'Escape Room' Games Growing in Popularity in U.S.

  It may seem like a nightmare for some people. But for others, it sounds like a fun game. Escape Rooms are becoming a popular form of group entertainment in the United States. A story by the business website MarketWatch explains that Escape Room games began in Asia about 10 years ago. In 2012, they started opening in the U.S.  Now, according to the website Escape Room Directory, you can go to an Escape Room location in nearly every U.S. state, not to mention Australia, Asia, the Middle East, and most of Europe. The idea is simple. Players enter a room with a theme. It could be a Sherlock Holmes mystery or something like the movie series “Mission Impossible.” The door locks behind them. The players then have 60 minutes to solve a series of puzzles that will help them find a key that unlocks the door. VOA visited an escape room “lounge” in Washington, D.C. One of the rooms is in the theme of the Oval Office at the White House. That is the well-known room where the president works and holds meetings. The space is decorated to look like the real Oval Office. It even has the presidential seal woven into the rug. When the clock starts and the door locks, anything inside the room can be a clue. Players look through the desk, look at the paintings on the wall, even see if an old-fashioned typewriter might help. The goal is to make it out of the room before time runs out. There are hidden messages that can only be seen under a special light. By one estimate, there are about 600 Escape Rooms in the U.S. Timothy Smith runs the Escape Lounge in Washington. When he opened his business, there were two others in the area. Now there are at least 12. The Escape Room games cost about $15 per player. Most of the time, players come in groups, but sometimes strangers work together. In this case, eight players cooperated to find the key. If a team is having trouble or getting off track, the game master who is watching on a video screen can call in to offer some advice or a clue. The phone on the Oval Office desk rings, and the game master asks, “Would you guys like a clue?” The tip seems to help, and the group is able to solve the puzzle, find the key and leave the room with seven minutes to spare. It turns out, they did well. Smith said fewer than 50 percent of the players escape the room. One of the players was Demetrios Psihopaidas. He said the game was stressful and the clues were hard to figure out. “I was a little worried that we were not going to find all the clues and we weren't going to get out in time,” he said. Smith said the games are fun because they are challenging. “'Escape the Oval Office' is not an easy game. I think this game is popular because it gives an individual a chance to be a detective or to be a James Bond.” I’m Dan Friedell.   June Soh wrote this story for VOANews.com. Dan Friedell adapted her report for Learning English. Jill Robbins was the editor. Have you ever played an Escape Room game? We want to know. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   nightmare – n. a dream that frightens a sleeping person : a very bad dream directory – n. a book that contains an alphabetical list of names of people, businesses, etc. theme – n. the main subject that is being discussed or described in a piece of writing, a movie, etc. mission - n.  a task or job that someone is given to do puzzle – n. a question or problem that requires thought, skill, or cleverness to be answered or solved lounge – n. an official mark that is stamped on paper or on a small piece of wax to show that something (such as a document) is genuine and has been officially approved seal – n. an official mark that is stamped on paper or on a small piece of wax to show that something (such as a document) is genuine and has been officially approved typewriter – n. a machine that prints letters or figures on a sheet of paper when a person pushes its keys off track – n. away from the main point, thought, etc. tip – n. useful or secret information challenging - adj. difficult in a way that is usually interesting or enjoyable detective - n. a police officer whose job is to find information about crimes that have occurred and to catch criminals    

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September 13, 2016

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

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Jennifer Webb-McRae: Serving and Protecting the Citizens of Cumberland County

