Aung San Suu Kyi Holds Talks with Myanmar’s President

Myanmar’s opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi held talks Wednesday with President Thein Sein. The two discussed a smooth and peaceful transfer of power to the country's first democratically elected government. Myanmar, also known as Burma, has been led by the military for about 50 years. The brief meeting between the Nobel Peace Prize-winner and the outgoing president took place at the presidential residence in the capital, Naypyidaw. It was part of Aung San Suu Kyi's effort toward "national reconciliation" talks. The talks were announced shortly after the National League for Democracy, led by Aung San Suu Kyi, won a massive victory. The NLD gained a majority over the military-supported Union Solidarity and Development Party that ruled for 50 years. The election took place November 8. Aung San Suu Kyi later held an hour-long meeting with General Min Aung Hlaing, Myanmar's military chief. General Hlaing told reporters that the talks went well, but he did not give details. Under Myanmar's constitution, the military retains control of 25 percent of all parliamentary seats. The military also keeps control of several key government posts, including defense, interior and border security. Many in the country fear the military will ignore the results of last month's election and maintain its grip on power. In 1990, military rulers cast aside a landslide victory by the National League for Democracy, or NLD. Aung San Suu Kyi was put under house arrest for the next 20 years. But the president and general Hlaing have pledged to accept the results of the November election. Myanmar's constitution prevents the 70-year-old Aung San Suu Kyi from serving as president because her late husband and two sons are British. But she has suggested that she will rule through a proxy candidate. I’m Mario Ritter.   Richard Green reported this story for VOA news. Mario Ritter adapted it for VOA Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   Massive –adj. relating to a large amount or a high degree Retain –v. to continue to have or use something Pledge –v. a promise or agreement to do something Proxy –n. a person given the power or is permitted to do something for someone else

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Apple TV, Fire TV or Roku?

