June 7, 2016

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

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Mark Zuckerberg’s Social Accounts Hacked

Even Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg is not safe from cyber attackers.   Zuckerberg’s Twitter, LinkedIn and Pinterest profiles were briefly hacked over the weekend. His Facebook and Instagram accounts were not involved, Facebook officials said. A group calling itself OurMine Team said it attacked the three accounts on Sunday, according to the website TechCrunch. The accounts were quickly restored. Twitter says a Twitter account used by the hackers to post messages was suspended. A website called Engadget captured messages posted by the hackers to Zuckerberg’s personal Twitter account. “We are just testing your security,” said one message posted by the hackers to the billionaire’s Twitter profile. Zuckerberg had not posted anything to his Twitter account since 2012. Business networking site LinkedIn confirmed Monday that the Facebook founder’s data was compromised, The New York Times reported. The company said the hackers attempted to create a false profile for Zuckerberg. “We were alerted of this takeover attempt and have taken action to remove the false profile on LinkedIn,” said a statement, the newspaper reported.  The hackers also posted what they claimed was the password used for Zuckerberg’s LinkedIn account. But LinkedIn did not say if the attacks on Zuckerberg’s social media accounts were part of a large data breach at the company in 2012. That leak, of emails and passwords, affected more than 100 million LinkedIn accounts.  Internet security experts suggest that users change their passwords often to keep accounts safe. They also warn users not to use the same passwords for different social media accounts. I’m Bryan Lynn.   Bryan Lynn wrote this story for Learning English. Additional information came from Associated Press, the New York Times, TechCrunch and Engadget. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Do you think more can be done to prevent internet hacking? Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   cyber – adj. relating to computers or the internet hack – v. gain access to a computer or network illegally restore – v. bring something back mogul – n. an important, successful person networking – v. interacting with other people to exchange information and develop contacts password – n. a secret work needed to gain access to something breach – n. violation of a law or standard  

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Six Month Jail Time For Stanford Swimmer Draws Outrage

  Many Americans are criticizing a six-month jail sentence given to a former Stanford University student for raping an unconscious woman. Aaron Persky is a judge with the Superior Court of Santa Clara County in California. He sentenced 20-year-old Brock Turner to six months in a county jail and three years of probation under the court’s supervision. Turner will also have to complete a sex-offender management program and register as a convicted sex offender for the rest of his life. Government lawyers had asked for a six-year state prison sentence. The woman Turner raped read an emotional statement in court before the sentencing. She described the painful details of being examined by medical workers after the attack. The woman also described how the sexual assault hurt her emotionally. “My independence, natural joy, gentleness, and steady lifestyle I had been enjoying became distorted beyond recognition,” she said. Along with other emotions, she said, she became closed off, angry, tired and empty. Her statement has “gone viral” – and is being shared all over the internet. News media are not identifying the victim, which is their policy in sexual assault cases. Turner was a  swimmer at Stanford, one of the nation’s top universities.   Brock Turner’s father, Dan A. Turner, also wrote to the court before the sentencing last week. The Washington Post reports that Dan Turner wrote a letter saying his son should receive probation, not jail time. "That is a steep price to pay for 20 minutes of action out of his 20-plus years of life,” the father wrote. “He will never be his happy go-lucky self with that easy going personality and welcoming smile,” he added.  District Attorney Jeff Rosen criticized the letter for calling the sexual assault “20 minutes of action.” He also criticized Turner for not accepting responsibility for the crime. “To this day, the defendant denies what he did,” Rosen told The Washington Post. He added that Brock Turner “preyed upon” the woman and displayed violence. After the sentencing last Thursday, Rosen released a statement, according to the Associated Press. "The punishment does not fit the crime," he said. "The sentence does not factor in the true seriousness of this sexual assault, or the victim's ongoing trauma. Campus rape is no different than off-campus rape. Rape is rape." Last March, Turner was found guilty of three felony sexual assault counts for the attack. It happened in January 2015. Two graduate students found Turner assaulting the unconscious woman. She was behind a trash container with only some of her clothes on. Turner tried to flee, but the students grabbed him and held him down until police arrived and arrested him. Both the victim and Turner had blood-alcohol levels above the legal limits, according to The San Jose Mercury News. The victim remembered drinking alcohol, but not the attack. She writes that she remembered waking up at a hospital in San Jose.  A police deputy told her she may have been a victim of a sexual assault. “I stood there examining my body beneath the stream of water and decided, I don't want my body anymore. I was terrified of it," the woman wrote in her letter to Turner and Judge Persky that she read in the courtroom during the sentencing. She said she wanted to take off her body, and leave it at the hospital. In an editorial, the San Jose Mercury News called the six-month county jail sentence “a slap on the wrist.” I’m Anne Ball.   This report was based on reports from the Associated Press, the Washington Post and the San Jose Mercury News. Anne Ball wrote this story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. What do you think about the punishment for the crime? What do you think of the victim's statement, and the father's response? Write to us in the Comments section and visit us on our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   unconscious - adj. not aware of what is happening, not conscious probation - n. supervision by a law enforcement official to make sure the person is obeying the law convicted - adj. been found guilty of a crime distort - v. to change something in bad way prey - v. to hunt and hurt someone steep - adj. very high trauma - n. a very difficult or unpleasant experience that causes someone to have mental or emotional problems usually for a long time felony - n. a serious crime slap on the wrist - phrase. very light punishment  

