Study: More Obese People Than Underweight

A new report says there are now more obese people in the world than there are underweight people. Researchers from Imperial College London wrote the report. Their findings were published in the British medical journal The Lancet. The researchers examined health records from about 20 million people for what they called the “world’s biggest obesity study.” Obesity is a condition in which the body stores large, unhealthy amounts of fat. Obese individuals are considered overweight. For the study, the researchers compared the body measurements of almost 20 million adults. They found that from 1975 to 2014, global obesity rates for men increased from 3.2 percent of the population to 10.8 percent. For women, it rose from 6.4 percent to 14.9 percent. They estimate that in 2014 there were 266 million obese men and 375 million obese women worldwide. That represents about 9 percent of the more than 7 billion people alive today. The study found that more than 2.3 percent of men and 5 percent of women are considered severely obese. A severely obese individual has a body mass index (or BMI) of over 35 kilograms per square meter. BMI is a way to measure a person’s height compared to their weight. The study also found that about 1 percent of men and 2 percent of women are considered “morbidly obese.” Such people have difficulty with simple activities because they are overweight. The researchers say there are now 55 million morbidly obese adults worldwide. Majid Ezzati is the chief writer of the report. He works at the Imperial College School of Public Health. He writes that “the number of people across the globe whose weight poses a serious threat to their health is greater than ever before. He adds that this epidemic of severe obesity is too extensive to be tackled with just medications. He says coordinated global initiatives are needed to tackle this crisis. These initiatives include looking at the “price of healthy food compared to unhealthy food, or taxing high sugar and highly-processed foods.” The researchers warn if the problem of obesity worsens, 18 percent of men and 21 percent of women will be obese by 2025. The study found that China has the most obese people of any country and the United States has the largest number of severely obese people. The researchers also studied the number of people who are said to be underweight in different countries. They said underweight levels have dropped from 14 percent to 9 percent among men, and from 15 percent to 10 percent among women. About a fourth of the world’s underweight people live in India and Bangladesh. I’m Anna Matteo.   VOANews.com reported this story. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted the report for Learning English. The editors were Kathleen Struck and George Grow. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section, or visit our Facebook page. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   obese – adj. very fat; fat in a way that is unhealthy morbidly – adv. relating to death pose – v. to be or create (a possible threat, danger, problem, etc.) epidemic – n. an occurrence in which a disease spreads very quickly and affects a large number of people extensive – adj. large in size or amount; very full or complete tackle – v. to deal with (something difficult)  

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Supreme Court Helps Define ‘One Person, One Vote’

“One person, one vote” is a guiding principle of American democracy. But its exact meaning continues to be debated. The U.S. Supreme Court recently decided one dispute. In April, the court ruled that states can count all residents to set up election districts and not just those allowed to vote. The issue is important because it decides how many seats in Congress and legislatures are given states and local communities. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg wrote the decision. In her ruling, she provided a history lesson. In 1776, when the U.S. declared independence from Great Britain, only people who owned property could vote. It was not until 1920 that women won the right to vote. Slaves were not permitted to vote. It took the Voting Rights Act of 1964 to end rules that stopped African-Americans from voting in some southern states. In 2016, children under 18 still cannot vote. Nor can prisoners. But in her ruling, Ginsburg wrote the nation’s founders believed everyone --- whether they voted or not – should be represented by their government. She said all people need government services. “Representatives serve all residents, not just those eligible to vote,” Ginsburg wrote. Michael Li works on voting rights issues for the Brennan Center for Democracy in New York. He said the Supreme Court ruling is important. “We fought a revolution over taxation without representation and early on in our history we decided that people should be represented the same way, whether they vote or can’t vote,” Li said. He said the Supreme Court ruling will help undocumented immigrants because they will continue to get counted, even if they cannot vote. Two Supreme Court Justices – Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito -- also voted with Ginsburg in the 8-0 ruling. But they said the ruling should have limited effects. Thomas and Alito said the ruling means the states can draw election districts based on all residents -- not just voters. The ruling does not mean the states must do this. “The Constitution leaves the choice to the people alone – not to this court,” Thomas wrote. Currently, all 50 states use U.S. Census Bureau data to determine representation. That includes all those counted – both voters and non-voters. History of “one person, one vote” American history is full of fights about how to define “one person, one vote.” In 1787, there was a dispute between the northern states, where slavery was illegal, and southern states, where slavery was permitted. In the North, people argued states that deny African-Americans the right to vote – and all other freedoms – should not count them for representation in Congress. As a compromise, a slave was counted as 3/5 of a person. With the end of slavery in 1865 after the Civil War, the rule ended. In 1964, the Supreme Court ruled that states must create legislative districts based on equal representation. At the time, some big cities, such as Los Angeles, were given the same representation in state legislatures as small communities. There are other voting issues that likely will make their way through the courts. One is whether requiring voters to show picture identification violates the Constitution’s equal protection guarantee. Supporters say requiring identification reduces fraud. But opponents say fraud is not a problem. They say the requirement will make it hard for minorities and older people without identification to vote. Therefore, these opponents say, requiring picture identification violates the principle of “one person, one vote.” I'm Bruce Alpert.   Bruce Alpert reported on this story for VOA Learning English. Hai Do 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   principle – n. a moral rule or belief that helps you know what is right and wrong and that influences your actions residents – n. people who live in a community eligible – v. able to do or receive something revolution - n. the usually violent attempt by many people to end the rule of one government and start a new one lesson - n. something learned through experience; something that is taught fraud - n. cheating; using dishonest methods to make something value from another person

