Study: Neanderthals Were Artists

  Some of the world’s oldest cave art is too old to have been made by modern humans, researchers say. Studies suggest that Neanderthals were responsible for creating cave drawings found in modern-day Spain. They also appear to have painted and cut holes in seashells for use as jewelry. Reports on the studies were published in the journals Science and Science Advances. Neanderthals were related to Homo sapiens, the scientific name for modern human beings. Neanderthals lived in Europe and Asia before disappearing about 40,000 years ago. Around that time, scientists believe, Homo sapiens arrived in Europe from Africa. New evidence, old theory Researchers say the new studies provide evidence that the artwork was made about 20,000 years before modern humans came to Europe. The findings were a surprise to Wil Roebroeks, an expert on Neanderthals. He said it represents “…a major breakthrough in the field of human evolution studies.” Now, he said, Neanderthal “ownership of some cave art is a fact.” Roebroeks, who was not part of either study, is a professor at Leiden University in the Netherlands. Collecting evidence Until now, most scientists thought all cave paintings were the work of humans. In the first study, researchers examined artwork in three caves in northern, southern and west-central Spain. They attempted to estimate the age of three paintings. Modern technology has made it easier for scientists to date each painting. They used a process called the uranium-thorium method to estimate the age. The scientists removed small pieces of rock material that had formed on the surface of the artwork, and studied them in a laboratory. They found the cave art dates back to 64,000 years ago. Dirk Hoffmann, of Germany’s Max Planck Institute, said the artwork is simple, but important for what it represents. He said one work is a collections of lines that look like a ladder; the others include red marks and rounded objects on rock formations. Another painting is in the shape of a hand. Making the image of the hand involves many steps, Hoffmann and the other researchers noted. This led them to decide that it was a slow, thoughtful creation.   The second study attempted to identify the age of shells that had been colored and cut in another cave in southeast Spain. Researchers studied rock that had formed above where the shells were found. Their investigation found that the shells were around 115,000 years old. This is about 20,000 to 40,000 years older than comparable artifacts linked to Homo sapiens. Those objects were found in Africa or Western Asia. Researchers said the findings show that Neanderthals and Homo sapiens shared similar thinking. They said this suggests the two species were not all that different in their mental ability. “Undoubtedly, it is showing Neanderthals were thinking and behaving just like modern humans,” said University of Southampton professor Alistair Pike. “We should no longer think of them as different species, just humans in different places,” he added. Pike helped to prepare a report on the studies. Some experts have yet to be persuaded by the findings. Harold Dibble, an archaeologist at the University of Pennsylvania, studies Neanderthal behavior. He wondered if the coloring and holes in the seashells could have happened naturally. He also said he would like to see the dating on the cave artwork confirmed by another lab. I’m Phil Dierking.   Malcolm Ritter reported this story for the Associated Press. Phil Dierking adapted his report for VOA Learning English. He also used information from VOANews.com. George Grow was the editor. Do you think that Neanderthals were capable of making art?  We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ______________________________________________________________ Quiz ​_________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   artifact - n. a simple object (such as a tool or weapon) that was made by people in the past​ drawing - n. a picture, image, etc., that is made by making lines on a surface with a pencil, pen, marker, chalk, etc., but usually not with paint​ evolution - n. a theory that the differences between modern plants and animals are because of changes that happened by a natural process over a very long time​ ladder - n. a device used for climbing that has two long pieces of wood, metal, or rope with a series of steps or rungs between them​ species - n.  a group of animals or plants that are similar and can produce young animals or plants​

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2FftvL7
via IFTTT

US Teacher Arrested after Firing Gun in Classroom

  A high school teacher in the American state of Georgia was arrested after firing a gun in his classroom. Police said the teacher had locked the classroom door to keep his students out in the hallway. He then fired a shot when the school’s principal tried to open the door. No students were hurt from the gunshot. One student suffered a minor leg injury while running from the scene. The shooter is a teacher at Dalton High School in Dalton, Georgia. The school is about 145 kilometers north of Atlanta. After responding to reports of gunfire at the school, police said they found the teacher inside a classroom with a handgun. A Dalton Police Department spokesman told reporters that the incident began when a group of students tried to enter the classroom. But they were stopped from doing so by the teacher, who forced the door shut. A single gunshot was heard from inside the room as the principal tried to open the door. This led to a school-wide security lockdown, police said. The police spokesman did not say whether the fired shot was a suicide attempt. But he said, “This teacher apparently did not want to involve students in this incident in any way.” The incident came two weeks after a deadly shooting at a high school in Parkland, Florida. A gunman shot and killed 17 students and teachers at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. It was the country’s deadliest school shooting in over five years. The attack led to calls from U.S. President Donald Trump for arming teachers as a way to stop school shootings. I'm Dorothy Gundy.   Hai Do adapted this story for Learning English based on Reuters news reports. Ashley Thompson was the editor. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   principal - n. the person in charge of a school scene - n. the place of an event or action apparently - adv. used to describe something that appears to be true based on what is known  

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2CPpJT4
via IFTTT

UN: North Korea Sends Banned Equipment to Syria, Myanmar

An unpublished United Nations report says that North Korea sent materials that could be used in chemical weapons to Syria and missile technology to Myanmar. Both exchanges, if true, would be violations of UN Security Council resolutions. The report says the materials sent to Syria included thermometers and special valves. The document also says that North Korea made at least 40 shipments of materials to Syria between 2012 and 2017. The Associated Press says the UN report could be made public in the middle of March. Group of UN experts release unpublished findings The report contains the findings of eight UN experts. They are observing UN sanctions against North Korea. Some details of the report have been released as fighting in the Ghouta area of Damascus has intensified and the number of civilian dead grows. The United States and other nations have accused Syria of using chemical weapons against rebel-controlled areas. They say chemical weapons have been used recently near Damascus. The government of Syrian President Bashar al Assad denies this. The report says there is “new substantial evidence” about North Korea’s involvement with Syria since 2008. It says North Korean missile experts were seen working at Syrian chemical weapons and missile factories. Syria answered the experts’ questions about North Korean involvement. It said, “There are no [North Korean] technical companies in Syria and the only presence of some [North Korean] individuals are confined to the field of sports under private individual contracts for training athletics and gymnastics.” However, an unidentified UN member state said a North Korean corporation was involved in Syria’s long-distance missile program. Report: North Korea continues weapons trade The UN experts say that an unnamed member state also reported that North Korea continues to keep a “global procurement network” for finding parts. In addition to Syria, an unnamed UN member state reported that there is evidence of Myanmar receiving weapons from North Korea. The weapons include rocket launchers and short and long distance missile equipment. On February 2, the AP reported that North Korea had exported products related to ballistic missile systems to Syria and Myanmar. The exports, banned by the UN Security Council resolutions, are said to have earned nearly $200 million for North Korea in 2017. The experts said they had earlier found that a company from Myanmar had been involved in the “attempted transfer of prohibited nuclear-related items in 2012.” In 2015, Myanmar told the UN that it had only “normal diplomatic ties” with North Korea. Myanmar expelled one North Korean diplomat last year for dealings with a banned North Korean company. Myanmar said in January it was “investigating the UN experts’ requests for information.” I’m Mario Ritter.   Mario Ritter adapted this story for VOA Learning English based on AP news reports. Hai Do was the editor. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story thermometer –n. a device for measuring temperature valve –n. a mechanical device that controls the flow of a liquid or gas sanctions –n. measures taken against a country to make it obey international law usually by limiting trade substantial –adj. not a small amount confined –adj. limited to, within a small space procurement –n. the process of finding and providing products, services, etc. ballistic –adj. related to missiles shot over long distances We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2CONM4V
via IFTTT

Parkland Students Return to School After Mass Shooting

Students in Parkland, Florida returned to their high school on Wednesday, two weeks after a gunman killed 17 people there. A former Stoneman Douglas student, Nikolas Cruz, carried out the attack. About 50 heavily armed police officers from several states surrounded Marjory Stoneman Douglas high school. The officers were there to make the community feel safe. However, some students said they felt less secure seeing officers carrying AR-15s, the same rifle used in the attack February 14. Student David Hogg said “This is a picture of education in fear in this country. The NRA wants more people just like this, with that exact firearm to scare more people and sell more guns.” Hogg has become an activist in a nationwide student movement for gun law reform, including a ban on semi-automatic guns. Preparing for the return Grief counselors also are deployed at the school. Broward County school official Robert Runcie said the workers were called in to help students “ease back” into their school life. Volunteers passed out cookies and other treats to students. Comfort animals including dogs, a donkey, and two horses are also available at the school. Officials have barred the use of backpacks for now. The school day schedule was changed for the first day. Students returned to the classes they were in when the attack began. The building where most of the shooting happened remains closed. Student Casey Sherman thinks the schedule change was a good idea to help kids, in her words, “get it over with.” The 17-year-old said she is not afraid to be returning, just worried. “We did go through a tragedy,” she said. “It was terrible but if you let it stop you ... it’s not how you go down, it’s how you get back up.” Sherman is among the student activists preparing to protest March 14 in a national school walkout to stop gun violence. Some students remain severely injured from the shooting, both physically and psychologically. Alexis Grogan is a 15-year-old in the 10th grade. She said it might be too soon to continue normal school life without her friends who were killed. But she said the activism of the Parkland students is helpful. She added, “I am so proud of how the kids at my school have been fighting because we all want change to happen and, as we see the progression, it really shows us that people do care and they do hear what we have to say.”  I’m Jonathan Evans.   The Associated Press reported this story. Phil Dierking adapted it for VOA Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   grief counselor - n. a health professional that aims to help people cope with saddnes and mourning following the death of loved ones, or with major life changes that trigger feelings of saddness. backpack - n. a bag for carrying things that has two shoulder straps and is carried on the back comfort - n. a state or situation in which you are relaxed and do not have any physically unpleasant feelings caused by pain, heat, cold, etc. cookie - n. a sweet baked food that is usually small, flat, and round and is made from flour and sugar NRA - n. The National Rifle Association, or NRA, is an organization that is active in supporting the rights of U.S. citizens to own guns. semi-automatic - adj. able to fire bullets one after the other quickly but not automatically

