bush administration refused to recognize the Palestinian election victory of Hamas, the radical Islamist group that now governs Gaza. But Madelyn Spirnak, the U.S. deputy assistant secretary for Near East affairs, saw no inconsistency.

"The U.S. government remains committed to democratic principles and human rights and will continue to support those in the Middle East and throughout the world who seek to enjoy these universal freedoms. As President Obama proclaimed in his inaugural address, America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and we are ready to lead once more."

That's a message, these Washington experts agreed, that the world's Islamic cultures can welcome.

The Washington-based Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy has sent an open letter to President Obama, signed by hundreds of Muslim leaders and scholars. It urges the president to make democracy promotion a priority in his bid to improve relations between the United States and communities of Muslims around the world.

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In Asia, Women Workers Hit Hard by Economic Slump

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Across Asia women are bearing the brunt of the global economic downturn as export manufacturers shed workers. The United Nation's International Labor Organization and labor rights groups say Asian governments need to boost social protection programs for women and workers vulnerable to the global recession.

Asia's export-driven growth over the past 30 years has drawn millions of women into the work force, making consumer goods for the world. The work lifted families out of poverty and gave women greater independence and opportunities.

Now the global economic downturn means tens of thousands of women are losing their jobs, as slow demand forces factories making everything from clothes to electronics to shut down.

Kee Beom Kim

Kee Beom Kim, an economist with the United Nation's International Labour Organization, says women in export industries the region are especially vulnerable to the current economic climate. Kim says the consequences are wide ranging.

"They have lost their jobs and without a job, in some cases for those who are poor - their food consumption decreases, their health consumption; we see that children are being withdrawn from school," said Kim. "In the garment industries reduced working hours basically means less take home pay - of course a detrimental effect on consumption."

China, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Cambodia are some of the countries where exports account for a large proportion of national output. A slowdown in foreign investment and a decline in remittances from overseas workers worsen the poor economic climate for women workers.

The ILO warns that unemployment across the Asia-Pacific region could rise by over 25 million this year, to more than 110 million across the region.

A Chinese seamstress puts together a garment at a clothing factory on the outskirts of Beijing (file photo)

United Nations data show the region accounts for around two-thirds of the world's total employment. China, India, Indonesia, Russia, Bangladesh, Japan and Pakistan make up the bulk of that work force.

Lucia Victor Jayaseelan, executive coordinator with the Committee for Asian Women, says in Cambodia she recently met women from the hard-hit garment industry, who face uncertain futures.

"They were working without pay because they couldn't go home," said Jayaseelan. "And they were so used to working and hoping and believing that the industries, the factories would be giving them some money at some point. Three months no salary; which meant they had to live, pay their rent, school for their children, remit money back to rural areas - all that went."

The ILO and labor rights workers are calling on regional governments to boost social protection programs, especially those that can help women laid off from work. They also say government economic stimulus packages need to focus on building up rural infrastructure that would most benefit women and children.

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Ancient Greek Wisdom Inspires Guidelines to Good Life

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Is it possible to enjoy a peaceful life in a world that is increasingly challenged by threats and uncertainties from wars, terrorism, economic crises and epidemic outbreaks? The answer, according to a new book, is yes. That's The 10 Golden Rules: Ancient Wisdom from the Greek Philosophers on Living a Good Life.

Professor of philosophy Michael Soupios says modern people can learn a thing or two from the ancient Greeks

The wisdom of the ancient Greek philosophers is timeless, says Michael Soupios. The philosophy professor says it is as relevant today as when it was first written centuries ago.

"There is no expiration date on wisdom," he says. "There is no shelf life on intelligence. I think that things have become very murky these days, lots of misunderstanding, miscues, a lot of what the ancients would have called sophistry. The nice thing about ancient philosophy as offered by the Greeks is that they tended to see life clear and whole, in a way that we tend not to see life today."

Examine your life

Soupios, along with his co-author, economics professor Panos Mourdoukoutas, developed their 10 golden rules by turning to the men behind that philosophy - Aristotle, Socrates, Epictetus and Pythagoras, among others. The first rule - examine your life - is the common thread that runs through the entire book. Soupios says it's based on Plato's observation that the unexamined life is not worth living.