Jennifer Webb-McRae always knew what she wanted to be when she grew up. “I really never wanted to be anything else when I grew up. I knew I wanted to be a lawyer and that was because my family kind of put that notion in my head. They use to tease me and say I argued every point so I should grow up and be a lawyer.” (grow up clip) But neither Webb-McRae, nor her family, knew how far she would go…all in her home state of New Jersey. “I am the Cumberland County prosecutor which means that I am the Chief Law Enforcement Officer for the county of Cumberland. There are 21 county prosecutors throughout the state. I happen to be the first African American and first female prosecutor of Cumberland County.” (current job clip) Webb-McRae was raised in Vineland, New Jersey. She received her law degree just forty minutes away from home, from Camden School of Law at Rutgers University in New Jersey.  Early on, Webb-McRae was interested in family law.  She clerked for a judge involved in that field. He became a lifelong mentor. However, she found she had a passion for criminal law when she worked with the juvenile justice system. “I was fortunate enough to get a job very quickly at the Office of the Public Defender representing juvenile defendants. So it was interesting because it gave me a passion for criminal justice, but it also kind of suited that social work element of me to want to do justice and help serve the whole person and it started me on my way in the criminal justice world.” (grow up clip) McRae says her responsibilities as Chief Prosecutor of Cumberland County are complex. “There are a lot of hard issues that you face when you have to made decisions that affect people’s lives in the criminal justice system, however, some of the national issues that are going on in our country you know with Ferguson, with mass incarceration, with a lack of confidence in law enforcement. It’s been a challenge being the first African American prosecutor.” Sometimes the challenges might feel personal. Also being a mother of an African American boy to reconcile that I have a role to play in this system and how to do that responsibly. One of the things that we work really hard on and I hopefully have brought to the forefront is that I understand that my primary responsibly here is to prosecute people who break the law in Cumberland County as well as protect the citizens of this great county.” (community philosophy clip) There are many ways to serve that purpose, however. Webb-McRae says she works to help people make good choices, especially when they are young. She recognizes the power of peer pressure that children face. She notes the strong “no-snitching” culture among young people that can block needed intervention. To battle this, Webb-McRae launched an Annual Back to School Initiative.  After just six years in existence, the program ago now involves 40 schools. McRae and her office staff attend over 30 back-to-school events each year. They share information about programs that help keep kids safe.  Earlier this year, Webb-McRae also launched a community engagement series. “With Ferguson, with police involved shootings it’s important that we dialogue with the communities in times of rest and when things are calm so that we can capitalize on those relationships when we have unrest or we have crises that we all have to deal with together.” Prosecutor Webb-McRae hopes her example will inspire girls in Cumberland County. “I’m passionate about what I do. I’m proud to be career woman. I’m proud to a role model for other young women who are embarking to be decision makers.” (grow up clip & pet peeves clip) Jennifer Webb-McRae plans to continue to grow in her career. She hopes to become a judge someday. Her belief in community involvement, public service and justice will continue. “I believe that everyone is a stakeholder in our community and everyone has a right and a vested interest to make sure that the justice system is fair and just and equitable for everyone. Our system is not perfect, our justice system across the country is not perfect but I’m passionate about doing my little part to make it better. I believe in action and moving the ball forward.” (aspire & pet peeve clip)   I’m Marsha James.   Marsha James wrote this story for Learning English. ________ 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   notion n. an idea or opinion tease   v. to laugh at and criticize (someone) in a way that is either friendly and playful or cruel and unkind clerk v. a person whose job is to keep track or records and documents for a business or office mentor n. someone who teaches or gives help and advice to a person passion n. a strong feeling or enthusiasm or excitement for something or about doing something incarceration n. the state of being put in prison reconcile v. to find a way of make exist or be true at the same time. Embarking – n. to begin a journey Stakeholder n. a person or business that has invested money in something vested interest n. – a person stack or involvement in an undertakeing of state of affairs, especially one with an expectation of financial gain. equitable adj. dealing fairly and equally with everyone

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2000 UTC Newscast in English for September 12, 2016

From Washington, this is VOA News. I’m Dave DeForest reporting. A ceasefire goes into effect in Syria… The U.S.-Russia mediated truce calls for an initial 48-hour, renewable ceasefire at any location where anti-government forces are operating. It also stipulates that aid agencies should not be impeded from reaching towns and areas in need of aid. Here is U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry. “The resumption of a nationwide cessation of hostilities that excludes only al-Qaeda affiliate al-Nusra and Daesh (Islamic State)…” The United States and Russia will begin jointly targeting jihadists in about a week. Opposition forces Monday issued a series of demands as well as requests for clarifications. On Sunday, several insurgent leaders criticized the ceasefire agreement, but stopped short of saying they wouldn't accept it. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton is skipping a campaign trip to the western state of California after being diagnosed with pneumonia. The Clinton campaign says a doctor had examined her Friday, gave her antibiotics and advised her to rest and modify her schedule. Arthur Caplan is director of the Division of Medical Ethics at (New York University) NYU Langone Medical Center. “Pneumonia can be a very threatening, lethal disease if you’re immune-compromised. It’s certainly the case that there are hundreds of thousands of people who have pneumonia and come through it just fine.” Clinton's Republican opponent, Donald Trump, told Fox News that he hopes she gets well soon. The U.S. and its allies have responded to North Korea's fifth nuclear test conducted on Friday with calls for new sanctions. China is giving off ambiguous signals about whether it will support any additional action against its traditional ally. This is VOA News.   We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.

