Fake Reports of Fish Caught Harms Economy, Environment

The amount of fish caught worldwide is much larger than has been reported. And that could mean serious problems for the environment and nations that depend on fisheries. A new estimate places the world fish catch at 109 million metric tons. That is 32 million tons higher than countries have been reporting yearly. The same report notes that the world’s fish catch has been declining since the late 1990s. Countries report their industrial catches to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. But they do not report other kinds of fishing. These include the catches of small commercial fisheries, what are called artisanal fisheries, and fishing for recreation and individual food. Daniel Pauly at the University of British Columbia in Canada led the study. He noted that a huge amount of some catches is thrown away. “For example, shrimp trawlers retain only the shrimp and the fish that they catch – often eight to 10 times as much as the shrimp – gets thrown away.” Pauly told VOA that better estimates of the actual global catch will help ensure there will be enough fish in the future. “…But our figures suggest that since '96 a rapid decrease is happening. And if you project this forward you end up in a few decades having much less catch, literally no catch. So that is potentially dangerous.” The online journal Nature Communications published the report Tuesday.   Researchers also found ways the world’s fisheries are changing. They found that fishing fleets of larger nations are catching fish in the waters of developing countries more and more. Pauly said he was surprised by the amount of fishing done by foreign fleets in competition with local fishers. “In West Africa, the figure that was most astonishing is the enormous role of foreign fishing – of European and Asian vessels fishing legally or illegally – and competing against local fishers. On the other hand for the U.S., Australia and some developing countries, such as the Bahamas, what was apparent is the enormous contribution of recreational fisheries, which also never get reported to the FAO.” Researchers say inaccurate data also harms the development and supervision of effective policy and management measures. I'm Mario Ritter.   Steve Herman reported this story for VOA. Mario Ritter adapted it for VOA Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   fisheries – n. a business that catches and sells fish; a part of the ocean were fish and sea creatures are available commercial – adj. concerned with earning money as a business fleet – n. a group of ships that work together for a business or for a country trawlers – n. a boat used to catch fish with a large net potentially – adv. possible, able to be real inaccurate – adj. not correct or exact declining - v. shrinking decades - n. 10-year periods; many years astonishing - adj. causing a feeling of great wonder or surprise enormous - adj. huge or really big role - n. the part that someone has in a special activity or situation contribution - n. a payment; the act of giving someone something

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Water Crisis in U.S. City a 'Disaster, Not Just an Emergency'

