Is Zika Virus in Brazil Causing Brain Damage in Babies?

From VOA Learning English, this is the Health & Lifestyle report. Health officials in Brazil have declared a state of emergency in several states. They are also warning women to not get pregnant. These extreme actions are the result of a recent rise in birth defects. About 2,400 babies in Brazil were born recently with extremely small heads. The babies have a condition called microcephaly. Microcephaly causes severe brain damage. To date, 29 of these babies have died. The number of microcephaly cases in Brazil is about 10 times higher than what the country usually sees in a year. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) explains on its website that there many causes of microcephaly. And the World Health Organization (WHO) said in a statement that the cause of the microcephaly outbreak in Brazil had yet to be determined. However, the CDC says the link between a virus infection and microcephaly is being investigated. The virus is called Zika. Zika is spread by mosquitos. Some babies in Brazil with microcephaly have tested positive for the Zika virus while others have tested negative. The CDC says that Brazil reported its first case of Zika virus in May 2015. Since then, the virus has spread and has caused infections in many Brazilian states and other countries in Latin America. According to other news agencies, health officials have reported many cases of microcephaly in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo. Reuters news agency reports that the Zika virus has been confirmed this year in Panama, Venezuela, El Salvador, Mexico, Suriname, Colombia, Guatemala and Paraguay. Zika is also found in Africa and Southeast Asia. The CDC has a webpage with information on Zika. It says that because the “mosquitoes that spread Zika virus are found throughout the world, it is likely that outbreaks will spread to new countries.” Symptoms of Zika The CDC says the common symptoms of Zika are fever, rash, headache, joint pain and red eyes. Zika causes mostly mild symptoms in adults. However, in newborns the disease can cause severe brain damage. There is no vaccine or medicine to prevent or treat Zika. Travelers and especially pregnant women are advised to protect themselves by avoiding mosquito bites. Health officials around the world are watching the situation closely. I’m Anna Matteo.   VOA News reporters wrote this story. Anna Matteo adapted it for Learning English with additional reporting from other news outlets. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   microcephaly – n. medical : a condition of abnormal smallness of the head usually associated with mental defects birth defect – n. medical : a physical or biochemical defect that is present at birth and may be inherited or environmentally induced

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Zimbabwe Switches to Yuan as Reserve Currency

Zimbabwe announced last week that it would shift to the Chinese yuan as its reserve currency. A reserve currency is a foreign currency held in large quantities by governments and financial institutions to pay international debts. “Reserve currency is held in order to support the value of national currencies,” writes Justin Kuepper, international investing expert, on the website International Invest. Patrick Chinamasa is Zimbabwe’s Minister of Finance and Economic Development. He said China agreed to cancel about $40 million of Zimbabwe’s debts this year.  He also said the move was a sign of the friendship between China and Zimbabwe, a poor country in southern Africa. It is also a sign of the growing economic ties between China and Zimbabwe. China is Zimbabwe’s largest foreign investor, with interests ranging from construction and energy to telecommunications. China has also become the largest exporter of Zimbabwean products – mainly tobacco and minerals, such as gold and diamonds. Local economists said Zimbabwe is flooded with foreign currencies since the inflated Zimbabwean dollar collapsed in 2009. In 2014, the nation’s central bank permitted traders to use the U.S. dollar, the South African rand, Botswana’s pula, the British pound, the euro, the Australian dollar, the Indian rupee, the Japanese yen and the Chinese yuan. Business consultant Phillip Chiconi says this announcement is unlikely to change things for the businessmen with whom he works. “I don’t think it will make much difference to anyone, as we’re already using foreign currencies,” he said. Zimbabwe has allowed the yuan as a legal currency for two years. But Chiconi said he has not seen it used. Instead, most traders prefer the stability of the U.S. dollar, which is being used as the country’s major currency. Zimbabwe suffered economic collapse after years of government mismanagement. That caused the Zimbabwean dollar to inflate above 230 million percent. Although the central bank printed a 100-trillion-dollar bill, it didn’t buy much. A loaf of bread cost $300 billion. The currency was done away with in 2009. The market has stabilized by the U.S. dollar. But Zimbabwe’s cost of living is still about 60 percent higher than that of neighboring South Africa. BancABC chief economist James Wade says the yuan increases Zimbabwe’s options. “It’s not like we’re forcing people to use the Chinese yuan,” he said. “… we are expanding options that they can use.” And, he notes, the context matters. China’s president made a state visit to Zimbabwe this month, and signed many economic agreements. This included a billion-dollar loan for a thermal power plant. If this action brings in more Chinese investment and more development, Zimbabweans will profit, no matter what currency they use.     I’m Mary Gotschall.   Anita Powell and Sebastian Mhofu reported on this story for VOANews.com. Mary Gotschall adapted this story for Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. What do you think of China's yuan gaining strength in Africa? Let us know what you think in the Comments section below, or on our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story construction – n. the act or process of building something (such as a house or road) telecommunications – n. the technology of sending and receiving signals, images, etc., over long distances by telephone, television, satellite, etc. inflate – v. to increase prices, costs, etc., in a way that is not normal or expected collapse – v. to fail or stop working suddenly : to break down completely stability – n.  the quality or state of something that is not easily changed or likely to change loaf – n. an amount of bread that has been baked in a long, round, or square shape option – n.  the opportunity or ability to choose something or to choose between two or more things context – n.  the situation in which something happens : the group of conditions that exist where and when something happens thermal – adj. of, relating to, or caused by heat

