July 19, 2016

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

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July 18, 2016

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

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NASA Responds to Viral 'UFO' Video

Editor's Note: The audio for this story will be added as soon as it is available.   This is What’s Trending Today… People on social media have been accusing the American space agency, NASA, of shutting off its live video from the International Space Station. They claim NASA turned off the video stream last week because it showed images of a UFO -- an unidentified flying object. The video was filmed July 9. A YouTube user named Streepcap1 posted a short part of the International Space Station video. The one-minute 40-second video shows a bright object coming into view. Shortly after the object appears, the video stream experienced technical problems and shut down. Streetcap1 wrote, “This could well be a meteor or the like. What made it interesting was the camera cut off when the UFO seemed to stop.”   Streetcap1's video has been viewed more than 2.7 million times. It quickly became a trending topic on Twitter and Facebook. A few days later, NASA answered the questions and theories offered online by people who call themselves “UFO hunters.” ​ NASA spokesman Daniel Huot told the technology magazine CNET that the station "regularly passes out of range,” which causes to video signal to disappear. He also said that the video was part of the agency’s High Definition Earth Viewing experiment. The project includes many different cameras. They are on “automatic controls to cycle through the various cameras,” he said. So, NASA says, there is no person watching or controlling the video. Huot said the bright object was probably the moon, space debris, or just reflections from the station windows. And that's What's Trending Today.  ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   regularly - adv. at the same time every day, week, month, etc.  range - n.  the distance over which someone or something can see, hear, or reach someone or something else debris - n. the pieces that are left after something has been destroyed reflection - n. an image that is seen in a mirror or on a shiny surface  

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Police: Gunman Targeted, Killed Officers in Baton Rouge

Editor's Note: The audio for this story will be added as soon as it is available.   A former U.S. Marine has been identified as the gunman who killed three police officers Sunday in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The gunman was killed by police officers during the attack. Three other officers were injured. One remains in critical condition. The suspect, Gavin Long of Kansas City, Missouri, turned 29 on Sunday. He was dressed in black and wearing a mask when he opened fire on officers with an assault rifle. Long served in the U.S. Marines from 2005 to 2010, reaching the rank of sergeant. He was deployed to Iraq from 2008 to 2009. The officers were killed after responding to a report of a man carrying an assault weapon. Colonel Mike Edmonson is head of the Louisiana State Police. He said Monday the gunman ambushed officers and “certainly was seeking out police.” He added: “His movements, his direction, his attention was on police officers.” In online writings, Long sometimes described violence as an answer to what he viewed as oppression of African Americans. One post on Sunday to a Twitter account linked to Long read: “At what point do you stand up so that your people don’t become the Native Americans...EXTINCT?”    Another message posted hours before the shootings read: “And just bc [because] you shed your physical body doesn't mean that you're dead.” The killings came about two weeks after police officers in Baton Rouge shot and killed a black man, 37-year-old Alton Sterling. The incident was captured on video and widely viewed on social media. Large protests against Sterling’s killing followed in Baton Rouge, as well as several other U.S. cities. Long, Sunday’s shooter, was black. One of the officers he killed was black, the other two were white. The Baton Rouge shootings came less than two weeks after five police officers were shot and killed in Dallas, Texas. The Dallas killings happened during a peaceful demonstration to protest police shootings of black Americans. Police in the Dallas case said they believed the suspect acted alone. The gunman told police he was targeting white officers. He was killed in an explosion by a law enforcement robot. U.S President Barack Obama and other officials attended a memorial for the slain officers in Dallas last week. Obama called for unity and urged Americans to channel their anger about police shootings and race into a search for peaceful solutions. On Sunday, he also condemned the Baton Rouge killings. “The death of these three brave officers underscores the danger that police across the country confront every single day. We as a nation have to be loud and clear that nothing justifies violence against law enforcement. Attacks on police are an attack on all of us, and the rule of law that makes society possible.” Obama also noted that Sunday’s shootings came just ahead of the Republican and Democratic Party presidential nominating conventions. The Republican convention started Monday in Cleveland, Ohio. The Democratic convention begins July 25 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He said the conventions can involve rhetoric that “tends to get hotter than usual.” He urged candidates and their supporters to avoid “careless accusations” that could further heighten racial tensions.  I’m Bryan Lynn.   Bryan Lynn adapted this VOANews.com story for Learning English. Additional information came from the Associated Press. Hai Do 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   ambush – v. to attack by surprise from a hidden place extinct – adj. no longer existing transformation – n. a complete or major change in something’s or someone’s appearance, form, etc. reassure – v. say or do something to remove someone’s doubts or fears heinous – adj. very bad or evil channel – v. direct toward a particular objective rhetoric – n. language intended to influence people that may not be honest or reasonable  