Making the most of television viewing no longer means watching what programs TV stations are showing now. Streaming media players give you more to watch than just stations. You can connect to video services such as Netflix, play games or listen to music. You also can use computer software applications and even set up your TV as a second video screen for your computer. But with all of the choices, you may have questions about which one to get. Each of the three streaming media players has a new model. Each has both strengths and weaknesses. The important thing is to find the one that works best for you. Features to Look for in a Streaming Media Player Price/Budget As with buying any tech, you need to balance your desires with your budget. The good news is that media players are available at different prices. So you can decide whether to pay more for the best one for you or save money and buy a different one. Future You may own this player for a while, so plan for the future as well as for today. You may not feel you need 4K video now. But you may want it in the future if 4K becomes the industry standard, much as HD is now. If the one you want has a small number of apps, you may want to wait until it gets more apps. Remote Most of these players come with remote controls. Your relationship with your remote may become important to you if you depend on it to use the player. Consider how easy the remote is to use, especially in the dark, and whether it offers voice control. What happens if you lose the device? Some players come with apps so you can operate them from your telephone or tablet computer. Games If you like to play games, be sure to get a player that offers game apps. Look at which game apps are available and read reviews of those apps. What to Watch Think about what you like to watch. If you enjoy watching Netflix, then you can get any player. If you like to watch Amazon videos or iTunes movies, your choices are more limited. Apps Do you want your streaming media player to do more than play videos on demand? Consider getting one that can use apps. The Players  Apple TV The new Apple TV has been available for about a month with new features such as voice control and Siri voice assistant. Ask Siri to search for a movie or TV show and you will see where it is available on your apps. The App Store has Apple TV apps for videos, gaming, travel and more. You can get apps such as Netflix and HBOGo. You can also play games using your Apple TV with the included remote or pair a game controller. Not many apps are available for the Apple TV yet. But you can expect more apps to come to the App Store in the future. You can link up your Mac computer, iPhone or iPad to Apple TV so that your television can show the program running on the device. The remote control has a screen that you touch, plus a few buttons that help you control what you watch. Apple TV does not currently connect to the Apple Remote app for your iPhone and iPad. You can connect a different remote control so you can still use the Apple TV if you lose the remote. Apple TV does not run video in 4K. A feature called What Did They Say? rewinds video 15 seconds and shows words on the screen when you missed what was spoken. Apple TV is best for those who have other Apple devices, such as Mac computers, iPhones and iPads. Apple TV is available for $149 for 32 GB, and $199 for 64 GB of storage.  Strengths Voice Control Siri Voice Assistant Apps Gaming iTunes Apple Music Can connect 3rd party game controllers Weaknesses No app for remote control Not many apps yet No 4K​ Read our full review of the Apple TV here. Fire TV Fire TV is a streaming media player from the American company Amazon. Fire TV has voice search, a voice assistant, apps and more. You can use the Fire TV app as a remote, including the voice feature. Amazon says Fire TV has over 3,000 apps available. They include some apps built for Android phones that do not work ideally on the Fire TV. The Fire TV comes with a feature called Advanced Streaming and Prediction, or ASAP. This feature recognizes what kinds of movies and shows you like and loads them onto your Fire TV so they are ready for you to watch without waiting. Fire TV is best for those who like to watch videos from Amazon. Fire TV is available for $99.99 with 8 GB. A gaming edition is available with a gaming controller and 40 GB of storage for $139.99.   Strengths Voice Assistant Amazon videos Apps Gaming 4K video display Remote app, including voice search Weaknesses Some available apps are not made for Fire TV​ Roku 4 Roku 4 has 4K and a useful feature called Remote Finder. It is a button on the player that makes a sound on the remote control. No more lost remotes! You can connect your headphones into the remote control and listen to the TV without anyone else hearing the sound. You can use the Roku app on your phone or tablet to control your Roku. The Roku 4 offers over 2,500 channels to watch videos. You can use voice search on the remote or Roku app to find your shows. Although the Roku 4 has a few games and apps, the player is mostly for streaming videos. The Roku 4 is best for those who want to watch shows, not use apps, on their TV. Roku 4 is $129.99. Strengths 4K video display Voice search Amazon Prime Videos 2500+ channels Remote app, including voice search Weaknesses No voice assistant Not many apps​ I’m Pete Musto.   Carolyn Nicander Mohr wrote this story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. Have you been thinking of getting a streaming media player? Which features are most important to you? Which streaming media player do you like best? Share your thoughts in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page! ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   view – v. to see or watch a movie or a TV show streaming – v. relating to or being the transfer of data as audio or video material in a continuous stream especially for immediate processing or playback. application – n. a computer program that performs a particular task such as word processing standard – n. a level of quality, achievement, etc., that is considered acceptable or desirable remote – n. a small device that is used to operate electronic equipment (such as a television) from a distance by using electronic signals screen – n. the usually flat part of a television or computer monitor that shows the images or text 4K - n. a minimum resolution of 3,840 pixels wide and 2,160 pixels high pixel - n. any one of the very small dots that together form the picture on a television screen or computer monitor HD – n. provides a resolution that is higher than that of standard-definition television tablet – n.  a very thin, portable computer that is usually battery-powered assistant - n. a person who helps someone GB – n. gigabyte gigabyte – n. a unit of computer information equal to 1,073,741,824 bytes storage – n. space for placing information in computers pair- v. to put two people or things together rewind – v. to make a recording go backwards feature – n. an interesting or important part, quality or ability button – n. a small part of a machine that you push to make the machine work

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December 2, 2015

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

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December 1, 2015

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

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Rosa Parks Remembered for Refusal to Give up Bus Seat

Sixty years ago today, Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a segregated Montgomery, Alabama bus, launching a year long boycott that catapulted the Civil Rights movement in the United States.

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Rosa Parks, #GivingTuesday, World AIDS Day, and Psy

  This is What's Trending Today... Remembering Rosa Parks On December 1, 1955, an African-American woman named Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat at the front of a city bus. She became an icon in the Civil Rights movement in America. Today is the 60th anniversary of Rosa Parks standing up to racism. Many people used social media to remember the role she played in American history: Many on Twitter also remarked on Rosa Park’s impact in today’s Black Lives Matter movement. #GivingTuesday December 1 was also #GivingTuesday. The day of giving follows America’s two biggest shopping days of the year, Black Friday and Cyber Monday. #GivingTuesday encourages people to volunteer or donate to charities and nonprofit organizations. The 24-hour online movement started in 2012. It uses social media to inspire people to give. The hashtag #unselfie goes along with #GivingTuesday. Twitter users post messages or photos to tell what causes or organizations they supported on #GivingTuesday. #Unselfie is a play on the word “selfie” and is meant to represent generosity. World AIDS Day Around the world on December 1, people marked World AIDS Day. On social media, images of red ribbons took over news feeds. Red ribbons are a symbol of support for people living with HIV. Thirty-seven million people around the world are living with the disease. The World AIDS Day organization created the hashtag #RethinkHIV. It also created social media posts for people to share, in hopes of helping people better understand HIV.   PSY Three years after his viral music video Gangnam Style, South Korean pop star Psy is back in the spotlight. He released a new video, Daddy, on Monday. His new album came out on Tuesday. It is called “Psy 7th album.” Like Gangnam Style the lyrics of Psy’s new songs are in English and Korean. Fans call his Daddy video just as crazy as his 2012 viral hit. Daddy received 6 million views on YouTube in 24 hours. Although those are impressive numbers, Psy told AFP he thinks there’s “no chance” that Daddy will reach the success of Gangnam Style. Gangnam Style was the first YouTube video to reach 1 billion views. Today, it is still the most-watched YouTube video ever. And that's What's Trending Today. I'm Ashley Thompson. ________________________________________________________________ Words on This Story   nonprofit - adj. not done for the purpose of making money cause - n.  something (such as an organization, belief, idea, or goal) that a group or people support or fight for generosity - n. the quality of being kind, understanding, and not selfish viral - adj. relating to or involving an image, video, piece of information, etc., that is circulated rapidly and widely from one Internet user to another.