  Civil rights activists, politicians and residents are calling the contamination of drinking water in an urban U.S. city “a disaster, not just an emergency.” Michigan Governor Rick Snyder recently apologized for the water disaster in Flint, Michigan, according to the news agency CNN. Snyder said he would use all his power as governor to solve the water crisis. Snyder asked state legislators for $28 million to fund a series of immediate actions. The money would be used for things such as supplying bottled water, replacing water filters and other fixtures in high-risk areas, testing children for high lead levels and treating potential physical and emotional health issues, reports CNN.  Snyder said the following statement to the people of Flint: “Your families face a crisis, a crisis you did not create and could not have prevented. I am sorry and I will fix it." The Republican governor has become the target for much heated criticism because the crisis unfolded under his watch. Civil rights leaders, activists, politicians come to Flint U.S. civil rights activists visited the Midwestern city of Flint, Michigan recently. Reverend Jesse Jackson is a longtime civil rights leader. He led a delegation of activists. They addressed a crowd of concerned and angered citizens sitting in a local church.   Jackson spoke later to reporters. He said the residents of Flint have been exposed to contaminated drinking and bathing water for nearly two years. Jackson described the city as "a crime scene.” Who lives in Flint? Flint is an industrial, urban area of the state. It is largely an African-American city, where 40 percent of the population lives in poverty. Jackson's visit to Flint came one day after President Barack Obama declared a local state of emergency. This clears the way for federal aid to reach the residents.  Obama’s visit came a day after another visit by controversial filmmaker Michael Moore. Moore was raised in Flint. He made the 1989 documentary film “Roger & Me.” The film is about the closing of several automobile plants in Flint by CEO of General Motors Roger Smith. Speaking at City Hall, Moore said the situation is "not just a water crisis. It is “a racial crisis.” It is “a poverty crisis.” How did this happen? According to many reports, the water crisis began 2014. The city of Flint was in deep financial difficulty. To save money, the city began using water from a local river rather than using pretreated water from the water system of Detroit, a nearby city. However, the water in the Flint River is highly corrosive. Officials did not properly treat the corrosive water before sending it through lead pipes and into people’s homes. Corrosive means to cause damage to metal or other materials through a chemical process. And that is just what happened. As the corrosive water traveled through the system of old lead pipes, lead seeped or leached into the water. To make matters worse, officials did not tell Flint residents about their tainted drinking water supply for a year and a half. Now, the people of Flint are demanding to know who knew what and when. Flint has since returned to using water from Detroit. However, engineers now say its water distribution system may need replacement. This could cost as much at $1.5 billion. The Detroit Free Press called on Michigan Governor Rick Snyder to release staff emails. Critics of the governor say his emails may show a pattern of willful neglect by state officials. These same critics say the governor and his staff allegedly attempted to lessen the importance of the contamination and its effects. Health experts report finding dangerously high levels of lead in the city's children. State officials have begun importing bottled water to protect locals from further contamination. A hero doctor Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha is director of pediatric residency at Hurley Children's Hospital. She is being called a hero by many. The doctor brought the problem of high levels of lead in children to the public's attention. She did this after state agencies first ignored her concerns. What lead does to a child Hanna-Attisha explains that lead-contaminated water has lifelong and generational effects. In a television interview, she says it is well-documented that high levels of lead in children can lead to learning disabilities and emotional problems that follow the child into adulthood. The World Health Organization says excess lead exposure can damage a human's nervous and reproductive systems and the kidneys. High levels of lead can cause high blood pressure and anemia. It also describes lead as "especially harmful to the developing brains of fetuses, young children and to pregnant women." Additionally, the WHO warns of risks from "irreversible learning disabilities, behavioral problems, and mental retardation. At very high levels, lead can cause convulsions, coma and death." Investigating the crisis Earlier this month, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder declared a state of emergency. This allowed the residents of Flint to go to fire stations for a daily case of water per household. But many blame Snyder for the crisis. Michigan Attorney General Bill Shuette announced that he will investigate the crisis to determine whether any state laws were broken. In a recent statement, a civil rights organization, called the NAACP, described the Attorney General’s announcement as a "positive and much needed step in the right direction." The statement went on to say to “expose a city of nearly 100,000 residents, many of them children, to toxic lead is, if not criminal, at the very least inhumane." I’m Anna Matteo. And I’m Dan Friedell.   Fern Robinson and Lou Lorscheider wrote this story for VOA News. Anna Matteo adapted it for Learning English, adding additional reporting from several news sources. Kathleen Struck was the editor. __________________________________________________________ Words in This Story contamination – n. to make unfit for use by the introduction of unwholesome or undesirable elements corrosive – adj. causing damage to metal or other materials through a chemical process controversial – adj. relating to or causing much discussion, disagreement, or argument : likely to produce controversy tainted – adj. to make (something) dangerous or dirty especially by adding something harmful or undesirable to it irreversible – adj.  impossible to change back to a previous condition or state convulsions medical : a sudden violent shaking of the muscles in your body that you are unable to control coma – n. a state of profound unconsciousness caused by disease, injury, or poison

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'Benito Cereno,' by Herman Melville, Part Two

