North Korea Says It Has Small Nuclear Weapon

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said Wednesday his country has developed nuclear weapons of a size small enough for a ballistic missile. This is the first time the North Korean leader has made such a claim. The state Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Wednesday that Kim met with nuclear scientists and technicians. It said they discussed "research conducted to tip various types of tactical and strategic ballistic missiles with nuclear warheads." The agency also published photographs that appeared to show the North Korean leader visiting a factory where the warheads were made. The authenticity of the photos could not be independently confirmed. A number of military experts have said they question the North Korean claim. U.S. military leaders have said in the past that North Korea has the right connections and technology to develop a small nuclear device. However, the country has yet to demonstrate that ability. The claim comes as North Korea faces intense international pressure because of its recent nuclear and missile tests. North Korea’s public diplomacy, or lack of it, has only increased the pressure. Last week, North Korea answered new United Nations sanctions by firing projectiles into the sea. Kim also threatened to carry out a nuclear strike against South Korea and the United States. History of confrontational words Brian Myers studies North Korean propaganda. He wrote the 2010 book, “The Cleanest Race: How North Koreans See Themselves and Why it Matters.” He said the North’s confrontational public relations campaigns go back to the country’s founder, Kim Il Sung. He came to power with the help of the Soviet Union at the end of World War II. ​Myers is an associate professor of International Studies at Dongseo University in South Korea. He said North Korea uses threats and warlike language as a way to get the U.S. government to react. "This rhetoric is the North's way of saying to Washington, ‘You guys better keep us on the front burner because we are just as ready to fight and die as your enemies in the Middle East are.’” In recent years, North Korea's language has become stronger and more bellicose. Myers says that is partly because more information from overseas is entering the North. "In the old days, the regime could make very peaceful noises to the outside world and make very bellicose racist noises in what I call megaphone propaganda, the sort of thing that North Koreans get in their farms and factories. But now, as more and more North Koreans access outside sources of information, as you just said, the regime is under much and more pressure to speak in one voice. And that means making much the same warlike and often racist noises in export propaganda that it has always made on the home front." Myers says North Korea's warlike statements are meant to increase a sense of national pride. Outside the country, they are designed to increase anti-American feelings in South Korea and other countries. This use of language may be counterproductive. However, Myers believes this rhetoric reflects the uncompromising position of the North Korean leadership. "Those are ultranationalists, who are genuinely outraged by the presence of American troops in South Korea, who remain genuinely committed to reunifying the peninsula. And this is the problem with ultranationalists everywhere, is that it's very difficult for them to put themselves in the shoes of other nations, of other races, and has great difficulty presenting itself in a sophisticated way to them.” I’m Mario Ritter.   VOA’s Brian Padden in Seoul reported on this story for VOANews.com. Mario Ritter adapted it for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Leave your thoughts in the Comments section and on our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   ballistic missile – n. a missile designed to travel long distances to deliver explosives projectile – n. something launched as a weapon confrontational – adj. challenging or opposing someone in a strong or threatening way bellicose – adj. warlike, ready to argue or fight regime – n. a system of government authenticity – n. the quality of being truthful pride – n. a feeling of self-respect, a feeling of importance rhetoric – n. language used to influence people

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Sanders, Trump Win in Michigan

Presidential candidates Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders won primary elections in Michigan on Tuesday. Sanders’ victory in the Democratic Party primary in Michigan was a surprise, or upset, against former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Many polls showed Clinton a big favorite to defeat Sanders. Sanders, a senator from Vermont, got 50 percent of the vote in Michigan. Clinton received 48 percent of the vote. Sanders said the victory in Michigan means his “political revolution” is strong across America. Sanders had support from minorities and young voters, according to pollsters. Clinton won the primary held Tuesday in the southern state of Mississippi.  Clinton has the support of 1,221 delegates according to the Associated Press delegate tracker. Sanders has 571. A total of 2,383 Democratic delegates are needed to be nominated. Republican Party candidate Donald Trump widened his lead for the GOP nomination with victories in Michigan, Mississippi and Hawaii. Trump won in Michigan by receiving 37 percent of the vote. He won the support of 25 delegates. Ted Cruz, a senator from Texas, won the Idaho primary. Cruz finished second to Trump in the Michigan primary. The state primary to watch for the GOP candidates next week is the Florida primary. Republican candidate Marco Rubio is a senator from Florida. He predicted victory in his home state. Ninety-nine delegates are at stake in the Florida primary. “I believe with all my heart that the winner of the Florida primary next Tuesday will be the nominee of the Republican Party,” Rubio told supporters.   Trump also predicted victory in Florida. He called Florida his “second home.” Trump is ahead in the polls over Rubio. Trump has won 458 delegates, overall. Cruz is in second place with 359 delegates. A total of 1,237 GOP delegates are needed for nomination. I’m Dorothy Gundy.   This story is based on reports from VOANews.com. Jim Dresbach adapted the story for Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section and visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   primary election – n. an election in which members of the same political party compete against each other for the chance to be in a more important election poll – n. an activity in which several or many people are asked a series of questions in order to get information about what most people think about something Democratic Party – n. one of the two main political parties in the U.S. Republican Party – n. one of the two main political parties in the U.S. GOP – n. short for "Grand Old Party," the nickname of the Republican Party stake – n. in a position to be lost or gained

