Refugee Olympic Team Gets Notice, But Is It Enough?

This is What’s Trending Today. It should come as no surprise that some of the top trending stories and names this week are tied to the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. A few examples are #openingceremony, Michael Phelps, Katie Ledecky, Catalina Usme and Pita Taufatofua. American swimmers Phelps and Ledecky have gold medals at the Rio Olympics. Usme, a member of Colombia’s soccer team, had two goals Tuesday night against Team USA in a surprise 2-2 tie. And Taufatofua carried the flag for Tonga during the opening ceremony last Friday. But another top online search is the term “refugee team.” People around the world, but mainly in Canada, Australia and the United States, are looking for more information about the 10-member refugee team at the Rio Games. That information comes from Google, the search engine. The International Olympic Committee set up the refugee team in an effort to bring more attention on refugees from Africa and the Middle East. Over the past two years, there has been a large increase in the number of refugees worldwide. The United Nations’ Refugee Agency says there are over 65 million displaced people. That number rose by almost 6 million last year. The UN agency says people originally from Syria, Afghanistan and Somalia make up the largest group of refugees. The refugee team at the Olympics includes athletes from Syria, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Ethiopia. Swimmer Yusra Mardini came from Syria. She is now living in Germany. She competed in two swimming events, and teammate Rami Anis, also from Syria, competed in a men’s swimming event. Mardini is the most popular refugee athlete, based on web searches. People searched for Popole Misenga of Democratic Republic of Congo after he won his first event in the 90 kilogram judo competition. He was ousted in the next round. The refugee team is getting attention. But some people think the world is only interested in refugees when they are performing at the Olympics. Google reports that in September 2015, “refugee crisis” was a popular search term. But now there are relatively few searches using those words, while the term “refugee team” is trending. Roger Cohen wrote an opinion piece for The New York Times this week. It is called “The World Loves Refugees, When They’re Olympians.” He wrote that “the world is moved by Team Refugees. Yet, it is unmoved by refugees.” He urged people cheering for the refugees at the Olympics to show the same interest and compassion for those refugees who are living in their community or country. 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 of the refugee team so far? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   judo – n. a sport developed in Japan in which opponents attempt to throw or wrestle each other to the ground compassion – n. a feeling of wanting to help someone who is sick, hungry, in trouble, etc. athlete – n. a person who is trained in or good at sports, games, or exercises that require physical skill and strength round – n. a stage of a sports competition in which each player or team plays against an opponent and the winner is allowed to continue to the next stage

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Vietnam Moves Rocket Launchers into South China Sea

  Officials say Vietnam has moved mobile rocket launchers to several islands in the South China Sea. The move is likely to raise tensions with China in the disputed area. Western diplomats and military officials told the Reuters news agency that Vietnam moved the launchers to five bases in the Spratly Islands in recent months. They say these rocket launchers can attack Chinese military locations in the disputed waters. Reuters reports that the launchers cannot be seen from the air and have not yet been armed. But sources say they could be armed with rockets within two or three days. Vietnam’s foreign ministry said the information was “inaccurate” without giving any detail. In June, Vietnam's Deputy Defense Minister said the country had no such launchers or weapons in the Spratly Islands. But he added that Vietnam had the right “to self-defense to move any of our weapons to any area at any time within our sovereign territory." On Wednesday, China’s Foreign Ministry released a statement saying "China has indisputable sovereignty over the Spratly Islands and nearby waters." The statement also says that China opposes “illegal construction and military deployments” on the islands. Carl Thayer is a Vietnam expert at the Australian Defense Force Academy. He said Vietnam’s defensive movements show how serious the country is about possible hostile actions by China. He added that “China is unlikely to see this as purely defensive, and it could mark a new stage of militarization of the Spratlys." In 1988, China and Vietnam fought a sea battle to control parts of the Spratly Islands. Sixty-four Vietnamese soldiers were killed trying to defend the country’s flag on South Johnson reef. Last February, Vietnam condemned China’s deployment of missiles on Woody Island in the South China Sea. Vietnam said it "threatens peace and stability in the region as well as security, safety and freedom of navigation and flight." Military experts believe the rocket launchers are part of a rocket system purchased from Israel. The system, known as EXTRA, can attack both ships and land targets up to a range of 150 kilometers. EXTRA is considered to be easily movable and effective against multiple targets at the same time. Experts say it is the most noteworthy defensive move Vietnam has made in the South China Sea in more than 20 years. It is designed to counter China's build-up on reclaimed islands in the disputed waters. Vietnam placed the launchers after an international court ruled against China in a case brought by the Philippines. The July ruling dismissed China’s claim of “historic title” to much of the South China Sea.   I’m Jonathan Evans.   Jonathan Evans adapted this story for Learning English based on Reuters news report. Hai Do was the editor.

