Body Language Can Help With Public Speaking

Today, we return to the subject of successful public speaking centering on the physical message of presentation. Some call this body language. Charles LeBeau is a professor of public speaking and has written several books about how to do it well. Mr. LeBeau tells VOA that body language includes posture, eye contact and gestures - how you move your hands or arms. “For the physical message, a lot of non-native presenters are going to have problems with posture, and eye contact, and gestures. I think a lot of this comes from nervousness.  "Not only are they nervous because they’re doing a presentation, but in addition to that they’re really nervous because of their English, and their lack of confidence, lack of experience in their English, they’re trying to figure out the grammar, what I want to say, and they’re having all kinds of difficulty doing that, and also controlling their body.” We have all seen nervous presenters in classrooms and meetings. One effect of being nervous is moving from side to side. A presenter does not need to stand perfectly still. In fact an audience can lose interest in a speaker who does not move. How a speaker moves is important. Whole-body movement should be slow and planned to command attention. Such movement helps to communicate confidence. New public speakers know that they should look at the audience while they speak. But they look at their notes on a paper or at the screen if they have an electronic presentation. “With posture, the typical problem  that I see is that they are often moving back and forth, and they’re not facing the audience. They’ll often be facing the white board or the screen with slides and be talking to that rather than talking to the audience. "Same thing with eye contact – they find it really, really difficult - some of them find it really difficult - making eye contact with the audience, because they’ll be looking at their notes, they’ll be looking at their computer, they’ll be looking at the screen, they will be looking at the floor. The problem of having notes, and trying to talk from notes , often is a big problem. So they have trouble with eye contact.” Charles LeBeau says the best way to avoid this problem is to use images and few words for notes instead of sentences. The image should help communicate the point you want to make. Writing a few words with the image on your slide helps you remember that point. Then you can look at the audience while speaking. “Another problem I’ve noticed is oftentimes there’ll be a lot of sentences or words on the slides and no images. So I think the key is if they can figure out what images to use that will communicate their message, because the images will communicate faster and more clearly than words.”   Holding on to notes also makes it more difficult for a speaker to gesture naturally. Mr. LeBeau’s book, “Speaking of Speech,” discusses this.  He says gestures should support the point the speaker is making. For example, when talking about three ideas, hold up three fingers to introduce them. Then hold up one finger while explaining the first idea, two fingers for the second, and so on. Other experts advise moving your body to a different place for each idea. Stay in place until you finish making that point. Then move to the next place on the stage or in the room. Mr. LeBeau says a good way to change your body language is to make a video of your presentation and watch yourself. This helps you to become aware of what you need to change.  “I find often times, the gestures don’t look natural. They are poorly delivered, or they are just nonexistent. Students can video themselves, and then look at it, they can clearly see: “Oh, My! I had no idea that I looked like that! My posture! I’m moving all over the place. Look at my hips. It’s going back and forth and back and forth. "And my eye contact! All of these other goofy things that I’m doing  without noticing it, or thinking that ‘well, it’s not such a big deal.’  But if I can see it I can realize oh, ‘ok, I see, I see, I see what I’m doing.’ I think that helps them change more quickly. So they can do their presentation again, and work on changing, then they can compare, and they can see that they can make quick improvement.” An important part of public speaking is practice. When you practice remember these important tips: Be aware of your posture, eye contact, and gestures. Record yourself using a phone, tablet, or camera. Watch yourself and plan what you will do to improve. Look for opportunities to speak and gain more confidence. Mr. LeBeau says his students find the physical message the easiest thing to change in order to become a better presenter. “The first thing that we deal with is the physical message. And the reason we do that is so students can have a real positive experience really quickly. You know, I looked like this in the beginning and now, after one day, or a couple of classes, now I look like this - I do look much better! "I think it helps them feel more positive about the experience. It helps them see that ‘yes, I can do this, I can look confident.’ So, I think that it’s the easiest to change, and maybe the most important thing to deal with first.” In our next Speaking Tips, we will look at the visual message, the visual aids you show the audience, and the story message, how to organize the ideas you present. I’m Jim Tedder. Dr. Jill Robbins wrote this story for Learning English. Catherine Weaver was the editor. ________________________________________________________________ Words in this Story   posture - n. the way in which your body is positioned when you are sitting or standing eye contact - n.  a situation in which two people are looking directly into each other's eyes gesture - n. a movement of your body (especially of your hands and arms) that shows or emphasizes an idea or a feeling nervousness - n. having or showing feelings of being worried and afraid about what might happen confidence - n. a feeling or belief that you can do something well or succeed at something stage - n. a raised platform in a theater, auditorium, etc., where the performers stand aware - adj. knowing that something (such as a situation, condition, or problem) exists opportunity – n. an amount of time or a situation in which something can be done How do you feel about public speaking? What helps you to be more confident when you speak? Write us a comment and leave a post on our Facebook page, thanks! ​