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Beatles Producer George Martin Dies

This is What’s Trending Today. English record producer George Martin is credited with helping The Beatles become famous. He is the only producer that would offer them a recording contract after they had been rejected by many others. He helped John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr produce 20 No. 1 songs during the 1960s. Martin died on March 8. The news came out on the morning of March 9. He was 90 years old. According to an obituary in the Washington Post, Martin studied piano while he was a boy in London before World War II. He entered the Navy during the war, then studied music and oboe. He started his career with the British Broadcasting Corporation, working in the music library. In 1950, he went to work for the record company EMI. Twelve years later, he met The Beatles. And a short time after, he helped them create their first big hit, called “Please Please Me,” in early 1963. McCartney and Starr used Twitter to send messages expressing their respect for Martin and their sadness about his death. McCartney said: “The world has lost a truly great man,” and “he was like a second father to me.” He posted a photo of the two of them from a recording session and referred people to a longer blog post on his website. Starr posted a message saying, “Thank you for all your love and kindness, George, Peace and Love...” It also included a photo of The Beatles with Martin when they were just getting started. Martin produced the famous “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” album. Other songs that Martin recorded with The Beatles were “Can’t Buy Me Love,” “Yesterday,” Hey Jude,” “Penny Lane” and “Eleanor Rigby.” Lots of people expressed their feelings about Martin and The Beatles after hearing the news. Martin was the top trending topic on Twitter, with almost 300,000 mentions. British Prime Minister David Cameron called Martin, “a giant of music.” John Lennon’s son, Sean, said “I’m so gutted. I don’t have many words.” Gutted is a British English slang word meaning sad and disappointed. American record producer Quincy Jones, famous for working with Michael Jackson, called Martin his “musical brother.” Mark Ronson, another British music producer who earned his fame more recently by working with Amy Winehouse and Bruno Mars, said “we will never stop living in the world you helped create.” And That’s What’s Trending Today. I’m Dan Friedell.   Dan Friedell wrote this story for Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. What is your favorite Beatles song from the time Martin worked with the band? Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   producer – n. someone who supervises the recording (or production) of a performer's music. contract – n. a legal agreement between people and businesses to produce work for pay hit – n. something that is very successful, like a song, movie or book slang – n. words and expressions that are considered informal in speech gutted – adj. sad or depressed obituary – n. a report in a newspaper about the life of someone who has died recently

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Court Awards $55 Million to Secretly Taped Sportscaster

An American court has ordered several defendants to pay a woman $55 million in damages connected to an online video. Erin Andrews is a broadcaster of sports news. She was secretly videotaped without any clothes on at a hotel in Nashville, Tennessee in 2008. The video was posted on the Internet the next year. A man, Michael David Barrett, was found guilty of stalking in connection with the act. A court sentenced him to 30 months in prison in 2010. However, the video continued to circulate online. In 2015, Andrews took legal action against Nashville Marriott hotel, its partners and Barrett. She sought $75 million from the defendants. Her lawyers said Marriott employees had informed Barrett that Andrews was staying at the hotel. They said he asked to have the room next to Andrews. Employees gave him that room. He shot the video through a hole he made in a door that connected to her room. He said he released the video online for money. Andrews’ lawyers said the hotel should have told her of Barrett’s request. They said Marriott should not have placed the man in the room next to her. Andrews testified during the two-week trial. She said she felt “so ashamed” that the video of her naked was on the Internet. Erin Andrews is expected to receive far less than the $55 awarded by the Tennessee court. Barrett is responsible for half the amount, which he does not have. The hotel and partners will appeal the amount and almost certainly be able to settle for lower damages. Some experts have estimated that Andrews will end up with no more than six million dollars. I’m Caty Weaver.   Caty Weaver wrote this story for Learning English based on a VOA news report. Kathleen Struck was the editor. Do you think the Tennessee court decision was fair? We want to know! Post your thoughts in the comment section or on our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   stalk – v. to follow, watch or cause problems for a person in a way that is frightening and sometimes dangerous circulate – v. to go or spread from one person or place to another testify – v. to talk and answer questions about something, especially in a court of law ashamed – adj. feeling guilt, regret, or sadness naked – adj. not wearing any clothes: not covered by clothing