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Cloud Services Compared

  Finding the Cloud service than can best serve your needs can be difficult as there are so many available. Consumers need to consider and compare each service’s features, storage possibilities, free space and best price. You may be unsure about how a Cloud service could help you. Or you may be interested in using a Cloud service but do not know where to begin. Trying every Cloud service would take a lot of time and work. But, the website Reviews.com might help. It examined 46 Cloud services. The site then chose four that that met its conditions. Why Use a Cloud Service There are several reasons to use a Cloud service. One valuable feature is the protection of digital files, including photos, videos, documents, music and more. If the worst happens and your computer crashes, or gets lost or damaged, your files can still be found in the Cloud. Access Cloud services let you access your files from almost anywhere. No need to worry about a file stored on your computer when you are away from your desk. If you have an Internet connection, you can open your files from any computer, or from a phone or tablet, when they are stored using a Cloud service. File Sharing Using a Cloud service makes sharing files easier. If you send documents to a group using email, you may then wonder which version everyone is working with. When sharing files using a Cloud service, everyone will see the same document and the latest version. Transferring Files When switching computers, you will be able to transfer files easily if they are saved to a Cloud service. Choosing a Cloud Service Which features should you consider when choosing a Cloud service? Some features may be important to you, while others will not matter as much. The first thing to consider is the amount of storage space you need. Consider that files such as photos, videos and music will take up more space than documents. Check how much space you are currently using on your computer and mobile devices. If your computer or phone is filled with photos and you have little free space, you may want to move your photos to the Cloud. Some Cloud services are free. But, if you need a lot of space, you will probably need one that costs money. Works on Many Platforms Even if everyone you have ever met is a Windows user, you still probably want a Cloud service that works with many platforms. No one knows what the future holds. You might become friends with an Android user or start a job with a company that computes on Apple! It could become important to have a Cloud service that works with many devices. Cloud and Local Storage Some Cloud services back up your files to the Cloud and to your computer. Others back up only to the Cloud. Using a Cloud service that backs up to both is probably best. This means you can have access to your files when you are on your computer but not linked to the Internet. What Others Are Using If your employer, partner or other important person in your life is using a Cloud service, you may want to use the same one. Having More than One Cloud Service But, if one is good, is more than one better? Consider carefully before signing up for multiple Cloud services. This can get confusing. Will you remember where you stored which files? You may, however, want to use different Cloud services for work and for personal life to keep those files separate. Reviews.com Results After testing 46 Cloud services, Reviews.com narrowed the choices down to four: Dropbox Google Drive OneDrive Box   ​   Each of these services met conditions set by Reviews.com. It looked for high scores on app reviews as well as services that work with Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android. The site also required that the service work well for personal use. Also, Reviews.com looked for ones that were easy to use and had a free service. Each of the four services offers different features. Here are some of their advantages and disadvantages, according to Reviews.com. Dropbox Dropbox is easy to use and encrypts uploaded files to help keep them private and secure. However, the free version of Dropbox starts with less space than the free versions of the other services. There are ways to earn more space, including inviting others to use the service. There is only one paid version of the service. Google Drive Google Drive is a very popular service. Reviews.com said 74% of Cloud users it surveyed use Google Drive. The service includes office suite software. Reviews.com said the service is excellent at file sharing and syncing documents. It can also search photos. And, photos stored at high quality resolution in Google Photos do not use your storage space. Finally, Google Drive provides free extra storage to users who review restaurants. Reviews.com found it a disadvantage that consumers must make a Google account in order to use Google Drive. And, items in your Gmail account will use your Google Drive space. OneDrive (formerly Sky Drive) by Microsoft Reviews.com likes that OneDrive comes installed in Windows 10. It also includes a basic version of Microsoft Office. The reviewers also said OneDrive has the fastest file upload speed. Like Google Drive, OneDrive can search photos. But users must have a Microsoft account. And Reviews.com said OneDrive is more difficult to use than the others. Box Box provides many features for business use and works well with apps. However, Reviews.com said the free version does not include automatic photo uploading. And, the website said Box’s paid version is the costliest of the four services. Reviews.com Article The complete review, called “The Best Cloud Storage,” can be found at Reviews.com. I'm Kelly Jean Kelly.   * Reviews.com Comparison Chart used with permission   Carolyn Nicander Mohr wrote this report for VOA Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. Do you use a Cloud storage service? If so, which? What features are most important to you? Share your thoughts in the Comments Section below or on our Facebook page. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   access - v. to be able to use, enter, or get near (something) version - n. a form of something (such as a product) that is different in some way from other forms​ platform - n. a program or set of programs that controls the way a computer works and runs other programs confusing - adj. difficult to understand​ encrypt - v. to change (information) from one form to another especially to hide its meaning upload - v. to move or copy (a file, program, etc.) from a computer or device to a usually larger computer or computer network sync - v. the transfer of data between (two devices) to ensure that the same data is stored on both.