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2F1kV2W
via IFTTT

New Playthings Help Build Emotional Intelligence in Children

  Children of all ages gathered in New York City recently for the International Toy Fair. Hidden among already popular toys were new, high-tech educational products. Educational products are important to the toy industry. In recent years, parents have shown an interest in STEM-related toys – ones that help teach Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. But now, toymakers are working to create products for improving a child’s emotional intelligence. These toys reportedly not only help raise intelligence in children, but also their emotional quotient, or EQ. Companies showed off their products last week at New York’s Jacob Javitz Convention Center. PleIQ is a set of plastic toy blocks. It uses augmented reality technology to teach words, numbers and other things. Edison Durán directs the company that makes PleIQ. She showed people at the toy fair how virtual images appear on the blocks when they are held in front of a tablet camera. Intelligence includes intrapersonal skills -- processing information within one’s mind -- and interpersonal skills, or dealing with other people. Durán said PleIQ builds on both by having children act as teacher or guide to a companion character. On the other side of the convention center, Karen Hu demonstrated an educational robot called Woobo. Hu asked the hairy green robot: “Hi, what’s your name?” With a childlike voice, the toy answered, “Are you trying to trick me? My name is Woobo.” The robot comes programmed with educational games and activities. Children use its touchscreen face to get them started. Toys that work as companions also aid in social development. Hu described how the robot can help a child who has autism spectrum disorder. “He [the child] can communicate with Woobo and he can follow some of the instruction Woobo is giving because he think(s) of this as a companion instead of a parent or someone else telling him to certain things.” A more low-tech companion is a toy animal called Manimo. The manufacturer says this toy can help reduce hyperactivity in children and improve their ability to pay attention to a subject. Whether it's a snake, dolphin or other animal, Manimos can be placed across a child's arm, chest or neck. Karine Gagner, president of Manimo, explained that adding deep pressure to one’s body can help calm a child before bedtime. At the EQtainment stand, sales director Jonathan Erickson explained the company's toys. "The purpose of all of our products is to develop emotional and social intelligence,” he said. Erickson showed off a board game called “Q’s Race to the Top.” Kevin Chaja, also of of EQtainment, said the game got his 4-year-old daughter to open up. “The biggest thing, is her talking. And that’s the key of all this, is getting her to talk, getting her feelings expressed out. Like, ‘Hey, what does it feel like to be sad? Or how does it feel like to be happy?’” It remains to be seen whether a game or toy can improve emotional intelligence. But toymakers are doing what they can to help parents in their efforts to raise well-rounded children. I'm Susan Shand.   Tina Trinh reported this story for VOANews.com. George Grow adapted her report for Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   toy – n. a plaything; something a child plays with quotient – n. the amount of level to which a certain quality exists augmented reality – n. a version of reality made by the use of technology companion – n. someone or something that keeps company with another autism – n. a disorder in which the person is unable to form normal relationships with others hyperactivity – n. a condition in which a person is overly active  

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2COeryC
via IFTTT

Cambodia ‘Saddened’ over US Decision to Cut Aid

  Cambodia is criticizing the United States government for deciding to cut the amount of aid it gives the country. The Trump administration said in a statement Tuesday it was stopping or reducing aid programs worth $8.3 million. It said the cuts were being made because of “recent setbacks in democracy” in Cambodia. The setbacks had caused U.S. officials “deep concern,” the statement said. The concern led the government “to review its assistance to Cambodia to ensure that American taxpayer funds are not being used to support anti-democratic behavior.” The cuts relate to assistance programs provided by the Treasury Department, USAID and the U.S. armed forces. In Phnom Penh, a government spokesman said Wednesday Cambodian officials were “saddened and shocked” over the “disrespectful” decision. The official defended his country’s record and promised Cambodia would “maintain and continue democracy with energy.” The U.S. announcement came days after Cambodian Senate elections in which the ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) claimed victory in all 58 seats. The vote was held after thousands of opposition lawmakers and local leaders were denied voting rights. Senate seats are elected by parliament members and local officials across Cambodia. Rights groups and members of the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party, or CNRP, called the vote a “sham” and “undemocratic.” White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters the elections had “failed to represent the genuine will of the Cambodian people.” Until last November, the CNRP was the only opposition party in parliament. Then, acting on a government request, Cambodia’s Supreme Court ordered the party dissolved. The high court also barred its members from holding office in the future. Cambodia has been led for more than 30 years by Hun Sen, who currently serves as prime minister. Political observers say they think general elections planned for July will extend the rule of his Cambodian People’s Party. Kem Sokha, the leader of the CNRP, was arrested in September. He is accused of trying to overthrow the government with U.S. support. He remains jailed on treason charges. U.S. officials and rights groups have criticized the Cambodian government actions as part of a larger effort to crush political opposition and independent media. In a report, Cambodia’s main media watchdog group said a “façade of media freedom” collapsed in the country in 2017. The Cambodian Center for Independent Media spoke with more than 70 local journalists working in Cambodia. They came from both pro-government and more independent media organizations. The center says the study was carried out anonymously. As one example, the report noted the closures of 32 radio stations that produced broadcasts often critical of the government. It said the government had also forced other often-critical media organizations to suspend operations because of tax investigations. One of them is the Cambodia Daily newspaper, which was ordered closed over a disputed tax bill. Radio Free Asia suspended its Cambodia operations last year, noting threats and a dispute over its tax situation. Radio Free Asia and VOA are each part of the U.S. government-supported Broadcasting Board of Governors. I’m Bryan Lynn.   Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English. His story was based on reports from VOANews.com, Radio Free Asia, the Associated Press and Reuters. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   setback – n. a problem that make progress difficult or success less likely ensure – v. make sure something is done or happens fund – n. an amount of money set aside for a special purpose review – v. to examine or study sham – n. something that is not what it appears to be and that is meant to trick or people genuine – adj. real; not a copy or reproduced dissolve – v. to officially end façade – n. a way of behaving or appearing that gives other people a false idea of your true feelings or situation journalist – n. someone who writes or reports a study for a media company anonymously – adv. not named or identified  

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2Ffr9vL
via IFTTT

India Mourns Bollywood Star Sridevi

  This is What’s Trending Today…. Thousands of mourning fans paid their respects Wednesday to one of Bollywood’s biggest stars, Sridevi Kapoor. The actress drowned in a hotel bathtub February 24 in Dubai, where she was attending a wedding. She was 54 years old. Sridevi’s body was flown home from Dubai to Mumbai on Tuesday night and taken to a private club. By early Wednesday, tens of thousands of sad and shaken fans had formed a line outside the club for their chance to honor her. One mourner named Prashant said he arrived in the early morning. He told the Associated Press he had seen all Sridevi’s movies.  Prashant held a small collection of flowers. “No matter how long I have to wait, I will wait. I’ll wait until I’m able to pay my respects,” he said. Inside the club, the actress’s body was placed on a raised surface. The room held many flowers. Her husband, producer Boney Kapoor, and daughters stood by the body as fans and friends walked past in respect. Fans also lined the roads to watch as the vehicle carrying her body to the passed on its way to the funeral. Sridevi’s body was covered with an Indian flag. She was cremated with state honors. Sridevi appeared in more than 300 movies, beginning as a child actor in south India. She appeared in her first Bollywood production in 1978. She starred in many hit films, including 1987’s Mr. India, in which she played an investigative reporter. Sridevi’s involvement in a film could make it a blockbuster. She commanded top earnings as a result. In 1997, she married Kapoor, a producer on many of her films. She took a break from making films for many years while she raised her two daughters. She returned to work in 2012. She appeared in “English Vinglish,” in which she played a quiet housewife who decides to learn English to fit in more with her family. In 2017, she starred in “Mom,” playing a woman seeking vengeance for the rape of her stepdaughter. Over the last few years, Sridevi had been preparing her older daughter, Janhvi Kapoor, for her first Bollywood film. The movie is set for release later this year. And that’s What’s Trending Today. I'm Ashley Thompson.   This story is based on an Associated Press report and a VOA report by Anjana Pasricha​. Ashley Thompson adapted it for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   bathtub - n. a large and long container in which people take baths or showers club  - n. ​a business that provides entertainment (such as music, dancing, or a show)​ cremate  - v. ​to burn (the body of a person who has died)​ blockbuster  - n. ​something that is very large, expensive, or successful vengeance  - n. ​the act of doing something to hurt someone because that person did something that hurt you or someone else    

