Clinton Blasts Trump Proposals in Economic Speech

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton blasted opponent Donald Trump’s tax and trade proposals as she laid out her own economic plan Thursday. Clinton spoke at an automotive and defense industry factory near the Midwestern city of Detroit, Michigan. Trump had outlined his economic policies earlier on Monday during a speech in Detroit. He also criticized Clinton’s economic plan. Trump said Clinton would raise taxes and continue heavy government regulation on businesses. In her speech, Clinton said Trump only spoke of “failure, poverty and crime” when he brought up economic conditions in the state. She also condemned his remarks that America is becoming a third world country. “But clearly he doesn’t know the people of Michigan. He doesn’t see the businesses and the labor unions, the local governments, the clergy - coming together every single day to make things better.” She said Trump has offered “no credible plans” to address the problems faced by American working families. “He wants America to work for him and his friends at the expense of everyone else.” She said Trump has ignored many issues that have been a focus of her campaign. These include proposals to help students refinance debt, reduce prescription drug costs, promote clean energy, and fight poverty and racism in communities of color.  Clinton blasts “outlandish Trumpian ideas” Clinton said Trump only offers “a more extreme version of the failed theory of trickle-down economics - with his own addition of outlandish Trumpian ideas that even Republicans reject.” The Democratic candidate addressed some of Trump’s main campaign issues, including his opposition to international trade agreements. Clinton said she agrees that past administrations sometimes portrayed trade deals as being better than they turned out to be. Some led to factory closures and job losses, she said. “It is also true that China and other countries have gamed the system for too long.” She said cutting the U.S. off from the rest of the world, which she said Trump proposed, would not solve the problems. Clinton added, “The answer is to finally make trade work for us, not against us.” She pledged to stop any trade deal that kills jobs or holds down wages, including the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). Officials from 12 countries negotiated the TPP, which is favored by U.S. President Barack Obama. Those countries control 40 percent of the world economy. “I oppose it now. I’ll oppose it after the election, and I’ll oppose it as president.” Opposing tax cuts for the rich She said Trump’s tax plan for individuals and corporations would only help the wealthiest Americans, including his own family. “The tax cuts he doubled down on in his speech in Detroit on Monday offered trillions to the richest Americans and corporations.” She said under Trump’s proposed tax plan, the billionaire candidate would “pay a lower rate than millions of middle class families.” Clinton also said Trump’s plan to get rid of the estate tax could make his family $4 billion dollars richer. Just think about what we could do with those $4 billion dollars.” She suggested the money could buy 47,000 veterans a 4-year college degree. Or provide a year’s worth of health care to nearly 3 million children. She said it should no longer be the case that a four-year college degree should be the only career path for young Americans. She proposed stronger union training programs and new tax credits to provide paid apprenticeships to teach trade skills. The candidate repeated her pledge that if elected, she would work to complete the “biggest investment” in new, good paying jobs since World War II. Clinton campaign aides said Thursday’s speech was not intended to introduce new economic policies. It was given to counter Trump’s economic plan, which he had not yet discussed in detail. I’m Bryan Lynn.   Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English, with additional information coming from the Associated Press and Reuters. 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 blast – v. attack strongly with words regulation – n. an official rule or law that says how something should be done​ credible – adj. able to be conceived trickle-down – n. relating to something happening gradually outlandish – adj. very strange or unusual portray – v. describe in a particular way apprenticeship – n. a fixed period of time during which a person learns a job or skill by working for for someone who is very good at that job or skill 

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August 11, 2016

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

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Studying Sentence Patterns to Improve Your Writing: Part 2