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L.A. Police, Blacks Say More Community Policing Needed

Recent police shootings in the United States have raised tensions between police and African Americans in places like Los Angeles, California. Los Angeles is no stranger to racial tensions. Many Americans still remember the riots that followed the police beating of Rodney King more than 20 years ago. The beating was videotaped and broadcast on television. Four police officers were charged with use of excessive force in arresting King, an African American. The four were found not guilty during the trial. The court ruling incited the rioting. Police Captain Andrew Neiman remembers the unrest. “I didn’t even want to be a police officer in L.A. following the riots," he said. "I felt that we had let down our community. It really touched me personally. That was not the Los Angeles that I grew up with. But I’m glad I stayed. We took our lessons learned and we have really expanded that." Today, when there is a shooting in the city, it often takes place in South Los Angeles. South L.A. is home to nearly one million people, many of them with low-paying jobs. The area covers more than 130 square kilometers. It has also been known for violence among competing gangs. The Los Angeles Police Department, or L.A.P.D., has a gang prevention program called Summer Night Lights. Its officers take part in community policing. They are sent to a certain neighborhood and talk to the residents - mainly black or Latino - and play with young people.  While the children play basketball happily with police officers, many African Americans are worried that there have been too many cases of police brutality against people of color.  Activists see 'severe problem' Melina Abdullah is an organizer for the Black Lives Matter Movement. She says “Los Angeles, like pretty much every other police department in the nation, has a severe problem in the way in which [officers] treat all people, especially black people, poor people and people with mental-health challenges.” Members of the movement have recently taken part in a sit-in protest in Los Angeles. They are demanding the removal of police chief Charlie Beck following the decision of a commission of inquiry. Commission members ruled that the police did not violate rules during a shooting last year. During the incident, a black woman was killed. Police said they acted because the woman had a knife. Abdullah said “It’s about the system, so we have a systemic problem. We have a problem with policing in that they are actually trained to view us as enemy combatants. We need to transform that system.” History of racial tensions Police Captain Neiman noted "We’re at a point right now where we’ve reached another crossroads in recognizing that we need to do more." He said smartphones and social media are fueling the current racial tension. “Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Vine. All of these social apps allow the public, general citizens, to take out their smartphones and capture video of a very dynamic situation," Neiman said.  "[Then they] instantly post it to the world without any context, without any understanding.” Others say the new technology helps to hold police responsible for their actions. 'Address community pain' However, people on both sides of this argument say perceptions need to change. Skipp Townsend is a former gang member who is now an intervention worker. He said, "We have to address the pain in the community." He also wants outsiders to stop labeling the community as violent. Townsend teaches life skills to former prisoners and people who are at risk. He says contacts between police and members of the black community are necessary. He also said there should be more community policing. “There’s no way to build a relationship at the time of a crisis or incident, so [the police] should be proactive,” Townsend said.  Neiman agrees that officers need to do more community policing. But he said there are limits to the number of officers available. Police resources limited The L.A.P.D. employs close to 10,000 officers. Yet the department has trouble covering every community, Neiman said.  Melina Abdullah of Black Lives Matter says the community policing problem also needs to be considered as a social issue. “We want our funds to be used for things like living-wage jobs, like mental health resources, like after-school programs, like intervention and prevention work,” she said. In South Los Angeles, many residents do not mind seeing more police at gang prevention events such as Summer Night Lights. Bobby Johnson is a local resident. “We have good cops and we have our bad cops," he said. “We only see our good cops come around the community where we have events like this.” I’m Ashley Thompson.   Elizabeth Lee wrote this report for VOANews.com. Jim Dresbach 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   gang – n. a group of young people who do illegal things together and who often fight against other gangs Latino – n. a person who was born or lives in South America, Central America or Mexico or a person in the U.S. whose family is originally from South America, Central America or Mexico police brutality  – n. the use of too much force by a police officer combatants – n. people, groups or countries that fight in a war or battle verdicts – n. decisions made by a jury in a trial smartphone – n. a mobile telephone that can be used to send and receive e-mails, connect to the Internet and take photographs crossroads – n. often used to refer to a place or time at which a decision must be made apps – n. computer programs that perform special functions cops – n. police officers

