actual (adjective)

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Lionel Messi's Biggest Fan

  Last month, a 5-year-old boy in Afghanistan became famous on the Internet. A photograph of him went viral. That means people around the world saw the picture, and shared it with their friends and followers. The boy was wearing a Lionel Messi soccer jersey made from a plastic bag. Messi plays soccer -- a game known as football to most of the world -- for Argentina’s national team.He also plays for the Barcelona club team. The 5-year-old used a blue-and-white striped bag to recreate Messi’s Argentina jersey. He wrote “Messi" and the number 10 on the back. The boy’s name is Murtaza Ahmadi. He became so famous that the Afghanistan Football Federation began working to set up a meeting between him and the sports star. This week, the Afghanistan Football Federation told the media that Messi’s representatives have been in contact. An Afghan federation official told The Guardian newspaper that if Messi could not meet with Murtaza in Afghanistan, the federation would fly the boy to meet with him in Spain. Also this week, new photos of the 5-year-old have gone viral. This time, though, he is wearing an official Messi jersey from his Barcelona club team. And that’s What’s Trending Today…. I’m Ashley Thompson. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   viral - adj. relating to or involving an image or video that spreads rapidly and widely from one Internet user to another. jersey - n. a loose shirt worn by a member of a sports team as part of a uniform striped - adj. having stripes or bands of color federation - n. an organization that is made by joining together smaller organizations

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Nearly 700 Sick Animals Rescued From Shelter

Nearly 700 animals in North Carolina are safe after being rescued from a shelter. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) saved dogs, cats, horses and pigs from awful living conditions. The ASPCA spokesperson says the animals were dirty, sick, thirsty and hungry. The shelter was supposed to help and care for the animals. But many of the animals were sick and neglected. The state and local sheriff’s office investigated the shelter after people complained. They said the animals they adopted were sick and not cared for. The ASPCA says it the largest rescue in the history of the organization. Police arrested the owners of the shelter on charges of animal cruelty. The ASPCA is taking care of the animals in a large warehouse. Ten animal doctors are helping. The animals are part of a crime investigation, so they will be held as evidence until North Carolina decides what to do with them. I’m Dan Friedell.   Dan Friedell adapted this story for Learning English based on information from Reuters and the Washington Post. Kathleen Struck was the editor.   What do you think should happen to the animals? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   awful – adj. extremely bad or unpleasant thirsty – adj. needing water cruelty – n. actions that cause suffering neglect – v.  to fail to take care of or to give attention to (someone or something)

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Pakistan’s Imran Khan Urges Taliban to Talks

Imran Khan – Pakistani sports star and now politician – says he wants to bring peace to the region through talks. Khan says he wants Afghanistan’s Taliban to negotiate a peaceful resolution to its conflict with the Afghan government. Khan gave an exclusive interview to VOA at his suburban Islamabad home. He said he believes talks could lead to solutions to regional problems. The Taliban “must come to the table, and they must resolve this dispute through talks and negotiations,” Khan said. “War is never a solution. In fact, war leads to unintended consequences just like in Iraq and Syria.”   Khan is a former cricket player, who won the 1992 World Cup for Pakistan. Now, he is a parliamentary leader and major political force in Pakistan. Because he is a cricket legend, he is popular with many groups in Pakistan and Afghanistan who fight about other issues. He was opposed to the U.S.-led military invasion of Afghanistan and American drone strikes against suspected militant hideouts in the Pakistani tribal region. However, he has said he is strongly against Taliban violence, and he supports military crackdowns against the Taliban. Khan said those crackdowns have reduced terrorism. Khan praised a peace process that includes Afghanistan, Pakistan, China and the United States. It is trying to restart peace talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government. “I think it is a very positive thing. We hope and we pray that there is some sort of peace deal, some sort of a power-sharing agreement and then the Americans leave," he said. I’m Jim Dresbach. 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   interview – n. a meeting between a reporter and another person in order to get information for a news story suburban – adj. living in or relating to a suburb or to suburbs in general cricket – n. a game played on a large field by two teams of 11 players who try to score runs by hitting a small ball with a bat and then running between two sets of wooden sticks legend – n. a famous or important person who is known for doing something extremely well stance – n. a publicly stated opinion hideout – n. a place where someone hides to avoid being found or captured crackdown – n. a serious attempt to punish people for doing something that is not allowed

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February 2, 2016

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

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VOA English Newscast: 1300 UTC February 2, 2016

