Brazil’s Lula Charged With Money Laundering

Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, the former president of Brazil, was charged this week with the crime of money laundering. Officials say they have evidence the former president and his family benefited from an unlawful real estate deal. That deal affected thousands of Brazilian families. Lead prosecutor Cassio Conserino explained families lost their apartments and lost their chances at being homeowners. Instead of apartments going to families, the real estate was destined for the former president and his family. He added da Silva and his family were under investigation for a year.   The prosecutors allege that da Silva and his family were given real estate. Da Silva denies any wrongdoing. He said he is not the owner of the apartment in the coastal city of Guaruja.   Money laundering charges have also been brought against the former president’s wife and one of his sons. A conviction could result in a prison term of 13 years. The judge in charge of the case must decide whether to accept the charges and move forward with the case. Da Silva also faces other legal problems. There are charges and accusations that he accepted free work on his home in exchange for political favors and benefits. He governed Brazil from 2003 to 2010. He left office with a record-high popularity close to 80 percent. I’m Mario Ritter.   The Associated Press 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   money laundering – v. the concealment of the origins of illegally obtained money real estate - n. property such as buildings or land apartment - n. a number of rooms that are part of a building and used as a place to live destined - v. meant for allege - v. accuse; to state without proof conviction – n. the act of proving that a person is guilty of a crime in a court of law favors – n. kind or helpful acts that you do for someone 

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US Holds IS Fighter Who Was Key To Chemical Weapons

U.S. military officials say they captured a key person in the Islamic State’s chemical weapons program in Iraq. The IS operative was captured by American special-operations forces. New gas attacks by the terror group were reported there Wednesday. The suspect was not identified. His detention was reported last week, but his connection to chemical weapons was not announced until now. The IS suspect was taken during raids in Iraq and Syria by a U.S. “expeditionary targeting force.” Their duty is to collect intelligence and identify high-level IS leaders. A Pentagon spokesman, Captain Jeff Davis, would not comment on recent operations. But he gave general information about the expeditionary targeting force. “One of the goals, one of the missions we anticipate they will do is that they will capture a small number of ISIL leaders," he said, using another name for Islamic State. "The detention of these we anticipate to be very short term. It will be coordinated with Iraqi authorities.” Officials in Iraq told VOA that IS fighters fired chemical weapons late Tuesday and early Wednesday. They said IS fired rockets loaded with mustard gas, also known as sulfur mustard, into a town north of Baghdad. Iraqi and Kurdish officials said dozens of civilians were injured by the attack on Taza Khurmatu. Most residents of the town are Shi'ite Muslim ethnic Turkmens. Soran Jalal, head of Taza Khurmatu’s civil defense office, said “the rockets spread a garlicky smell, and caused nausea and vomiting." He told VOA that investigators confirmed the weapons carried mustard gas. A commander in Kirkuk, the Kurdish population center north of Turkmen town, estimated about 30 people required hospital treatment. Lieutenant Muhammad Qadir told VOA at least five of the wounded had facial burns caused by chemical agents. Separately, a police official in Kirkuk said it was determined the rockets were fired from territory controlled by the Islamic State group. U.S. officials are aware of the group's use of such weapons. They say IS has used chemical weapons more than once in both Iraq and Syria.   “This is a group that does not observe international laws or international norms. They have demonstrated they will stop at nothing to inflict death and destruction on innocent people,” Pentagon spokesman Davis said. “Sulfur mustard - it’s usually in a powdered form and it’s put into artillery shells, rockets. And when those blow up it creates a dust cloud that can primarily aggravate but in large doses can absolutely kill.” U.S. officials say IS is still developing its chemical weapons program. So some reports about the terror group’s use of chemical weapons on the battlefield is “still largely about fear.” The officials say IS fighters find it easier to make and use improvised explosive devices (IEDs) or suicide bombers to injure and kill people. I’m Anne Ball.   VOA’s Jeff Selden wrote this story, with additional information provided by VOA’s Sharon Behn in Iraq and reporters Rikar Hussein and Dlchad Anwar.  Anne Ball wrote the report for Learning English.  Kathleen Struck was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section, and join us on our Facebook page. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   expeditionary – adj. relating to an expedition—a journey by a group of people for a specific purpose anticipate – v. to think of something that might happen in the future garlicky – adj. related to the garlic plant that has a strong taste and smell nausea – n. the feeling in your stomach when you feel like you are going to vomit vomit – v. to have the food and liquid in your stomach come out through your mouth when you are sick aggravate – v. to make a problem or an injury more severe

