VOA News

May 23, 2011052311.01Former IMF Chief Indicted, Granted BailPeter Fedynsky | New YorkJudge Michael Obus set Dominique Strauss-Kahn's bail at $1 million, plus a $5 million bond secured against a family home. The court had denied an earlier request for bail. In addition, Strauss-Kahn must submit to electronic surveillance. A private security firm will provide armed guards to prevent possible flight. He will stay with his wife in a New York apartment."We're very relieved. We're very happy.We can now focus on some other aspectsof the case," said Defense attorneyWilliam Taylor .Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance,Jr . said a grand jury has returned a sevencount indictment against Strauss-Kahn based on evidence provided by New York authorities."Under American law, these are extremely serious charges. Based on the grand jury's determination, the evidence supports the commission of non-consensual, forced sexual acts. The defendant was indicted on all of the charges presented to the grand jury," Vance said.Those charges include a criminal sexual act and attempted rape.Strauss-Kahn denies the allegations. His supporters in France say he is the victim of character assassination by political opponents to preclude his candidacy for the presidency of his native France.An NYPD prisoner movement slip for former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-KahnStrauss-Kahn resigned his IMF position late Wednesday, saying he wants to devote all of his energy to proving his innocence. His deputy, John Lipsky, an American, will serve as acting managing IMF director. But European countries are competing against fast growing economies elsewhere to name a permanent successor.German Chancellor Angela Merkel says developing economies have a legitimate claim, but only in the medium term. "In the present situation, when we have significant problems with the euro and the IMF is very much involved there, there are arguments to propose a European candidate and support him in the international community," she said.China's position on a successor coincides with that of countries such as Brazil and South Africa. "We have always believed that the IMF should continue to push forward for reform, and should choose a better senior official of the IMF based on fairness and transparency. In principle we believe developing countries should be better represented at senior levels," said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu. Strauss-Kahn's arraignment is set for June 6. He faces as much as 25 years in prison if convicted.052311.02American Red Cross Celebrates 130 YearsJulie Taboh | Washington, D.C.They're on the scene during natural disasters, providing aid and comfort to victims of earthquakes, floods, hurricanes and other catastrophes. The American Red Cross has come to symbolize the ultimate in service.Suzy DeFrancis, the organization's chief public affairs officer, says their mission is to help people prevent, prepare for and respond to disasters. "And we do it primarily through a large corps of volunteers all over the country who come together to help in times of need," she says.Angel of the BattlefieldIt started with Clara Barton, a teacher andlecturer who, in the 1860s, tended towounded soldiers during the AmericanCivil War and provided medical supplies toease their suffering. Her dedicationearned her the nickname ‘Angel of theBattlefield.'But Barton's compassion didn't end there. During a trip to Europe in 1869, she learned about the International Red Crosswhich had been founded in Switzerland afew years earlier .That inspired her to create a Red Cross in the United States.She lobbied the president and the U.S. Congress to establish theAmerican Red Cross. On May 21, 1881, The American Association of the Red Cross was formed. On March 1, 1882, president Chester A. Arthur signed the Treaty of Geneva. Following unanimous ratification by the Senate, America joined the International Red Cross.The organization's first permanent headquarters was a Victorian-style house just outside of Washington, D.C.Kim Robinson, curator of the Clara Barton National Historic Site, says Barton, the group's first president, worked and lived in the house with up to 30 volunteers at a time."They would have had supplies ready to go out in the event of a disaster ," says Robinson, "things like bandages, food, clothes and other materials."Between 1882 and Barton's resignation in 1904, the American RedCross responded to several major disasters, including the Johnstown, Joann Parks hugs JaniceSawyer as the Mississippi River's flooding waters rapidlynear her home in Vicksburg.Pennsylvania flood of 1889 where more than 2,000 people lost their lives and thousands more were left homeless, the Spanish-American War of 1898, and the Galveston, Texas hurricane of 1900 that left over 6,000 dead.Beyond disaster reliefThe American Red Cross has evolved in the years since Barton's death in 1912."We train over 10 million people a year in skills like CPR and first aid, and of course we have millions of wonderful blood donors who contribute their blood to save people's lives," says Suzy DeFrancis.In fact, according to DeFrancis, the American Red Cross collects almost half of the nation's blood supply. And it is now part of the largest humanitarian movement in the world."We are one of 186 Red Cross Red Crescent Societies in countries all over the world. There are Red Cross Societies in almost every country in the world."Social mediaThe evolution of new technology is helping those emergency responders fulfill their mission."Today we're using text, we're Tweeting, we're on Facebook, so we're continually evolving and using the new means. And the new generation coming along is continuing to give us energy and passion for our work," says DeFrancis.As the American Red Cross celebrates 130 years of service, museum curator Kim Robinson says Clara Barton would be pleased with what the organization has accomplished."Especially with the current disasters the U.S. has faced, her legacy of providing aid during peacetime for natural disasters has been one ofthe defining elements of this country," she says."I think she would have been very proud and glad that it continues to this day."052311.03Mayan End of World Prediction Explored in FilmGreg Flakus | Houston, TXThe film shown on the museum's huge planetarium screen examines myths and rituals of the ancient Maya in southern Mexico and Central America. It focuses on the Maya calendar , or long count, which was divided into baktuns of 144,000 days each.From the film: "All Maya kept the sameritual, solar and long count calendars,using them to describe the past andforetell the future."On some surviving calendars, everythingends on the day equivalent to our date ofDecember 21, 2012.Carolyn Sumners, Vice President of the museum's Department of Astronomy and Physical Science, supervised the film project. "There is an alignment with the center of the galaxy onDecember 21st. It just happens that the Maya 13th Baktun starts on December 21st, at least in some of the calendars, and there is just enough going on to make one wonder if it is all connected," she said.But the film makes clear that the Maya were not necessarily predicting catastrophe.Sumners says the end of Maya time periods generally were regarded the same way we look at such things as the start of a new century or a new millennium. "It seems to be a cause of celebration. There does not seem to be any indication in the Maya writings of great disaster . Theydid believe in the end of time; they talked about great floods,From the film: "All Maya kept the same ritual, solar and long count calendars, using them to describe the past andforetell the future."Sumners explained. "All these things were discussed, but they did not tie them to the long count."To bring audiences into the world of the Maya, Sumners and her team went to four sites in Mexico and Guatemala to shoot extremewide-angle video of the ruins.They employed computer-generated images to show what those sites might have looked like centuries ago when they were the centers of great Maya achievements in math and astronomy.Visitors to Houston's Natural Science Museum can also see Maya artifacts on display.Curator Dirk Van Tuerenhout is developing an even larger exhibit for next year, to coincide with the end-of-world date. "It is a combination of all kinds of sources of information that we are pulling together to tell the story of the Maya culture, ancient Maya, colonial Maya, modern Maya," said Van Tuerenhout.The Maya civilization collapsed more than 500 years ago, probably because of environmental changes that undermined its agriculture. But Maya people still live in the Yucatan peninsula and parts of Central America and many have emigrated to Houston.Researchers have used their knowledge of modern Maya languages to decipher the ancient hieroglyphs, and many top experts in this field are at the University of Texas.Van Tuerenhout says they offer valuable insights. "The ancient voices are speaking through these very few individuals who can read and decipher Maya writing," he said.Van Tuerenhout says ancient Mayan sites continue to provide new information about the mysterious ancient civilization and its achievements.He says the Museum's goal is to show people that there is much moreto the Maya than a spurious prediction of doom.。