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IS Said to Be Shooting Civilians Who Flee Fallujah

Islamist extremists in Iraq are shooting and killing civilians as they attempt to flee the city of Fallujah, a rights group says. The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) said the civilians are hoping to escape from fighting between Islamic State militants and Iraqi government forces. The council said its information came from families that were in contact with the NRC. “Our biggest fears are now tragically confirmed with civilians being directly targeted while trying to flee to safety,” said the group’s director in Iraq, Nasr Muflahi. “This is the worst that we feared would happen to innocent men, women and children who have had to leave everything behind in order to save their lives.” Fallujah has been under Islamic State control since 2014. Iraqi forces have been battling against the militants for several weeks in an effort to retake the city. The latest offensive has led to Iraqi forces surrounding the city on three sides. The only area not yet captured is along the western bank of the Euphrates River.  The Norwegian Refugee Council estimates about 3,000 families escaped Fallujah during the early days of the military offensive, which began on May 21. But since then, the group said, only a few families have been able to flee. United Nations officials estimate that about 50,000 civilians are trapped in Fallujah. Some people have tried to cross the 300 meter-wide Euphrates in an effort to escape. But the U.N. said several people, including children, drowned while crossing the river. I’m Bryan Lynn. Joshua Fatzick reported on this story for VOANews.com. Bryan Lynn adapted it for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story bank – n. the land on the side of a river or lake  

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How Do You Save Unwanted Babies?