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Children and Cattle Compete at Houston Rodeo

Cowboys and cowgirls from across the United States were in Houston, Texas last month for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. The Houston rodeo is one of the biggest shows of its kind in the world. The yearly event gives children who live in cities a chance to see farm animals up close. It also gives children from rural areas a chance to show off animals they have fed and cared for. One of the most popular activities at the rodeo is called the calf scramble. Young people chase a calf and try to catch the animal with a rope. Winners of the event are given $2,000 to use to buy a cow that they can raise and exhibit at the show next year. Hanna Lisenbe lives on a small farm near Fort Worth, Texas. She told VOA she hoped to win the event. “We don’t really have the money to just dive into the cattle business on our own, and I thought the calf scramble would be a great way to get in there and give me the opportunity to have my own cattle.” Many of those who took part in the calf scramble live on and farms, but children who live in and near big cities also compete. In Texas, many school systems have farms where students, even those from cities, can care for animals. Alexa Vazquez lives near Houston. She won a calf scramble in a previous rodeo. “I’m going to be raising a heifer, which I have never done before, and I am actually pretty excited.” She said that caring for an animal has helped her decide what kind of work she wants to do. “It kind of inspires me a little bit, kind of makes me want to work hard and, maybe one day, probably be a veterinarian.” Bryson Bassinger grew up in farm country near the Texas border with Oklahoma. He says that is where he plans to live his life. “I would not choose anything else. I couldn’t live in the city. I would rather have cows than people around me.” I’m Anne Ball.   VOA Correspondent Greg Flakus reported this story from Houston. 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   exhibit – v. to make something available for people to see heifer – n. a young female cow inspire – v. to make (someone) want to do something; to give (someone) an idea about what to do or create veterinarian – n. a person who is trained to give medical care and treatment to animals; an animal doctor  

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Scientist Fights for Coral Reefs, Makes Science Fun

