Central Bank Chief Says Job Market Is Improving

The head of the United States central bank says she expects the U.S. job market to continue to improve. Janet Yellen says the inflation rate should rise close to a yearly rate of 2 percent. That inflation rate would keep prices stable and support the economy, says the central bank, or Federal Reserve System. Too much inflation and prices rise too high, too fast. Not enough inflation and prices and growth remain flat or decline. Currently, inflation is well below one percent. Many economists interpret Yellen’s comments as a signal that the Federal Reserve might raise the key interest rate on December 16. The Federal Reserve has considered increasing important interest rates for a long time. But it has been cautious about making rate changes, fearing that the economy would react badly. In a speech to the Economic Club of Washington on Wednesday, Federal Reserve Chairperson Yellen said she expects the effects of a strong U.S. dollar and faltering foreign markets to decrease over time. She cautioned that bad economic reports could still delay any rate increase.  The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday that the economy gained 211,000 jobs in November. Unemployment remained at five percent, its lowest level in seven years. The Federal Reserve cut an important interest rate to almost zero during the financial crisis of 2007 and 2008. The idea was to make it less costly for businesses to borrow the money needed for new equipment. Less costly loans help to create jobs, and cut unemployment.  Since those economic stimulus efforts, unemployment has fallen from 10 percent to 5 percent. A new report from Georgetown University says under-employment, lacking a job that pays enough, has also been cut sharply, especially for people with college degrees.  Some economic studies published Wednesday may increase the likelihood of a rate increase. ADP is a company that processes 24 million paychecks for companies across the United States. It says employment rose by 217,000 in November.  A separate opinion survey of U.S. workers by the company Gallup shows many more companies say they are hiring than are worrying about layoffs.  CoreLogic is a company that tracks the housing industry. It says its newest studies show a decrease in home sales related to foreclosure or other kinds of distress.  Foreclosures take place when banks reclaim homes because their owners cannot pay their loans. Foreclosures and other problems increased sharply during the financial crisis of 2007 and 2008.  A decline in "distressed" home sales shows an improving housing industry. I’m Mario Ritter.   Jim Randle reported this story from Washington. Mario Ritter adapted it for VOA Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. How's the economy where you live? Are there enough jobs? Please let us know what you think by leaving a Comment or posting on our Facebook page.  _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   stable – adj. in a good state or condition that is not easily changed or likely to change cautious – adj. careful about avoiding danger or risk faltering – adj. to weaken or fail stimulus – n. something that causes something else to happen, a policy of supporting economic activity  

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In Rare Oval Office Address, Obama Tries to Calm Americans

U.S. President Barack Obama made a rare televised address from the Oval Office on Sunday night to calm Americans’ fears after the attacks in San Bernardino and Paris. The president said, “As commander in chief, I have no greater responsibility than the security of the American people.” He tried to connect the average American people with images of his own daughters, images of a holiday party where 14 people were killed in the latest shooting, and “the faces of the young people killed in Paris.” Obama said, “the threat from terrorism is real, but we will overcome it” and vowed to destroy the Islamic State, also known as ISIL. He asked Americans not to abandon "our values or giving into fear.” Speaking from a lectern in the Oval Office, the president reiterated his plan to defeat IS, but would not commit to sending ground troops to Syria and Iraq. The president ordered his administration to review the visa waiver program that the female shooter from San Bernardino used to enter the U.S. He called on Congress to pass a law preventing those on the no-fly list from buying weapons. He also used the 14-minute speech to ask for a ban on assault weapons. The address is only the third Oval Office address of Obama's presidency. The last such address was in August 2010. Obama used it to announce the end of U.S. combat operations in Iraq. American presidents have used the Oval Office to make major announcements to the nation. Richard Nixon used it to announce his resignation and Ronald Reagan used it after the Challenger shuttle explosion. George W. Bush addressed the nation from the Oval Office following the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11. Americans are concerned about terrorist attacks Obama’s address came amid concern on the rise of the Islamic State militants and the increasing threat of terrorism after the attacks in Paris and San Bernardino. Attorney General Loretta Lynch spoke with NBC’s “Meet the Press” earlier on Sunday. She said, “This horrific attack [in San Bernardino, California] has people on edge and frightened. We’ve lost so many victims and people were wounded. People are concerned and we understand that.” April is a California resident. She had this to say to a VOA reporter, “It’s really scary because ISIS has bombs and everything… And bombs could take out a whole city.” Another Californian, Erika said, “I mean, when the Paris thing happened, we heard on the news that obviously we (the United States) were targeted too.” A Quinnipiac University poll conducted shortly after the Paris attacks confirmed these fears. The poll, released the day after the December 2 shooting in California, says most American voters believe a major terrorist attack in the U.S. in the near future is "very likely" or "somewhat likely." Tim Malloy is the assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Poll. He added that, "More than 80 percent say it's likely and a large majority says the government isn't doing enough to prevent it."  Presidential candidates weigh in Hillary Clinton is the leading 2016 Democratic contender. In an appearance on ABC's This Week, the former Secretary of State called for a "much more robust air campaign" against Islamic State targets in Iraq and Syria. She added the United States needs "much better help" from Sunni and Kurdish groups on the ground fighting the insurgents, but ruled out sending in U.S. ground forces, as has President Barack Obama. Donald Trump is the leading Republican presidential contender. The businessman told CBS's Face the Nation that he would be open to racial profiling and investigate people suspected of terrorism. He said he would be "very tough on families," and would "go after the wives" of attackers. Jeb Bush is another Republican candidate. The former Florida governor and the son and brother of two U.S. presidents, told ABC that Islamic State fighters "are at war with us. We need to destroy them." FBI investigation continues Meanwhile, the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating the San Bernardino attack as an act of terrorism. FBI Director James Comey, however, said there was no indication that a foreign terrorist group directed the attack. The FBI is trying to find out why Syed Farook and Tashfeen Malik shot and killed their co-workers at a holiday party. The agency is investigating their background in Pakistan and travel in Saudi Arabia. Farook and Malik had left their six-month-old girl with relatives before the shooting. They fled after the attack that killed 14 people and injured many others. But they were killed during an exchange of gunfire with police. Police also found pipe bombs, bomb-making materials and thousands of rounds of ammunition in their home. On Saturday, the Islamic State group said on its English-language radio broadcast that the two were its "soldiers.” In its Arabic-language radio broadcast, the group called them "supporters” without claiming responsibility for the attack. Malik posted a message on Facebook under a different name pledging allegiance to the Islamic State at the time of the attack. Others who carried out mass killings also pledged loyalty to IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi on social media. After the California shooting, some IS supporters posted messages on Arabic social media to congratulate the killers and to promise more attacks in the United States.   Hai Do wrote this story for VOA Learning English with additional materials from VOA's Michael Bowman and the Associated Press. Kathleen Struck was the editor.

