Midday with Sondra Gair

And support for the bold host the Phoenix Suns at the stadium tonight. The first boy Blackhawks have the night off whether the to do mostly Saudi high 55 inland 47 Lakeside tonight increasing cloudiness low around 40 currently at 61 degrees at O'Hare and Midway 45 at the lakefront. I Bill Kissinger and this is midday I'm Sondra Garrett Good afternoon everyone. After all the events in Russia over the weekend the political tug of war between President Boris Yeltsin and lawmakers is basically where it started. The Congress of people's deputies wrapped up its four day emergency session yesterday without really resolving the power struggle. Lawmakers tried but they failed to remove Yeltsin and their speaker. Yeltsin did win approval of his referendum late next month but lawmakers tried to stack ballot questions against him. Some legislators say they're happy there is still a political struggle since it balances power between the executive and legislative branches. Some also say that Russia has lived for too long under one powerful leadership. And from Sarajevo the Bosnian government has completed its first war crimes trial since the beginning of the year old civil war with Bosnian Serbs

two Serb soldiers have been found guilty of massacring civilians and murdering and raping female prisoners. They've been sentenced to death by the firing by a firing squad. But before we go to our international news and analysis and talking about other news as well let's go to pledge center and to Jeannie act older and Marino. Good hello and oh hello good afternoon. Hello nice to be with you today. Same here we are here at the pledge Center where our phone number is 3 1 2 4 6 0 9 thousand I want to pause for just a minute before we go into midday and before we sort of dive into the international news of the day is to think we just heard about six or eight minutes of local news. We hear that every hour here at WBEZ I think there are some people out there who want to salute Cheryl Corley and Bill Kissinger Melba Gomez surely Jihad John Dempsey Tony Sarabia Cindy Tucker Michael Kaplan these people are out on the beat every day they cover city hall. They cover school issues. Where did you learn about pollution rights where did you learn about. The Paxton hotel fire where do

you learn about school issues and utility issues and CTA issues. I suspect there are some people out there who get their local news from WBEZ and I think we deserve to hear from them. 3 1 2 4 6 0 0 0 9000 and then Sandra WBEZ being what it is after they get this in-depth local news every hour. Then they turn at noon and we get this international perspective that you don't get. Also you don't get anywhere else in Chicago but here on WBEZ. So this is Tuesday It's day seven of our spring fundraiser we hope that you will call in support of the local news that you hear and we hope you don't take for granted and the international perspective and midday with sounder care 3 1 2 4 6 0 9 thousand sándor we just had a small business member call in and join our small business regulars. I mean it J.D. has two offices one in Wood Dale and one in Chicago and has joined us as a small business band join us at whatever level 4 6 0 9 thousand. Our basic membership is 40 dollars what you spend on a newspaper that's my question of the

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thirty one people we thank them very much because they have already made that commitment. We're waiting for the next call at 4 6 0 9 thousand and we have an incentive today Sandra. What if it OK the stress of a family foundation has donated a thousand dollars in hopes that at least 100 people will call by four o'clock we've already had 57 I'm sorry we've had 43 calls so far 57 to go and it's during this midday with Sondra care segment that we really hope the bulk of them will come. 3 1 2 4 6 0 0 9000. We need a hundred of you by four o'clock just 57 more to go I know that in these fundraiser meetings the people who plan these events know that they can rely on the midday listeners that every single fundraiser the midday listeners go to the telephones and say yeah I love Sondra Gare. This is where I get my news from where I go name for such interested people and they know that it takes money to make that interest come to them it's not for free money let's talk about money what are your long distance but let's talk about love.

Let's just let's just talk about love I like that. Hundred Years of phone bills are about fifteen hundred dollars a month. Don't write me we're calling Israel we're calling all over the world you have a monthly hookup with the Soviet Union yes I'm happy by all coming out alive the way the third great a mother will look forward to that. But these these this doesn't come cheap. First of all we get phone bills just like you do and we have to pay them also. It's not just what you hear on the air it's not just a conversation with Jabe Russians either. Probably a few phone calls back and forth to schedule the interview to discuss exactly what time is going to happen. This costs money and half of our budget comes from you the listeners. 3 1 2 4 6 0 9000 we're going to get back to you Sandra. We'll keep you posted. Good Bill I have and I don't hear a phone at the beginning of the program I heard bones ringing I don't hear anything. Well we've given the message and now it's up to the listener. Oh doing their part how about 0 9 thousand. OK talk to you a little while. Well Secretary of State Warren Christopher is the pitchmen today who was just we've been pitching he's been pitching for the Clinton administration. He's appearing before a Senate Appropriations Committee.

It's actually a subcommittee to talk about U.S. aid to Russia. Clinton has discussed the importance of giving financial assistance to support Russian President Yeltsin's reforms. He says that giving the money is in America's best interest. Well let's go to John McClane foreign trade an energy reporter for The Chicago Tribune and talk about the latest developments there. But before I don't know if you know if this is appropriate and not just John but congratulations on the Oscar winning a river runs through it your dad's book. No I was is I told you before I practically fell off the bed I was so excited. I know you haven't. I know we've done OK. Anyway yeah. It's too bad your you didn't get the Oscar for yourself though. At any rate a person to take pictures of her really was beautiful. Anyway to get back to this ongoing problem that we really can't seem

to figure out whether whether Yeltsin is going to make it lose it take it give that whatever what you think that Christopher is. Talk before the Senate Appropriations subcommittee is going to bring about 100 million dollars and that is going to bring about any increase in the federal deficit as a proposal. What a way to resolve people. But it isn't as bad a situation as you have and you can slather. I mean it could be yeah we were talking about the possibility of civil war. It may benefit others pasting it over I would writing to it. Nobody had the strength for technical. Combat Manison spec and through the fight and get themselves to an exit. That's about what happened on a picnic and I'm going to

work. Reason is not going to work in the Congress is able to write a guarantee that it wouldn't work. This is not a simple up or down on them. It is a referendum or you have 50 percent of the eligible voters of the age of 18 or over a conclusion. If a third of the people. That means you could have them could get a 75 percent approval rating. Wouldn't be a majority that the server have to be certified. So yes it is for the diplomatic. Rather than Major Well what about all those guys that keep telling him that Iraq that he has a referendum is going to really absolutely make a failure out of that even though he says he wants to ask his own questions.

Does he seem to be asking for defeat. He's got a question and they're never going to get 30 percent of the voters approved. What do you think of the economic reform program. He said yesterday and I'm repeating a patient economic reform program and I have been like operating on a patient with you. And if you've taken the first initial position on had no benefits or healing coming from what you then turn to the patient and say I'm having a wonderful time do you want me to continue obviously people are going to scream bloody murder. So he's never going to get that part of it. And I have to be Americans and I work for some kind of put this referendum different thing away from going to happen.

