Rice Says Pakistan Committed to Mumbai Investigation
http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=20D2183:E2FDB7E6D97F93738B3CAC41A6AEC48E30EB2FA2E66CBB22&
US secretary of state meets with Pakistan's president, prime minister and other senior officials and calls her conversations 'quite satisfactory'
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says Pakistan's leaders understand the importance of finding the perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks and are committed to fighting terrorism. VOA's Barry Newhouse reports from Islamabad, where the secretary held talks with Pakistani officials.U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice gestures as she talks to journalists during a press conference at Chaklala airbase in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, 04 Dec 2008In recent days, senior U.S. officials have called for Pakistan to do more against militant extremists, following the terrorist attacks in Mumbai. On her way to Islamabad, Secretary Rice said robust action is needed. But after meeting with Pakistan's president, prime minister and other senior officials, Rice called her conversations quite satisfactory and said leaders pledged to support the Mumbai investigation. She also downplayed speculation that India could launch military strikes against Pakistani targets associated with the Mumbai plot."Let me be very clear: I have heard nothing but reasonable discussion and responsible discussion in both India and Pakistan about the problem here - about the attack in Mumbai," she said.In a statement released after his meeting with the secretary, President Asif Zardari pledged strong action against any elements in his country that were involved in the strike. India has said there is information that a Pakistani militant group that formerly had ties to Pakistan's spy agency was involved in the attack. But Pakistani officials say they are still waiting to see evidence that backs up the allegations.When asked about the back and forth, the secretary said there is already a lot of information about the attacks. "There are many mechanisms through which to share information," she said. "And that information needs to be used now to get the perpetrators and prevent them from doing this again." Rice did not say if she discussed President Zardari's plan to try Pakistani suspects in the plot in Pakistani courts. India has demanded Pakistan turn over those believed to have links to the attack. Both Condoleezza Rice and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mike Mullen have been visiting leaders in the two countries this week, trying to calm tensions aggravated by the Mumbai attack. As investigators continue to try to piece together who helped or planned the plot, Rice said the operation's complexity made it even more important to uncover who was behind it."It was a sophisticated attack at a level of sophistication that we have not seen here on the subcontinent before," said Rice. "That means there is urgency to getting to the bottom of it, there is urgency to bringing the perpetrators to justice and to use the information to disrupt and prevent further attacks."She said the United States and Britain are prepared to help investigators, but so far both India and Pakistan are committed to using their own capabilities to locate and prosecute those responsible.
------------------------------------------------------
Mumbai's Children Cope With Terror Attacks
http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=20D2184:E2FDB7E6D97F93738B3CAC41A6AEC48E30EB2FA2E66CBB22&
Now that schools have opened, some children finding it difficult to focus on studies, but many are glad to be back to comfort of routines
With schools closed during the terror attacks in Mumbai, many of the city's children stayed indoors during the three-day siege, watching tragedy unfold on television. Now that schools have opened, some children are finding it difficult to focus on their studies, but many are glad to be back to the comfort of routines. Raymond Thibodeaux has this report from Mumbai.Girl in a bus on her way back home from school in Mumbai, 01 Dec 2008Here at the Bharada New High School, the classrooms are once again alive with the sound of children. There are about 1,500 students at this school. It is across the street from Mumbai's main railway station, where gunmen launched attacks that killed 174 people and wounded more than 230 others in the city's longest-running terror attack. Pooja Kumar, the school's principal, said, "Even the grownups are not feeling very normal. I also come by the [rail] station and, even as I was putting my foot down on the platform, there was some apprehension. A number of our children come that way. They must have also felt the same way I feel." "It is like I cannot concentrate on any of my work," said Shweta Singh, a 16-year-old senior at the school. "Now, I am feeling that I want to go home because that is the only safe places for us. God knows what will happen tomorrow."Fifteen-year-old Maiz Indorewala says he is finding comfort in the familiar routines of school. He says being back in school helps him cope by keeping him from dwelling on the attacks. He also says going back to school sends a message to those who carried out the attack against the city.Indian police officers run to a new position around the landmark Taj Mahal hotel in Mumbai, India, 29 Nov 2008"I was very afraid, with all the violence and bloodshed, that make our minds fearful right now. We have to show them that we are not afraid of them. We show them that we are back at work and at schools and offices," he said.As with many other principals at the more than 400 schools across the city, Kumar says she has been busier than usual, on the school's intercom, trying to maintain calm and to reassure the children that they are safe."My message to the children - I'm going to make an announcement to the children and ask them not to be afraid. Nothing is going to happen. Just be brave. Whatever has to happen will happen one day. Life has to go on. Children have to study. We have to earn our bread. Everyone has to go back to work," Kumar said. On a chalkboard on the entrance hall of the school, some of the day's news headlines are written out in white chalk, in perfect cursive script. One of them reads, "Police question the captured gunman." Another reads, "Mumbai back to life," punctuated by a smiley-face sun.