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Transcript of President Obama's Oval Office Address, Dec. 6, 2015

THE PRESIDENT:  Good evening.  On Wednesday, 14 Americans were killed as they came together to celebrate the holidays.  They were taken from family and friends who loved them deeply. They were white and black; Latino and Asian; immigrants and American-born; moms and dads; daughters and sons.  Each of them served their fellow citizens and all of them were part of our American family. Tonight, I want to talk with you about this tragedy, the broader threat of terrorism, and how we can keep our country safe. The FBI is still gathering the facts about what happened in San Bernardino, but here is what we know.  The victims were brutally murdered and injured by one of their coworkers and his wife.  So far, we have no evidence that the killers were directed by a terrorist organization overseas, or that they were part of a broader conspiracy here at home.  But it is clear that the two of them had gone down the dark path of radicalization, embracing a perverted interpretation of Islam that calls for war against America and the West.  They had stockpiled assault weapons, ammunition, and pipe bombs.  So this was an act of terrorism, designed to kill innocent people. Our nation has been at war with terrorists since al Qaeda killed nearly 3,000 Americans on 9/11.  In the process, we’ve hardened our defenses -- from airports to financial centers, to other critical infrastructure.  Intelligence and law enforcement agencies have disrupted countless plots here and overseas, and worked around the clock to keep us safe.  Our military and counterterrorism professionals have relentlessly pursued terrorist networks overseas -- disrupting safe havens in several different countries, killing Osama bin Laden, and decimating al Qaeda’s leadership. Over the last few years, however, the terrorist threat has evolved into a new phase.  As we’ve become better at preventing complex, multifaceted attacks like 9/11, terrorists turned to less complicated acts of violence like the mass shootings that are all too common in our society.  It is this type of attack that we saw at Fort Hood in 2009; in Chattanooga earlier this year; and now in San Bernardino.  And as groups like ISIL grew stronger amidst the chaos of war in Iraq and then Syria, and as the Internet erases the distance between countries, we see growing efforts by terrorists to poison the minds of people like the Boston Marathon bombers and the San Bernardino killers.  For seven years, I’ve confronted this evolving threat each morning in my intelligence briefing.  And since the day I took this office, I’ve authorized U.S. forces to take out terrorists abroad precisely because I know how real the danger is.  As Commander-in-Chief, I have no greater responsibility than the security of the American people.  As a father to two young daughters who are the most precious part of my life, I know that we see ourselves with friends and coworkers at a holiday party like the one in San Bernardino.  I know we see our kids in the faces of the young people killed in Paris.  And I know that after so much war, many Americans are asking whether we are confronted by a cancer that has no immediate cure. Well, here’s what I want you to know:  The threat from terrorism is real, but we will overcome it.  We will destroy ISIL and any other organization that tries to harm us.  Our success won’t depend on tough talk, or abandoning our values, or giving into fear.  That’s what groups like ISIL are hoping for.  Instead, we will prevail by being strong and smart, resilient and relentless, and by drawing upon every aspect of American power.   Here’s how.  First, our military will continue to hunt down terrorist plotters in any country where it is necessary.  In Iraq and Syria, airstrikes are taking out ISIL leaders, heavy weapons, oil tankers, infrastructure.  And since the attacks in Paris, our closest allies -- including France, Germany, and the United Kingdom -- have ramped up their contributions to our military campaign, which will help us accelerate our effort to destroy ISIL.   Second, we will continue to provide training and equipment to tens of thousands of Iraqi and Syrian forces fighting ISIL on the ground so that we take away their safe havens.  In both countries, we’re deploying Special Operations Forces who can accelerate that offensive.  We’ve stepped up this effort since the attacks in Paris, and we’ll continue to invest more in approaches that are working on the ground. Third, we’re working with friends and allies to stop ISIL’s operations -- to disrupt plots, cut off their financing, and prevent them from recruiting more fighters.  Since the attacks in Paris, we’ve surged intelligence-sharing with our European allies.  We’re working with Turkey to seal its border with Syria. And we are cooperating with Muslim-majority countries -- and with our Muslim communities here at home -- to counter the vicious ideology that ISIL promotes online. Fourth, with American leadership, the international community has begun to establish a process -- and timeline -- to pursue ceasefires and a political resolution to the Syrian war. Doing so will allow the Syrian people and every country, including our allies, but also countries like Russia, to focus on the common goal of destroying ISIL -- a group that threatens us all. This is our strategy to destroy ISIL.  It is designed and supported by our military commanders and counterterrorism experts, together with 65 countries that have joined an American-led coalition.  And we constantly examine our strategy to determine when additional steps are needed to get the job done. That’s why I’ve ordered the Departments of State and Homeland Security to review the visa *Waiver program under which the female terrorist in San Bernardino originally came to this country.  And that’s why I will urge high-tech and law enforcement leaders to make it harder for terrorists to use technology to escape from justice. Now, here at home, we have to work together to address the challenge.  There are several steps that Congress should take right away. To begin with, Congress should act to make sure no one on a no-fly list is able to buy a gun.  What could possibly be the argument for allowing a terrorist suspect to buy a semi-automatic weapon?  This is a matter of national security. We also need to make it harder for people to buy powerful assault weapons like the ones that were used in San Bernardino.  I know there are some who reject any gun safety measures.  But the fact is that our intelligence and law enforcement agencies -- no matter how effective they are -- cannot identify every would-be mass shooter, whether that individual is motivated by ISIL or some other hateful ideology.  What we can do -- and must do -- is make it harder for them to kill. Next, we should put in place stronger screening for those who come to America without a visa so that we can take a hard look at whether they’ve traveled to warzones.  And we’re working with members of both parties in Congress to do exactly that. Finally, if Congress believes, as I do, that we are at war with ISIL, it should go ahead and vote to authorize the continued use of military force against these terrorists.  For over a year, I have ordered our military to take thousands of airstrikes against ISIL targets.  I think it’s time for Congress to vote to demonstrate that the American people are united, and committed, to this fight. My fellow Americans, these are the steps that we can take together to defeat the terrorist threat.  Let me now say a word about what we should not do. We should not be drawn once more into a long and costly ground war in Iraq or Syria.  That’s what groups like ISIL want. They know they can’t defeat us on the battlefield.  ISIL fighters were part of the insurgency that we faced in Iraq.  But they also know that if we occupy foreign lands, they can maintain insurgencies for years, killing thousands of our troops, draining our resources, and using our presence to draw new recruits. The strategy that we are using now -- airstrikes, Special Forces, and working with local forces who are fighting to regain control of their own country -- that is how we’ll achieve a more sustainable victory.  And it won’t require us sending a new generation of Americans overseas to fight and die for another decade on foreign soil. Here’s what else we cannot do.  We cannot turn against one another by letting this fight be defined as a war between America and Islam.  That, too, is what groups like ISIL want.  ISIL does not speak for Islam.  They are thugs and killers, part of a cult of death, and they account for a tiny fraction of more than a billion Muslims around the world -- including millions of patriotic Muslim Americans who reject their hateful ideology. Moreover, the vast majority of terrorist victims around the world are Muslim.  If we’re to succeed in defeating terrorism we must enlist Muslim communities as some of our strongest allies, rather than push them away through suspicion and hate. That does not mean denying the fact that an extremist ideology has spread within some Muslim communities.  This is a real problem that Muslims must confront, without excuse.  Muslim leaders here and around the globe have to continue working with us to decisively and unequivocally reject the hateful ideology that groups like ISIL and al Qaeda promote; to speak out against not just acts of violence, but also those interpretations of Islam that are incompatible with the values of religious tolerance, mutual respect, and human dignity. But just as it is the responsibility of Muslims around the world to root out misguided ideas that lead to radicalization, it is the responsibility of all Americans -- of every faith -- to reject discrimination.  It is our responsibility to reject religious tests on who we admit into this country.  It’s our responsibility to reject proposals that Muslim Americans should somehow be treated differently.  Because when we travel down that road, we lose.  That kind of divisiveness, that betrayal of our values plays into the hands of groups like ISIL.  Muslim Americans are our friends and our neighbors, our co-workers, our sports heroes -- and, yes, they are our men and women in uniform who are willing to die in defense of our country.  We have to remember that. My fellow Americans, I am confident we will succeed in this mission because we are on the right side of history.  We were founded upon a belief in human dignity -- that no matter who you are, or where you come from, or what you look like, or what religion you practice, you are equal in the eyes of God and equal in the eyes of the law. Even in this political season, even as we properly debate what steps I and future Presidents must take to keep our country safe, let’s make sure we never forget what makes us exceptional. Let’s not forget that freedom is more powerful than fear; that we have always met challenges -- whether war or depression, natural disasters or terrorist attacks -- by coming together around our common ideals as one nation, as one people.  So long as we stay true to that tradition, I have no doubt America will prevail. Thank you. God bless you, and may God bless the United States of America.