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Animated 'Zootopia' Breaks Disney Record

Last weekend, the latest Disney movie, “Zootopia,” broke records. The movie had the largest opening weekend for a Disney animated film. People across the United States bought more than $75 million worth of tickets. The box office totals pushed the popular movie, “Frozen,” to second place in opening weekend success. Experts say “Zootopia” is expected to stay strong this weekend. They predict it will make as much as $50 million dollars more. Already, the movie’s worldwide box office total is more than $230 million. “Zootopia” is a city of animals. The movie stars a bunny rabbit police officer and a fox criminal who team up to find a missing otter. He is among several animals that have suddenly disappeared from the city. Actor Ginnifer Goodwin provided the voice of officer Judy Hopps.  Justin Bateman is Nick, the con artist. Critics have strongly praised “Zootopia” for its sharp humor and strong message. The film explores racism and other intolerance in its portrayal of relations between two kinds of animals in the city. Jared Bush and Phil Johnston wrote “Zootopia.” They told reporters that it started out as a spy movie set in several different animal worlds. But they found the mammal world especially interesting. So they changed the story. Bush and Johnston said building the imaginary world took a lot of research. They both spoke about it to the website Inside the Magic. Bush said they asked themselves, “What’s this world like? What’s the history of this world?” And then, he said, they went to the experts. The writers spoke with people who study culture and group behavior, as well as those who study the psychology of individuals. And they talked with animal experts like zookeepers. They learned that the natural world is made up of 90 percent prey animals and 10 percent predator animals. “Zootopia” director Byron Howard says that discovery helped build the film’s themes prejudice and inclusion in a diverse world. The creators have noted that that diversity was not easy to produce in drawings. There are 64 species represented in the movie. There are multiple neighborhoods that represent the different environments of animal habitats. Disney says “Zootopia” is its most complex animation yet. The extra effort is certainly paying off at the box office. I'm Caty Weaver.   Caty Weaver wrote this story for Learning English. Her story was based on reports from VOANews.com. Kathleen Struck was the editor. Do you have a favorite animated movie? Tell us about it! Post your thoughts in the comments section or on our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   ​ ​

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'Dog or Bread?' Question Takes Over Twitter

  This is What’s Trending Today… This week, people on Twitter have been trying to identify some unusual-looking pictures. They are asking what, at first, might seem like a strange question: “Is this a photograph of a dog or a photo of a kind of food?” A woman named Karen Zack, known as @teenybiscuit on Twitter, first posted the question: “labradoodle or fried chicken?” Her post included photos of young dogs known as labradoodles and a tasty treat -- fried chicken. Labradoodles are dogs that are a cross between Labrador retrievers and poodles. That question led to more viral comparisons between dogs and food. Karen Zack’s next post compared sleeping puppies with a popular bread product – bagels.   More than 14,000 people retweeted Zack’s “Puppy or Bagel” post.   And, in a Twitter post on Wednesday, Zack compared the Chihuahua, one of the world’s smallest dogs, with another baked good -- muffins. ​That post received more than 24,000 retweets. Karen Zack’s questions have quickly taken over social media. New York magazine called her a “Twitter genius.” Zack herself seems surprised about her newfound Internet fame.   She did not stop at dog or food comparisons. Another viral post compared sheep dogs to a cleaning product: the mop.   By Friday, Zack’s idea had become a meme. Other people on social media are creating their own “dog or food?” photos. One Twitter user compared Shar Pei dogs with melted chocolate. And that’s What’s Trending Today I’m Dan Friedell. Ashley Thompson wrote this story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. What do you think of these interesting photos? Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   post - v. to add a message on a website viral - adj. involving an image, video, piece of information, etc., that is spread quickly and widely from one Internet user to another. genius - n. a very smart or talented person meme - n.  a funny image or video that is copied on the Internet