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2CNAo0S
via IFTTT

Warm Air Above the Arctic Freezes Europe

  Scientists say “extreme” warm air high over the Arctic Ocean this week is melting sea ice and sending very cold air to Europe. And they say such strange weather may become more common as temperatures continue to rise worldwide. The effects of the warming are clear on Greenland’s north coast, where scientists have recorded 61 hours of temperatures above 0 degrees [Celsius] in 2018. That is a record for a place normally frozen at this time of year. And across the Arctic region, temperatures are now 20 degrees Celsius above the average. But far to the south, a rare snow storm struck Rome, Italy, on Monday. "Warm Arctic, cold continent"  Scientists have suspected for more than 40 years that disappearing sea ice in the Arctic Ocean could make areas to the south colder. Climate scientists even use the phrase “warm Arctic, cold continent.” Ruth Mottram is a climate scientist at the Danish Meteorological Institute. “It’s never been this extreme,” she said. Lars Kaleschke is a professor at the University of Hamburg in Germany. He told Reuters that it is unclear how often these warming periods will take place. “The question is whether this weather will happen more often. This is just one event so it’s hard to make a causal relationship,” he said. Over time, as sea ice melts, more ocean is being exposed. This releases more heat into the atmosphere. The warmer air may, in turn, change the flow of air currents high in the atmosphere called the jet stream. Nalan Koc is research director at the Norwegian Polar Institute. He said that the jet stream becomes “wavier, meaning that colder air can penetrate further south and warmer air further north.” The World Meteorological Organization, the U.N. weather agency, says the cold weather in Europe is being caused by a “sudden stratospheric warming” above the North Pole. This has forced colder air south. Arctic ice disappearing Ice in the Arctic Ocean is at its lowest recorded levels for late February. The U.S. National Snow and Ice Data Center says about 14 million square kilometers of the ocean is currently covered with ice. That is about one million square kilometers less than the long-term average. Scientists have used satellites to observe Arctic ice for more than 30 years. The head of the United Nations Environment Programme, Erik Solheim, says the weather shows that the earth’s climate is warming. “What we once considered to be anomalies are becoming the new normal,” he told Reuters. Temperatures rising Scientists want to know if the Arctic weather is being driven by human activities or natural forces. Satellite temperature measurements only date back to the late 1970s. The warming temperatures are already causing problems. On the Norwegian island group of Svalbard, temperatures are more than 13 degrees Celsius higher than the long-term average. Svalbard is home to the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, a center aimed at saving plant genetic material for future generations. The seed vault is located there partly because of Svalbard’s low temperatures. But unusually warm temperatures could threaten the collection. Mottram, of the Danish Meteorological Institute, said Europe’s winters have actually become less severe, although this year’s temperatures appear low. “It’s not actually that cold. It’s just our perceptions have shifted from a normal winter,” she said. I’m Mario Ritter.   Mario Ritter adapted it for VOA Learning English from a Reuters report and other sources. Ashley Thompson was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.​ _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   causal –adj. having to do with a cause jet stream –n. a strong current of fast wind traveling above the earth in one direction penetrate –v. to go through or into something or someplace stratospheric - adj. relating to the upper layer of the Earth's atmosphere anomaly –n. something that is not expected or unusual perceptions –n. the way a person thinks about a something or someone  

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2GP80xE
via IFTTT

Can Arming Teachers Prevent School Shootings?

  President Donald Trump has called for arming teachers as a way to stop school shootings.  His comments came after the deadly school shooting in Parkland, Florida on February 14. A 19-year-old gunman killed 17 students and teachers at Stoneman Douglas High School. The shooter used an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle that was bought legally. Since the shooting, Trump has also suggested he may support some new measures to limit guns. One measure would ban anyone under 21 years old from buying a firearm. Another would aim to make it harder for mentally ill people to buy a gun. Trump took to Twitter to explain his reasoning for wanting to arm teachers. “History shows that a school shooting lasts, on average, 3 minutes. It takes police & first responders approximately 5 to 8 minutes to get to the site of crime. Highly trained, gun adept, teachers/coaches would solve the problem instantly, before police arrive. GREAT DETERRENT!” Last week, Trump met at the White House with survivors of the Parkland shooting – as well as state and local officials from Florida – to discuss school safety. “I think we need hardened sites. We need to let people know, you come into our schools, you’re going to be dead. And it’s going to be fast.” Teachers criticize the proposal Trump’s proposal to train some teachers to be armed in the classroom was criticized by organizations representing teachers. The National Education Association, or NEA, represents 3 million educators working at U.S. public schools and colleges. Becky Pringle is vice president of the NEA. She is also an eighth grade science teacher. “I just cringed when I heard the president's proposal, as did so many educators across this country. I tried to imagine having the responsibility of teaching these children the wonders of science and being held responsible for making life and death decisions with a loaded firearm.” The American Federation of Teachers – which says it represents 1.7 million teachers – also criticized the plan. It said the clear message from its membership – even those who own guns - was that educators “don’t want to be armed, they want to teach.” The superintendent of Broward County Public Schools – the district where the shooting happened - said he is “totally against arming teachers.” Robert Runcie said educators already have a difficult job and giving them weapons would just make it harder. Florida’s Republican Governor Rick Scott has also said he opposes the idea of giving guns to teachers. But he did call for increased security at schools, including a plan to put a trained police officer in every Florida school by the start of the fall 2018 school year. Pringle says she understands the concerns of officials and parents who want to make schools more secure. But she says the NEA supports “common sense gun reform” to help prevent mass shootings. She says Trump and other elected officials who favor armed teachers have not spent enough time with educators and students. “So this is what we're doing. And this is what we wish the president would do - and others in positions of power would do, and that is listen to our students. That's what we're doing. We're listening to our students and they are rising up and they're not backing down and they're being very clear about what will make them feel safer in schools.” Pringle was talking about student activists, in Florida and other states, who have responded to the shooting by holding protests and demanding stronger gun laws. One of those students is Sofia Hidalgo – a 15-year-old student at Albert Einstein High School in the state of Maryland. She joined a demonstration last week in front of the White House. She says the young activists realize that the same kind of tragic shooting could also happen at their schools. “I think that once we realized that this could happen to us, as well, that it was time for us to make our voices heard to ensure that it never happens again, because this is a serious tragedy.” Hidalgo says her school has armed police officers and this makes her feel safer. The school also carries out drills to practice how to react to violence and other serious situations. But she does not think arming teachers would help solve the problem. “By arming the teachers you’re just distributing even more guns. And this is not the solution that we need. We need to be restricting the sales of guns, not increasing them. And by arming the teachers, you're trying to fight fire with fire and that’s not a solution.” Some schools already have armed teachers Several U.S. states already allow teachers to be armed in schools. One of them is Texas. Steve Clugston is the Superintendent of the Callisburg Independent School District, in Callisburg, Texas. He says one reason the district decided to allow armed teachers was because the area does not have its own police department. This is the case in dozens of school districts in small communities across Texas. If a shooting happens in these areas, Clugston says, police officers likely could not reach the school quickly enough. Armed teachers must first have a license to carry a handgun in Texas. Educators in the Callisburg district receive training from experts in shooting and gun safety. They also complete drills in the schools on how to react to a variety of live shooter situations.   As he sees it, Clugston said school violence is no different than a situation in which a family is being attacked inside their home. “Somebody is trying to kick in that door and threatening to kill everybody in that room. At that particular moment, there's not many people that don't wish they had a gun to protect themselves at that particular time.” Clugston says he believes arming teachers works as a deterrent to violence by sending a clear message to would-be attackers. His district places large signs in front of all its school buildings warning that armed teachers and employees are on the property. “We're going to use whatever force is necessary to protect our people. When you look at a lot of these active shooters, they tend to target that soft target. We're going to let them know we're not a soft target.” Clugston says the reaction to the district’s program from parents and community members has been “100 percent positive.” Identify troubled students In the Parkland, Florida attack, suspected shooter Nikolas Cruz was a former student known by school officials to have a troubled past. The school safety debate has also centered on ways to identify students who could be at risk for future violent behavior. One group seeking to make a difference is the not-for-profit Educator’s School Safety Network. It offers safety training programs aimed at preventing school violence. Amanda Klinger is director of operations for the organization. She says the group also provides educators with tools to identify, assess and manage certain students who may pose a threat. “This is something educators are asking for. Educators aren't asking to be armed with guns. But they are asking to be armed with education and training and the empowerment to be able to do some of these things to keep kids safe in their schools.” She added that teachers are often the best people to identify students that could become threats. But many lack the needed skills and tools to effectively do this. “We have a fact-based investigative approach, where you have a multidisciplinary threat assessment team. And they're looking at who should we be concerned about? How concerned should we be? And then what are we going to do about it?” Klinger says her group attempts to arm teachers with the tools to recognize signs of trouble early on, before students begin showing violent behavior. This way, teachers and administrators can decide on the best intervention to prevent future tragedies. I’m Dorothy Gundy. And I'm Bryan Lynn.   Bryan Lynn reported this story for VOA Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. ______________________________________________________________ Quiz ​______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   adept – adj. good at doing something deterrent – n. something that makes someone decide not to do something cringe – v. feel disgust or embarrassment, sometimes by also showing the feeling by a movement of the face or body ensure – v. make certain that something is done or happens drill – n. an exercise done to practice certain skills or procedures practice – v. to do something again and again in order to become better at it distribute – v. give or deliver to people assess – v. make a judgment about (something)​ empowerment – n. the process of gaining freedom and power to do what you want or to control what happens multidisciplinary – adj. involving two or more subject areas