It's not going to accept this provision to be eligible for some. But this is what they were able to come. Coming to find everything now you know you've heard of any one man to return to work. The communist is not working. They were not able to open up the Communists were not able to vote him out and get rid of them. Yep and wasn't able to improve himself. The Congress of people's deputies adversary. Nobody and nobody to the point of having a meeting to a point where people are starting to raise questions about

it let me ask you something about this because something very interesting I think is was mis reported today. Russia. They were they were going to remove withdraw their soldiers you know 50000 soldiers from the Baltics because they were there short in housing. Now one of the plans in in Christopher's aid to Russia was to give enough money to build housing for those returning soldiers. So is it that we're acting too slowly or. Away from being the only North State musters people how do you get them. You encourage them to put people back to provide something of the same problem. Very different level in this country as we go from having a current industry to something different and we're having trouble with that here. Obviously in Russia it is

might and many many many times over because you don't have an economy capable people that are not happy with his immediate political On the other hand are coming out of the kind of thing that anyone looking at that would say gee that need doing. Yes sir. So why why not do it why does everything take so much time so that nothing comes to any fruition. It's a I'm not going to get your quote from him after that but you know there's not much being said about the many Russians at least I haven't heard much about this before really today who are as refugees fleeing from Ukraine from Moldova from Bella ruse and they're looking for asylum they're going all over the place. And I understand that is where as Poland is concerned they're already complaining about this. The refugee the Russian refugees saying that crime has risen as a result of

the refugees. What why are they going. Fleeing these particular republics. Honestly the minority that the fathers are being visited with mom and perhaps there might come to an occupying force from Pearson's and McLaren but with the local population. Case in accepting communities not a majority. Of anything I consider themselves probably correctly in some cases to be in considerable jeopardy. OK well I suppose at this point just to say about Russia until tomorrow to see what happens after today. Probably they can put a little about whether we should do now should the United States distance itself from Europe. If a guy like

perhaps run systems there are more for him to do. I think at this point there is no clear answer to that in the next six months or so. If it goes this flick has got to be really having a real election not only a person that would bring some legitimacy to whoever left standing at the end of it. But I think what I see in other places that hurt us. It couldn't have been your can't make it a good solution. Perhaps

looking over other candidates. OK let's talk about what's happening in Sarajevo. This is very interesting that where they report that they had their first war crimes trial and yet in the end there they were sentenced to death. Is this a means or a strategy of trying to keep a real tribe you know from being initiated by the United Nations a couple of you know like to going to the U.N.. Not till the next people deserve it you're. Right. I mean it's a rather peculiar kind of happening. Do you think that it is a strategy that beats me up. That's a fairly severe penalty one of the guys apparently accepted the penalty for what he did. You could say that it was not just

spam that was ever taken but it's different from up and I think Serbia had a history of the West figure who got out of control. Yeah you're supposed to make a friendly face for the west instead of that he went there and became an independent. Quixotic figure. OK well you know art there still is I guess it's a very tender ceasefire as far as I know the cease fire there is still on but U.N. officials are doubting that the Serbs really intend to end the war at any cost. What percentage of the people. See part of that minimize the fact that they have been in particular

this was something that they did because of a lot of pressure on them to do it. Parties were suddenly the Serbs and the Yugoslav government has supported it. But if that were to happen would the party step back. That has been a pattern here. When you finally get the three parties are never manning the circle at the same time. People sometimes are the first to agree that making sure that at no time do you ever have everybody agreed I mean everybody has heard yes about things that want to accept what the Serbs have done to them so far. They think if they were the arms of batteries and that they could run back lamp during the bathroom service and an even worse vamp enclave plan if it would have ratified a lot of games that they won by military force I may still think that

they can beat it over the head with the sledgehammer. The pity thing has been. Negative. I've got to ask you a question when John if and when this is all over what will Serbia be. What kind of life. What will there be reciprocity between Serbs the Serbs and any other nation other than perhaps Russia because Russia has dealt with them and they have sided with them. But what kind of a are they going to be an isolated nation. Degree of isolation and the hopeful view is that of them for some kind of resolution the pics of the situation in which breaks out and continue for a long period of time

you have a Middle East between the Israelis you have a Northern Ireland between the Catholics. Situation where both sides are bloody. The kind of search for boundaries that are being placed in such a small area. You talk about them in different places. Let's say the single time a different place and that's a place that's an awful lot of borders in dispute that's not a lot of shoving back and forth. People trying to get the lamp and the pink and back from them that's the kind of dispute that has occurred in the first place. One ethnic enclave having a kind of a grievance against each other you know have a read of the grievances and to think that you can pay that plan to me. I don't think it's going to get paid I think.

Yes. OK John good to talk with you. By John McClane foreign trade and energy reporter for The Chicago Tribune 4 6 0 9 thousand is the number to call for. This is our pledge week and it's almost over. And if you want to show us that you like our programming you want even better programming. The way to do it is to make your pledge for $40 I believe is the beginning of standard pledge. You can give as much as you like sir. Forty four hundred dollars for a thousand dollars but for 6 0 9 thousand is the number to call. There was another bombing today in Egypt. This time in the pyramid area. And the same extremist suspects linked to the World Trade bombing are suspects as well. Last week it was reported that a radical Muslim sheik with ties to suspects of the World Trade Center bombing is renewing his calls for the overthrow of President Mubarak's government. And thousands of copies of a letter from Sheik Omar

Abdel-Rahman were distributed in the mosques of Egypt a Southern hotbed of us Linux dream violence. Two suspects in the deadly Trade Center bombing are followers of the shaikh Abdelrahman wrote in this letter quote your tyrannical state will not stay for more than an hour. He was referring to a barrack. Well the letter prompted thousands of extremists to march in the shakes action comes as the Egyptian government announced that Mubarak is going to be visiting the United States and several other countries. Next this coming week I believe or next week to discuss the Middle East peace and Egypt's economy. Well let's go to Washington and to our contributing correspondent who is the chief U.S. correspondent for all Foger the Palestinian Jerusalem newspaper. Cassandra shock. First would you give us an update on this latest terrible bombing. Yes it was at the top of the continuing You're right that there have been we all know very serious

article bombing or shooting a shortage of food or due to stoking the Egyptian economy Bhaumik groupings in Egypt or will to weaken. The present government that is Mr. Hosni Mubarak's government. So much so as to to ease or to make it easier eventually for for those very same LMA to topple it altogether by I mean they they target to it particularly as we were saying at the end the Aswan area and now today is a pyramid where millions literally every year of our puppets from Europe from the United States from Africa Asia everywhere. In fact today's bombing almost but did not a group of Russian tourists who were at the permit side just enjoying and having a

look at that this absolutely magnificent and historical fight. Absolute do you know which pyramids which area was considered to be large outside of Cairo there the main is there I mean there is the gate it's not the gate is it is in the area yes. Where oh yes oh yes. It's tragic. Well it is. Who are these people what do they call themselves and are they gaining in strength along with their bombings where they are. You're right I think it is in and out of the core they are called WALLACE Let me Jemaah Islamiya meaning the the Islamic grouping. Your group has it pocketed into this country. These people are as it is believed to be an offshoot of the brotherhood the comic Brotherhood which is a very very old party political and religious party in Egypt that actually dates back to the farm to the more Naki area and there it is also known that later on when in 1952 during the Nasr revolution

and latter years they even challenge of the Muslims of that the Islamic Brotherhood. Now this group is an offshoot of those maybe the more militaristic branch of the Islamic group in Egypt and I think it is it is obvious that such a group is a party or or have some sort of association understanding cooperation collaboration with other climate groupings from Afghanistan to Pakistan to Iran to North Africa to Sudan to some people even believe in the West Bank and Gaza under Israeli occupation I think under what is also in a way. I mean one one said the bright light on such a group but one also marked in a way look at what the Egyptian government has I put sample in the last week or two weeks.

