New 'Budget of Change' in Nigeria

  Nigeria has a federal budget following months of debate between President Muhammadu Buhari and lawmakers. Officials are calling the new $30.4 billion spending plan the “Budget of Change.” The president signed the plan into law last month. The measure includes money for roads, railroads, bridges and social services. Buhari said he hopes the spending plan will show Nigerians that their lawmakers can spend tax money wisely. In the past, critics say, Nigerian lawmakers used the federal budget to steal public money. Some political observers see the new budget as a step forward for responsible spending in Africa’s largest economy. Dauda Garuba is with the Natural Resource Governance Institute, Nigeria. He said earlier budgets were filled with money that went directly to lawmakers. And some budgetary proposals were in need of more study. Garuba said the months of negotiations between Nigeria’s national assembly and the president show this budget is different. “The bulk of the fights you were maybe hearing was an attempt by people to say, ‘No, we cannot do this business as usual’ and others saying that, ‘OK, if you cannot do this business as usual, we have to do our thorough jobs,’” he added. But other Nigerians say the budget includes money for projects where corruption was a problem in the past. In the past, they say, lawmakers have made profits when large amounts of public money are spent. Oluseun Onigbinde helped create BudgIT, a group that examines public spending. He criticized lawmakers for giving $500 million to what have been called “constituency projects.” These projects are designed to help the districts of some lawmakers. The spending “has nothing to do that has to do with core help for the people or maybe things that are sustainable,” he says. “It is just them [being loyal] to political party members and giving them what they feel they want to pass along.” On the verge of recession The Nigerian economy is close to entering a recession, partly because of the drop in oil prices last year. Oil is Nigeria’s top export. A series of attacks on oil pipelines has caused production to drop by more than 500,000 barrels. This has weakened the economy even more. Inflation has risen to almost 14 percent. The government recently raised fuel prices by almost 67 percent.   Yusuf Shamsudeen is a program officer at the Center for Democracy and Development. He said Nigerian lawmakers should not have approved spending $577 million on the national assembly when the economy is weak. “This huge amount can be cut down to provide developmental projects to the citizens and address our economic problems,” he said.   Shamsudeen said the next step in judging the budget will be to see whether the money goes to the government programs it is supposed to. I’m Christopher Jones-Cruise.   Chris Stein in Lagos reported this story for VOANews.com.  Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted his report 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   bulk – n. most of something; the largest part of something constituency – n. the people who live and vote in an area district – n. an area established by a government for official government business sustainable – adj. able to last or continue for a long time address – v. to give attention to (something); to deal with (a matter, issue, problem, etc.)  

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Obama Speaks on Orlando Shooting

A gunman behind the killing of 50 people in an Orlando, Florida, nightclub early Sunday has been identified as Omar Saddiqui Mateen, a U.S. citizen of Afghan descent who the FBI said committed a crime that is being investigated as an “act of terrorism.”

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Lesson 17: Are You Free on Friday?