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March 11, 2016

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

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VOA English Newscast 1500 UTC March 11, 2016

  From Washington, this is VOA News.       I’m Steve Karesh reporting. Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos, one of Africa's longest-ruling leaders, said Friday he will quit politics in 2018 following the end of his current term. However, his term ends in September 2017. He did not explain why he would leave the year after, nor his reason for retiring. The 73-year-old Dos Santos has led Angola since 1979. He is Africa's second longest ruling leader. Critics accuse dos Santos of using the country's oil wealth to amass huge fortunes for himself, his allies and his family. United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon says decisive and bold action" is necessary to end sexual abuse and exploitation by U.N. peacekeepers. Speaking to the Security Council Thursday, Mr. Ban said that the allegations this past year erode(s) trust in the UN. "It undermines the trust between the United Nations and its beneficiaries, betrays the values and principles that the UN purports to advance, and tarnishes the credibility of United Nations peacekeeping operations and the United Nations as a whole." The Secretary-General has proposed new initiatives to strengthen the U.N.'s response, including assisting victims and improving accountability for perpetrators. In Myanmar, retired bureaucrat Htin Kyaw is predicted to win parliamentary election to become President. He was confirmed Friday as the nominee of Myanmar's National League for Democracy (the NLD), and is a close aide to party leader Aung San Suu Kyi and is expected to govern on her behalf. A relative unknown outside of politics, Aung San Suu Kyi's proxy for the presidency, is well known in the NLD inner circle. This is VOA News. ____________________________________________________________ Words in This Newscast   quit – v. to stop working; to leave (office) nor – conj. and not amass – v. to gather or collect fortune – n. a very large amount of money; riches decisive – adj. able to make choices quickly bold – adj. not afraid of danger; showing lack of fear exploitation – n. an act of using something that helps you unfairly peacekeeper – n. people who enforce and supervise a truce allegation – n. claims or charges erode – v. to slowly destroy; to break down undermine – v. to make weaker or less effective obtained – v. to get control of beneficiary – n. someone who is helped by something principle – n. a moral rule or belief purport – v. to claim to be or do something when this claim may not be true advance – v. to move forward; to make progress tarnish – v. to damage or wreck the quality of something credibility – n. the quality of being accepted or believed as real or honest initiative – n. a plan or program that is meant to fix problem response – n. something that is done as a reaction to something else accountability – n. a willingness to accept responsibility for one’s actions perpetrator – n. someone who has done something wrong aide – n. assistant behalf – n. a person’s interest or support proxy – n. someone who is given the power to act for someone else   We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.

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Obama Invites Lawmakers On Cuba Trip

Democratic and Republican lawmakers will join President Barack Obama on his trip to Cuba later in March. Obama invited members of both the Republican Party and the Democratic Party to join him in Cuba. Both Democrats and Republicans have accepted the invitation from the president. Patrick Leahy, the senate’s longest serving member and Jeff Flake, a Republican from Arizona, accepted the president’s invitation. Flake and Leahy are part of a group of 46 senators going to Cuba. “Excited to do it,” Flake said about the trip to Cuba. “I’m glad the president is going. This is a big deal. It will be good for the Cuban people.” One senator, Bill Nelson of Florida, did not accept the invitation. His state is home to many Cuban-Americans. Those Cuban-Americans blame Cuba for many human rights violations. “They invited me to go along, and I cannot go,” Nelson said. I don’t want any attendance by me as Florida’s senior senator that would in any way be interpreted that you overlook the human rights abuses of [the] Castro [regime] in Cuba. It’s not time for me to go.” Top members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee were invited, but will not attend. Republican Senator Bob Corker and Democratic Senator Ben Cardin will not travel to Cuba. Senators not traveling with the president will be watching closely how the human rights issue will be handled. “There’s a lot of potential in Cuba,” Cardin said. “But they still are not doing what is necessary on human rights. But through U.S. involvement, we will be able to see greater change.” Obama's trip to Cuba will mark the first time a sitting U.S. president has visited the island in nearly 90 years. I’m Jonathan Evans.   Michael Bowman wrote this story for VOA News. Jim Dresbach adapted this story for Learning English and VOANews.com. Kathleen Struck was the editor. What do you think of President Obama’s upcoming trip to Cuba? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   interpret - v. to explain the meaning of; to understand handle - v. to direct; to react to a situation or problem potential - n. having the ability to become something in the future overlook – v. to fail to see or notice something  