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Getting to Know the Music Industry in Silicon Valley

Nashville, Tennessee is known as “Music City” in the United States. But on the west coast, some people might argue Silicon Valley is just as worthy of the name.  The valley is home to sound and music technology companies like Dolby Laboratories, Pandora and Smule.  And there is Real Industry, a non-profit organization to help techies get into the music industry. Priya Shekar is program director at the non-profit. She said, “Music technology is applications of STEM subjects like electrical engineering and computer science to music and audio applications.” “That could be everything from designing new music apps, all the way to designing filters and effects that are used in audio production, to designing new instruments,” she added.  Through a series of workshops and online classes, Real Industry connects tech students, recent graduates and professionals with mentors in the music and entertainment industries.  The mentors come from companies like Sol Republic, Turtle Bay and Sonos. The students learn about the companies and their products. More than 6,000 students from around the world have taken part in the online courses, and more than 200 have attended workshops in California. Real Industry has also partnered with universities like Stanford in California as well as New York University and the University of Michigan. The schools hold classes like “Careers in Media Technology” on campus.  “I think a lot of jobs and responsibilities and careers go unexposed; they kind of stay behind the scenes of these companies,” said Shekar. She is an electrical engineer with experience creating music education applications. “Having exposure lets [students] bring context to what they’re learning in school and all their other classes, but also helps them prepare for life after school.”  For industry leaders, the experience provides invaluable information.  “Industry folks are learning about what the next generation is learning, being able to tap into all of that fresh innovation and all these fresh ideas from these young kids who are users of products and fans of their products,” Shekar noted.  For Shekar, who is from New Zealand, the experience is not unlike her move to Silicon Valley. “It’s about knowing where to take that first step. A lot of people just don’t even know where to start.” For music technologists hoping to break into the business, the answer might just be Silicon Valley. I’m Pete Musto.   Tina Trinh wrote this report for VOANews.com. Caty Weaver adapted it for Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. We want to hear from you. Leave a message in the Comment Section or on our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   Silicon Valley – n. an area, in the state of California, where there are many technology companies techie – n. someone who knows a lot about technology application – n. a computer program that performs a particular task STEM – n. short for science, technology, engineering and math mentor – n. someone who teaches or gives help and advice to a less experienced and often younger person tap – v. to take or use money or knowledge from a source innovation – n. a new idea, device, or method

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August 10, 2016

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

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US Officials Turn to Schools to Help Students Deal with Violence

