July 6, 2016

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

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North Korea Releases Dam Water into South Without Warning

North Korea released water from a dam near its border with South Korea Wednesday morning without warning. No major injuries or damage have been reported from Wednesday’s opening of the Hwanggang Dam. South Korea moved residents along the Imjin River to higher ground. Officials are worried about flooding in areas already hit with heavy rain. South Korea said it does not believe that North Korea would take part in a “flooding attack.” But dam openings have taken place in the past. In 2009, North Korea released water from the dam without warning. That incident killed six South Koreans who were camping downstream. After that incident, North Korea agreed to tell South Korea before releasing water from the dam. But South Korea’s news agency said the North also opened the dam’s floodgates two times in May without warning. No injuries were reported in either incident. I’m Anne Ball.   The staff at VOA News wrote this story. Jim Dresbach adapted it for Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   downstream – adv. in the direction in which a stream or river flows floodgate – n. a gate for controlling the flow of water from a lake or river

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Donald Trump Praises Saddam Hussein for Killing Terrorists

  Former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein has been dead for almost ten years. But his name came alive as Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump praised Hussein’s dealing with suspected terrorists. “Saddam Hussein was a bad guy, right? He was a bad guy, really bad guy. But you know what he did well? He killed terrorists. He did that so good. They didn’t read 'em the rights, they didn't talk. They were a terrorist -- it was over." Trump has made similar statements in the past. In 2014, he wrote on Twitter that Iraq was more dangerous then than it ever was under Hussein. “(The) war was a mistake, as I said from the very beginning. Bush and Obama should apologize,” Trump wrote. However, in 2003, when American forces found Hussein hiding in a hole near the city of Tikrit, Trump appeared to support Hussein’s removal from office. He told Fox News: “Some people agree and some people don’t agree, but we are there. And if we are there, you have to take down Saddam Hussein. And they have done that, and they did it -- maybe not as quickly as they thought in terms of finding him -- but they found him. And that is a huge day for this country.” Lukman Faily is a former Iraqi ambassador to the United States. On Twitter he strongly criticized Trump’s statement about Hussein. “As a diplomat, I tried to keep away from this, but as an Iraqi and a victim of Saddam’s ethnic cleansing…I say get your facts first,” he wrote. Hillary Clinton’s campaign also criticized Trump. Jake Sullivan is Clinton’s senior policy adviser. He said Trump’s praise for “brutal strongmen” like Hussein “demonstrate how dangerous he would be as Commander-in-Chief and how unworthy he is of the office he seeks.” In an interview with Fox News, Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan disagreed with Trump’s comment about Hussein. “He was one of the 20th century’s most-evil people,” Ryan said. “He was up there. He committed mass genocide against his own people using chemical weapons.” Trump is not likely to be influenced by the criticism. Throughout the campaign he has said he is the person who can best answer the actions of the Islamic State terrorist group in Iraq. I’m Christopher Jones-Cruise.   VOA News Writer Chris Hannas reported this story from Washington. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted his reporting for VOA Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section, or visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   ethnic cleansing – n. the practice of removing or killing people who belong to an ethnic group that is different from the ruling group in a country or region genocide – n. the deliberate killing of people who belong to a particular racial, political or cultural group

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People in America: Maz Jobrani

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July 5, 2016

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

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July 4, 2016

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

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Juno Spacecraft Enters Jupiter Orbit