------------------------------------------------------
European Banks Cut Interest Rates
http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=20D2185:E2FDB7E6D97F93738B3CAC41A6AEC48E30EB2FA2E66CBB22&
Officials of European Central Bank make biggest rate cut in the bank's history;
key rate now at 2.5 percent
Europe's two leading central banks are cutting key interest rates in an effort to ease the impact of the global financial crisis.President of the European Central Bank, ECB, Jean-Claude TrichetOfficials of the European Central Bank made the biggest rate cut in the bank's history Thursday, a three-quarters of one percent cut, putting the key rate at 2.5 percent. Meanwhile, the Bank of England slashed its interest rate by a full percentage point, putting the key rate at two percent - the lowest level since 1959. Lower interest rates make it cheaper for people to borrow money to pay for homes, businesses and other investments that fuel the economy.French President Nicolas Sarkozy has introduced a new plan to help stimulate his country's economy and save jobs. The $30 billion plan includes targeted investments in the auto industry and infrastructure projects.The U.S. government is considering steps to influence home loan rates, to help stabilize the U.S. housing market. Under the plan, the Treasury Department would buy investments linked to new home loans, under the condition that those loans are set at a low interest rate of 4.5 percent. The goal is to make it easier for consumers to borrow the money needed to buy homes. Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
------------------------------------------------------
General Motors Worse Off Than Expected on Eve of Bailout Request
http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=20D2186:E2FDB7E6D97F93738B3CAC41A6AEC48E30EB2FA2E66CBB22&
Top executives of General Motors, Ford, Chrysler preparing to make their case to Congress Thursday, Friday
With congressional hearings set Thursday and Friday of this week in advance of a vote on lending money to the beleaguered U.S. auto industry, General Motors says it needs money almost immediately. VOA's Barry Wood has more on the controversy over government aid to America's ailing auto industry.
Chrysler is one of the US auto companies seeking a federal loanWith U.S. car sales at their lowest level in a quarter of a century, General Motors says it needs $4 billion before the end of this month. The largest of the so-called "Big Three" automakers, that also includes Ford and Chrysler, GM says its sales this year are down 22 percent, compared with an industry decline of 16 percent.
"GM, as many analysts point out, has very severe cash needs. They need the infusion as soon as possible," said Dennis Virag, who heads the Automobile Consulting Group.
Mike DiGiovanni, Director of Global Market Analysis at General Motors, says he is hopeful the industry will get its loans from Congress. He detects a spirit of cooperation between government, industry management and the auto workers union.
"I think it is doable with our partners. One of the positive things that has come out of this is a really good dialogue with the federal government and what our issues are, and some of the challenges we face," he said.
DiGiovanni and Virag spoke on Bloomberg Television.
Ron Gettlefinger, the head of the United Auto Workers, says his union is prepared to make concessions to cut industry costs.
"There's no question that we face some difficult challenges. Being honest, we've been saying for a long time that we're in a race to the bottom, a race to the bottom that workers in no country can win. Because there is always somebody else or somewhere else to go that pays less," he said.
The viability plans submitted by the carmakers are generally being well received and the companies are expected to receive government loans.
FDIC Chairwoman Sheila Bair (file)But Sheila Bair, who heads the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the agency charged with safeguarding U.S. bank deposits, wonders where to draw the line because the government cannot help all needy industries.
"Everybody is coming to Washington and wanting help. And picking winners and losers is a very difficult part of their [Congress and the Treasury Department's] job," she said.
But union leader Gettlefinger says the auto industry is different and more vital than most.
"I'm not sure where you draw the line. But let's just look at this. Let's look at the backbone of our economy, as Barack Obama describes it. Let's look at the millions of jobs that will be lost in this country if we lose this industry," he said.
Gettlefinger and the Big Three emphasize that American car companies, unlike banks and insurance companies, are seeking loans, not grants, and that their plight stems from the sudden, unpredicted decline in economic activity.