In a previous Everyday Grammar story, we discussed two common sentence patterns using the word “be.” This week, we are going to give you more information about another common pattern in English: the linking verb pattern.  To get you started with linking verb patterns, consider this passage from a story called “The Diamond as Big as the Ritz,” by the American author F. Scott Fitzgerald:  "As he approached the end his sentences became broken, became short and uncertain, and his body seemed tense, seemed strained to catch the slightest pressure or whisper of life in the spaces around him."  By the end of this story, you will be able to recognize one major linking verb pattern that Fitzgerald uses many times in this sentence.   An important point about sentences and clauses  Remember: a sentence has a subject and a predicate. A clause has a subject and a predicate, too. The predicate is the verb phrase. It has a main verb, such as a linking verb, and other words, such as a subject complement, that give more information about it.   When you capitalize the first word of a clause and put a period at the end of it, a clause becomes a sentence. Keep this idea in mind, because it will help you understand sentences that use several clauses.   What is a linking verb?  In the book "Rhetorical Grammar," Martha Kolln says that the term “linking verbs” applies to verbs that are completed by a subject complement – the adjective or noun phrase that describes the subject.  Many grammar experts consider the verb BE to be a linking verb, but Kolln says BE verb patterns are sometimes different from other linking verb patterns. This is because adverbial information often follows BE verbs, such as in the following sentence:  My sister is at the store.   In this case, an adverbial structure, a prepositional phrase, tells about the location of the subject, “my sister.” This BE pattern is one we discussed in a previous Everyday Grammar story. In contrast, the usual linking verb structure is this: Examples of linking verbs 1: verbs of the senses Some of the most common linking verbs are verbs of the senses. They include “taste,” “smell,” “feel,” “look,” and “sound.”   These verbs often link an adjective to a subject.   For example, consider these memorable lines from “Dirty Harry,” a famous American film. Clint Eastwood, the actor who plays the character of Dirty Harry, says: “You've got to ask yourself one question: 'Do I feel lucky?' Well, do ya, punk?” In the sentence "Do I feel lucky?", the adjective “lucky” acts as the subject complement. It describes the subject, “I.”  If you were to answer the question, you might say this:   Examples of linking verbs 2: “remain” and “become” Verbs of the senses are not the only linking verbs. Two other common examples of linking verbs are “remain” and “become.” These verbs often link a noun or noun phrase to a subject.  Consider the opening lines from “Casablanca,” another classic American film:  "With the coming of the Second World War, many eyes in imprisoned Europe turned hopefully or desperately toward the freedom of the Americas. Lisbon became the great embarkation point." In the second sentence — “Lisbon became the great embarkation point”— you can see the basic linking verb pattern, even though the subject complement has several words. “Lisbon” is the subject of the sentence. The predicate has the linking verb “became,” as well as the noun phrase “the great embarkation point.   Examples of linking verbs 3: “prove,” “seem” and “appear” Aside from the verbs of the senses and “become” and “remain,” there are three other common linking verbs. They are “prove,” “seem” and “appear.”   Like other linking verbs, these verbs link an adjective or noun phrase to the subject. All these verbs use the same basic pattern: Subject + Linking Verb + Subject Complement. What do linking verbs have to do with F. Scott Fitzgerald?  Think back to this passage from "The Diamond as Big as the Ritz":  "As he approached the end his sentences became broken, became short and uncertain, and his body seemed tense, seemed strained to catch the slightest pressure or whisper of life in the spaces around him. "  Fitzgerald uses some phrases that do not fit into the linking verb pattern. But, if you look closely, you will see that he uses the Subject + Linking Verb + Subject Complement pattern in the sentence.  Consider these clauses:    Fitzgerald then repeats the linking verb pattern, but does not say the subject. The repeated subject is understood:    This sentence contains other structures that are more complicated than the basic linking verb pattern. But you can still see that these basic patterns can serve as the starting point for very long, complicated sentences.   What can you do?  Learning how to use linking verb patterns will help you improve your writing. You can think about creative ways to use them, or you can learn to recognize when you use them too often. To start practicing this pattern, try finding the linking verb in the sentences at the end of this story. Identify the subject of the sentence, the linking verb, and the subject complement. Be careful, because one or more sentences may be tricky!   We will give you the answers next week in the comments section and on our Facebook page.   The lake became a clear pool, pale and quiet. – "Winter Dreams" by F. Scott Fitzgerald Her slight unsteadiness seemed part of an enchanted dream. – "The Jelly Bean" by F. Scott Fitzgerald John T. Unger was on the eve of departure. – "The Diamond as Big as the Ritz" by F. Scott Fitzgerald I'm Jonathan Evans. I'm John Russell. And I'm Jill Robbins. John Russell wrote this story for Learning English. Kelly J Kelly was the editor. Do you like learning about sentence patterns? Is there a pattern you'd like us to explain here? ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story strained – adj. feeling or showing the effect of too much work, use, effort, etc. complement – n. a word or group of words added to a sentence to make it complete adverbial – adj. like or relating to an adverb. analyze – v. to learn the nature and relationship of the parts of (something) by a close and careful examination phrase – n. a group of two or more words that express a single idea but do not usually form a complete sentence adjective – n. a word that describes a noun or a pronoun prepositional phrase – n. a phrase that begins with a preposition and ends in a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase embarkation – n. a place where a journey begins tricky – adj. difficult to do or deal with