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2FBq66J
via IFTTT

Double Arm Transplant Gives Former US Soldier a New Life

  American John Peck lost his arms and legs in an explosion in Afghanistan in 2010. But unlike others who suffer such a loss, Peck does not have prosthetic arms. Doctors instead performed a successful double arm transplant operation on Peck. The retired Marine Corps Sergeant is now learning to use his replacement arms at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Maryland. As Peck learns to use his new arms, he thinks about the family that donated the arms of their dead son. “You know the first few minutes I was happy. But then I started to think about, you know, my emotions started to change, and it changed to the point where I was more...I was upset. Like I was, you know, I knew that somebody died and it wasn’t about me at that minute, it was about the individual that lost their lives.” Transplant operations are not new, and many patients are helped by transplanted organs. John Peck says his situation is different. “So like an organ transplant is different. Like, they cannot see inside of their body, but every day I look down, I'm like, 'Ah, hey!  This is somebody else's hand or this is somebody else’s elbow that I am moving back and forth.' But I don’t see it as, you know…it’s just weird, just part of my norm now...” Peck wore prosthetics before doctors gave him the replacement arms. The change has been hard, but physical therapists like Annemarie Orr says he is making progress. “John and I have been working together for about, what is it, John? A year, a year and a half, and so the progress has been huge, I mean, in terms of the rate of motion in his arms and strength and his ability again, to be more independent with his daily activities… Physical therapy assistant Alyssa Olsen is also working with Peck. “In the time that we have started working together, we are pushing to, progressing to using his hands more and more and more, and he’s getting function back. At Walter Reed, there are many patients who lost their arms or arms on the battlefield. Most receive prosthetics, but Peck agreed to try the transplant. Not everyone thinks transplants are a good idea because of the possibility that the body may reject another person’s limb. Patients like Peck must take up to 30 pills a day to stay healthy and stop medical complications. “It was worth it, it was worth it to me. I have goals. I want to be independent. I want to be able to do things for myself.” The operation took 16 hours and involved nearly 60 doctors and medical specialists. It has given John Peck a new life. I'm Susan Shand.   Yahya Albarznji reported this story for VOANews.com. Susan Shand adapted the report for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   transplant – v. to perform a medical operation in which a body part from one person is put into the body of another person therapist – n. someone specializing in treating others with a physical or mental condition complication – n.  something that makes something harder to understand, explain, or deal with prosthetic – adj. an artificial device that replaces a missing or injured body part upset – adj. angry elbow – n. the joint of an arm function - n.  the action for which something is used pill – n. a small, rounded object that contains medicines or vitamins complication – n. a secondary disease or condition developing at the same time as the central health problem

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2oz4qjE
via IFTTT

Norway to Invest Millions to Improve Arctic Seed Vault

  Norway has announced it will spend 100 million Norwegian crowns, or $13 million, to make improvements to a special seed vault in the Arctic.  The Norwegian government built the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in 2008 to store seed samples of the world’s crops and plants. The vault serves as a natural deep freeze, and is meant to protect important genetic material in case of a major man-made or natural disaster.  It holds seed varieties of crops from around the world, including corn, rice and grains. The vault received its one-millionth seed sample on February 26, its 10th anniversary. It has the ability to hold about 2.5 billion seeds in total. The vault is located on an island about 1,000 kilometers from the North Pole. The samples are buried deep below a mountain. Svalbard was chosen as the site of the seed bank, in part, because of the area’s permafrost – a thick layer of soil that stays frozen throughout the year. It makes for excellent underground cold storage. But in late 2016, the permafrost began to unexpectedly melt. This caused water to flow into the entrance of the vault tunnel. Officials said the seeds were never in danger. However, the event raised concerns about the need to better protect the samples. Norway’s Agriculture Ministry said improvements to the vault will include a new entry tunnel. They also include construction of a service building for emergency power and cooling units and electrical equipment that might send heat through the tunnel. Jon Georg Dale is Norway’s minister of agriculture and food. He announced the plans. He said they will help the vault continue to be a secure storage area. “It is a great and important task to safeguard all the genetic material that is crucial to global food security,” he said. The Svalbard vault acts as a backup to many of the world’s seed banks. In 2015, researchers took out seeds from the vault to help build seed collections in Lebanon and Morocco. Those sites were set up to protect materials from an important seed bank in Aleppo, Syria, which was damaged by violence from the country’s civil war. The seeds were re-grown and returned to the Svalbard vault last year. Dale said such efforts show “that the seed vault is a worldwide insurance for food supply for future generations.” I’m ­Pete Musto.   Pete Musto adapted this story for VOA Learning English using Reuters news reports and other materials. Ashley Thompson was the editor. We want to hear from you. What other major plans do you think the world’s governments should make to prepare for huge disasters? Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   vault – n. a locked room where money or valuable things are kept sample(s) – n. a small amount of something that gives you information about the thing it was taken from varieties – n. particular kinds of people or things underground – adj. located or occurring below the surface of the earth tunnel – n. a passage that goes under the ground or through a hill construction – n. the act or process of building something unit(s) – n. a machine or part of a machine or system that has a particular use safeguard – v. to make someone or something safe or secure crucial – adj. extremely important insurance – n. protection from bad things that may happen in the future

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2BUx0V0
via IFTTT

Partial-dose Yellow Fever Vaccine Effective in Emergencies

  A new study suggests that partial doses of the yellow fever vaccine can help protect communities against the disease. The study was published in the New England Journal of Medicine. It found that individuals given a one-fifth dose of yellow fever vaccine developed enough antibodies to protect them against infection. Erin Staples was one of the writers of a report on the study. She says this is good news in places where the vaccine is in short supply. "That was the encouraging thing, that this can be done as a potential way — when there's supply limitations on the vaccine — to help potentially control an outbreak." Staples works for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which is an agency of the United States government. Yellow fever is a serious problem in parts of Africa, as well as Central and South America. People get the disease from infected mosquitoes. The term “yellow” in the name describes the yellow coloring of some patients’ skin. The World Health Organization says a small number of patients develop severe health problems and about half of them die within seven to 10 days. Staples noted that in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, health workers had to use partial doses of the yellow fever vaccine in 2016. At that time, the vaccine was in short supply. The World Health Organization suggested a one-fifth dose based on some experiments performed in Brazil. Staples said many experts wondered if a partial dosage would be effective against the disease. She noted that nearly 8 million people were targeted for vaccination in the city of Kinshasa. "It worked in small cohorts, in a well-controlled clinical trial situation. But when you go to do this large scale in the field, does it work?" The partial amount proved effective. Ninety-eight percent of people tested had protective antibodies to the virus one month after being vaccinated. In Brazil, more than 350 people have become sick with yellow fever since late last year. Vaccine supplies remain in short supply. Health officials have launched what they are calling the largest-ever partial-dose mass vaccination campaign. The goal is to vaccinate nearly 24 million people. Each person is being given a one-fifth dose of the yellow fever vaccine. Staples says the new research offers hope. "I think that's very encouraging for the short term, immediate control. We still need some information about how long immunity will last." A full dose of yellow fever vaccine provides lifelong protection against the disease. Researchers will continue to study how long people who received partial doses are protected. I’m Jonathan Evans.   Steve Baragona reported this story for VOA News. Jonathan Evans adapted his report for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. _____________________________________________________________ Words in this Story   antibody – n. a substance produced by the body to fight disease dose – n. the amount of a medicine, drug, or vitamin that is taken at one time encouraging – adj. causing a hopeful feeling outbreak – n. a sudden increase in the number of cases of a disease cohort – n. a friend or someone you know clinical – adj. related to a place where medical treatment is provided scale – n. the size of something, especially when compared to something else  

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2EWnvar
via IFTTT

February 27, 2018

A look at the best news photos from around the world.

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2GQbhwJ
via IFTTT

The Top Oscar-Related Google Searches

This is What’s Trending Today… The 90th Academy Awards are less than one week away. The event, also known as the Oscars, will take place March 4 in Hollywood, California. More than 30 million people are expected to watch the live television broadcast of the event. Ahead of the ceremony, people are getting to know this year’s nominated films and stars. Although this year’s event takes place in March, search interest in the Oscars usually peaks in February. The search engine Google recently created a special page that shows the most popular Oscar-related searches. Here is a look: Lead Actress Nominees Of the five women nominated for the best lead actress Oscar, Margot Robbie is getting the most attention, Google says. The search engine reports the Australian actress makes up 36 percent of Google searches among the five nominees. Robbie played American figure skater Tonya Harding in the film I, Tonya. Robbie also produced the film, which received three Oscar nominations. Yet many experts believe Robbie will not win. They say Frances McDormand of Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri is likely to take home the Oscar. In the film, McDormand plays Mildred Hayes, a woman filled with anger over the unsolved rape and murder of her daughter. McDormand received 8 percent of Google searches. English actress Sally Hawkins comes in with 5 percent of Google searches, the least of the five women nominated for the award. She stars in The Shape of Water, a fantasy film directed by Mexican filmmaker Guillermo del Toro. The film earned 13 Oscar nominations, the most of any film this year. Saoirse Ronan stars in another of the year’s top films, Lady Bird. It received nine Oscar nominations. Ronan received 24 percent of the Google searches, just behind Meryl Streep. Streep earned the nomination this year for her work in Steven Spielberg’s political thriller The Post. Streep has already won three Oscars and has been nominated a total of 21 times. Lead Actor Nominees Among the men nominated for Best Actor, Denzel Washington and Timothee Chalamet can each claim more than 30 percent of Google searches. Chalamet received the nomination for his leading role in the coming-of-age story Call Me By Your Name, while Washington earned it for Roman J. Israel Esq. But many movie experts say ​Gary Oldman is the most likely winner. He has earned critical praise for his portrayal of Winston Churchill in The Darkest Hour. Oldman brought in just 11 percent of Google searches.   The other two nominees -- Daniel Day-Lewis and Daniel Kaluuya -- each come in with 13 percent of total searches. They are nominated for their work in the historical drama The Phantom Thread and the horror movie Get Out, respectively. Kimmel returns Another popular person on Google is this year’s host Jimmy Kimmel. He also hosted last year’s event. That is when presenters Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty famously announced La La Land instead of Moonlight as the Best Picture winner. After the mistake was corrected, Kimmel told television viewers, “I promise I’ll never come back” to host another Oscars. But Kimmel will be back. On Google, popular Kimmel-related searches no longer mention last year’s Oscar mix-up. Instead, they include questions like, “How old is Jimmy Kimmel?” and “How tall is Jimmy Kimmel?” Best Picture Top Google Searches While we won’t know this year’s Best Picture winner for a few more days, Google has published a list of the most-searched Best Picture winners of all time. The top five are: Titanic Gladiator The Godfather Forest Gump Moonlight And that’s What’s Trending Today. Ashley Thompson wrote this report for Learning English. Hai Do was the editor.  _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   peak - v. to reach the highest level fantasy - n. something that is produced by the imagination : an idea about doing something that is far removed from normal reality thriller - n. a novel, movie, etc., that is very exciting : a story full of exciting action, mystery, adventure, or suspense coming-of-age- n. the time when a person becomes an adult horror - adj. intended to cause feelings of fear or horror portrayal - n. the way in which an actor plays a character  