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IMF Adds China's Yuan to World's Top Currencies

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) added China’s yuan to its group of key global currencies this week, a historic development that gives new status to the world’s second-largest economy. It is “a sign that China is rising ever faster and further on the global economic stage,” reported the BBC. China now accounts for more than 15 percent of the global gross economic output, nearly three times what it was a decade ago, said the Wall Street Journal.   The IMF said the yuan, also called the renminbi, will be added to the group of reserve currencies. Those include the U.S. dollar, Europe’s euro, the Japanese yen and the British pound. These currencies are in the IMF’s Special Drawing Rights group. The IMF uses this group of reserve currencies to make emergency loans to its 188 member nations. The new IMF designation will take effect at the end of September 2016. China had worked toward winning the designation for several years. To achieve it, China had to give up some of its tight control over its currency and make reforms in its financial sector, reported the New York Times.     The IMF decision reflects the declining influence of Europe in world financial markets. “The renminbi is mainly replacing part of the euro’s role in the special drawing rights,” wrote the New York Times. It added that the renminbi is “quickly gaining ground on the euro.” In the new IMF designation, the IMF will give more weight to China’s currency than to either the yen or the pound. Despite the increased role for the yuan, the U.S. dollar still dominates in finance and trade, and is “the world’s pre-eminent reserve currency,” wrote the Wall Street Journal. It is still the most widely used currency for savings around the world. This is because investors feel confident that they can get access to money traded in dollars.      Christine Lagarde is the IMF Managing Director. She said the decision regarding the yuan is “an important milestone in the integration of the Chinese economy into the global financial system.” She added that it was also “a recognition of the progress that the Chinese authorities have made in the past years in reforming China’s monetary and financial systems.” There are risks to being an IMF reserve currency. China limits the ability of businesses and individuals to transfer funds out of the country. But the more China opens its markets, the more it exposes its economy to “the risk of capital flowing out,” noted the Wall Street Journal.        I’m Mary Gotschall.       Ken Bredemeier reported on this story for VOANews.com. Mary Gotschall adapted this story using additional sources 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   currency – n. the money that a country uses : a specific kind of money status – n. high position or rank in society gross economic output – noun phrase the entire amount of goods and services produced by a country or countries emergency – n.  an unexpected and usually dangerous situation that calls for immediate action designation  - n. the act of officially choosing someone or something to do or be something  financial – adj. relating to money decline – v. to become lower in amount or less in number dominates – v. to be the most important part of (something) milestone – n. an important point in the progress or development of something: a very important event or advance integration – n. the act of making (a person or group) part of a larger group or organization  expose – v. to cause (someone) to experience something or to be influenced or affected by something capital – n. the money, property, etc., that a person or business owns ​