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'The Californian's Tale,' by Mark Twain

Editor's Note: This is a weekly multimedia series of American short stories for English language learners. Each story has video, audio, a quiz, and a lesson plan for teachers. Hope you enjoy reading and listening to this story! Please leave your questions and comments below. Our story today is called “The Californian’s Tale." It was written by Mark Twain. Here is Shep O’Neal with the story.   When I was young, I went looking for gold in California. I never found enough to make me rich. But I did discover a beautiful part of the country. It was called “the Stanislau.” The Stanislau was like Heaven on Earth. It had bright green hills and deep forests where soft winds touched the trees. Other men, also looking for gold, had reached the Stanislau hills of California many years before I did. They had built a town in the valley with sidewalks and stores, banks and schools. They had also built pretty little houses for their families. At first, they found a lot of gold in the Stanislau hills. But their good luck did not last. After a few years, the gold disappeared. By the time I reached the Stanislau, all the people were gone, too. Grass now grew in the streets. And the little houses were covered by wild rose bushes. Only the sound of insects filled the air as I walked through the empty town that summer day so long ago. Then, I realized I was not alone after all. A man was smiling at me as he stood in front of one of the little houses. This house was not covered by wild rose bushes. A nice little garden in front of the house was full of blue and yellow flowers. White curtains hung from the windows and floated in the soft summer wind. Still smiling, the man opened the door of his house and motioned to me. I went inside and could not believe my eyes. I had been living for weeks in rough mining camps with other gold miners. We slept on the hard ground, ate canned beans from cold metal plates and spent our days in the difficult search for gold. Here in this little house, my spirit seemed to come to life again. I saw a bright rug on the shining wooden floor. Pictures hung all around the room. And on little tables there were seashells, books and china vases full of flowers. A woman had made this house into a home. The pleasure I felt in my heart must have shown on my face. The man read my thoughts. “Yes,” he smiled, “it is all her work. Everything in this room has felt the touch of her hand.” One of the pictures on the wall was not hanging straight. He noticed it and went to fix it. He stepped back several times to make sure the picture was really straight. Then he gave it a gentle touch with his hand. “She always does that,” he explained to me. “It is like the finishing pat a mother gives her child’s hair after she has brushed it. I have seen her fix all these things so often that I can do it just the way she does. I don’t know why I do it. I just do it.” As he talked, I realized there was something in this room that he wanted me to discover. I looked around. When my eyes reached a corner of the room near the fireplace, he broke into a happy laugh and rubbed his hands together. “That’s it!” he cried out. “You have found it! I knew you would. It is her picture. I went to a little black shelf that held a small picture of the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. There was a sweetness and softness in the woman’s expression that I had never seen before. The man took the picture from my hands and stared at it. “She was nineteen on her last birthday. That was the day we were married. When you see her…oh, just wait until you meet her!” “Where is she now?” I asked. “Oh, she is away,” the man sighed, putting the picture back on the little black shelf. “She went to visit her parents. They live forty or fifty miles from here. She has been gone two weeks today.” “When will she be back?” I asked. “Well, this is Wednesday,” he said slowly. “She will be back on Saturday, in the evening.” I felt a sharp sense of regret. “I am sorry, because I will be gone by then,” I said. “Gone? No! Why should you go? Don’t go. She will be so sorry. You see, she likes to have people come and stay with us.” “No, I really must leave,” I said firmly. He picked up her picture and held