The language used by scientists to explain complex ideas can be difficult and -- well, let’s face it -- sometimes boring. The language, with its Latin words and long scientific terms, could be one reason some people avoid learning about science, especially children. American Danielle Dixson is a marine biologist. She wants to make science fun for children. Dixson has turned that idea into a series of children’s books. The nine books are written so that her research is easy to understand. "I just don't really think kids should be left out of it and I thought that story books may be one of the easiest ways to sort of captivate them and have them understand." Dixson’s research Danielle Dixson is an assistant professor at the University of Delaware. Dixson says another goal of her science writing is to help increase understanding of the ocean environment. She spent almost two years in the South Pacific working on her post-doctoral research. She went to the island nation of Fiji to investigate coral reefs that are collapsing or, as she says, degrading. The goal of her research is to identify why some healthy coral reefs are breaking down. She also wants to find out how this degradation affects fish that live in and around the reefs.  "A number of the reefs are converting from being, you know, these beautiful coral reef systems that have a lot of holes for animals to hide in, into reefs that the coral’s degrading and collapsing and then there is not as much hiding spaces for fishes and things like that.”   Early in her research, Dixson made some videos for people in Fiji. The videos explained her work to the local community. She says she wanted them to understand how her research would help them. For the local children, Dixson started making books explaining her work. This helped to keep them from walking through her “laboratory” – baby pools filled with water she was using for her experiments. "I was living, actually, in the village with some of the locals. It was a lot easier to get research done if they understood what I was doing and how it would help them. And one of the ways that I was able to connect with the adults was I would make these videos for them. And then I started making children's books for the kids so that they would have a better idea of why I was there, so that when I ask them not to walk through the baby pools I was using for experiments or something like that, that that would actually happen.”   When Dixson returned to the United States, she started doing the same thing for children in this country. She uses colorful story books to capture the imagination of children. While she has their attention, she provides very useful information about science. Home is where the heart is. Home and family are at the heart of many great stories. The search for one’s home or protecting one’s home is universal. In one of her books, Danielle Dixson tells young readers about two fish -- Mr. and Mrs. Goby. The fish live in a coral reef. And their home is sick.   ​"Mr. and Mrs. Goby lived in their coral home and all if a sudden coral starts to get sick, but they needed their house to stay alive. So what would they do to help it? It sort of goes through all the scientific findings, but it does it in the sense of those two gobies are trying to save their home." The story about the little fish was based on one of Dixson's studies. She explains that one form of seaweed kills coral on contact. "We do know that there is one species of the seaweed that if you put in contact with coral for 48 hours, the contact point of the coral will be dead. There are a number of organisms that live inside corals -- this tiny little goby being one of them.” The goby fish have a strong interest in keeping their coral home healthy. When coral are in danger from the seaweed, the marine organisms send a distress signal to Mr. and Mrs. Goby. “Please come help!” And that’s just what the fish do. Dixson explains. “So it was so interesting to see since goby lives in the coral, that's really its home, it should have a vested interest in protecting its home. So I ran a series of experiments to figure, you know, does the goby help the coral fight the seaweed? And it ends up that they do. We found out that the coral actually can chemically communicate with the goby to tell it, like, ‘Come help me! I'm hurt right here!’"   As a marine scientist, Dixson wants her stories to be both educational and inspirational, serving as an agent for change. She also includes in her books “a call to action,” asking readers what they can do to make a difference. "One of the things I do in those story books is I have a last page. And the last page talks about what you can do to help. You know, there is a lot of things that even a 6-year-old is able to do, whether it's shutting your lights off when you leave a room, or riding your bike to your friend's house instead of having your parents drive you. There is a lot of stuff that they can do and still feel they're making a difference." Danielle Dixson’s books shine a light on the environmental problems facing our world’s oceans. They also make science fun and understandable for children. But her books may have an unintended consequence, something she may not have planned on. When Danielle visited an aquarium at age five, a tour guide gave her a book about whales. The conversations that resulted from that book inspired Dixson to become a marine biologist. Perhaps her books will inspire a child to make science a career. I’m Anna Matteo.   Faiza Elmasry wrote this story for VOA News. Anna Matteo adapted her report for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   boring - adj. dull and uninteresting marine biologist - n. a scientist who studies life in the sea captivate - v. to get and hold the attention of (someone) degrade - v. to cause (something complex) to break down into simple substances or parts vested interest – combination noun / set phrase a personal or private reason for wanting something to be done or to happen inspirational - adj. causing people to want to do or create something unintended consequence – combination noun / set phrase unforeseen outcomes that are not the ones foreseen and intended by a purposeful action aquarium - n. a glass or plastic container in which fish and other water animals and plants can live : a building people can visit to see water animals and plants

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Everyday Grammar: Tag Questions

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Let's Learn English: A Review of Lessons 1 - 9