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UK Minorities More Likely Than Whites to Attend University

For VOA Learning English, this is the Education Report: A surprising new study says minority students in the UK are more likely to go to college than their poor white classmates. In fact, poor white British students are the least likely of all groups to go to university. The researchers said they were surprised by what they found. White British students did not have the highest educational attainment at school. Attainment means how well the students show knowledge and skills on tests. Poor white British students' participation rate at university was “much lower” than ethnic minorities.  Ellen Greaves is one of the authors. "That was a very interesting and surprising finding. The proportion of peoples from Pakistani, from Bangladeshi, from Black Caribbean groups, who all have typically lower attainment on average … for them to be going in much higher rates on to university was the big surprise." The researchers first wanted to know which British students went to college. From government data, they measured students' attainment, finances and ethnicity. Some of the results were predictable, the authors found. Such as, poor students of any ethnic group are less likely to go to college. And that women are more likely to go to college than men. Or that students from Chinese and Indian families are more likely to go to college than other ethnic groups. That mirrors gender and ethnic proportions in the U.S., too. Schools in London improve But if some ethnic minorities are less likely to do well on tests, how are they more likely to attend university? One reason is that schools in England’s large cities, where minorities tend to live, have improved greatly over the past decade. That is particularly true in London. And that may give minorities a better chance at going to college. Better school policies and programs are likely why schools in London have had success. London Challenge, first established in 2003, and Teach First, first launched in 2002, are two better-known programs. However, a team of researchers found that London schools started to improve before London Challenge, Teach First and other programs. They say that even if government programs can explain part of the success of schools in London, they can't explain all of it. How to interpret the findings? Some people are pessimistic about the findings of the study. They emphasize that poor white British students are falling behind ethnic minorities. Experts have suggested that white British students are less motivated, or do not have the same expectations about higher education.   Others are optimistic about the findings. They believe that the study shows that immigrants want a better education for their children. Professor Alan Smithers, at Buckingham University, said: “Ethnic minorities value education more than the white British do.” Many immigrants move to a new country with high hopes for their children. They encourage their children to do well in school. As a result, their children become more likely to go to college. But these stories – whether correct or incorrect – remain difficult to prove. In the UK, many minorities are not immigrants. Studying the motivation of groups of people, regardless of ethnicity, is very difficult. Greaves, when discussing her findings, was careful with her language. "Something about these ethnic groups is – whether it's about aspirations or expectations or whatever it is – something is making the disadvantage not be there." Discrimination in college admissions? Even if minorities are more likely to enter college in the UK, there are still concerns about discrimination. Research by Vikki Boliver, from Durham University, suggests that minority students are less likely to receive admissions offers at elite universities. What the new research shows is that the number of minorities who make it to college, out of the whole group of minorities, is high. Because such a huge number of minorities apply, the proportion of minorities accepted at university is also higher. International Perspectives Most countries in the world have difficulty educating all of their citizens. The US is not immune from this problem. In the US, minorities, particularly black and Hispanic students, do not do as well in school. They are less likely than white or Asian students to do well on tests. Poverty, health issues, difficult home environments, and language problems are among possible reasons. Overall, in the US and the UK, there is a similar pattern: Some minority groups score lower on tests. Students from low-income families score lower on tests. They are also less likely to go to college. Whether discrimination, poverty or bad teaching is behind the problem, the policy question remains the same: What is the best way to improve the quality of education for children and correct for disadvantages? Researchers Greaves and Claire Crawford, Ph.D, used government data to follow public school students in the UK from 2002 until 2008. Each year, there were around 500,000 new students included in their study. For VOA Learning English, I'm John Russell. And I'm Jill Robbins. John Russell wrote this story for Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. What do you think of this story? Is there a similar situation where you live? Write to us in the Comments section or on our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   attainment – n. a skill or ability gained by practice or training proportion – n. an amount that is a part of a whole emphasize – v. to give special attention to something  motivate – v. to give (someone) a reason for doing something disadvantage – n.  something that causes difficulty : something that makes someone or something worse or less likely to succeed than others contradict – v. to say the opposite of (something that someone else has said)   ​