it before my eyes. “Here,” he said. “Now you tell her to her face that you could have stayed to meet her and you would not.” Something made me change my mind as I looked at the picture for a second time. I decided to stay. The man told me his name was Henry. That night, Henry and I talked about many different things, but mainly about her. The next day passed quietly. Thursday evening we had a visitor. He was a big, grey-haired miner named Tom. “I just came for a few minutes to ask when she is coming home,” he explained. “Is there any news?” “Oh yes,” the man replied. “I got a letter. Would you like to hear it? He took a yellowed letter out of his shirt pocket and read it to us. It was full of loving messages to him and to other people – their close friends and neighbors. When the man finished reading it, he looked at his friend. “Oh no, you are doing it again, Tom! You always cry when I read a letter from her. I’m going to tell her this time!” “No, you must not do that, Henry,” the grey-haired miner said. “I am getting old. And any little sorrow makes me cry. I really was hoping she would be here tonight.” The next day, Friday, another old miner came to visit. He asked to hear the letter. The message in it made him cry, too. “We all miss her so much,” he said. Saturday finally came. I found I was looking at my watch very often. Henry noticed this. “You don’t think something has happened to her, do you?” he asked me. I smiled and said that I was sure she was just fine. But he did not seem satisfied. I was glad to see his two friends, Tom and Joe, coming down the road as the sun began to set. The old miners were carrying guitars. They also brought flowers and a bottle of whiskey. They put the flowers in vases and began to play some fast and lively songs on their guitars. Henry’s friends kept giving him glasses of whiskey, which they made him drink. When I reached for one of the two glasses left on the table, Tom stopped my arm. “Drop that glass and take the other one!” he whispered. He gave the remaining glass of whiskey to Henry just as the clock began to strike midnight. Henry emptied the glass. His face grew whiter and whiter. “Boys,” he said, “I am feeling sick. I want to lie down.” Henry was asleep almost before the words were out of his mouth. In a moment, his two friends had picked him up and carried him into the bedroom. They closed the door and came back. They seemed to be getting ready to leave. So I said, “Please don’t go gentlemen. She will not know me. I am a stranger to her.” They looked at each other. “His wife has been dead for nineteen years,” Tom said. “Dead?” I whispered. “Dead or worse,” he said. “She went to see her parents about six months after she got married. On her way back, on a Saturday evening in June, when she was almost here, the Indians captured her. No one ever saw her again. Henry lost his mind. He thinks she is still alive. When June comes, he thinks she has gone on her trip to see her parents. Then he begins to wait for her to come back. He gets out that old letter. And we come around to visit so he can read it to us. “On the Saturday night she is supposed to come home, we come here to be with him. We put a sleeping drug in his drink so he will sleep through the night. Then he is all right for another year.” Joe picked up his hat and his guitar. “We have done this every June for nineteen years,” he said. “The first year there were twenty-seven of us. Now just the two of us are left.” He opened the door of the pretty little house. And the two old men disappeared into the darkness of the Stanislau.   Now it’s your turn to use these Words in this Story. In the Comments section, write a sentence using one of these words and we will provide feedback on the use of vocabulary and grammar.   ________________________________________________________________ Words in this Story   curtain - n. a piece of cloth that hangs down from above a window and can be used to cover the window whisper - v. to speak very softly or quietly sigh - v. to take in and let out a long, loud breath in a way that shows you are bored, disappointed, relieved, etc. sorrow - n. a feeling of sadness or grief caused especially by the loss of someone or something

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EU Central Bank Moves to Help Economy