Today, we continue the story "Benito Cereno."  It was written by Herman Melville. Last week, we told how African slaves on a Spanish ship rebelled in seventeen ninety-nine. They killed most of the Spanish sailors. Only the captain, Benito Cereno, and a few others were left alive. The leader of the rebellion was a slave named Babo. He ordered Captain Cereno to sail the ship back to Senegal, the slaves' homeland.  But food and water were low. So the ship stopped at an island off the coast of Chile to get the needed supplies. When it arrived, an American ship was in the harbor. The American captain, Amoso Delano, thought the Spanish ship might be in trouble. He would offer help. Babo decided to remain close to Captain Cereno and act as if he were the captain's slave. Babo would kill him if he told Captain Delano the truth about what happened. Now, here is Shep O'Neal to continue our story. As Captain Delano came up in his whale boat, he saw that the other ship needed scraping, tarring and brushing.  It looked old and decayed.  He climbed up the side and came aboard.  He was quickly surrounded by a crowd of black men. Captain Delano looked around for the man who commanded the ship. The Spanish captain stood a little away off against the main mast. He was young looking, richly dressed but seemed troubled and tired with the spirit gone out of him. He looked unhappily toward his American visitor. At the Spanish's captain side stood a small black man with a rough face. Captain Delano struggled forward through the crowd, went up to the Spaniard and greeted him. He offered to help him in any way he could. Captain Benito Cereno returned the American's greeting politely, but without warmth. Captain Delano pushed his way back through the crowd to the gangway. He told his men to go and bring back as much water as they could, also bread, pumpkins, sugar and a dozen of his private bottles of cider. The whale boat pushed off. Left alone, Captain Delano again observed with fresh surprise the general disorder aboard the ship. Some of the men were fighting. There were no deck officers to discipline or control the violent ones. And everyone seemed to do as he pleased. Captain Delano could not fully understand how this could have happened.  What could explain such a break down of order and responsibility?  He asked Don Benito to give him the full story of his ship's misfortunes.  Don Benito did not answer. He just kept looking at his American visitor as if he heard nothing. This angered Captain Delano, who suddenly turned away and walked forward to one of the Spanish seamen for his answer. But he had hardly gone five steps when Don Benito called him back. "It is now 190 days," Don Benito began, "that the ship sailed from Buenos Aires for Lima with a general cargo. Pedigree, tea, and the like, and a number of Negros, now not more than a 150 as you see, but then numbering over 300 souls. The ship was officered and well-manned, with several cabin passengers. Some 50 Spaniards in all. Off Cape Horn we had heavy gales."  Captain Cereno coughed suddenly and almost collapsed.  He fell heavily against his body servant. "His mind wanders," said Babo. "He was thinking of the disease that followed the gales. My poor, poor master. Be patient señor, these attacks do not last long. Master will soon be himself." Don Benito recovered, and in a broken voice continued his story. "My ship was tossed about many days in storms off Cape Horn. And then there was an outbreak of scurvy. The disease carried off many whites and blacks. Most of my surviving seaman had become so sick that they could not handle the sails well. For days and nights we could not control the ship. It was blown north-westward. The wind suddenly left us in unknown waters with oppressive hot calms. Most of our water was gone. "And we suffered terribly, especially after a deadly fever broke out among us. Whole families of blacks and many Spaniards, including every officer but myself, were killed by the disease." Don Benito paused.  He looked down at the black man at his side. Babo seemed satisfied.  