Hollywood Works To Eliminate Gender Pay Gap

When actors receive their Academy Award – known as the Oscar – they often thank their producer, director, various family members and even their agent. Last February, Patricia Arquette won the Best Supporting Actress award for her role in the film “Boyhood.” She used her moment on stage to call attention to pay inequality in Hollywood. "… it is our time to have wage equality once and for all and equal rights for women in the United States of America.” Arquette was talking about a political issue in America. For the same job, women are paid around 77 cents that men are paid $1 an hour. It is called the gender pay gap. Forbes magazine listed how much Hollywood actresses earn every year. The magazine ranked actresses Jennifer Lawrence as the top earner with a $52 million for 2015. Scarlett Johannson came in second at $35.5 million. The Forbes list included international stars. Chinese actress Bingbing Fan came in fourth with $21 million in earnings. There’s no doubt these women are rich. But the question is: Should they be richer? According to Forbes, only four actresses earned more than $20 million. Twenty-one actors, on the other hand, made at least that much. Overall, top actors like Robert Downey, Jr. and Jackie Chan earn hundreds of millions of dollars more than their female colleagues. This isn’t a problem only in the movie business. It tends to be an issue throughout the workforce. The American Association of University Women (AAUW) studied the pay gap earlier this year. The organization used the American Community Survey. It asks different questions than a census does. Most of the questions are about the cost of living in the U.S. The most recent data from the survey came out in 2014 and showed men earn about 21-percent more than women in all industries. Sony hacking revealed gender pay gap When Sony Pictures was hacked last year, thousands of private emails became public. Some of them included information about how much money the stars of the movie “American Hustle” earned. Jennifer Lawrence was one of those actors. She didn’t earn as much as her male castmates: Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper and Jeremy Renner. Thanks to Arquette and other women, Hollywood celebrities are talking about pay inequality. Tough or confrontational? The first issue seems to be the idea that when a man negotiates, he’s seen as being “tough.” When a woman does the same thing, she’s seen as confrontational and difficult. Some similar words were used to describe Hollywood actresses like Lawrence. Lawrence recently wrote a commentary for the web magazine, Lenny. She wrote about not wanting to seem “difficult” or “spoiled” when negotiating with producers. She makes the point that men and women are conditioned to behave differently when it comes to getting what they want. “I was busy worrying about coming across as a brat [instead of] not getting my fair share,” Lawrence wrote. Bradley Cooper and Jeremy Renner, who also appeared in “American Hustle,” shared their opinions about the gender pay gap. Cooper said he would work to help actresses negotiate better contracts. Renner first said it was not “his job” to worry about his co-stars contracts. But he then explained on Twitter that people should be rewarded “by their merit or service.” (https://twitter.com/Renner4Real/status/657665413707374592) Will Hollywood address the pay gap? How can Hollywood learn to reward men and women equally? Can the lessons from Hollywood be applied elsewhere? Dr. Martha Lauzen is a researcher at San Diego State University. She says women hiring managers tend to hire other women. Lauzen looked at the top 700 films in 2014. She found that if the director was a woman, the writer would be female, too, more than half the time. But if the director was a man, only 8 percent of writers were women. In a conversation with Entertainment Weekly, Lauzen said the decision to pay men and women equally in Hollywood still rests on the shoulders of the studio executives. “Why aren’t we hearing from the major film studios? They are the ones who could change the gender dynamic. And they are silent. There has to be a will to change,” she said. California’s Fair Pay Act California lawmakers credited Arquette’s speech with helping them to pass the Fair Pay Act in October. The new law requires businesses to pay employees doing the same job the same level of pay. So all accountants must be paid equally. Small differences based on experience or work quality are allowed. The same applies to actors and actresses. The law also requires all industries make salaries more transparent. Employees usually are nervous about revealing their pay to others. But the bill states that employees can speak openly about their pay without fear of retaliation from their employer. “There is now another tool in the toolbox for female actors to speak out,” said labor lawyer Seth Neulight to the Los Angeles Times.     I’m _____________.   Dan Friedell wrote this story for Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. How are men and women paid differently in your country? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section or on our Facebook page.     ____________________________________________________   Words in This Story   absurd – adj. extremely silly, foolish, or unreasonable : completely ridiculous brat– n. a child who behaves very badly : an annoying child hack – v. to secretly get access to the files on a computer or network in order to get information, cause damage, etc. counterpart – n. someone or something that has the same job or purpose as another confrontational – adj. challenging or opposing someone especially in an angry way condition – v. to train or influence (a person or an animal) to do something or to think or behave in a certain way because of a repeated experience — often used as (be) conditioned negotiation – n. a formal discussion between people who are trying to reach an agreement : an act of negotiating simmer – v. to continue for a long time without producing a definite result studio – n. a company that makes movies reveal - v. to make something known retaliation - n. the act of doing something bad to someone who has hurt you