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US Gas Prices Fall to Lowest Prices Since 2004

Gasoline prices in the United States are nearing their lowest since 2004. While most of the world sells gas by the liter, the United States sells gas by the gallon. Either way, most of the world pays much more for gas and fuel than the U.S. The average price in the U.S. was $2.06 per gallon for unleaded regular, according to the American Automobile Association (AAA). That is about 54 cents per liter. The average price dropped another penny over the Thanksgiving holiday to 53 cents per liter. That is according to GasBuddy.com, a service that reports on U.S. gas prices. That would be 21 cents per liter less than a year ago, and 34 cents cheaper per liter than in 2013, GasBuddy says. Because nearly 90 percent of Americans will travel by car over the winter holidays, the savings will add up.   The average cost to fill a car in the United States last week was $28.84. That compares to $45.92 in 2013, for a savings of around $20. The lowest prices were in Indiana, South Carolina, Alabama, Missouri, Texas and Mississippi, AAA said. All five states have average prices of 49 cents per liter or less. The highest prices were in states west of the U.S. Rockies. Hawaii had the highest prices, at 74 cents per liter, followed by California, at 71 cents per liter. The lower prices are a result of oversupply, according to GasBuddy. Prices vary in the United States based on state taxes and the local supply of gasoline from nearby refineries. Worldwide, the lowest average gasoline prices were in Venezuela, just 1.6 cents per liter, according to GlobalPetrolPrices.com. Libya, Saudi Arabia, Algeria and Kuwait offered gas at less than 26 cents per liter ($1 a gallon), the website reported. The highest average prices are in the Netherlands at $1.87 per liter; Norway at $1.74 per liter; and the United Kingdom at $1.68 per liter. The prices differ based on available supplies, taxes imposed by governments and the amount of subsidies. Venezuela not only produces oil, but heavily subsidizes gasoline to keep prices near zero. I'm Jonathan Evans. Bruce Alpert reported on this story for VOA Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section or discuss how much you are paying for gasoline near your home on our Facebook page.​ _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   liter – n. a metric unit for the volume of a liquid or gas; there are 3.79 liters in a gallon destination – n. a place where someone is going or something is being sent assumes – v. to think or believe something is true without proven facts slid – v.  to slide or drop benficary – n. a person, organization, etc., that is helped by something trend – n. a general direction of change delighted – v. made very happy oversupply – n. an amount of something that is more than is needed or wanted projection – n. an estimate of what might happen in the future based on what is happening now subsidies -- n. money that is paid usually by a government to keep the price of a product or service low or to help a business or organization to continue to function deter – v. to cause (someone) to decide not to do something decline – n. to become lower in amount or less in number  

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Ethiopia Circus Helps Youths to Juggle Life

  Circus groups from seven African countries showcased their skills over the weekend at the first African Circus Arts Festival in Ethiopia. Juggling, balancing, gymnastics and other circus tricks were on display. The circus is an up-and-coming art form in Africa. Most of the performers are young people who come from difficult backgrounds. Sabrina Pezzei organized the event. She said it helps young people gain confidence in themselves. “It gives them also the opportunity to be socialized. It gives the opportunity to perform on stage and to be proud of themselves. It gives them self-esteem, self confidence.” One performer said he might have gotten into gangs and drugs, like some of his family members, if it had not been for the circus. He now specializes in the trapeze. The circus groups call themselves “social,” this means they focus on attracting young performers who might otherwise have difficulty integrating into society. One group from Ethiopia is called Circus Debre Behan. Some of its members are disabled, but that does not stop them from touring the world. The group’s artistic manager said the members receive training, start to perform, and can earn money. With the money, they can change their life and the lives of their family members. Eighty-five artists from all over Africa came to perform at the event. The circus was supported by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the European Union and other partners. I’m ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Mario Ritter.   Marthe Van Der Wolf wrote this story for VOA News. Dan Friedell adapted it for Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. Is there a circus where you live? Do they do something for the community like these in Africa? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section or on our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   circus – n. a traveling show often performed in a tent and includes trained animals, clowns and acrobats disabled – adj. not able to perform (such as walking or seeing) because of illness, injury, etc. divert – v. to take attention from something or someone festival – n. an organized series of performances gang – n. a group of young people who do illegal things showcase – n. an event, occasion, etc., that shows the abilities or good qualities of someone or something in an attractive or favorable way trapeze – n. a swing high above the ground that circus performers perform athletic tricks on up-and-coming – adj. becoming more successful, important, and well known

