VOA English Newscast: 1200 UTC April 8, 2016

  From Washington, this is VOA News.       I’m Steve Karesh reporting. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has launched a series of talks with Iraqi officials on Friday during a one-day visit to Baghdad to underscore U.S. support for the government as it addresses security, economic and political challenges. “This is obviously a very critical time here in Iraq and the region, and you and I have been working on a lot of different issues over the past few years. So it’s good to come and be able to visit…” That is Kerry speaking with Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari.  He will also meet with Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and Kurdistan regional government Prime Minister Nechrivan Barzani. In addition to showing U.S. support for the government, Kerry is also expected to discuss the multi-national coalition's ongoing support for Iraqi-led efforts to defeat Islamic State, said State Department spokesman John Kirby, ahead of the trip. Kerry's visit comes as Iraqi-led forces push to re-take the northern city of Mosul, which fell to Islamic State militants in 2014. A group of 45 Pakistani migrants has reached Dikili, in Turkey, making the short trip from a migrant camp on the Greek islands where they were staying. At least two activists were arrested for trying to prevent the Turkish vessel from leaving. A second group of migrants is expected to arrive in Turkey later on Friday. Greek authorities say none of the migrants sent to Turkey have applied for asylum in the EU. Myanmar has begun releasing political prisoners, as promised by ruling party leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Thursday. Families had begun gathering at prisons since Aung San Suu Kyi's announcement, awaiting word of their loved ones. She said amnesties would be granted as part of the celebration of the Buddhist New Year. From Washington, this is VOA News. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Newscast   underscore – v. to show the importance of something addresses – v. to deal with; to give attention to challenge – n. a difficult problem; something that is hard to do obviously – adv. clearly critical – adj. involving or using careful judgment about something region – n. an area multi – prefix. More than two; many ongoing – v. continuing to exist or happen ahead – adv. or adj. in or toward the front; before migrant – n. someone who moves from one place to another, usually for economic reasons vessel – n. a ship or boat applied – v. requested amnesty – n. a pardon; a decision to free a prisoner or group of prisoners   We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.

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April 7, 2016

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

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Relatives of Chinese Leaders Named in 'Panama Papers'

Relatives of members of the Chinese Communist Party’s past and current top leadership have been named in leaked documents known as the Panama Papers. More than 11-million confidential documents were taken from the law business Mossack Fonseca in Panama. The documents were then given to a group of reporters. The documents show information about more than 214,000 offshore companies. They include the identities of shareholders and directors of the companies. The documents show how rich individuals, public officials and their families placed money into businesses hidden from the public.  The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists released the documents. Family members of at least seven current or former members of the Chinese Communist Party’s Politburo Standing Committee have been named in the documents. No one has been accused of any wrongdoing. Family members of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Peng were also named. One of Xi’s family members employed Mossack Fonseca to open one offshore company in 2004 and two in 2009, according to the ICIJ. Li Xiaolin is a businesswoman and the only daughter of former premier Li Peng. The Associated Press reports that the law firm helped her buy an investment company. Ownership of the investment company was hidden by the use of documents that did not show the names of the owners. The Associated Press also says Chen Dongsheng, a family member of Mao Zedong, created a company called Keen Best International Ltd. He was the only owner. He also heads a life insurance company and a company that sells art. Few people openly talk about the large amounts of money controlled by the families of China’s ruling party members. Little is known about how the country’s rich and powerful people hide their wealth. The Chinese public wants to know more about the financial dealings of the country’s officials and their families. But experts say it is not clear if the Panama Papers will cause the government to limit the use of banks outside the country by political leaders. Putting money in banks of other countries is not illegal. These accounts can be used to legally avoid paying taxes. But reports say the Panama Papers show how banks, law firms and individuals violated the law and helped people hide wealth. Since coming to power, President Xi has punished corrupt officials. Chinese media have reported on the actions to show that the Communist Party is serious about stopping corruption. But officials have blocked news stories by reporters outside China that tell about investments and financial gains by top officials and their family members. Few reports about the Panama Papers have appeared in Chinese media. The Global Times, a Communist party-supported newspaper, printed an opinion column this week. It said the documents that were released unfairly told only about non-Western leaders. A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman would not speak about the possible involvement of China’s leaders and their family members in illegal acts. I’m Ashley Thompson.   William Ide reported this story for VOANews.com. Jim Dresbach adapted the story for Learning English. The editors were Mario Ritter and Christopher Jones-Cruise. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or visit our Facebook page. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story confidential – adj. secret or private offshore account – n. a bank or business account located or based in a foreign country that is not subject to tax laws offshore companies – n. companies incorporated for the purpose of operating outside the country of its registration and/or the place of residence of its directors, shareholders and beneficial owners shareholders – n. someone who owns shares in a company or business scrutiny – n. the act of carefully examining something, especially in a critical way

