The World Remembers Muhammad Ali

Thousands of people, chanting "Ali," lined the streets of the hometown of the “most famous American Muslim ever” on Friday to say goodbye to boxing legend Muhammad Ali. He died one week ago at the age of 74.

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'The Cop and the Anthem,' by O. Henry

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1200 UTC Newscast in English

From Washington, this is VOA News. I’m Steve Karesh reporting. U.S. President Barack Obama has approved a wider role for U.S. military in Afghanistan to help local forces combat the Taliban. The new plan will allow for increased airstrikes against the Taliban when necessary, and gives U.S. forces more flexibility in how they partner with Afghan forces. The plan does not involve U.S. ground troops. All this comes six months before the 9,800 troops in Afghanistan would be reduced to 5,500 - a move Obama wants to see happen by 2017. A Hindu monastery worker in Bangladesh was hacked to death early Friday in what local police believe is the latest in a string of brutal attacks against religious minorities throughout the country. Though no group has yet taken responsibility for the killing, local police says it bears the marks of similar attacks carried out by Islamist militants. More than 40 people have been killed in similar attacks over the past three years, and the violence has escalated in the past few months. Militants from Turkey's Kurdistan Workers Party (the PKK) have claimed responsibility for Wednesday's deadly attack on a police station in the country's southeast that left six people dead. The attack, in the mainly Kurdish town, left more than 30 wounded. The PKK has been targeting Turkish police and military in its struggle for autonomy in Turkey's southeast since the collapse of a ceasefire agreement nearly a year ago. Separately, the Kurdistan Freedom Hawks (the TAK), an offshoot of the PKK, claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing in Istanbul Tuesday that killed 11 people. The car bomb exploded near a police bus in central Istanbul during morning rush hour. From Washington, this is VOA.   We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.

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Japan Summons Chinese Ambassador Over Sea Dispute

  Japan’s vice foreign minister issued a protest with China’s ambassador to Japan early Thursday, after another naval incident in the East China Sea. A Chinese navy ship sailed close to islands claimed by both China and Japan. The Senkaku islands, as they are called in Japanese, are uninhabited islands northeast of Taiwan. They are controlled by Japan, but China as well as Taiwan claim them. The Chinese call the area the Diaoyu islands. China said its navy has every right to sail through the waters near the islands, which it considers Chinese territory. Japan said it will protect the islands “by any means”. The Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters the incident is a serious matter. Patrol ships from China are sometimes seen sailing in waters near areas that Japan considers its territory. But Thursday’s incident marked the first time a naval ship had sailed into this disputed area. A Japanese destroyer confirmed that a Chinese ship entered a protected zone northeast of Kuba island. The island is part of the disputed Senkakus. The Chinese ship remained there for two-and-a-half hours, according to Japan’s defense ministry. At about the same time, the Japanese defense ministry said three Russian battleships also came close to what Japan considers its territory. The Russian ships entered the area around 9:50 p.m. on Wednesday. The ships left around 3:05 a.m. on Thursday, the Jiji Press reported. The news agency also reported that Russian naval ships have entered the waters in the past. Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga said Japan is “investigating and analyzing whether the two incidents are related.” Japan has warned that any foreign naval vessels entering into its claimed waters for any reason other than “innocent passage” would be told to leave by Japanese patrols. The Senkaku island area has a large amount of international ship travel. The islands and rocks are close to major shipping lanes. The islands are near possible oil and gas reserves, as well as good fishing grounds. Japanese officials say Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has told his government to coordinate with the United States and other countries about the incident. The Obama administration has confirmed that U.S. forces could come to the aid of Japan if the islands are attacked. That aid comes as part of a security agreement between the countries. I’m Anna Mateo.   Steve Herman wrote this story for VOA News. Jim Dresbach adapted it for Learning English and VOANews.com. Ashley Thompson 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   uninhabited – adj. not lived in by people destroyer – n. a small and fast military ship that protects bigger ships zone – n. an area that is different from other areas in a particular way lane – n. an ocean route used by ships

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Obama Officially Endorses Clinton for President