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What Matters Most to Young Trump and Clinton Voters?

Editor's note: The audio for this story will be added as soon as it is available.   Young supporters of Republican Donald Trump or Democrat Hillary Clinton agree improving the economy is a major issue. But young supporters of the two main presidential candidates disagree about the remaining top issues. That is what a new poll by the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University found. The poll suggested young Americans supporting Trump consider the spread of terrorism and dealing with immigration as two of the main issues. Supporters of Clinton consider reducing inequality and uniting the country as two of their top issues. Harvard released the poll Monday to mark the start of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio. On Thursday, Trump, a wealthy businessman, is expected to accept the Republican nomination for president. Democrats are expected to nominate Clinton, the former secretary of state, next week at their convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Harvard University poll questioned 1,000 Americans aged 18-29 years old. Young people in that generation are known as Millennials and they are important to the future of the country, say polling experts. John Della Volpe is director of polling at the Institute of Politics. He said leaders of both the Republican and Democratic parties are risking the loss of involvement of young voters. He said the parties need to respond to the interests and concerns of Millennials. If they do not respond to young voters, either in election years or when then there is no election, Della Volpe said: “There is every chance that we will lose their participation in politics and their support of government.” That could “paralyze American progress,” he said. Another poll found 59 percent of Americans are exhausted, or very tired, by all the news coverage of the presidential election. A smaller percentage, 39 percent, said they like getting a lot of coverage. That information comes from the Pew Research Center. What election stories are Americans the most tired of? According to Pew, 44 percent of voters said they are tired of stories reporting on candidates’ comments as they campaign. A similar percentage of voters are tired of stories about candidates’ personal lives. Thirty-seven percent do not like stories that tell them who is leading in the polls. But a very small percentage, 15 percent or less, are tired of stories about candidates’ experience and their stands on the issues.   Bruce Alpert reported on this story for VOANews.com. Mario Ritter 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   poll -- n. an activity in which several or many people are asked a question or a series of questions in order to get information about what most people think about something respond -- v. to say or write something as an answer to a question or request paralyze -- v. to make someone or something unable to function, act, or move exhausted -- v. very tire coverage -- n. news about an event or group  

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As Turkey Arrest Coup Plotters, US Warns of Going ‘Too Far’