Summary Anna tries to plan to see a movie with a friend. But they are both very busy. Will they find a time to get together? What will they do? Speaking English has two ways to show something is happening at a future time. To form the simple future, use will and then the simple form of the verb. You can use will to express a desire to do something. The second form of the simple future is be going to. Use "be + going to" when you already have a plan to do something. Pronunciation There are also two shortened forms of future verbs. In casual conversation, most Americans will change going to to gonna. English speakers often change we will to we’ll. Another shortened form in this lesson is want to shortened to wanna. ​ Conversation Anna: This city is very interesting, I really like my job, and I have some good friends! Speaking of friends … I see one now!  Marsha! Hi! Marsha: Hi, Anna. What’s going on? Anna: Not much. How about you? Marsha: Busy as usual. Hey, do you wanna see a movie with me? Anna: Sure! I never have time to see a movie. When? Marsha: Are you busy this Thursday at 6pm? Anna: Let’s see …. I’m busy. I am going to tap dance with my friends Thursday night. Marsha: Tap dancing? That sounds fun! Anna: I’m still learning. But it is fun! Anna: Are you busy on Friday night? Marsha: Yes. Friday nights are when I visit my parents. Anna: What do you and your family do together? Marsha: We always eat dinner together and sometimes we play board games. Anna: Playing board games is fun, too! The word game Scrabble is my favorite. Marsha: I like Connect Four! Anna: I’m not busy Monday night. Are you? Marsha: I am busy on Monday night. I’m going to jog in the park with my friend. Do you jog? Anna: Oh! I always jog. Well, sometimes I jog. Okay, I never jog. But I will try because it is good for you. Marsha: I always feel great after I jog. Marsha: How about on Wednesday night? Anna: Wednesday night I am not busy. Oh, no, wait. This Wednesday night I will be busy. Marsha: What are you doing? Anna: I’m going to teach children how to play the ukulele. Anna: Now, children, play “C.” Good. I like your “C.” Marsha: The world does need more ukulele players. Anna: Marsha, it looks like we’ll never have time to see a movie. Anna: Wait a minute. Are you busy now? Marsha: It’s Saturday afternoon. This is always when I do my errands. Anna: Okay, but the new Star Wars movie is gonna start in 30 minutes. Marsha: I’ll do my errands on Sunday. Let’s go! Anna: Most days of the week, people are really busy. But it’s important to find time to be with your friends! Anna: Until next time!   * Connect Four is a two-player connection game using colored discs. Writing What do you like to do with your friends? Is it easy or difficult to find time to be with your friends? Write to us in the Comments section or send us an email. Tell us two or three things you do with friends using words like always, usually and sometimes. You can also download the Activity Sheet and practice writing about your schedule.     Learning Strategy Learning Strategies are the thoughts and actions that help make learning easier or more effective. The learning strategy for this lesson is Evaluate. When we evaluate our own language learning, we think of how well we are learning, remembering and practicing the language. We evaluate after doing many things. For example, in the video for this lesson, Anna and Marsha talk about jogging. Anna evaluates her plan to jog: "I will try because it is good for you." Then, Marsha evaluates her feelings after jogging. "I always feel great after I jog." You can evaluate any time you stop to think about your learning (that is, monitor, the strategy in Lesson 16). Ask yourself: "Am I listening often to English? Am I practicing English every day? How can I learn more?" Evaluating helps learners to understand what is working well and make new plans for learning well.  How do you evaluate your own learning? Write to us in the Comments section or send us an email. Teachers, see the Lesson Plan for more details on teaching this strategy. Quiz ​______________________________________________________________ New Words Note: You can listen to the definitions of these words in the Speaking Practice Video.  always - adv. at all times; on every occasion; in  a way that does not change board games - a game (such as chess) that is played  by moving pieces on a special board important - adj. having serious meaning or worth jog - v. to run slowly especially for exercise movie - n. a recording of moving images that tells  a story and that people watch on a screen or television night - n. the time of darkness between one day and  the next play - v. to do activities for fun or enjoyment Scrabble - trademark. a board game in which players use lettered tiles to create words in a crossword fashion. sing - v. to use your voice to make musical sounds in the form of a song or tune sometimes - adv. at certain times;  occasionally Star Wars - n. an epic film series  chronicling the rise, fall, and redemption of Anakin Skywalker start - v. to do the first part of something : to  begin doing something tap dance - n. a kind of dance in which you wear special shoes with metal plates on the heels and toes and make tapping sounds with your feet teaching - v. to cause or help (someone)  to learn about a subject by giving lessons ukulele - n. a musical instrument that is  like a small guitar with four strings week - n. a period of seven days - in the U.S., a  week is usually considered to start on Sunday and end on Saturday, while in the  U.K. a week is usually considered to start on Monday and end on Sunday. will - modal verb. used to say that something is  expected to happen in the future   Days of the Week: In the U.S., the week starts on Sunday and ends on Saturday. Sunday / Monday / Tuesday / Wednesday / Thursday / Friday / Saturday  ______________________________________________________________ Free Materials Download the VOA Learning English Word Book for a dictionary of the words we use on this website. Each Let's Learn English lesson has an Activity Sheet for extra practice on your own or in the classroom. In this lesson, you can use it to practice talking about activities and schedules.   For Teachers See the Lesson Plan for this lesson for ideas and more teaching resources. Send us an email if you have comments on this course or questions. Grammar focus: Simple Future tense with will and going to. Topics:  Talking about schedules and leisure time activities Learning Strategy: Evaluate Speaking & Pronunciation Focus: Future verb forms; shortened forms of future verbs and invitations. ______________________________________________________________ Now it's your turn. Send us an email or write to us in the Comments section below or on our Facebook page to let us know what you think of this lesson.