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Are Millennials Changing U.S. Work Culture?

  From VOA Learning English, this is the Health & Lifestyle report. The latest generation of Americans to enter the labor force may be reshaping the way the United States goes to work. Millennials are the generation who reached adulthood around the year 2000. And many of them do not have the usual 9-to-5 work mentality. The Millennial workforce wants to work a more flexible schedule. This could mean the end of the inflexible 40-hour work week.    A professor at Florida International College of Law in Miami, Florida explains that Millennials value their free time. They value their personal lives – their friends, hobbies and interests -- as much as they value work. That attitude may sound like a benefit to only the workers. But perhaps not. Professor Kerri Stone says studies show that reducing working hours can actually result in better workplace productivity. Stone says that after working so many hours per week you reach the point of what she calls, “diminishing returns.” Diminishing returns is an economic term. It refers to a “point at which the level of profits or benefits gained is less than the amount of money or energy invested.” She adds that people need breaks during the day and during the work week. During a work day, they need “face time” to talk to a friend or colleague. Without planning it, they build this time into their work day. During the week, people need time to relax, or down time. As a group, Stone says Millennials strongly believe that "people need a certain amount of down time and a certain amount of vacation" in order to be happy at home and at work. Cost of imbalance   Employers are not often worried about work-life balance. They are concerned with the bottom line, the profits and results of the company. However, new studies show that a happy employee is good for the company’s bottom line. An organization based in Seattle, Washington seeks to challenge what it calls the epidemic of overworking in the United States and Canada. Take Back Your Time states that its goals are to change the work culture by: reducing work hours, guaranteeing paid vacation and guaranteeing at least one week of sick leave. The organization says that giving employees at least one week of sick leave will help to reduce damage to a person's health and relationships caused by working too much. Ted Bililies is a psychologist and managing director of a company that advises other companies on how to work smarter. He agrees that in the U.S., there is a work epidemic or as he calls it, “workaholism."   He warns that “stress is not uncommon in the workplace, along with physical and mental health issues.” Bililies adds that stress often leads to heart disease and other sicknesses. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention agree. The CDC’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) states this on its website: “Stress is a prevalent and costly problem in today’s workplace. Additionally, periods of disability due to job stress tend to be much longer than disability periods for other occupational injuries and illnesses.” Bililies says that to fix the problem of an over-stressed employee, companies can give employees greater choice regarding how they work. Many companies have already started doing just that.   Alternative answer For the past year, a small company in San Diego, California, called Tower Paddleboards, has started a revolutionary substitute to the 40-hour-plus work week. They have started a five-hour workday for their 11 employees. Stephan Aarstol is the founder and CEO, chief executive officer. He challenged the 8-hour workday, calling it "something that was invented for factory workers 100 years ago."   Aarstol defends his employee program, saying that it helps to keep his employees healthy. He says that these days, people are not active enough. He adds that “disease is on the rise.” Prescription drug abuse and alcoholism are also on the rise. He says he believes that making a little more money for many more hours does not make people happy. The five-hour work day, he suggests, gives people time to do other things in life, such as spending more time with family and friends. So how has this affected his company’s bottom line? Aarstol’s company reports that it is more profitable than ever.   What will people do less of? But does a reduced work day result in more productivity? Dan Ariely is professor at Duke University in the southern state of North Carolina. Ariely says there are basically three things people do at work. They: do productive, thoughtful, deep useful work, do mindless work that has to be done, and waste time. If you decrease the work day from 8 hours to 5 hours, he says, what will be lost is the meaningful work. Trend in America There is a push by some workers to reduce their hours at the office. However, some of American's best-known companies are known for their highly-driven, "workaholic" culture. Aarstol says that companies are trying many different things to see what works. He adds that Tesla, Apple and Amazon have teams of workers “that are super-high performers. These people are working around-the-clock, 24/7 with smartphones and computers, and they are accomplishing some amazing things." This was his own firsthand experience. He warns that a person can easily work themselves into this unhealthy lifestyle of over-working. For Aarstol and some other corporate executives, the balance is to have happy, productive employees and a profitable bottom line. I’m Anna Matteo.   What do you think? Is a 5-hour work day enough time to get your work done? If you worked less, what would you do with your time?   Bernard Shusman reported this story for VOANews.com. Anna Matteo adapted his report for Learning English. Kelly Jean Kelly edited the story. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   work-life balance – n. a concept including proper prioritizing between "work" (career and ambition) and "lifestyle" (health, pleasure, leisure, family and spiritual development/meditation) flexible – adj. easily changed : able to change or to do different things inflexible – adj. not easily changed (law of) diminishing results – n. economics : used to refer to a point at which the level of profits or benefits gained is less than the amount of money or energy invested. face time – n. time spent at the place where you work especially before or after normal working hours downtime – n. time when you are not working or busy bottom line – n. a company's profits or losses epidemic – n. a sudden quickly spreading occurrence of something harmful or unwanted workaholic – n. a person who chooses to work a lot : a person who is always working, thinking about work, etc. prevalent  – adj. accepted, done, or happening often or over a large area at a particular time : common or widespread firsthand – adj. coming directly from actually experiencing or seeing something