The Spanish captain saw him take his hand from the knife hidden under his shirt. Captain Delano saw nothing. His mind was filled with the terrible tale he had just heard. Now he could understand why the other captain seemed so shaken. He took Don Benito's hand and promised to give him all the help possible.  He would give him a large permanent supply of water, and some sails and equipment for sailing the ship. And he also promised to let Don Benito have three of his best seamen for temporary deck officers. In this way, the San Dominick could without delay start for Concepcion. There the ship could be fixed and prepared for its voyage to Lima. Don Benito's face lighted up. He seemed excited by Captain Delano's generous offer. But, Babo appeared troubled. "This excitement is bad for master," Babo whispered, taking Don Benito's arm and with soothing words gently drawing him aside. When Don Benito returned, Captain Delano observed that his excitement was gone. Captain Delano decided to talk of other matters. But the Spanish captain showed no further interest. He answered Captain Delano's questions with sharp words and suddenly with an angry movement he walked back to Babo. Captain Delano watched the two men whispering together in low voices. It made an ugly picture, which Captain Delano found so extremely unpleasant that he turned his face to the other side of the ship. Their actions made Delano suspicious of Captain Cereno. He began to wonder about him. His behavior. His coughing attacks. His weakness. His empty wild looks. Was he really half mad or a faker playing a part?  One moment Captain Delano had the worst suspicions of Don Benito. But the next he would feel guilty and ashamed of himself for having such doubts about the man. Presently, Don Benito moved back toward his guest, still supported by his servant. His pale face twitched.  He seemed more nervous than usual.  And there was a strange tone in his husky whisper as he spoke. "May I ask how many men you have on board, señor?"  Captain Delano became uneasy, but answered. "About 25 all total." "And at present, señor, all on board?"  "All on board," Captain Delano answered.   "And will be tonight, señor?" At this last question, Captain Delano looked very seriously at Don Benito, who could not return the look but dropped his eyes to the deck. Captain Delano could think of only one reason for such a question. But no, it was foolish to think that these weak and starving men could have any idea of seizing his ship.  But still he remained silent. "And will they be aboard tonight?"   Again the question from Don Benito. Captain Delano decided to answer truthfully. Some of his men had talked of going off on a fishing party about midnight. And he told Don Benito this. As he answered, Captain Delano again looked straight at Don Benito. But the Spanish captain refused to meet his eyes. Then as before, he suddenly withdrew with his servant. And again the two men began whispering to each other in low voices. Captain Delano tried to push the worry from his mind.  But what were those two strange men discussing?   That will be our story next week. You have been listening to American Stories. Your narrator was Shep O'Neal.  We invite you to listen again next week for the final part of "Benito Cereno" by Herman Melville.  What do you think of this story? Write to us in the Comments section or on our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   collapse - v. to fall down or become unconscious because you are sick or exhausted señor - n. a title or form of address used of or to a Spanish-speaking man, corresponding to Mr.or sir. recover - v. to become healthy after an illness or injury : to return to normal health scurvy - n. a disease that is caused by not eating enough fruits or vegetables that contain vitamin C survive - v. to remain alive; to continue to live equipment - n. supplies or tools needed for a special purpose temporary - adj.  continuing for a limited amount of time : not permanent faker - n. a person pretending to be something they are not