  U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Monday he wants those who attempted to seize power in Turkey to be brought to justice. But, Kerry warned the government against going "too far" while seeking to return order to the country. “We will certainly support bringing the perpetrators of the coup to justice, but we also caution against a reach that goes well beyond that. And stress the importance of the democratic rule being upheld.”  Kerry spoke at a news conference after a meeting with EU foreign ministers in Brussels, Belgium. He said, "We stand squarely on the side of the elected leadership in Turkey." He added, "But we also firmly urge the government of Turkey to maintain calm and stability throughout the country." State-operated news agency Anadolu reports that 8,777 officers have been suspended. The news agency said about 6,000 members of the judiciary and military have been detained. However, world leaders are voicing concern and are warning against actions that would harm constitutional order. EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini also spoke at the meeting in Brussels. She said the rule of law "needs to be protected for the sake of the country." Conditions remained tense in Istanbul, Ankara and some other provincial cities. Many have been arrested in search for plotters Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has promised to find people involved in the attempted coup. He compared those involved to a virus saying, "At every level of government, the period of cleaning this virus will continue." State-operated media report that an assistant to Erdogan is among those being held. Also, an arrest order has been given for Erdogan's top military aide, Colonel Ali Yazici. It was not immediately clear whether Yazici had any part in the failed coup attempt. Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag says Turkish officials are increasing the number of arrests. Those detained include judges, military officers and soldiers. The commander of the Third Army Corps, General Erdal Ozturk, was also seized. He could face charges of treason. Other high-ranking military officials went to neighboring Greece by helicopter and requested political asylum. Turkish media reports say some of those who fled are believed to be among those who planned the coup. The possible use of the death penalty has become an issue Erdogan spoke to a crowd outside his home in Istanbul on Sunday. Many in the crowd reportedly supported the death penalty for some involved in the coup. Erdogan said the use of capital punishment cannot be delayed. People in the crowd reportedly called for the death penalty. Erdogan is said to have answered, "We hear your request. In a democracy, whatever the people want they will get.'' Erdogan said he would discuss punishment with opposition parties. However, he said, "We will not delay this decision for long because those who attempt a coup in this country must pay.'' Turkey has not executed anyone since 1984. Capital punishment was legally ended in 2004 as part of Turkey's attempt to join the European Union. On Monday, Austrian foreign minister Sebastian Kurz said reintroducing the death penalty would be "absolutely unacceptable." He spoke during an interview with state media. Kerry says no U.S. involvement in overthrow attempt Secretary Kerry also has denounced suggestions that the U.S. was involved in Friday's failed coup in Turkey "We think it's irresponsible to have accusations of American involvement," Kerry told CNN on Sunday. Turkish President Erdogan has accused religious leader Fethullah Gulen of planning the attempt to seize power. Gulen now lives in the United States. Erdogan has demanded that Gulen be returned to Turkey. The U.S. State Department reports that Turkey’s foreign minister has denounced claims of U.S. involvement. The minister said in a telephone call such claims are “harmful to our bilateral relations.” Kerry also told CNN that Turkey has made no official request for Gulen to be returned to Turkey. He added that, "The United States is not harboring anybody." Gulen has denied involvement in the coup and has denied knowledge of who might be responsible. Turkey mourns those who lost their lives Reports differ about how many people were killed in clashes during the coup attempt. On Sunday about 265 were reported dead, including many civilians. In Istanbul and Ankara this weekend, thousands of people attended funerals for those killed. Prayers were read in Turkey's 85,000 mosques at noon on Sunday to honor those who died. Turkey reopens its airspace Turkey on Sunday also reopened its airspace to military aircraft, allowing the U.S.-led coalition to continue air operations against Islamic State militants. Turkey had closed its airspace following the attempted coup.   Turkey is a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. The country is an important partner in U.S.-led efforts to defeat the Islamic State group. Turkey also has permitted American jets to use its Incirlik air base to fly missions against extremists in nearby Syria and Iraq. I’m Mario Ritter.   VOA's National Security Correspondent Jeff Seldin, White House Correspondent Mary Alice Salinas, VOA's Turkish service, Georgian service, and reporters Ken Schwartz and Isabela Cocoli are among those who contributed to this story. Mario Ritter adapted it for VOA Learning English. Kelly Jean Kelly was the editor. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   perpetrators –n. people who carry out an act, usually something illegal stability –n. not an extreme state, remaining within the rules irresponsible –adj. not responsible, not showing good judgement harboring –v. to provide shelter or a safe place for someone mosques –n. Muslim places of worship

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Getting Tested Is First Step In Controlling HIV/AIDS