Mr Mubarak handed over to the United States the suspect Abu Ali Mahmoud Abbas Haleema. Yes this suspect in the bombing of the Twin Towers the incendiary award presenter and I think the way in which that handing over was done. It is believed and good very very much the very same a climate group and because the Egyptian government and an Arabic press that I read behaved what is being called there like a banana republic. Yes they did not go through any court. And the judicial prophecies and the court hearings or anything they just arrested him and put two weeks. Apparently he was tortured according to what he said when he did and what it meant to New York and handed over to the United States using an alibi or legal excuse. A treaty that was that dates back to the late eighteen hundred between the Ottoman Empire

and the United States so that in a way it owes the Mubarak government even Great Britain much more much more to the climate groupings who believe that the Egyptian government should simply not continue to exist because if it doesn't somehow give the Egyptian people to respect a desire for Egypt I respect it. But it behaves more like a banana republic or as president of the barrack a visit to Washington. What is he's coming this week or next week or the next writes about and sometime next week on the 4th of April. Is this going to create fear and rage in Egypt as well as these other countries that we were just talking about the ones that are linked to this terrorist. Yes I think something that it's currently well however however. Again one might die one must die. All of this I mean the visit and other aspects of it to the outcome of Mr. Mubarak.

Yes to what Mr. Markham of course and I think you stated correctly basically to my left to do is to two issues by law to go to arrangements and Ty's relationship to the United States and Egypt one and two and just as important if not even more is the real thing for reinvigorating the peace process the Arab-Israeli peace process is now in. In Damascus just yesterday in fact a meeting of four foreign ministers including the PLO foreign minister met and the bride did not to decide whether to come back or not. In fact what they did or what they said that they will decide after Mr. Mubarak's visit to Washington and the decision would be based on whether Mr. Mubarak will be able to come back with things that would please. They are up in terms of the deportees whether the Israelis would allow. More often quoted

but more importantly whether the Israeli government or the United States will be able to extract from the Israeli government a commitment to announce whether the expulsion of Palestinians and that's why actually that's what make Mr. Mubarak with a TIA quite important to the Fed and if he has if he has if he's able to go back to the region and to I mount you know to the people there in the in the in the region in the area that the United States and what in fact did it help I mean did do X and Y and then I think the outrage would be minimal. The as far as his visit is concerned I imagine that it will also cover the the the problem of aid because there are rumors that. The Clinton administration is thinking of cutting aid to not only to Egypt but Israel as well. Is this if they do this and I imagine this is one of the things they're trying to death later talk about how much damage would this do Egypt or

great damage great damage in that it would add more enemies within Egypt to the Mubarak regime zones who are who who are advocating at the city to the regime right now in fact that would please them because it would tell them you see we told you the United States and the West and cracked them up want to help us and blah blah blah. What it would do is that it would add more enemies more adversaries from a class which now sees the U.S. support have very very important. But I must also say that the likelihood of that happening is very very damning and the reason is that when Mr. Rabin was here. He was able to extract a commitment from Mr ABN which was with him you would know that he had the department by the spokesperson Mr. Richard Boucher in a way saying that the president that had Mr. Clinton has committed this government not

to cut aid from Israel and Egypt the aid to Egypt one month also was in no way trying to balance the aid to Israel. Yes if we have to cut down from Egypt they would have to cut from Israel and watch for that and therefore I think these two countries will probably be spared. OK let me ask you some questions about the whole Islamic threat the whole issue of it is that so many people see it today. I'm talking about the fundamentalist rise mamak thread. Why is Egypt been chosen as the focal point. Does Mubarak I mean does he does he have the strength in the following of the power to to to do these terrorists in the ultimately. Well Egypt I think is in the Middle East the most powerful country and maybe in math and military terms nowadays because Syria has more weapons and Iran

has just as much if not more than Iraq to. But historically population lives with these wise Egypt have been in a way the proper means to measure where the Middle East goes and it's usually believed what Egypt goes so will the death of the Arab world in the Middle East and I think as we all know after the Camp David agreement when he pipped was isolated it was let go on discovered that it was not very good. What are them because they are up countries and the article was made to come back to Egypt even though Egypt did not did not loosen its ties with Israel at all. So Egypt have a very very special powerful position in the Middle East and I think those but its same groupings the Islamic groupings and other political parties in Egypt know that and they know the way to head the other parties in the Middle East. The city and the Iraq

easy Gulf state is by weakening Egypt and Egypt really goes down. Then many many people leave that is where the domino effect is very well play extremely well so to speak. Going back to the bombings and and in tying it in with. The people who are now alive allying themselves with the when the terrorists win. When people destroy something like a a part of the pyramid something that has thousands of years of history. How do the people respond. Why would they even want to be a part of. These terrorist groups. Because they're destroying themselves absolutely. I don't think they will have great support at all from anybody in the Middle East even probably the you know Egyptian poor classes. That's what I meant. Yeah if the if the put on me are really

tore apart and I know where the explosion was and they'd better me but the to get away from the pit I meet them self. Having said that I also must say founder that too I found out a cause and to many other people did but to me are what they are and they are the same way to Egyptians what to the poor individual in Egypt just as it is to the poor individual lives in Iran or in Russia right now. History and Culture or come second. To feeding oneself you know housing oneself to clothing one fog and to educating one of one's own children. Yes so you know way. Yes it is very important but they don't think it is as important as their own. So many lives and dignity and when we are not OK I want to mention something else to ask you about this the Phantom and the fundamentalist threat Islamic threat is not only as so many people think related to Israel that because I think most people if you

talk about Islamic threat they say well it's against Israel it's an inner conflict isn't it. They're related to all of the Arab nations. Absolutely I mean I would not say you only do two as well I would say that I actually my fault claim that the Arab order in the Middle East and in many other climate countries found out what it is important what they did in bungling of this war that is in Iraq in the Islamic Republic of the Soviet former Soviet Union. These people are really suffering poverty a lack of education just simply at the very low. Steps of the political social ladder in the world on the one hand while on the other hand literally figuratively mocking them such as in Saudi Arabia and many other Gulf states and in Indonesia even itself. There is great wealth Great Well there is also lack of democracy that is like a free breath

very shallow and not pretty good education. And these people are really the climate groupings in the Arab world. They are appealing to the larger Comicon Arab public not necessarily based on Israel on rival the old enmity to Israel but on changing the top school in their own countries and somehow forcing the present regime to do really. Somehow use their for their power their influence to bring more comfortable life to to to to the millions of people so when they target these countries it's essentially then an economic situation. Absolutely none of it is really I mean these groupings are to be a logical be there man always in every society there is a group that is the court illogical group. However they armed themselves can do very little. Their employer once they're them put their there

they're all out on force becomes multiplied more fertile ground. They found in that particular society down in the Arab world in Egypt right now there are the there is a very illogical group of core climbing groupings. However if it weren't for the poverty in Egypt if it weren't for the lack of one with the property to cation of housing over overthinking it and you see people in Dadaab would still believe it or not talk about dignity I was talking to a group of Egyptian student and they pointed to me something which is kind of important in Jordan in math or Iraq. People can eat that were not doing much but they're financially economically were just about the same right now. But because he brought them they believe dignity. Egypt was one of the more or most important countries in the world. Ops were respected. So they think although

we were impoverished but we we were affected the world looked at us in a different way from the way they look at us right now. And to them it is important and they think the present order whether it is Hosni Mubarak cork inquired or or the Iraqi president or the CMP of them are really not doing neither economically well by their own people or even in terms of dignity pride respect for the good of these people you know and to go on with what you just said there are many who say that it's Arab rulers not Western ones who are most at risk from Islamic fundamentalists. Absolutely absolutely the big fear however is under attack. We do not really know politically for poor poor for example clearly going to put in a pot of gold. Whether the people who would problem would somehow. Either if they are from their ranks of the army or from the climate groupings or from the civilian population knowing or to do that to bring them to