American scientists cheered loudly as their spacecraft, called Juno, entered Jupiter’s orbit Monday night. “Juno, welcome to Jupiter!”  The scientists are with the U.S. space agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. They carefully watched the spacecraft make it safely into orbit around the fifth planet in our solar system. Operating on solar power, Juno had traveled 2.8 billion kilometers over five years to get to Jupiter. It was a proud -- and emotional -- moment for NASA, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Diane Brown is NASA’s Juno program executive. “I mean it’s overwhelming -- the team, the amount of time and effort everyone put into this and the risks that were overcome. It’s amazing. I mean, the more you know about the mission you know just how tricky this was and (to) have it be flawless, I mean I can’t really put it into words.” NASA scientists said Juno hit its target almost perfectly. Aiming for an area that was just tens of kilometers wide, Juno was only one second off its target. The spacecraft is relatively small — the size of a basketball court — but Jupiter is the largest planet in our solar system. Jupiter is called a “gas giant” because it does not have a solid surface. Scott Bolton, the principal investigator of Juno, is from the Southwest Research Institute in Texas. He explained the importance of Jupiter and its more than 60 moons. “This is the king of our solar system, and its disciples going around it. It’s also representative of nature. This is how we look, that’s a mini solar system.  And so, I think, to me it’s very significant because we’re finally able to see, with real video, real pictures, this motion. And we’ve only been able to imagine it up until today.” Juno will make 37 trips around Jupiter over the next 20 months. It will produce maps of the huge planet and study its surface from just 4,667 kilometers above its clouds. NASA says it hopes the data from Juno will tell scientists more about the planet's beginnings, structure, atmosphere and magnetosphere. Scientific equipment on Juno will examine Jupiter’s very active atmosphere, which is covered by thick clouds. They will also record information about the planet’s gravitational pull. And they will gather information about its magnetic field, which is 20,000 times stronger than that of Earth. Dangerous Radiation One danger Juno faces is intense radiation from Jupiter. Over the planned lifetime of its mission, Juno will face the same amount of radiation as a dental patient would experience in over 100 million X-rays. So scientists protected the spacecraft’s computer with strong titanium walls that are almost 1.27 centimeters thick and weigh 172 kilograms. Scientists hope this thickness will protect it from the extreme radiation.   Without that protection, experts say the spacecraft’s electronic brain would likely be destroyed before the end of the very first orbit around the planet.   Scientists say Jupiter is mostly composed of two gases, hydrogen and helium, like the sun. They say the levels of oxygen and water in the atmosphere may tell how the planet and our solar system were formed. Researchers also hope to learn if Jupiter has a solid center. In addition to carrying scientific instruments, the spacecraft has a camera. It has already sent back images of the planet’s larger moons. NASA says it will work with the public and take suggestions on where to point the camera. Many people will want a closer look at the colorful orange, red, white and brown clouds moving quickly across the planet. Scientists will also get a close-up view of the “giant red spot” Jupiter is famous for -- it is a storm larger than the size of Earth. Juno will and begin sending information from its seven instruments to NASA next month.  Steve Levin, a Juno project scientist, said he wants to see that data. “What I’m really looking forward to is getting up close and personal with Jupiter, in about 53 days on August 27 with all of our science instruments on and taking data, and uh, see what we can find.” Juno is the second NASA spacecraft to reach Jupiter. The Galileo spacecraft orbited Jupiter from 1995 to 2003. Galileo studied the planet and its four largest moons -- Europa, Ganymede, Io and Callisto. Earlier spacecraft flew by Jupiter as they traveled to the outer parts of our solar system.   Juno will circle and study Jupiter until 2018, when it will enter the planet’s atmosphere. That action is expected to destroy the spacecraft. I’m Anne Ball. VOA Correspondent Mike O’Sullivan reported this story from Pasadena, California. VOA’s Richard Green in Washington provided additional reporting. Christopher Jones-Cruise and Anne Ball adapted their reports 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   solar - adj. relating to the sun orbit – n. a circular path flawless – adj. without any mistakes disciple – n. someone who spreads the teachings of a famous person significant – adj. important magnetosphere – n. an area of space surrounding an object in space that is dominated by the object’s magnetic field

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Chinese Navy Training in Disputed Area Ahead of Court Ruling