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Orlando Shooting Is the Latest US Mass Shooting

A gunman opened fire in a crowded dance club in Orlando, Florida, early Sunday morning. At least 50 people are dead and 53 wounded. It is the worst mass shooting in U.S. history. The previous deadliest mass shooting in the U.S. was the 2007 attack at Virginia Tech. A student there killed 32 people before killing himself. Here's a look at some of the nation's deadliest shooting attacks since 2012: — Feb. 25, 2016: Cedric Ford, 38, killed three people and wounded 14 others at a factory where he worked in the state of Kansas. The local police chief killed him during a shootout with 200 to 300 workers still in the building, authorities said. — Feb. 20, 2016: Jason Dalton, 45, is accused of shooting and killing six people and severely wounding two others during a series of attacks over several hours in the Kalamazoo, Michigan, area. Authorities say he took time between shootings to make money as an Uber driver. He faces murder and attempted murder charges. — Dec. 2, 2015: Syed Rizwan Farook, 28, and Tashfeen Malik, 27, opened fire at a social services center in San Bernardino, California.  The married couple killed 14 people and wounding more than 20. They fled but died hours later in a shootout with police. — Oct. 1, 2015: A shooter at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Oregon, killed 10 people and wounded seven others. Shooter Christopher Harper-Mercer, 26, exchanged gunfire with police, then killed himself. — June 17, 2015: Dylann Roof, 21, shot and killed nine African-American church members during a Bible study group inside the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina. Police say the attack was based in racial hatred. Roof faces nine counts of murder in state court and dozens of federal charges, including hate crimes. — May 23, 2014: A community college student, Elliot Rodger, 22, killed six people and wounded 13 in shooting and stabbing attacks near the University of California, Santa Barbara. Officials said he apparently shot himself to death after a gun battle with deputies. — Sept. 16, 2013: Aaron Alexis, a mentally sick civilian worker, shot 12 people to death at a naval base in Washington D.C. Alexis was was killed in a police shootout. — July 26, 2013: Pedro Vargas, 42, shot and killed six people before officers shot him to death. The attack happened at Vargas’ Hialeah, Florida, apartment building. — Dec. 14, 2012: In Newtown, Connecticut, an armed 20-year-old man entered Sandy Hook Elementary School and used a semi-automatic rifle to kill 26 people, including 20 first graders and six adult school staff members. He then killed himself. — Sept. 27, 2012: In Minneapolis, Minnesota, Andrew Engeldinger shot and killed six people at his workplace, including the company founder. He also wounded two others. Engeldinger had just been fired. He killed himself at the scene. — Aug. 5, 2012: In Oak Creek, Wisconsin, 40-year-old gunman Wade Michael Page killed six worshippers at a Sikh Temple before killing himself. — July 20, 2012: James Holmes, 27, fatally shot 12 people and injured 70 in an Aurora, Colorado, movie theater. He was sentenced to life in prison without parole. — April 2, 2012: Seven people were killed and three were wounded when a 43-year-old former student opened fire at Oikos University in Oakland, California. One Goh was charged with seven counts of murder and three counts of attempted murder. Doctors found that Goh suffered from long-term paranoid schizophrenia and was unfit to stand trial.   Caty Weaver adapted this Associated Press report for VOA Learning English. Hai Do was the editor.