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Nigerian Villagers: Oil Company Failed to Clean Up Spills

Villagers in the Niger River delta area of Nigeria say they live in unclean conditions because oil companies have not cleaned up spills. The claims against Shell Oil Company and Italian Oil’s ENI were published in a report earlier this year by Amnesty International, a rights group. Shell blames the pollution on oil theft and illegal refining. Shell and ENI admitted to more than 550 oil spills in the Niger delta last year.   Documents released in a legal action in Britain showed Shell knew of pipeline problems in Nigeria. The documents said the company knew one of its main pipelines was old and dangerous. Four spill sites in Nigeria remain polluted. Shell claimed the sites were cleaned in 2011. Five pipelines meet at one of the sites, called the Bomu manifold. It is near the village of Kegbara Dere and is called Nigeria’s “oil central.” The pipelines carry 150,000 barrels of oil a day to an export terminal. Rusty pumps and 50-year-old pipes increase the chance for spills. Over the past five years, the Bomu manifold site continues to be contaminated.  Shell operates almost 50 oil fields in the Niger delta. The company also owns 5,000 kilometers of pipeline. Shell’s own investigation reported 1,693 oil spills and 350,000 lost barrels of oil in the area. I’m Christopher Jones-Cruise. Jim Dresbach wrote this story for Learning English, using information from Amnesty.org and TheGuardian.com. Kathleen Struck was the editor. _________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   delta – n. a piece of land shaped like a triangle that is formed when a river splits into smaller rivers before it flows into an ocean theft – n. the act or crime of stealing manifold – n. a device that diverts oil or gas, without flow interruption, from the well for disposal terminal – n. a central area to which oil is moved for distribution rusty – adj. covered with rust, a reddish substance that forms on iron or other metals, usually when it comes in contact with moisture or air We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section, or visit our Facebook page. 

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Lambert, Stapleton Win Big at CMA Awards

Country music singer Miranda Lambert has a great career going for herself. The key word being “herself.” For a few years, Lambert shared the spotlight with her equally famous husband, Blake Shelton. But the couple divorced earlier this year after being married for four years. Now Lambert is on her own again. And she won one of country music’s biggest awards on Wednesday night. Lambert earned the Female Vocalist of the Year award for the sixth year in a row. “I needed a bright spot this year,” she said. Shelton is perhaps more famous for his role as a judge on the television talent show “The Voice.” He confirmed rumors that he was dating another star singer, also a judge on “The Voice,” Gwen Stefani. Stefani is famous for singing with the rock band “No Doubt.” Shelton won last year’s Male Vocalist of the Year award but did not win anything this year. Instead, Chris Stapleton won three big awards. Stapleton’s album “Traveller” helped him win “male vocalist of the year,” “album of the year” and “new artist of the year.” The Reuters news agency called the awards “unexpected.” Luke Bryan won last year’s Entertainer of the Year award. He won again on Wednesday. But he deferred most of the spotlight to Stapleton, known more as a songwriter than a singer. Stapleton wrote hit songs for Bryan, Darius Rucker, George Strait and other country music starts before releasing his own album. “Watching Chris Stapleton have this night is so uplifting,” Bryan said. Stapleton said he dedicated his album to his father, who died two years ago. The three-hour show at a sports arena in Nashville was a mix of award presentations and live music performances. Most of the singers who received awards performed – including Stapleton, who sang a duet with pop singer Justin Timberlake. They performed Stapleton’s song “Tennessee Whiskey.” I’m Jim Tedder. ______________________________________________________ Words in This Story the spotlight – n. public attention or notice divorce – n. the ending of a marriage by a legal process entertain – v. to perform for (an audience): to provide amusement for (someone) by singing, acting, etc. defer – v. to choose to do (something) at a later time uplifting – adj. causing happy and hopeful feelings dedicate – v. to officially make (something) a place for honoring or remembering a person, event, etc. duet – n. a piece of music that is performed by two singers or musicians arena – n. a building for sports and other forms of entertainment that has a large central area surrounded by seats rumor – n. information or a story that is passed from person to person but has not been proven to be true

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'A Princess of Mars' by Edgar Rice Burroughs, Part One

American writer Edgar Rice Burroughs wrote about a man's journey from Earth to Mars and the world of strange beings he met there.