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What Is Causing Airline Computers to Shut Down?

  The power outage at Delta Airlines this week took down computers and stranded thousands of travelers from New York to Tokyo. It was just the latest in a series of computer-related issues that have disrupted other U.S. airlines. Delta said it canceled about 900 flights Monday out of a total of 6,000 worldwide. Nearly 800 were canceled Tuesday and hundreds more were delayed. By Wednesday most flights had resumed, although Delta said it expected about 100 more cancellations. Delta is investigating the outage, which hit the airline’s computer systems early Monday in Atlanta, Georgia. The company said after power was lost, “some critical systems and network equipment” didn’t switch to backup as they were supposed to. In a video message posted online, Delta CEO Ed Bastian apologized to passengers for the shutdown. "I’m sorry that it happened and I don’t have the final analysis (on) what caused the outage." Bastian noted that over the last three years, Delta had spent "hundreds of millions of dollars" on technology upgrades. He said the upgrades included backup system improvements intended to prevent what happened this week. Three weeks ago, Southwest Airlines experienced a similar outage and the company canceled 2,300 flights over four days. The airline said in that incident, a computer network router failed at its Dallas data center and backup systems did not switch on. JetBlue computers went out several times this year due to power and other issues. The outages caused widespread flight delays and forced employees to check in passengers without computers. The operations center that lost power monitors all of Delta’s worldwide flights. It also keeps track of individual planes, crew and passengers, and operates sales and ticketing. Dr. Ahmed Abdelghany is an Associate Professor of Operations Management at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida. He said computer outages are significant because they affect all airline operations and require a complete “reset” of the system.   "As an airline, you are required to rebuild as if you are rebuilding your schedule of the flights, the crew and the ground personnel. And you have to do that in no time." Abdelghany, who worked for several years as a senior technology analyst at United Airlines, said the fact that Delta’s backup systems failed is a big concern. "Of course it is a big problem if your backup system also didn’t work. This is like an unforgivable mistake. You cannot afford that you say I have a backup system and then when you need it, it doesn’t work." Martin Libicki is a professor at the U.S. Naval Academy and an adjunct professor at the Pardee RAND Graduate School. He specializes in information technology and security issues. He said one of the main reasons backup systems fail is because they are not regularly tested.    "And the reason they don’t work is because people think, well they're backups, they’ll be there when I need it. And they don’t test it, and when they’ need it, it doesn’t come on. If you are going to have a reliable backup system, you have to go to it all the time, just to make sure that it runs all the time." Libicki said one possible cause of backup failures in both the Delta and Southwest outages could have been a malware infection. This is what investigators determined caused a huge power outage in the Northeastern United States in 2003. The malware infection in that case affected a power company’s outage warning system. "That creates a possibility that there is a piece of malware out there - which somehow interferes with the transition from backup to main system - that prevented in both cases backup from coming to the rescue when the main system went down." Professor Abdelghany said Delta did a good job informing its customers about the outage and trying to accommodate their needs. But he thinks all the airlines should do more to explain what steps they are taking to avoid future outages.  "We need to hear more about what they are doing to prevent those incidents from happening in the first place." I’m Bryan Lynn.   Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English. Additional material came from the Associated Press and Reuters. 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   disrupt – v. to interrupt by causing a disturbance switch – v. router – n. a device that forwards data to the proper parts of a computer network monitor – v.  to watch, observe, listen to, or check (something) for a special purpose over a period of time​ significant – adj. large enough to be noticed or have an effect​ schedule – n. a list of the times when buses, trains, airplanes, etc., leave or arrive​ personnel – n. the people who work for a particular company or organization​ analyst – n. a person who studies​ something; an expert afford – v. to be able to do (something) without having problems or being seriously harmed​ adjunct – adj. added to a teaching staff for only a short time or in a lower position than other staff​ regularly – adv. at the same time every day, week, month, etc. : on a regular basis​ reliable – adj. able to be trusted to do or provide what is needed : able to be relied on​ malware – n. software that is intended to damage or disable computers and computer systems determine – v. to officially decide (something) especially because of evidence or facts : to establish (something) exactly or with authority​ transition – n. a change from one state or condition to another​ accommodate – n. to provide what is needed or wanted for (someone or something)