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50 Dead in Worst Mass Shooting in US History

A gunman killed 50 people in an Orlando, Florida, nightclub early Sunday morning and wounded dozens more before police stormed the building.

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50 Dead in Worst Mass Shooting in US History

Editor's Note: This is a breaking news story. We will update and add audio as soon as it is available.   A gunman has killed at least 50 people at a nightclub in Orlando, Florida. It was the worst mass shooting in U.S. history. The gunman used an assault rifle and a handgun. He shot inside the crowded nightclub before dying in a gunfight with police. More than 50 people are being treated for wounds at local hospitals. Police have identified the shooter as Omar Siddiqui Mateen. They say he is a U.S. citizen of Afghan descent. The nightclub, Pulse, is an LGBT club. Police are investigating the attack as an act of terrorism. The month of June is also gay pride month in the U.S. The suspect exchanged gunfire with an officer working at the club around 2 o’clock in the morning. About 300 people were inside. The gunman then went inside and took hostages, Orlando police chief John Mina said. About three hours later, officials sent in a special police team to rescue the hostages. It's appears he was organized and well prepared," the chief said. He also said the shooter had an assault-type weapon, a handgun and "some type of (other) device on him." Officials are looking into whether the attack was an act of domestic or international terror, and if the shooter acted alone, according to Danny Banks, an agent with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Mina Justice was outside the dance club early Sunday trying to contact her 30-year-old son, Eddie. He texted her when the shooting happened and asked her to call police. He told her he ran into a bathroom with other club visitor to hide. He then texted her: "He's coming." "The next text said: 'He has us, and he's in here with us,'" Justice said. "That was the last conversation." President Barack Obama was briefed on the attack and has asked for regular updates on the investigation, the White House said.   Caty Weaver wrote this story based on VOA News and the Associated Press news report. Hai Do was the editor.  

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Should Offensive Place Names Be Changed?