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Pakistan Victims Call for Help from Rubble Using Mobile Phones

Workers at a collapsed Pakistani factory begged for rescue and called for help on mobile phones Thursday. One of the trapped workers told a Pakistani television station the roof collapsed. Many workers were trapped in the basement, while others shouted for help through the fallen brick. Some used mobile phones to contact family and friends. The collapse killed at least 20 people, and 80 were hurt. Rescue officials said they believe 150 people were inside the multi-level factory. The top floor of the factory was under construction. It was difficult to determine who was inside because factory supervisors were among those trapped. The cause of the collapse is unknown. Some Pakistani officials believe the earthquake two weeks ago weakened the structure. Rescue and recovery machinery arrived for the rescue. Family members stood next to the machines and waited for trapped relatives to be found. At least 24 people were killed in September 2014 when a mosque collapsed.  A factory collapsed in February 2012 that killed 17 people, including children. I'm Anna Matteo.   Jim Dresbach wrote this story for Learning English VOA News. Kathleen Struck was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section and visit us at our Facebook Page.  ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story mobile – adj. able to be moved, in this case, a phone not connected by wires that is held by hand basement – n. the part of a building that is entirely or partly below the ground mosque – n. a place of religious worship by Muslims ​

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Volkswagen and Takata Shares Drop Amid Fresh Scandals

The price of Volkswagen AG shares dropped Wednesday as a scandal about its truthfulness continued. The German car maker said its emissions testing scandal was much bigger than previously believed. The German automaker said Tuesday it lied about carbon dioxide emissions from its cars. It said it gave wrong information to regulators. This could affect about 800,000 more cars and cost at least an extra $2 billion, reported the Wall Street Journal.  The Wall Street Journal reported that VW shares were down 8.4 percent after the market opened in Frankfurt. They fell 9 percent within 25 minutes of trading. Shares of Porsche Automobil Holding SE, a controlling shareholder of VW, fell 8 percent. Volkswagen is Europe’s largest automaker. The company did not say which cars were affected, reported the Wall Street Journal. Industry analysts said cars sold in Europe were probably affected. The U.S. government said Monday that VW cheated on emissions tests. The Associated Press reported that VW placed software in about 10,000 cars that reported false levels of pollution. The German automaker installed that device on VW, Porsche, and Audi vehicles. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and California Air Resources Board announced the findings Monday. The cars give off up to nine times more pollution than the amount allowed by the EPA. The EPA is a federal agency that focuses on protecting the environment. The new report is another blow to VW. In September, the German automaker admitted that up to 11 million cars globally could have the misleading devices. Volkswagen has reorganized top executives since the scandal emerged. The company said it contacted government agencies to fix the situation, reported the Wall Street Journal.  “Volkswagen would do well to immediately and completely disclose all people and products in this deception, no matter how far-reaching,” said Karl Brauer, a senior analyst for Kelley Blue Book, a well-known car valuation and research service.      Air bag maker Takata’s shares also fell Wednesday because of scandals. U.S. regulators fined the company Wednesday for producing defective airbags. Airbags inflate during accidents to protect drivers and passengers. The U.S. National Highway Transportation Safety Administration imposed a $200 million fine on Takata for failing to warn the public and government about the defective airbags. This was the largest civil penalty in the agency’s history. Honda Motors, Takata’s biggest client, said it would no longer buy airbags from the company, just hours after the announcement. Eight people have been killed and more than 100 others injured by airbags that didn’t work properly. The airbags exploded instead of inflated during accidents. All the accidents happened in cars made by Honda.  The defective airbags caused a recall of millions of cars globally, including 19 million in the U.S. I’m Mary Gotschall. Richard Green and Kenneth Schwartz reported part of this story for VOANews.com. Mary Gotschall adapted this story for Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. Do you have an opinion about this topic? Let us know what you think in the Comments section below, or on our Facebook page.  ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story scandals – n. an occurrence in which people are shocked and upset because of behavior that is morally or legally wrong emissions – n.  the act of producing or sending out something (such as energy or gas) from a source regulators – n. an official who works for the part of the government that controls a public activity (such as banking or insurance) by making and enforcing rules defective – adj. having a problem or fault that prevents something from working correctly : having a defect or flaw understated – v.  to say that (something) is smaller, less important, etc., than it really is carbon dioxide – noun phrase  Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a colorless, odorless gas, and it is the primary greenhouse gas emitted through human activities, according to the EPA  disclosures – n. the act of making something known : the act of disclosing something analyst – n. a person who studies or analyzes something pollutant – n. a substance that makes land, water, air, etc., dirty and not safe or suitable to use : something that causes pollution nitrogen oxide – noun phrase a mixture of gases composed of nitrogen and oxygen, given off by cars. It pollutes the air and causes acid rain, says GreenFacts.org. deception – n.  the act of making someone believe something that is not true : the act of deceiving someone    