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Nearly 300 Killed in Floods in Southern India

As world leaders gathered in France this week to talk about climate change, the residents of a city in southern India are enduring the worst rains in more than 100 years. Chennai received 330 millimeters of rain in 24 hours. According to one government official, that is about 50 percent more rain than the city receives on average in the entire month of December. While the rain let up Thursday, local meteorologists are calling for more rain this weekend. Thousands of people are stranded on rooftops, forced from their homes or awaiting flights at closed airports. Over 4 million people live in Chennai and many are without power because of the rain. Military, police and disaster teams are working to rescue people stranded in flooded areas. The Air Force is using helicopters to deliver food aid. The heavy rains started in November, and so far, 269 people have died. The months of October, November and December are always rainy in southern India, but meteorologists say the extreme rain is related to a low-pressure area in the Bay of Bengal. The country’s environment minister says he is not able to directly connect the freak rainfall to climate change. But climate experts say rising global temperatures cause more intense rains than normal. The rain came the same week India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke at the COP21 Climate Change conference in France. On Monday, Modi talked about the need for richer, more industrialized countries to compensate poorer countries for affecting the world’s climate. Modi is talking about the idea, for example, that emissions from a coal-burning power plant in one country can affect the climate in a country thousands of miles away. One environment expert in New Dehli says India suffered economic losses of $25 billion to $30 billion due to extreme weather in the last five years. Modi returned to India on Thursday to survey the damage. I’m ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Dan Friedell.   Anjana Pasricha wrote this story for VOANews.com. Dan Friedell adapted it for Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. Are the rains in India caused by climate change? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section or on our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   await – v. to wait for (someone or something) emissions – n. the act of producing or sending out something (such as energy or gas) from a source endure – v. to deal with or accept (something unpleasant) strand – v. to leave (a person or animal) in a place without a way of leaving it — usually used as (be) stranded

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Lasers Used to Chill, Instead of Heat

University of Washington researchers say they used a laser to turn hot water into cool water. Five engineers from the university are the first in the 50-year history of the laser to refrigerate liquids under normal conditions with light beams. The group used a simple approach to the experiment. Lasers are known for producing hot temperatures. The University of Washington says they “essentially ran the laser phenomenon in reverse.” The discovery has a future in the computer and medical fields. Computer interiors could be cooled by lasers. In a medical laboratory, individual cells could be cooled to see how they react.  “Few people have thought about how they could use this technology to solve problems because using lasers to refrigerate liquids hasn’t been possible before,” said researcher Peter Pauzauskie. The cool laser concept can also be used in manufacturing, telecommunications or national defense. The group has an interest in hearing from businesses or scientists who may have every day applications for the cool laser.   The findings were published this month in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. I’m Marsha James.   Jim Dresbach wrote this story for Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section or visit our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   refrigerate – v. to keep something cold or keep it fresh approach – n. a way of dealing with something reverse – adj. opposite to what is stated or considered normal refrigerate – v. to keep something cold or keep it fresh telecommunications – n.  the technology of sending and receiving signals or images over long distances by telephone, television or satellite defense – n. the things that are done by a country to protect itself from enemies

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Fisherman's Death Is Example of Labor Abuses