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Actors Criticize 'White' Oscars for Lack of Diversity

  The Academy Awards ceremony is Hollywood’s biggest night of the year for actors and filmmakers. But this year, some are refusing to attend the ceremony. They are calling for a boycott.   They are boycotting the event because of the lack of diversity among the nominees for Academy Awards, also known as the Oscars.  All 20 people nominated for acting awards this year are white. Last year, all of the acting nominees were white, as well. Actor Jada Pinkett Smith is leading the Oscars boycott. She asked that others join her as a way to express outrage that no African-American actors were nominated for an Academy Award. Director Spike Lee has also said he and his wife would not attend the Oscars. He complained on social media about “another all white ballot.”  Don Cheadle, who won a best actor Oscar in 2004 for the film Hotel Rwanda, tweeted a joke about only being allowed to park cars at the Oscars. ​Chris Rock is hosting the Academy Awards ceremony on February 28th. An African-American actor himself, Rock has been pressured by black entertainers to step down from the hosting job. Lack of diversity for the second straight year This marks the second straight year that people have voiced concern about the lack of diversity among Oscar nominees. The nominees are chosen by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The president of the Academy, Cheryl Boone Isaacs, is African-American. She released a statement this week addressing the lack of diversity. Isaacs expressed her “heartbreak” and “frustration” over the lack of African-Americans and other minorities among this year’s acting nominees. She said in the statement that this lack of diversity is “a difficult but important conversation and it is time for big changes.” Pinkett-Smith posted a message on social media about the Isaacs’ statement. She tweeted: 'I would like to express my gratitude to the Academy, specifically Cheryl Boone Isaacs, for such a quick response in regard to the issue at hand. I look forward to the future.” Pinkett-Smith has received support in her Oscar boycott from her husband, actor Will Smith. Smith told ABC News he would not attend the Academy Awards. Will Smith did not get nominated this year for his work in the movie Concussion.  But one African-American actor, Janet Hubert, does not support Pinkett-Smith’s Oscar boycott. Hubert starred with Will Smith in the 1990s television show The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Hubert criticized Pinkett-Smith in a four-minute video. She said: “I find it ironic that somebody who has made...millions and millions of dollars from the very people you’re talking about boycotting, just because you didn’t get a nomination." Hubert's video has been viewed over 2.5 million times on YouTube. Pinkett-Smith responded to the criticism. She said in a video shared by Entertainment Tonight that “this whole Oscar controversy isn’t really about the Oscars.” She continued by saying that “right now, specifically with African-American people, we have some very serious issues that I think we as a people have to move together on.”  Lack of diversity in the Academy Some say the diversity issue in Hollywood begins with the Academy itself. The Los Angeles Times sampled more than 5,000 of the Academy’s 5,765 members in 2012. Ninety-four percent of the members of the Academy were white. One Academy member is two-time Oscar winner Russell Williams II. He earned two Oscars in Sound Mixing. Williams is African-American and a voting member of the Academy. In other words, he plays a role in selecting Oscar nominees. He said the makeup of the Academy itself should better represent the U.S. population. But he said it would not be easy to diversify the Academy. Members are elected for life. All Academy members have to be either Oscar nominees or winners themselves, or have extensive experience in a movie field. Long history of lack of diversity The 2015 and 2016 Oscars are far from the only years to suffer from a lack of diversity in acting categories. Throughout the Oscars’ 92-year-history, 95 percent of Oscar nominees have been white. Since 2000, 10 percent of Oscar nominations have gone to black actors. Blacks represent 12.6 percent of the American population, says a report on race and film in The Economist. But the lack of diversity in Hollywood concerns all minorities. Since 2000, just 3 percent of nominations have gone to Hispanic actors. The Hispanic population is 16 percent of the U.S. population. And only 1 percent of acting nominations have gone to actors with Asian backgrounds. Gil Robertson is the President of the African American Film Critics Association. He told Reuters that he believes the diversity issue begins in the film studio system. He said, "It's a definite problem. You can walk across the campuses of all the studios and never really see anyone of color and it's something that the industry needs to correct.”  Robertson pointed to the new “Star Wars” movie as a sign of Hollywood making those corrections. He noted that the three leads are a white actor, a black actor, and an Hispanic actor.  He said "There's something a little mechanical when you set about it like that, but at least they're heading in the right direction, and other films must follow, and will, if they want to capture those audiences." I'm Ashley Thompson.    Ashley Thompson wrote this story for VOA Learning English, with reports from Reuters, TIME, The Economist and VOANews.com. Hai Do was the editor.  _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story    diversity - n. the state of having people who are different races or who have different cultures in a group or organization outrage - n. extreme anger​ host - v. to entertain guests and audiences during an awards show entertainer - n. a professional performer address - v.  to give attention to (something) ​ heartbreak - n. a very strong feeling of sadness or disappointment​ conversation - n. the act of talking in an informal way regard - n. care or concern for someone or something — often +for or to ironic - adj. using words that mean the opposite of what you really think especially in order to be funny​ sample - v. to test, study, or question (a group of people or things taken from a larger group) to get information mechanical - adj.  done without thought or without any effort to be different or interesting

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Gloomy Outlook for Global Employment