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November 5, 2015

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

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VOA English Newscast: 1600 UTC November 5, 2015

  From Washington, this is VOA News. I’m Ira Mellman reporting. Signs are pointing to a terrorist attack against a Russian passenger plane. British officials say evidence points to the detonation of an explosive device as the cause of Saturday's mid-air breakup and crash of a Russian jetliner after it departed Sharm el-Sheikh airport in the Sinai bound for St. Petersburg, Russia. All 224 people on board the plane perished on the Metrojet A-321.  Wednesday, British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond spoke after meeting with his government's crisis response committee: "We believe there’s a significant possibility that the aircraft could have been brought down by an explosive device."  Experts are also examining the wreckage in the Sinai desert for any signs of terrorism, while some reports say forensic examinations have revealed shrapnel in some of the victims.  Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the disaster, but has so far yet not presented any firm evidence to back it up.  Top U.S. diplomats say 85 to 90 percent of Russian airstrikes in Syria have hit moderate Syrian rebels, not Islamic State targets. Assistant Secretary of State Anne Patterson was among those giving that assessment in testimony Wednesday before the House Foreign Affairs Committee.  “Despite our urging, Moscow has yet to stop the Assad regime’s horrific practice of barrel bombing the Syrian people. So we know Russia’s primary intent is to preserve the regime." Pentagon spokesman Colonel Steve Warren told reporters that less than 10 percent of Russian airstrikes in Syria are targeting the Islamic State group. Russian diplomats and military officials contend the air attacks are aimed at Islamic State extremists. During Wednesday’s hearing, committee chairman Ed Royce said Russia is taking a “decisive role in shaping Syria’s future, and not in a helpful way.” This is VOA News. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Newscast   plane – n. short for airplane detonation – n. explosion depart(ed) – v. to leave bound – adj. going to on board – adj. carried or happening on a vehicle perish(ed) – v. to die response – n. something that is done as a reaction or in answer to something else significant – adj. major; important aircraft – n. an airplane, helicopter or other flying machine forensic – adj. involving the use of scientific knowledge to solve crimes reveal(ed) – v. to show or make known shrapnel – n. small pieces or metal assessment – n. the act of making a judgment or forming an opinion about something testimony – n. statements made in a court of law despite – prep. without being prevented regime – n. a government or system of government practice – n. a custom; something that is done again and again barrel bombing – n. the use of low cost explosive devices primary – adj. leading or main preserve – v. to save and protect role – n. the part that something has in an activity or situation      

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Cameroon Medical Group Urges Government to Close Illegal Hospitals