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What Lies Ahead for the US Supreme Court?

The death of a member of the United States’ highest court has politicians arguing over who will take his place and when. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia died February 13 at age 79. He served on the court for nearly 30 years. He was one of its most conservative members. Scalia was nominated in 1986 during the presidency of Ronald Reagan. The Supreme Court is now split between four justices who often take liberal positions on legal issues, and four others who are said to be conservative. Scalia’s replacement could shape the high court’s decisions for years to come. Discussion about a new justice is heated with the court considering cases on issues such as immigration and affirmative action. Liberals want President Barack Obama to name another justice before he leaves office. Conservatives do not. They hope a Republican is elected president in November. They believe that person would then appoint a conservative justice.  Experts say Obama is considering at least five scholars from diverse backgrounds as a possible replacement for Scalia. Choosing a New Supreme Court Justice So, who has the power to name the next Supreme Court Justice: The president or the people? “Power to nominate the Justices is vested in the President of the United States, and appointments are made with the advice and consent” -- or approval -- of the Senate, according to supremecourt.gov. Those powers are guaranteed under the U.S. Constitution. Once confirmed, a justice can serve on the Supreme Court for the rest of his or her life. David Savage has reported on the court for 30 years for the Los Angeles Times, and written a book about it. He says it is “possible, but unlikely” that a new justice will be seated on the court before the next president takes office. The U.S. Supreme Court was created in 1789. Since then, 40 presidents have made 160 nominations to the court. The Senate confirmed 124 of those nominees. Seven others refused to serve. Worldwide, the Supreme Court serves as a model for the fair and democratic treatment of legal disputes.  It is one of the three parts of the U.S. government: Congress, the Judiciary, and the President. The Power of the Court Savage explains why some Americans think the Supreme Court has more power than the president. “Because it decides major Constitutional issues that, once decided, have a huge impact across the country, and basically can’t be changed by the president.” The court, he says, decides big issues that affect many people in important ways. “You know, matters like abortion, the death penalty, affirmative action, gay rights, gun rights. When the court decides a Constitutional issue and says there is a right to have a gun, and there is a right to equal rights for same sex marriages, that’s a big change in the law, affects a lot of people and it goes well beyond, you know, one president’s term.” Overturning the Court's Rulings If the president or American citizens do not like a Supreme Court ruling, it is very hard to change. There are several ways to do it, but they are difficult and require time. One way, says Savage, would be to pass a constitutional amendment. But that would need two-thirds of Congress and three-fourths of the states’ approval. This is “pretty unlikely to happen,” he says. And it is “almost impossible” in today’s politically divided country. Another way to overturn a ruling would be if new justices were appointed to the Supreme Court. Then a similar case could move through lower courts and be heard by the Supreme Court, where the new justices could overturn the earlier ruling. From time to time, the Supreme Court does overturn some of its earlier rulings. One such example came in 1954 in a case called Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas. This ruling declared racial segregation unconstitutional.  Brown overturned Plessy v. Ferguson, which in 1896 supported segregation or inequality among races. Supreme Court History Over time, the court has ruled on equality for blacks, women and gays; legalized operations for ending pregnancies; and approved use of the death sentence as a form of criminal punishment. It has supported the right to carry a gun, and the right for people of the same sex to marry. Savage explains the court’s decisions follow changes in American thinking and beliefs over time. "Well, I think it reflects American society in the sense that the big changes on the court really tend to flow out of big changes around the country, and in thinking.” Major Supreme Court Rulings Here are some other important cases the court has decided: Gideon v. Wainwright (1963) States must provide defense lawyers to criminal defendants charged with serious crimes when the defendant does not have enough money for a lawyer. The Supreme Court ruled that the defense attorney must be paid for by the public. Miranda v. Arizona (1966) The court ruled that police must inform a suspect that they have the right to remain silent during questioning. Suspects must voluntarily give up those rights before police can use their statements in court against them. Roe v. Wade (1973) The court recognized that a woman’s choice to end her pregnancy is protected by her right to privacy. The legalization of abortion continues to be debated in the U.S. today. United States v. Nixon (1974) This case showed that “the president is not above the law,” says Savage. President Richard Nixon had refused to give investigators tape recordings of him discussing the Watergate scandal with his aides. The Supreme Court ruled he must surrender those tapes. He did so, and resigned as president 16 days later. Citizens United v. FEC (2010) The court ruled that the First Amendment allows individuals, corporations and organizations unlimited spending on political elections. Since then, individuals or organizations have spent large amounts of money on candidates and causes of their choice. I’m Anne Ball. And I’m Mario Ritter.   What is the high court in your country? Write to us in the Comments section or on our Facebook page. Anne Ball and Christopher Jones-Cruise wrote this story. Kathleen Struck and George Grow were the editors. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   affirmative action – n. an policy designed to help those who suffer from discrimination, especially in relation to employment or education vested – adj. fully guaranteed as a legal right abortion – n. the medical operation for ending a pregnancy gays – n.  homosexuals

