Indonesian Pianist, 12, Wows Jazz World

People who listen to Joey Alexander play the piano say they are listening to the future of jazz. And Joey is only 12 years old. But musicians who work with the 12-year-old are the first to say that age does not matter. The music industry seems to agree. The young pianist earned two Grammy nominations this year, one for “Best Improvised Jazz Solo” and one for “Best Jazz Instrumental Album.” He is one of the youngest musicians ever to earn a Grammy nomination. Jason Olaine produced Joey's debut album titled My Favorite Things. To anyone who doubts young Joey’s abilities, Olaine says,“Just close your eyes, and listen to Joey." The road from Bali to New York City Joey Alexander was born Josiah Alexander Sila in Bali, Indonesia. At age 6, he learned to play jazz by ear. Playing music by ear means to learn a piece of music just by listening to it, not by reading notes. Joey’s parents are not musicians. They ran a travel business. His father played a little piano and guitar, but not professionally. However, Joey says when he saw his father play, he wanted to try. "Well, my dad played a little piano and guitar, but not that professionally. And then I saw him play and then he make me like, I want to play, I want to try this instrument.” Watching his father play music influenced the young boy. So did his father’s record collection. He learned jazz by listening to these records. He says he listened to jazz greats like Duke Ellington and Bill Strayhorn, among others. “Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk and Miles Davis, Coltrane and Bill Evans. I hear all these amazing musicians." New York City comes calling Joey’s family moved from Bali to Jakarta. There Joey played with some of Indonesia's best jazz artists. Joey's parents then decided to give up their travel business and move the family to New Jersey, close to New York City. By the time Joey was 10, the Lincoln Center in New York City invited him to play at Jazz at Lincoln Center. Olaine, who produced Joey’s first album, is also the director of programming at Jazz at Lincoln Center. Olaine remembers the reactions of musicians who were there for a rehearsal when Joey performed a Thelonius Monk tune. The expression he uses is "everybody's jaws dropped." "Joey plays a version of "Round Midnight," and everybody's jaws dropped, like looking at Joey and looking at each other… and they're laughing, like 'This can't possibly be what we're hearing.' He took another take afterwards, it was a completely different arrangement. And again, everyone (laughs) ... you kind of shrug your shoulders, look at each other, scratch your head, and just go 'Okay, all right, I've never seen this before.' " One of the musicians on Joey's debut album had a similar reaction. Drummer Ulysses Owens Jr. is 32 years old. But, he says their 20-year age difference means nothing. He and Joey connected through music right from the start. Owens remembers watching the young pianist play "Giant Steps." “Giant Steps” is a song that could win Joey a Grammy in February for Best Improvised Jazz Solo. "I think it was the intro. Every time we did 'Giant Steps,' Joey always loved to do an intro, without the band … And one of the second or third intros, he went to this whole other place, musically. And I watched him, I watched him close his eyes, and I watched his head kinda of just bobbing to the side, he has this thing that he does when he's really going somewhere… and I was like 'This is freakin' amazing,'" Owens describes Joey’s harmonic and melodic adventures as hip and in the next stratosphere. In other words Joey’s piano playing is simply out of this world! "Watching this little kid, he's going on all these harmonic adventures, and melodic adventures, and doing some really hip stuff, and he's just gone, he's just completely in this next stratosphere, I'm like, that is a gift, man, and when I open my eyes and look at him, that's what I saw, man, this kid is literally from another planet. And it's so beautiful to watch." Just a normal kid Joey is home-schooled. And when he is not performing and blowing the minds of jazz greats, he says he is just a normal kid. He likes the music of Michael Jackson, Aretha Franklin and the Beatles. He also likes playing with toys, playing sports and watching movies. "You know, I'm still me as a kid .. playing toys. I play sports, like I play a little bit of tennis, swimming … you know, like a normal kid, I watch movies." Joey says he is grateful for all the support he has received during his musical journey. He says that he is excited to be part of the New York jazz scene. And now, Joey can follow his dream -- playing jazz for people to bring them joy and hope. "I hope that they will feel the joy because this music is so joyful and it touches people's hearts. When I play I always hope people will be joyful in their lives and to have hope." I’m Anna Matteo.   Heidi Chang reported this story for VOA News. Anna Matteo adapted it for Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   debut – n. the first time an actor, musician, athlete, etc., does something in public or for the public play by ear – idiomatic expression : to play a song or a piece of music by ear is to play it after hearing it without looking at written music. amazing – adj. causing great surprise or wonder rehearsal – n. an event at which a person or group practices an activity (such as singing, dancing, or acting) in order to prepare for a public performance jaws dropped – idiomatic expression :  If your jaw drops, you open your mouth in a way that shows you are very surprised or shocked. take – n. a song that is recorded a scene that is filmed or at one time without stopping intro – n. a short introduction to something (such as a performance or a musical work) bob – v. to move up and down quickly or repeatedly harmonic – adj. technical : of or relating to musical harmony rather than melody or rhythm adventure – n. an exciting experience melodic – adj. of or relating to melody hip – adj. knowing about and following the newest styles, fashions, etc. stratosphere – n.  the upper layer of the Earth's atmosphere that begins about 7 miles (11 kilometers) above the Earth's surface and ends about 30 miles (50 kilometers) above the Earth's surface : a very high position, level, or amount