Egypt and I don't want you or your listeners to think that Mubarak has gone already it hasn't but we just assuming Sadat was assassinated by the group by these groups and let's assume that Mr. Mubarak also is weakened enough to be toppled then whoever comes after him is going to think well do prisons have gone to really reform and do something and and that I think really is the proper process. I think they either have to reform to attract the secular forces in the country who are in many ways the majority to improve conditions in the country socially economically politically educationally. And then to weaken the climate groupings or if they continue then the climate cooled and will go on become more powerful and middle more pro until I'm told they're going to take over and eventually do take over. I think I don't know that they would be ready to take to the west and why. Because the OP would have built a field out of their

oil the Egyptians will still have to will come to order to to invite foreign currency into their countries. Except that then I think it would be done more you know proscribed the Opus crowd by the independent vote Independent are gone and i'm not be thinking and I've been out of public operating only and the service of the West and the United States is my last question to you for you today. Algeria. Has presented to the Arab world with an example. At first it did and then we all know what's happened there everything is collapsing or right. Will other nations follow. How can how can an Arab government win over its people unless they get a mandate from the people that they want and how do they get that mandate if you bet actually that getting into the game again I was saying earlier in Algeria they want their democratic route.

They simply held what is probably one of the most democratic elections in the end and they are all together. It just happened that the Islamic Courts and because of mishandling of the G8 on economy because of the because the country actually simply debilitated all together and lost Deeds lost in every aspect of reality and life. Then there was enough people there in Egypt to support the Islamic groupings now. I would argue that if the military did not interfere in there and they allowed they had allowed the Algerian Islamist groupings to take control of the government and if they can perform better than what the NFL brought to Algeria then I think that's what the dependability of them people want. If they're up to staying in government democratically Angul in control for a few years the economy continues to

do weaken and education continues to become more savvy etc. etc. then don't those very same people will probably see a different means and maybe it would be the democratic Western way. However I think the Algerian military should have allowed and I think it would have been really I think in my opinion would have been very good to our Lao an Islamic government elected into power democratically to take control take responsibility for the economy and put everything into the country and let them try their luck. Who's what. Who was responsible for that very tragic mistake. I think that the military you Santa and unfortunately you see that's where the Islamic groupings come to play and in a way we must we must somehow admitted when they are ripe. It is the age you don't matter to the body supported by many countries in the West. An important human body and I think government itself this State Department issued a repeated

statement off the Algerian debacle in no way supporting the military takeover and say Will we support democracy yes but if the climate groupings were to take control of a theory they could have done away with the median for any kind of democratic future. That's right. With with those democratic means we've got them in Tupac walk. We don't know that one and it is in the final analysis the choice of the Algerian people if it is Islam it or communist or whatever it is it is the choice of the people I think they should have been given a chance either to prove themselves or to simply be toppled once and for all. OK thank you very much because I will talk to you again next week. Thank you found my bye bye bye and that was because I'm Bashar the chief U.S. correspondent for El Foger the Palestinian Jerusalem newspaper. And now we're going to go back to pledge center and Genie app elder and find out how many thousands of dollars we've made in the last

15 minutes. Well we're doing OK Sandra things are a little quiet during the program but I think people wait for the pause so they don't miss anything and then they go to their phone and they dial 3 1 2 4 6 0. NINE THOUSAND. I was listening to your last interview at which is fascinating the Middle East is such a complex place. Sure and you sort of covered the whole gamut in that half an hour interview about Islamic fundamentalism the history of the region carnage. Foreign aid at all. I mean real Lots to that. Well I'm really interested I think one of the reasons that you can do it is that you've developed a relationship with this reporter. How often do you talk to a ghost of a show I just really speak to maybe twice a week at the most and most usually once on the day that he's on and then you know in the morning before we're on the air.

Right. So it's one or two white one or two times a week. How does it. I suspect that interviewing someone once a week like that or talking to someone twice a week is very different from some expert or some foreign affairs person who comes in once. Well the difference is that we establish all these people who are on our program regularly you know like like a son. We draw and I really kind of establish a friendship with them. I mean you know even though we may not have met some of them in person. Right. But you just develop that if you really are friends and in the end it's very interesting because it becomes very personal. And that sort of changes the issues for you I would think it so well it doesn't change the issue but it changes the way you can approach the issue sometimes. Well I think there have to be people out there who like that about your show who tune in and get to know these reporters the same way you get to know them and they're going to call right now at 3 1 2 4 6 0 9 thousand. Let me get a little fund raising business out of the way here. We are in the middle of a challenge from the stress to Family Foundation. They have

offered us a thousand dollars if we can get 100 calls by four o'clock the midday listeners have pushed us over the halfway mark we're somewhere around or a sixty one or fifty two calls but we'd like to get a few more in here at 3 1 2 4 6 0 9 thousand. We've had a couple of small businesses that we'd like to thank and call communications in Chicago has joined us thank you very much. Also the corner store realty advisor in Chicago. These two organizations have joined us as small business partners. You and your business can join us with a minimum of a $100 pledge to 3 1 2 4 6 0 0 0 9000 and we know there are people who listen to this program during the day while they're at work. Some there are things like bookstores that actually have the program on for their customers to listen to I think there are other people who have it on in the back rooms where no one can hear it. But I suspect there are a few people out there who'd like to become small business partners at 3 1 2 4 6 0 0 NINE THOUSAND. We have a few words from a current small business partner Her name is Heather Higgins. When I was a business partner

with WBEZ do you get people to listen to the station at your shop your and your antics. I do actually. I have the sign up which says WBEZ business partner. People mention it when they come in this fairly promptly displayed and it's surprising how many friendships I make this way or those who say what is that. Then I encourage them to listen to ninety one point five. Only if they're intelligent though so I wouldn't bother to tell because they wouldn't know what it was all about. So she's not shy. Last year when it was a business partner somebody was driving past him listening to the radio. So my name stopped came in and I actually bought a quite expensive box out of the window so within half an hour I did get my business partner back. Oh wow that's great. So it does work. We can't promise you that it will work as quickly as it did for heavily against what you just heard talk you know. I don't know you Aisling I'm a heather hick and sounds exactly like someone named Rob a friend of mine

Merriman McPartland She sounds exactly like a very similar name. That's right a similar sound to the way it's 3 1 2 4 6 0 9 thousand we're looking for a few small business partners who listen to midday with Sondra hair. We're looking for people who'd like to join us at the $50 level we have a special thank you gift that we haven't spoken about very much but it's really very nice we have a WBEZ bookmark this is a brass bookmark in celebration of WBEZ 50th anniversary WBEZ did start in one thousand forty three we are celebrating our anniversary this April. You can call us at 3 1 2 4 6 0 9 thousand and receive in the mail the WBEZ bookmark. In addition to all that you get the all the other benefits of membership discounts at Area museums and restaurants and stores you get the radio letter a guide that comes out every month to tell you things that are happening at the radio station. You also get what we call the rosy glow of knowing you so what does that help. That's that's that good feeling that you get from knowing you're not getting

something for nothing that you listen to this program you enjoy this program you rely on it to provide you with news and information about what's going on in the world and that means you want to call 3 1 2 4 6 0 9 thousand I like that rosy glow. It's nice isn't it. Yeah. It's free today with your pledge you OK rosy glow no additional charge. 3 1 2 4 6 0 9 thousand. We make this as easy as we can. It takes about a minute and a half. These volunteers are trained they know how to do this. You call up with your Visa or your MasterCard you discover your American Express card. It takes about just an inch out of your day. Use your credit card and you will receive the special this spring only packet of seeds. These are real live flower herb seeds that you can plant in your garden it's one of those things where you help us grow we help you grow it's all very nice. What it means is that you support public radio 3 1 2 4 6 0 9 thousand.