"The Greeks are always concerned about boxing themselves in, in terms of convictions," he says. "So take a step back and sort of get off the treadmill, switch off the automatic pilot and actually stop and reflect about things like our priorities, our values, our relationships."

Stop agonizing over what you can't control

As we begin to examine our life, Soupios says, we come to Rule No. 2: Worry only about things that you can control.

The 10 Golden Rules: Ancient Wisdom from the Greek Philosophers on Living a Good Life

"The individual who promoted this idea was a Stoic philosopher. His name is Epictetus," he says. "And what the Stoics say in general is simply this: There is a larger plan in life. You are not really going to be able to understand all of the dimensions of this plan. You're not going to be able to control the dimensions of this plan."

So, he explains, it's not worth it to waste our physical, intellectual and spiritual energy agonizing over things that are beyond our control.

"I cannot control whether or not I wind up getting swine flu [for example]," he says. "I mean, there are some prudent steps I can take, but ultimately I can not guarantee myself that. So what Epictetus would say is sitting home worrying about that would be wrong and wasteful and irrational. You should live your life attempting to identify and control those things which you can genuinely control."

Seek true pleasure

To have a meaningful, happy life we need friends. But according to Aristotle - a student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great - most relationships don't qualify as true friendships.

"Just because I have a business relationship with an individual and I profit from that relationship, it doesn't mean that this person is my friend," he says. "Real friendship is when two individuals share the same soul. It's a beautiful and uncharacteristically poetic image that Aristotle offers."

Epicurus advises people to strive for contentment

In our pursuit of the good life, Soupios says, it's important to seek out true pleasures - advice originally offered by Epicurus.

But unlike the modern definition of Epicureanism as a life of indulgence and luxury, for the ancient Greeks, it meant finding a state of calm, tranquility and mental ease.

"This was the highest and most desirable form of pleasure and happiness for the ancient Epicureans," he says. "This is something very much well-worth considering here in the modern era. I don't think we spend nearly enough time trying to concentrate on achieving a sort of equanimity, a sort of contentment in a mental and spiritual way, which was identified by these people as the highest form of happiness and pleasure."

Do good to others

Other Golden Rules counsel us to master ourselves, avoid excess and not be a prosperous fool. There are also rules dealing with relationships: Be a responsible human being and do not do evil to others.

"This is Hesiod, of course, a younger contemporary poet, we believe, with Homer," he says. "Hesiod offers an idea - which you very often find in some of the world's great religions, in the Judeo-Christian tradition and in Islam and others - that in some sense, when you hurt another human being, you hurt yourself. That damaging other people in your community and in your life, trashing relationships, results in a kind of self-inflected spiritual wound."

Instead, he says, ancient wisdom urges us to do good. Golden Rule No. 10 for a good life is kindness toward others tends to be rewarded.

"This is Aesop, the fabulist, the man of these charming little tales, often depicted in terms of animals and animal relationships," he says. "I think what Aesop was suggesting is that when you offer a good turn to another human being, one can hope that that good deed will come back and sort of pay a dividend to you, the doer of the good deed. Even if there is no concrete dividend or benefit paid in response to your good deed, at the very least, the doer of the good deed has the opportunity to enjoy a kind of spiritually enlightened moment."

Michael Soupios says following the 10 Golden Rules based on ancient wisdom can guide us to the path of the good life where we stop living as spectators and become engaged and happier human beings. And that, he notes, is a life worth living.

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Three Years After Eruption, Victims of Indonesian Mud Volcano Await Compensation

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Resident of village affected by mud volcano holds mock bank note during protest in Porong, East Java (2008 File)

Three years ago, burning gray mud erupted from the earth, in the Sidoarjo region of the Indonesian island of Java. Since then, the mud volcano has forced 12,000 families to flee their homes. A drilling company is accused of triggering the eruption, but some victims of the volcano are still waiting compensation for their lost property.

A year ago, Lilik Kaminah and her two children were living in a scant 10 square-meter stall in a deserted market place, together with 600 other families who had fled the burning mud flow. She called it a tragedy: she lost her land, her house, all of her life savings.

Still waiting

A year later, not much has changed in her life.