U.S. President Barack Obama has officially endorsed Hillary Clinton, his former secretary of state, for president. Obama gave his endorsement in a video published online. “I want to congratulate Hillary Clinton on making history as the presumptive Democratic nominee for president of the United States.” In the video, he said he knows “how hard this job can be,” and that he knows Hillary “will be so good at it.” “In fact, I don’t think there’s ever been someone so qualified to hold this office,” he said. Specifically, Obama said Clinton has the “courage, compassion and heart to get the job done. “I am fired up and I cannot wait to get out there and campaign for Hillary,” Obama said. Clinton responded to the endorsement in an interview with Bloomberg Politics. “It just means so much to have a strong, substantive endorsement from the president. Obviously I value his opinion a great deal personally,” she said. “It’s just such a treat because over the years of knowing each other, we’ve gone from fierce competitors to true friends.” With a high approval rating of over 50 percent, Obama is seen as a valuable campaign tool for Clinton. The Clinton campaign said Obama will join Clinton to campaign in Green Bay, Wisconsin next week. Sanders remains in the race The endorsement came after Obama met with Clinton’s Democratic rival, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, Thursday at the White House. In the endorsement, Obama also congratulates Sanders on an “incredible” campaign and for getting more people involved in the political process. Obama also thanked Sanders for highlighting important issues such as economic inequality, excessive money in politics and bringing young people into the process. Clinton received enough delegates to capture the Democratic nomination this week after major primary wins on Tuesday. But Sanders told reporters Thursday he is looking forward to the last Democratic primary of the campaign in the District of Columbia on Tuesday. He also spoke about the main issues he plans to bring to the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia at the end of July. The Democratic Party will officially choose its nominee at the convention. Sanders said he spoke with Clinton after her victories this week to congratulate her on a “very strong campaign. “I look forward to meeting with her in the near future to see how we can work together to defeat Donald Trump. And to create a government which represents all of us, and not just the 1 percent.”   Sanders also took the opportunity to criticize Trump, whom he said would be a “disaster” as president of the United States. I’m Bryan Lynn.   Chris Hannas reported on this story for VOANews.com. Additional information came from the Associated Press and Reuters. Bryan Lynn adapted it for Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. Do you think Bernie Sanders should drop out of the presidential race? Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   presumptive -- adj. something that is more than likely, going to happen endorse – v. declare public support for courage – n. the ability to do something difficult or dangerous compassion – n. to have sympathy or concern for the suffering or others highlight – v. to pick out and emphasize  

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They Remember Muhammad Ali in Louisville

  Marjorie Huffman was born in Louisville, Kentucky in 1937. She grew up with a little boy named Cassius Clay — the champion boxer who later changed his name to Muhammad Ali. This week, old friends such as Huffman are remembering Ali. He died June 3 at 74 years old. He will be buried June 10 in his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky after a public service at a basketball arena. Thousands of people are expected to attend the memorial events. Huffman remembers playing ball games with Ali, his brother and all the other children in the neighborhood. Huffman says she and the other neighbors used to laugh when Ali, as a child, said he would be the greatest boxer in the world. “He always said that he was going to be the champ,” Huffman says. “And you know how people say things when they’re children? And we laughed." Of course, Ali did become the champ. He won a gold medal at the Olympic Games in 1960. He then became the heavyweight boxing champion when he defeated Sonny Liston in 1964. Ali went on to win 56 professional boxing matches. He held a number of different titles until he lost to Larry Holmes in 1980. He retired from boxing in 1981. Huffman says the neighborhood where she and Ali grew up has changed over the years. It is not as nice as it used to be. “You could go away, and stay two or three months, leave your doors open, and nobody would bother nothing.” Ali’s home was renovated and opened as a museum in late May. It is pink and has two bedrooms. It is an important gathering point for people in the neighborhood since Ali died. Chris Forehand is a rapper and a minister. He came by one day to honor the champ. He remembers the times Ali returned to Louisville after becoming famous as a boxer. Forehand says Ali passed out Qurans to the adults and popsicles to the kids. Once, Ali bought chicken wings for Forehand and a friend. “The greatest of all times ended up buying us some chicken wings,” Forehand says. “It was amazing.” Mark Stumpley was also at Ali’s old house. He said he once met the boxer at a wedding in Chicago. “He gave you power just by being in his presence.” Stumpley says Ali’s greatest achievement was not winning the boxing championships, even though that is what made him famous. It was making a life for himself after growing up in a poor neighborhood in Louisville. “He said, 'I’m going to create my world, I’m going to put this together based on who I am, and what I love to do, and create my life and world from that.’” Stumpley said Ali’s attitude inspired him to do the same thing with his life. I’m Dan Friedell.   Ramon Taylor wrote this story for VOANews.com. Dan Friedell adapted it for Learning English. Kelly Jean Kelly was the editor. How do you remember Muhammad Ali? We want to know. Write to us in the Comments section and on our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   renovate – v. to make changes and repairs to (an old house, building, room, etc.) so that it is back in good condition Quran – n. the main religious text used by people who practice Islam popsicle – n. sweet flavored and colored water frozen on a stick amazing – adj. causing great surprise or wonder : causing amazement

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Modals for Asking Permission