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New Delhi Tries to Restore Water After Protests

Engineers are working to restore water supplies in New Delhi. Water was cut off to large portions of the Indian capital over the weekend. Protestors damaged a canal that supplies water to the city of 18 million. The canal, in the neighboring Indian State of Haryana, provides about 60 percent of New Delhi’s water, the Associated Press (AP) reported. Water returned to some northern and central parts of New Delhi on Tuesday, the AP said. The city’s water ministry said it hoped to return service to western neighborhoods Tuesday night. Indian government officials said they also sent 70 water tanks to western areas of New Delhi. The protestors from the impoverished Jat community damaged the Haryana canal during violent protests, according to the AP. Protestors are demanding more government jobs and admissions to leading Indian schools. A battle between protestors and police over the last several days left 12 people dead. Jat leaders agreed to end the protests on Monday after negotiations with government officials. The damage of the Haryana canal demonstrated problems with New Delhi’s water supplies. Shortages are common in New Delhi during the dry season. The shortages are worst in New Delhi’s riverside slums and shanties, according to the Future World Project. The project works on environmental issues related to climate change. I'm Bruce Alpert. Bruce Alpert reported on this story for VOA Learning English. His report was based on stories from the Associated Press and the Future World Project. Kathleen Struck was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or share your views on our Facebook Page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   restore – v. to put or bring something back into use cut off – v. the act of stopping the movement or supply of something impoverished – adj. very poor community admission – n. the act of admitting or allowing something

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controversial (adjective)

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VOA English Newscast: 1500 UTC February 23, 2016