A Vietnamese fisherman was killed last week while working in the contested waters of the South China Sea. His boat and the 13 surviving crew members returned to the port of Sa Ky on Tuesday. They said they were attacked by eight men on two speedboats while fishing near the Spratly Islands. The nationality of the attackers is not known but Vietnamese authorities promised a thorough investigation of the incident. The attack underscores the difficult conditions faced by Asian fisherman in a largely unregulated industry. Not only do fishermen face attacks like these, they work under difficult conditions. In fact, Nestle SA, one of the world’s biggest food companies, says it is looking into the labor practices of some of its seafood suppliers in Thailand. Nestle SA started investigating the lives of workers after news reports about bad conditions on fishing boats, docks and at processing plants in Thailand. Nestle reported its findings in November. The report described how poorly some of Nestle’s suppliers treated their workers. Migrant workers from poor countries near Thailand were sold into forced labor. They were lured by promises of better income. But when they arrived to work, they were forced to catch and process fish that end up in the supply chains of Nestle and other global food companies. The workers receive little rest – often working 16-hour days – and little health care. The workers are also charged fees to be able to work, and that eats into their low pay. Nestle hired an independent organization, called Verite, to report on the working conditions in Thailand. Verite spoke with 100 people familiar with the seafood industry in Thailand, including 80 workers from Cambodia and Myanmar. One worker from Myanmar, also known as Burma, said he saw workers pulled into the sea by heavy nets and left for dead. If someone died on a fishing trip, he would be thrown overboard instead of given a proper burial, the worker said. Another worker said he had been working on a fishing boat for 10 years without being able to accumulate any savings. “I am barely surviving,” he said. Verite interviewed workers, boat captains and managers in Thailand. It confirmed the stories of a violent and dangerous seafood industry that exports $7 billion of products each year.  Verite found underage workers were using fake identities to get work. Verite said abuse begins as workers are recruited, hired and employed. Nestle says it does not do that much business in Southeast Asia. But some seafood in a popular cat food comes from Thailand. The food giant warns that many of the world’s big food companies run the risk of buying seafood from suppliers who abuse their workers. Some analysts are impressed with the report. Mark Lagon is the president of Freedom House, an organization that fights human trafficking and slave labor. He called the report “unusual and exemplary.” He noted that most companies would not look into their business practices or make the information public. They would fear being sued in a lawsuit, he said. Customers have filed lawsuits to force food companies to reveal where food comes from. For example, consumers who buy food for pets have filed lawsuits against Nestle and other major companies that process food from overseas. The customers said they would not buy food that was caught by forced labor. The lawsuits aim to reveal the source so consumers can make choices about what they buy. Magdi Batato is Nestle’s head of operations. He said in a statement that “forced labor and human rights abuses have no place in our supply chain.” Nestle posted its report online and promised to report its progress each year. I’m ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Mario Ritter.   Dan Friedell adapted this story for Learning English. The story was based on reporting by the Associated Press. Kathleen Struck was the editor. What would you do about the working conditions in the seafood industry in Thailand? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section or on our Facebook page. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   brand – n. a category of products that are all made by a particular company and all have a particular name broker – n. a person who helps other people to reach agreements, to make deals, or to buy and sell property (such as stocks or houses) contested – n. a struggle or effort to win something dock – n. a place for loading materials onto ships, trucks, trains, etc. exemplary – adj. extremely good and deserving to be admired and copied giant – adj. very large : much larger or more powerful than normal impress – v. to cause (someone) to feel admiration or interest lawsuit – n. a process by which a court of law makes a decision to end a disagreement between people or organizations recruit – v. to find suitable people and get them to join a company, an organization, the armed forces, etc. reveal – v. to make something known retailer – n. a person or business that sells things directly to customers for their own use traffic – n. the buying and selling of illegal goods or services especially between countries

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Six Foods That Changed the World

Food affects more than people’s bodies. It contributes to social status, empires and the outcome of wars. So what foods have helped shape civilization? Christopher Cumo, author of “Foods That Changed History,” says these six crops have played a major role. Potato One food at the top of the list is the potato.  Ahh …. When you think about foods made with the potato — french fries, potato chips, mashed potatoes and potato salad — what is there not to like about potatoes? The potato is the world’s largest food crop. People in the English-speaking world call it the “white potato” or “Irish potato” to distinguish it from the sweet potato.   Author Christopher Cumo says South Americans introduced the potato to the Spanish in the 16th century. The Spanish loved it and quickly brought it back to Europe. But many Europeans realized the potato plant was related to a lot of other plants that had poisonous leaves and stems. They believed the potato was also poisonous. So for a time, Europeans would not eat it. However, Cumo says, Europeans’ attitudes changed when they learned how many calories one small potato offered. “Farmers began growing potatoes and they were? so important because they provided a dense packet of nutrients and calories. So that if you only had a limited amount of land and you had to plant something that yielded abundant calories, you planted potatoes.” Farmers also liked the potato because it protected them against hungry soldiers. Cumo explains that armies traditionally fed themselves by stealing grain from farmers’ fields. "Well, farmers begin to understand that if they plant potatoes no army would camp long enough to dig up all the potatoes because you are too vulnerable to counterattack at that point. So the potatoes saved farmers from the traditional horrors of starvation during warfare.” Ireland even came to depend on the potato. However, in the 19th century a disease there killed millions of acres of potatoes. The loss caused a mass famine. A million Irish people died, and millions more migrated to the United States and Canada. Sugar Next on the list is that white, crystal-like substance used in many sweet desserts and sodas: sugar.   