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VOA English Newscast: 1400 UTC January 12, 2016

  From Washington, this is VOA News.      I’m Frances Alonzo reporting. Chancellor Angela Merkel says she is "seriously concerned" that German citizens might be among the victims and the wounded in an explosion in Istanbul that killed at least ten people earlier Tuesday. In comments to reporters, she said, "Those affected are members of a German tourist group and, of course, the German foreign ministry immediately set up a crisis meeting. We are trying to gather all the information as quickly as possible." She went on to say that they “must ascertain today Istanbul was hit, Paris was hit, Tunisia was hit and Ankara too was already hit. Today, international terrorism has shown its ugly face once again. Apart from the grief we obviously feel today, it shows that we need to act decisively against terrorism," she added. A Syrian suicide bomber is thought to be responsible for an attack, which killed at least ten people including foreigners in the heart of Istanbul's historic Sultanahmet tourist district Tuesday, according to the Turkish President. There was a high probability Islamic State militants were behind the blast, near the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia, according to two senior Turkish security officials speaking Reuters. And for the seventh and final time of his presidency, Barack Obama will stand before Congress and the American public to lay out his vision not only for his remaining months in office, but for the future of the United States. In a video preview, he says he is optimistic about the path the United States is on. It’s that optimism that White House officials say will be showcased when the president addresses the nation for his last State of the Union Tuesday. We will carry that “live” on Wednesday at 0200 UTC. This is VOA News. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Newscast   tourist – n. a person who travels from place to place for pleasure of course – phrase an expression used to offer an idea as being known or expected ascertain – v. make sure of ugly– adj. unpleasing to look at grief – n. deep sadness obviously – adj. in a way that is easy to see or understand district – n. an area established by a government for official government business according – adv. as stated by or in; depending on whether behind – adj. of or related to sportsmen or sportswomen with physical disabilities vision – n. the ability to see; something that you imagine preview – n. a show or performance that enables some people to see something before it is shown to the public. optimistic – adj. hopeful showcased – v. shown or demonstrated in a good or favorable way addresses – v. speaks to live – adj. done in front of a crowd; broadcast at the same time the show or event is taking place We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section ​

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Terror Rips Open Historic Istanbul Square