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Wishes and Resolutions for the New Year

What do you wish for 2016? At the beginning of the new year, it is common to say what we will do better in the coming year, or what we hope will happen to improve our lives. We asked callers on Skype about their wishes for 2016. We learned that they want to live in peace and improve their English. They all said it was important to set a goal and do all they could to achieve it. Abdul Kareem in Saudi Arabia says, “The world is going on in a bad situation these days. Like war ... I pray for the world to live in in peace, to become united again. Also, I’m praying [for] my situation to become good.” Studying online for a better job Kareem says he plans to work on an online master’s degree in technology and improve his English in 2016. He says, “Right now I’m doing a distance learning master’s degree in IT and trying to finish it by November 2016, I’m hoping that later on I find a better job.” Nadeem Rohani in Afghanistan says "I wish to have peace in our country, to be happy – all the people in our country. I wish just this.” Rohani is studying and hopes to improve his vocabulary in the coming year. He studies computer science using English textbooks. “I want to read English for university, and I want to be [as good as] a native speaker.” Keep trying to meet a goal Ibrahim Haid is from Afghanistan. He is studying for a master’s degree in political science in India. “I would like to visit the U.S.A. Sometime, I want to improve my English like an American accent and like my native language. … I want to take TOE FL exam, and one day I want to come and visit the U.S.” He says he lives by this motto: “Try, try, try, and one day you will fly. So I’m always trying.” Tamim Bakhshi is a secondary school student in Sweden. After he finishes school he plans to go to college. He would like to be a football player, too. “I wish to reach my goal next year. … I’m the kind of person who has a great, or high goal. I never give up about something. I will try, try to reach it.” What is your goal for 2016? Write to us in the Comments section and on our Facebook page. Dr. Jill Robbins wrote this story for Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   achieve – v. to get or reach (something) by working hard distance learning – n. a method of study where teachers and students do not meet in a classroom but use the Internet, e-mail, mail, etc., to have classes accent – n.  a way of pronouncing words that occurs among the people in a particular region or country secondary school - n. (U.S.) high school; (Brit) a school for children between the ages of 11 and 16 or 18

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Victories Noted in Fight Against Islamic State Group