From VOA Learning English, this is the Health & Lifestyle report. The International AIDS Conference is being held this week (July 18 – 22) in Durban, South Africa. It is the largest conference on HIV related issues. A diagnosis of HIV/AIDS is no longer a death sentence. There is no cure but improvements in treatments have made the disease manageable. But it is only manageable if those infected can get treatment. Getting tested for HIV is simple and fast. Results come in just about five minutes. VOA recently visited NovaSalud in Falls Church, Virginia. The organization works to reduce the risk of HIV/AIDS and other diseases passed through sex. These are called sexually transmitted diseases, or STDs. A man calling himself Rigo is also at the site. He is there to be tested. He says "It is important because one never knows what is going on with their partner" or partners in the past. A woman is also getting tested. She says, "For me it's very important to do an HIV test because we take care of our family and friends. Because if you don't know, how would you know if you are infecting a loved one?" HIV/AIDS is both treatable and preventable. People who have the AIDS virus can live normal lives as long as they stay on treatment. Tom Frieden is director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. He says the number of AIDS cases has gone down in most parts of U.S. society. “We've seen huge decreases in heterosexual transmission -- more than two-thirds -- 80% reductions, generally. We've seen the huge decreases in injection drug use as a cause of transmission. But among young men who have sex with men, we've seen increases in HIV infections.” Rodney McCoy is Program Coordinator and Health Educator at NovaSalud. He says the numbers show that in the U.S. gay and bisexual Latino men are most at risk. He adds that there are similar trends among African-Americans.  "Women of childbearing age and young, black, gay and bisexual men seem to most at risk for HIV, for new cases of HIV infections. And then when we look at who progresses from HIV on to AIDS, again blacks and Latinos are most at risk for that." McCoy says openly recognizing that there is a stigma connected to HIV/AIDS is an important first step. "The first thing we do is we acknowledge that there is a stigma." A stigma is a disapproving and often unfair belief that a society or group have about something. The power of stigma keeps people around the world from being tested and getting treatment. Rodney McCoy and other public health professionals say HIV testing has to become a usual part of health care. "If you go to the doctor to get your blood work for cholesterol, for high blood pressure. Why not start including HIV and STDs?" The goal everywhere is to get to the point where: 90 percent of those with HIV know it, 90 percent of the infected get treatment and 90 percent of those people reduce the virus in their blood so much that it can't be found. The theory is that this will end AIDS as a global public health threat by 2030. I’m Anna Matteo. Carol Pearson wrote this story for VOA News in Washington. Anna Matteo adapted it for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. Test your understanding of this article with this short quiz. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   sexually transmitted disease – n. medical :  any one of various diseases that a person can get by having sex with a person who has the disease similar – adj. almost the same as someone or something else trend – n. the general movement over time of a statistically detectable change childbearing – adj. of or relating to the process of conceiving, being pregnant with, and giving birth to children gay – adj. sexually attracted to someone who is the same sex bisexual – adj. sexually attracted to both men and women heterosexual – adj. of, relating to, or involving sexual intercourse between individuals of opposite sex transmission – n. the act or process by which something is spread or passed from one person or thing to another blood work – n. the diagnostic testing of blood cholesterol – n. a substance that is found in the bodies of people and animals    

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Russia Could Be Banned From Rio Games After Doping Report