  From Washington, this is VOA News.      I’m Frances Alonzo reporting. President Barack Obama will deliver a statement this hour on Guantanamo, according to the White House. His administration is prepared to present U.S. lawmakers with his plan to close the controversial military prison. U.S. officials have said that his plan will call for sending detainees who have been cleared for transfer to their homelands or third countries and bringing remaining prisoners to U.S. soil to be held in maximum-security prisons. Meanwhile, the U.S. Defense Department is expected to deliver a report to Congress on how to close the military detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba today. Potential sites include federal prisons in Kansas, Colorado and South Carolina, as well as military facilities. Stay tuned to VOA. We will carry the president’s comments “live.” Syria said Tuesday it accepts a ceasefire plan proposed by the United States and Russia that would begin on Saturday. A government statement said the military will continue its operations against the Islamic State and al-Qaida-linked groups. The U.S.-Russia plan does not apply to those militants, and any other groups have until Friday to confirm their participation.  A water crisis in India's capital will take up to two weeks to fix. That is according to authorities Tuesday. Taps ran dry after days of protests by protesters who sabotaged a canal to demand better treatment for their caste. Jat caste groups called off their protests on Monday after the government of the state of Haryana accepted their demands after days of riots, arson and looting that saw thousands of troops deployed.   This is VOA News. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Newscast   deliver – v. to present to a group of people according – adv. as stated by or in controversial – adj. related to or causing much discussion or disagreement transfer – v. to move from place to place; to cause to pass from one to another maximum – adj. as great as possible meanwhile – adv. at or during the same time potential – adj. possible sites – n. the place where something is or was facilities – n. centers apply – v. to officially ask for something; to cause to have an effect participation – n. involvement authorities – n. officials tap – n. a device connected to the end of a pipe to control the flow of water canal – n. a long, man-made waterway that boats could pass through or used to supply water to crops caste – n. one of the classes into which the Hindu people of India were traditionally divided arson – n. the illegal burning of a property looting – n. taking or stealing something by force   We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.

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Suspect in Michigan Shootings Appears in Court

The suspect in a mass shooting in the northern U.S. state of Michigan was charged Monday with multiple murders. Jason Dalton, 45, was arrested early Sunday morning. He was charged with shootings around Kalamazoo, Michigan, where seven were killed and one was wounded.  The shootings took place at three sites Saturday evening. A woman was wounded at an apartment complex. A father and son were killed while looking at vehicles at an automobile dealership. Minutes later, four were killed and one person was wounded outside a restaurant. The wounded victim, a 14-year-old girl, died early Monday morning, according to the Associated Press. Law enforcement authorities say the shootings were done on a random basis. Dalton, the suspect, was working for Uber, the ride-hailing service, when the shootings took place. Just after midnight on Sunday, police took Dalton into custody. Police also recovered a handgun. The suspect was described as being “even tempered” when arrested. No motive has been given for the shootings. Dalton has no criminal record or history of mental disorders, according to authorities. The Michigan killings continue a violent trend in the United States this year. The website massshootingtracker.org reported more than 40 mass shootings have occurred. The staff at VOA News 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   apartment complex – n. a large area that has several or many apartments automobile dealership – n. a business that sells new or used cars at the retail level hail – v. to call out in order to stop or get the attention of someone or something custody – n. the state of being kept in a prison or jail  even-tempered – adj. not easily upset or made angry

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US Markets Claw Back Gains, But 'Chop' Ahead

New York Stock Exchange traders are wondering which way a volatile financial market will move in the upcoming months. Low oil prices combined with less demand around the world have weakened American stock prices. By the close of trading last week, the Standard and Poor's 500 was down more than 6 percent this year. But the S&P 500 Index rose 2.8 percent on Friday to rebound from a New Year's slump.  On Monday, the S&P 500 was up 27 points to close at 1,945. The Dow Jones Average, the main measure of major American stocks, rose 228 points to close at 16,620. Wall Street traders and analysts are looking at factors that would keep the market in the positive. But for now, Wall Street watchers expect extreme ups and downs. The term “choppy trade” is used often now on Wall Street. A choppy market occurs when prices swing up and down with no major price movement in either direction. NYSE’s Peter Costa said: “I think there is more volatility in these markets. What you may see is choppy trade with 200- to 300-point swings in the Dow, and 40 in the S&P 500 … for at least the next couple months.” This week is an important one for the market. Financial reports on consumer spending should be released by Target, Macy’s, Home Depot and Lowe’s. The Consumer Confidence report is set to be released Tuesday. American retail leader Wal-Mart recently reported earnings below estimates and lowered its full-year sales guidance. Consumer spending is a key factor to watch as the fourth-quarter earnings season comes to a close, said market analyst Lindsey Bell. Another sector traders will contend with this week includes a gross national product report Friday. I’m Jonathan Evans.   This report was based on a report from VOANews.com. Jim Dresbach adapted this story for Learning English. Additional information came from Reuters and CNN. 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 volatile – adj.  likely to change in a very sudden or extreme way rebound – v.  an increase or improvement after a decrease or decline slump – n.  a sudden decrease in prices or value Dow Jones Average – n. the daily average of the stock prices for a group of large American companies choppy – adj. marked by sudden stops and starts gross national product – n. the total value of the goods and services produced by the people of a nation during a year