China has started a week of military training in a large disputed area of the South China Sea. The Chinese government did not give details about the training. But it said the exercises would end one day before an international court rules on the dispute. China and the Philippines both claim territorial rights to the area. The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague is currently considering the case. It is to announce its ruling next Monday, July 12. The disputed territory is east of China’s Hainan Island, down to and including the Paracel Islands. The Paracels include about 130 reefs and islands. It is believed the court will rule in favor of the Philippines next Tuesday. That could remove any legal basis for China’s claims over almost all of the South China Sea. 'Court has no jurisdiction'  China has repeatedly rejected the idea that the court has power in the area. Chinese Foreign Ministry official Hong Lei spoke at a press conference Monday. He said the court has no jurisdiction over the South China Sea dispute. He said the ruling will be “illegal and invalid.”              Hong also told reporters China has every right to claim the disputed area. He accused the former Philippine government that requested the legal action of lying. Tang Siew Mun is an expert with the Singapore-based research organization ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute. He communicated with VOA over email. He wrote that the Chinese military training, in his words, “could serve as a reminder of China’s military power and its willingness to deploy such means to protect its national interest.” Expert: China will ignore ruling Tang also wrote that China would ignore the court ruling. He said it will use economic offers to influence the new president of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte. And, the researcher wrote, China will urge its southeastern Asian allies not to release statements on the ruling. Last month, China pressured the ten-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations about a statement it planned to make. The statement warned that recent developments about the South China Sea “may have the potential to undermine peace, security and stability.” ASEAN withdrew the statement after its release. Some experts say it is meaningful that China took its training to the Paracels area. The islands are under its control. It did not take the training to the Spratley Islands, where the Philippines has a presence. However, James Nolt says the meaning is not clear. Nolt is an expert with the research organization, World Policy Institute. He told VOA that the chosen training area could simply serve the Chinese navy best. But he said it could also be a political statement to show the, in his words, “ability and intent to intervene, but not too provocative.” US remains watchful The United States said it will continue to watch the South China Sea situation. U.S. Central Intelligence Agency director John Brennan spoke about the issue last week. In his words, “The U.S. treats this region of the world very seriously, and we have very important national-security interests that we’re not going to step away from.” I’m Caty Weaver.   Joyce Huang wrote this story for VOA News. Jim Dresbach adapted it  for Learning English. Caty Weaver 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   region – n. a part of a country, of the world, etc., that is different or separate from other parts in some way arbitration – n. a process of settling an argument or disagreement in which the people or groups on both sides present their opinions and ideas to a third person or group reef – n. a long line of rocks or coral or a high area of sand near the surface of the water in the ocean invalid – adj. having no force or effect jurisdiction – n. the power or right to make judgments about the law, to arrest and punish criminals, etc.​ intent – n. an aim, goal or purpose​ provocative – adj. causing discussion, thought, argument, etc.​  

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FBI Director Calls for No Charges in Clinton Email Investigation