------------------------------------------------------
Bangkok Airport Back in Operation, But Economic Pain May Linger
http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=20D2187:E2FDB7E6D97F93738B3CAC41A6AEC48E30EB2FA2E66CBB22&
Business leaders in Thailand say country's reputation badly damaged by airport occupation, which shut traffic for eight days
Bangkok's international airport is returning to normal, after protesters shut it down for eight days. But business experts say the economic damage caused by the country's political crisis may linger for some time. VOA's Kate Pound Dawson reports from Bangkok.Thai Airways planes parked at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok, 04 Dec 2008Within a few days, cargo and passengers should be flowing normally through Bangkok's international airport. The anti-government protesters who occupied it began leaving Wednesday, after a court barred Thailand's prime minister and his party from politics.But business leaders in Thailand say the country's reputation has been badly damaged by the occupation, which shut traffic for eight days.John Koldowski, an executive with the Pacific Asia Travel Association in Bangkok, says that, although tourism has been most immediately affected, problems caused by the airport's closure spread around the country."I think the ripple effect is beginning to be felt now, because the freight's affected as well. So you're looking at produce that can't be shifted out of Thailand. You're looking at produce that can't come into Thailand for consumption. It's now starting to be felt right across the wider society," said Koldowski.Stranded passengers at Suvarnabhumi airport, Bangkok, 26 Nov 2008Hotels struggled to accommodate stranded guests while the airport was closed. Now, they are looking ahead to see whether potential visitors have been scared away. Porntina Tangsajjavitoon - the communications director for the Accor Group, which has 20 hotels in Bangkok - says, so far, the damage is moderate for her company, in part because their rooms stayed filled with stranded tourists. She says only a few bookings for the upcoming Christmas holiday have been canceled. "It's not as bad as we thought. … However, the new reservations, we'll probably have to wait and see a little more. Of course, there are some cancellations as well," she said.However, other hotels are seeing a greater number of cancellations. Some report they may see fewer than half their rooms occupied, in the coming weeks - the heart of the peak tourism season. Business leaders worry that the damage could be long-lasting and they are concerned because it could be weeks before a new government is installed.Dusit Nontanakorn, the vice chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, says airport managers worked hard to get flights moving again, but more must be done now to help the business community, which already was suffering because of the global economic downturn. "The private sector and the government officials really have to join hands and work together. We cannot wait until the next government will be coming in," he said. Thai police man a checkpoint near the Suvarnabhumi airport compound Sunday 30 Nov. 2008 in Bangkok ThailandThere is considerable concern that Thailand's political crisis is just on hold and has not ended. Most members of parliament from the banned party have regrouped under another banner and they, along with coalition partners, still hold a majority of seats. If their choice for a new prime minister - expected next week - does not satisfy the anti-government group, protesters may well be back on the streets.Robert Broadfoot runs Political and Economic Risk Consultancy, a Hong Kong company that assesses business risks around Asia. "This is not the end of the crisis by any means, I don 't think. It's just moving on to the next chapter. There's still a large number of uncertainties. And, when it comes to businesses like tourism, this is going to be a disastrous high season," he said.Broadfoot says it will be hard to determine just how much damage the political crisis has done to the economy, compared with the damage caused by the global slump. Foreign investment is likely to shrink and demand for exports will be weak, because of the worldwide financial crisis.He says one way the Thai government can minimize the pain and help build a foundation for future economic growth is to focus on improving its infrastructure, such as roads and schools. Somchai Wongsawat, left, talks to reporters after court dissolves ruling party and bans him from politics, in Chiang Mai, 02 Dec 2008 "Probably the best that could happen now is if they get some sort of agreement in the political process, even if they're going to get revolving-door governments, where you can push ahead with major infrastructure and other programs, at least A., to create opportunities, and B., to create the impression that the economy's not just stuck in quicksand," he said.Broadfoot points out one advantage to focusing on infrastructure projects is that they are not dependent on foreign investment.The political uncertainty and the effects of the global economic crisis have factored into the decision by international credit rating agencies to downgrade ratings in Thailand. That means the government and businesses here will pay more to borrow money. However, Thailand's central bank may have eased some of the pain this week, when it surprised financial markets with its largest rate cut ever. The benchmark lending rate dropped a full percentage point, to 2.75 percent.