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Boston Bombing Survivor Killed in Dubai

A college student who survived the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013 has died in a car accident in Dubai. Victoria McGrath was a student at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts. The university said in a statement that McGrath and another student, Priscilla Perez Torres, were killed during the weekend. The two friends, both 23 years old, were on a personal trip to the Persian Gulf country in the Middle East. News reports say the driver and another passenger were also killed in the crash of a Ferrari sports car. The driver was identified as Canadian Boxer Cody Nixon. The U.S. Embassy in Dubai declined to comment. McGrath survived the Boston Marathon bombing in April 2013. The terror attack killed three people and injured more than 200. She received injuries from shrapnel that struck her left leg when the first of two bombs exploded. McGrath and a firefighter, James Plourde, appear in an AP news agency photo from the attack area. Plourde said he and his family were “devastated with the loss of our dearest friend,” the CBS News website reported. McGrath’s parents told AP that their daughter responded to the bombing with determination and humility. They say she worked with poor and disabled children. After the Boston Marathon bombings, she also worked with veterans, they said. Northeastern University President Joseph Aoun sent a statement to the university community about the accident. He called McGrath’s and Torres’s deaths “a heartbreaking loss to their families, friends, and to all of us in the Northeastern family.” He said McGrath was from Weston, Connecticut. Perez Torres came to the university from Guaynabo, Puerto Rico. McGrath was studying business at the university in Boston. I'm Mario Ritter.   Mario Ritter adapted this report for VOA Learning English from AP and other news sources. Kathleen Struck was the editor. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   shrapnel –n. small pieces of metal scattered at high speed from the explosion of a bomb, shell or missile devastated –adj. to feel extreme emotional pain

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VOA English Newscast: 1500 UTC March 9. 2016

From Washington, this is VOA News.      I’m Frances Alonzo reporting. U.S. Vice President Joe Biden Wednesday condemned a string of attacks by Palestinians that came as he visited Israel, saying there can be no justification of the “hateful violence." Speaking alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Biden called Tuesday's deadly stabbing of an American, a "heinous terrorist act," adding that civilized leaders cannot see the violence as appropriate behavior. Meanwhile, Netanyahu said "nothing justifies” the attacks and criticized Palestinian leaders for not condemning them. “President Abbas has not only refused to condemn these terrorist attacks; his Fatah party actually praised the murderer of this American citizen as a Palestinian martyr and a hero. Now this is wrong, and this failure to condemn terrorism should be condemned itself.” And that is the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. Police in Somalia say a car bomb exploded outside a tea shop near a police building in Mogadishu Wednesday, killing at least three officers. (NATURAL SOUND) This is the Mogadishu police commissioner, Ali Hersi Barre. He said the driver of the car was taken into custody and was seriously injured by the blast. He adds that the police are investigating. Wednesday's attack followed one on Monday in the city of Beledweyne, in which at least six people were injured in an explosion at an airport. U.N. Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura was in Geneva Wednesday, ready to resume peace talks with Syria's warring sides, but delegations are still expected to arrive over the course of a few days so the process will be slow to start. Mistura's spokeswoman said some of the participants will not be in Geneva until Sunday or Monday.  The delays are attributed to logistical arrangements. This is VOA News. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This New string – n. a series of similar things heinous – adj. very bad or evil appropriate – adj. right for some purpose meanwhile – adv. at the same time martyr – n. someone who suffers greatly for a cause shop – n. a store or business commissioner – n. someone who has the job of finding information about something or controlling something custody – n. detention resume – v. to re-start course – n. the action of moving along a path from point to point; the direction that something moves along participants – n. someone who takes part in an activity or event attributed – v. explaining by recognizing a cause logistical – adj. related to the process of planning and organizing arrangement – n. the way things are organized for a purpose or activity We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.