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2CLPd3H
via IFTTT

Hong Kong Catholics Criticize Possible China-Vatican Deal

  Members of Hong Kong’s Roman Catholic community are worried about a possible deal between the Catholic Church and China’s leaders. Many Catholics are unhappy with the church’s recent efforts to set up relations with the Chinese government at a time when it continues to silence critics. In the nearly 70 years since its establishment, the People's Republic of China has never had diplomatic ties with the Vatican. One reason is the Vatican's tradition of appointing bishops around the world. The mainland Chinese leadership considers this interference in the country.  China's Catholics have been permitted to attend religious services under a government-supervised organization called the Patriotic Catholic Association. As part of its duties, the government officially names church leaders, some of which have been quietly approved by the Vatican.  The Vatican leadership considers religious services administered in the patriotic church unacceptable. But the government's tight control of the group has led many observant Catholics to go elsewhere. Some have turned to an "underground" Catholic church. The Chinese government says the underground church is illegal. Its members have been arrested and treated unfairly. However, the members see themselves as true followers of the church. Critics say an agreement between the Vatican and the Chinese government would enable the Vatican to operate more openly in China. But they fear it would give China greater control over the church's decisions.  Hong Kong Catholics condemn Cardinal Joseph Zen is the retired bishop of Hong Kong. In recent weeks, he has criticized any deal that would permit Chinese control over the church as "evil." News reports have said the agreement would legalize the government-appointed bishops and force those in the underground church to retire. The reports say Pope Francis would have the final word on the approval of bishops. Zen has voiced concern that the Chinese government would only name bishops loyal to the communist leadership. "It's something important for the whole church, this attitude of fidelity and disrespect [of] our faith. … It's a very serious matter to disregard centuries of doctrine," Zen said. "They want everybody to come into the open and obey the government. They never say how they would deal with bishops in the underground. It's obvious what they are going to do… They will not only eliminate bishops, but in some dioceses have no bishop, but some kind of [government] delegate." Vatican officials have asked Catholics for time to work out details on the agreement. In Hong Kong, several Catholics have also said the move comes at a time when the Chinese government has grown more forceful under the leadership of President Xi Jinping. On Sunday, China's ruling party announced it would end presidential term limits. Under the proposal, Xi could serve the rest of his life as president. During his first five years in office, Xi's policies have attacked economic corruption as well as the work of human rights lawyers, labor organizers and investigative reporters. ​Losing moral and spiritual appeal In December, the Vatican asked two bishops in the underground church in China to give their duties to men approved by the government. In the past, the Vatican had said that both men had been appointed illegally by the government. Government critics see this as an unusual interference, even violation, of the church's power. They are also concerned about signs that the government has restricted religious customs, such as orders that followers not bring children to worship. News of the Vatican's negotiations led several professors to launch a petition against any agreement that would give control of the church to the Chinese government. More than 2,000 people have signed the document. "We think the Catholic Church has appeal (for) the Chinese people exactly because it has refused to compromise with the Chinese authority," said Joseph Cheng Yu-shek, one of the organizers of the petition. He added that "…If the Vatican makes a compromise with Beijing, the Catholic Church loses that moral and spiritual appeal. And it doesn't benefit the church." I’m Phil Dierking.   Suzanne Sataline reported this story for VOAnew.com. Phil Dierking adapted her report for VOA Learning English. George Grow as the editor. Do you think It’s okay to let the Chinese government have more control of the church in China, in exchange for more open religious practice?  We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   attitude – n. the way you think and feel about someone or something bishop – n. an official in some Christian religions who is ranked higher than a priest and who is usually in charge of church matters in a specific geographical area diocese – n. the area that is controlled by a bishop in a Christian church doctrine – n. a set of ideas or beliefs that are taught or believed to be true eliminate – v. to get rid of something fidelity – n.  the quality of being faithful to your husband, wife, or sexual partner Vatican – n. the government of the Roman Catholic Church

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2ozK3D4
via IFTTT

February 26, 2018

A look at the best news photos from around the world.

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2FaK8aN
via IFTTT

Smoking Rates Around the World

  From VOA Learning English, this is the Health & Lifestyle report. “Tobacco is the only legal drug that kills many of its users when used exactly as intended by manufacturers.” That is the first sentence of the World Health Organization’s 2015 global report on smoking trends around the world.   Smoking around the world       On its website, the World Health Organization says that in 2015, over 1.1 billion people smoked tobacco. The organization also states that while tobacco use is decreasing in many countries, it “appears to be increasing in WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region and the African Region.” The WHO lists on its websites these three important facts about tobacco use: Tobacco kills up to half of its users. Tobacco kills more than 7 million people each year. More than 6 million of those deaths are from direct tobacco use. Around 890, 000 non-smokers die from second-hand smoke. Nearly 80% of the world's more than 1 billion smokers live in low- and middle-income countries. In 2016, the World Bank report “The global state of smoking in 5 charts,” said that from 2000 to 2015 smoking rates went up in 27 countries. The report said most of them were low and middle-income countries. The report added that in Indonesia, the rate went up by almost 30 percent. It said more than 70 million people smoke in Indonesia. The WHO says there is a “tobacco crisis.” Experts say that if we do nothing to change this trend, the number of people who die from tobacco each year worldwide will rise to 8 million by 2030. The article also states that in every country, the smoking rates for men are much higher than those for women. U.S. smoking rates at historic low The American Lung Association (ALA) says fewer Americans smoke cigarettes now than before tobacco control policies were established. In its yearly report, the ALA says smoking rates among adults and teens are at historic lows. It says a little more than 15.5 percent of American adults, and eight percent of high school students, smoke cigarettes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the U.S. also researches smoking rates. It says the rates in the U.S. decreased from 20.9 percent in 2005 to 15.5 percent in 2016. Connie Graffunder is director of the CDC's Office on Smoking and Health. She says "more people are quitting, and those who continue to smoke are smoking less." However, CDC research also shows that almost 38 million American adults still smoke. And the American Lung Association says tobacco use and exposure to second-hand smoke affects some groups and areas of the United States more than others. Thomas Carr is the Director of National Policy for the American Lung Association and writer of its 2018 report, The State of Tobacco Control. Carr says smoking rates are close to 30 percent or higher among poor people, less educated people, Native Americans and some other ethnic groups. Carr says that "the tobacco industry advertises more to some of these groups." He adds that often there are more tobacco products available in stores in low-income areas. Teenagers are more likely to smoke if their friends or parents smoke. Studies show that most people who smoke start before they are 18. Some start as young as age 11, according to The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. Carr calls it a childhood disease. "It starts in your teens and then once you're hooked, you can't get off of it." What can countries do to stop people from smoking? The American Lung Association advocates for the U.S. government to make buying tobacco products for those under age 21 illegal. The group says this would lead to a drop in the number of young smokers. The ALA says if middle and high school students cannot get cigarettes, they are less likely to start smoking. To date, five states in the U.S. -- California, Oregon, Maine, Hawaii and New Jersey -- have raised the age to 21. The WHO says that there are other things countries can do to limit tobacco use. Experts at the WHO experts say studies show that anti-tobacco advertisements can reduce the number of children who smoke. This is especially true if the advertising uses picture warnings on the packaging. The WHO adds that bans on tobacco advertising can reduce the use of tobacco products. Higher taxes can also lower the number of people who use tobacco. This is especially true with young and poor people. The CDC says smokers die, on average, 10 years earlier than non-smokers. And that's the Health & Lifestyle report, I'm Anna Matteo.   Anna Matteo wrote this story for Learning English with additional reporting from Carol Pearson. Caty Weaver was the editor. ________________________________________________________________ QUIZ __________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   intend – v. to have in mind as a purpose or goal manufacturer – n. a company that makes a product second-hand smoke – n. tobacco smoke that is exhaled by smokers or is given off by burning tobacco and is inhaled by persons nearby income – n. money that is earned from work, investments, business, etc. trend – n. a general direction of change : a way of behaving, proceeding, etc., that is developing and becoming more common exposure – n. the fact or condition of being affected by something or experiencing something : the condition of being exposed to something advertise – v. to make the public aware of something (such as a product) that is being sold hooked – v. addicted to a drug : usually used with “on” : She is hooked on cigarettes. advocate – v. to support or argue for (a cause, policy, etc.)