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Vietnam’s Parliament Approves New Prime Minister

Vietnamese lawmakers approved Nguyen Xuan Phuc as the country’s new prime minister Thursday. Phuc was the only candidate for the position. He was chosen at the Vietnamese Communist Party’s congress three months ago. Vietnam’s parliament is not independent. Its members vote as the country’s leaders direct them to. These kinds of legislatures are often called “rubber-stamp” parliaments. As Phuc took office, he said “before the flag of the motherland, before the assembly, in front of the people of Vietnam, I swear to have the utmost loyalty to the country, the people and the constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. He added, “I promise to try my best to fulfill the responsibilities and missions given to me by the Party, the government and the people.” Nguyen Xuan Phuc is 61 years old. He formerly served as Vietnam’s deputy prime minister. He follows Nguyen Tan Dung, who was prime minister for ten years. Dung enacted a series of measures that led to an increase in foreign investment in Vietnam. He also strengthened Vietnam’s relationship with the United States. And he publicly criticized China’s attempts to claim much of the South China Sea. During Dung’s years as prime minister, Vietnam’s debt increased sharply, and he was not able to end widespread corruption. And inefficiency remained a problem at state-operated businesses. Nguyen Xuan Phuc is now one of the country’s three main leaders. The other two are the Communist Party’s Secretary-General, Nguyen Phu Trong, and President Tran Dai Quang. Tran was elected to the largely ceremonial position of president last week. In January, during the party meeting, Trong beat back Nguyen Tan Dung for a seat on the party’s ruling Politburo. I’m Christopher Jones-Cruise.   VOANews.com reported this story. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted it for Learning English. George Grow 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   rubber-stamp – n. a person or organization that automatically approves everything that someone does or decides utmost - adj. greatest or highest in degree, number or amount mission – n. a task or job that someone is given to do inefficiency – n. the lack of ability to do something or produce something without wasting materials, time or energy; the quality or state of being inefficient; not efficient      

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New York's Emergency Crews Learning Mandarin

When emergency workers arrive at an old firehouse in New York City, the way they greet each other is not what you might expect. These first responders say, "Ni Hao!” “Ni Hao” means "hello" in Mandarin Chinese. First responders are the first emergency workers to arrive at a fire, traffic accident or other emergency. Some first responders are fire fighters, while others can be Emergency Medical Technicians -- also known as EMTs -- or paramedics. In Brooklyn, New York, over 20 first responders are studying Mandarin Chinese for about two hours a week. The class is the first of its kind. It is offered by the Fire Department of New York's Phoenix Society and the New York City Fire Department Foundation. New York City is a diverse area. The U.S. Census Bureau recently reported that some New York neighborhoods are made up mostly of immigrants. Some people have predicted that the Chinese community is likely to become New York's largest immigrant group. They think the city will have the largest Chinese community outside of Asia. The Census Bureau also found that almost 200 languages are spoken in the city. So, knowing different languages is important, especially if you are a first responder. Growing need Lieutenant Steve Lee is president of the Fire Department’s Phoenix Society. Lee says that first responders must be able to communicate quickly and effectively when an emergency happens. He explains that first responders enters neighborhoods and communities to assist people regardless of where they are from. Lee says that many times first responders do not speak the same language as the people they are called to help. He adds that it is vital, or very important, that first responders are able to communicate with the people calling for help. Without help from homeowners and others, Lee adds, discovering exactly where a fire is burning can be a real problem. First responders need to ask questions such as "What building? What address? What apartment?” And one of the most important questions, “Is there anybody left in the building and where?" The Census Bureau findings demonstrate the great need for multilingual skills. There are currently 450,000 non-English speaking Asians in New York City. On any given day, only six Asian-American firefighters are working the city streets. Lily Cheung is teaching Mandarin Chinese to the first responders. She calls the first group taking the classes "amazing." Cheung says she can see amazing progress they have made with this language, which -- according to her – is one of the hardest languages in the world. She explains that these first responders work long hours. Some, she says, come to class right after working a night shift without resting in between. “This is really a dedicated group,” she adds. Chueng started teaching Mandarin when she was 11-years old. And she has her own method of teaching, something she calls the "Chinglish Way." She says she first explains the English order of the sentence, followed by the Chinese order. Then she takes an English sentence and says it in Chinese. Cheung says breaking up the sentence and then combining the parts together can make it easy for students to understand. One of her students is first responder Doraun Ellis. He has been a paramedic for 14 years. Ellis explains that Cheung goes to each and every single student in the class and goes over the lesson until the whole class understands it completely. He adds that the teacher really shows the class how to use to the language they are learning. Ellis adds that the more he is able to communicate with a patient on an emergency call, the more at ease that patient feels. The students have already used their language training. Jacob Dutton has been a firefighter for 10 years. Recently, he followed up on a report of a gas leak in an apartment building. Dutton says he arrived to an apartment where the two residents spoke only Mandarin. Speaking Mandarin with them, he was able to find the gas leak and explain to the residents how to fix it. Other Mandarin classes are planned, along with training in other languages. I'm Anna Matteo. In the Comments Section, let us know your opinions regarding first responders learning other languages. Or simply practice with the words and expressions found in the article. VOA’s Bernard Shusman reported on this story. Anna Matteo adapted it for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story paramedic – n. a person whose job is to provide emergency medical care to sick or injured people who are being taken to a hospital diverse – n. made up of people or things that are different from each other Census Bureau – n. A division of the federal government of the United States Bureau of Commerce that is responsible for conducting the national census at least once every 10 years, in which the population of the United States is counted. The Bureau of Census is also responsible for collecting data on the people, economy and country of the United States. Also known as the "United States Census Bureau." multilingual – adj. able to speak and understand several languages amazing – adj. causing great surprise or wonder : causing amazement night shift – n. a period of time during the night (such as from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m.) in which a person is scheduled to work dedicated – adj. devoted to a cause, ideal, or purpose resident – n. living in a particular place usually for a long period of time    