  The World Anti-Doping Agency, also known as WADA, has called for banning Russian athletes from the Rio de Janeiro Olympics. WADA called for the ban after confirming that the Russian government worked to cover up doping among its athletes. Richard McLaren is a Canadian lawyer. He spent 57 days preparing the report for WADA. The report says the Russian government helped the athletes cheat by hiding test results and changing urine samples leading up to both the 2012 Olympics in London and the 2014 Sochi Games. Thomas Bach is the president of the International Olympic Committee, or IOC. He called Russia’s actions  a “shocking and unprecedented attack on the integrity of sports and on the Olympic Games.” The IOC will meet on Tuesday to discuss a punishment for the Russian Olympic team. It says it will study the report and “not hesitate to take the toughest sanctions available against any individual or organization.” Russian President Vladimir Putin says officials named in the report will be suspended. The Associated Press news agency says sports minister Vitaly Mutko and his deputy are both named in the report. McLaren said his report showed only a “thin slice” of the cheating within the Russian Olympic team. He found evidence “beyond a reasonable doubt” that the Russian government participated in a program designed to help its athletes use performance-enhancing drugs without being caught. He called the program “fail-safe.” McLaren’s report confirms allegations made by the former head of anti-doping in Russia. Earlier this year, Grigory Rodchenkov told the New York Times that 15 Russian medal-winners from the Sochi Olympics alone were part of a urine-switching program. In that program, athletes provided clean urine samples to government agents. Those agents then replaced tainted urine with clean urine after competitions. In late 2015, the International Association of Athletics Federations banned Russia’s track and field athletes from competition after a different WADA investigation. Travis Tygart is the head of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. In a statement on Monday, Tygart called the McLaren report “mind-blowing.” He said the international community should come together “to ensure this unprecedented level of criminality never again threatens the sports we cherish.” I’m Dan Friedell.   Dan Friedell adapted this story for Learning English based on reporting by VOANews.com and the Associated Press. Hai Do was the editor. Do you think the entire Russian Olympic team should be banned? We want to know. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   cherish – v. to feel or show great love for (someone or something) taint – adj. something that becomes dangerous or dirty especially by adding something harmful or undesirable to it 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 allegation – n. a statement saying that someone has done something wrong or illegal performance-enhancing – adj. something that is added (a drug or chemical) to make a person perform better than expected doubt – n. a feeling of being uncertain or unsure about something slice – n. a small part of something larger ban – v. to forbid (someone) from doing or being part of something — usually + from sanction – n. an action that is taken or an order that is given to force a country to obey international laws by limiting or stopping trade with that country, by not allowing economic aid for that country, etc. — usually plural doping – n. the illegal use of a drug (such as a steroid) to improve an athlete's performance

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China to Hold Naval Exercises in South China Sea

  Nearly a week after losing its territorial claims in the South China Sea, China is closing part of the region for military exercises this week. China issued the warning for the exercises on Monday. It said an area located southeast of the island of Hainan would be off limits between Tuesday and Thursday. The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled that China has “no historic title” to the South China Sea. And, the court ruled that China had violated the Philippines’ rights by interfering with that country’s fishing and oil exploration in the area. The decision was a ruling on a complaint filed by the Philippines in 2013. China refused to participate in the case. China said the court had no right to decide the matter. The Chinese have also denounced the ruling. The United States warned China to “avoid provocative statements or actions” following the ruling from The Hague. China has taken part in the seizure and rebuilding of land throughout the South China Sea in recent years. It has turned reefs into artificial islands that can support military bases. China has built the islands and ignored claims and protests by Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam, Taiwan and the Philippines. The court also ruled that China’s rebuilding efforts have “caused severe harm to the coral reef environment.” Close to $5 trillion in global trade passes each year through the South China Sea. The sea is home to rich fishing grounds and a vast wealth of oil, gas and other natural resources. I’m Jonathan Evans. 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   reef – n. a long line of rocks or coral or a high area of sand near the surface of the water in the ocean seizure – n. the act of taking control of something especially by force or violence  

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July 17, 2016

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

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Religious Leaders Work to Ease US Racial Divisions