For VOA Learning English, this is Everyday Grammar. This week we will give you some tips on how to use modals to make requests and give permission. Some common modals for expressing permission are may, can and could. But these modals have multiple meanings that can be confusing for English learners. Can and May Children in American schools learn to use the modal may when asking for permission. A student might ask the teacher, "May I be excused?" before leaving the room. When students asked, "Can I leave the room?" their teachers often made a joke, "You can, but you may not." The teacher was saying the student is able to leave the room, but does not have permission to do so. May is the most formal way to ask for permission. The distinction between can and may is slowly disappearing in English. These days, is not always clear if may is being used to express permission or possibility — or both. Let's look at some examples in the language of internet privacy policies. When you visit a website for the first time, you often see a popup box asking for permission to collect information about you. Privacy laws in some countries require websites to tell you what information is collected and how it will be used. A common privacy statement includes this sentence: “We may collect various types of information … when you visit any of our sites.” Let's see what this legal language really means. "We may collect information…" means that you give the company permission to collect information about you. In other words, you allow the company to save your email address or your computer's address. But may has multiple meanings. In addition to expressing permission, may also expresses possibility. For example, “It may rain” means that there is a possibility of rain. Let’s go back to our privacy example. “We may collect various types of information … when you visit any of our sites.” The policy contains some clever legal language. “We may collect information” means “We have permission to collect information.” But it could also mean, “There is a possibility that we will collect information.” One could make an argument for both meanings. As an Internet user, you should assume both meanings of may are part of the policy. Could and May A third modal for making polite requests is could. For example, “Could I please have some water?” Could is the past tense of can. However, when asking for permission, could does not have a past tense meaning. Could has the same meaning as may when making requests. It is equally polite to say, “Could I leave early?” or “May I leave early?” Could is used with any subject to ask for permission. For example “Could I open the window?” or “Could you open the window?” are both grammatical. Be careful with may. When making a request using may, only I can be the subject. If you are making a formal request to dance with someone, you would say, “May I have this dance?” not “May you have this dance?” May followed by you does not express a request; it expresses a wish, as in “May you live long.”  But that’s another episode. Until next time, we’ll leave you a song of permission by the Temptations. May I have this dance May I, may, may I have this dance I’m Jonathan Evans with Ashley Thompson.   Dr. Jill Robbins wrote this story for Learning English. Adam Brock was the editor. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   modal verb - a verb (such as can, could, shall, should, ought to, will, or would) that is usually used with another verb to express ideas such as possibility, necessity, and permission permission -  n. the right or ability to do something that is given by someone who has the power to decide if it will be allowed or permitted distinction – n. the separation of people or things into different groups privacy – n. the state of being away from public attention pop-up – adj. computers : appearing on the screen over another window or document allow - v. to permit (something) : to regard or treat (something) as acceptable formal - adj. of language: suitable for serious or official speech and writing ______________________________________________________________ A Game to Learn "May"   A traditional children's game is called "Mother, May I?" One child plays the mother or father at one end of a room or a yard. The other children start on the opposite side in a line. The goal of the game is to get to the place where the mother or father stands. The mother/father player gives one player instructions, such as "Take three giant steps." The player must ask for permission to move forward by saying, "Mother, may I?" The mother/ father says, "Yes, you may" or "No, you may not." If the player moves without asking for permission, that player has to go back to the starting line. This game helps children to remember two things -- to ask permission and to be polite. Now it’s your turn. Write one sentence politely asking for permission. And visit us on our Facebook page.  ​

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Al-Shabab Attacks Military Base in Somalia

The militant group al-Shabab attacked a military base in central Somalia early Thursday. Somali government forces and Ethiopian troops turned back the militants after an attack near Halgan village, according to Somali officials and residents. The African Union force in Somalia said soldiers killed more than 100 al-Shabab militants who attacked the base. The base is about 260 kilometers north of Mogadishu. Al-Shabab's official radio, Andalus, reported different information than Somali officials. Andalus claimed the group killed 43 Ethiopian troops in the attack and destroyed the military base. Residents said a suicide car bomb first exploded outside the main entrance of an Ethiopian base in the village. That was followed by attacks from militants who were heavily armed. The village chairman, Guhad Abdi Warsame, said the militants made two attacks. The main attack was against the Ethiopian base housing section of the African Union’s AMISOM force. The second attack centered on a Somali government base. Warsame said troops in both bases fought and forced the militants to retreat. He said militants attempted another attack, but it was also halted. Residents said at least five civilians were killed during the battle. During the past year, al-Shabab has attacked and overtaken three main AMISOM military bases. In the attacks, the group has killed 176 soldiers and civilians from Burundi, Uganda and Kenya. The AU force has been stationed in Somalia since 2007 to fight al-Shabab. The militant group, which has pledged allegiance to al-Qaida, wants to overthrow the Somali government and turn Somalia into a strict Islamist state. I’m Anne Ball.   This story appeared on VOANews.com. Jim Dresbach adapted it 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   retreat – v. to move back to get away from danger or attack