Iraqi and Kurdish forces supported by United States’ airstrikes have regained territories controlled by Islamic State militants in the past month. The U.S. military believes the loss of leadership is one of the reasons the group has lost many recent battles. Coalition airstrikes have killed 10 of the IS group leaders. Some of them planned the attacks in Paris that took place in November. Others were planning attacks on other Western targets. This week, the U.S. military confirmed that an alliance of Kurdish, Christian, Arab and other local forces recaptured the Tishrin hydroelectric dam from the militants. The dam, on the Euphrates River near Aleppo, is part of an important communications route for the IS group. The dam also provides much of the power for northern Syria. Earlier, the alliance also recaptured more than twenty cities, south of the Syrian city of Kobani, from IS militants. IS lost control of Ramadi The Islamic State group has also suffered defeat in the important Iraqi city of Ramadi. The mostly Sunni city was the center of the IS group’s control of much of western Anbar province. Iraqi military officials said Iraqi forces with some help from Sunni tribal fighters recaptured most of the city this week from the Islamic State militants. A U.S. military spokesman said there had been more than 600 airstrikes around Ramadi during the past six months to provide support. American officials, however, are not prepared to claim victory in Ramadi. One official said it is “too early to call it a total defeat” of the terrorists. The official said it is “more appropriate to call it a strategic step in the right direction.” In 2006 and 2007, Sunni tribal forces were a major reason for the success of attacks by U.S. forces on al-Qaida fighters in the area. Iraqi and U.S. officials said the Sunni fighters now controlling Ramadi had a minor role in its recapture. Experts believe local forces must be able to defend the area if the Islamic State group is to be defeated. Michael Pregent is a former U.S. military intelligence officer and advisor. He said it will not be clear who has won in Ramadi for at least another six months to a year. He said “it is not just the destruction of the city that is a victory -- you have to resettle the population and bring economic stimulus, provide security.” He added that the city has been destroyed. “There is no intact building left, there is little infrastructure that is inhabitable. You can’t go there tomorrow and open a store…” It is not known what happened to the hundreds or even thousands of civilians who were trapped in the city. Iraqi plan after Ramadi Iraqi government leaders said their forces will soon attack the Islamic State group in Mosul, Iraq’s second-largest city. Sunnis are a majority of the population there. The militants have controlled Mosul since June, 2014. At that time, IS quickly advanced on and took control of large areas of northern and western Iraq and eastern Syria. Kurdish forces have defeated Islamic State terrorists to the north and east of Mosul. But they do not want to advance beyond territory they have traditionally lived in. Iraqi Finance Minister Hoshiyar Zebari said the country needs the Kurds to help retake Mosul. He told the Reuters news agency that they are a “major force” and will be necessary in that battle. Long-term prospect for Iraq Top Iraqi politicians and experts said if the country’s Sunni Muslim population is not empowered, the Islamic State group will not be defeated. Many Sunnis do not believe Iraq’s majority Shi’ite-led government respects them. Shi’ites have led Iraq since 2005. Many Sunnis have become Islamic State militants. Ayad Allawi is a former vice president of Iraq. He said that victory will not last very long because “there has been no progress on reconciliation. The conditions fostering terrorism will remain if the government does not embark on reform and reconciliatory efforts to engage marginalized Iraqis into an all-inclusive political process based on the rule of law, justice and civil state building.” Allawi told VOA that “without a political strategy, there is only a military victory.” And that’s In the News, from VOA Learning English. I’m Mario Ritter. This report was based on information from VOANews.com. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted it for Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in The News   appropriate –adj. right or suited to come purpose strategic –adj. of or related to a general plan related to a goal stimulus –n.  an action or plan that causes growth or development intact –adj. not broken, having every part, whole infrastructure –n. the basic structures and equipment needed for a country, area or organization to operate inhabitable –adj. able to be lived in foster –v. to help something or someone grow and develop embark on –v. to begin a journey reconciliatory –adj. related to causing two people or groups to become friendly after a disagreement engage –v. to get and keep someone or a group’s attention, to be involved in marginalized –adj. to put in a powerless or unimportant position all-inclusive –adj. to include everything or everyone  

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Fatwa Explains IS Rules About Sex Slaves