The investigation into Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server while serving as secretary of state appears likely to end with no criminal charges. Federal Bureau of Investigation Director James Comey announced on Tuesday that the FBI found no evidence Clinton intentionally used the server to send or receive classified information. “Our judgement is that no reasonable prosecutor would bring such a case,” he said. The announcement comes a little more than three weeks before the Democratic Party is set to officially nominate her as its candidate for president. But it was not all good news for her. Comey criticized Clinton’s actions, saying they were “extremely careless in their handling of very sensitive, highly classified information.” And Republican Party leaders said they would continue to make her use of the private email server a campaign issue. The FBI’s call for no criminal charges against Clinton is likely to stand. “Although the Department of Justice makes final decisions on matters like this, we are expressing…our view that no charges are appropriate in this case," Comey said. Attorney General Loretta Lynch announced last week she would accept the decisions of the FBI and career prosecutors in the Justice Department. A career prosecutor is a lawyer who remains in his or her government job no matter which party controls the presidency. Donald Trump, the likely presidential candidate of the Republicans, criticized Comey’s announcement. He tweeted, “No charges Wow!” In an earlier tweet, he said, “Very, very unfair. As usual, bad judgment.” Clinton spokesman Brian Fallon said her campaign is “pleased that career officials” have “determined that no further action by the department is appropriate.” He added that Clinton has already said it was a “mistake to use her personal email and she would not do it again.” The FBI’s announcement came on the same day Clinton campaigned for president with President Barack Obama for the first time. They traveled on Air Force One together to North Carolina, a state that Obama won in 2008 but lost in his 2012 re-election. Trump also campaigned in North Carolina on Tuesday. "It was no accident that charges were not recommended against Hillary the exact same day as President Obama campaigns with her for the first time,” Trump said. He said the system is “rigged,” suggesting it helps some people, but not others. “The normal punishment, in this case, would include losing authority to handle classified information, and that too disqualifies Hillary Clinton from being President,” Trump said. Last Saturday, Clinton met with FBI agents in Washington for over three hours – a sign that the long investigation was nearly over. Last week, Attorney General Lynch said she would not make a decision on possible criminal charges in the case. Lynch made the statement after she was criticized for meeting with former President Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton’s husband, while both were at an airport. Lynch said the investigation did not come up during her 30-minute talk with Bill Clinton. But Republicans and some Democrats said such a meeting was a mistake – while an investigation was continuing. At his press conference, FBI Director Comey said it is possible that foreign enemies of the United States read Clinton’s emails. He said the FBI found no evidence that Clinton or her staff intentionally removed emails. But he noted that agents did find “several thousand work-related e-mails” not given by the State Department. He reported that FBI agents investigated for a year, talked to many people and looked at over 30,000 emails. Clinton has said that she did not receive or send emails that were classified – at least at the time they were sent or delivered. But Comey said 110 emails contained classified information at the time they were sent or received. Eight, he said, were “top secret.” He said Clinton and other State Department officials “should have known that an unclassified system was no place” to send and receive emails. House Speaker Paul Ryan, a Republican, criticized the FBI finding against criminal charges. "While I respect the law enforcement professionals at the FBI, this announcement defies explanation,” he said. “No one should be above the law.” I’m Jonathan Evans.   Ken Bredemeier reported on this story for VOANews.com. Bruce Alpert adapted this story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section and share your views on our Facebook Page. __________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   intentionally – adv. in a way that is planned or intended classified -- adj. kept secret from all but a few people in the government appropriate -- adj. right or suited for some purpose or situation qualified -- adj. having the necessary skill, experience, or knowledge to do a particular job or activity prosecutor – n. a lawyer working for the government defies – v. openly resist;

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Television Viewers Complain About Fireworks Broadcast

This is What’s Trending Today… Monday was Independence Day in the United States. July 4 is an important holiday every year. On that date in 1776, 13 British colonies in North America joined together to declare their independence from Britain. Fireworks shows are a big part of the Fourth of July celebration. In many cities, crowds gather in large open spaces or along rivers to watch small rockets being fired into the air. The rockets explode high in the sky, often leaving red, white and blue streaks -- the colors of the U.S. flag. Some Americans say July 4 is a perfect time for fireworks because of the U.S. national anthem, The Star-Spangled Banner. The song has words like “…and the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air, gave proof through the night, that our flag was still there...” But this Monday was a rainy day in the U.S. capital, Washington, D.C. There were low clouds in the sky over the National Mall and the Capitol Building, the site of a major fireworks show. The clouds made it hard for crowds to see the fireworks. PBS produces a television show of musical performances and fireworks on the Fourth of July. But when the show had images of fireworks exploding against a clear, night sky, people were confused. Especially people who knew it was a cloudy, rainy night in Washington. And those people reacted on Twitter. One person wrote: “The fireworks from my apartment window don’t look like @pbs #fake?”  Someone else added “not cool… those shots are clearly not from tonight”  Finally, the producers of the show released a statement. They called editing the TV broadcast, “the patriotic thing to do.”  One person wrote: “If I wanted that, I’d watch YouTube.” Eventually, the producers apologized for not being honest with TV viewers. They wrote that the edits were made to make the “best possible television viewing experience. We apologize…”  But that was not the end of it. One Twitter user joked: “only in D.C. could a PBS show become a scandal.”  And that’s What’s Trending Today. I’m Dan Friedell. Dan Friedell wrote this story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. What do you think about the fireworks editing? We want to know. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   scandal – n. an occurrence in which people are shocked and upset because of behavior that is morally or legally wrong edit – v. to change, move, or remove parts of (a film, recording, photo, etc.) patriotic – adj. having or showing great love and support for your country : having or showing patriotism cool – adj. very fashionable, stylish, or appealing in a way that is generally approved of especially by young people confuse – adj. difficult to understand : not clearly organized, expressed, etc. glare – n. a harsh, bright light streak – n. a long, narrow area or flash of light viewers  – n. a person who watches television

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Two Years After Legalizing Marijuana Sales, What Has Happened?