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Prince William and Family Enjoy Snowy Break

The British royal family has released photos of Prince William and family on a ski vacation in the French Alps.   The pictures come from an agreement between the royals and photographers. It was set when William and his brother, Prince Harry, were children. Their mother, Princess Diana, was killed in a car crash when photographers were chasing her car in Paris. Reporters respect the family’s privacy in exchange for arranged meetings on special days. The images published Monday show William and his wife Kate with 2-year-old George and 10-month-old Charlotte enjoying the snow last week.   Officials say it was "their first holiday as a family of four and the first time either of the children had played in the snow.''   Two pictures show William and Kate at play in a snowball fight.   The policy with the press meant the boys could have a relatively normal childhood. Kate and William have expressed the desire to give the same to their own children. I’m Caty Weaver.   Caty Weaver wrote this story for Learning English. Her report was based on information from the Associated Press news agency. Kathleen Struck was the editor. We want to hear from you! Post your thoughts in the comment section or on our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________ Words in This Story royal – adj. of or relating to a king or queen arrange – v. to organize the details of something before it happens; to plan  ski – v. of or relating to a king or queen snowball – n. a ball of snow that someone makes usually for throwing relatively – adv. when compared to other  

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Solar Eclipse Starts Wednesday, Ends Tuesday

This is What’s Trending Today. A solar eclipse will pass over Earth on Wednesday, starting in Southeast Asia March 9, and ending in the western Pacific on Tuesday evening, March 8. No, the Earth is not changing direction. An eclipse occurs when the moon moves between the sun and the Earth. When it is lined up between the sun and the Earth, it creates a shadow and darkness on Earth. Before science explained the phenomenon of a solar eclipse, days when the sun went dark were thought to be bad omens. The website TimeandDate.com says ancient cultures believed the sun disappearing during the day was a sign that gods were fighting or animals were taking bites out of the sun. During the March 8 and 9 eclipse, the shadow will cross the International Date Line. The date line runs from the North Pole to the South Pole, along the Pacific Ocean. It is where we measure the end of one day and the beginning of another. The eclipse will be visible in countries like Indonesia and Thailand, starting at zero hours (0000) UTC on March 9. About four hours later, the shadow will reach the U.S. state of Alaska, concluding just before nightfall Tuesday, March 8. People are already excited about the eclipse on social media sites. NASA posted a video on Monday, talking about the eclipse, and it has thousands of likes and re-tweets on Twitter. The website EarthSky.org says many people will see a partial eclipse. But people in Indonesia and on the island of Borneo may see a total eclipse. That is because they are in the path of totality. That is where the sun is completely blocked by the moon. Larry Koehn posted an animation on his website (shadowandsubstance.com) showing the path of the eclipse compared to UTC time. Lots of people also posted notes about how to safely watch the eclipse. But ABC News has a story about a man who convinced Alaska Airlines to reschedule its flight from Alaska to Hawaii in order to coincide with the eclipse so passengers could get a good view. Joe Rao is an astronomer from New York, and an eclipse chaser. It will be his 10th eclipse. He says he will bring 200 pairs of special glasses for fellow passengers who want to see the eclipse. A group of astronomers is doing a live webcast from Palu City on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi. If you want to watch them, you can find them on YouTube by looking up Slooh. In case you missed this one, do not worry. There will be another total solar eclipse in just over a year, on August 21, 2017. It will be visible in the U.S., starting in Oregon and ending in South Carolina. And that’s What's Trending Today. I’m Dan Friedell.   Dan Friedell wrote this story for Learning English based on information from the New York Times and EarthSky.org. Kathleen Struck was the editor. Would you go out of your way to experience an eclipse? Did you see the eclipse on March 9 yourself? Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   solar eclipse – n. an occasion when the sun looks like it is completely or partially covered with a dark circle because the moon is between the sun and the Earth path of totality – n. during a solar eclipse, this is a small area where the sun is completely blocked by the moon. omen – n. a warning of something bad that will happen in the future phenomenon – n. something (such as an interesting fact or event) that can be observed and studied and that often is difficult to explain animation – n. a way of making a movie by using a series of images that are somewhat different from one another and that when seen quickly, one after another, create the appearance of movement convince – v. to persuade; to cause (someone) to agree to do something coincide – v. to happen at the same time as something else

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Woman Dies in Elevator Month After Power Cut

A 43-year-old woman was found dead in an elevator in China. She had been trapped in the elevator for about a month. CNN says a maintenance crew inspected a broken elevator in the Chinese city of Xi'an on January 30. The elevator had stopped between the 10th and 11th floors. Workers shouted to see if anyone was inside, and did not hear an answer. They turned off the power and left the building. Workers found the woman's body on March 1, after they returned from the Lunar New Year holiday. The woman, who lived in the building, could have been in the elevator for up to 30 days. The woman's neighbors said that the woman lived alone. Local police arrested two suspects in their investigation. They said they were investigating the companies responsible for the elevator maintenance. Internet response Chinese web users posted angry responses on social media. They criticized relationships in modern Chinese society. One user of Weibo, a social media site similar to Twitter, said: "I thought such things would only take place in the wild. But actually the crowded cities are nothing but just a forest of steel – we are surrounded by so many people and have so many 'good friends' in (online) chat groups but there are few that really have anything to do with you." Media response Chinese media criticized negligence in China's elevator maintenance industry. Media also criticized property management companies. China has had problems with similar accidents in the past. Last July, a woman died after she fell through flooring in a Chinese department store.   ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   elevator – n. a machine used for carrying people and things to different levels in a building maintenance - n. the act of keeping or providing for post – v. to add (a message) to an online message board response - n. an answer; something that is said or done in answer to something else negligence – n. failure to take the care that a responsible person usually takes