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Unexploded Bombs Still a Problem in Laos

Officials in Laos estimate that the country has about 15,000 people who have been injured by unexploded ordnance, also called UXO. The ordnance landed in the countryside, but failed to explode over 40 years ago. They were dropped as part of a secret American bombing campaign during the Vietnam War. Today, there are few support services available in Laos for people injured by the bombs.   One of those people is Houng Phomma Chak. He was severely hurt one day in 2004. He and two friends went out into the countryside to look for scrap metal to supplement their family's earnings. They found a piece of metal partly buried in the ground. The three recognized it as a piece of an old bomb casing. They thought it was no longer dangerous. Instead, it was a live cluster bomb, known in Laos as a “bombie.” The device exploded. Bomb shrapnel ripped through Houng’s body and those of his two friends. They were killed. Houng was blinded in one eye and lost both his lower arms. Now, his wife depends on the support of neighbors to help with the family’s rice field. His eldest daughter spends much of her time caring for the needs of her disabled father. A lack of money means most survivors do not get the medical treatment they need. Many lack disability services, like physical therapy, mental health support, prosthetic equipment and job training. It is difficult for families affected by unexploded ordnance. These families have to care for a parent or child while trying to work and earn a living. Laos is one of the poorest countries in Southeast Asia. Most of the population lives in rural areas, making it more difficult to provide assistance. Colette McInerney is with World Education, a U.S.-based group that provides training and assistance for teachers and schools. It is one of the largest of the few aid providers in Laos. “There are still people that fall through the gaps that we don’t hear about until many years after their accident,” said McInerney. World Education has enough money to support just 250 survivors a year. McInerney says there is a need for more non-governmental organizations and non-profit groups. “For INGOs (international non-government organizations) and NPAs (non-profit associations), there really is a serious gap in funding to provide a comprehensive support to survivors no matter where they live. And for survivors themselves, the financial burden on a family once someone is injured or killed, is quite significant,” she said. The Laotian government has a plan to deal with the problems of unexploded bombs. But most of the government’s energy is currently centered on the work of disarming and clearing the explosives. This effort, too, largely depends on foreign aid. More U.S. funding is expected Between 1964 and 1973, the U.S. military dropped more than 2 million tons of bombs within Laos. The campaign was part of a secret operation during the Vietnam War. The goal was to cut off the supply lines of North Vietnamese forces. Some estimates say nearly one third of the 270 million explosives that were dropped did not explode. Today, more than 40 years after the war, deadly explosives are still found across the mountains and rice fields of Laos’ Xieng Khouang province. Next month, Barack Obama will become the first U.S. president to visit Laos while in office. He is to attend a meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in the capital, Vientiane. The U.S. Embassy in Laos confirmed that Obama plans to announce an increase in financing for UXO groups. But the details have yet to be finalized. The activist group Legacies of War says that the U.S. government gave more than $4 million a year to the UXO clean-up effort in Laos between 1995 and 2015. Most of the money went toward efforts to clear away explosives. Titus Peachey is an official with Legacies of War. He said, "U.S. contributions to the UXO sector have increased many-fold over the past 10 years, reaching $19.5 million in 2016. Most of this increase has gone to clearance operations and an improved survey methodology, which will improve the efficiency of the clearance work.” Peachey added that the need now is to provide aid for the thousands of people affected by the bombs. He said many of these people will require long-term medical care. I’m Mario Ritter.   Daniel Carteret reported this story for VOA from Xieng Khouang, Laos. Mario Ritter adapted it for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   ordnance – n. military weapons including explosives and ammunition scrap – n. material from unwanted or broke things, often used with metal supplement – n. something in addition to prosthetics – n. an artificial replacement for a body part such as and arm or leg comprehensive – adj. complete or nearly complete, including all or most parts of something methodology – n. a detailed plan for carrying out a task or a method gaps – n. a hole; a space between two things; a missing part