From VOA Learning English, this is the Health & Lifestyle report. On a cold December day in 2014, the body of a newborn baby girl was recovered in Indianapolis, Indiana. The body was found off a snowy path in a public park. A medical examiner later ruled that the girl was born healthy. She died, Fox News reported, from being left in the cold and from animal bites to her arms and legs.  The girl now has a name -- Amelia Grace Hope. Linda Znachko named the baby. She is with Safe Haven, a religious organization that buries abandoned children. Znachko believes Amelia Grace did not have to die. She says that the mother could have felt she had no other choice. "And it was really just two miles away from a fire station. And you know, if that mother -- maybe an under-resourced, desperate mom who was terribly afraid -- would have been able to just find her way just two miles down the road, she may have been able to surrender that baby, and the baby could be alive today." That is because there was a safe place not far from where Amelia Grace was found. Since 2008, legal guardians throughout the United States may surrender babies 45 days or younger to any emergency medical service provider. They can do this without fear of being charged with a crime. Yet, across the country, about 150 babies each year are left in waterways, along roadsides, and in waste cans. Many, many years ago, a woman named Monica Kelsey was abandoned as a baby. Now, Kelsey works as a firefighter. She said she felt she had to do something. She found the answer while visiting a church in South Africa, which had a baby safe.   "It was for mothers who didn't want to be identified ..." Keeping the mother’s name private has led to safe child surrenders in many countries, including South Korea, China and Canada. It did not take long for Kelsey to launch Safe Haven Baby Boxes in the U.S. The baby boxes are made of metal, but have soft padding on the inside. Each has a climate-controlled thermostat. This device changes the temperature inside the box, based on the weather conditions outside. When a baby is placed in the box, it activates an infrared light and series of silent alarms. These alarms notify emergency personnel within a minute.   Monica Kelsey met Linda Znacho because of the case of baby Amelia. Together the women worked to try to persuade Indiana’s state legislature to change the Safe Haven law. They wanted to protect people who use the boxes and those dropping off babies in person. The Indiana Department of Health opposed the plan. In a report to the legislature, it warned against using a system with no policies to protect the newborn left inside the box. Znachko disputed the department’s warning. She explained what really happens when an abandoned baby dies.  "I offered them the reality that I've seen the autopsy results that are written about the conditions of these babies when they are found. It's so tragic. It's so hard to read. That even if a baby were to die in the baby box, it would be an attempted rescue on their life." Safe Haven Baby Boxes made its program stronger by adding an automatic lock to the outside of the boxes. This ensures that only emergency personnel could remove the newborns from the interior door. The legislature unanimously amended the law. Monica Kelsey’s husband, Joe, is the mayor of Woodburn, Indiana. He approved a plan for setting up the first baby box at the local fire station. "I'm very proud that Woodburn is the first city to have Safe Haven Baby Boxes and if one life is saved during the whole term that I'm mayor, it will be the best thing." Each box costs about $2,000. A civic organization, the Knights of Columbus, paid for the first 100 boxes. Kelsey gets emails every day from people asking for a box in their hometown. The next three locations have already been chosen. They are in high abandonment areas in Indiana. "Our goal is 10 percent of these babies that are being abandoned [will be left in the boxes]. That's where we're going to start. I think through the years, though, that number is going to grow. And eventually, hopefully save 100 percent of the babies that are being illegally abandoned." The baby boxes came too late to save Amelia Grace Hope, but she left her mark in her own small way. Her footprint is used in signs for the program. I’m Anna Matteo.   Erika Celeste reported this story for VOANews.com. Anna Matteo adapted it for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. Would this work where you live? Do mothers have many options? Please leave us a Comment, and post on our Facebook page.  ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   abandon – v. to give up with the intent of never again claiming a right or interest in under-resourced – adj. provided with insufficient resources. desperate – adj. giving little reason to hope climate-controlled thermostat -- n. a device that keeps the temperature average, not too warm and not too cold tragic – adj. causing strong feelings of sadness usually because someone has died in a way that seems very shocking, unfair, etc. unanimously – adv. agreed to by everyone  

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How to Stay Healthy During Ramadan Fasting

Muslims began observing the holy month of Ramadan Monday with the first sighting of the new moon. For most Muslims, Ramadan is taking place this year from June 6 to July 5. During this period, Muslims are supposed to eat just two meals a day. One is called suhoor, which is the meal before sunrise. The other meal is iftar. That is the meal at sunset. For countries in the northern half of the world, the longest day of the year falls during Ramadan. As a result, some Muslims will be avoiding meals for up to 17 hours a day during the month. What is the main advice for the millions of people who have begun this fasting period? Use reason and common sense when eating meals at night. No feasting while non-fasting Razeen Mahroof is a medical specialist from the British city of Oxford. He warns against eating too much during the non-fasting hours. He told the NHS Choices website that “the underlying message behind Ramadan is self-discipline and self-control." He said the early morning meal should include foods that are filling yet provide energy for many hours. He suggests eating slow-digesting foods, such as pita bread, salad, cereal and toast. Health experts and health websites urge those who are fasting to avoid foods high in fat and sugar, as well as fried foods, especially during the night-time meal. Sleep and hydration Lovely Ranganath works as senior nutritionist at the Dubai World Trade Center. She told Gulf News that sleeping and drinking plenty of fluids at night are also key to staying healthy during Ramadan. "Waking up for suhoor becomes difficult as the digestion of fried foods interferes with our sleep cycle," Ranganath told Gulf News. She said a lack of fluids can cause not only dehydration but stomach problems, as well. There are more than 1.6 billion Muslims in the world. Indonesia is the world's most populous Muslim country. More than 196 million Indonesians are Muslim. More than 3.3 million Muslims live in the United States. Many Muslims end their fast by eating a date and having a drink of water. The Prophet Muhammad started that tradition nearly 1,400 years ago.   The staff at VOA News wrote this story. Jim Dresbach adapted it for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and post your thoughts on our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   fast – n. a period of time when you do not eat any food Ramadan – n. the ninth month of the Muslim year, during which strict fasting is observed from sunrise to sunset digest – v. to change eaten food by a biological process into simpler forms that can be used by the body fried – adj. cooked in hot oil dehydration - n. the process of supplying something with water