[Audio for this story will follow shortly. Thank you for your patience.] An explosion in the historic square of Sultanahmet in Istanbul left at least 10 people dead and wounded 15 others Tuesday. “We heard a really big explosion. … I didn’t really understand what was happening,” said Ali Hakan Ataman to VOA News. “Blood and flesh were splattered on us and I am sure I saw at least six or seven people laying on the ground dead. I am still in shock.” Officials said they suspect a Syrian suicide bomber detonated the explosion. They said they believe the suicide bomber had ties to the terror group Islamic State, according to Reuters. The Turkish government has been attacked by Islamist and Kurdish militants in the past months. The Sultanahmet attack took place while government security forces crack down on the Kurdish rebel group, the PKK. Ataman said he thought German tourists were among the victims.  Another witness, Erdogan Salihli, said the explosion was huge. “All the buildings around were shaking, and it was very strong and threw people off the ground,” he said. Panic and fear ensued. “All was quiet for a second or a bit longer. I’ve never seen an explosion in this magnitude. As people were trying to figure out what really happened, the cries of people at the scene was very tragic.” The VOA news staff and Dorian Jones 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   splattered – v. to move, fall, or hit something in large drops detonated – v. to explode or to cause to explode ensued – v. to come at a later time magnitude – n. the size, extent, or importance of something

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Mexico Acts to Send Crime Group Leader 'El Chapo' to US

Mexico has agreed to send Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman to the United States for prosecution. Guzman is leader of the Sinaloa crime group. He faces numerous charges in the U.S., including drug trafficking, kidnapping and murder. The Mexican government rejected U.S. requests earlier to turn over Guzman. It changed its position after he escaped a Mexican prison last July for the third time. Federal police captured him Friday after a gun battle.  The legal process to send Guzman to the United States could take months. Guzman's lawyers said they will oppose the extradition effort. The prisoner could be sent to one of several U.S. cities for trial, including New York or Chicago. Mexican officials want to question American actor Sean Penn in connection with the Guzman escape. Penn met with the crime group leader in October to gather information for a story for an American magazine, Rolling Stone. The magazine’s web site posted the interview Saturday. Mexican officials also want to question Mexican actress Kate del Castillo. She reportedly set up the meeting between Penn and Guzman. Mexican officials say information about that meeting helped them locate the Sinaloa group chief. Some Americans denounced the interview. Republican Party presidential candidate, Senator Marco Rubio, called it "grotesque." Journalists also questioned Penn's agreement to permit Guzman the right to review the article before it was published. In the interview, Guzman said, "I supply more heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana than anybody else in the world.  I have a fleet of submarines, airplanes, trucks and boats."  Penn described Guzman as "entirely unapologetic." Guzman's escape was an embarrassment for President Enrique Pena Nieto. The government was praised for its aggressive push against Mexico's top drug traffickers, however. The drug lord is now at the Altiplano Prison where he escaped in July. The Mexican Attorney General said Guzman's recapture came after a huge surveillance operation. That operation involved a film crew that had been working on a biography of the drug trafficker. The gun battle Friday killed at least five suspects. One Mexican soldier was wounded. Six people were arrested at the scene. Guzman and another man escaped the raid. Police arrested them a short time later. Guzman was first captured in 1993, but escaped in 2001 with the help of prison guards. He was not recaptured until 2014. U.S. intelligence information helped in that effort. Mexico has ordered the arrest of more than 20 former officials, guards and police officers in connection with Guzman's escape last year. Ten civilians are already in detention. I'm Jim Tedder. Caty Weaver adapted this story for Learning English from VOA News reports. Kathleen Struck was the editor. Do you think Mexico is right to send Guzman to the U.S. for trial? Or should he serve his sentence in Mexico? Post your thoughts in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. Words in This Story extradition - n. the act of sending (a person who has been accused of a crime) to another state or country for trial​ interview - n. a meeting between a reporter and another person in order to get information for a news story​ embarrassment - n. something or someone that causes a person or group to look or feel foolish​ surveillance - n. the act of carefully watching someone or something especially in order to prevent or detect a crime​ biography - n. the story of a real person's life written by someone other than that person​     We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.