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Indonesia Prepares for Another Dangerous Fire Season

  Last year, some of the biggest fires in recent history burned through parts of Indonesia. The fires sent huge clouds of smoke across Indonesia and its neighbors. They also produced large amounts of carbon dioxide. Studies have linked increasing carbon dioxide levels to rising temperatures in Earth’s atmosphere. For years, Indonesian farmers and businesses have cleared land for agriculture by setting fire to fields and undeveloped areas. This year’s fire season is to begin soon. But measures to limit the burning are now in place. One of Indonesia’s top exports and most popular agricultural products is palm oil. It is used in snack foods and cosmetics. Palm trees grow mainly in what was once peatland – wet areas where dead organic material is plentiful. Peatland was dried for agriculture in the quickest way possible – illegal draining and burning of the land. This kind of farming was responsible for some of the worst fires in history. The fires created clouds so large they spread into neighboring countries. Such fires can release more carbon dioxide than the amount produced in the entire United States. Woro Supartinah directs The Network for Riau Forest Rescue, a non-governmental organization on the island of Sumatra. Her group studies forest fires and their destruction through satellite information and reports by members. “Dried peatland has become the gasoline for any triggers for the fires…Riau province has lost around five million hectares of natural forest. Now, currently we only have 1.6 million (Hectares) of natural forest from seven million that we had in the late (19)80s." This year, scientists are blaming the weather event called El Nino for reduced rainfall and drier than normal conditions across Indonesia. But for the first time, policing efforts have stopped the fires on large farms, known as plantations. Edwar Sanger is the head of the National Disaster Management Authority in Riau. He said his government agency is prepared to control the burning. “…We have already made a commitment that what had happened in the past years will not happen again." Communities across Indonesia have developed different ways to prevent and fight fires. Some are blocking waterways once used to drain water from the land. This helps to reduce the risk of fire. Other communities have their own fire departments or firefighters. And some farmers have stopped growing palm trees and, instead, are planting different crops. With the dangerous fire season soon to begin, these efforts and others will be put to the test. I’m Caty Weaver.   David Boyle and Laura Villadiego wrote this story for VOANews.com. Jim Dresbach adapted it for Learning English. Georg 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   cosmetics – n. a beauty product; a substance (such as a cream, lotion, or powder) that you put on your face or body to improve your appearance drain - v. to remove (liquid) from something by letting it flow away or out​ carbon dioxide – n. a gas that is produced when people and animals breathe out or when certain fuels are burned and that is used by plants for energy gasoline - n. a liquid made from petroleum and used especially as a fuel for engines​ plantation – n.  a large area of land especially in a hot part of the world where crops (such as cotton) are grown

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China's Fu Yuanhui: The Happiest Olympian?