The leaders of the Islamic State terror group have written a detailed memo about how female sex slaves should be treated by their IS captors. A document was written in January 2015 but was recently uncovered by the Reuters news agency. For example, a man who takes a woman as a sex slave cannot also have sex with her daughter, Reuters reports. A translation of the original document says: “It is necessary to clarify some rules pertaining to captured prisoners to avoid any violations in dealing with them.” Apparently the rules needed to be made clear because most members of IS did not know how to treat captive women. “These rules have not been dealt with in ages,” says the first part of the document. The New York Times wrote about the rape of a 12-year-old girl last summer. The girl was an IS captive for 11 months before escaping to a refugee camp in Iraq. The girl said her captor would kneel down and pray before raping her. He said the rape was allowed by the Quran and brought them both closer to God. The girl is part of the Yazidi religious minority who are being persecuted by IS. Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have written about the sexual abuse of Yazidi women by their IS captors. Donatella Rovera is a crisis advisor for Amnesty International. She works with women who once were enslaved by IS. “IS fighters are using rape as a weapon in attacks amounting to war crimes and crimes against humanity,” she says. The IS document outlines “do’s and don’ts” when dealing with female sex slaves. Here is part of the list: If a slave becomes pregnant, her captor cannot have sex with her again until after she gives birth. A man cannot cause an abortion if the slave is pregnant A father cannot have sex with a slave, give her to his son and then have sex with her again If two or more people purchase a female slave, none of them can have sex with her because she is a “joint” captive The owner of a female slave cannot humiliate her or force her to do work he knows she will not be able to perform. The list has at least 15 separate points. According to the New York Times story, IS has captured so many women that their trade has turned into a thriving business. Women are held in warehouses, inspected like livestock and transported in fleets of buses. All sales are documented by IS-run Islamic courts. One girl talked about how her captor considered her rape allowed by God. An expert on Yazidi life from the University of Chicago told the New York Times that many of the IS attacks in Iraq are fueled by the desire to capture more women as sex slaves. Controlling territory is a secondary concern. A report from the BBC in 2014 said over 3,500 Yazidi women and girls had been captured by IS. The treatment of these captives prompted more than 100 Muslim scholars worldwide to write an open letter to IS. They condemned its practices as un-Islamic. Two points of their letter were: “It is forbidden to deny women their rights, and it is forbidden to re-introduce slavery.” I’m Dan Friedell.   Dan Friedell wrote this story for Learning English based on reporting from the Reuters and the New York Times. Kathleen Struck was the editor. What do you think of the way the Islamic State group treats captured women? Write to us in the Comments section or on our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   abortion – n.  to end a pregnancy  fleet – n. a group of ships or vehicles that move or work together  humiliate – v. to make (someone) feel very ashamed or foolish livestock – n. farm animals (such as cows, horses, and pigs) that are kept, raised, and used by people memo– n. a usually brief written message from one person or department in an organization, company, etc., to another persecute – v. to treat (someone) cruelly or unfairly especially because of race or religious or political beliefs pertain – v. to relate to someone or something : to have a connection to a person or thing thrive – v. to grow or develop successfully : to flourish or succeed

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Plant Your Mobile Charger in the Dirt

Three university students in Santiago, Chile have developed a plant-powered device to charge their mobile phones. The three engineering students got the idea for the device while sitting in their school's courtyard. Their invention is a small biological circuit they call E-Kaia. It captures the energy plants produce during photosynthesis. A plant uses only a small part of the energy produced by that process.  The rest goes into the soil. E-Kaia collects that energy. The device plugs into the ground and then into a mobile phone. The E-Kaia solved two problems for the engineering students. They needed an idea for a class project. They also needed an outlet to plug in their phones. One of the student inventors, Camila Rupcich, says the device changes the energy released from the plant into low-level power to charge phones. The E-Kaia is able to fully recharge a mobile phone in less than two hours. I’m Jonathan Evans. VOA’s Jessica Berman reported this story from Washington. Jonathan Evans adapted it for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   courtyard – n. an open space that is surrounded completely or partly by a building or group of buildings circuit – n. the complete path that an electric current travels along photosynthesis – n. the process by which a green plant turns water and carbon dioxide into food when the plant is exposed to light

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English in a Minute: Low-Hanging Fruit

Low-hanging fruit on a tree is the easiest fruit to pick. But this expression actually has nothing to do with fresh fruit. Find out what makes something "low-hanging fruit" in this week's English in a Minute!