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Trending Today: Remembering David Bowie

British rock star David Bowie has died. He was 69 years old. His family confirmed his death on Bowie’s Facebook and Twitter accounts. They wrote that he died peacefully on Sunday “surrounded by his family after a courageous 18-month battle with cancer.” ​ Last Friday, the iconic singer turned 69. That same day, he released his album, Blackstar. Bowie mixed rock and jazz on the album. Critics have described Blackstar as his best work in years. On social media, fellow musicians, longtime fans and even astronauts mourned Bowie’s death. So far, more than 4 million Tweets worldwide have mentioned the music legend. Madonna wrote several tweets about Bowie’s musical influence. She tweeted: “Talented. Unique. Genius. Game Changer. The Man who Fell to Earth. Your Spirit Lives on Forever.” ​ Bruce Springsteen tweeted that Bowie “was a visionary artist and an early supporter of our music.” ​ From the International Space Station, British astronaut Tim Peake tweeted: “Saddened to hear David Bowie lost his battle with cancer -- his music was an inspiration to many.” The German Foreign Office posted a farewell to the rock star. “Goodbye, David Bowie. You are now among Heroes. Thank you for helping to bring down the (Berlin) Wall.” ​ David Bowie lived and worked in West Berlin for several years in the 1970s, with musician Iggy Pop. In June of 1987, Bowie returned to the divided city for a concert. Some Germans say that show changed history, and helped bring down the wall. Bowie later said of the concert, “It was one of the most emotional performances I’ve ever done. I was in tears.”   As news broke of his death Monday, fans worldwide were in tears, as well. Twitter user @JacktheladRadio wrote: “I have tears in my eyes. What a man, what a bloody amazing, pioneering brilliant man.” ​ We leave you with the music video of the 1969 hit Space Oddity. The song rocketed David Bowie to fame. The song is about an astronaut in space. It evokes the loneliness of the Cold War space race. The song came out in the same month that men first walked on the moon.   What is your favorite David Bowie song? Let us know in the comments section.  ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   iconic - adj. a person who is very successful and admired​ legend - n. a famous or important person who is known for doing something extremely well evoke - v. to bring (a memory, feeling, image, etc.) into the mind

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US Warplane Flies Over South Korea

A large American military plane that can carry nuclear weapons flew over South Korea Sunday. The flight was an answer to North Korea’s claim last week that it had tested a nuclear weapon. The B-52 bomber was seen flying over an American air base about 72 kilometers south of the North Korean border. The long-range bomber then returned to its base in Guam. The bomber was guarded by two fighter planes -- one each from the United States and South Korea. Admiral Harry B. Harris Jr. leads the U.S. Pacific Command. He said the flight showed America’s commitment to South Korea and Japan and “defense of the American homeland.” ​Lieutenant General Terrence O'Shaughnessy is the deputy commander of U.S. Forces Korea. He told reporters after the flight that the United States is committed “to stability on the Korean peninsula.” The U.S. also sent a long-range bomber over South Korea in 2013 after the North carried out its third nuclear test.   The United States may deploy an aircraft carrier near the Korean peninsula, reported the Yonhap news agency, which is supported by the South Korean government. I’m Jonathan Evans.   VOANews.com reported this story from Washington. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted it into VOA Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. Do you agree with the decision to fly a B-52 bomber over South Korea? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section, or visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   bomber – n. a military aircraft designed for dropping bombs long-range – adj. able to travel or be used over great distances sign – n. a motion, action or movement that is used to express a thought, command or wish   homeland – n. a usually large area where a particular group of people can live; a country committed – adj. willing to give your time, energy, etc., to something stability – n. the quality or state of something that is not easily changed or likely to change aircraft carrier – n. a military ship that has a large deck, or area, where aircraft take off and land

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Revenant, Martian Win Big at Golden Globes