When students return to the J.J. Hill Montessori School in Minnesota next month, they will find counselors ready to help them. The students will also find teachers and other school workers offering hugs and other support, Principal Fatima Lawson told VOA. She said her employees will show the children they care and want to help. After J.J. Hill sent its 500 students home for their summer break, the school’s popular cafeteria supervisor, Philando Castile, died. He was shot and killed by a police officer at a traffic stop. His death and another killing, by police of an African-American man in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, fueled protests across the United States. It led to claims that some police officers target African-Americans for use of deadly force. Later, a gunman killed five police officers in Dallas, Texas. Three other police were shot and killed in Baton Rouge. The Dallas officers were on duty at a demonstration called to protest the police shootings of African-Americans in Minnesota and Louisiana. All this violence has set off emotional debate across the country -- about the dangerous work police do to protect people and continued charges of police discrimination against African-Americans. ‘We Are Here to Help’ Many Americans are counting on schools to help young people make sense of the violence and the state of race relations in the country. Fatima Lawson, the J.J. Hill Montessori School principal, expects students to be emotional when they return to school September 6. It will be their first day back since Philando Castile was shot and killed. “We will let our students know we are here to help them,” Lawson told VOA. She said Castile was loved by the students, aged 4-11, because he always looked out to make sure they were doing well. Castile’s death became news around the world. After he was shot, his girlfriend, Diamond Reynolds, posted live cell-phone videos on social media as her daughter sat in their car’s backseat. The police officer’s gun was aimed at Reynolds as she spoke about what happened. "He let the officer know that he had a firearm and he was reaching for his wallet, and the officer just shot him in his arm," she said. Dealing With Baton Rouge’s Violent Summer Warren Drake heads public schools in Baton Rouge, Louisiana’s capital. He agrees with Lawson that the most important thing school employees can offer returning students are “hugs and love.” Drake told teachers and administrators the word that should drive their work is “respect.” By respect, he means showing appreciation for the opinions and concerns expressed by students, their parents and other school employees. “We need to listen to each other and respect each others opinions and concerns,” Drake told VOA. Donald Hunter is a clergyman at the New Beginning Baptist Church in Baton Rouge. He also directs the city’s Black Family Initiative, an organization set up to support families. Hunter said he hears often from young African Americans “concerned, if not fearful,” of being pulled over by police in their cars for a minor problem and “not surviving.” The killing of the three Baton Rouge police officers has put the city on edge, Hunter said. All three officers did their jobs well and fairly, he said. Hunter credits Louisiana’s new governor, John Bel Edwards, with putting the two “tragedies,” the killing of the officers and the earlier killing by police of Alton Sterling, an African-American, into balance. Hunter said, like the governor, he hopes Baton Rouge city residents and the police will develop new respect for each other. “Sometimes, good comes from tragedy,” Hunter said.   Schools Need to Ready Day One Vicki Zakrzewski serves as education director at the Greater Good Science Center at the University of California, Berkeley. She said that starting with the first day of school, teachers and other workers “should reassure children that they are in a safe place.” Dallas Police Shootings Affected Many The Dallas police shootings affected many people. Hundreds of demonstrators protesting police shootings had to flee as gunman Michah Johnson fired down from a nearby building. Johnson told police he was trying to kill as many officers as possible, according to Dallas police reports. Some students and teachers were trapped at Dallas’ El Centro College, where Johnson held police in a standoff for hours before police killed him. Mark Harrington, who teaches history at a Dallas high school, said for many children violence is common in their neighborhoods. “But with what happened this summer, and all the publicity it got, I expect more kids will want to discuss it,” Harrington said. Harrington said his job will be to observe the discussions, and correct “statements that are not factual.” I'm Bruce Alpert.   Bruce Alpert reported this story for VOA 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   counselor - n. a person who gives students advice cafeteria - n. a room in a school where people get food at a counter and carry it to a table for eating wallet - n. a small folding case that holds paper money, credit cards appreciation - n. an ability to understand the worth, quality, or importance of someone reassure - v. to make someone feel less afraid, upset, or doubtful trauma - n. a very difficult or unpleasant experience that causes someone to have mental or emotional problems usually for a long time stand-off - n. an argument, competition of conflict in which there is no winner

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Tesla Hopes Nevada ‘Gigafactory’ Fuels Car Sales