------------------------------------------------------
ICC Prosecutor Warns of Possible Sudanese Reprisals if Bashir Arrest Warrant Issued
http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=20D2188:E2FDB7E6D97F93738B3CAC41A6AEC48E30EB2FA2E66CBB22&
Luis Moreno-Ocampo warns that UN Security Council should prepare for possible reprisals against peacekeepers and civilians
The chief prosecutor for the International Criminal Court told the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday that the court might soon decide whether to issue an arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir on charges of genocide in the war-torn Darfur region. Luis Moreno-Ocampo warned that the Security Council should prepare for possible reprisals against peacekeepers and civilians if a warrant is issued. From United Nations headquarters in New York, VOA's Margaret Besheer has more.Luis Moreno-Ocampo, Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), addresses a press conference at UN Headquarters in New York, 17 Jul 2008Moreno-Ocampo says more than 5,000 displaced persons continue to die each month in Darfur. He said continued attacks against ethnic groups, rapes in and around camps, and the obstruction of humanitarian efforts are only possible with the compliance of the Sudanese government, headed by President Bashir."Such acts have required the sustained mobilization of the Sudanese state apparatus, including the military, security and intelligence services, the integration of the militia/Janjaweed into the reserve forces, the coordination of the diplomatic and public information bureaucracies and the control of the judiciary," said Moreno-Ocampo said.The prosecutor asked the court in July to issue an arrest warrant for Mr. Bashir on charges of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. A decision is expected by early next year. Moreno-Ocampo said the evidence shows that in March 2003, President Bashir ordered brutal attacks on villages and camps inhabited by the Fur, Masalit and Zaghawa tribes. "At least 35,000 persons have been killed, around 300,000 suffered a 'slow death,' thousands of women and girls are the victims of rape," he said. "2.5 million people in the camps today are subjected to conditions of life calculated to bring about their physical destruction."The prosecutor said that in response to his request for an arrest warrant, President Bashir and some of his officials have made direct threats against peacekeepers and civilians."Such threats should be seen for what they are - a confirmation of criminal intentions," Moreno-Ocampo said.Moreno-Ocampo also charges that the president is protecting two other individuals for whom the court has already issued arrest warrants. One of them, Ahmad Harun, is a government minister. "The impunity afforded to Ahmad Harun is a direct message to all perpetrators of crimes in Darfur," he said. "That message is the president will protect those who are following his orders."Moreno-Ocampo said President Bashir could have disarmed the militias, stopped attacks on civilians and surrendered those with arrest warrants against them to the court, but that he has instead chosen to continue to implement his plans of genocide. He said the council must be ready to take united and consistent action to ensure the implementation of an arrest warrant if the court issues one.The U.N. Security Council originally referred the Darfur issue to the International Criminal Court, and has spoken in a united voice in demanding that Sudan end impunity. But there are some diffrences developing.Council members China, Russia and Libya are close to Khartoum. And the African Union and the Arab League have asked that the Council consider deferring the investigation of President Bashir, saying it is not helpful to the peace process.Costa Rica's U.N. Ambassador, Jorge Urbina, acknowledged differences exist among Security Council members on whether to invoke the Council's power to suspend the investigation for one year, and made clear that his country does not support such a move."We regret very much the pressure that has been put on the Council to defer the case from the court," he said. "We believe that this pressure should be put on the government of Sudan to comply with the decision of the court."Human rights groups are also calling on the Security Council to send a clear and united message to Khartoum that it must comply with the court's decision and that no retaliatory violence will be tolerated. Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo is also seeking arrest warrants against three rebel commanders for a 2007 attack on African Union peacekeepers in which 12 were killed.
------------------------------------------------------
Blair Says Conditions Must Change for Israelis and Palestinians to Make Peace
http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=20D2189:E2FDB7E6D97F93738B3CAC41A6AEC48E30EB2FA2E66CBB22&
Former British prime minister says there cannot be a Palestinian state until situation in Gaza is resolved
Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair says peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians will not succeed until the reality on the ground improves for both sides. Mr. Blair made the remarks during a speech in Washington and VOA correspondent Meredith Buel has details.
Tony Blair, 3 Dec 2008The same day Tony Blair resigned after 10 years as British Prime Minister he was appointed as representative of the Middle East Quartet to help the Palestinians build their institutions and economy.
The Quartet, which consists of the United Nations, European Union, Russia and the United States, has been trying to improve conditions for peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.