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U.S.-China Agree to Work Together on South China Sea

U.S. and Chinese officials Monday called for more diplomacy to ease tension over China’s claims to the South China Sea. But experts say the dispute will continue. Key leaders from both countries met in Beijing Monday for the eighth Strategic & Economic Dialogue. It is a yearly meeting designed to build cooperation between Chinese and U.S. leaders. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry opened Monday’s meeting. He said the United States has not taken a position on China’s claims over the South China Sea. “The only position we’ve taken is let’s not resolve this by unilateral action. Let's resolve this through rule of law, through diplomacy,” Kerry said. China has accused the United States of taking sides against China’s South China Sea’s claims. Chinese President Xi Jinping  said Monday that “China and the U.S. need to increase communication and cooperation over Asia-Pacific affairs.” China already has said it will not accept a ruling from a United Nations panel over its claims to almost all of the South China Sea. The sea covers about 3.5-million square kilometers from the Singapore and Malacca Straits to the Strait of Taiwan. It is one of the world’s most important waterways. In recent years, Chinese crews have developed artificial islands, complete with airstrips. There are competing claims to the Sea by Vietnam, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Taiwan. In recent months, there has been conflict between the U.S. and China over the South China Sea. One of the most tense occurred last month when Chinese warplanes came close to a U.S. Navy patrol plane flying over the South China Sea. During a visit last month to Vietnam, President Barack Obama drew cheers when he said: “Big nations should not bully smaller ones.” The China Daily, which shares the view of the Chinese government, said Obama and Vietnam risk turning the region “into a tinderbox of conflicts.” Bonnie Glaser is director of the China Power Project for the Center for Strategic and International Studies. She said the UN ruling, expected soon, will probably not slow China’s activities along the South China Sea. But she said it is possible China will accept parts of the UN panel’s ruling, even as it officially rejects it. That might include stopping its interference with fishing along the South China Sea, Glaser said. The South China Sea wasn’t the only issue brought up during Monday’s U.S.-China meeting in Beijing. U.S. Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew asked China to cut steel production. Lew said too much Chinese steel is flooding markets and hurting producers, including from the United States. President Xi promised steps to reduce Chinese steel production, but announced no new steps. I'm Bruce Alpert.   Nike Ching reported on this story for VOANews.com. Bruce Alpert 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 share your views on our Facebook Page. ____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   tension – n. a state in which people, groups, countries, etc., disagree with and feel anger toward each other unilateral – adj. involving only one group or country bully – v. someone who frightens, hurts, or threatens smaller or weaker people tinderbox – n. a place or situation that could suddenly become very violent centrally – adv. controlled by a central figure or government adopt – v. to begin a policy

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US Navy Bans Sailors From Alcohol Use in Japan

The United States Navy says it has banned its work force in Japan from drinking alcohol and limited most of their activities to Navy bases. The announcement came after a U.S. sailor on the Japanese island of Okinawa was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving.  Okinawa residents have demanded the removal of U.S. bases after several incidents involving armed forces members in recent months. The latest incident happened Sunday night. Japanese police arrested Petty Officer 2nd Class Aimee Mejia after she reportedly drove on the wrong side of a road. She crashed her car into two vehicles, injuring two people, a police spokesman said. Mejia was not hurt, the Associated Press reported. Following the incident, U.S. sailors throughout Japan have been banned from drinking alcohol indefinitely, the Navy said in a statement. “These [incidents] are not taken lightly,” said Rear Admiral Matthew Carter. “For decades, we have enjoyed a strong relationship with the people of Japan.” The U.S. Ambassador to Japan, Caroline Kennedy, offered her regrets to the family of those injured in the accident. The U.S. Navy had already ordered all sailors to return to their bases by midnight, local time. The Navy also banned all off-base drinking after a former U.S. Marine, who worked on an American military base in Japan, was arrested last month. That Marine was suspected of involvement in the disappearance of a Japanese woman. Police believe that she was raped and murdered. In March, a U.S. sailor was arrested on charges of raping a Japanese woman in Okinawa. Three U.S. servicemen were found guilty in the rape of a schoolgirl in 1995. That case angered many Japanese. I’m Jonathan Evans.   This story was published on VOANews.com. Jim Dresbach adapted it for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and post on our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   petty officer – n. an officer with a low rank, or grade, in the US Navy or Coast Guard resident – n. someone who lives in a place, usually for a long period decade – n. a period of 10 years