The European Central Bank released a new round of measures to stimulate the economy, including lowering interest rates more. The financial moves announced Thursday are the latest efforts to lift the economy of the 19-country bloc that uses the euro. The European Central Bank, or ECB, cut all three of its main interest rates. The bank also increased its monthly financial asset-buying program. Officials at the ECB hope banks will lend more money to businesses and consumers to help the region's economy. The eurozone economy has had low economic growth for many years. Growth was 0.3 percent in the last three months of 2015. The ECB’s cuts to three main interest rates it controls take effect on March 16. The rate for deposits with the central bank was cut further to negative 0.4 percent. The negative interest rate means that depositors pay the bank instead of receiving interest payments. The unusual measure is meant to encourage banks to lend money rather than keep it with the central bank. The ECB also said it would increase the purchase of bonds from 60 billion euros each month to 80 billion euros. The move puts more money into financial institutions that hold the bonds, putting more money into the Eurozone economy. The measures are similar to tactics that the U.S. central bank used to boost the American economy during the 2008-2009 world financial crisis. Since then, the U.S. economy has recovered. The unemployment rate now stands at 4.9 percent. However, central bank policymakers are dissatisfied with economic growth. Many workers are still looking for better-paying, full-time jobs rather than the part-time work they accepted. However, slowing growth in China, the second-biggest global economy, is blamed for erratic stock market prices around the world. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang recently said China’s expected economic growth will be between 6.5 and 7 percent. In the Eurozone, the jobless rate is down from its 2013 peak of 12.1 percent, but was still at 10.3 percent in January. European Central Bank president Mario Draghi said the bank's new measures show "that we are not out of ammunition." He said, "Rates will stay low, very low, for a long period of time and well past the horizon of our purchases" of assets. But he added, "Taking into account the support of our measures to growth and inflation, we don't anticipate that it will be necessary to reduce rates further." I’m Mario Ritter.   Ken Bredemeier reported on this story for VOA. Mario Ritter adapted it for VOA Leaning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. Please leave us a comment and post on our Facebook page.  ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   stimulus – n. an economic measure meant to cause growth; something that causes something else to happen bloc – n. a group of people or countries linked by a treaty, agreement or common goals asset – n. a valuable person or thing; something owned by a person or company that has value erratic – adj. not regular, changing in ways that are not expected or usual encourage – v. to make a person or group more determined, hopeful or confident anticipate – v. to expect and look ahead to something

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SeaWorld Reports a Very Sick ‘Blackfish’

A captive whale in a water park in Florida that killed his trainer six years ago is reportedly in grave health. The killer whale, Tilikum, appears to have a serious bacterial infection. That information comes from SeaWorld, which has housed the 12,000-pound (5,443 kilogram) whale at its Orlando, Florida, park for the past 23 years. In 2010, the whale drew international attention when he killed his trainer, Dawn Brancheau, age 40. The whale has been linked to two other deaths. In 1991, at a Canadian water park, Tilikum was one of three killer whales who dragged trainer Keltie Byrne, 21, under water, according to news reports. In 1999, at SeaWorld Orlando, Daniel Dukes, 27, was found dead over Tilikum’s back. Police said he snuck into the whale tank, news reports said. On Tilikum’s current condition, this is what SeaWorld said: “Our teams are treating him with care and medication for what we believe is a bacterial infection in his lungs. However, the suspected bacteria is very resistant to treatment and a cure for his illness has not been found.” The statement added, “Tilikum’s behavior has become increasingly lethargic.” SeaWorld also released a video that included a statement from SeaWorld veterinarian Scott Gearhart. “I wish I could say I was tremendously optimistic about Tilikum and his future, but he has a disease which is chronic and progressive and at some point might cause his death," Gearhart said. The SeaWorld blog estimates Tilikum is 35 years old. That is near “the high end” of the average life expectancy for male killer whales, SeaWorld said. After the death of Tilikum’s trainer six years ago, SeaWorld and Tilikum were subject of a 2013 documentary, “Blackfish.” It featured interviews with former trainers and whale experts who said some killer whales become depressed and aggressive in captivity. SeaWorld has been under pressure to stop whale shows from groups such as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). The male killer whales are also known as orcas. SeaWorld announced last year that, starting in 2017, whale shows in its San Diego, California, park will focus “more on the species' natural behaviors.” It said the new shows will give information about how people can “make a difference for orcas in the wild.” SeaWorld did not say what changes, if any, would be made for whale shows in its other two parks, in Orlando and San Antonio, Texas. PETA said SeaWorld immediately should move its whales to sanctuaries, “where they could enjoy a more natural life.” I'm Bruce Alpert.   Bruce Alpert reported on this story for VOA Learning English. 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   medication -- n. a substance used in treating disease or relieving pain lungs – n. organs that people and animals use to breathe air resistant – adj. not affected or harmed by something lethargic – adj. feeling a lack of energy or a lack of interest in doing things veterinarian – n. a person who is trained to give medical care and treatment to animals tremendously – adv. very large or great optimistic – adj. expecting good things to happen chronic – adj. continuing or occurring again and again for a long time expectancy – n. a feeling that something is going to happen species – n. a group of animals or plants that are similar and can produce young animals or plants sanctuary – n. a place where animals can be protected in a natural setting