  This is What’s Trending Today… Fu Yuanhui is an Olympic swimmer. She is 20 years old and from the Chinese city of Hangzhou. She competed in the 100-meter backstroke event this week in Rio de Janeiro. She finished third in her semi-final swim on August 7. Shortly after the semi-finals, Fu became a trending topic on Chinese social media. A short time later, she became a trending topic around the world. It was not her swimming, however, that made her famous. It was some of the comments she made afterward. A Chinese reporter spoke with Fu after the semi-finals. The reporter told her that she swam the race in under 59 seconds. This seemed to shock Fu. “58.95?” Fu said with excitement. “I was really fast!”  She told the reporter that she used “mystical powers” in her swim. Her shock, joy and honesty won her many friends in China -- and around the world. People began making GIFs of her excited facial expressions. Those images spread quickly. ​ One American swimming coach wrote on Twitter: “Our swimmers are great, but Fu Yuanhui from China is easily my favorite.” Another American wrote, “Fu Yuanhui from China is the most adorable person on the planet.” Even the Huffington Post website called her, the “most lovable athlete at the Rio Olympics.” Fu’s fame only grew on August 9, when she competed in the 100-meter backstroke finals. She beat her semi-final time. She swam the race in 58.76 seconds. It was fast enough to earn her a share of the bronze medal. She tied for third place with Kylie Masse of Canada. Her comments after the race won Fu even more followers in China and around the world. At first, the swimmer said she does not think she won a medal. She said she is still pleased with her time because she beat the Asian record. A reporter told her that she was just .01 seconds behind the silver medal winner. Fu said she couldn’t reach second place because her “arms are too short.” Fu started to say even though she "did not win a medal...” when the reporter corrected her. “But you got a medal. You are third,” the reporter said. “Huh?” she said. Fu looked around in shock. “I didn’t know!” She then said, “Well, then I think that’s not bad at all!” Her reaction and personality have made Fu Yuanhui one of China’s -- and the world’s -- favorite Olympians.   The New York Times newspaper wrote Thursday of the swimmer, “Rather than mere happiness at her performances, Ms. Fu, 20, exhibits something closer to pure joy, bouncing around and making animated faces.” And that’s What’s Trending Today.   I'm Mehrnoush Karimian-Ainsworth ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   mystical - adj. having a spiritual meaning that is difficult to see or understand adorable - adj. very appealing; very lovable exhibit - v.  to show or reveal (something) bounce - v. to move with a lot of energy and excitement animated - adj. full of life and energy

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Ancient Earth Had More Oxygen than Scientists Thought

  Researchers say the Earth had much more oxygen nearly a billion years ago than scientific experts thought. That claim could change theories about how life developed on our planet. The claim came from researchers at Brock University in Canada. They wanted to measure the levels of oxygen in the Earth’s atmosphere nearly a billion years ago. To do this, the researchers developed a way to study small air bubbles trapped in ancient salt crystals. “There was a lot of debate as to what the oxygen content was 800 million or more years ago,” said Nigel Blamey of Brock University’s Department of Earth Sciences. He said the trapped gasses showed that the oxygen level was about half of what it is today. In fact, many experts believed that the oxygen level was only about two percent of the atmosphere so long ago. But the new study found that it was almost 11 percent. Currently, oxygen is about 21 percent of the atmosphere. The Canadian researchers used a method to study air bubbles trapped in halite, the natural form of table salt. The researchers say their findings have major effects for theories about how and when life developed. Professor of Earth Sciences Uwe Brand said that higher oxygen levels in the past may turn back the clock when complex life developed. “Now paleobiologists will have reason to go looking for rocks with” evidence of these first evolutionary steps,” he told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. I’m Anne Ball.   VOANews.com reported on this story. Jim Dresbach adapted the story 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   bubble – n. a small ball of air in a solid substance crystals – n. small pieces of a substance that has many sides and are formed when the substance turns into a solid clock - n. an instrument for telling time

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News Words: Unaccompanied

Learn from Anne and Jonathan the meaning of unaccompanied.

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1500 UTC Newscast for August 11, 2016

From Washington, this is VOA News. I’m Michael Brown reporting. Russia says it will temporarily cease military operations in the Syrian city of Aleppo for three hours starting Thursday to allow humanitarian aid to get in, but media reports say fighting continues. The Special Advisor to the UN Special Envoy to Syria, Jan Egeland, says they are waiting for the “all clear” to deliver the badly-needed supplies. “There are enormous resources ready, and humanitarian workers willing to take the risk to go into these zones if they get the permission, and they are not at the moment.” Attacks this week have severely damaged Aleppo's electric and water infrastructure, while the main supply routes to both the eastern and western parts of the city have been cut in recent weeks, making an already severe humanitarian situation much worse. Pakistani officials say Afghan security forces are making efforts to secure the safe release of the crew of a Pakistani helicopter that crashed inside Afghanistan last week while flying to Russia. Residents and officials said all the men on board survived, but were taken hostage by Taliban insurgents because of a lack of government authority in the area. Members of the anti-state Pakistani Taliban, who are believed to be hiding in border areas of Afghanistan, have also denied involvement. And, Turkey carried out deadly airstrikes against Kurdish rebel targets in northern Iraq and raided pro-Kurdish political offices in Istanbul after deadly bombings blamed on the rebels hit southeastern Turkey. Turkey often conducts similar airstrikes as part of its campaign against members of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, which has waged a decades-long insurgency. This is VOA News.   We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.