We've got one minute left let's do some more what. What about that little fanny pack. Are you like a little fanny about right up to this Sondre hair special today. WBEZ leatherette waist pack. I beg your pardon. The fanny pack if you prefer a waist pack. It's not leather but it sort of looks like leather it's very soft it's as WBEZ ninety one point five FM on it and it's you know it's one of those handy things that you can put around your waist and carry your wallet or your home or your brush or your you know all those things your maybe your Walkman because you're listening to the radio outside it's a $75 pledge at 3 1 2 4 6 0 9 thousand It's pretty snazzy looking you saw. Yes it's really it is really cute. Yeah I think this is a Linda Paul favorite actually. Yes 3 1 2 4 6 0 0 9 thousand we have T-shirts. We have mugs. We have books we have a few copies left of lines in the sand. Deborah Amos this book about what we don't have any more time left unfortunately. So this will give the number once more before we go to the news OK. Please do it for me. Be glad 2 4 6 0 0 9

thousand 3 1 2 4 6 0 0 9000 And now let's go to Bill Kissinger in the news. This is WBEZ Chicago. Cargo in the news AT THIS HOUR a Cook County judge has dismissed a lawsuit seeking to force the state and the Chicago school board to issue payment vouchers so low income parents can move their children to private schools. Judge Karen Jaffe ruling the matter is an issue for the legislature not the courts to decide. Chicago police have arrested seven suspected gang members in a series of raids stemming from an investigation of drug dealing by a southeast side street gang. An 84 year old man who was seriously burned in the Paxton hotel fire is dead but apparently from natural causes. The death toll in that fire stands at 19. As the county medical examiner's office tries to identify nine victims burned beyond recognition. Looking at weather this afternoon Mostly sunny high 65 in land 47 Lakeside tonight increasing cloudiness low around 40 to mile cloudy windy and colder with rain likely a high of 45 currently 64 here

64 at Midway and 45 it's the lakefront. I'm Bill Kissinger from National Public Radio News in Washington I'm CORBA Coleman. The Senate has defeated a Republican effort to cut back on the sixteen billion dollar jobs package submitted by the president. Senators rejected an amendment to strike one hundred four million dollars from the plan they say would be used for dozens of wasteful projects or rather projects. Senate Minority Leader renovation Sports Park Cemetery drainage system. Performing Arts Center in my part of the country that was on. Urgencies. And I would hope that as senator from Montana has pointed out most people in America say cut spending first. Democrats say the jobs bill does not fund specific projects but instead provides broad grants to local governments. The idea the rather projects were included at the request of the nation's mayors. The White House has promised to review all funding requests to guard against wasteful spending. The House Armed Services

Committee has taken up the Defense Department's new budget proposal. Committee chairman Ron Dellums criticized defense secretary Les Aspin who succeeded his committee chair for failing to slash more defense programs. No major weapons system was ended in the two hundred sixty three billion dollar plan. Aspen says the United States still needs a strong military force to deal with world trouble spots as we saw in Desert Storm or Panama. There are people that you need occasionally a strong capable highly effective military force to deal with. And they are Iraq and many of them. The gentleman from South Carolina mentioned Iraq Iran North Korea. Potentially Libya potentially other places defense secretary Les Aspin. Authorities are hopeful the standoff between them in the Branch Davidian cold may end soon. A Houston attorney spoke face to face with leader David caress yesterday about

legal issues surrounding the standoff. The talks resumed today. Wade Goodwyn reports from Waco. For more than two hours yesterday the gerund sat on the porch of the compound and spoke to David caress through the open front door figurine was retained by caresses grandmother three weeks ago in an effort to end the standoff yesterday. The FBI refused to let the gerund meet with corrections inside the compound building because they feared correct might taken hostage. But this morning they allowed their discussions to continue out of sight inside. Talking with Report. This morning just before going inside to meet with correction again the gerund said that he was hopeful that he could end the month long standoff soon perhaps even today. The decision to allow the gerund to intervene in the standoff is a departure for the FBI and perhaps as an indication of their frustration at the lack of progress in recent negotiations for National Public Radio. I'm Wade Goodwyn in Waco. On Wall Street the Dow Industrials are down four points at thirty four hundred fifty one. Trading is heavy. This is NPR. President Clinton has

bowed to pressure from Western senators and dropped his insistence that mining and grazing fees be increased as part of the new budget. Western senators say the development is a major victory. Mr. Clinton said previously he would seek to impose a mining royalty on federally owned lands as well as increasing below market grazing fees. Senator Max Baucus of Montana called The Idea unfair to the west. The White House decision has brought criticism from environmentalists who said the idea to raise the fees was long overdue. Pennsylvania's largest health insurance company is investing funds in a giant tobacco company's stock. The move is drawing fire from member station WITF and ARC reports according to financial reports filed this month with the state's insurance department. Pennsylvania Blue Shield has invested nearly 10 million dollars since 1990 and Philip Morris the world's largest cigarette manufacturer. The money represents about one half of one per. Cent of Blue Shields total investment in stocks and bonds. Several leading health

organizations are now saying that investment constitutes a Platon conflict of interest especially for a nonprofit health care organization. Blue Shield was created by the legislature in 1937 and is operated by physicians. It has become the largest such organization in the country. Blue Shield spokesman Brian Hermann has told the Harrisburg Patriot News that the insurer does not see a conflict and that they don't make social decisions with their investments for National Public Radio. I'm at Arc in Hellas park new French prime minister Eduardo assembling his cabinet. He's trying to balance the forces within the right wing coalition the one France's parliamentary elections coalition captured four hundred and eighty four seats out of five hundred seventy seven. Although his party was roundly defeated by conservatives socialist president Francois Mitterrand has vowed to complete his presidential term which ends in 1995. I'm CORBA Coleman in Washington and this is midday and I'm Sondra care. Let's go. Oh. Now before we go to cure all common remember the number to pledge to for our

marathon is 3 1 2 4 6 0 9 thousand. And now let's go to Carol Klein the columnist for The Chicago Tribune. Now that the United States has finally done the right thing and passed the Family Medical Leave Act we are now secure enough to take a look at what you're thinking. Businesses are doing to develop family friendly programs in this workplaces. This is different from what the governments are doing but what the individual businesses are doing according to The New York based Families and Work Institute and the day care trust of England the publishers of the study called The Family friendly employer examples from your book your being companies individually are generally behind American companies. And but they're gaining ground but because of the strong stronger social supports of the government most European employees you know who have national childcare who have nationally paid leave can take a longer lease if absence really are better able than American workers to balance work and

family. I think the most surprising finding in this study of seven European community countries which represent 67 percent of the U.S. population is the way governments actually interact with this. Their relationship is in the United States. Where there really aren't many federal family policies the attitude of the government before the passage before the new administration and passage of the Family Medical Leave Act was OK if the government doesn't do anything businesses will. But in the seven European countries show that one government has taken the lead. Companies do more not less. And it's actually they build an infrastructure on which individual companies build and innovate. So we see the emergence of two types of employees in countries without a national family policy. The haves who are better paid and work for companies that provide all kinds of assistance and the have nots who work for the less well paying companies that don't have work family programs and that's true but the United States and Europe but it is