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More People Move to Houston in US

More people moved to the Houston, Texas area in one year than to any other metropolitan area in the United States. The U.S. Census Bureau recently released information about the growth of America’s cities in 2015. It noted that five metropolitan areas in Texas -- Midland, Odessa, Austin, College Station-Bryan and Houston -- are among the 20 fastest-growing areas in the country. Texas gained almost a half-million new residents from July 2014 to July 2015. That is more than any other state. Many people have also moved to Atlanta, Phoenix, New York and Los Angeles. The Census Bureau reported that Los Angeles County has more than 10 million people. It leads the nation’s 3,100 counties. Metropolitan areas in Florida, North Carolina and South Carolina are also growing fast. Last year, the population of North Carolina increased by more than 100,000 people. It is now the ninth state with 10 million or more residents. Most of the growth took place in or near the cities of Raleigh and Charlotte. North Carolina’s metropolitan areas attract people because they have many different kinds of jobs and large universities and research organizations. Rebecca Tippett is the director of Carolina Demography at UNC-Chapel Hill’s Carolina Population Center. She told VOA that North Carolina has “everything from the mountains to the coast.” She moved there from Ohio. She says North Carolina is warmer. The Villages, an area in Florida west of Orlando, was the fastest-growing metropolitan area in the United States, and has been for the past three years. The Villages grew 4.3 percent between 2014 and 2015. Five other metropolitan areas in Florida are among the top 20 fastest-growing areas in the country. Stefan Rayer is a population specialist at the University of Florida. He told VOA that “young people generally move either for education or for a job, and Florida is one of the largest states in the country. It’s very attractive. It has big metropolitan areas, it has good job opportunities, so that’s why people are moving to Florida.” About 275 million people lived in the country’s metropolitan areas in 2015. That is an increase of about 2.5 million from 2014. I’m Christopher Jones-Cruise.   Dora Mekouar reported on this story for VOANews.com. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted her 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   metropolitan – adj. of or relating to a large city and the surrounding cities and towns resident – n. someone who lives in a particular place demography – n. the study of changes (such as the number of births, deaths or marriages) that take place over a period of time in human populations

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Turks Questioning Migrant Deal with EU