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Clinton Cancels Campaign Trip Because of Sickness

The Democratic Party presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton, has cancelled a campaign trip to California because of sickness. A spokesman made the announcement Sunday. Earlier that day, Clinton left early from a ceremony in New York marking the 15th anniversary of the September 11 terror attack.   A video shows her stumble before guards help her into her vehicle. Clinton’s doctor said she had become overheated and dehydrated at the event. He said she is recovering well. Her campaign said the doctor had examined her on Friday and reported she had pneumonia. The diagnosis was not made public until Sunday. She was treated with antibiotics, advised to cut back on her appearances and to get rest. Clinton’s now cancelled trip to California was to include money-raising events and a speech about the economy. Trump reacts  The Republican Party candidate Donald Trump told Fox News he hopes Clinton gets well soon.  "I hope she gets well and gets back on the trail and we'll be seeing her in the debate," Trump said. The two candidates are to hold their first direct debate on September 26. Trump also said he plans to release the results of a physical examination he had last week. He said it would include, in his words, “very, very specific numbers.” Neither candidate has released extensive health records, although Clinton has provided more information than Trump. Trump has suggested that Clinton lacks the energy to serve as president. Some Trump supporters have suggested Clinton is in poor health as a result of a concussion she suffered in a fall in 2012. However, they have not provided any evidence to support the claim. Trump released a letter from a doctor last year. It stated that Trump would be "the healthiest individual ever elected to the presidency." But that doctor later said he wrote the letter in five minutes while a Trump campaign vehicle waited nearby. Hillary Clinton is 68 years old. Donald Trump is 70.   I’m Caty Weaver. The staff at VOA News wrote this story. Jim Dresbach adapted it for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor.   Do you think the health of presidential candidates should be a major issue in campaigning? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   stumble – v. to hit your foot on something when you are walking or running so that you fall or almost fall diagnosis – n. the act of identifying a disease, illness or medical problem dehydrated – adj. lacking enough water specific – adj. clear and exact concussion – n. a brain injury resulting from a hard hit to the head

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Bill Clinton Would Make History as ‘First Gentleman’

If Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton wins the U.S. presidency, her husband Bill Clinton would fill the role traditionally held by women first ladies. How would this role be different for Bill Clinton, especially since he served as the 42nd president of the United States? First ‘gentleman’ would be a first in American politics “There are no precedents,” said Allan Litchman, professor of history at American University in Washington, D.C. “But certainly he should not be called the first lady. He should be called the first gentleman, of course.” Bill Clinton has not publicly discussed his possible role as first gentleman. He has said that if Hillary Clinton is elected, he will resign from the board of the not-for-profit Clinton Foundation. Hillary Clinton has repeatedly said that as president, she would surely include him in her administration. Hillary Clinton was clear about this question during a campaign stop earlier this year in the southern state of Kentucky. “My husband, who I’m going to put in charge of revitalizing the economy, because you know he knows how to do it.” More recently, she was asked about her husband’s possible role during an interview on the CBS News show 60 Minutes. “I will be the president. But it does happen to be a historical fact that my husband served as president for eight years,” she said. “And there’s a lot that happened which helped the American people during those eight years. I want an economy that creates more jobs.” Dr. Anthony J. Eksterowicz is an honorary professor of political science at James Madison University. He says the first lady’s office has become much more professional over the years and is now also closely linked to the office of the president. He would expect this to continue if Bill Clinton took over as first gentleman.    “I look for even greater professionalization of staff under his management. Probably more staff, more hierarchical organization and much, much higher integration with the White House office and his office.” Eksterowicz said he has no doubt that Hillary Clinton would use Bill in a much greater political role than most first ladies. “She’d be crazy not to, given his experience. He knows all the global leaders, he is conversant in domestic policy, and he’s conversant in all policy issues. So he’s an enormous resource and she has to use him and she will use him.” In the United States, a first lady traditionally does not draw a lot of attention, while supporting her husband. Most take up non-political causes to publicize across America.  One example is Michelle Obama, wife of President Barack Obama. She has led a campaign to reduce child obesity and promote healthy eating. Most Americans can support such a non-political policy.   Role of first lady has changed over time Hillary Clinton was one of the most politically active first ladies in history. She pushed for one of her husband’s main political goals – to bring health insurance to all Americans. But she faced strong opposition and the administration’s health reform effort failed in the end. Another first lady who had political influence was Eleanor Roosevelt, wife of the 32nd U.S. president, Franklin D. Roosevelt. She told the nation in 1933 that Americans should not expect their new first lady to be “a symbol of elegance.” Instead, she said they would be getting a "plain, ordinary Mrs. Roosevelt.” During her service, Eleanor Roosevelt became the first first lady to hold her own press conferences. She also traveled the country visiting relief projects and examining work and living conditions. She campaigned for the rights of the poor and minorities. But she also found time for her official White House entertaining duties. Eksterowicz said he thinks the next most influential first lady in terms of policy was Rosalynn Carter, wife of the 39th U.S. president, Jimmy Carter. “This is a woman who sat in on cabinet meetings, Camp David negotiations, served as a presidential ambassador during a Latin American trip, lobbied and testified before Congress.” He noted that Carter expanded her role by creating a new position of chief of staff and integrating her office with the White House office.    Some first ladies have also had influence in a less public way. One was Nancy Reagan, wife of the 40th U.S. president, Ronald Reagan. Nancy had a “powerful” impact from behind the scenes, according to Eksterowicz. “I would say a very, very strong, influential behind-the-scenes partner, particularly with respect to foreign affairs and establishing relationships with the Russians.” Nancy Reagan was also known to give her husband advice on his public image and which people to choose for top staff positions. Bill Clinton’s role could also raise the issue of whether presidential spouses should be paid. Currently they receive no salary. Eksterowicz said the case in favor of pay would be stronger if Bill Clinton was given specific tasks from the president. He also noted that Hillary and Bill Clinton both have strong, activist personalities. He said there is a very real possibility that Bill Clinton could overshadow his wife in certain actions.  Professor Litchman agrees. “Whether he (Clinton) can keep himself under control is the bigger and much more interesting question.” If Trump is elected, wife Melania would not be first foreign-born first lady If Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump wins, he has said he thinks his wife Melania would be an “unbelievable” first lady. "Melania is a very beautiful woman both inside and out. She has got a tremendous heart. She feels so strongly about the women's health issues. In fact, she knows how strongly I feel about that, and she's always pushing me on women's health issues.”   Melania Trump is a former model who was born in the east European republic of Slovenia. She would not be the only first lady born outside of the United States. It happened once before in 1825. That was the year the sixth U.S. president, John Quincy Adams, took office. A U.S. diplomat, John Quincy Adams met his future wife Louisa in London when she was 19 years old, according to the White House website. The two married three years later, but she did not arrive in the United States until 1801.  Melania Trump has not specifically talked about her possible role as first lady. But she said in an interview with CNN’s Anderson Cooper that she often gives her husband her opinions on issues.   “I give him my opinions, many, many times. I’m my own person, I tell him what I think. I’m standing very strong on the ground on my two feet and I’m my own person. And I think that’s very important in the relationship.”   Eksterowicz said it is hard to say how involved Melania would be in a Trump administration because the pair has no history as a political couple. “When I look at Melania Trump, I see a very, very steep learning curve. There’s virtually no experience in terms of Washington, politics, policy, it’s just not there. So she’s going to have to learn virtually everything.” I’m Bryan Lynn. Bryan Lynn reported this story for VOA Learning English with additional reporting from VOA correspondent Catherine Maddux. Mario Ritter was the editor. We want to hear from you. What duties do you think the U.S. first lady or first gentleman should have? Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   role  – n. the part someone has in a job, activity or performance revitalize – v. make something more active or exciting obesity – n. a condition of having by too much fat in the body hierarchical – adj. system of organizing people or things based on importance integration – n. the combination of two or more things conversant – adj. being familiar with or having knowledge or elegance – n. being graceful and stylish ordinary – adj. common, not special or unusual tremendous –adj. very good, excellent overshadow – v. make someone or something less important or successful learning curve – n. how fast or slowly someone can learn a new skill or activity  