  From Washington, this is VOA News.      I’m Frances Alonzo reporting. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Tuesday the international effort to defeat the Islamic State group is "moving in the right direction," but he cautioned more must be done to support stabilization in Libya and Iraq. Kerry spoke at the opening of a ministerial meeting in Rome where representatives from about 20 countries came to talk about ways to boost the anti-Islamic State campaign. “We’ve always recognized, everybody here has always said this will be a multi-year effort, and it is going to demand sustained contributions and effort by every country. So we all adapted, I think effectively, to what was happening on the battlefield. Kerry also highlighted the risk of the militants taking control in Libya with its vast oil resources, but said that a near agreement on a new national unity government would go a long way to preventing that scenario. Meanwhile, U.N. envoy Staffan de Mistura is meeting Tuesday in Geneva with representatives of the Syrian government after declaring the start of indirect peace talks and calling on world powers to live up to their pledge to secure an accompanying ceasefire. De Mistura will meet with the government before speaking with opposition delegates. The process is part of a slow, but incremental track of achieving indirect exchanges between the two sides. The United Nations humanitarian office, meanwhile, says it will send the Syrian government a detailed list of aid that it wants to deliver to three towns after getting an agreement "in principle" to make deliveries to people who are badly in need of food and other supplies. The U.N. did not give a date Monday for the deliveries to Madaya, Foua and where Kfarya will take place. This is VOA News. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Newscast   cautioned – v. warned stabilization – n. a process to help end unrest or disorder boost – v. increase multi-year – adj. lasting many years sustained – adj. continuing for an extended period contributions – n. donations or assistance adapted – v. to make changes highlighted – v. noted vast – adj. large or great scenario – n. a possible development of future events meanwhile – adv. at the same time indirect – adj. not directly caused by or resulting from something pledge – n. promise accompanying – adj. being present at the same time as something else track – n. evidence that can be observed achieving – v. getting or reaching something by hard work deliver – v. to take something to a person or place in principle – phrase. as a general idea or plan   We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.  ​

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US Senator Discusses Iran, Syria, North Korea

A leading member of the U.S. Senate says he is deeply concerned about the nuclear agreement with Iran, but wants it to succeed. Bob Corker of Tennessee belongs to the Republican Party and is chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee for the Senate. He spoke this week with VOA’s Michael Bowman. The Foreign Relations Committee meets about pressing global issues. Among those are the war in Syria, North Korea’s nuclear program and the lifting of sanctions on Iran. The Iran sanctions were designed to punish the Iranian government for seeking to develop nuclear weapons. Last year, the U.S. helped negotiate an agreement that lifted the sanctions. President Barack Obama praised Congress, saying the world had set limits on Iran’s nuclear activities without going to war. Senator Corker did not support the lifting of sanctions on Iran. He said that Iran violated the deal reached in July by testing a long-range missile in October. He said that the U.S. would continue to pressure Iran to honor the terms of the agreement. “… I think where we can add strength, you say in a Republican Congress, I say in a bipartisan manner because it’s felt there are concerns on both sides of the aisle, is to do everything we can to hold Iran’s feet to the fire. “Since the agreement was agreed to they violated UN Security Council Resolutions relative again to ballistic missile testing. And yet, as you can see again there has been no pushback at all which has really disappointing at the UN Security Council.” Some Republicans have said that a new president should “rip up” the agreement. When asked about it, Corker said a new president must convene and lead. He said the president will have to consider the partners in the deal to get the best results. “Probably the best way to do it is not just to come in a rip it, but to assess and to move ahead based on where we are at the time. “ Questions about Syria Peace Efforts Corker also spoke about the civil war in Syria. The Syrian government, opposition groups and international negotiators are talking in Switzerland. Corker told VOA those meetings are difficult. "I think the opposition that, you know, we communicated some with last week has been put in a very awkward place. The humanitarian things that they had asked for have not occurred." Opposition groups say they want government airstrikes to stop so humanitarian aid can be brought areas controlled by rebels. Syrian government forces, with support from Russia, have increased attacks on the city of Aleppo. Corker said he supports the negotiations. "I certainly support diplomatic talks as I think everyone would, but the elements at present do not feel that they are in a proper place.” Sanctions on North Korea to Affect Chinese Entities The senator shared with VOA his thoughts about sanctions aimed at North Korea. His committee approved a bill last week that increases sanctions related to North Korea’s nuclear program. That bill responded to a nuclear test that North Korea said it carried out on January 6. The measure is aimed at entities or groups that supply North Korea’s military. Some of those entities and groups are  Chinese organizations selling to North Korea. “I don’t think there is any question some of those entities are Chinese.” Corker said China was key to North Korea’s actions. He said he was not satisfied with progress made by the United Nations Security Council about North Korea. Speaking about China and additional U.S. sanctions, he said, “I hope these sanctions will change that and hopefully call them to respond to a different way.” I’m Mario Ritter.   Mario Ritter wrote this story with reporting by Michael Bowman. George Grow was the editor. What do you think about the Senator’s comments? Share your thoughts in the comment section. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   sanctions – n. actions taken or an order give to force a country to obey international law by limiting trade or other actions awkward – adj. not easy to deal with bipartisan – adj. involving two political parties both sides of the aisle – idiom involving both political parties pushback – n. an effort to counteract or push back against an action rip up – v. to cancel; to break up or destroy convene – v. to come together in a group for a meeting