  The American company Tesla Motors recently showed off a huge factory that will produce battery packs for its electric cars. The $5 billion factory is close to Reno in the Nevada desert. The facility is currently about 14 percent completed, but its robots are already getting ready to manufacture batteries. When finished, the facility will be one of the largest in the world, covering more than one square kilometer.  Massive production Tesla officials expect the factory to manufacture tens of thousands of lithium-ion batteries a year. The company is calling the new facility a “Gigafactory.” The term giga is a unit of measurement representing one billion. Officials say the Gigafactory will produce 35 gigawatt hours of lithium-ion batteries by 2018. That capacity would be more than the whole world’s production in 2014. Tesla Motors is trying to lower the cost of electric car batteries by mass producing them in Nevada. Up until now, the company has turned to foreign companies for lithium-ion batteries. Partners with Panasonic Japan’s Panasonic Corporation has invested $1.6 billion in the factory and will continue partnering with Tesla on production there. Tesla chief Elon Musk said the Gigafactory will cut battery production costs by more than 30 percent by 2018. The factory could employ up to 10,000 people in coming years, he said.   Tesla has yet to make a profit from its electric car business. This is mainly because its vehicles and batteries cost a lot to manufacture. Prices for the company’s best-selling Model S sedan start at around $70,000. Earlier this year, Tesla began offering its new Model 3 sedan, with a starting price of $35,000. More than 325,000 people put down a $1,000 deposit and placed an order for the car last March within one week of the announcement. The Model 3 will be the company’s least expensive vehicle, mainly because of lower battery costs. The first Model 3 cars could be ready as soon as next year. But it is expected to take at least six years for Tesla to complete all the orders. The company says it plans to be producing 500,000 vehicles per year by 2018. The Nevada factory will also make Tesla batteries for electric trucks and buses, as well as backup power supplies for homes and businesses.  Musk said Tesla’s overall goal is to “accelerate the advent of sustainable energy. So we’re going to take a set of actions that we think are the most likely to achieve that.” Solar friendly ​ In keeping with the environmentally friendly theme, the top of Tesla’s Gigafactory will be covered with solar panels. This will provide most, if not all, of the facility’s electricity needs. And just in case the factory has to grow even bigger, Tesla has purchased another 7.5 square kilometers of land nearby. I’m Bryan Lynn.   George Putic reported this story for VOANews.com. Bryan Lynn adapted it for Learning English, with additional information coming from the Associated Press. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Are you interested in electric car technology? Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   battery – n. power source placed inside a car or other device to supply it with electricity capacity – n. the amount something can produce deposit – n. money paid in advance to hold an item for purchase expensive – adj. costing a lot of money advent – n. the arrival of a notable person or event sustainable energy – n. energy that comes from natural sources capable of being replenished

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Cold War Waste Could Reappear Due to Global Warming

Melting ice on Greenland could expose an unused U.S. military base that contains hazardous waste, scientists warn. Camp Century was built in 1959. The base was to study the possibility of deploying nuclear weapons from the Arctic during the Cold War.  The Cold War was a period of tension between the former Soviet Union and the U.S. which lasted from the end of World War II to 1991. The base was closed in 1967. Scientists thought that any hazardous material left at the base would be covered with ice forever. Now, new research suggests the base could be exposed to the environment by 2090. The base is believed to contain biological, chemical and radioactive waste. The study warns that exposed waste could disrupt Greenland’s environment. William Colgan is a climate and glacier scientist at York University in Canada. He is the lead author of the study.  He said people dealt with waste differently 60 years ago. Now, there are new problems related to the climate that people must think about, he said. Researchers have now listed the waste at the base. The hazardous substances include 200,000 liters of diesel fuel, and 240,000 liters of wastewater. There are also polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, at the site. Those chemicals are considered bad for the environment. In addition, there is also an “unknown volume of low-level radioactive coolant from the nuclear generator.” Researchers studied old engineering records to find out how deeply the waste is buried and how much the ice has moved since the 1960s. All the waste could enter the environment as the climate warms and the ice sheet melts, researchers said. "The question is whether it's going to come out in hundreds of years, in thousands of years, or in tens of thousands of years," said James White. He is a climate scientist at the University of Colorado in Boulder who was not involved in the study. Camp Century covers an area about the size of 100 soccer fields. It is about 200 kilometers from Greenland’s coast. Nearly 200 soldiers lived there when it was an operating U.S. base. The camp was sometimes called “the city under the ice.” Any possible cleanup of the site could be tricky. The base belonged to the U.S. However, Greenland belongs to Denmark. International law has clear rules about dealing with hazardous waste. But, it is not clear on who is responsible for cleaning up the waste from a long time ago. The study was published this week in Geophysical Research Letters, a journal of the American Geophysical Union. I’m Mehrnoush Karamiajn-Ainsworth.   Jim Dresbach adapted this VOA News story for Learning English. Mario Ritter 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   hazardous – adj. involving risk or danger disrupt – v. to interrupt the normal progress or activity radioactive – adj. having or producing a powerful and dangerous form of energy  coolant – n. a liquid that is used to cool an engine or machine generator– n. something that produces something​ ice sheet– n. a very large and thick area of ice that covers a region