Stars from the year’s top movies and television shows gathered Sunday in Beverly Hills, California for the 73rd Golden Globe Awards. “The Revenant"  and “The Martian” were the night’s top winners, with three Golden Globes each. The film “The Revenant” is about a man in the 1820s trying to survive in the wild after being attacked by a bear. It won the prize for Best Dramatic Film. “Revenant” star Leonardo DiCaprio won best drama actor. The film’s director, Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, won best director. Inarritu also won best director last year for “Birdman.” "The Revenant" beat out “Carol,” a lesbian romance story, and “Spotlight.” That drama was based on the reporters who investigated widespread sexual abuse by Roman Catholic priests. Another top winner, “The Martian,” tells the story of an astronaut trapped on Mars. It won the best motion picture in comedy or musical. Director Ridley Scott said he was confused by the film’s nomination in that category. "Martian" star Matt Damon took home the award for best actor in a comedy or musical.  He said he knew "how lucky I am to do this for a living." Rising star Brie Larson won best actress in a drama for her role in "Room.” In that film, she plays a young woman who is kidnapped and held for years with her young son. Jennifer Lawrence won best comedy actress for "Joy," about the inventor of the Miracle Mop. Other top winners included Sylvester Stallone, who received a standing ovation as best supporting actor for the film “Creed.” In “Creed,” Stallone returned to his role as boxer Rocky Balboa. "Steve Jobs," a controversial film about the late Apple co-founder, won two Golden Globes -- for supporting actress Kate Winslet and screenwriter Aaron Sorkin. “The Son of Saul,” a Hungarian about the Holocaust, won for Best Foreign Language film. It was Hungary’s first time to win the award. “The Son of Saul” also won the Grand Prix at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. The Golden Globes are selected by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. They mark the first major film honors of the Hollywood awards season. Comedian Ricky Gervais hosted this year’s show. The Golden Globes is considered a preview of the Academy Awards, Hollywood’s biggest night. Many Golden Globe winners go on to win Oscars weeks later. Oscar nominees will be announced on January 15. The Golden Globes is also the only major awards show that honors both film and television. In the television category, “Mr. Robot” won for best TV drama series. The series follows a young man who works in cyber-security by day, and cyber-hacking by night. “Mozart in the Jungle,” an Amazon series, won for best comedy television show. “Mozart in the Jungle” is a humorous look at the world of classical music and famous orchestras in New York City. I’m Ashley Thompson.   Ashley Thompson adapted this story from Reuters and VOA News reports. Caty Weaver was the editor. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   confused - adj. unable to understand rising star - (idiomatic) n. a person who is quickly becoming successful standing ovation - n. an occurrence in which the people at a play, speech, sporting event, etc., stand up and applaud to show enthusiastic approval or appreciation late - adj. not now living ​

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Starving Syrians to Receive UN Aid, Food

Fighting in Syria was paused to allow United Nations aid and food to reach the towns of Madaya, Foua and Kefraya. A deal was struck between warring sides in the civil war on Saturday. The deal permitted food delivery to all three towns, according to multiple media reports. No aid had reached Madaya since October. Doctors Without Borders estimated that 42,000 Syrians have little or no access to food there. Enough food is being sent to feed 40,000 people for a month. The town, about 40 kilometers from Damascus and close to the border with Lebanon, will also receive medicine and blankets. U.N. World Food Program, International Red Cross and Syrian Arab Red Crescent supplied the aid for the Madaya mission. A convoy of 44 trucks waited to enter Madaya. The northern villages of Foua and Kefraya will also get assistance. Foua and Kefraya support the Syrian regime of President Bashar al-Assad. Those two towns are now surrounded by rebel troops. Between 12,000 and 20,000 people were cut off from aid in Kefraya and Foua. There are numerous reports of extreme hunger and starvation in the Madaya area. Since the beginning of December, six children and 22 adults have died from starvation, according to the multiple media reports. “Syrians are suffering and dying across the country because starvation is being used as a weapon of war by both the Syrian government and armed groups,” said an Amnesty International spokesperson. I'm Kathleen Struck.   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   paused - v. halted; stopped multiple - adj. several; a number of times access - n. a way of getting near or to somewhere; use of something blanket – n. a covering made of cloth that is used especially on a bed for warmth convoy – n. a group of vehicles that are traveling together usually for protection regime - n. a government or administration starvation – n. suffering or death caused by having nothing to eat or not enough to eat