The International Labor Organization (ILO) predicts global unemployment will worsen over the next two years. Emerging and developing countries will be hurt the most. This is according to an annual study released by the ILO called “World Employment and Social Outlook – Trends 2016.”   The ILO found that nearly 200 million people were unemployed at the end of last year. This was nearly 30 million more than in 2007, before the world financial crisis. The global financial crisis started in the United States with bank failures, defaults on home mortgages, and credit card payments. Many layoffs followed. It spread globally. “The crisis affected almost every part of the world,” according to Yale Global Online, a publication of Yale University. The ILO predicts that more than 2 million more people will be out of work by the end of this year. That will mean 200.5 million unemployed worldwide by the end of 2016. Guy Ryder is ILO Director-General at their headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. He says the slow growth of the world economy is not creating enough jobs to reverse the increase in high unemployment in the world. Brazil, China and the oil-producing countries will be particularly hard-hit by the weakened job market, according to Ryder. The report says job quality remains a major challenge. About 1.5 billion people are working in vulnerable jobs, according to the report. This includes people who are self-employed or who work in the informal sector. This type of work usually has low productivity, low pay and no social protection. The ILO found that countries in southern Asia and sub-Saharan Africa have the highest levels of vulnerable employment, peaking at 74 percent and 70 percent, respectively. The report says governments must make employment policies stronger and put in place protection for workers. They say more attention needs to be paid to helping people find decent work. This includes young people, women, the long-term unemployed, and the disabled. I’m Mary Gotschall.          Lisa Schlein reported on this story for VOANews.com. Mary Gotschall adapted this story for Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. Do you have an opinion about this topic? Let us know what you think in the Comments section below, or on our Facebook page. ___________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   outlook – n. a set of conditions that will probably exist in the future: the future of someone or something  default – n. a failure to make a payment (such as a payment on a loan) layoff – n. the act of ending the employment of a worker or group of workers reverse – v. to change (something) to an opposite state or condition vulnerable – adj. open to attack, harm, or damage productivity – n. the rate at which goods are produced or work is completed strengthen – v.  to make (someone or something) stronger, more forceful, more effective, etc. excessive – adj.  going beyond what is usual, normal, or proper inequality – n.  an unfair situation in which some people have more rights or better opportunities than other people  

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What's Trending: #Blizzard2016

This is What’s Trending Today. The eastern part of the United States, from Tennessee all the way to Boston, is expected to receive some bad winter weather this weekend. The morning program Today Show says 88 million people could be affected by the storm. It will deliver snow and high winds through Sunday. But people in Washington, D.C. are especially concerned. The region is expected to receive over 60 centimeters of snow this weekend. Only 3 centimeters of snow fell earlier in the week, but it was enough to cause major problems for drivers going home from work.   In Philadelphia, residents traditionally use everything, from lawn chairs to orange cones, to “save” parking spaces after the streets are cleared of snow. The city police department used Twitter to send them a message that it is illegal to “save” parking spaces. Many people rush to grocery stores to buy supplies before a storm. The Atlantic wrote about the crowd psychology that inspires people to stock up on bread, milk and eggs. Even the BBC asked its audience to tell people who live in the eastern United States how to handle a big snow storm. And the broadcaster wrote a story saying it wants to hear from people in the U.S. as the snow is falling. As public transportation is closed for the weekend, drivers are also advised to stay off the roads. Yes, there are lots of problems during a massive snowstorm. But people also like to have fun in the snow. Here are some great examples of how snow can inspire creativity. One artist uses the snow as his canvas, using his feet to stomp out amazing designs that can only be appreciated from above. ​ Another creative person used the snow that blew up against mailboxes to make some “ghostly” images. But it would not be a snow storm on social media if some regions known for sunny weather did not poke fun at the suffering Americans are about to endure. An Italian travel agency posted a photo of woman sunbathing in the town of Vernazza, along with the message “stay warm.” And that’s What’s Trending Today. I’m Dan Friedell.   Dan Friedell wrote this story for Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. What would you do in a big snow storm? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story amazing – adj. causing great surprise or wonder : causing amazement cone – n. a shape that has a pointed top and sides that form a circle at the bottom endure – v. to deal with or accept (something unpleasant) ghost – n. the soul of a dead person thought of as living in an unseen world or as appearing to living people inspire – v. to make (someone) want to do something : to give (someone) an idea about what to do or create sunbathe – v. to sit or lie in the light of the sun especially in order to make your skin darker stomp – v. to put (your foot) down forcefully and noisily psychology – n. the study of human behavior region - n. area canvas - n. a specially prepared piece of cloth on which a picture can be painted  

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Major Snowstorm Bears Down on Eastern US