Congratulations! You are learning English with VOA Learning English! Try the quiz and enjoy the video of our mistakes.   For Fun - 'Bloopers'  Sometimes we do not remember what to say. Or sometimes we are laughing about a funny event. Watch the video above to see these mistakes, or 'bloopers.' New Words from Blooper Video break - n. to stop activity or for a short time mistake - v. something that is not correct blooper - n. an embarrassing mistake usually made in public some - adj. of an untold amount or number   Listening Quiz Take this quiz to review the lessons from 1 to 9. (On desktop? Click here to go to the quiz.) Lesson Review Here are the lessons and learning points. Write to us in the Comments section to let us know which you like best.   Lesson 1: Welcome! (Meeting People) Verb BE + name in introductions ​ BE + location Meeting people Personal information ​Learning the Alphabet ​ Learning the Numbers 1-20 Pronouncing linked sounds   Lesson 2: Hello! I'm Anna! (Introductions) BE + noun; BE + location​ Subject pronouns: I, you, he, she, we, they​ ​ Welcoming & Leave-taking Spelling names aloud Contractions with the verb "be" Saying your address   Lesson 3: I'm Here! (Apologizing and Phone Conversation) Numbers in Addresses & Phone numbers Place pronouns: here, there Calling someone on the phone Polite telephone expressions   Lesson 4: What Is It? (Everyday Things) Greeting people To Have + Object To Not Have + Object To Be + Object Saying quickly "and" as "n"   Lesson 5: Where Are You? (Rooms in a House) To Be + Location Asking about locations Listening for information about people’s locations Naming places and activities   Lesson 6: Where Is the Gym? (Places in an Apartment) Places in an apartment Prepositions: next to, behind, across from Greetings between friends Asking questions about locations Naming places   Lesson 7 - What Are You Doing? (Everyday Activities) Asking someone what they are doing Telling someone what you are doing Saying "what are" quickly   Lesson 8: Are You Busy? (Schedules) Times of day: morning, evening, afternoon To Be + Short answers Telling what someone is doing Words to use when you don't know what to say: uh, um How to say "I'm sorry"   Lesson 9: Is it cold? (Talking About Weather) Weather words & adjectives Fahrenheit & Celsius temperatures To Be + Short answers Yes/No question Agreeing and disagreeing   What do you think? How are you using "Let's Learn English?" Is it helping you to learn English? Please write to us in the comments section or send us an email. Take the poll to let us know the most helpful part of each lesson. Thank you for coming to learn English with us!

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More Than 100 Die in Temple Fire in Southern India

  An explosion caused by fireworks killed more than 100 people at a temple in the southern Indian state of Kerala early Sunday. Thousands of people had gathered at the temple near the coastal town of Paravur to watch the fireworks, part of a yearly religious celebration. Officials said some of the fireworks fell on a building where a large number of fireworks were being stored, causing explosions and a fire that spread quickly. Many more people were injured as they ran from the fire. A government official said the temple had not been given permission to hold the fireworks display. Prime Minister Narendra Modi brought a special team of doctors to the area to help those who were injured. In a tweet, Modi called the fire “heart-rending and shocking beyond words.” He added, “My thoughts are with the families of the deceased and prayers with the injured." I’m Jonathan Evans.   Anjana Pasricha reported this story from New Delhi. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted it for VOA Learning English. Hai Do 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   fireworks – n. a small device that explodes to make a display of light and noise -- usually plural

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Ukraine’s Prime Minister Resigns

  Ukraine’s Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk said Sunday he is resigning. His decision may permit a new government to be formed, possibly ending the country’s political crisis. Yatsenyuk spoke on television and wrote on the social networking site Twitter. He said he will give his resignation to parliament on Tuesday. He said he hopes his decision to leave office will permit Ukraine to make changes to its constitution and to its electoral and judicial systems. He said he hopes the country can then join the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Yatsenyuk has been criticized for not being able to improve the country’s economy and for not moving fast enough to make political changes. If members of parliament are unable to choose a new prime minister, a new election could be held. But President Petro Poroshenko does not want another election. He believes a new vote could worsen the country’s security situation. I’m Jonathan Evans.   VOANews.com reported this story. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted it for VOA Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section, or visit our Facebook page.

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More US Students Choose College Overseas