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Mucus: Your Friend Against Bacteria

When you are sick with a cold or the flu, you may have a runny nose. Why is it called a runny nose? Because of the mucus flowing and dripping from your nose. Yucky! But, guess what? Mucus is very helpful. Just hearing the word is enough to make some people uneasy, but science tells us that mucus is our friend. New research has found that health benefits can come from mucus and viruses. Our bodies can produces more than a liter of it every day. So what is it?  “Mucus is typically a clear, gel-like substance. It is very slimy. Mucus is a secretion or substance that your body produces, and it produces it to protect itself but also to select for specific bacteria and microbes that actually help you and contributes to your immune system, and it sort of covers and coats almost the entire inside of our bodies. That is Jeremy Barr, adjunct professor at San Diego State University. He says that mucus is where all of your good bacteria lives and grows. When you have a virus, it can cause many illnesses. Barr and his fellow researchers studied a virus called “phage.” He says this virus, when mixed with mucus cells in the body, can help protect it against bacteria. “Phages are a special kind of virus because they only infect and kill bacteria. They don’t infect humans or other animals. What our research has shown is that these phages actually stick to mucus layers all throughout your body and by sticking there they work with your body to protect and control the bacterial community that can reside or live in your mucus layers.” Mucus also helps protect your lungs from dust, bacteria, cigarette smoke, exhaust fumes and other intruders. Barr says the interaction between mucus and phage is constant. And there are health benefits when you have a cold. “When you get sick, the common cold is actually a type of virus that infects our own cells and so, in that case, changes to your mucus layer could disrupt these phages or...and could sometimes lead to what we call a secondary infection. So you will actually get a bacterial pathogen that will come in and cause an infection after the common cold. We think this is a very important mechanism in your body to keep you healthy and to protect you from bacterial infection.” The group grew human lung cells in petri dishes to produce sterile mucus. They then added the phage virus. Then, they added bacteria. They found that the lung cells were better protected from bacteria than those without the added phage virus. Jeremy Barr says he hopes the research will bring forth new fields of phage research, even to help prevent food-borne outbreaks like E. coli. “So we think that if we could use  these phages and how they stick to mucosal surfaces and potentially protect against some of these food-borne outbreaks."  So the next time you have a cold, remember your mucus -- along with the phage virus -- is hard at work to make you healthy and keep those harmful bacteria away. I'm Marsha James. Marsha James wrote this story for Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. What do you think of this story? Write to us in the comments section or on our Facebook page.    ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   mucus – n. a thick liquid that is produced in some parts of the body slimy – adj.  thick and slippery secretion –​ n. the production of a liquid by part of a plant or animal disrupt – v. to cause something to be unable to continue in the normal way intruder –​ n. something that is not welcome or wanted in a place petri dish – n. a small, shallow dish that has a loose cover and that is used in scientific experiments especially for growing bacteria

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Obama To Give 'State of the Union' Speech

President Barack Obama is making final preparations for his State of the Union address to Congress. The address is the last State of the Union speech he will give as president. In a radio broadcast Saturday, Obama previewed part of the speech. He said that “America can do anything”. Tuesday night, the president will remember his accomplishments in office. But White House staff members say Obama will also talk of the country’s future. White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough said, “He (the president) doesn’t want this to be your traditional policy speech that outlines a series of proposals. Rather, he wanted to take a step back and look at the future of this country.”   Obama will surely talk about the growing number of jobs during his years as president. He is also expected to note actions aimed at improving the health of the environment and passage of the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare. And he will note the 2009 government bailout of American automakers General Motors and Chrysler. He considers that financial rescue effort his biggest success, according to USA Today. The Republican Party has long dismissed Obama’s economic record. Republican critics differ over what has been accomplished over the past seven years and what should be done in the future. “The president is going to talk about the future and try to paint a rosy picture where one does not exist,” said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican. He spoke on ABC Television’s This Week program. “What we’d love to hear from the president is a real plan to defeat ISIL (the Islamic State),” he added. South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley will present the Republican response to the president’s speech. Haley is Indian-American and considered a possible Republican vice presidential nominee. I’m Jim Dresbach.   Michael Bowman wrote this story for VOAnews.com. Jim Dresbach adapted it for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. What do you think President Obama will talk about during his final State of the Union address? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   preview – n. a description of something that will happen or be available in the future accomplishment – n. the successful completion of something bailout – n. the act of saving or rescuing something, such as a business, from money problems rosy – adj. having or producing hope for success or happiness in the future