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Was Trump Suggesting Violence Against Clinton?

On Monday, Donald Trump tried to reset his presidential campaign by offering a plan to cut taxes and renegotiate trade deals. He read from a prepared speech. He was doing what some Republicans had been requesting for weeks -- that he provide details about how he would “make American great again.” But one day later, Trump’s campaign was again responding to new controversy. It was over comments Trump made at a campaign rally on the issue of gun rights in America. He said his opponent, Democrat Hillary Clinton, wants to take away the right of Americans to own guns -- something Clinton says is not true. And if Clinton wins, Trump told his audience, she will appoint anti-gun judges to the U.S. Supreme Court. “By the way, and if she gets to pick -- if she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks, although the Second Amendment people, maybe there is, I don’t know. But I’ll tell you what, that will be a horrible day,” Trump said. Debate over Trump’s comments Soon people were debating what Trump meant. To some, he was suggesting people who back the Second Amendment might shoot Clinton to stop her from appointing judges. The Second Amendment refers to the right of people to “keep and bear arms.” But Trump, appearing later Tuesday on Fox News, said it was clear he meant that gun rights supporters are part of a “strong powerful political movement.” "And there can be no other interpretation," he said. “I mean, give me a break.” His campaign blamed the “dishonest media,” which it says largely backs Clinton, for even suggesting Trump might be backing violence. But that is how many Democrats, and some Republicans, viewed his comments. “I really, frankly couldn't believe he said it," said Tim Kaine, Clinton’s vice presidential running mate. "Nobody who is seeking a leadership position, especially the presidency, the leadership of the country, should do anything to countenance violence, and that's what he was saying." Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan said he was busy and had not watched Trump’s gun comments. But he said, “It sounds like a joke gone bad. You should never joke about that. I hope he clears it up quickly." Comments troubling to some But some Republicans said Trump’s statement was too troubling to forgive. Former Republican Congressman Joe Scarborough of Florida now has a TV program on politics. He wrote this in a Washington Post column Wednesday: "A bloody line has been crossed that cannot be ignored. At long last, Donald Trump has left the Republican Party few options but to act decisively and get this political train wreck off the tracks before something terrible happens.” Democrats are trying to take advantage. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee said Trump's suggestion of “gun violence” is unacceptable. “The only thing more appalling than Donald Trump are the Republican Senators and Senate candidates who continue to stand with him,” the group said in a statement. Trump’s recent comments are raising new questions about whether he has the temperament - meaning character and personality -- to be president. The same day that some Republicans were praising Trump’s economic speech, 50 former Republican national security experts said he “would put at risk our country’s national security and well-being.” And Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine said she could not support Trump because of his “constant stream of cruel comments." On Wednesday, Reuters released a poll reporting that 19 percent of Republican voters think Trump should drop out of the race. Reuters said that shows deep divisions in the Republican Party. Trump’s campaign said Tuesday that voters know Trump was talking about the “great political power” held by gun rights supporters, not violence. “And this year, they will be voting in record numbers, and it won’t be for Hillary Clinton, it will be for Donald Trump,” the Trump campaign said. I'm Jill Robbins.   Chris Hannas and Jim Malone reported this story for VOA news. Bruce Alpert adapted the story for 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. __________________________________________________________ Words in this Story   controversy -- n. strong disagreement about something among a large group of people interpretation -- n. the way something is explained or understood frankly -- adv. in an honest and direct way stream -- n. a continuous flow of people or thing 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 option -- n. the opportunity or ability to choose something or to choose between two or more things tracks -- n. a pair of metal bars that a train, trolley, or subway car rides along appalling -- adj. very bad in a way that causes fear, shock, or disgust

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