Hundreds of places across the U.S. use the word “squaw,” including Squaw Creek, Squaw Flat, Squaw Meadows and Squaw Springs, for example. In 1960, the Winter Olympics took place in a ski area called Squaw Valley, California. But some people find the word offensive. It is an old word for an American Indian woman or wife. Many dictionaries note that the word is considered insulting. Few people use it in conversation anymore. Now, some lawmakers and volunteers are trying to change place names that include the word “squaw,” and other demeaning words, with names that are currently more acceptable.  A history of racial and ethnic insults Place names such as Squaw Valley are historic, but they are also signs of a time when racial and ethnic insults were a common part of American society. Other places that include racial and ethnic labels are “Negro Ben Mountain,” “Jew Valley,” “Chinaman’s Hat,” and “Redman Creek.” VOA generally does not broadcast these names or other, more-offensive names, or put them on our website, unless they are part of a news story. But many people continue to use these names. And they often still appear on maps and signs. Lawmakers in six states have already approved bills to force or suggest changing controversial place names in their states. Committees must decide whether to keep a historical name even if some people may be insulted by it. More than 30 offensive names The state of Washington, in the northwest corner of the United States, is one of the places that is considering its place names carefully. Pramila Jayapal is a Washington state senator. She convinced Washington’s Department of Natural Resources to create a list of insulting place names. She then published the department’s report. The agency found 36 names. They include “Jim Crow Point” and “Jim Crow Creek.” In American English, the name “Jim Crow” was originally an insulting term for a black man. The term came to be used to describe laws that enforced racial separation in the United States from the 1870s -- after the Civil War -- to the 1950s and 1960s, when federal civil rights laws were passed that banned racial segregation. Some people believe “Jim Crow Point” and “Jim Crow Creek” were named for a black man who deserted from the Navy and settled in the area in the 19th century. But some area residents have different beliefs. One source says the name comes from a kind of bird -- called crows -- that lived in trees near a local river. Another person who lives nearby, Joe Budnick, says Jim Crow Point and Jim Crow Creek were named after an Indian chief. Budnick is a retired fisherman and truck driver. He says local people did not like state officials telling them to make changes to local place names. “The inference was that we were racists and that we were stupid and didn’t know we were offending people and all this other stuff -- when we’re not,” he complained. Despite his objections to the political pressure, Budnick suggested some alternative names. He says Jim Crow Point could be named Brookfield Point because a town called Brookfield once existed in the area. And, he says Jim Crow Creek could be named Harlows Creek, and Jim Crow Hill could be named Beare Hill, to honor a family that settled in the area long ago. The state committee that reviews name suggestions liked Budnick’s ideas. Committee members approved them for final consideration. Political correctness? Or generally offensive? Another targeted name in Washington is Squaw Bay in the state’s San Juan Islands. Some islanders support changing the name. But others say doing so would be giving in to “political correctness” and would “wipe away our history.”  Jon Shannon lives on one of the islands. He says he would never call someone a “squaw.” But, he says, “there is a difference between making it personal and the history that goes along with the place names that have been assigned historically. I guess I just don’t see anything wrong with that.” Mike Iyall is a representative of the Cowlitz Native American tribe. He is also a member of the Washington State Committee on Geographic Names. He wants the word “squaw” to be removed from maps. Iyall says it is a generally offensive name for native people. “It doesn’t have to be that everyone is offended,” Iyall notes. “If it is known to be offensive to some, that should be reason enough to change it.” A slow process Changing a place name is usually a slow process. In most states, members of geographic names committees are volunteers. The committees may meet only twice a year. Kyle Blum works at the Washington State Department of Natural Resources. His agency is trying to make the name changing process faster. Usually, Blum says, the agency just waits for suggestions. But now, his group is organizing public meetings to tell people they can change place names in their areas.  The first meeting will be in King County, where Coon Creek is located. It is not known if the name was given as a racial insult against a black settler, or because raccoons lived nearby. Mike Iyall of the state Committee on Geographic Names says either way, the name could be changed. “In the case of ‘coon,’” he says, “if it is the animal, then it should be ‘raccoon.’ If it’s a family name, then perhaps the gentleman’s first name could be attached as well. Then, both become clear what we’re talking about.” Iyall is clear that any new name ideas must come from the people who live in the area. His committee only reviews suggestions. “I guess maybe somewhere down the road 200 years from now, somebody will go along and clean up our work, too,” Iyall says with a laugh. I’m Christopher Jones-Cruise.   Correspondent Tom Banse reported this story from Olympia, Washington. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted it for Learning English. Kelly Jean Kelly 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   place name – adj. the name of a city, town, lake, country, etc. demean – v. to cause (someone or something) to seem less important or less worthy of respect controversial – adj. relating to or causing much discussion, disagreement or argument; likely to produce controversy segregation – n. the practice or policy of keeping people of different races, religions, etc., separate from each other desert – v. to leave the military without permission and without intending to return inference – n. a conclusion or opinion that is formed because of known facts or evidence stuff – n. informal used to speak in a general way about something that is talked about, written about, etc. alternative – adj. offering or expressing a choice politically correct – expression the idea that people are sometimes overly or unnecessarily careful to not use language or behave in a way that could offend a particular group of people wipe away – v. expression eliminate; remove assign – v. to give a particular value, identity, etc., to something located – adj. in a specified place in or at that place raccoon – n. a small North American animal with grayish-brown fur that has black fur around its eyes and black rings around its tail attach – v. to associate or connect one thing with another; to add

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National Cathedral to Remove Glass Images of Confederate Flags