European employers have been doing it longer and they report lower absenteeism higher staff morale stronger hiring retention of skilled employees increase productivity good publicising and improved labor management patients. Everything you always want and their programs seem to be more creative than ours are. Let's look at some of these programs in the Dany State Railways which has 21000 employees throughout Denmark has a program that targets women recruiting them they campaign for night shift to childcare. They train supervisors and work found the concerns encourage women to become managers. They improve male female working relationships and that's because they want to make the workforce more equal between the genders. Today 65 percent train crew stay as are women at Ludwig Beck which is a retail company with two thousand one hundred fifty employees at 13 stores in Germany 85 percent in the States now work flexible hours at a program the company says has reduced personnel costs by

eighteen crewmen and retention. And American Express the largest employer in Brighton England has 4000 employees. They have a child can from nation development service that provides advice to the entire community and is a great need in changing the whole community about childcare and made the company a very viable important place to work. Unfortunately family friendliness is not necessarily transferable The study found a companies with good policies in the United States do not necessarily have good policies in their European operations and vice versa. This is Carol Hyman of the Chicago Tribune for midday with Sunder Garr. Thank you Carol. Now remember our pledge number is 3 1 2 4 6 0 9 thousand I'll repeat that 3 1 2 4 6 0 9 thousand even though we're going to keep on with our interviews. We hope that your calling in making your pledge for this week's marathon for WBEZ and from that day. Now let's go to Miller Stalock co-director of facets multimedia of the New York Times said we love to grovel in the bad taste of Oscar night but not

to reanalyze the trashiness of the Academy Awards. Let's just say that giving the best foreign language picture award to Richard brought me under Sheen was politically motivated both because of the lobbying of it distributor Sony Classics and because the French complain very loudly all throughout the last year about being shut out of the outskirts. Such films as CERN or the birds are rock. So in a way this award is quite tainted. The best foreign language picture category or category however is an indication of how little in touch the people who vote in this category are with both the film of the non-meat being made around the world and with reality. Two of the four films I think that were nominated for Academy Awards because the fifth one from all acquaint was disqualified. Could be considered the half option of the elements. The German film stunk which makes fun of the sale of the Hitler diaries to their Stern magazine a few years ago. The Germans may find Hitler

worship in the modern age quite funny but lots of people including the victims of racial violence in Germany obviously don't. This is quite important because this film stunk was a huge hit in Germany. One of the few German films to make money and it's own land against the tremendous onslaught of American films. The second film is the winner and the French nominee under Sheen. Nothing against Catherine Deneuve God bless her she looks great but the film is set against the backdrop of the last years of French rule in Vietnam. It's a tragic love story of Catherine Deneuve adopted daughter who runs off with a Vietnamese who becomes involved in the resistance movement against the French. And both are ultimately persecuted under Sheen makes Gone With The Wind which is seems to be its model look like a political thriller. You hardly have a sense that there is anything historical going on at all in Vietnam except the occasional bomb which explodes here or there. Mostly

what you're treated to is Catherine Deneuve suffering and suffering and more suffering until you as the audience member in this very turgid melodrama are certainly ready to yell out from the audience. Under seen is a politically revisionist and morally reprehensible a new breed of film which we could describe as Euro trash this already follows the category which is being current as you are all putting. How much better such French films over seas by bridge are drawn a couple of years ago which dealt with the French president in Algeria all for that matter although films like point the Cold War the Battle of Algiers all Laguerre for me are the works of Costa got for us from a special section to be really dealt with any kind of a background but the Oscar evening proved that even in the midst of a largely bad taste can triumph because the evening belonged to Federico Fellini introduced by a montage of film

clips from from his film from his career which was put together by Richard Schickel. This montage made absolutely no sense which was truly inexcusable. It looked like it was put together by someone who lived with bondage since it seemed to. Straight on scenes from eight and a half with muster Yani whipping around his whip. This from a director whose career is filled with fountains of unforgettable images. More talent and genius in the work of this one man than all of the awards put together like such as you to Ray last year. And course I want the year before the Academy tries to redeem itself by honoring all the men of the cinema for whom film want and means of communicating something beautiful something tragic something funny but something always human. It's a fair economy it ignores the people while they're out making their films and suddenly said it's all about the way you were great. Fellini in his rather poor English gave the evening a pause of

genuine feeling and honesty when he said for him growing up in Italy the movies in America were won when he was at the movies he was at home. And so here he here in Hollywood. He was strangely at home in the movies. He even gave the rather depressing and unfunny evening its one genuine funny moment when Sophia Loren Lauren said Will you kiss me and without missing a beat Fellini said but I want to. And then in the very moving clothes instead of. Thanking all of the thousands of collaborators in most of his films many with whom he worked throughout his entire career like muster Yani his musicians composer Nina rota just up the road to North his cinematographer DONNY Well do not see who made the brilliant sets the satiric on his edits are unrelated to Marcelo Lucero muster Jani. He thinks only one person Juliet on the scene. His wife very simply and very humbly she is but she's not just his wife. Mussina is the incredible symbol that Selena created of innocence vulnerability

also trust in human nature. I'm corrupted by our deviousness and by our evil in such a landmark films and classics like La Strada Knights of could be a real Juliet of the Spirit. And for me he said at the end don't cry Julia. Giving the evening. It's one moving moment in which for leaving the show the one billion people watching fact on which everyone in Hollywood was congratulating themselves on what an act of humility that the great artist the consummate audience who has truly done something new and unique in the cinema. He showed not only how gifted he was but how the true artist is humble and simple because he knows that his art is a gift. This is me or stay away from it day with Sonicare. I can't even begin to tell you how much I agree with you just that one segment and the way he said Stop crying as though they were at home. It was so wonderful and the fact that this man was that was given the tribute that he was given it was worth

the entire evening. Well now don't forget the pledge a number to call 3 1 2 4 6 0 0 0 9000 for your pledge and we're going to go now to our environmental segment with Deborah try on. OK some things that have changed over the last thirty two thousand years. But it turns out that one of those things is not ourselves. That is our physical biological beings. The human species hasn't taken much of an evolutionary step in any direction for a very very long time. Which means among other things that deep down inside we're all just hunters and gatherers at heart. Doctors tend to dredge up this fact routinely when they try to explain why the most highly developed and heavily industrialized nations suffer such high rates of cancer. Our bodies were designed for more primitive more natural conditions. They say the human animal was never meant to hold up against

electromagnetic radiation. Al are on our Apple artificial sweeteners in our food at the best us in our basements adequate in our rain secondary smoke Cheez Whiz whatever. But if the human body hasn't evolved much over the last several thousand years our minds certainly have. It is after all changes in the artifact of the mind religion the arts science technology that have all but defined the long course of human history. At least that's what most of us think. But now even that conventional wisdom is coming under attack this time by a movement called Eco psychology eco Psychology claims that just as our bodies evolved to match a much more natural environment than the vast majority of people live in today so too did our brains. The setting for the evolution of the human brain says Paul Sheppard a founder of eco psychology. What the