  Two years ago the U.S. states of Washington and Colorado became the world’s first legal marketplaces for recreational marijuana. In other words, people in those states can now legally use marijuana for pleasure, not just for medicine. A man VOA is calling “Ryan” is one of them. He is at a marijuana store in Denver. He shows a store worker a document that shows he is over 21 years old. Ryan is buying about a small amount of marijuana. It will be placed in a container that is difficult for children to open. Almost everywhere else in the United States, Ryan could be arrested for buying marijuana. And workers at the store could be arrested for selling it to him. “In the past, I would have to go to the black market. But now I can freely go to any shop that I please and I can really pick someone that I feel comfortable with as opposed to going and calling a random number that I would have no idea where it’s going.” One of the effects of making marijuana legal, Ryan says, is that buying it feels safer and more comfortable. Pot problems Police, advocates and researchers also want to know the effects of making recreational marijuana legal. VOA spoke to a leader of the Boulder County Sheriff’s group that fights illegal drugs. He says that if they follow the rules like any other business, marijuana stores do not cause problems. But those who grow marijuana illegally do. The police officer works undercover, so he did not want VOA use his real name or voice. But he explained that his office receives many reports of people illegally smoking marijuana in public, driving after they have smoked, or selling the drug to people younger than 21. The officer also says criminals come to Colorado, rent several houses to grow marijuana, then transport the drug out of the state to earn a higher price. And, he says, many people call to complain about their neighbors growing or smoking so much pot that the smell disturbs them. The officer says these marijuana-related problems add to the problems police already deal with, and stretch the resources of the department. More pot = more crime? Yet federal law enforcement agencies have found that marijuana-related arrests in Colorado have dropped by almost 50 percent since selling the drug became legal. And, they say, the overall crime rate in the state has not changed much. These reports show that Colorado’s experience is a success, some advocates say. Jason Thomas is a spokesperson for a group called Law Enforcement Against Prohibition. He and his group want to make all drugs legal across the country. He says current federal laws punish non-violent drug users too severely. Does it seem fair, he asks, that having or selling a drug like marijuana could result in being put in prison for years? Thomas suggests that some drugs should be sold at a store and others should be more regulated. For example, he says marijuana should be treated differently than cocaine. And similarly, he says, marijuana-related crimes should be treated differently than cocaine-related ones. People and money Researchers are also watching Colorado’s experiment with legalizing marijuana. They want to know if more young people are using pot now that it is legal. A study by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, reported by The Washington Post newspaper, says no. The study found that, before marijuana became legal in Colorado, 1 in 4 teenagers there reported using it within the last month. After the drug was legalized, 1 in 5 teenagers reported using it within the month. In other words, the rate did not change much. If anything, it went down. And, researchers note the current rate is also slightly below the national average. However, experts say more adults -- about 1 in 7 -- use marijuana in Colorado now that it is legal.  And what about the money? Time magazine reports Colorado has collected an estimated $70 million in taxes on marijuana sales in the past two years -- that is a lot of money. And there is some evidence that some people are traveling to the state, and spending tourist dollars, because they can legally buy marijuana there. I’m Jonathan Evans.   Correspondent Shelley Schlender reported this story from Denver, Colorado. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted the story for VOA 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   recreational – adj. used for pleasure instead of for medical purposes container – n. an object (such as a box or can) that can hold something black market – n. a system through which things are bought and sold illegally random – adj. chosen or done without a particular plan or pattern undercover – adj. done or working in a secret way in order to catch criminals or collect information stretch – v. to cause or force (something) to be used for a longer time or for more purposes than originally planned or expected prohibition – n. the act of not allowing something to be used or done  

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