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No Woman Has Been Top Role at UN

International Women’s Day on Tuesday is all about better education and better jobs for women. That includes one job in particular: Secretary-General of the United Nations. It is the UN’s top post and no woman has had that post. The UN was founded in 1945, and has had eight male secretaries-general. A woman secretary-general, says Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney of New York, “would serve as a powerful symbol to the approximately 3.6 billion people in this world who are women.” Ban Ki-moon of South Korea has said he will give up the secretary-general post at the end of the year. He has been secretary-general since 2007. Among the candidates to replace Ban are three women, Irina Bokova, now director-general of the UN Organization for Education, Science and Culture; Natalia Gherman, deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs of Moldova; and Vesna Pusic, first deputy prime minister of Croatia. Male candidates include Danilo Turk, former president of Slovenia, and Kevin Rudd, Australia’s former prime minister. The Financial Times recently wrote that German Chancellor Angela Merkel might be a surprise candidate for secretary-general. Jeane Krasno is chair of the group Campaign to Elect a Woman UN Secretary-General. Krasno said she will observe International Women’s Day in New York. An event there will recognize important work women do for the UN. That includes providing food, housing and security for families during famines and armed conflicts. “The argument has been in the past that there aren’t enough qualified women to choose from,” Krasno told VOA. “That argument no longer holds water.” She said her group has identified 38 women with “incredible experience, achievement and qualifications.” The United Nations tends to select secretaries-general on a rotating basis to make sure each world region gets a person in the top UN job. For this election, the UN is said to be looking at an official from Eastern Europe, according to multiple news reports. “If that argument is valid, what about representation for women who make up over half of the world’s population?,” Krasno asked. Krasno teaches political science and international relations classes at Yale University, Columbia University and the City University of New York. I'm Kathleen Struck.   Bruce Alpert reported on this story for VOA Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or share your views on our Facebook Page. Tell us who you would like to see be the head person at the UN. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   particular – adj. used to show that one individual or thing is being described symbol – n. an action, object or event that expresses or represents a particular idea or quality  approximately – adv. almost correct or exact incredible – adj. extremely good, great, or large achievement – n. something that has been done through effort or hard work qualification – n. special skills, experience or knowledge that makes someone able to complete a job or activity  

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Democrats Welcome Run Against Trump

Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, the Democratic Party candidates for the U.S. presidential nomination, say they welcome opposing Donald Trump in the general election. Both candidates were asked during the debate Sunday in Flint, Michigan, how they expect to compete against Trump. Clinton addressed the question by saying she thinks “that Donald Trump’s bigotry, his bullying, his bluster, are not going to wear well on the American people.” Trump’s campaign slogan is “Make America Great Again.” Clinton is ready to challenge Trump’s slogan. “You know, I don't think we need to make America great again,” Clinton said. “America didn't stop being great. We have to make it whole again.”  Sanders, a senator from Vermont, told the CNN panel and the audience: “I think we can beat Trump. … Our campaign is generating an enormous amount of excitement. I think we are exciting working class people, young people who are prepared to stand up and demand that we have a government that represents all of us.” Clinton and Sanders also debated the water crisis in Flint. Pipes in the city water system were lined with lead and the water dangerous and toxic. Both Clinton and Sanders demanded Michigan Governor Rick Snyder should resign. The candidates also debated gun control, trade agreements, environment and mental health. Clinton leads Sanders in the number of delegates who have said they will vote for her at the party convention. The convention is where the candidate is decided by the delegates. Clinton has at least 1,123 delegates. Sanders can claim 484 delegates. A total of 2,383 delegates are needed to claim the Democratic nomination. Close to 4,000 Democratic delegates are available. I’m Jim Dresbach.   VOANews reported on this story. Jim Dresbach adapted the report 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   bigotry – n. acts that shows a person who strongly and unfairly dislikes other people or ideas bullying – v. to frighten, hurt, or threaten a smaller or weaker person bluster – n. voice or personality that blows loudly or violently slogan – n. a word or saying that is easy to remember and is used by a group or business to increase recognition toxic – adj. containing harmful or poisonous substances convention - n. a meeting or conference

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