  Two flags will be removed from two separate stained glass windows at the Washington National Cathedral, cathedral representatives said recently. The flags are stained glass reproductions of the flag of the Confederate States of America. They will be replaced with plain glass on windows honoring two Confederate generals: Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson and Robert E. Lee. The Confederacy was a group of 11 southern states. They withdrew from the Union after Abraham Lincoln was elected president in 1860. At the time, the southern United States was largely agricultural, and depended on slave labor. Lincoln opposed the expansion of slavery. The federal government rejected the claims of the southern states. The conflict led to the civil war, which lasted from 1861 to 1865. Today, many Americans say the Confederate flag represents racism, slavery and rebellion. But others see the flag as a sign of the South, one that honors the area’s history. The removal of the stained-glass flags from the Washington National Cathedral is meant to start a discussion on racism and the legacy of slavery, says the Reverend Kelly Brown Douglas. She is a member of the task force that proposed the removal of the flags. The group will consider what to do with the windows in the next two years. The public display of the Confederate flag has been subject to debates since the June 2015 killing of nine blacks at a church in South Carolina. The white man charged in the attack had his picture taken with a Confederate battle flag before the shootings. Recently, the states of South Carolina and Alabama stopped displaying and flying the Confederate flag on public grounds. And some businesses have stopped selling the flag at their stores. I’m Dorothy Gundy.   This story first appeared on VOANews.com. Jim Dresbach adapted the report for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. What do you think about the removal of Confederate States of America symbols? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   stained – adj. of or relating to use of special liquid to change the color of something legacy – n. something that happened in the past or that comes from someone in the past display – v. to put something where people can see it institution – n. an established organization

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Make a Splash!

Now, the VOA Learning English program Words and Their Stories. This is the show that explains the origin and usage of common American English expressions.  Today, we are going to make a splash! Yes, you make a splash when you jump into water. But to make a splash also means to attract a lot of attention, in a good way. For example you could say, “She made in splash in Washington, D.C. as a political consultant.” Or “If he moves to Hollywood he will make a huge splash in the film industry.” But let’s get back to actually splashing in water. When it’s hot, people often go to the beach or swimming pools to cool off in the water. The water is also a great place to learn American expressions. Deep water can be scary if you do not know how to swim. Some people learn fast by jumping in. To sink or swim means the moment you test your ability, often before much practice. If you swim, you succeed. If you sink, you fail. If you sink and no one rescues you, you will probably be dead in the water. When something is dead in the water, it has stopped making progress. It has failed and has no hope for the future. A business, an idea, even a marriage or friendship can be dead in the water. For example, imagine you are involved in a business deal but your only financial supporter withdraws. Most likely, the deal is dead in the water. Let’s hear these expressions used in a short dialogue: "Don’t you think we should help Mary? Her deadline is tomorrow and she is far from finished with the project." "Look, she’s been with the company for years. Anyway, I helped her on the last project. It is sink or swim for her this time.” "Well, if she isn’t ready for the presentation tomorrow morning her project will be dead in the water."   Swimming in the ocean can be a lot of fun. Surfers love to ride the waves. But did you know, you can ride a wave without even getting wet? In English, to ride a wave means that you are helped by being connected to something well liked. For example, you could say, “The president is riding the wave of recent economic growth.” When you are surfing, catching a wave means to ride your surfboard across the wave in the ocean. But to catch a wave can also mean to connect with and profit from something popular. For example, “The media company plans to catch the wave of new YouTube stars.” The word surf itself is used in other situations besides in the ocean. If you are surfing the Web, you are moving from webpage to webpage without much thought. Channel surfing is the same except with television channels. So surfers love catching big waves. When the ocean is calm, I’m sure they wish they could make waves. However, you do not always have to be in the water to make waves. This expression means to surprise, shock or trouble people or situations. It can be both good and bad. And you can add modifiers to the word “wave.” For example, “When the new boss started, she didn’t make to make too many waves. She’s changing things slowly.” But we all know what really makes the waves in the ocean – the tide. The tide is the rising and falling of the sea. In spoken English, the tide can also turn. When the tides turn, events have changed direction, or reversed. We also say to turn the tide. Ocean tides are strong. Swimming against the tide is not advisable. It can make you tired and you could drown. As an expression, it means to go against popular thought or opinion. Great leaders and scientists often swim against the tide. To be in over your head and to be out of your depth are both water expressions. And they both mean to be in a situation that is too difficult for you to deal with. For example, “At the meeting, Rachel had no idea what they were talking about. She was way out of her depth.” And finally, to blow something out of the water means to destroy something completely. To show how versatile these ocean expressions really are, let’s use them in a very dry environment – a courtroom. "The court will be break for 20 minutes." "Wow, the defense attorney really made waves today in the courtroom when she presented that new evidence." "Yeah, I did not see that coming. I think the tide is really turning in favor of the defendant."  "Well, the new evidence helps. But what really blew the case out of the water is the defense’s new witness." "You know, I feel bad for the prosecutor. He is new and just out of his depth." "He is. He’s lost his last nine cases! If he loses this one, he will lose his job. It’s either sink or swim." "If he gets fired, his career could be dead in the water."   And that brings us to the end of this collection of expressions from the sea. If you use a couple in your next English conversation, you are sure to make a splash! Join us again next week for another Words and Their Stories. I’m Anna Matteo.   Anna Matteo wrote this piece for VOA Learning English. Caty Weaver edited the story. The song playing at the end is “Under the Sea” from the Disney movie Little Mermaid. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   beach – n. an area covered with sand or small rocks that is next to an ocean or lake tide – n. the regular upward and downward movement of the level of the ocean that is caused by the pull of the Sun and the Moon on the Earth prosecutor – n. a lawyer who represents the side in a court case that accuses a person of a crime and who tries to prove that the person is guilty versatile – adj. having many different uses dry  – adj. not interesting, exciting, or emotional