The U.S. East Coast is preparing for a major snow storm that weather experts are calling “historic” even before any snow falls. The storm could produce blizzard conditions in Washington, D.C., Baltimore and New York City. At least 15 states expect heavy snow until Sunday. Weather officials expect between 30 and 90 centimeters of snow. Officials expect strong winds, ice and coastal flooding during the storm. Some cities and states, including Washington and Maryland, have declared states of emergency. Government leaders are asking the millions in the storm's path to be “better safe than sorry.” “Be [careful], stay home on Saturday unless you have to travel somewhere,” said Anthony Santino, a city official for Hempstead, N.Y. Residents of the nation's capital experienced winter weather earlier this week. Washington had barely 5 centimeters of snow Wednesday. But many drivers were stranded because of a thin layer of ice on the roads. Some people abandoned their vehicles in the middle and on the side of the road. Leading up to the weekend storm, supplies are difficult to find at hardware stores and grocery stores. Supplies of bottled water, wood for fires and snow shovels are limited. “The fastest moving thing has been snow shovels. We are down to the last few of them,” said Derek Staton, who works at a hardware store in Virginia. Schools in the Washington area closed Friday in preparation for the storm. The federal government only required its employees to work for half the day on Friday. The capitol's public transportation system will close Friday evening and plans to stay closed through Monday morning. I'm Pete Musto. Zlatica Hoke reported on this story for VOANews.com. Jim Dresbach adapted this story for Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   blizzard – n. a severe snowstorm that goes on for a long time stranded – adj. abandoned or unable to go somewhere abandoned – adj. left by the owner shovel – n.  a tool with a long handle that is used for lifting and throwing dirt, sand or snow ​

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often (adverb)

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Taliban Attack on Afghan Media Widely Condemned

The Taliban claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing against Afghanistan’s top private media group Wednesday. The bombing took place in a western part of Kabul at Tolo TV. The bomber crashed a vehicle full of explosives into a bus transporting employees of the television station to their homes. The blast killed at least seven people and wounded 24 others. VOA news reported that women and children were among the victims. Tolo TV is the biggest television station in Afghanistan. Dozens of journalists are employed by the news group. The Taliban said the violence was meant to punish Tolo TV for broadcasting anti-Afghan and anti-Taliban programs. A Taliban spokesperson called Tolo TV a “spy agency.” The attack against the Afghan media created outrage throughout the world as an attack on freedom of speech. The Committee to Protect Journalists, a New York-based group, said the “attacks aimed at crushing independent media organizations in Afghanistan are a direct assault on the very foundation of Afghan democracy [and] a free and open press.” I’m Mario Ritter.   Ayaz Gul reported on this story for VOANews.com. Jim Dresbach adapted this story for Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   blast – n. a powerful explosion journalist – n. a person who collects, writes and edits news stories for newspapers, magazines, television or radio outrage – n. extreme anger assault – n. being attacked or criticized  

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SAT Testing in Asia Cancelled in Cheating Scandal