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2GPhHw1
via IFTTT

Turkish President Goes to Africa in Latest Effort to Expand Influence

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is on a five-day trip to Northern and Western Africa. The trip will take him to four countries: Algeria, Mauritania, Senegal, and Mali.  His visit is the latest effort by Turkey to project its influence across the continent and strengthen its presence worldwide. Since 2005, as then-prime minister, Erdogan has been working to deepen ties with Africa. Emre Caliskan is with the Department of Politics and International Relations at Oxford University in Britain. He says Erdogan has been to Africa 12 times since becoming president in 2009. He notes his trips had several objectives, such as economic growth, expanding Turkey’s influence in the world and the use of Islam. Earlier this month, Turkey welcomed a group of African ministers for a week of meetings. Such gatherings are part of a Turkish effort to improve contacts with African leaders. Over the past 10 years, Turkey has tripled the number of embassies across Africa. Even with all the Turkish investments, the economic returns have been less than what the government expected. And that has led Turkey to reconsider its priorities, says Mehmet Arda. He studies Africa for the Istanbul-based public policy center Edam. "When you look at the Turkish trade with Africa, it’s basically the same as it was about 10 years ago. So it is more a way of projecting itself as a power in the world. Moreover, Turkey puts itself as the friend, at least, of the countries which are left behind, the destitute and all that. So I think from that point of view, as well, it fits with that the model of Turkey projecting itself on the world stage." ​Islamic influence In his recent visits to Africa, President Erdogan has added Islamic subjects to his message. His speeches have sometimes been colored with criticism of the West and talk of its colonial past. At one time, the Turkish Ottoman Empire also extended to Africa. Caliskan says that appealing to African Muslims offers Turkey a chance for important diplomatic gains, as well as risks. "Fifty percent of African countries come from Muslim backgrounds and this gives leverage for Turkey in the eyes of Europe, in the eyes of the West, and in the eyes of Africa.” But he notes a competition among Islamic groups and countries such as Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt. Historically, he says, these nations are very influential among Africa’s Muslim communities. Caliskan describes Turkey as a new comer, and says the country wants to expand its influence. Last September, Turkey opened its largest overseas military base in Somalia. Some observers say the opening of the base is a sign that Turkish officials have aspirations for the area. The Turkish navy is expanding, with the government planning to build an aircraft carrier. Egypt has expressed concern about Turkey’s agreement with Sudan to redevelop the Sudanese island of Suakin. The island was once home to the Ottoman Empire’s main naval base. The Turkish government says it has no plans to develop Suakin for military purposes. But Caliskan says such denials will do little to reduce tensions given the level of mistrust between Erdogan and Egypt's President Abdel Fattah el Sissi. Observers warn the competition in the Middle East is already spilling into Africa. They say this process is likely to continue because of Turkey’s growing commitment to the continent and its effort to become a global player. I'm Jonathan Evans.   Dorian Jones reported this story for VOANews.com. George Grow adapted his report for Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   triple – v. to make three times as big; to increase by 200 percent priority – n. a goal; something that is more important than other things destitute – adj. lacking possessions or what is needed background – n. the ground that is behind an object leverage – n. influence or effectiveness aspiration – n. a strong desire to do something commitment – n. an agreement or promise to do something global – adj. of or involving the whole world We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.  

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2EVGYby
via IFTTT

Korean Company Announces Oil Discovery in South China Sea

  A South Korean company has discovered oil in the South China Sea, an area claimed by six governments. SK Innovation Co. announced last week that it had found crude oil in a Chinese area in the South China Sea. The case suggests a way in which countries can cooperate in the area. Countries without a territorial claim in the resource-rich sea can agree on contracts with governments that have claims. Experts say governments normally rent areas of their 370-kilometer-wide exclusive economic zones. They say claims beyond the economic zones are more likely to cause conflict. Oh Ei Sun teaches international studies at Singapore Nanyang University. He said, “This is not uncommon, but of course whenever there is a discovery, the people would raise their eyebrows…” Oh added this is especially the case today when claims to areas of the South China Sea have intensified. Many companies from non-claimant countries involved Six governments claim parts of the 3.5 million-square-kilometer South China Sea. They are Brunei, China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam. The disputes have increased partly because of claims to undersea gas and oil. The U.S. Energy Information Agency estimates that 11 billion barrels of oil and large amounts of natural gas are under the sea. China claims about 90 percent of the sea. It has built the most landforms in the sea upsetting countries that also have claims. India and Spain have worked with Vietnam to find undersea oil since 2016. The Philippines worked with U.S.-based Forum Energy to explore for oil in 2012. And in 2014, the oil company Shell and a Malaysian company found natural gas. In the recent announcement, SK Innovation said it drilled for oil in December and found a supply that, it said, tested up to 3,750 barrels of oil per day. The company said it plans additional wells to find out more about the supply. The company has been exploring the area since 2015 in partnership with the state-owned China National Offshore Oil Corporation. Alan Chong is an associate professor at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore. He said that countries with South China Sea claims are quietly setting aside politics in an effort to make economic gains. However, the claims and business deals are not simple. “The complexity is just tangled,” he said. A way to spread exploration costs, gains Most exploration contracts take place when a country offers an area of ocean territory to outside companies. The areas usually are within the country’s exclusive economic zone to avoid disputes. Song Seng Wun is an economist with CIMB bank in Singapore. He said the areas have mostly been in places where there is less risk of conflict. “I think it’s pretty straight forward on that side,” he said. “It’s quite well regulated.” However, disputes over the extent of exclusive economic zones can still lead to disputes. In 2017, a Spanish company stopped looking for oil in an area controlled by Vietnam, but disputed by China. Political experts said, at the time, that China had pressured Vietnam to stop the project. However, Oh notes that oil companies that work in the Middle East have experience with political risks. What they fear most is finding no fuel after spending billions of dollars exploring. I’m Mario Ritter.   Ralph Jennings reported this story for VOA News. Mario Ritter adapted it for VOA Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   contract –n. a legal agreement between people, companies or other groups rent –v. money paid in order to use a property or living place zones –n. an area set apart from others for special use or treatment raise their eyebrows –v. idiom to bring attention to We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2EUZ8di
via IFTTT

Turkish Arms Industry Aiding Military Operation in Syria

  Turkey’s offensive against a Kurdish militia in Syria shows the growing expertise of Turkish arms manufacturers. In recent years, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has sought to reduce his country’s dependency on imported arms. Erdogan spoke recently about the military operation in the Afrin area of northwestern Syria. “Almost all of the armored carriers ((operating)) in Afrin are domestically produced. I thank our friends who produced them,” he said. The Turkish military is working with Syrian rebels to seize Afrin from a Kurdish militia that Turkey calls a terrorist group. Turkish officials say its fighters are linked to Kurdish separatists in Turkey. ​ Erdogan also blamed the deaths of Turkish soldiers in Afrin on countries that did not sell Turkey complex weapons, including armed drones. He did not name any countries. Last year, Erdogan took direct control of Turkey’s arms industry. The government has invested billions of dollars in the defense industry. Further investments are planned. “A total of 55 projects worth $9.4 billion were evaluated,” said a presidential statement in January at a meeting of Turkey’s Undersecretariat for Defense Industries. Atilla Yesilada watches Turkey for Global Source Partners, a business advisory service. He says the defense industry has grown in large part because of Turkey’s Justice and Development Party, the AKP. Yesilada said, “In the past there was no money, but now there is a lot of money slushing around, and the AKP has the vision to realize this project."  "This is a success story of the AKP,” he added. He said that Turkey once bought 80 percent of its weapons from overseas. Today, Turkey manufactures its own rifles, simple drones and armored vehicles.   Reducing dependency on imported arms is a goal of the government. The current Afrin operation shows Turkish officials the problem of depending on other countries. Germany is currently blocking improvements to Turkish-owned, German-made Leopard tanks because of their use in the Afrin operation. But the Afrin campaign is also showcasing Turkey’s armaments industry. “There are many new military technologies,” noted defense expert Metin Gurcan, who once served in the Turkish military. “Turkey has developed armed drones, helicopters, smart  munitions and for the first time, they are all being tested in action abroad,” he added. Along with developing arms independence, the Turkish government has an eye on the often profitable international arms market. Experts suggest Turkey is unlikely to try to compete with the world's major players, but instead will try to find an area of specialization. Gurcan said, “Turkey has been trying to become a very important player in the arms exports market, in the region of the Middle East, Central Asia, Africa.” He noted that the government is using close diplomatic ties, with central Asian countries and Qatar, to secure several arms agreements.  I'm Caty Weaver. Dorian Jones reported this story for VOANews.com. George Grow adapted his report for VOA Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   domestic – adj. of or relating to a country, especially one’s own country evaluate – v. to consider the condition or value of something vision – n. something seen in a dream; a thought or idea abroad – adj. or adv. overseas; to or in a foreign country We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2otw3eZ
via IFTTT

How to Pronounce the Sound /er/

Follow John Russell to learn how to pronounce /er/ in comparison.