Beyond the way it expands our waists and rots our teeth, Cumo says sugar played a tragic role in the new world. “I’m thinking particularly about the tropics: the Caribbean islands and all of tropical America, even Brazil and in countries of that sort. They all rapidly adopted sugar cane to feed the demand for sugar -- sugar cane being the plant from which we derive sugar." These countries developed large, profitable sugar cane estates. But the workers kept dying of new European diseases. So landowners looked for a new source of labor. They found it in Africa. In other words, sugar fueled the African slave trade. “So our sugar came at a terrible price, I would argue, at the price of many lives and aspirations destroyed over many generations.”​ Corn  This next food is the most produced crop in the world. But three-quarters of it go to farm animals. Cumo says maize — also known as corn — is not primarily a food for humans; however, it has long been a cultivated crop for people in the Americas. “Worldwide, in large places in Latin America and Mexico, people are much more willing to eat corn as a food. So it’s an important part of Mexican cuisine. You can go to any Taco Bell in the world and order your corn tortilla.” Cumo says native people in North and South America always ate corn. To them, he says, it was too important to feed to the llamas! Today, corn that people and animals do not eat is converted – changed into a variety of products. For example, corn can be converted to ethanol that is used in alcoholic drinks as well as in gasoline.   Corn can also be converted into corn syrup to sweeten sodas, chewing gum, yogurt and salad dressings. If you ever had gravy or sauce on your food, cornstarch or corn flour is used as a thickener. And how about those non-food products such as batteries, make-up, explosives, insecticides, detergents, leather, rubber tires and tobacco? Elements of corn are in those, too. Bottom line: Corn is in many things. It is a part of life from birth to death. Corn is found in some baby formulas for infants, as well as in embalming fluid to preserve the bodies of the dead. Need I say more? Rice Rice may be even more important than corn as a food crop. Corn is used for many items, but rice feeds half the world’s population. Cumo says most humans get the majority of their calories from rice. It is a major part of the diet in China, Southeast Asia and much of India. Rice is also an important food in parts of Africa.   In fact, Cumo says rice is so important that it has a holy meaning. In some cultures, rice is a symbol of women and fertility. Other cultures have special ways they farm and store rice. The rituals honor the rice, as well as protect its power to give and sustain life. “So rice has not only sustained people but it’s sustained the religious belief of all of these millions and now billions of people worldwide."​ Fish Fish is also essential. Many species of animals eat fish, including humans. Modern humans used sharpened sticks to spear fish in Europe’s rivers and lakes; however, early humans — Neanderthals — did not learn how to fish. Therefore, fish might have played some role in their extinction 28,000 years ago.   Cumo says the fish has also become a worldwide symbol of Jesus. “You can read a number of stories in the (Christian) Gospels in which Jesus eats a piece of fish after his resurrection, or tells his friends to cast their net in another part of the lake where they’re able to capture many more fish. So fish has been enormously important in history." As a result, he says, the image of a fish is often used to mean Christianity.  Beans Beans are grown and eaten all over the world. They are members of the legume family. This protein-rich, low-cost crop is related to a number of important food plants, including lentils, peas, beans, peanuts and soybeans. Cumo explains that as farming developed, so did hierarchies. Those with money and power could afford meat. But most people were not wealthy enough to buy animals to eat. So where did they get their protein? Largely from beans. “It’s interesting to note that if you combine say beans and corn — which you have beans being an American crop and corn being another American crop, both developed in southern Mexico — you get a complete package of amino acids so the body doesn’t need anything more to meet its daily protein requirements. "And you find this true for people throughout the world. If they combine soybeans, a close relative of beans,with whole grain rice, you get the perfect complement of proteins.” He says people after people after people have combined beans and grains to get almost all the nutrients they need for their day-to-day existence. In other words, beans — along with potatoes, sugar, corn, rice, and fish — have played a very powerful role in human survival, as well as in human history. I’m Christopher Jones Cruise. And I'm Marsha James.   Marsha James wrote this story for Learning English. Kelly Jean Kelly was the editor. What do you eat in your part of the world: potatoes or rice? Or both? Write to us in the Comments section or on our Facebook page.     ____________________________________________________________   Words in This Story   distinguish – v. to notice or recognize a difference between people or things poisonous – adj. very harmful or unpleasant rot – v. to slowly decay or cause something to decay rapidly – adj. happening quickly derive – v. to take or get something from something else aspiration – n. something that a person wants very much to achieve cultivated – adj. raised or grown on a farm or under contolled conditions convert – v. to change bottom line – n. the most important thing to consider sustain – v. to provide what is needed for someone to exist extinction – n. a coming to an end or dying out protein – n. a substance found in foods that is an important part of the human diet status - n. the position of someone or something when compared to others empire - n. a group of areas that are under the control of one ruler or government calories - n. a measurement of heat used to show the amount of energy that foods produce in the body estates - n. large pieces or land llamas - n. a South American animal, often used for meat and for carrying supplies resurrection - n. the Christian belief that Jesus Christ returned to life after his execution   ​