But Mr. Blair says everyday realities must improve for both sides before any agreement is possible.
"The problem is that until now the reality on the ground for Israelis and Palestinians has not passed what I would call the minimum threshold of credibility for the political negotiation to succeed. Not for the Israelis on security, not for the Palestinians on lifting the occupation," he said.
Mr. Blair, who has been the Quartet's representative for the past 18 months, says there recently have been small improvements in the West Bank.
He says Palestinian security forces have successfully deployed in the West Bank cities of Jenin, Nablus and Hebron. Mr. Blair says the economy is improving and the unemployment rate is falling.
In his speech to the Council on Foreign Relations, the former British prime minister said conditions continue to deteriorate in the Gaza Strip, which is controlled by the militant group Hamas.
Mr. Blair says there cannot be a Palestinian state until the situation in Gaza is resolved.
"There can only be one Palestinian state. It will combine Gaza and the West Bank. However much we are tempted to set Gaza to one side because of the chaos it causes to Palestinian cohesion, it cannot be. But neither is its predicament inevitable. It can and it must be reversed," he said.
Mr. Blair says the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank must prove it can maintain security. He says Israel must also stop building Jewish settlements there.
Mr. Blair says ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict remains key to solving other problems in the region.
"Peace between Israelis and Palestinians would release forces of modernization across the region. It would pin back the forces of reaction and it does not inhabit an entirely separate sphere from issues like Iran or Iraq or Afghanistan or Pakistan or any of the other troubled parts of that region, which crowd in on our consciences and compete for our attention. It is integral to resolving them too," he said.
Mr. Blair says an effort by the Bush administration to boost peace talks during a conference in Annapolis, Maryland last year does provide a platform to build on even though the sides will not reach their goal of an agreement by the end of this year.
------------------------------------------------------
S. Korean School Isolates N. Korean Defectors to Better Integrate Them
http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=20D218A:E2FDB7E6D97F93738B3CAC41A6AEC48E30EB2FA2E66CBB22&
Special school trys to level the playing field of opportunity for North Korean arrivals
There are about 15,000 North Korean defectors living in South Korea. That number is steadily growing. Most of them left the communist North to escape hunger, severe deprivation and political repression. Starting a new life in the advanced, capitalist South is daunting - especially when it comes to getting an education. VOA Seoul Correspondent Kurt Achin traveled to a special school that is trying to level the playing field of opportunity for North Korean arrivals.The bell rings and uniformed students hurry to their next lesson. It looks like a typical South Korean school day. But, here, there are some big differences.None of the students attending classes here were born in South Korea. All of them fled - at one point or another - from North Korea. They are among thousands of North Koreans who have arrived in South Korea after making an illegal border crossing into China - where they arranged passage here, often via travel brokers who operate in secret. The process is usually dangerous and traumatizing.Because of the communist North's isolation and poverty, they have enjoyed few if any of the learning opportunities South Korean children take for granted. Because of food shortages, they are noticeably smaller than South Koreans. Even using their native language is hard, because the South's version of Korean has borrowed so many words from other countries, over the decades.So here, at the Hankyoreh Middle and High School in the South Korean town, Anseong, they get special attention. The students eat, sleep and study on campus. Security is kept tight. It is South Korea's only publically-administered school exclusively for North Korean defectors. Principal Kwak Jong-moon says it is designed to meet every need - not just academics.He says the basic goal is to acclimate the North Koreans to the very different culture and society of South Korea. The school provides psychological counseling to help the students attain emotional stability. He says a range of medical treatment is also available.Most of the North Korean students have lost one or both parents or have left family members behind in the North. Kwak says the school does the best it can to fill that void.He says teachers live with students, in the dormitories, and become a reassuring presence, just like like mothers and fathers. He says they can sometimes even be better, because they can keep teaching the students after school, which many parents cannot do.The students' curriculum includes everything from history to English to digital-media technology. They also play sports - from badminton . . .. to traditional Asian swordplay.Students in a drama class have been rehearsing a play called "You Are Not Alone." Drama teacher Lee Do-ran says the young North Koreans appreciate the chance to act out the challenges of starting their new lives.She says the culture shock North Korean defectors experience, when they first arrive in the South, can sometimes lead to conflict. She says the play deals with that and with other problems faced by all young people.Back in the dormitories, at night, the North Korean students say they spend much of their free time talking about life back home and their hopes of returning, one day. Twenty-one-year-old student Kim Kyung-ha says her life at Hankyoreh has helped her see the South differently.She says, when she watched South Korean television in China, it looked as though everyone in the South was one big family. But she was disappointed to find that people here can be very cold. However, she says the teachers at this school are a big exception.Kim and most of the other students are not expected to graduate formally from Hankyoreh. Instead, they will transition to regular South Korean schools when their teachers feel they are emotionally and academically ready for that challenge.