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Spotlight on Zika Helps Neglected Tropical Diseases

The diseases afflict more than a billion people around the world but the media gives little attention to them. They are Neglected Tropical Diseases or NTDs. The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified 17 of them, including rabies, leprosy, river blindness, dengue and Chikungunya. About 534,000 people a year die from them, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). They strike the poorest people in tropical and sub-tropical areas, often with inadequate sanitation. They cost developing economies billions of dollars every year, according to the WHO. Dr. Neeraj Mistry is the managing director of the Global Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases at the Sabin Vaccine Institute in Washington. He said, “More than a billion people affected by Neglected Tropical Diseases don’t have anyone lobbying for them. They don’t have any voice.” He added, “Issues with the loudest voice get the most attention. That’s the way policy is made.” But experts say that is changing because of Zika. People can catch the Zika virus after being bitten by an infected Aedes mosquito. This is the same mosquito that can spread dengue, Chikungunya and yellow fever. Zika was first identified in 1947. The virus was largely ignored until the recent outbreak in Brazil. The WHO declared it a global health emergency and warned that Zika could infect as many as 4 million people in the Americas this year. Andy Wright is Vice President of Global Health Programmes at the drug company GSK. He said, “Any situation like the current one with Zika puts a spotlight on emerging or relatively unknown diseases that have not attracted sufficient attention or investment.” “There’s a global vulnerability to these diseases,” said Mistry. “It’s not just a function of poor countries.” NTDs are showing up in developed countries Because of global air travel, people can go around the world in 24 hours. They may contract a disease in a country in the developing world, not show any symptoms, then fly to the developed world and transmit it to people there. Ebola is an example. Dr. Jon Andrus is the Director of Vaccine Advocacy and Education at the Sabin Institute. He said diseases that only affected tropical areas before can now spread to other parts of the world. “Infection is only a plane ride away,” he said. Climate change also creates environments for the transmission of diseases by mosquitoes and black flies, according to Andrus. Crowded urban slums and plastic litter on the ground can also serve as breeding sites for mosquitoes. Two years ago, there were outbreaks of dengue in the American states of Florida and Texas. Global initiatives to combat NTDs In 2012, the U.S., the United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, 13 drug companies, and several global health foundations signed a London Declaration on NTDs. The declaration was to support the WHO’s initiative to control or eliminate 10 diseases by the year 2020. The campaign promised almost $800 million for drug donation programs. As part of the London Declaration, the drug companies would share information to speed up the development of new treatments. In addition, they agreed to supply billions of doses of drugs every year to help the world’s poorest people. Mistry said these programs reached 800 million people in 2014. He hoped they would be made available to more than a billion people by 2020.    “It’s an art to be the broker and diplomat and win trust and support from sectors with very different issues, such as NGOs, corporations, and foundations,” he said. He added that the key was to find common goals. Government can serve as an effective broker.  Need for more prevention Experts called for greater focus on prevention to avoid the next global epidemic. “What’s frustrating for me is that we’re not more proactive in prevention of these outbreaks,” said Andrus. “It’s not just the vaccine. It’s good public health practice and surveillance. We need better diagnostic tests to detect these outbreaks earlier.” It’s important to control the carriers of these diseases. He advocated use of insecticides, mosquito nets, and long-sleeved clothing as ways to combat mosquito-borne illnesses like Zika and dengue.  Mistry added the attention on “Zika will cause an increase in public-private partnerships to combat Neglected Tropical Diseases. It’s the only way we’ll find solutions to these problems.” I’m Mary Gotschall.   Mary Gotschall wrote this story for VOA Learning English. Hai Do 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   afflict – v. to cause pain or suffering to (someone or something) neglect – v. to fail to take care of or to give attention to (someone or something) tropical – n. relating to the part of the world that is near the equator where the weather is very warm inadequate – adj. not enough or not good enough sanitation – n. the process of keeping places free from dirt, infection, disease, etc., by removing waste, trash and garbage, by cleaning streets, etc. lobbying – n. the effort by an organized group of people who work together to influence government decisions that relate to a particular industry, issue, etc. spotlight – n.  public attention or notice vulnerability – n. the act of being open to attack, harm, or damage transmission – n.  the act or process by which something is spread or passed from one person or thing to another surveillance – n. the act of using electronic devices to watch people or things diagnostic – adj. used to help identify a disease, illness, or problem 