surround of living plants rich in texture and smell the unfiltered air the flicker of birds the real sunshine and rain mud to be tasted. Tree bark to be grass to the sounds of wind and water the calls of animals and insects. Consequently Shepherd believes our brains have an inbred internal landscape. The trace is the natural environment in fundamental ways. For instance animals seem to us to embody impulses reactions and movements that are very much like our own. It is in the mimicry of animals he says that we first master our own inner zoo ology of the year's joys and relationships. Shepherd argues in a recent book called The Nature and madness that the increasing alienation of humanity from the real natural environment not only puts us all at higher risk for cancer but also at higher risk for a kind of psychic trauma

that leads to neurosis environmental philosopher theatre rose that can make the same point maybe even more forcefully in the most recent issue of Sierra magazine. Every nature poet who Wordsworth has told us that our sanity depends upon the companionship of trees and the rights rows act. If that's so then you mean the wounded urban psyche may require that we find ways to prescribe nature. Wrote back notes that when a sympathetic relationship exists between and among people no one hesitates to call it love but more coolly and distantly when such a bond is forged between people and the non-human environment. At best it might be called compassion. More commonly He says it is simply ignored. The professional psychological community hasn't even recognize the existence of such a sympathetic Bond let alone figured out what name describes it. This is Deborah Try

own from midday with Sandra there. And I thank you Deborah it's always a pleasure to have you on. Well now let's get back to pledge center and founder and find out what's going on. Things are a little quieter than we'd like them to be but I think we can do something about that. The number to call is 3 1 2 4 6 0 9 thousand there's a call Thank you so much thank you. We had two small businesses join us in just the past few minutes we want to say welcome and thank you to them. Cuff a clásico a very nice coffeehouse in Chicago and the convento palace Indian restaurant in Chicago have both joined us as small business partners. Be easy. Welcome aboard we're glad to have you. If you're interested in being a small business partner WBEZ give us a call at 3 1 2 4 6 0 9 thousand will read your name on the air this afternoon. The name and the address of your business will go out in a small business partners directory that will go out to all of the members to WBEZ. We also give you some things to put in your store window like that woman we heard from earlier someone came in and bought a box off the street because I saw that she was a small business partner

call and chat with a volunteer at 3 1 2 4 6 0 9 thousand. We are welcoming anyone who wants to join WBEZ this afternoon. Our membership levels our basic membership level is 40 dollars. About 10 cents a day what can you buy for 10 cents a day. Sándor and there is not even a piece of bubble gum. That's right. 3 1 2 4 6 0 9 thousand is the number to call. We will welcome a student or a senior citizen at our $15 level. If we're going to make it to $400000 by Friday we may need to hear from a few dollar a day members as a dollar a day member to WBEZ. You will hear your name mentioned on the air you get entire day in your honor I'm sure you've heard this support for this program or Today's program is brought to you by dollar day club member John Doe in honor of his wife's birthday. That's those are Dollar Day members. You give us three hundred sixty five dollars to the station. We dedicate a day in your honor in addition you get invitation you get invited to the power shower which is a very nice party that we are holding in August this

year. Four dollar a day members and for the staff so you will get to meet Sondra Gare at the tower shower and shake her hand and talk about midday. I'll shake both hands if you keep those phones ringing 3 1 4 6 0 9 thousand things have picked up a little bit here Sondra. We are in the middle of a challenge from the stress to Family Foundation a small family foundation here in Chicago. They have offered us a thousand dollars if we can get 100 phone calls by four o'clock. And how many have we got are somewhere around 55 I think 3 1 2 4 6 0 9 thousand is the number to call to help us meet this challenge. It makes your dollar go just a wee bit further 3 1 2 4 6 0 0. NINE THOUSAND. I was listening to Debra Tryon who you have on from time to time. She's on every week issue every week. She's absolutely brilliant. I suspect that every listener who listens to midday doesn't have to agree with Deborah's opinion right. Doesn't have to sort of sign on to her position. But

does this provoke you does this challenge your assumptions about the environment and about how we deal with these issues. If it does we want to hear from you and we want your support for this program. 3 1 2 4 6 0 9 thousand join us at the 40 dollar level. Join us at the $60 level pledge if you want a mugg pledge if you want to had to imagine if you want a prize pledge a fee on plastic for the WBEZ seeds. The important thing to do is that you pledge your support. There is no way of thinking about this this morning. There is no reason. No rational reason why this should work you put these programs on the radio. It's not like a parking meter you don't have to put a dime in your radio every time you turn it on. You could listen to mid day with Sondra gear every day for 100 years and never pay for it and won't get a ticket either. That's right but the point is that 20 more than 20000 people in Chicago every year say yup I listen to this program I believe in this program. I'm going to do the responsible thing and I'm going to contribute to this

program. 3 1 2 4 6 0 9 thousand we're looking for those smart people. Oh you listen to Sondre Gare who get their international news here on WBEZ. You know Jimmy it's the end of the week he's where I repeat this I know so often. But the only way we really know I know people will say I love this show or I like that show. But if the only way we really know is if you call and you contribute. I mean that's the one way we really do know. That's right. So the number is force 3 1 2 4 6 0 0 0 9000 I love hearing those those phones ringing her to call me. My phones are another out there I think we could take two more calls what are you going lunch here thanks to Jacob's brothers job a sofa takes a minute for a volunteer to get to a phone that's because he got us a little 3 1 2 4 6 0 9 thousand I was talking to a friend yesterday who's been listening to these pledge breaks and she said is all you do is eat down there everybody is always thanking somebody for bringing food Well it looks good when I've I've only seen that once and it looked delicious. The truth is it's hard work running these phones around here and we are

very lucky to have all kinds of businesses in Chicago who listen to public radio who believe in public radio and who contribute their support in kind in kind donations of food and soda and drinks to keep things running down here we wouldn't function without them. They make their contribution that way. There are lots of ways you can make your contribution to WBEZ the way right now is to dial 3 1 2 4 6 0 9 thousand and the phones are busy it's wonderful. That's great thank you so much to all of you who are calling thanks to the supporters of midday who have never let us down during this fundraiser. 3 1 2 4 6 0 1 thousand you know a lot of jokes about. Cab drivers Lithia us who. But it's true. There are a lot of cab drivers out there. We know it's amazing right and if you get into a cab and you recognize the voice of Saundra Gare or Mara tap and you say to the CAB DRIVER Well you know it's great you listened to WBEZ. Most of the time you get a response like yeah it keeps me informed or yeah I really

love these people they make me think there are a lot of what impresses me is that you know you think like a program like this for example they don't that maybe it would be elitist that only certain people would would listen to it you know. But I find that that people are so interested and in the news and wanting to find out what's going on in this world. People from every profession from every walk of life they do listen and it's very exciting. It is exciting and it's the power of radio we get into people's cars we get into your Walkman in your home in your office into your business. 3 1 2 4 6 0 9 thousand is the number to call we're working on the stress go Family Foundation. We need a few more calls to just make a little more headway towards 100 calls by 4 o'clock 3 1 2 4 6. 0 9 thousand we've got a few more volunteers coming in right now to help us out. 3 1 2 4 6 0 9 thousand. It's Tuesday it's a gorgeous day in Chicago. Don't wait another day celebrate spring with us. Celebrate the end of this fundraiser

help us make our goal 3 1 2 4 6 0 9 thousand celebrate Sondra Gare always celebrate keeping the sun shining by calling this number for you 1 2 4 6 0 0 9. Thank you Sandra I think we're going to go to the BBC and we'll Oh I think I went you know well and I think Carl has something to say first before we go to the BBC OK thanks undivided So 9000 for the programming on WBEZ is in memory of the serenity and heroism of Nora Rourke. Thanks to her Doctor Dollar Day club member Dr. Steven settler. This announcement is sponsored by the University of Chicago Department of music with an invitation to attend an exciting program of American music performed by widely acclaimed pianist Abraham Stockman It's 7:00 p.m. this Sunday April 4th in Mandell hall. The program features a work for two pianos and electronic tape by Howard Sandra plus twentieth century virtual so piano works by Charles Ruggles Charles Tomlinson Griff's and William Carlin's for tickets call University of Chicago at 3 1 2 7 0 2 80 68.