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Shootings Lead to Questions About Police Tactics

Tension between police in the U.S. and the African-American communities they serve is in the spotlight again. Although 17-year-old Laquan McDonald was shot dead last October, a video of the event wasn't released until last week. It showed Chicago Police Office Jason Van Dyke shooting McDonald 16 times. Van Dyke was charged last week with first-degree murder. But the video sparked citizen protests, and this week, the city’s police chief was fired. The firing came after community leaders questioned why it took so long to release the video and charge Van Dyke with a crime. Van Dyke’s lawyer says the police officer feared McDonald would hurt him or others. Police say McDonald had a knife and was dangerous. The video is drawing attention to similar incidents around America, says Jack McDevitt, director of Northeastern University’s Institute on Race and Justice. McDevitt says most police do their jobs well, often in difficult situations. Police see events that are extremely violent. Suspects strike back. The stress of the job is extremely high, he says. Other jobs that are stressful are firefighters, airline pilots and members of the military, says a career website. They create much more anxiety and fear than other careers. One former New York police officer has written about his 20 years on the force. "You really got about one second to make a life-and-death decision," said Steve Osborne in an interview with NPR. "Your heart is pounding. Your adrenaline is shooting out of your ears. Half the time you're doing it in the dark: It's nighttime or you're in some darkened hallway or abandoned building, and you got one second to get it right.” But critics say police are reacting too quickly and with too much force. In Baltimore, six officers – three blacks and three whites -- have been charged with the death of Freddie Gray, 25. The first officer went to trial last week in Baltimore. Doctors say Gray died of a spinal cord injury. Investigators say he got that injury while being transported in the back of a police van in April. Gray’s death caused civil unrest and riots in Baltimore. In Minneapolis, Minnesota, the death of Jamar Clark, 24, on November 15 has also led to protests. Police say Clark was killed by officers in a fight. Community residents say Clark was handcuffed when he was shot to death. McDevitt says that killings like these fuel distrust between police and the public, especially in African-American communities. Lethal force Many police departments have a policy against shooting suspects in handcuffs. In 1985, the United States Supreme Court ruled that police are not permitted to shoot at a person who is fleeing. However, when someone is a significant threat to the officer or to others, police may use what is called “lethal force.” Some say police should use non-lethal force when possible, such as relying on a stun gun or shooting a suspect in the leg or arm. But Chuck Rosenberg, acting director of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, said officers must act decisively. If they believe their lives or other lives are threatened, they must act quickly and with force to end the threat.   Allison Flowers of the Invisible Institute says it seems Van Dyke, the officer accused of murder in the Chicago shooting, was not trained to solve these conflicts without using lethal force. The Invisible Institute is a Chicago group that has examined allegations of police brutality. Relationship between police and district attorneys A big problem is the power of local district attorneys, critics say. District attorneys are lawyers who make decisions for the government. They decide who will be charged with a crime and who will not. Because the local district attorneys must work closely with police to solve crimes, they may be more on the side of the police, critics say. That power to decide whether to prosecute officers should be taken from them, says New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman. A state attorney general is the state’s top law enforcement officer. He or she does not usually prosecute crimes. Under Schneiderman’s proposal, he would take over investigations when police officers were involved in shootings. Schneiderman made that proposal after a police killing in Staten Island, New York. In that case, 43-year-old Eric Garner was stopped on a street corner. Police say he was selling untaxed cigarettes. A video showed one officer placed his arm around Garner’s neck and pulled him to the ground. Garner had asthma and was overweight. He is heard clearly in the video telling officers over and over, “I can’t breathe.” The officers did not let go. Garner died. Police said many suspects complain of injury during arrests to stop it from happening. But community groups said that the minor crime of selling untaxed cigarettes does not warrant such rough treatment by police. There have been other high profile killings of African-Americans by police officers recently: Walter Lamer Scott, 50, lived in North Charleston, South Carolina. Scott was shot in the back on April 15 as he ran from an officer who stopped him for a minor car offense. The officer has been charged with murder. Tamar Rice, 12, lived in Cleveland, Ohio. Rice was shot by a police officer in a park in November of 2014. Rice reportedly pointed what looked like a gun at people in a park. A responding officer shot him seconds after arriving on the scene. Rice was carrying a toy gun that looked like a real gun, police say. Community leaders say Rice was shot too quickly after the officer arrived. The officer did not take time to see if the boy was a real threat, they say. Local prosecutors have not charged the officer with a crime, but a federal investigation remains open. Michael Brown, 18, lived in Missouri. Brown was shot to death by Officer Darren Wilson in Ferguson, Missouri, in August of 2014. The shooting touched off months of demonstrations in Ferguson. The officer said Brown hit him and grabbed his gun as he sat in his police car. Officials including the US Department of Justice investigated the case. No charges were pressed against the officer. I'm Pete Musto. Bruce Alpert reported on this story for Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. Share your views in the comments section or tell us what you think on our Facebook Page.​ _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   tension – n. a feeling of nervousness, fear or conflict firing – n. Removing a person from his/her job stressful – adj. making you feel worried or anxious pounding – n. the act of hitting someone or something with force again and again adrenaline – n. a substance that is released in the body of a person who is feeling a strong emotion and that causes the heart to beat faster abandoned – adj. left without needed protection or care spinal cord -- n. the large group of nerves which runs through the center of the spine and carries messages between the brain and the rest of the body unrest – n. a situation in which many people are angry and hold protests or act violently handcuffs – n. a set of two metal rings that are joined together and locked around a person's wrists significant – adj. large enough to be noticed or have an effect lethal – adj. causing or able to cause death stun gun -- n. a gun that produces an electric shock, which makes someone unconscious or stops someone from moving brutality – n. cruel, harsh, and usually violent treatment of another person asthma – n. a physical condition that makes it difficult for someone to breathe    

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Santa Fe: The City Different

  When American officials established U.S. Route 66 in 1926, the road cut right through the southwestern city of Santa Fe, New Mexico. For 11 years, Route 66 travelers passed through Santa Fe, known as "the City Different,” with its mix of Native American, Spanish and Anglo cultures.  In 1937, the road was re-directed following a political dispute. Santa Fe holds on to its Route 66 history, however. Historic motels and old street signs still mark the original path of the Mother Road. And, it remains possible to take that original path up to Santa Fe. Many of today’s Route 66 travelers do just that.  ­Santa Fe is the oldest capital city in the United States. It was the capital of the Spanish kingdom of New Mexico, beginning in 1610. It was the capital of the province of Nuevo Mexico when Mexico became independent. And it was the capital of the New Mexico territory before it became a U.S. state. Frank McGuire is an artist from Tempe, Arizona. He has been visiting Santa Fe for decades. “Originally this was settled by the Native Americans. There were Pueblo Indians that were here. And the Spanish came and this is actually the oldest capital in the United States. This was settled long before the East Coast was.” The city is home to the country’s oldest church and the oldest house. Visitors can tour both. In the house, visitors get a feel for how Pueblo Indians in the area lived hundreds of years ago. The Pueblo Indians built their villages with adobe brick. Adobe is a mix of mud and straw. It becomes very hard when it dries. Traditional Adobe buildings do not use frames. Most are one to two stories high. In the 1920s, Santa Fe officials ordered that all buildings in the city be built with adobe in the Pueblo Indian style. The city also retains beautiful examples of Victorian, Italian, and Spanish architecture. It is this combination of cultures that helped give Santa Fe its most popular nickname, “the City Different.” Artist Frank Maguire explains. “So, you have the mixture of the Native Americans, the Spaniards, and then came the Mexicans, and then, of course, the Anglos came. So, to me, it has a broad culture. And [that] is why I would say that it has a city of difference. Because there are so many different cultures blended together here.” Santa Fe’s food represents that blend of cultures. Traditional New Mexican cuisine is a mix of Native American and Hispanic influences. One of the defining tastes is the New Mexico chile. Bunches of chiles often hang to dry outside of the adobe-style homes in Santa Fe. New Mexican chiles are red or green depending on when they are harvested. Chile sauce is served on top of many of the common dishes here. And, people quickly get used to hearing the question: “Red, green, or Christmas?” Diners choose between red chile sauce, green chile sauce, or both – the colors of Christmas. Santa Fe’s Plaza has been the hea­­­rt of the city for some 400 years. On most days, artists fill the Plaza with small tents offering pieces of art for sale – paintings, jewelry, rugs and much more. Artists come to Santa Fe from all over the world. But there are many locals too. Santa Fe became a so-called “artist colony” in the 1920s. The city offered low-cost living and beautiful scenery. The landscape inspired artists.   Today, the city of 150,000 people is home to hundreds of art galleries and many world-class art museums. One is dedicated to American artist Georgia O’Keeffe. She settled in Santa Fe in 1949 and lived there until her death in 1986. She became famous for her large paintings of brightly colored flowers. Much of her art reflects the nature and culture of New Mexico. Roberto Marquez is an artist from Tucson, Arizona. He sells his handmade metal fountains in the Plaza. He looks forward to his Santa Fe visits for the weather and atmosphere. “I love Santa Fe. I love this weather. I love the people. And to me it’s like vacation. So I combine vacation and work and can’t ask for anything better.” Bernadine Toya is from San Felipe Pueblo, an Indian reservation near Santa Fe. She often visits Santa Fe with her husband. He sells his art and bows and arrows at the Native American Vendors Program of Santa Fe’s Palace of the Governors. The building sits right along the Plaza. "We just walk around, check out what’s new. And there’s always something new. It’s very diverse, nowadays. And it’s…just very different from reservation life. And it’s very upbeat, nice energy.” Frank McGuire is a fan, too.        “Santa Fe has kind of a rich history of art. I mean the Native Americans created beautiful art out of very simple tools and pigments thousands of years ago. And then, of course, the Spanish brought their art, which, some of it was from Spain and Italy because there was a mixture. And then the Anglos brought theirs. But the city has kind of a unique blend of cultures.You can kind of find it just roaming the streets here." I'm Ashley Thompson. And I'm Caty Weaver. Join us again next week for a report on Arizona's Route 66. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   Anglo - n. a white person who lives in the U.S. and is not Hispanic Hispanic - adj. of or relating to Spain or to Spanish-speaking countries, especially those of Latin America. pigment - n. a substance that gives color to something else roam - v. to go to different places without having a particular purpose or plan