A small group of Turkish activists welcomed the first deported migrants as they arrived at the Turkish port of Dikili. However, many Turks are questioning whether their country can or should absorb them. The deportees from Pakistan and other countries arrived in Turkey from Greece this week. They have been taken from the docks where, they disembarked, and were brought to a center 500 kilometers away. Turkey is expecting to receive another group of 200 migrants from Greece on Friday. The move is part of a deal reached in March between the EU and Turkey to ease Europe’s migrant crisis. The deal with the EU offers a list of incentives for Turkey. It includes billions of dollars in aid and the possibility of travel to Europe without a visa for Turkish citizens. Also, efforts for Turkey to join the EU are to restart. However, some Turks are condemning the deal. They say it does little to increase their long-sought access to Europe. The agreement is seen as a good opportunity for Turkey’s President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan. He is facing criticism for his government’s offensive against Kurdish separatists in Turkey’s southeast and its crackdown on the media. Questions about the deal continue Under the deal reached in March, Turkey will receive more than $3 billion in aid to take care of the migrants. For every migrant returned, Turkey sends one Syrian refugee to the EU. Greece and the EU were to deport all migrants who arrived on Greek soil after March 20. Greece reports that between 300 and 500 people continue to reach its shores each day. But that number is less than before the agreement went into effect.  Officials say more than 400 people have died over the past year while trying to make the short, but dangerous, crossing between Turkey and some Greek islands. In Izmir, Turkey’s third largest city, many migrants found acceptance. Today, parks and areas once filled with migrants are now empty. Some in the city miss their business. “They do no harm to us, no harm at all. On the contrary, the business I did last year was double than this year,” Aydogan Kirisci, a spice vendor told VOA. Not all Turks are as ready to accept the migrants. Concern about hosting them in large numbers has grown. That is especially the case after a series of deadly terrorist attacks in the country recently.  Even supporters of the deal for Turkey to take in migrants share the concern. In Izmir’s city center, Turkish travelers form a long line in front of a private business that processes visas for Turks who want to visit EU countries. One of them, who identified himself only as Emre, said the possibility of having visa-free travel to the EU is, for him, not enough to justify the agreement. Some wonder how long the migrants will stay. “This is the main thing, that we don’t know what (is) going to happen because we don’t know those people and where they will live and if they (are given) a place anywhere in Turkey if it is a secured place,” he told VOA.  Turkey’s government is ensuring that the deported migrants remain out of sight. Experts say this is meant to limit tensions. The government says Syrians will be placed in refugee camps and others will be sent to their home countries. I'm Mario Ritter.   Luiz Ramirez reported this story for VOA News. Mario Ritter adapted it for Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   absorb – v. to take in, to bring in disembarked - v. to leave or get off of something, like a ship or airplane incentives – n. something meant to encourage a person or group to take some action or agree to some plan crackdown – n. a forceful attempt to stop people from doing something that is not permitted by authorities on the contrary – phrase, shows that the following sentence describes something that is the opposite of the one that came before

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Raising a Glass for National Beer Day

This is What’s Trending Today. April 7 was National Beer Day in the United States. National Beer Day is not a real holiday. But a lot of Americans are celebrating on social media. One Twitter user, RadarX, wrote, “I hear it’s #NationalBeerDay and I feel fortunate to live where they make so much of it.” Other Twitter users joined in by posting photographs of glasses of cold beer. The magazine Men’s Journal published a list of what it called the “100 Best Beers in America.” The beers are not in any special order. They are listed alphabetically by the state where they are produced. Some of the beers have unusual names, such as Sloth, Fuzzy Baby Ducks and Lizard King. April 7 is an important day in beer history. On that day in 1933, Americans could legally buy beer again after 13 years. Sales of beer had been barred under the U.S. Constitution. The 18th Amendment to the constitution took effect in 1920. It prohibited “the manufacture, sale or transportation of intoxicating liquors.”   In December 1933, the 21st Amendment to the constitution officially ended prohibition. But a few months before that, President Franklin Roosevelt signed an act to permit the sale of low-alcohol wine and beer. That was on April 7. Roosevelt reportedly said, “I think this would be a good time for a beer.” And the people who agree with Roosevelt's words helped make the hashtag #NationalBeerDay, What’s Trending Today. I’m Ashley Thompson.   Dan Friedell wrote this story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. Is beer prohibited in your country? If it is not, what is your favorite beer? We want to know. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. __________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   fortunate – adj. having good luck alphabetical – adj. of or related to organizing something in the order of the letters of the alphabet intoxicate – v. to make (someone) unable to think and behave normally prohibit – v. to bar or ban something

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Identify With Relative Pronouns