------------------------------------------------------
Miami Cuban-Americans Shifting Opinion on Cuba Embargo
http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=20D218B:E2FDB7E6D97F93738B3CAC41A6AEC48E30EB2FA2E66CBB22&
Latest Miami poll shows 55 percent of Cuban-Americans now oppose continuing embargo
A new U.S. public opinion poll shows long-time support for the U.S. embargo against Cuba is falling among the Cuban-American community in Miami. VOA's Brian Wagner reports from southern Florida the poll reflects a shift of opinion away from harsh policies toward Cuba. The question has been a staple in the yearly poll conducted by Florida International University since 1991. Cuban-Americans in the Miami area are asked whether they favor or oppose continuing the U.S. embargo of Cuba.For years, the majority of Cuban exiles supported the trade restrictions even while recognizing the embargo had little impact on the Communist government in Havana. But the latest poll shows the tide is shifting, and now 55 percent of people said they oppose continuing the embargo.Hugh Gladwin is director of the university's Institute for Public Opinion Research, which conducts the poll. "The biggest factor in the changing position on the embargo is the number of younger people who arrived more recently from Cuba has been increasing. And the number of people who arrived in the 1960s has been decreasing," he said.Fidel Castro (file photo)Recent arrivals tend to favor closer ties with Cuba, partly because they still have family and friends on the island, while those who fled Cuba decades ago have powerful feelings about the rise of former President Fidel Castro and his Communist government.Elsewhere in the United States, the embargo and U.S. policy toward Cuba receives little attention. Most Americans do not support the trade and economic restrictions, which were first imposed in 1962 and expanded in 1996. Another key question the poll asked was what should happen now, and what president-elect Barack Obama should do when he takes office next month. Gladwin said researchers are still studying the responses, which included people saying they expected Mr. Obama to make no real changes."But I would say much more frequently were responses like 'maybe now things will change.' The thing I noticed a lot is that people are just fed up with the situation," said Gladwin.Obama at an Independence Day Celebration at the Cuban American National Foundation, Miami, 23 May 2008During the campaign, president-elect Barack Obama tried to tap into frustrations about how U.S. policy has failed to weaken the Communist government in Havana. He did not promise to end the embargo, but the incoming president said he will review other U.S. restrictions and would be open to meeting Cuban leaders.The big question is whether Cuba policy and possible reforms will be high on the political agenda, once Mr. Obama takes office.
------------------------------------------------------
South Africa Experiments With Houses Made of Sand
http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=20D218C:E2FDB7E6D97F93738B3CAC41A6AEC48E30EB2FA2E66CBB22&
MMA Architects will build 10 houses for low-income families bigger and better than the low-income homes South Africa has been building
Builders in South Africa have begun construction on a new type of housing for low-income families. The buildings look like conventional homes, but the walls are made with sandbags. Architects say their experimental design is quicker and easier to build. For VOA, Terry FitzPatrick reports from Cape Town.South Africa builds about 250,000 houses for the poor, every year. But ten homes going up in Freedom Park are a radical departure from standard construction practices.Construction of a sandbag home in South Africa"This is a drawing plan which we use for construction," said Luyanda Mpahlwa of MMA Architects, who was commissioned by a Cape Town foundation, called the Design Indaba, to develop new ideas for low-cost homes."We had to be creative, in terms of finding a different way of building. Because we're all comfortable to say this is how you build today and we don't challenge ourselves to find alternative methods," added Mpahlwa.The design team's first innovation was to move beyond the standard floor plan of a single-story home. The new layout has two floors. A living room, kitchen and bath are downstairs. Upstairs, there are two bedrooms and a balcony. Mpahlwa says the 581 square feet of living space is bigger and better than the low-income homes South Africa has been building."We are trying to introduce the element of dignity in low-cost housing. Now, as architects we've got the challenge to apply our trade to improve the lives of people. But, at the same time, we should provide good quality for the people, so that they have a decent house," said Mpahlwa.The building's most unusual innovation comes from a small factory, a few miles away. Frameworks for the homes are pre-fabricated at a company called Eco Beam and then shipped to the construction site. Mike Tremeer developed the wood-and metal framework design. "I think it makes it easy to build. It's extremely fast. It's ideal for situations where you have no infrastructure," said Tremeer. Once the frame goes up on site, the walls are filled-in with 3,500 sandbags. Tremeer says sandbags are strong and durable. And, to keep costs down, community members fill the bags, themselves, at the building location."It adds so much value to someone's property, if they've actually had an input in actually being able to help to build that house. And, this is an opportunity for people to actually do that. We can use extremely unskilled labor," said Tremeer. "Once the framework is up, it's just a matter of filling in the gaps."The ten experimental sandbag homes will be occupied by families who have been living in shacks. Construction is being financed by private donors. The project recently won the prestigious Curry Stone architectural award from the University of Kentucky, in the United States. But it is not clear if South African officials will adopt the sandbag concept for other housing developments. The architects estimate each home will cost about 10-thousand dollars to build. That is more than expected and is twice the price of a conventional low-income house in South Africa.