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Protesters Copy Ways of Extremists Against US

Armed protesters continue to occupy a U.S. national wildlife refuge in the western state of Oregon. Some experts say the protesters have been influenced by the extremist militia movement to fight against the federal government. The protesters moved in while the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge was closed during the New Years’ holiday. The leader of the protest is Ammon Bundy. He is a rancher from Nevada. Bundy said the occupying group has named itself Citizens for Constitutional Freedom. Bundy said he wants the government to consider claims that federal officials have mistreated local ranchers. They are also bringing attention to the case of Dwight and Steven Hammond. They are two Oregon ranchers who were found guilty of setting fires illegally on public land. The ranchers were ordered to return to prison after a judge found they had not served enough of their five-year sentence. They have since returned to prison. Bundy has been involved in standoffs with government officials before. In 2014, Bundy, his father Cliven and his brother took part in another armed standoff with federal officials. They had refused to pay money for grazing their cattle on federal land. The standoff ended when the U.S. government returned cattle to the family that it had seized. John Freemuth is an expert in land use at Boise State University in the Idaho. He says the protesters are dealing with issues of concern to Western ranchers. The government controls huge areas of land in the Western United States. That includes more than half of the state of Oregon. Freemuth says there has been a change in public values about wildlife protection and public lands. He says this has left ranchers feeling “squeezed by all these changes, new environmental laws…and they feel they’re not listened to.” The loosely organized occupation group has brought together people with many concerns, including gun rights. Oregon is one of 45 states with so-called “open carry” laws, which permit people to carry firearms. One protester Jon Ritzheimer has led armed anti-Islamic protests in his home state of Arizona. Ritzheimer posted an emotional declaration on YouTube warning that “there's no stopping us.” John Freemuth says most Oregonians are appalled at the confrontation. He says they consider the occupiers outside activists “who have rolled in, armed and threatening, and have gone way beyond what the local folks are protesting.” Ryan Lenz is with the Southern Poverty Law Center. The organization studies extremist groups. Lenz says some ranchers who have real grievances with the federal government have been influenced by what he calls fringe ideologies. He says anti-government extremists should not control what is lawful “in a country where we have a longstanding system of jurisprudence as organized by our courts.” Rick Eaton is a researcher on extremist groups at the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles. He believes federal officials have shown restraint. Eaton says, “To their credit, the government has backed off and has not created a standoff.” Many standoffs end without violence or injury such as the occupation in 1972 of the Bureau of Indian Affairs in Washington DC. Others like one in Ruby Ridge, Idaho in 1992 and another near Waco, Texas, ended with the deaths of civilians and federal agents.  Sheriff David Ward of Harney County in Oregon addressed the armed protesters on Monday. He said, “It is time for you to leave our community. Go home to your own families and end this peacefully.”   Mike O’Sullivan reported this story from Los Angeles. Mario Ritter adapted it for VOA Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. What do you think about the protesters in Oregon? Let us know in the Comment section and on our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   standoff –n. an argument or contest in which there is no winner rancher –n. a person who works on a ranch, often raising cattle grievances –n. feelings of having been treated unfairly fringe –adj. the outer edge of something, not mainstream ideologies –n. the set of ideas or beliefs of a group or political party adequate –adj. enough jurisprudence –n. the study of law

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