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2F9TSBM
via IFTTT

China to Drop Presidential Term Limit, Letting Xi Stay in Power

Chinese media say the Communist Party has proposed lifting term limits for the office of president from China’s Constitution. Under the proposal, party leader Xi Jinping could continue serving as president after the year 2023. China’s official Xinhua news agency published a report on the “proposed constitutional amendment package” Sunday. It said the Communist Party of China (CPC) supported plans to drop the “two consecutive terms" limit to the offices of the President and Vice-President. Term limits have been part of the constitution since 1982. The communist party also proposed adding “Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era” to the Constitution. This will make Xi the third Chinese leader to have such an honor. In the past, the constitution was amended to include Mao Zedong Thought and Deng Xiaoping Theory. Xi is expected to be elected to a second five-year term as president at a meeting of the National People’s Congress. The proposals will likely be approved at that meeting, which opens on March 5. Willy Lam is with the Chinese University in Hong Kong. He told the Associated Press, “Xi Jinping has finally achieved his ultimate goal when he first embarked on Chinese politics — that is, to be the Mao Zedong of the 21st century.” In 2012, Xi became general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party, chairman of the Politburo Standing Committee, and head of the country’s armed forces. He was elected to his first five-year term as president in March 2013. Shortly after his election, Xi said, “I believe that realizing the great revival of the Chinese nation is the greatest dream of the Chinese nation in modern times.” As China’s leader, Xi launched an anti-corruption campaign targeting powerful officials. He has increased defense spending and claimed sovereignty over a large part of the South China Sea. He also started the “Belt and Road” development program to build infrastructure-related projects in Asia, Africa and Europe. China’s Communist Party has required leaders who are 68 or older to leave office. But the party has yet to name a successor to the 64-year-old “core leader” – another title given to Xi in 2016. At the 19th Communist Party Congress last October, Xi promised that China would become a modern socialist country by 2035. He also said by 2050, it would be a leading world power. Willy Lam suggested the party’s justification for removing term limits is that “China requires a visionary, capable leader to see China through this multi-decade grand plan.” Hu Xingdou is a Beijing-based political commentator. He said while Xi Jinping might need an extra five-year term or two to carry out his plans, China is unlikely to return to lifetime tenure for heads of state. Hu added that China has learned “lessons” from the unrest of the Cultural Revolution under Mao Zedong. I’m Mario Ritter.   Hai Do wrote this for Learning English with additional report from the AP. George Grow was the editor. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   ultimate – adj. the most extreme or best of its kind embark - v. to make a start; to begin a trip politburo – n. the main policy-making committee of a Communist party revival – n. a return of strength or importance sovereignty – n. unlimited power over an area; the right of an to govern itself infrastructure – n. the system of public works; the personnel, buildings or equipment required for an activity visionary – n. someone having an imagination or ideas grand – adj. very large or great tenure – n. the amount of time that a person holds a job or office lesson – n. a reading or other exercise for a student; something learned by experience We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.    

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2F6EnL3
via IFTTT

Scientists Grow First Fully Developed Human Eggs in Laboratory

  For the first time ever, scientists have succeeded in growing human eggs from the earliest stages to full maturity in a laboratory. Before now, scientists had only succeeded in doing so with the eggs of mice, maturing those eggs to the stage where they produced living babies. They had also grown human eggs from a later stage of development. Scientists at two research hospitals in Edinburgh, Scotland and the Center for Human Reproduction in New York completed this latest experiment. They published the results of their research in the journal Molecular Human Reproduction in early February. They said this research could one day help in developing medicines and new treatments for people who are unable to produce children. Normally, microscopic eggs develop in the part of the female reproductive system called ovaries. However, this is the first time human eggs have been developed outside the human body from their earliest stage to full maturity. Evelyn Telfer is a co-leader of the research. She told the Reuters news service, “Being able to fully develop human eggs in the [laboratory] could widen the scope of available fertility treatments. We are now working on optimizing the conditions that support egg development in this way and studying how healthy they are.” Independent experts not directly involved in this work supported it by calling it important. But they also warned that there is much more to do before laboratory-grown human eggs could be safely made ready for reproduction with sperm. Ali Abbara is a medical expert at Imperial College London. He said this latest research suggests it may be possible to fully combine human eggs and sperm outside the body in the future. “[But] the technology remains at an early stage,” he added. “And much more work is needed to make sure that the technique is safe and optimized before we ascertain whether these eggs remain normal during the process, and can…form embryos that could lead to healthy babies.” Darren Griffin is a genetics professor at Kent University in the United Kingdom. He called the work a surprising technical success. If success and safety rates were improved, it could help future cancer patients receiving chemotherapy treatment protect their fertility, said Griffin. It could also improve fertility treatments, and deepen scientific understanding of the biology of the earliest stages of human life. I’m Pete Musto. Kate Kelland reported this story for the Reuters news service. Pete Musto adapted it for VOA Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ______________________________________________________________ QUIZ   ​ ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story maturity – n. the state of being fully developed in the body or the mind journal – n. a magazine that reports on things of special interest to a particular group of people ovaries – n. the organs in women and female animals that produce eggs and female hormones scope – n. space or opportunity for action and thought fertility – n. the ability to produce young optimizing – v. making something as good or as effective as possible sperm – n. a cell that is produced by the male sexual organs and that combines with the female's egg in reproduction technique – n. a way of doing something by using special knowledge or skill ascertain – v. to learn or find out something, such as information or the truth chemotherapy – n. the use of chemicals to treat or control a disease, such as cancer

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2F1GQ9I
via IFTTT

New Program Helps Speed Up Children’s Understanding of Language

  Learning to read provides a foundation for future learning in all areas of study. But reading is more than just sounding out words. Students need to understand what those words mean. And experts say students need to have a working knowledge of 10,000 words. Now, a new vocabulary program claims to greatly speed up a child's understanding of language. The program is called Mrs Wordsmith. The teaching system uses pictures and short word exercises to improve a student’s performance on tests. Sofia Fenichell created the system. She worked with researchers from Cambridge University in Britain to develop the list of words. "We call it the 10,000 word journey and we believe that children can master these words from the age of seven to 17, and then not have to cram. And these words are typically the words they find in the books they read, in newspapers, in adult conversation. We're accelerating their ability to communicate, but also to improve their reading and writing age." Each word in the Mrs Wordsmith system of teaching has a child-friendly definition and a picture showing how the word is used. For example, the word shriveled is defined as "wrinkled, like hippo skin that's been the in bath too long." Underneath the definition is a drawing of a very wet, somewhat shrunken hippopotamus.   "The words are illustrated by the same award winning artist that did Madagascar, Hotel Transylvania and all these Hollywood hits, so they want more of it and moms and teachers love it because they know that there's real research backing and data behind it. It's not random." There are also exercises to help strengthen the student’s understanding. Fenichell spoke at a recent education technology show in London. She said the Mrs Wordsmith system has been popular in schools across Britain. "The teachers are reporting back that the kids love it. They want to do more, they're putting it in their writing, they're learning more words and it's so easy to teach them the vocabulary. Little children are using words like: ‘The brazen attitude of the British in World War Two’, and teachers are writing us and saying they can't believe how much their writing has improved." Mrs Wordsmith is now set to expand into schools in other countries, including the United States. I’m Jonathan Evans.   Faith Lapidus reported this story for VOANews.com. Jonathan Evans adapted her report for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. _________________________________________________________________ Words in this Story brazen – adj. acting or done in a very open and shocking way cram – v. to prepare for a test by learning a lot of information quickly  kid – n. children random – adj. lacking a plan; unpredictable illustrate – v. to show or explain with pictures accelerate – v. to speed up conversation – n. a talk involving two or more people master – v. to learn completely vocabulary – n. a list of words or expressions foundation – n. a basis; something that provides support for something else

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2HLJ1Nd
via IFTTT

American to Fight Twitter over Social Media Ban

  A white nationalist is taking Twitter to court for banning his account with the social networking service. The case comes at the same time when social networks are trying to stop hateful and abusive content without appearing to block unpopular opinions. Jared Taylor launched the case Tuesday in California, at a state court in San Francisco. The Associated Press (AP) described it as the latest legal action by right-wing groups and people banned from social media websites. Taylor is the founder of the Virginia-based New Century Foundation. For tax purposes, the Internal Revenue Service lists the foundation as a charity. The group operates an online magazine, called American Renaissance. The magazine supports a belief that it is "entirely normal" for white people to want to be a majority race. Social media under pressure Social media sites are facing public pressure to quickly identify and ban material considered to be abusive or hateful. The AP reports that Twitter suspended the accounts of well-known white nationalists in December. At the time, the company said it was enforcing new rules to reduce abusive content. Twitter's new policy targets hateful images or signs, including those appearing with user profiles. The company said it now looks at hateful imagery in the same way as strong violence and adult content, which Twitter has banned since its creation. Taylor said Twitter informed him in an email on Dec.18 that it was suspending his account and one in the name of American Renaissance. He said Twitter claimed that the accounts violated the company's user agreement, which bars ties with "a violent extremist group." Twitter did not name the extremist group, he said. Taylor denies that he and his organization support violence or have ties with groups that do. His case seeks unspecified damages and the restarting of Taylor's accounts. White conservatives fighting bans Similar cases have been brought in California. Charles Johnson brought a case against Twitter in a Fresno court after he was banned in 2015. The Associated Press describes Johnson as a conservative activist. The court has yet to rule on his case. The nonprofit Prager University has brought legal action against Google in a Los Angeles federal court. The school claims YouTube wrongfully blocked some of its politically conservative content. Some of those who have been banned report that social networks are unfairly blocking free speech and limiting their public communication. Taylor claimed in his case that Twitter's ban has hurt efforts by the New Century Foundation to raise money. Politically conservative Twitter users filled social media sites on Wednesday with claims that they lost thousands of followers after a "purge" of suspected Russian bots. "TwitterLockOut" became a top trending story in the United States for several hours. Richard Spencer, a white nationalist with more than 80,000 followers, tweeted that he's "lost close to 1,000" of them over the past few hours. He added that there was a "major purge underway." But some hours later, he reported that his followers were slowly returning to social media. Last Friday, U.S. special counsel Robert Mueller charged 13 Russians in a plot to interfere in the 2016 presidential election through social media propaganda. In a statement, Twitter said its tools are not political. “We enforce our rules without political bias,” it added. The company estimates that about 5 percent of its accounts are unwanted emails or bots, programs that can infect computers. Twitter uses both human workers and computer programs to remove harmful accounts. However, they said it can be difficult because new accounts are easy to create. I’m Phil Dierking.   Barbara Ortutay originally wrote this story for VOAnews.com. Phil Dierking adapted it for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. What do you think the difference is between hateful content and strong beliefs?  We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   Bot - n. a device or piece of software that can execute commands, reply to messages, or perform routine tasks, as online searches, either automatically or with minimal human intervention Bias - n. a tendency to believe that some people, ideas, etc., are better than others that usually results in treating some people unfairly​ Charity - n. an organization that helps people who are poor, sick, etc.​ Content - n.  the ideas, facts, or images that are in a book, article, speech, movie, etc.​ Purge - v.  to remove people from an area, country, organization, etc., often in a violent and sudden way​ Right-wing - adj. the part of a political group that consists of people who support conservative or traditional ideas and policies​ Unspecified - adj. not named or mentioned​  