In a telephone interview, Lilik explains that she is still waiting for most of the compensation she is entitled to for her lost property. She says the money is the only way for her to start rebuilding her life.

The volcano has swallowed villages and farms, leaving more than 40,000 people homeless.

Lapindo is an Indonesian oil and gas company that was drilling near the epicenter of the volcano. Some geology experts say its drilling may have caused the eruption. Lapindo says the volcano was triggered by an earthquake and denies any responsibility for the disaster. Still, the company has promised to compensate its victims.

But the global economic crisis hit the Bakrie conglomerate, which owns Lapindo. Yuniwati, a Lapindo representative, says that total payments should be made by 2010.

"We have the intention to settle everything by June [2010]," Yuniwati said, "but unfortunately at this moment we have a global crisis. If it [the compensation] was only borne by Lapindo itself, it would be impossible. That's why Bakrie helps Lapindo."

Court decision deals blow to victims

This week, Indonesia's Supreme Court rejected a lawsuit claiming that Lapindo and government officials were to blame for the disaster and failed to fully compensate the victims.

Victims of the mud volcano have no hope of returning to their land. It lies under a huge lake of mud that sprawls 640 hectares - twice the size of New York's Central Park - and is still growing.

Sumarsono heads the Indonesian government's mud flow mitigation team. He says that there is no way to predict when the volcano will stop gushing. Some have been active for decades.

For now, victims from the mud volcano are organizing demonstrations to demand their compensation money. For them, it is the only way to get new land, new homes, and their lives back on track.

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Africa to Weigh Impact of Global Economic Crisis

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South Africa, which has officially slipped into a recession, will host this year’s World Economic Forum on Africa. It’s scheduled for June 10th through the 12th in Cape Town. More than 700 leaders from Africa and elsewhere are expected to attend this year’s meeting.

Katherine Tweedie, Director of Africa for the World Economic Forum, says, “The theme for the summit is Implications of the Global Economic Crisis for Africa. And as such, we’re going to be looking at the global shifts that are happening around the world and the specific implications and effects for the continent."

Feeling the effects

The latest economic figures for South Africa show a drop in the growth rate of nearly six-and-a-half-percent. If South Africa has been hit hard by the global economic crisis, is the rest of the continent following suit?

“For quite some time there was the view and the hope that Africa would be able to come through this crisis a little less unscathed than the rest of the world. But, it goes to show that we really are globally connected. And particularly in certain industries, such as the resource sector, Africa has been largely affected,” she says.

For example, many thousands of miners in South Africa have been laid off because the global demand for minerals has withered. Such layoffs threaten to increase poverty.

But Tweedie says some sectors have been spared.

“Certain industries, such as the financial services sector, for example, in both South Africa and Nigeria, have remained relatively strong and have not required any financial bailout to date,” she says.

Tweedie describes Africa’s economic growth of recent years as “real” and not built on what she calls a credit bubble.

Spend, if you can

Countries like the United States are pumping billions of dollars into their economies to spur growth and end the recession. However, African countries do not have that option.

Tweedie says, “Most African countries are not sitting on significant amounts of capital that can be used as stimulus in this time. And so, they are looking to developed countries to re-commit the aid packages that have been promised over the years leading up to this crisis during the boom times. And I think that it’s important for these aid packages to continue.”

However, some fear that could result in another long cycle of debt for developing countries.

In April, G8 leaders, in London, pledged to give a lot of money to the International Monetary Fund for loans during the economic crisis. Critics say in the past, those loans carried conditions that actually made things worse for developing countries.

Tweedie says those fears are justified.

“We have to find a very, very fine balance between the need for assistance, the need for economic stimulus, and not to be too over-extended in the assistance. And I think that this will be an important thing for our leaders to assess when they look at the structuring of the financial assistants that is provided for Africa,” she says.

The other crisis

The World Economic Forum on Africa will also focus on the ongoing food crisis, which triggered riots in some African countries last year.

Tweedie says, “We have a plenary session entitled Africa the World’s Potential Breadbasket. And within this we’re going to be looking at why African and many countries are still reliant on aid for food, when in fact it has significant potential to not only meet its own food needs, but potentially to supply other countries globally.”

The forum will also consider the economic and social effects of next year’s World Cup in South Africa.

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