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North Korea Faces Condemnation Over Fifth Nuclear Test

  The United States and its allies are reacting to North Korea’s latest nuclear test. The test, carried out on September 9th, was the country’s second nuclear test this year. Some reports say the North Korean government may already be planning more testing. Last Friday, North Korea said it exploded a nuclear device underground. It was the country’s fifth nuclear test since 2006. Measurements showed the explosion was stronger than North Korea’s four earlier nuclear tests. A South Korean Defense Ministry official said, “With regards to (the) possibility of North Korea’s additional nuclear test, South Korea and U.S. intelligence assess that it is always ready to conduct an additional nuclear test.” South Korean leader seeks unity South Korea's president, Park Geun-hye, held an emergency meeting with political leaders on Monday. She met with representatives of her Saenuri Party and the two main opposition parties, the Minjoo Party and the People’s Party. Park urged unity in reacting to North Korea’s actions. South Korea is working with the U.S., Japan and other countries to press for increased sanctions on North Korea in the United Nations Security Council. The council has already approved a number of measures aimed at punishing the North for its nuclear activities. New proposals could expand the list of products barred for export to the country. They could also expand restrictions on North Korean individuals and organizations tied to the North’s military or weapons programs. Sung Kim is the U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Policy. He said the U.S. government is working with America’s allies to form a response. He said they are considering unilateral, bilateral and trilateral measures against North Korea. Kim met with Japanese officials on Sunday. The U.S. government also has called on China to do more to pressure North Korea to give up its nuclear and its missile programs. China’s support considered very important Existing sanctions by the U.N. Security Council, the U.S. and South Korea have hurt North Korea economically. Those measures target trade, shipping and finance. China’s cooperation on sanctions is considered important because most North Korean trade flows to or through China. Chinese officials have called on North Korea not to take steps they consider provocative. However, China’s reaction has been limited. Daniel Pinkston is a Northeast Asia expert with Troy University in Seoul. He says China is unwilling to impose measures that could cause the collapse of the North Korean government. Pinkston said, “I think they will keep the lifeline in place for North Korea.” On Monday, China’s foreign ministry said sanctions alone cannot solve the nuclear issue. It also said unilateral action will not be productive. North Korea has intensified its nuclear and missile testing. In addition to its nuclear tests, the country has launched more than 20 medium- or long-range missiles. Yet, North Korea faces problems feeding its population. And the U.N. agency for humanitarian affairs reported Monday that flooding in the northern part of the country has killed more than 130 people. More than 100,000 have fled their homes, the agency said. Late last week, President Barack Obama condemned the latest North Korean nuclear test. He called it “a grave threat to regional security and to international peace and stability.” I’m Mario Ritter. VOA’s Brian Padden reported this story from Seoul. Mario Ritter adapted his report for Learning English. Additional material came from VOA’s Chris Hannas and Victor Beattie. George Grow was the editor. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   conduct – v. to lead, to carry out, to do sanctions – n. measures meant to cause a country to obey international law usually through restrictions on trade or financial dealings bilateral – adj. between two parties trilateral – adj. between three parties provocative – adj. meant to cause a reaction assess – v. to study or examine; to measure response – n. a step taken in reaction to another action