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Democratic Presidential Candidates Seek Hispanic Votes in California

  Democratic Party presidential candidates are working to gain the support of Hispanic voters before the primary election in California on Tuesday. About one-third of adults in California are Hispanic. The campaigns of presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders have been competing for their support. Trump criticized Volunteers have been working to convince Hispanics to register to vote. They also have been calling registered Democrats on the phone. The volunteers say they do not agree with many statements made by Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. He has said Mexico is sending criminals into the United States. Trump says he is only criticizing those who do not obey the law. He notes some Hispanics support him. Maria Aguila, who lives near San Francisco, is one of his supporters. She says she does so “because we need change. We need real change this time.” Maria Alvarado Marquez is a Democrat. She supports and is a volunteer worker for Hillary Clinton. She lives near Los Angeles. She says she is insulted by Trump’s statements. She says Muslims and people coming from Latin America to the U.S. are looking for a better life. “These are all people who want freedom -- religious freedom, economic freedoms,” she said. She says both groups have been insulted by Trump. She says this is “probably the most important election of my life.” Proposed wall is seen as a dividing issue Public opinion studies show that most Hispanics are worried about Trump’s promise to build a wall between the U.S. and Mexico. Stephanie Sandoval is a teacher. She says learning about her students’ families has changed some of her political beliefs. “I’ve been kind of moderate, sometimes conservative on some issues, but seeing how those issues affect some people, you know, for example with Donald Trump and building the wall …” Her concerns caused her to hold a campaign sign in public. It is the first time she has become politically active. Hispanic age groups support different Democratic candidates Hillary Clinton has more support among Hispanics than Bernie Sanders. But younger Hispanics support Sanders in much greater numbers than they support Clinton. Public opinion studies show Hispanics are most worried about economic issues and education. Political messages from both candidates talk about those issues. But Republican Donald Trump appears to be the strongest motivator for Hispanics to vote in Tuesday’s Democratic primary. Hispanics in neighboring states Raphael Sonenshein is with the Pat Brown Institute at California State University, Los Angeles. He says if many Hispanics vote in the South and Southwest, they could have an effect on the election. He said, “It could matter, not in California, which is just going to go Democratic no matter what, but in Arizona (and) in Florida, which is one of the most competitive states in the country, which not only has Cuban-Americans, but a large number of people who have moved from Puerto Rico in this last year.” He says large numbers of Hispanic voters could affect state and congressional races in places like Arizona, which is almost one-third Hispanic. I’m Mario Ritter. VOA Correspondent Mike O’Sullivan reported this story from Los Angeles. 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, and visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   convince -- v. to persuade someone to believe firmly in something  motivator – n. a person or a reason that causes people to do something

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June 6, 2016

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

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'So Taylor Swift Showed Up To My Cousin's Wedding'

  This is What’s Trending Today: Two New Jersey newlyweds got an unexpected gift at their wedding reception: a performance by Taylor Swift. The superstar played a version of her song “Blank Space” at the reception of Max Singer and Kenya Smith in Long Beach Township on Saturday. The amazed couple and their guests looked on and sang along. Swift agreed to attend the wedding after getting a letter in April from the groom's sister. In the letter, she wrote about how her brother and their ailing mother danced to Swift's song after the newlyweds were married in his mother’s hospital room. Singer's mother died shortly after. Not only did Swift perform her song for the couple, but she also presented them with a gift she made: a special card in a frame that stated, “So It's Gonna Be Forever,'' a lyric from “Blank Space.” The bride’s cousin posted this picture of her holding the gift from Swift, stating, “She loves it!” Taylor Swift also posted pictures of the wedding. In one of the pictures, she called herself the couple’s “third wheel.” In another picture, Swift congratulated the couple. In his Twitter page, the bride’s cousin thanked Swift for attending the wedding, saying, “It will be a wedding we will never forget!” And that’s What’s Trending Today. I’m Mehrnoush Karimian-Ainsworth.   Mehrnoush Karimian-Ainsworth adapted this story for Learning English from Associated Press reports. Kathleen Struck was the editor.   Write to us in the Comments section. Who would you like to surprise you at your wedding?   ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   newlywed – n. a person who has recently married reception – n. a social gathering to celebrate something or to welcome someone​ ailing – v. to suffer bad health third wheel - idiom – a person who feels like an unimportant part of a group, usually with a couples   

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