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Philippines Duterte Urges Citizens to Shoot Drug Dealers

The Philippine president-elect has a new program to fight crime. President-elect Rodrigo Duterte said people should go after drug dealers themselves. In a speech, he said people with guns should shoot and kill drug dealers who refuse to be taken to a police station. The same is true, he said, if drug dealers threaten people with a gun or a knife. "Please feel free to call us, the police, or do it yourself if you have a gun ... you have my support," Duterte said. "Shoot him, and I'll give you a medal." His speech was reported on by the Associated Press. Duterte won the May 9 presidential election on a promise to end crime and corruption within six months of taking office. But his tough talk during and immediately after the presidential election has alarmed some. Human rights groups said that citizens could use the president’s words to kill people they don’t like by saying they were drug dealers. Rafendi Djamin is Amnesty International’s Director for South East Asia and the Pacific. “As leader of the Philippines, the president-elect must protect and uphold human rights, not reject them,” he said. “That includes the right to life, due process and fair trial." As the longtime mayor of Davao City, Duterte put in tough penalties for crime. But Human Rights Watch said he went too far, using death squads to kill more than 1,000 people. I'm Bruce Alpert.   Bruce Alpert wrote this story for VOA Learning English. His report was based on a story from the Associated Press and statements by Amnesty International. Kathleen Struck was the editor. Write to us in the Comments Section, and share your views on our Facebook Page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   medal – n. a piece of metal often in the form of a coin with designs and words in honor of a special event, a person, or an achievement want to hear from you. alarm – v. to worry someone uphold – v. to support or defend something or someone squad – n. a part of a police force that deals with a specific type of crime

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Fighting Climate Change with Movies