------------------------------------------------------
Scotland Promotes Whiskey as a Weapon Against Polluted Water
http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=20D218D:E2FDB7E6D97F93738B3CAC41A6AEC48E30EB2FA2E66CBB22&
Scientists have conducted field tests around Britain and say a scotch by-product can cure contaminated groundwater
Scotch whiskey is said, by some, to have many magical qualities. Now, scientists in Scotland have discovered one more: it can be a weapon against polluted waste sites. A by-product of the spirit is 99.96 percent effective in cleaning contaminated ground water and scientists in Scotland are hoping to export their special clean whiskey to the world. VOA's Mandy Clark reports from Aberdeen. Scotchmen stand as they wear traditional dress behind the first bottles in the world of Scotch Whiskey Royal Salute 38 Years Old (File)A wee dram of whiskey - it is Scotland's national drink and locals say it cures the common cold.
But there is another Scottish DRAM that has even greater health implications. It is a water-cleaning technology invented by scientists at Aberdeen University. This DRAM is derived from a scotch by-product and it can cure contaminated groundwater. Its clever name, DRAM, stands for Device for the Remediation and Attenuation of Multiple pollutants. Soil toxicologist Graeme Paton says it can take chemically polluted water and make it clean. "We are making something that fish can survive in, that plants, that can be used for washing and irrigation, that is the objective of this project," said Paton.DRAM is far quicker and more cost effective than current clean-up techniques. It can remove multiple pollutants simultaneously, such as pesticides or heavy metals, making once-tainted water safe enough to go back into the environment. The scientists have conducted field tests around Britain, from toxic sites to water treatment facilities. The university research team considers the trials so successful it is keeping the by-product secret and Graeme Paton says they are contemplating setting up a company to exploit the commercial potential to a global market. "Part of our ambition is not just to deal with the West and developed world, but also other very under developed countries, like Pakistan and Bangladesh and West Africa, where much of our tanneries are carried out to produce our leather and the by-product that produces is horrifically toxic to local areas," added Paton. "We can actually deploy this as a very sustainable option to help those people as well. Water, clean water is the right of every human being that we should expect in the Western world." The inventors say it is also an environmentally friendly solution. Unlike current methods, DRAM does not use potent chemicals to clean the water - the pollutants simply get trapped in the organic DRAM material. Leigh Cassidy came up the idea of using the whiskey by-product as a groundwater cleaner. She credits her profound knowledge of Scotch. "I started doing a check list of the ideal properties, and as I ticked off the list I thought, 'Ohhh, I know what has got that in it," said Cassidy. Paton and Cassidy say they are thrilled with their scientific discovery of an environmentally friendly water-cleaning solution. Well, it is certainly a idea worth toasting.
------------------------------------------------------
If you have questions about this E-mail newsletter send an e-mail to:
Click here to unsubscribe from the VOA Daily World News Summary2: http://enews.voanews.com/u?id=E2FDB7E6D97F93738B3CAC41A6AEC48E30EB2FA2E66CBB22
Forward this E-mail: http://enews.voanews.com/bin/ftaf?id=E2FDB7E6D97F93738B3CAC41A6AEC48E30EB2FA2E66CBB22
No comments:
Post a Comment