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Cruz Over Trump, While Dems in Dead Heat

U.S. presidential candidate Ted Cruz has won the Republican party contest in the Iowa caucuses, the first in the United States. However, Democratic Party voters in Iowa split evenly between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders. At this writing, Hillary Clinton has support of 49.8 percent of voters. Bernie Sanders had 49.6 percent. The only other Democratic Party candidate, Martin O’Malley received less than one percent. The former governor of Maryland announced earlier in the vote count that he would suspend his campaign. Texas Senator Cruz finished the night with 28 percent of the Republican Party vote. He thanked his supporters in Iowa after the results were announced. He called his win a victory for “courageous conservatives” across Iowa and the United States. Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders also spoke at sites in Iowa. Neither claimed victory. Both congratulated each other. Clinton suggested that she and Bernie Sanders had generated an important conversation among Democrats. Senator Sanders of Vermont thanked Clinton for her “vigorous” campaigning. Sanders said Iowans sent a clear message in their support of him. He said the American people have said that it is “too late for establishment politics and establishment economics.” Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton spoke of what she will do for the country. She brought cheers when she said, “I am a progressive who gets things done for people.” Republican businessman Donald Trump came in second with 24 percent of the vote. Trump has led the pack of Republican candidates for months. The New York Times called his second-place finish “humbling.” But the biggest surprise among the Republicans was how well Marco Rubio did. The Florida senator finished close behind Trump with 23 percent of the vote. At a hotel in Des Moines, Rubio appealed to undecided voters as he warned that the nation had reached a "turning point." "I believe with all my heart that if I am the nominee, I can unite this party, because if we are not united, we cannot win," said Rubio. At another caucus site in the capital, Trump told supporters that he was the candidate that can "bring our country back." The other Republican candidates each received percentages in the single digits. One of them, former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, has now suspended his presidential campaign. The results in Iowa are providing the first firm evidence of voter sentiment, after a year of fierce campaigning. The voter turnout was strong.  Large crowds filled churches, gymnasiums, and other public buildings across the largely rural state. Iowa's first-in-the-nation vote is seen as an important way for candidates to gain energy in the U.S. primary election process. Such events will continue to be held state-by-state until around mid-June. I’m Caty Weaver. Caty Weaver wrote this story for VOA Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor.  We want to hear from you. Post your message in the Comments section or on our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   courageous -- adj. brave, fearless conservatives -- n. leaning politically to the right, traditional, not wanting change congratulate -- v. to offer best wishes  

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British Woman in Prison for Taking Her Baby to Raqqa

A British woman who took her child to Syria and joined the Islamic State has been sentenced to six years in prison. A British court ruled Tareena Shakil guilty of membership in the Islamic State terror group. It also convicted her of encouraging acts of terrorism. In October 2014, she and her 1-year-old son flew to Turkey. She told her family she was going on a beach vacation. She crossed the border into Syria and went to Raqqa, a city that IS controls. Three months later, she fled the terror group. She turned herself in to the Turkish military. She was returned to Britain and arrested at London’s Heathrow Airport in February 2015. Shakil denied that she joined the Islamist group. She said she wanted to live under Islamic law and did not support terrorism. But prosecutors said photographs on her phone showed her holding weapons. They said the pictures also showed her son wearing a hat with an Islamic State symbol. Judge Melbourne Inman sentenced Shakil. He told her, “You were well aware that the future, which you had subjected your son to was very likely to be indoctrination and thereafter life as a terrorist fighter.'' I’m Kathleen Struck. VOANews.com reported this story. Kathleen Struck adapted it for Learning English. Caty Weaver 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   encouraging – v. to give someone support prosecutor – n. a lawyer who represents the side in a court case that accuses a person of a crime and who tries to prove that the person is guilty symbol – n. an action, object, event, etc., that expresses or represents a particular idea or quality indoctrination – n. the act of teaching someone to fully accept the ideas, opinions, and beliefs of a particular group and to not consider other ideas, opinions, and beliefs

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WHO Declares Zika a Global Health Emergency