The National Medical Council in Cameroon is calling on government officials to close 1,000 hospitals it says are operating illegally. The council says the hospitals do not have enough trained medical workers and equipment. It says the medical centers are endangering the lives of millions of people. But some of the centers have trained, part-time medical workers. These doctors and nurses work in more than one clinic as a way to increase their earnings. And some doctors have left their jobs at government-operated hospitals and opened clinics so they can earn more money. This is not a new problem for Cameroon. And it seems to be growing. Early last year, VOA reported that the Ministry of Health had identified 600 illegal hospitals and clinics. Then, like today, it said they were responsible for causing deaths. More than a year and a half ago, the health minister said the government would target illegal clinics and close them if they did not have permission to operate.    Cameroon’s medical council now says 200 medical centers are operating illegally in the capital, Yaounde. Reporter Moki Edwin Kindzeka visited one such clinic recently. He spoke with Yannick Ahanda, one of 20 people waiting for medical care. He says he likes to go to private clinics because patients do not need to wait a long time to see a doctor or nurse. He adds that at government hospitals, patients are sometimes told after a long wait to return later because the doctor is not there or at a conference. He also says health care is better at private hospitals and clinics. An ambulance has brought a 66-year-old woman to the Yaounde central hospital. Sylvie Manga is her daughter. She says her family turned to the hospital for specialized care after several failed attempts to treat her mother at a private clinic. “You will not imagine that they operate and they forget pieces of cloth, they forget it in the stomach. We carried the patient back home. After some time, we discover that the wound is not getting healed. When we take her back to the hospital, she is operated (on) again and the pieces is removed.” Tetanye Ekoe is vice president of the medical council. He says the group cannot stay silent while people suffer because of poor care from untrained workers. Professor Ekoe says there are more than 1,000 illegal and secret hospitals and medical schools throughout the country. He says many use unqualified doctors, laboratory technicians and others to treat patients. More than 500 medical doctors and 5,000 nurses are trained in Cameroon every year. But in 1996, when the economy worsened, the pay of doctors was reduced by 60 percent -- to about $300 per month. Dr. Viban Eugene owns a private medical facility. He says some doctors open clinics so they can earn more money. He says patients get better care at clinics than at government hospitals. “There he’s gonna take more care, there he’s gonna take more time to give adequate care. But in the hospital there are so many people, so many patients, he is not going to get more time.” The medical council says all doctors working in such hospitals and clinics who are not council members are practicing illegally. The World Health Organization says Cameroon has only about 25 percent of the doctors it needs. It estimates that Cameroon has one doctor for every 40,000 citizens. The country is home to 22-million people. I’m Christopher Jones-Cruise. Moki Edwin Kindzeka reported this story from Yaounde. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted it for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. _________________________________________________________________ Words in The News   clinic – n. a place where people get medical help facility – n. something (such as a building or large piece of equipment) that is built for a specific purpose; a center prefer – v. to like (someone or something) better than someone or something else stomach – n. the organ in your body where food goes and begins to be break up after you swallow it unqualified – adj. not having the skills, knowledge or experience needed to do a job or activity adequate – adj. good enough; satisfactory We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page.  

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November 4, 2015

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

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VOA English Newscast: 2100 UTC November 4, 2015

  From Washington, this is VOA News. I’m Dave DeForest reporting. Questions remain about the cause of last weekend’s plane crash in Egypt. Britain said Wednesday it is increasingly concerned that a bomb brought down the Russian jetliner that crashed last Saturday over the Sinai Peninsula. British authorities dispatched a team of aviation experts to assess security before British flights are allowed to leave the region. Meanwhile, the Islamic State renewed its claims to have brought down the plane, challenging skeptics to prove otherwise. Authorities say they have not found any evidence of a missile attack Assistant Secretaries of State Anne Patterson and Victoria Nuland have told a Congressional panel that 85 to 90 percent of Russian airstrikes in Syria have hit moderate Syrian rebels, not Islamic State targets. The two testified Wednesday before the House Foreign Affairs Committee.  Taiwan's President Ma Ying-jeou will hold talks with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Singapore this Saturday. Bill Ide reports. China says the talks will be a major, historic milestone in the development of cross-Strait ties. According to an official statement read on state media, China says that during the talks, the two cross-Strait leaders will exchange views on promoting the peaceful development of cross Taiwan Strait relations and deepening ties. Taiwan opposition politicians are already voicing concern about the closed door talks. And protesters have begun to rally in the capital of Taipei. Bill Ide, Beijing. A U.S. defense official says Defense Secretary Ash Carter and his Malaysian counterpart, Hisham-muddin Hussein, will board a U.S. warship sailing in the South China Sea Thursday. The two will board the U.S. aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt as it sails in the South China Sea off the coast of Malaysia.    This is VOA News.   Words in This News jetliner – n. a large jet airplane authorities – n. officials dispatch(ed) – v. to send aviation – adj. related to or involving the business of flying airplanes or helicopters assess – v. to make a judgment about something allow(ed) – v. to let or permit region – n. an area renew(ed) – v. to make new or begin again challenging – v. to question or dispute something skeptic(s) – n. an individual who questions claims or statements otherwise – adv. in a different way panel – n. a committee or group testify – v. to give evidence in court or to government representatives milestone – n. an important point in the development of something view(s) – n. ideas or opinions promoting – v. in support of; to help or assist rally – v. to gather or come together for a purpose counterpart – n. someone with the same or similar job or position board – v. to get on or enter   We want to hear from you. Write to us in the comments section. 

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