For VOA Learning English, this is the Education Report. Hunter Bliss, like more and more American students, left the United States to go to college. He told the BBC that the cost of education was one reason he went to Germany to get a degree in physics. As a student at the Technical University of Munich, in Germany, he pays around $6,000 dollars per year to cover his rent, insurance and other living expenses. To study at the University of South Carolina, his home university in the U.S., Hunter would have to pay more than $10,000 dollars per year, with scholarships.  Bliss convinced his mother that studying in Germany was a better option for him. "You have to pay for my college, mom - do you want to pay this much or this much?" More and more Americans go abroad for a college degree The Institute of International Education, or IIE, says that the number of U.S. students pursuing college degrees in Western Europe increased by about 5 percent from 2010 to 2012. In the 2011-2012 school year, there were 46,571 U.S. students enrolled in degree programs in 14 countries. Around 68 percent of U.S. students pursue degrees in English-speaking countries. The top destination countries were the U.K. and Canada. France and Germany were third and fourth, respectively. Germany, in particular, has attracted many more American students in recent years, like Hunter Bliss. From 2010 to 2012, the number of American students enrolling in German universities increased by almost 10 percent, says the IIE. In 2012, there were more than 4,000 American students pursuing undergraduate, master's and doctoral degrees in Germany. Why do Americans go abroad? The IIE says American students choose to study in another country for two main reasons. First, international experience is becoming more important in the modern job market. Second, the cost of higher education has continued to rise in the United States. Rising tuition costs make education abroad – particularly in countries that charge no tuition – attractive to American students, says the IIE. What are the costs of studying in Europe? Many American students choose Germany because of the low cost of education there. German public universities do not charge tuition fees. And many universities in Germany offer courses in English, too. Casey Detrow, a New Yorker who is getting a degree in American Studies at Humboldt University, in Berlin, told NPR that she chose to go to school in Berlin because it was free. She said: "I really cannot even compare that to what I would be getting in the United States. When you are talking free versus $50,000, I feel like there is no contest. I can't justify going back." Other students have made similar statements. Michael Ferrante, a college student, told Bloomberg that "it was infinitely cheaper to study in Berlin." Ferrante said he paid $500 for two semesters at Humboldt and Freie Universität in Berlin. For two semesters at Johns Hopkins, a university in the United States, he spent roughly $27,000 dollars with financial assistance. Why does Germany continue to give free education to foreign students? Jeffrey Peck, the Dean of the Weissman School of Arts and Sciences at Baruch College, City University of New York, told the BBC about some of the differences between Germany and the United States. "College education in the US is seen as a privilege and expected to cost money and in Germany it is seen as an extension of a free high school education where one expects it to be provided," he said. The German government has been eager to encourage students to come to Germany for another reason. Like many countries in Western Europe, Germany has a demographic problem. In other words, the population is becoming older, and fewer young people are entering college and the job market. The German government, says the Migration Policy Institute, wants to attract young students to help Germany's economic competitiveness. The hope is to attract skilled foreign students who will stay in Germany. For now, the state government in Berlin says it has no plans to introduce fees for international students. Steffen Krach, the Secretary of Science, said: "We will not introduce tuition fees for international students. We don't want the entry to college to be dependent on your social status." Sebastian Fohrbeck of the German Academic Exchange Council told the BBC that the system is working. He says that 50% of foreign students stay in Germany. He also said: "Even if people don't pay tuition fees, if only 40 percent stay for five years and pay taxes, we recover the cost for the tuition." I'm John Russell.   This story uses information from the BBC, NPR, Bloomberg and the Institute for International Education. John Russell adapted this story for Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   rent – n. money that you pay in return for being able to use property and especially to live in an apartment or house that belongs to someone else scholarship – n. an amount of money that is given by a school or another organization to a student to help pay for the student's education pursue – v. to try to get or do (something) over a period of time fees – n. an amount of money that must be paid justify – v. to provide or be a good reason for (something) privilege – n. a right or benefit that is given to some people and not to others status – n. the position or rank of someone or something when compared to others in a society, organization or group  

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Survey: US H-1B Visa Policies Too Restrictive