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Suicide Attack Kills 26 in Pakistan

A suicide bomber in northwest Pakistan killed at least 26 people and left more than 40 wounded last week. The explosion occurred in the Pakistani city of Mardan. The blast took place outside the door of a government office. The office was the National Database and Registration Authority. That office was in charge of issuing national identity cards.  The attacker arrived at the office’s gate on a motorbike. The cyclist was stopped by a security guard. He detonated an explosive vest, according to a witness. An investigation into the identity of the bomber is underway. ​A Pakistani official said if the bomber was not stopped at the gate, the death toll would have been higher. It is estimated that the rider was carrying up to 12 kilograms of explosives. A BBC report said about 50 people were wounded in the blast. Some were injured critically. Most of those killed or injured were civilians. The attack is one of the deadliest in Pakistan since a December 2014 massacre left 150 students and teachers dead in Peshawar, the BBC reported. ​A faction of the Pakistani Taliban said it carried out the attack. In a statement sent to VOA, the group said it targeted the office because it is part of Pakistan’s anti-terrorism war. But a spokesman for the mainstream Taliban in Pakistan said the Taliban had nothing to do with the bombing in Mardan. I'm Jonathan Evans. Ayesha Tanzeem and Ayaz Gul wrote this story for VOAnews.com. Jim Dresbach adapted it 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   blast – n. a powerful explosion motorbike – n. a small motorcycle cyclist – n. some who rides a motorcycle or bicycle detonate – v. to explode or to cause something to explode massacre – n. the violent killing of many people faction – n. a group within a larger group that has different ideas and opinions than the rest of the group

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Have You Ever 'Stolen' A Kiss?