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the spread of mosquito-borne Zika virus a global public health emergency.   On Monday, the global health agency held an emergency meeting in Geneva after warning the public that Zika is spreading "explosively" across the Americas. Dr. Margaret Chan is the director-general of the WHO. She said after the meeting that the cases of microcephaly in regions with Zika cases “constitute an extraordinary event and a public health threat to other parts of the world.” Last week, health officials confirmed one case of the virus in Denmark, five in Great Britain, three cases in the United States and 18 in its territory of Puerto Rico. The global health organization also predicts that Zika could infect as many as four million people in the Americas this year.   Symptoms of the zika virus The symptoms from the virus are minor. The symptoms are flu-like and include a rash. But the results for some infected with Zika -- namely pregnant women -- are devastating. The WHO suspects the virus may be linked to brain disorders in babies. Health experts highly suspect there may be a link between the illness and microcephaly. Microcephaly is a birth defect in which babies are born with very small heads and underdeveloped brains. However, a definite link between Zika and microcephaly has not been proven. World Health Organization spokesman Gregory Hartl has this to say: "So, one of the curiosities is why we have so many neurological cases in say the northeast of Brazil, but we have not had it in other places. So, we really need to understand what is existing that causes these microcephaly cases, for example, in children."   Zika is not Ebola The last time the WHO declared a public health emergency was for the Ebola outbreak in 2014. The global health agency was criticized at the time for its slow response and the outbreak killed more than 11,000 people. Hartl does not agree with claims that the Zika virus could pose a threat similar to that of Ebola. He says that Ebola is transmitted by contact with bodily fluids from person to person and kills about 50 percent of its victims.  "Zika has never killed a person and it is transmitted by the mosquito. So, we know that there are those two fundamental differences at least. Let us say that Zika on its own would not be the consideration of an emergency committee. What is the concern to the international community is the possible link with neurological disorders."   How to not get Zika There is currently no treatment or vaccine for Zika. Anthony Fauci is director of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). He says it would take "a few years" before a vaccine is readily available to the public. Fauci says what other public health experts are saying – for now, the way to fight the disease is "mosquito control." Mosquito control means killing the eggs and larvae and cleaning up standing water where mosquitoes may breed. In addition, Fauci adds that people in areas affected by Zika should practice “mosquito avoidance.” This means wearing long sleeved plants and shirts, sleeping with mosquito nets and using mosquito repellant. Where does it come from? The Zika virus gets its name from a forest in Uganda where the virus was first identified in 1947. The virus is known to exist in tropical areas like Africa, the Americas, Southern Asia and Western Pacific. People can catch the Zika virus after being bitten by an infected Aedes aegypti mosquito. This is the same mosquito that can spread dengue, chikungunya and yellow fever. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control says that Brazil reported its first case of Zika virus in May 2015. Since then, the virus has spread by mosquitoes and has caused infections in Brazil and many other countries in Latin America. Zika in Asia The WHO also says Zika has been more common in Southeast Asia than the few cases reported in the region in the past several years. However, the WHO regional office in Southeast Asia says there has also been no link so far between Zika and microcephaly in Southeast Asia. Malaysian and Singaporean public health officials have warned of a high risk of contagion if the virus is introduced there. The Philippines health department is calling Zika a "real and present" risk. They add that warmer, wet weather will likely lead to ideal conditions for mosquitoes to breed. I’m Jonathan Evans. And I’m Anna Matteo.   Anna Matteo wrote this story for Learning English based on VOA News reports. Hai Do was the editor. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   symptom – n. a change in the body or mind which indicates that a disease is present repellant – n. serving or tending to drive away or ward off —often used in combination contagion – n. the transmission of a disease by direct or indirect contact :  a disease-producing agent (as a virus)

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Trending Today: Vote For #Higa2016

This is What’s Trending Today. Hawaiian-born Ryan Higa is a comedian. He loves making people laugh. Last weekend, he posted a video on YouTube. The video is called “How to Run For President!” Since Saturday, his film has been played over 2 million times. Higa says: “Today, I’m going to show you how easy it is to run for president.” And then he goes on to explain the steps, making jokes along the way. The first step, he says, is to be able to answer “tough questions.” Higa says he can do that. And, he can answer “life’s toughest questions,” including “Which came first: The chicken or the egg?” His answer is simple – both. “The chicken was inside of the egg.” In a meeting with make-believe reporters, he is asked, “How will you react if North Korea attacks South Korea?” His answer: “Not only will we protect South Korea, but East and West Korea, and every direction in-between.” Higa also plans to re-name sports based on what the sporting event really looks like. For example, basketball would be called “bouncy oranges,” while ice hockey becomes “Oreo slide.” Finally, Higa creates a political campaign slogan he says is better than all the rest. He does this by combining words from Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, Bernie Sanders and other candidates. He promises to be “A New American Leader From the Future to Defeat the Washing Machines in a Fight for America, Again.” And that’s What’s Trending Today. I’m Dan Friedell.   Dan Friedell wrote this story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. Is there humor in the U.S. election process? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. __________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   comedian – n. a person makes people laugh by telling jokes or funny stories or by acting in a way that is funny fake – adj. not true or real Oreo – n. a round, chocolate cookie filled with cream slogan – n. a word or saying that is easy to remember and is used by a group or business to get attention tough – adj. very difficult to do or deal with

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