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106-Year-Old Dances for Joy Over 'Black' President

This is What’s Trending Today. By the time you get to be 106, you have seen and done a lot. And Virginia McLaurin is almost 107. But last week, McLaurin did something for the first time. She went to the White House. There, she met President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama. She said it was something she never thought she would be able to do. “I thought I would never get in the White House,” McLaurin said, in a video posted on the White House’s Facebook page over the weekend. McLaurin is an African-American resident of Washington, D.C. She was born in 1909 in South Carolina. A video of her celebrating Black History Month with the Obamas last week got people giddy on social media. Black History Month is celebrated every February, and it recognizes the contributions African-Americans make to the world. More than 25 million people have seen the video since it was released Sunday night. The video was shared nearly 500,000 times on Facebook. McLaurin and the Obamas are two of Monday’s top trending subjects on Twitter. The video shows McLaurin coming to meet President Obama and Michelle Obama. While posing for a picture after they are introduced, McLaurin says: “I am so happy. A black president, yay! A black wife! And I’m here to celebrate black history.” People wrote messages of support, calling the video “fantastically uplifting,” and saying watching the video “will make your day.” One man from Brazil wrote: “She lived to see two World Wars, the height of racial segregation, and finally, an elected black president.” The Washington Post reports that McLaurin submitted a petition to the White House in 2014, asking to meet with Obama. She wrote about all the things she remembered from her life – like living without electricity and first Ford car she saw coming off the assembly line. “I didn’t think I would live to see a Colored President,” she wrote. “I know you are a busy man, but I wish I could meet you.” And when McLaurin finally met the Obamas, she danced with joy. “So what’s the secret to still dancing at 106?” President Obama asked. McLaurin did not answer. She was so excited, she just kept on dancing. And that’s What’s Trending Today. I’m Anna Matteo.   Dan Friedell wrote this story for Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. How would you feel if your nation elected a president whose race, class or gender was once banned from the presidency? Write to us in the Comments Section and on our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   giddy – adj. excited, playful and silly fantastic – adj. extremely good petition – n. a written document that people sign to show that they want a person or organization to do or change something segregation – n. the practice or policy of keeping people of different races, religions, etc., separate from each other

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China Minister to Talk South China Sea on US Visit