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2F79JkU
via IFTTT

Student Activist: 'We Are Going to Make a Serious Difference'

The recent school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, claimed the lives of 17 students and teachers. It also started a wave of protests among young people across the country. These student activists are calling for stronger gun laws in America. They have held demonstrations and gone on day strikes from school. They have spoken on television, used social media to spread their message and met with President Donald Trump and other elected officials. Sofia Hidalgo is one of those students. She is 15 years old and a student at Albert Einstein High School in the state of Maryland. She sat down with VOA Learning English’s Bryan Lynn to discuss her generation’s new sense of activism following the Parkland shooting. Bryan:  First of all, [if] I could get you just to say your name and your school and what you’ve been up to for the past week? Sofia: My name is Sofia Hidalgo. I go to Albert Einstein High School, and this week we have participated...in a school walkout on Wednesday to march for the need of gun control. Bryan: So, with all of this activism that now seems to be coming out and driven in large part by students and young people, what do you think trigger that? Sofia: I think specifically because the Florida shooting was in a school, that triggered the activism in other students in high schools around the country…realizing that this happened at that school [and] it could happen at my school, as well. So I think that once we realized that this could happen to us, as well, that it was time for us to make our voices heard to ensure that it never happens again, because this is a serious tragedy. Bryan: And there have been a lot of school shootings in the past, unfortunately. Why was this one different, and specifically with you, how did this one affect you different from the other ones that have happened? Sofia: Well the other school shootings in the past, I was a lot younger. It happened before I had gotten into politics, into activism. I had started getting involved when we did a school walkout when Trump won the presidency. And my school and the schools around me did a massive school walkout for that. And then the women’s march. And those two -- that walkout and that march -- is what triggered me and the people in my community, as well, to start being active.  ...Especially when we are younger, parents seemed to sugarcoat things that are going on. I know that I never used to watch the news and I did not have a Twitter before and I did not have a Facebook before. So I didn’t see anything expect for mere rumors of ‘oh a shooting happened’ but then that was it. And it was definitely sugarcoated by adults. And so now that I have social media and now that I was a big part in the women’s march and was very active in the school walkout…I understand more about what had happened. Bryan: Have you personally felt unsafe in your own school? Sofia: Sometimes. I think about it, but we actually have armed police at our school as a lot of other schools in this area…I trust my community and I trust the policeman and we also always have drills once a month of what to do in serious situations. So I know what I need to be doing and how to stay safe in those situations. Bryan: One of the proposals that has come up from the administration is to arm teachers, to try to prevent mass shootings like this. What’s your feeling on that? Sofia: Well, I think that proposed solution is an excuse to give more money to the NRA [National Rifle Association]. By arming the teachers you’re just distributing even more guns. And this is not the solution that we need. We need to be restricting the sale of guns not increasing them.  And by arming the teachers you're trying fight fire with fire and that’s not a solution. That is maybe a temporary one, but you need to attack the problems at the root and not build on top of it, and by arming teachers you’re just simply building on top of a problem. And the teachers are not there to defend the lives of us…they’re there to teach and we’re there to learn. We’re not there to expect that it’s going to be our last day. We’re there to say ‘I’m going to come here in the morning, I’m going to learn, I’m going to go home and do my homework and do it again tomorrow.’ Not [think] ‘what if today there’s a school shooter and my teacher needs to pull out their gun?’ Bryan: And at your school do they do any metal detectors or anything like that? Sofia: No. Not at my school.  [I] heard an argument once that was talking about their school that had a metal detector and they said, like, ‘why do we have new metal detectors and old school books from like the 1990s; that we should be putting more of the money into the arts and into our textbooks and into getting us access to computers than we should into arming the teachers or arming the people at our school or trying to like claim that the kids are carrying illegal things with them. We need to be funding the schools and not funding, like, giving more money to the NRA. Bryan: There's been a lot of talk over the years about gun control and, you know, there are very strong sides in the U.S. on both sides of the issue, obviously. And there's a lot of money involved and lobbying and all of that kind of stuff. What do you hope to accomplish -- you and other students, other friends of yours -- through these marches, and the activism that's coming up now? Even though this has taken place in the past, do you think it’s a different time now? Sofia: By these marches, we’re hoping to accomplish, like, a change in mentality, so that people realize that we do have a voice, and even though we cannot vote yet, that we’re going to still - that we’re going to keep pushing so that people who do vote, can vote in a way that will protect all of us when we grow up. And that they understand that my generation is pushing really hard, and that when we are able to vote that things are definitely going to be changing. My generation is incredibly active and even though we cannot vote yet, when we can we are going to make a serious difference. Bryan: Well thanks so much for coming to Learning English. Good luck with your efforts from here. Sofia: Thank you.  

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2CIP3Ku
via IFTTT

Cambodian Rice Organization Facing Own Problems

  In a report last month, the Cambodian Rice Federation (CRF) warned the country's market for exports could be destroyed by secret or unlawful sales of rice. The report gave a long list of problems within the organization and the rice industry as a whole. It showed the deep problems and weaknesses in an industry that occupies a central place in Cambodia's society and economy. The CRF was founded in 2014 as part of an effort to strengthen and expand the country’s rice industry. Cambodia was exporting much less rice than its neighbors Thailand and Vietnam, reports showed. Last year, Cambodia exported about 700,000 tons of rice, a 17.3 percent increase over 2016 rice levels. Yet it exports less than Vietnam, which exported 6 million tons, and Thailand, which sold more than 11 million tons to overseas buyers over the same period. The reasons for Cambodia’s low export numbers are complex, the CRF report said. It raised concerns over a number of issues, such as price manipulation, conflicts of interest among the CRF’s leadership, favoritism and mistrust. The report also noted the issue of Vietnamese rice smuggling, which was once a taboo subject. In 2013, when the problem was discussed openly, Cambodian officials denied it existed. But in this report, the CRF said Vietnamese smuggling was a threat to the World Trade Organization and trade rules of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. The report said the smuggling made it difficult to follow the rules of origin since some rice reportedly was re-exported to a third country. It warned that this could damage Cambodia’s entire export market. Rules governing origination are different from one country to the next. For Cambodia, the biggest concern would be if smuggling would lead to cancellation of its preferential trade position within the European Union (EU). Cambodia says 43.54 percent of its rice exports last year went to EU member countries. A European Commission spokesperson told VOA that reports of wrongdoing involving a preferential market “need, of course, to be taken very seriously.” The spokesperson also said that Cambodia has to be sure that “the rice exported to the EU is fully homegrown.” In 2014, the CRF established a Cambodia Code of Conduct. Its rules barred businesses from exporting low cost rice from neighboring countries. Two years later the CRF said it was tightening border controls on illegal imports. It is not clear how effective the Code of Conduct has been. CRF deputy president Seu Rany said the CRF did not have any hard numbers on the amount of Vietnamese rice being smuggled into Cambodia but noted it remains a serious problem. "(Those) who smuggle the rice do not tell us through which gateway they do it so it's all secret," he said. The rice federation board is influenced by wealthy and politically connected business leaders at the top of the industry. It is led by Sok Puthyvuth, owner of the SOMA group, one of the biggest rice export companies.  Chhong Sophal is an officer with an independent national group of farmers associations called Farmer and Nature Net. He criticizes Cambodian rice farmers for lacking organization. He said the farmers were not able to establish a common price for their rice, so they often lost money. The rice federation’s report said the CRF leadership also appeared to have trouble recognizing differences between their official duties and business activities. It said the members attended meetings based on whether or not their interests would be affected. And it said they made "no clear effort to gather information about issues members are facing. Seu Rany said change would take time. He added that the CRF is a growing organization with a lot of work expected in the years to come.  "It is best to sit down and talk out individual problems and solve them along the way,” he said. That way, the farmer will survive and so will the rice millers and exporters." I'm Susan Shand.   David Boyle and Nem Sopheakpanha reported this story for VOANews.com. Susan Shand adapted the report for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   Manipulation – n. to deal with or control by artful or unfair activities Smuggle – v. to move (someone or something) from one country into another secretly or unlawfully Taboo – n. not acceptable to talk about or do Origin – n. beginning or creation of something Preferential – adj. helping a person or group of people Gateway – n. an opening

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2F6emLV
via IFTTT