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Olympic Spirit Captured in North and South Korean 'Selfie'

This is What’s Trending Today. Lee Eun-ju is a South Korean gymnast. She is representing her country at the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Hong Un-Jong is a North Korean gymnast. She is the 2008 Olympic vault gold medalist. Like Lee, she is the only woman gymnast representing her country at this year's Olympic Games. The two athletes competed in the same session. During a practice, photographers caught the two athletes taking a “selfie” together. The 17-year-old Lee is seen holding her phone and smiling as 27-year-old Hong leans in for the photo. She is smiling, too. It was a rare moment of inter-Korean friendship. The photo is being praised for representing the Olympic goals of building peace and understanding between countries. North Korea and South Korea remain deeply divided. Following North Korea’s fourth nuclear test in January, South Korea ended all business connections and communication with the North. Yoon Kang-ro is the President of the International Sport Cooperation and Diplomacy Institute in South Korea. He says the Olympics offer the two Koreas a chance to find some common ground. Yoon said, “One photo doesn’t make any good progress, but I think it’s a good starting point." People on social media praised the photo for its impact. Ian Bremmer is a political scientist and founder of the Eurasia Group. He tweeted the photo and wrote, “This is why we do the Olympics.” His post has been retweeted more than 21,000 times. Twitter user Eugene Cho is a Korean-American. His parents were born in North Korea. He wrote on Twitter that the selfie gave him “hope for a future reunification.” And that’s What’s Trending Today.   Brian Padden reported this story from Seoul. Ashley Thompson adapted it for Learning English with additional reporting. Hai Do was the editor. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   session - n. a period of time that is used to do a particular activity lean - v. to bend or move from a straight position impact - n. a powerful or major influence or effect common ground - expression. something that people agree about even if they disagree about other things reunification - n. the process of making something (such as a country) whole again

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What Are Those Marks on the Olympic Athletes?

  American swimmer Michael Phelps has won more Olympic medals than anyone in history. On Sunday night, he added another gold medal as a member of the USA 4x100-meter freestyle relay team. But the red circular marks on Phelps’ upper arms and shoulders received most of the attention. Television viewers wondered what caused the marks on his body. Athletes in other sports had similar marks. It turns out they are bruises left behind from a treatment called cupping. Cupping is supposed to help athletes who have sore muscles feel better. A study published earlier this year in the Journal of Bodywork and Therapies calls cupping “an ancient technique used in treating pain and various disorders.” Forms of cupping may have started over 5,000 years ago. It is practiced frequently in Asian countries but it is less common in the U.S and western countries. Sometimes the cups are applied with the help of heat. They are also applied using a suction device. The glass or plastic cups are placed on the skin, and the suction device removes air. This creates a tight seal. The cups are kept in place for only a few minutes. The journal’s report, by Evgeni Rozenfeld and Leonid Kalichman, says it is not clear why some people benefit from cupping therapy. The theory is that pressure applied to the skin and nearby muscles from the cup stimulates blood flow. The blood flow may reduce pain in the area. The report says more studies are needed to learn about the effectiveness of the therapy. Athletes and celebrities have posted photos to social media sites of themselves using cups. Those watching Alexander Naddour of the USA Gymnastics team compete over the weekend also saw evidence of cupping. Naddour told USA Today that the cups were a “secret,” that kept him healthy during training. Dr. Adam Perlman, of Duke Integrative Medicine in North Carolina, told CBS News he was glad to see Olympic athletes trying new forms of therapy. “It really speaks to this level of integration we're seeing with many things that are considered complementary medicine,” he said. I’m Dan Friedell.   Dan Friedell wrote this story for Learning English based on information from VOANews.com, CBS News and The Journal of Bodywork and Therapies. Hai Do was the editor. What do you think about the cupping treatment? We want to know. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   freestyle– n. an Olympic swimming event where athletes move themselves in the water using a crawling motion with their arms and kicking with their legs relay – n. a race between teams in which each team member runs, swims, etc., a different part of the race therapy – n. the treatment of a physical problem or illness suction – n. the act or process of removing the air, water, etc., from a space in order to pull something into that space or in order to cause something to stick to a surface disorder – n. a physical or mental condition that is not normal or healthy bruise – n. a dark and painful area on your skin that is caused by an injury

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