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Brazilian Senators Less Sure About Rousseff’s Removal

  Increasing political problems in Brazil have weakened efforts to oust suspended President Dilma Rousseff. It appeared that Brazil’s Senate would vote to remove Rousseff from office after the lower house voted to suspend her in May. She is accused of breaking budget rules before her re-election in 2014. However, a series of resignations and mistakes have raised doubts in some lawmakers. The problems appear to support Rousseff’s claim that she is a victim of a coup, or an attempt to seize power by a small group. One undecided senator, Cristovam Buarque, told Reuters, “The presidency will be decided by two or three votes.” Last week, the Senator Romario de Souza Faria, the former soccer star known simply as Romario, stepped down from the impeachment committee. News media reported that Romario said he was no longer sure he would vote to remove Rousseff from office. Missteps by the government of temporary president Michel Temer have increased doubts. Temer has appointed a cabinet of all white males. Groups around the country criticized the move. Also, the investigation into Brazil’s state-owned oil company Petrobras continues to hurt the temporary government. Reuters news agency reports that a government lawyer has requested the arrest of four top members of Termer’s Brazilian Democratic Movement Party, the PMDB. The party has the largest number of lawmakers in Brazil’s legislature. The investigation has centered on illegal payments from Petrobras to members of Rousseff’s Workers Party. But it has affected officials of the temporary government that replaced Rousseff’s. Members of Temer’s team to improve the economy have stepped down because of the release of secret audio recordings. The country’s Planning and Transparency ministers resigned last month. The Senate trial takes place as Brazil prepares to host the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. However, temporary president Temer’s attempt to get a verdict in the trial in July, rather than August, failed on Monday, according to Reuter’s news service. That means the verdict could come in the middle of August as the games are taking place. The country also is battling a public health crisis. The Zika virus, linked to a serious birth defect and a disease of the nervous system, has been declared a worldwide health emergency. The World Health Organization has warned pregnant women not to travel to places where Zika has been detected, including Brazil. The country is also considering emergency loans to Rio de Janeiro and two other states because of serious financial deficits. I’m Mario Ritter.   Mario Ritter adapted this report from Reuters and AP materials. Kathleen Struck was the editor. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   impeachment – n. the process of approving a trial to remove an official from office coup – n. an attempt to seize power by a small group missteps – n. actions taken that are considered mistakes transparency -- n. see through, clear verdict – n. a judgement made by a jury or legal body

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'Warcraft' Movie Breaks Chinese Box Office Records

  This is What’s Trending Today… Most movie industry experts do not expect the film version of the multiplayer video game “World of Warcraft” to be a big hit in the United States. But “Warcraft” is already breaking records in China. The movie opened there on June 8. It reportedly earned more than $45 million in its first day, the biggest opening day for the Chinese movie market this year. By comparison, the latest "Star Wars" film, “The Force Awakens,” earned $33 million in China on its opening day. Film critics have not been kind to the “Warcraft” movie. One critic for the New York Daily News wrote, “Somebody should have put this script to the sword.” But criticism has not hurt the film’s performance in China, the world’s fast-growing movie market. “Warcraft” earned the second-largest one-day profit ever in China, Forbes magazine reported. One reason is the popularity of the fantasy video game in China. Although World of Warcraft reported its lowest number of players in 10 years in 2015, one-third of the game’s subscribers were in China, Forbes said. The country even has a World of Warcraft theme park. “Warcraft” was released by Universal Pictures and Legendary Pictures, which was recently bought by China’s Dalian Wanda Group. The deal was announced in January. The Wall Street Journal reported then that it marked the largest deal by a Chinese company in American film production. “Warcraft” was shown on almost 70 percent of all movie screens in the country. That is China’s widest film release ever, according to Deadline.com. “Warcraft” opens in U.S. theaters on June 10. Observers expect it to earn about $25 million on its opening weekend. That is well below the film’s single-day earnings in China. And that’s What’s Trending today. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   multiplayer -- adj. related to a computer game designed for or involving several players sword -- n. a weapon with a long metal blade that has a sharp point and edge fantasy -- adj. a book, movie, game, etc., that tells a story about things that happen in an imaginary world subscribers -- n. people who pay to join a service, group or club theme park -- n. a park with games, rides and entertainment based on one idea, like Disney World screen -- n. a large, flat, white surface on which images or movies are shown

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News Words: Kickoff

This week's news word is about a new beginning.

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