“How to Let Go of the World and Love All the Things Climate Can’t Change” is the latest movie from filmmaker and climate activist Josh Fox. The movie is the third film in a three-part series about climate change. In 2010, America’s Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences nominated Fox’s documentary “Gasland” for its highest award -- an Oscar. “Gasland” explored “fracking,” the hotly debated process of removing natural gas from the ground. He examined the subject again in “Gasland II,” the second film in his climate change series. Fox was in Washington, D.C. recently to present his third film. He was arrested during a protest against a new fuel pipeline. The arrest was evidence of his opposition to traditional fossil fuels and support of renewable energy.  In the film, Fox says pollution from fossil fuels must be reduced. Without limits, he says, there will be more extreme weather, like severe storms and dry weather, rising sea levels and shortages of food and water. “It’s going to change in some of the most difficult and dangerous ways that we can imagine. When you really encounter that head on, it causes an incredible crisis. I think you go deep into some kind of despair and I think you ping-pong back and forth between that despair and, and denial.” Fox notes there are some things that climate cannot change. “And those are the things that are inside of us. Those are our value structure and that is what the film starts to define. If we start to really emphasize building community, building human rights, building democracy and the things that are inside -- courage, love, generosity, innovation, creativity. And I think those are some of the hallmarks or the pillars of what we talk about when we talk about activism, when we talk about a response to climate change.” In the new film, Fox travels through a sunless forest in the Amazon with local activists to measure oil spills. He goes to a village in Ecuador to learn how people there stopped a pipeline from being built. He joins young people in Australia to stop barges from entering the port of Newcastle -- the largest coal export center in the world.    (Islanders yelling “We are not drowning, we are fighting! We are not drowning, we are fighting!”) “Before I say anything else about this sequence, you should probably know that the downside of what we’re about to do was, you know, this is the short list: drowning, arrest, run over by boats, all kinds of sharks, jellyfish, any kind of sea creatures, drifting away in currents out into the Pacific Ocean, cultural disrespect, big waves -- well, you get the idea!”  The port at Newcastle was forced to close for just one day. But Fox says that was a major victory. “I think that protest was incredibly effective. But what it also did was, it was a win internally for these folks and for all of us that we can celebrate. Then we realize resilience is one of the most important things going forward and these people exhibit so much resilience.” Also in the film, Fox talks to Ella Zhou, an energy expert with the U.S. Department of Energy. She works in China. She met him at the Great Wall to explain the importance of what she calls “moral imagination.” “I think that the moral imagination forces us to get out of our box of thinking about, for instance, what is being successful. The moral imagination allows us to think outside of this box, having a moral value about what you want as a person, as an individual, what you want out of your own humanity. What do you want to do for the world for yourself?” “If there was any idea that could rocket you off into the stratosphere this was it. The moral imagination wrote The Bill of Rights, came up with the idea of democracy.” -- Josh Fox Fox is visiting 100 cities with his new film to try to bring attention to the efforts being made to fight climate change. His film will be shown on the television cable channel HBO soon. I’m Christopher Jones-Cruise.   VOA Science Correspondent Rosanne Skirble reported this story for VOANews.com. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted her report 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   encounter – v. to have or experience (problems, difficulties, etc.) head on – adv. in a very direct way despair – n. the feeling of no longer having any hope ping-pong – expression alternating between two emotions generosity – n. the quality of being kind, understanding and not selfish; the quality of being generous hallmark – n. a quality, ability, etc., that is typical of a particular person or thing response – n. something that is done as a reaction to something else sequence – n. a series of scenes from a movie or television program; a part of a movie, television show, etc., that deals with one subject, action or idea downside – n. a part of something that you do not want or like; a drawback or disadvantage drift – v. to move slowly on water, wind, etc. incredibly – adv. very effective – adj. producing a result that is wanted; having an intended effect internally – adv. referring to or describing something existing or occurring within your mind resilience – n. the ability to become strong, healthy or successful again after something bad happens exhibit – v. (somewhat formal) to show or reveal (something) rocket you off into the stratosphere – expression give you great inspiration

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