A survey of American business leaders finds many of them believe the non-immigrant H-1B visa program should be reformed. These visas let American companies employ for up to six years people from other countries who have special skills that American workers do not. Matthew Slaughter leads the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College. He directed the survey, which asked 400 executives their opinions about the program. The survey showed that companies that need to hire people with special skills from other countries believe the process is too costly. Slaughter said 82 percent of those asked “said hiring a foreign worker costs as much as or more than hiring a comparably-skilled U.S. worker.” Some Americans believe H-1B visa holders are trying to take their jobs. But Rosario Marin, the former Treasurer of the United States, disagrees. She is now the co-chair of the American Competitiveness Alliance. She said the high technology industry needs foreign workers because it cannot find Americans with the same level of skill. “Almost 80 percent (of) full-time graduate students in electrical engineering in the United States are international students,” she said. “In computer science, foreign nationals make up more than 70 percent of graduate students.” Application process Workers cannot apply for an H-1B visa. The company that wants to employ them must do so. There were about 233,000 applications in the last year. But the law permits only 65,000 visas to be granted, plus 20,000 visas for those who hold masters degrees. When the number of applications is greater than the number of visas the law permits, a lottery system is put into effect. The New York Times newspaper reports that in 2014, about half of the applications were rejected because the yearly visa limit had been reached. In 2015, that number increased to two-thirds of applications. People who apply for the visa but do not receive one are not permitted to work in the United States. Marin said that could help companies outside the U.S. “Our economic rivals are recruiting them,” she said. She notes that businesses in other countries try to employ some of the workers whose applications have been rejected. Bjorn Billhardt is a business owner. He employs H-1B visa holders. He said not being able to employ people with special skills could hurt American businesses. “In (the) early stage of a company, it’s that critical employee that will make or break the company,” he said. Matthew Slaughter said about three quarters of the companies that need foreign workers say that if they have high-skilled positions that are not filled within a month, the company can be harmed. He said 71 percent of those asked said they would consider moving some of their operations to other countries if they find it too difficult to hire skilled workers in the United States.  Calls for reform In November, The New York Times noted that the goal of the program was to help businesses in the United States expand. This would help the economy, and create more jobs in the U.S. But the newspaper reported, “in recent years, many H-1B visas have gone to temporary immigrants who lacked special skills and displaced American workers from jobs.” Republican Senators Chuck Grassley and Jeff Sessions believe the program is being abused by employers. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump called for increasing the pay of H-1B visa holders. His campaign website says that would force companies to give jobs to unemployed Americans or immigrants in the United States rather than to workers from other countries. Senator Ted Cruz says on his website the government should stop H-1B visas for six months to permit an “investigation and audit of pervasive allegations of abuse of the program.” Cruz says “in recent months, more and more reports have become public of companies replacing American workers with cheaper foreign workers, contrary to the stated intent of the H-1B visa program.” In the past year, a committee of the U.S. Senate has held two official meetings to learn about the effect of the H-1B program on American workers. The New York Times reports a small number of large companies apply for the H-1B visas. This increases their chances of success, because of the lottery system. The newspaper reports that federal records show these companies have learned how to control the system. Slaughter and Marin say Congress should reform the H-1B visa program’s rules to help American businesses. I’m Christopher Jones-Cruise.   VOA's Andrianna Zhang reported this story from Washington. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted it for Learning English. Mario Ritter 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   lottery – n. a system used to decide who will get or be given something by choosing names or numbers by chance; a process in which a selection is made by chance, not on merit rival – n. a person or thing that tries to defeat or be more successful than another stage – n. a particular point or period in the growth or development of something critical – adj. extremely important make or break – adj. resulting in either definite success or definite failure (always used before a noun) pervasive – adj. existing in every part of something; spreading to all parts of something intent – n. the thing that you plan to do or achieve; an aim or purpose

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Amnesty International Reports Sharp Jump in Executions

More people were put to death last year than in any year since 1989, according to Amnesty International. The rights group reported that at least 1,634 people worldwide were executed in 2015. That represents an increase of 54 percent from the number in 2014. Amnesty called the number of those put to death, “profoundly disturbing.” The group said Iran, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia were responsible for the increase in executions in 2015. Those countries were responsible for 89 percent of all reported executions. Iran executed at least 977 people last year, the group said. More than 320 executions were recorded in Pakistan, while at least 158 people were put to death in Saudi Arabia. Amnesty said most executions in Saudi Arabia were beheadings. In Iran, the majority of those put to death had been tried and found guilty of drug charges. The report failed to give the number of executions carried out in China. There, information about the death penalty is considered a state secret, so execution numbers are not reported. Belarus and Vietnam also did not provide information for the report. Belarus is the only country in Europe to use the death penalty. Amnesty said the United States carried out 28 executions last year, the lowest number since 1991. In 2015, the state of Pennsylvania ordered a ban on executions. The group said a total of 18 states have barred execution as a form of punishment. Amnesty International said the top five executioners in the world were China, Iran, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the U.S. A majority of the world’s countries – a total of 102 nations – have stopped using the death penalty. I’m Jim Dresbach.   VOANews.com reported this story. Jim Dresbach adapted the report for Learning English and VOANews.com. 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   profoundly – adj. extremely; greatly disturbing – n. worrying; causing concern beheading – n. the act of cutting off a person’s head death penalty – n. death as a punishment given by a court of law for very serious crimes

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