  In this week’s episode of Everyday Grammar, we are going to discuss the relative pronouns who, that and which. A relative pronoun relates to the noun it is describing. Relative pronouns introduce a relative clause. Think of relative clauses as long adjectives. Adjectives are words that describe nouns. Let’s start with an example sentence: The woman who called me yesterday was my mother. In this sentence who is the relative pronoun, and who called me yesterday is the relative clause. The clause is describing the noun woman. In general, the relative pronouns who, that, and which do one of two things: 1. They help identify the noun or 2. They help give more information about the noun. In the example sentence, the clause “who called me yesterday” identifies the noun, in this case woman. When a relative clause adds more information about the noun, the clause is surrounded by commas. Here is an example sentence: My mother, who called me yesterday, says she is coming to visit me this summer. Who is just one example of a relative pronoun that you can use when talking about a person. Let’s listen to a scene from the comedy film Bridesmaids for another example. In this scene, the main character Annie is telling her best friend that she has changed. Listen for the relative pronoun: “Lillian, this is not the you that I know! The you that I know would have walked in here and rolled your eyes and thought that this was completely over the top, ridiculous, and stupid!” The relative pronoun Annie used in the scene is that -- when she says “the you that I know.” In this sentence, that I know describes the noun you. Both who and that can be used in relative clauses that describe a person. That can also be used to describe a thing. For example: “The bike that I bought last week was stolen.” The relative clause "that I bought yesterday” describes the noun bike. The relative pronoun which is also used to describe a thing. Here is an example sentence using which. “My bike, which I bought last week, was stolen.” In this example, the relative clause “which I bought last week” adds more information about the noun bike. The clause is surrounded by commas. Here are some general rules about commas and relative clauses: --If the clause begins with the relative pronoun that, you do not need commas. --If the clause begins with the relative pronoun which, you generally need commas. --If the clause begins with the relative pronoun who, you need commas if the clause is adding additional information about the noun. Here is an example sentence using the relative pronoun who, with and without commas. 1. My sister who lives in New York bought an apartment 2. My sister, who lives in New York, bought an apartment. In the first sentence, the relative clause who lives in New York is identifying the noun sister. The speaker might have more than one sister. The clause “who lives in New York” is identifying which sister he or she is talking about. In the second sentence, the same relative clause is adding additional information about the noun sister. Sometimes, English speakers remove the relative pronoun altogether. Listen for the relative clauses in Shania Twain’s song You’re Still the One. You're still the one You're still the one that I love The only one I dream of You're still the one I kiss good night In one line, she keeps the relative pronoun that. In the rest, she omits -- or removes -- the relative pronoun. If the relative pronouns that and who are followed by a noun or pronoun, they can be omitted. That makes the sentences “You’re still the one that I love” and “You’re still the one I love” both correct. We can talk about other relative pronouns in another episode of Everyday Grammar. But for now, listen for the relative pronouns as we end this episode with the David Bowie song “The Man Who Sold the World.” You're face to face With the man who sold the world. I’m Jonathan Evans. And I'm Ashley Thompson. Ashley Thompson wrote this story for VOA Learning English. Adam Brock edited and produced it. Now it's your turn. Practice using relative pronouns by describing your best friend. Start with this: "My best friend is someone who ______" ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   relate - v. to show or make a connection between (two or more things) identify - v. to show who someone is or what something is surround - v. to be on every side of something

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IS Suffers More Setbacks in Syria

Islamic State (IS) militants have been defeated in northern Syria by rebel fighters and forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad, according to sources close to the fighting. Military airplanes bombed IS targets to help ground forces in Syria defeat IS fighters. The United States led air support in the area near Aleppo. Reports say Russian warplanes killed 40 IS militants in eastern Syria. Forces loyal to Assad and supported by Russia recently took back the town of Palmyra from militants in late March. Palmyra and neighboring Tadmur are important because they are along IS supply lines that go from Iraq’s Anbar province to Homs province in Syria. IS has not had a successful ground offensive in Syria since May 2015, when it captured Palmyra. Recently, troops fighting against Assad stopped a jihadist attack in the Aleppo countryside in Syria. IS also has lost ground near the Syrian-Turkish border. A rebel spokesman said “more than 15 militants were killed” in those clashes. IS fighters withdrew from eastern areas in Homs province, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.  IS forces still hold the city of Raqqa in Syria. But lawlessness – including executions and robberies – may show that IS is losing control, says an anti-IS network group. Activists say IS members are forcing local children into joining the group. IS militants executed eight young men west of Raqqa, according to VOA News and local ARA News. Reports also say former IS members are trying to flee. Others have been accused of stealing or corruption.   Jamie Dettmer reported this story for VOANews.com. Jim Dresbach adapted this story for Learning English. Kathleen Struck and Mario Ritter were the editors. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story according - prep. as stated by source - n. someone or something that provides what is wanted or needed jihadist – n. related to those fighting a religious war to defend or spread their beliefs  

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News Words: Emissions

Emissions was a buzz word at the United Nations Climate Conference in Paris last year. Find out what it means in this week's News Words.

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