I know Adams later today after 14 years the closing of the last Cambodian refugee camp in Thailand. Its residents are returning home to an uncertain future. Fighting continues between the Camero. Government troops and there are fears that elections scheduled for May will not succeed in bringing peace to gamble. That story and other things concern. Tune in at 4:00 o'clock here on Chicago. You're listening to news desk in the BBC World Service with Peter Shoesmith and Louise fry at the headlines. The future of Italy's embattled coalition government is hanging in the balance with another minister announcing his resignation in connection with the corruption scandal sweeping the country. A court in Sarajevo has sentenced two Bosnian Serbs to death for war crimes. The Israeli government has announced tough new security measures in response to an upsurge of violence between Israelis and Palestinians. And India says it no longer

wants help from the World Bank to build the world's biggest irrigation project. The corruption scandal which has shaken the highest levels of Italian politics has deepened with the prime minister Giuliano Amato asking President skull photo to begin the process of forming a new government. And in the latest development another cabinet member the finance minister has resigned. It's been disclosed earlier that with other ministers he was under investigation with the details from Rome his David Willey. After a day of tense consultations on the future of Mr Matos government the news broke that yet another cabinet minister the finance minister Franco to VO has resigned. He may face criminal charges in relation to his previous post in a state owned industry. Four other cabinet ministers previously named in connection with the corruption scandal have all resigned. The team of judges in Milan investigating political corruption informed Mr A video that he is being investigated for allegedly receiving stolen property. Mr video who held the post of chairman

of Italy's state owned energy corporation e n i from 1983 to 89 earlier this month denied being involved in alleged payments during those years to Italy's leading political parties. The Christian Democrats and the socialists from a secret company slush fund. Mr A video successor in the post Gabrielli Kalyani has been arrested on corruption charges. He told investigators that Mr vidio knew all about the slush fund payments. The prime minister has informed the head of state that he's ready to resign if a suitable successor can be found. President Calderon says he'll take all necessary steps and has already begun consultations with political leaders. Meanwhile the Italian currency has plunged to record you lows in foreign exchange markets on news of growing political instability because of the latest dramatic developments in the corruption scandal. David Ware reporting from Rome. A war crimes court in the Bosnian capital Sarajevo has sentenced two Bosnian Serb soldiers to death

after finding them guilty of being involved with the campaign of ethnic cleansing against Ponson and Muslims. One of the men bought his life Herrick admitted the rape and murder of several Muslim women and said he deserved to die. The others tried codein Janowicz said his original confession to similar charges had been beaten out of him in prison. The trial is reported to be the first war crimes hearing since the fighting in Bosnia-Herzegovina began. Now come Brabant reports now from Sarajevo the muscles in her rock face twitched voluntarily. Why did the judge condemn him. I am coming out of a state straight ahead through cold eyes and possibly neither man had expected Missy but any hack welcomed the band and as usual he stood with his head bowed and almost humbly asked that their voice if he could see his father for a final time. Then he made the traditional desperate appeal for a cigarette. Coming out of it she protested his innocence lost sarcastically thank the judges for their verdict.

Both men were led away to the cells in handcuffs. But it could be several months before they face the firing squad. If it'll The defense will appeal first to the Supreme Court then if that fails to the Council of judges they claim there wasn't enough corroborative evidence as crimes were committed on Serbian occupied territory. The prosecution had been unable to produce bodies forensic proof or any witnesses who saw either man commit rape or murder but the prosecution and the court president rejected suggest. The conviction of the judge harshly. Justice had been done and predicted that the courts would uphold the death sentence to tell and the other would be criminal. That was Malcolm Brabant reporting. Meanwhile the United Nations commander in Bosnia general Felipe Norio has called for the two men to be tried before an international war crimes tribunal. He said The time wasn't right for the role of origins in Bosnia to take justice into their own house. It's another United Nations aid

convoy has crossed into eastern Bosnia on its way to the procedure's Muslim town of Srebrenica the UN in Belgrade says the Bosnian Serbs allowed 14 trucks to cross the border from Serbia but prevented two others from doing so. The UN refugee agency plans to use the vehicles to evacuate more sick and wounded civilians. Officials say this is in spite of the difficulties encountered yesterday when more than 2000 people crowded on to trucks to be taken to the relative safety of UN compound reports say that three people died in the crush. The U.N. is trying to ensure that future evacuations are more orderly. The Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin has ordered that the occupied West Bank be completely sealed off for an indefinite period from midnight local time tonight. The Gaza Strip has already been closed off since Sunday. The latest move was decided at an emergency cabinet meeting which followed the killing of two policemen by Arabs near the town of Hadera north

of Tel Aviv. The cabinet has also approved further security measures which include relaxing the rules about when Israeli soldiers can open fire on our troops carrying weapons. Our Jerusalem correspondent has exploded and has the details. The closure of the occupied territories will prevent tens of thousands of Palestinians from working in Israel. A measure which the prime minister Mr. Rabin advocated would have a price increase of tension and pressure but he said it might. Palestinian attacks on Israeli or the army has relaxed open fire regulations. Soldiers can now shoot any Palestinian carrying even if there's no immediate threat of a youth. But measures are an attempt by Mr. Rabin to do something or be seen to be doing something to stop the current spate of gun and knife attacks on the Israelis. Most have been in the occupied Gaza Strip which has been feeding into Israel mouth expulsion of some 400 Palestinian bid. But the latest killing of two traffic policeman within Israel proper. The military wing of the Islamic movement Hamas

that it was responsible. But killing responding to right wing critics. But to Rabin said he would not make the station of terrorism a condition for resuming peace negotiations that would grant how much veto on the peace process. He told member of the parliament he continued to distinguish between Palestinians who want to negotiate and those who don't. But he is under great pressure. On the one time to tell Palestinians collectively and on the other to encourage their negotiators to return to the peace talks which have been suspended in his mouth expulsion of Palestinians in mid-December and exploding in Jerusalem. The British government has told Iraqi opposition leaders that there's no weakening of its policy towards Iraq. It's still insisting that Baghdad fully complies with all the security council resolutions before sanctions can be lifted. Britain's position was spelled out to Iraqi opposition leaders in London following moves in New York when Britain and the United States for the first time since the end of the Gulf

War left out a key clause in their policy ever sanctions. They no longer insisted that President Saddam Hussein leave office before sanctions can be lifted. Britain is insisting however that overall policy remains unchanged. One of the Iraqi opposition leaders Jalal Talabani said afterwards he was happy with the assurances he received. A new French cabinet has just been named following the center right wing coalition's landslide victory.