Test centers in China and Macau are canceling the SAT planned for Saturday because of claims of cheating. The SAT is a standardized test that measures academic ability. Many colleges and universities in the U.S. require students to take the SAT before applying. The College Board is a private company that develops and administers the SAT. The College Board announced the cancellation of the test in China and Macau on Thursday. The College Board sent a message explaining the cancellation to several schools that partner with the company. The message said the company chose to cancel the test because of evidence of cheating. The company said some students had gained access to Saturday’s test materials. Zachary Goldberg is the senior director of Media Relations for the College Board. Goldberg told VOA, “We act on all information.…We work…to [fight] cheating and to protect the integrity of the SAT.” Almost 400,000 foreign students registered to take the SAT in 2014. SAT cheating scandals have happened several times before. The College Board cancelled the SAT across South Korea in 2013 after finding evidence of cheating. Several Chinese citizens admitted in 2015 to being part of an organized SAT cheating group in the United States. International students in the Pittsburgh area would pay group members to use fake passports and take the SAT test for them. The new evidence of cheating comes as the College Board prepared to release a new version of the SAT later this month. The last time the company released a new version of the test was in 2012. Saturday would have been the last time the older version of the test was offered. Bob Schaeffer is the Public Education Director for the National Center for Fair and Open Testing, or NCFOT. The NCFOT is an organization that works to show the problems with standardized testing. The organization has gathered evidence of SAT cheating in several cases. Schaeffer said the desire to cheat increases whenever standardized test-makers create a new version of a test. "There is always tremendous fear of the unknown. Whenever a test is changed, there is a huge surge of students enrolling in test prep courses because…they want to find out what’s on the test.” He also said people all over the world believe getting a U.S university education is the best path to success. “Middle class and upper class families overseas believe that a degree from a U.S. institution of higher learning is a passport to future success for their children. And they will do anything for it.” The College Board said the cancellation is only temporary. The company is planning to let students know when they will be able to take the test next week. Goldberg said that the company will do more to increase its security. He said, “We [understand] that organizations and individuals will [keep trying] to [beat] the system and find a new way to cheat.” Goldberg did not say how the company discovered the evidence of cheating. I’m Pete Musto.   Pete Musto reported and wrote this story for VOA Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. Now it’s your turn. What are your thoughts about cheating on tests? How should cheating be handled? Let us know in the comments section or on our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   standardized test – n. any form of test that requires all test takers to answer the same questions, or a selection of questions from common bank of questions, in the same way, and that is scored in a consistent manner academic – adj. of or relating to schools and education apply(ing) – v. to ask formally for something such as a job, getting into a school or a loan, usually in writing administer(s) – v. to manage the operation of something integrity – n. the quality of being honest and fair scandal(s) – n. an event in which people are shocked and upset because of behavior that is morally or legally wrong surge – n. a sudden, large increase enroll(ing) – v. to enter someone as a member of or participant in something prep course(s) – n. a class the prepares someone for something institution – n. an established organization

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Putin 'Probably' Approved Killing of Dissident Spy

Russian President Vladimir Putin “probably” approved the killing of a Russian spy turned dissident, says a top British government investigator. Alexander Litvinenko was the Russian spy turned dissident, or critic of the government. He was exiled in Britain after criticizing Putin and describing him – among other things – as a pedophile, or someone who sexually abuses children. Robert Owen, a retired judge, served as the chairman of the yearlong inquiry. On Thursday, he announced that two Russian agents were responsible for the November 2006 poisoning of Livinenko. It occurred at the Millennium hotel in central London just a few meters from the U.S. Embassy. For nearly nine years since her husband's death, Marina Litvinenko has been demanding answers. Speaking to reporters outside the courthouse in London, she said she was "of course, very pleased" by the outcome. She added, "The words my husband spoke on his death bed when he accused Mr. Putin of his murder have been proved true in an English court with a high standard of independence and fairness.” In Moscow, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zhakarova said, "We regret that a purely criminal case has been politicized and has darkened the general atmosphere of bilateral relations.''   Back story  Litvinenko was an agent of the Russian Federal Security Service, the Russian spy agency that came after the KGB. In 1998, he became an outspoken critic of Putin and sought asylum in Britain. He criticized Putin in an article and described the Russian leader as a pedophile. Russia rejected the accusation. In early November 2006, Litvinenko agreed to meet with Russian agents Andrei Lugovoi and Dmitry Kovtun. British officials said they added radioactive polonium to his tea. Polonium is a highly toxic substance and just one microgram -- about the size of a speck of dust -- is enough to kill a person. Litvinenko quickly became ill and died 23 days later.   Reactions from London   Prime Minister David Cameron's spokeswoman said the British government was considering what actions to take. "It is not the way for any state, let alone a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, to behave," the spokeswoman said. "Regrettably, these findings confirm what we and previous governments believed." London financier Bill Browder is a human-rights advocate and a critic of Putin. He said Britain will not take any action. He said “it comes down to money. There’s a lot of Russian money sloshing around London, and I believe that there’s a concern among certain members of the government that that money would be less available if Britain took a moral stand on some of these issues.” I'm Jim Tedder.   VOA Moscow Correspondent Daniel Schearf and Chris Hannas reported this story. Hai Do adapted it for Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. What do you think about this intrigue? Write to us in the Comments section and on our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   pedophile – n. a person who has sexual interst in children outspoken – adj. talking in a free and honest way about your opinion

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