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Dead Bodies in Mystery Boats Wash Up in Japan

At least 11 damaged wooden boats carrying bodies drifted into seas near Japan over the past month, Japanese Coast Guard officials say. Most of the boats had fishing equipment, nets and signs containing words in Korean, the Associated Press reported. One boat carried a North Korean People’s Army sign. Japan’s Coast Guard spokesman, Yoshiaki Hiroto, would not confirm the boats came from  North Korea, according to the Associated Press. He said the wrecked boats are apparently from the Korean Peninsula. He also said the small boats the Japanese Coast Guard discovered are not typical of boats used in South Korea. What did officials find? Japanese officials say dozens of damaged boats drift toward Japan every year. On November 20, officials found four bodies in two capsized, or overturned, boats. They were off the coast of Ishikawa prefecture, Japanese officials said. Two days later, seven bodies were found inside another wooden boat off the Fukui prefecture. Many of the bodies are in such bad shape that it has been impossible to determine the cause of death, Japanese officials said. They said some of the wrecked boats were used for fishing, and that some fishermen may have been trying to defect to Japan. I’m Kelly Jean Kelly. VOA News reported on this story for VOANews.com. Bruce Alpert adapted this story for Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section or share your views on our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story origin – n. the point or place where something begins or is created decomposed – adj. to cause something (such as dead plants and the bodies of dead animals) to be slowly destroyed and broken down by natural processes drifted – v. a slow and gradual movement or change from one place, condition, etc., to another prefecture – n. any one of the areas into which some countries (such as Japan and France) are divided for local government defect – v.  to leave a country, political party, organization, etc., and go to a different one that is a competitor or an enemy    

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COP21, Kobe Bryant, Cyber Monday

  Climate change on the Agenda The hashtag #COP21 started trending over the weekend ahead of the United Nations’ conference on climate change. What is COP21? It stands for the 21st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. World leaders like U.S. President Barack Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke about this year’s conference as a new beginning. Xi called the summit “a new starting point.” Obama said, “Our generation may not even live to see the full realization of what we do here.” But it’s a tweet from outer space that has received all the attention. American astronaut Scott Kelly wrote, “From space, we are privileged to see the beauty of Earth, but also our impact on its environment.”  The tweet was liked over 4,000 times in seven hours. Kobe Bryant makes retirement plans Basketball star Kobe Bryant has been grabbing headlines his entire career. Bryant was a teenager when he entered the NBA draft straight out of high school. He won five NBA titles with the Los Angeles Lakers. He even scored 81 points in one game in 2006 – the second-highest single-game total ever. On Sunday night, Bryant announced he would retire at the end of this season. Bryant made the announcement with a poem on the website The Players’ Tribune. Bryant wrote, “This season is all I have left to give. My heart can take the pounding. My mind can handle the grind. But my body knows it’s time to say goodbye.” By Monday morning in the U.S., the word “Kobe” was the subject of over one million tweets. Bryant will retire after 20 seasons in the league. He missed almost all of the last two seasons due to major injuries. Bryant will finish his career with the third-most career points in NBA history. Cyber Monday after Black Friday This is the time of year retail businesses in the U.S. look to start making money. Businesses offer customers discounts and incentives to make them come to stores and shop. The day after Thanksgiving is called “Black Friday.” It refers to the first time all year businesses are “in the black” or making profit. With more businesses selling their goods online, the Monday after Thanksgiving has the name “Cyber Monday.” There were over two million Google searches with the term “Cyber Monday” on Sunday alone for discounts on computers, clothes and shoes. Perhaps some businesses hyped the big day too much. Target’s website could not handle the traffic and had to slow down. Some users got the message “So sorry, but high traffic’s causing delays.” One Twitter user was a little disappointed that he could not access the sales on Target’s website.   The website CNBC.com said PayPal had trouble keeping up with demand, too. I’m Jonathan Evans.   Dan Friedell wrote this story for Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. Does your country have a good plan for climate change? Do you think we can make a difference today for future generations? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section or on our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   grab – v. to get the attention or interest of (someone or something) hype – v. to talk or write about (something or someone) in a way that is intended to make people excited or interested score – v. to get points, goals, runs, etc., in a game or contest draft – v. a system by which professional sports teams choose players from college or high school teams — usually singular

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