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The Japanese Tsunami Five Years Later

Five years after a deadly earthquake and tsunami hit Japan, recovery remains years away. More than 16,000 people died in the disaster and more than 470,000 were displaced from their homes, says the Japanese Red Cross Society. Over 2,500 people are still missing and presumed dead. After pressure from survivors, the Japanese Coast Guard began underwater searches for the missing. In Fukushima, more than 100,000 families still cannot return home, says the Red Cross Society. This is because of radioactive contamination from the damaged Daiichi nuclear plant. In Japan, the disaster is known as “3-1-1,” marking the date five years ago. It was really three disasters rolled into one. “It started with an earthquake devastating in itself, then the tsunami, and then the radiation from the nuclear plant,” said Shioko Goto, a Japan expert at the Wilson Center in Washington, D.C. Goto said the disaster showed the world, "Japanese resilience and Japanese unity.” But it also showed shortcomings. Among the most notable, the long time it took to stabilize the Fukushima Daiichi Power Plant after it was flooded from the tsunami, Goto said. That process took eight months. Another, Japan’s dependence on nuclear power, she said. The disaster forced Japan to close all of its nuclear power plants, leaving parts of the country without electricity. Goto offered up one major difference from the last major Japanese disaster, the 1995 Kobe Earthquake. In 2011, social media was everywhere, she said. Social media offered up plenty of “unfounded rumors and fearmongering,” Goto said. But it also kept pressure on Japanese authorities to do more. Chikara Yoshida lost his only son, a 43-year-old volunteer fireman, on March 11, 2011. He and his daughter posted a petition on Facebook to restart underwater searches. It drew over 28,000 signatures, according to the Associated Press. The Japanese Coast Guard announced that it would resume searches this week. There have also been complaints that reconstruction efforts in hard-hit northern Japanese communities have been too slow. This week, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said the government will respond. “There is no rebirth of Japan without the recovery of northern Japan,” Abe said. Tadateru Konoe, president of the Japanese Red Cross Society, said it is the elderly who are left behind in temporary housing. The young, found it easier to move on “in search of new opportunities,” he said. “As these temporary housing sites slowly empty, those who remain are left more vulnerable and more alone as their communities break up,” Konoe said in a statement. The Japanese economy continues to struggle, though economists differ on how much of the blame rests with the 2011 disaster. The latest data shows that Japan’s economy declined by 1.1 percent over the last quarter of 2015. One bright spot has been tourism. Japan reported that visits by foreign visitors increased 47 percent last year, reaching nearly 20 million. Officials are hopeful of even more growth, with Tokyo ready to host the 2020 Summer Olympics. I'm Kathleen Struck. Bruce Alpert reported this story for VOA Learning English. 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   tsunami – n. a very high, large wave in the ocean that is usually caused by an earthquake under the sea and that can cause great destruction when it reaches land displace – v. to force (people or animals) to leave the area where they live presumed – v. to believe something is true, or has happened devastating – adj. causing great damage or harm resilience – n. the ability to become strong, healthy, or successful again after something bad happens stabilize – v. to become stable or back to normal fearmongering – n. someone who spreads scary news, which is often false resume – v. to continue opportunity – n. chance to do something vulnerable – adj. open to harm

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