China’s Foreign Minister will visit the United States to talk about East Asian territorial and defense issues. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will host Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi for talks from Tuesday to Thursday. The visit comes at an intense time in relations between the two powers. The U.S. and China face the issues of militarization and free navigation in the South China Sea. They also face the issue of North Korea’s nuclear weapons and missile programs. Last week, the U.S. said China had increased tensions by deploying missiles to a small island in the South China Sea. Vietnam and Taiwan also claim Woody Island in the Paracels Island group as their territory. During a news briefing on Monday, a Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman spoke to reporters. Hua Chunying was asked whether China’s missiles in the South China Sea would be discussed during the meeting. She said, “the South China Sea is not and should not become an issue between China and the U.S.” She said the U.S. should, in her words, “stop hyping up” the issue. Hua repeated the Chinese position that the island in question has been part of China since ancient times. Hua added that, "China's deploying necessary, limited defensive facilities on its own territory is not substantively different from the United States defending Hawaii." U.S. ships have carried out patrols in the South China Sea. China says the patrols increase tension in the area. The U.S. says it is securing freedom of navigation in the important trade route. More than $5 trillion dollars in oil and goods pass through the sea each year. On Monday, a top U.S. naval officer was reported as saying Australia and other countries also should carry out “freedom of navigation” naval operations. Such patrols would approach within 18 kilometers of the disputed islands. China continues to build up the disputed island and others in the Paracels. State-owned China Southern Power Grid Company says it will set up a power management system on Woody Island. Chinese officials say the electrical system will be connected to 16 other islands in the area. Foreign ministry spokesperson Hua also was asked about a possible UN Security Council resolution on sanctions against North Korea. She said the U.S. and China are in close communication on the Korean peninsula nuclear issue. She said China supports a resolution on North Korea. However, Hua repeated China’s strong opposition to the possible deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, missile system in South Korea. The U.S. high-technology system is designed to shoot down missiles. I'm Mario Ritter. Mario Ritter adapted this story from Reuters and other materials. Kathleen Struck was the editor. ________________________________________________________________ Words in this Story   militarization – n. to put weapons and military forces in an area navigation – n. the activity of guiding a boat through an area of water hype up – v. to talks or write about something in a way intended to get people excited or interested in something substantively – adv. in an important, real or meaningful way patrols – n. a group of people or vehicles that goes through an area to ensure it is safe or secure sanctions – n. actions taken to force a country to obey international law, usually by limiting or stopping trade

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VOA English Newscast 1500 UTC February 22, 2016

From Washington, this is VOA News.       I’m Joe Palka reporting. Russia not happy with ISIS attacks in Syria… Russia on Monday condemned a series of deadly bombings in Syria, saying the attacks are aimed at derailing peace efforts. Russia's Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the terror attacks, which were claimed by Islamic State, need an adequate reaction from the international community. Multiple bombings in Damascus killed at least 83 people on Sunday, while bombs in Homs killed another 59 people. The blasts came as US Secretary of State John Kerry said a "provisional agreement'' has been reached with Russia for an end to hostilities in Syria. But he acknowledged that it's not finalized and all parties might not go along with it. "It is not yet done and I anticipate that our presidents, President Obama and President Putin, may well speak somewhere in the next days or so in order to try to complete this task." Now Syrian President Bashar al-Assad says his government is ready to take part in a ceasefire as long as it is not used by militants to reinforce their positions. As though simply losing an election wasn't bad enough, police in Uganda arrested opposition leader Kizza Besigye again Monday.  This comes a couple of days after it was announced that he had officially lost a presidential election. He says that election was fraudulent. Mr. Besigye had planned to go Monday to the headquarters of the electoral commission in the capital of Kampala to collect evidence as he weighs whether to file a legal challenge.  Authorities also raided his party's headquarters and seized data that party officials used for their own tally of the votes. Police put Besigye under house arrest on Friday and said the move was meant to stop him from leading protests against the president's win that could turn violent. This is VOA News. _____________________________________________________________ Words in The News   ISIS – adj. of or involving the militant group Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, also known as ISIL derailing – v. blocking the progress of something adequate – adj. enough for some need or requirement multiple – adj. more than two, but not  a lot; several blast – n. explosions provisional – adj. accepted or existing for the present time acknowledged – v. confirmed; admitted parties – n. sides; a group of one or more persons anticipate – v. expect task – n. job or work reinforce – v. to strengthen fraudulent – adj. tricking someone for the purpose of winning something valuable commission – n. a group or committee weighs – v. considers challenge – n. a difficult problem authorities – n. officials data – n. information tally – n. count   We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.

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