Flying Robots Are Coming to US Universities

Flying devices, called drones, may be one of the most important technologies of the future. The number of jobs for people who know how to design, build and control them is increasing. Because of this increase, several U.S. universities and colleges started offering degrees in unmanned aerial systems, or UAS. One of these universities is the University of Washington in Seattle. Christopher Lum is an aeronautics research scientist with the university's Autonomous Flight Systems Laboratory. Lum helps students explore how civilian drones can safely share the skies with regular aircraft. Ryan Valach loves the three years he spent in the flight lab. "One of the coolest parts is [working] with industries and all the cool technology we work with. It is a definitely an opportunity that a lot of students don't usually get," he said. Ward Handley is seeking a master's degree in aeronautics and astronautics at University of Washington. When the drone program first began, he did not think it was a good idea. "I … decided, no I do not want to work on drones because of the privacy issues," he said. Drones can be used to invade people's privacy. But when an offer for a paid position in the drone lab appeared, Handley changed his opinion. He said, "I'd like to see them used for good rather than [bad]. I think there are good enough [purposes] for them that are really useful.” However, the Federal Aviation Administration, or FAA, is creating new rules to control the use of drones. The FAA is the part of the U.S. government that controls air travel and traffic. A new FAA law requires drone owners to register their drones. All drones must be registered in a government database by February 19, 2016. People who do not register their drones could face fines of up to $20,000. Changing current rules may also present problems for students looking for drone-pilot experience. One problem for many school's unmanned aerial systems programs is finding a legal place to fly. Students at Blue Mountain Community College in Pendleton, Oregon fly inside the college gymnasium. In Seattle, University of Washington student Alec Bueing showed off the place where his department tests the drones. "It's just a [big] room that we move the tables and chairs out of. ... If it happens to get out of control toward the windows we [reduce] any damage," he explained. Lum explained why they test drones inside a building. He said it takes a very long time to get official permission to fly outside. "The federal [laws] are a little bit [restricting]. ... We need to register our aircraft. We need to [get] what is called a Certificate of Authorization," Lum said. That process can take months. The FAA wants to replace the way it examines requests to register drones. Now, the FAA looks at each case differently. The organization wants to create a national rule for civil UAS, and UAS used for business, later in 2016. "At this time, Kansas State University is the only school with … [permission] to offer unmanned aircraft flight [classes] to students [outside]," an FAA representative wrote. The FAA selected Kansas State and 15 other universities to be part of a national academic research group, called the Center of Excellence for UAS. The group will receive federal money to expand research and training. Also in the group is the University of North Dakota. The university is the first to offer a UAS degree. Lum and some of his students recently moved their research to Australia. Australia has fewer rules governing UAS. A professor at Western Washington University also took his department's drones to Canada for the same reason.  I'm Pete Musto.   Tom Banse 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 government should let private citizens use UAS? Are UAS common in your country? Let us know in the comments section or on our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   unmanned aerial systems – n. flying vehicles or machines controlled either by onboard computers or by the pilot on the ground or in another vehicle aeronautics – n. a science that deals with airplanes and flying aircraft – n. a machine such as an airplane or a helicopter that flies through the air master's degree – n. a degree a college or university gives to a student usually after one or two years of additional study following a bachelor's degree astronautics – n. the science and technology of human space travel and exploration privacy – n. the state of being away from public attention database – n. a collection of pieces of information that is organized and used on a computer gymnasium – n. a room or building that has equipment for sports activities or exercise show(ed) off – p.v. to cause a lot of people to see or notice someone or something of which you think highly academic – adj. of or relating to schools and education ​

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Cemetery Goats Eat Weeds, Save Planet

A burial place in Washington, D.C. is using goats instead of poison to remove weeds. Congressional Cemetery, which opened in the early 1800s, is near Capitol Hill. Capitol Hill is where important buildings and business of U.S. government are located.    Many former members of the U.S. House and Senate are buried there. The cemetery is also the final resting place of former FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) Director J. Edgar Hoover and famous Civil War photographer Mathew Brady. There are more than 65,000 graves there. Burials still take place today. In recent years, many weeds have grown in the cemetery. Officials did not want to use poisons, called herbicides, to kill the weeds. The cemetery is near the Anacostia River. Officials have worked for many years to remove pollutants from the river, which runs through the city. Lauren Maloy is the program director at the cemetery. She says because it is close to the river, “We are always looking for ways to make sure that we are sustainable, that we are not using pesticides that might hurt the environment.” So cemetery officials decided to use goats. The animals are less costly than chemicals and do not hurt the environment. And the goats eat a lot of weeds. The animals are owned by Mary Bowen, a farmer. She operates a company called Browsing Green Goats. The cemetery pays her company more than $11,000 to have the goats remove unwanted plants from each hectare of the cemetery. But Mary Bowen says that is about half the cost of using herbicides. An electronic fence keeps the goats from leaving the cemetery. Mary Bowen says she examines the fence every day. She says she has not lost a goat in five years. She says the goats do not need to be told what to do, and they only stop eating when they want the food to settle in their stomachs. Mary Bowen says she hopes the goats will help more people understand that they can keep their property free of weeds without hurting the environment. I’m Kathleen Struck. Correspondents Joseph Mok and Yiyi Yang reported this story from Washington. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted it into VOA 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   weeds – n. a plant that grows very quickly where it is not wanted and covers or kills more desirable plants cemetery – n. a place where dead people are buried grave – n. a hole in the ground for burying a dead body poison – n. a harmful or deadly substance herbicide – n. a chemical used to destroy plants or stop plant growth sustainable – adj. able to last or continue for a long time; involving methods that do not completely use up or destroy natural resources pesticide – n. a chemical that is used to kill animals or insects that damage plants or crops  

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