  “Let us love not with words or speech, but with actions and in truth.” President Barack Obama turned to the Bible to describe what is needed to heal racial divisions in the United States. He read from John’s Gospel at the memorial service Tuesday for five police officers killed in Dallas. But closing racial divisions is a challenge. Many in America turn to places of worship for moral guidance. But LifeWay Research reported last year that 86 percent of Protestant pastors say their congregations are mostly either black or white, leaving little chance for members of different races to talk with each other. It isn’t much different than 1963  when civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. called 11 a.m. Sunday church services “the most segregated hour in this nation.” Recent shootings raise racial division concerns It has been a rough few weeks in America. On July 7th, a black gunman shot and killed five police officers in Dallas, Texas. The gunman told police he was targeting white officers. The shooting came the same week two African-American men were shot and killed by white police officers in separate incidents in Louisiana and Minnesota. The shootings left some people questioning the state of race relations in the United States. “Instead of pointing fingers, we need to figure out why so many police feel so stressed doing their job and why so many African-Americans feel targeted by the police,” said Curt Harlow, minister at the Bayside Church in Sacramento, California. He said his church has black and white members, offering a chance for honest discussion. Percell Duckett is minister of the Ross Road Church in Memphis, Tenn., which also has both black and white members. “We just had people from Black Lives Matter demonstrate -- I called it creating a little bit of civil disobedience,” Duckett said. “And many people wonder why they are doing that.” If more whites went to church with blacks they would hear parents express fear their children could be killed by police for a minor car violation, Duckett said. Pastor Susan Newman Moore of All Souls Church in Washington D.C., knows some people are troubled with the name Black Lives Matter. The criticism from some is that the name should be, “All Lives Matter, she said. ​What Newman Moore tells her diverse church is that the Black Lives Matter movement is very much like a parent with children. “You love all your children. But if one child gets very sick, and has to go to the intensive care unit of the hospital, you are going to put all your attention on that sick child until he or she is better. Right now in America, black lives are in intensive care,” Newman Moore said. Religious community can help reduce divisions Traci Blackmon is senior minister at Christ the King United Church of Christ in Florissant, Missouri. “Integration, diversity is a good thing,” she told Voice of America. “But churches, regardless of whether they are all or mostly black, or all or mostly white, have a role to play because of their moral and religious standing.” “It isn’t just Christians, but this mandate of caring for those who are facing difficulty is found in the Koran and the Talmud,” Blackmon said. Those are the books that provide the teachings of the Muslim and Jewish religions. Some churches are trying to help their mostly black or mostly white congregations get to hear from members of other races. In Hill County, Georgia, members of the mostly white Air Line Baptist Church plan to travel to the mostly black St. John Baptist Church for Sunday services. The ministers of the two churches do not plan to talk about what is on their minds regarding recent events. “I think that way too often we don’t listen to one another,” said Scott Moore, minister of Air Line Baptist. “I’ve been guilty of that myself -- not listening to other people’s opinions and thinking only about what I’m going to say.” Carter bringing black and white Baptists together Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter has helped organize the New Baptist Covenant to bring mostly black and white Baptist churches together. In Dallas, Texas. George Mason, minister of a mostly white Baptist Church, and Frederic Haynes, leader of a mostly black Baptist Church, joined Carter’s covenant. They wrote about the Dallas shootings in the Dallas Morning News. “The only way that All Lives Matter is for each life to matter -- black or white, and in this tragic case,” blue,” Mason and Haynes wrote. Blue is the color often given to police. Ed Stetzer chairs the Billy Graham Center for Evangelism at Wheaton College. Stetzer said it makes sense that when blacks and whites sit down together to pray it will help. Stetzer said many ministers recognize that they need to increase diversity. But there is nothing wrong, he said, with U.S. immigrants from Vietnam, Korea, or China wanting to worship together with fellow immigrants. I'm Jill Robbins. And I'm Bruce Alpert.   Bruce Alpert reported this story for VOA Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section and share your views on our Facebook Page. How do you think we can improve relations between people of different races. ____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   bible -- n. a book of sacred writings. The Old Testament is used by the Jewish religion and the New Testament used by Christians congregation -- n. the people who are attending a religious service segregated -- adj. to separate groups of people because of their particular race finger -- n. one of the five long parts of the hand that are used for holding things stress -- n. a state of mental tension and worry caused by problems in your life, work disobedience -- n. not obeying the rules diverse -- adj. different from each other integration -- n. to bring different races of groups together role -- n. a part that someone or something has in a particular activity or situation mandate -- n. a responsibility to do something

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