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Online University Offers Poor Students a Chance

Like many young people around the world, Emmanuel dreamed of getting a university education in the United States. The 26-year-old only told VOA his first name because he is an undocumented immigrant. This means he does not have the official documents needed to enter, live in, or work in the U.S. legally. Emmanuel came to the U.S. from Mexico five years ago. But, when he arrived, he discovered that his dream was much more difficult to achieve than he thought. “First I had to learn English and realized that there were very few opportunities for me to really study into formal education in the United States.” But then Emmanuel read about University of the People. University of the People is a university that has no tuition costs. The university’s classes and teaching materials are all free online. Also, all of the teachers are volunteers. Federal laws in the U.S. do not prevent undocumented immigrants from going to college. But laws do ban undocumented immigrants from receiving government financial aid. The Pew Research Center is an organization that studies social issues around the world. The organization recently reported there were 11.3 million illegal immigrants living in the U.S. in 2014. Of those, 49 percent were from Mexico. Many undocumented immigrants like Emmanuel come to the U.S. with little money to pay for things like higher education. College Board is an organization that collects information and resources to make higher education more available. The organization recently reported on the average cost of a four-year degree at both public and private U.S. universities. The average cost at a public university is $9,410 for a resident of the state where the university is located. The average cost at a private university is $32,405. College Board also reported that 69 percent of financial aid came from the U.S. government in 2014. Emmanuel had no other choice, so he chose to study at University of the People. Quickly, he said, he believed that the university would give him the skills for a future in computer science. Shai Reshef is the president of University of the People. He was born in Israel. Reshef made millions of dollars as the chief executive officer of the Kidum Group. The Kidum Group was a company that helped students prepare for tests. Reshef decided to create a tuition-free university after visiting several poor countries. People in those countries had limited higher education opportunities. “We built a model to show universities, to show governments that the issue of higher education can be solved. Higher education can be accessible, can be affordable, can be high-quality and shouldn’t leave anyone behind.” Currently, the University of the People only offers degrees in computer science and business administration. Though tuition is free, the university does require students to pay a $50 application fee. Also, the university requires students to pay a $100 test fee when they complete a class. The total cost for a four-year degree is $4,000. But the university does offer scholarships. Students must be at least 18 years old. They must be highly skilled in English. Students must also have completed high school. The university has students from 170 countries. Refugees are among the university’s student population. Reshef also said that almost 25 percent of the students are undocumented immigrants. To help these students, the University of the People works with other schools such as New York University, Oxford University and Yale University. University of the People also works with companies like Microsoft and Hewlett-Packard. Some of these partners provide students with financial help. Other partners offer students internships. The Distance Education Accrediting Commission or DEAC is a U.S. organization that reviews the quality of online schools and schools without physical classrooms. The DEAC approved the University of the People’s quality of education in 2014. Emmanuel said he misses seeing and working with other students in a classroom. But he does love working with students in many countries online. “It helps me to realize that I’m not limited to just staying in one country.” There are more than 2,500 students studying with the University of the People. The university expects that number to double next year. Massive Open Online Courses or MOOCs are free online classes that universities all over the world provide. Stanford University began offering free MOOCs in 2006. Oxford University began offering free online classes in 2009. But, these classes are not part of a degree program. I’m Pete Musto.   Elizabeth Lee reported and wrote this story for VOA news. Pete Musto adapted it for Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. Now it’s your turn. Do you think online classes work as well as classes at a physical school? What other low cost opportunities for higher education do you know about? Let us know in the Comments Section below or on our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   realize(d) – v. to understand or become aware of something opportunities – n. amounts of time or a situations in which something can be done formal – adj. received in a school resident – n. someone who lives in a particular place scholarship(s) – n. money that a government, school or organization gives or loans to students to help pay for their education tuition – n. money that is paid to a school for the right to study there online – adj. done over the Internet accessible – adj. able to be used or obtained affordable – adj. able to be paid for at a low cost application – n. a formal and usually written request for something internship(s) – n. a period of time when a student or recent graduate works at a job in order to get experience

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