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Startup Companies on the Rise in Nigeria

  Nigeria is home to a growing number of technology companies and young business leaders. Some business leaders have been seeking government help for their startup companies. Recently, several young entrepreneurs competed for a chance to tell President Muhammadu Buhari about their companies.  Nigeria’s technology sector is growing, in part, because of ambitious entrepreneurs like Angel Adelaja, a Nigerian American. She is chief executive officer of a company called Fresh Direct Nigeria. It seeks to reduce the country’s dependence on food imports by growing cabbage and other vegetables in containers. “We take a 20-foot container that you would put a car in to ship and we kit it with hydroponic farming technology and we farm vertically. And we're growing premium produce -- vegetables, cabbage, lettuce -- so many different things inside the containers.” First Direct Nigeria is designed for the expanding class of health conscious people who live in the city. A business called Grit Systems Engineering manufactures a device for measuring energy use. The company is the idea of Ifedayo Oludapo. “I am the founder of Grit Systems and what we make is a web-enabled multisource energy monitoring device -- kind of like a utility meter, but it measures power consumption from all the different power sources you have, which is a big deal in an under-electrified environment like Nigeria.” Emma Okene leads Tracology, another Nigerian company. He and his team created a bar code that is placed on the front gate of a person’s home. By using a device that reads bar code information, waste collection crews will be able to know if the home owner has paid for their services. “Once the utility provider comes to the house all he has to do is just scan this bar code and he knows in real time whether you've paid for that waste or whatever service he wants to offer you and he renders it.” A total of 30 tech entrepreneurs competed for the chance to meet with the Nigerian president and vice president. Three were chosen, including Emma Okene of Tracology. He won a prize of more than $8,000. Last week, the Nigerian economy entered into a recession for the first time in more than 20 years. Government revenue is sharply reduced because of the drop in oil prices worldwide. So the government is interested in supporting technology companies, hoping they may be able to fuel the economy. Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg was at the competition last week. He spoke at the end of his first visit to Nigeria. “You know, this trip has really blown me away by the, the talent of the entrepreneurs and developers in this country and by the focus on building something that's gonna make a difference and gonna make a change. I think that if you keep on doing this you're not only gonna shape Nigeria and all of Africa, but the whole world.” Nigerian government officials hope one of the startup companies can be as successful as Facebook. I’m Christopher Jones-Cruise. Chika Oduah reported this story from Abuja, Nigeria for VOANews.com Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted the 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   entrepreneur – n. a person who starts a business and is willing to risk loss in order to make money sector – n. an area of an economy; a part of an economy that includes certain kinds of jobs ambitious – adj. having a desire to be successful, powerful or famous kit – v. British to give (someone or something) the clothing or equipment needed for a particular activity hydroponic – adj. a method of growing plants in water rather than in soil premium – adj. of high or higher than normal quality consumption – n. the use of something (such as fuel) bar code – n. a group of thick and thin lines that is placed on a product so that a computer can get the price of the product and other information about it scan – v. to use a special machine to read something on a computer or other electronic device render – v. to give (something) to someone; to perform a service revenue – n. money that is collected for public use by a government through taxes focus – n. a subject that is being discussed or studied; the subject on which people’s attention is focused

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American Teenager's 'Domino' Artwork Goes Viral

  This is What’s Trending Today. A teenager from the northeast state of New Hampshire has one of the top trending YouTube videos this week. Lily Hevesh is known as Hevesh5 on YouTube. She is an expert at making domino art. Dominoes are plastic rectangles used in a game that is popular around the world. The rectangles are white with black dots or black with white dots. They are called tiles. ​ Players must play one tile at a time, matching one of their tiles with another tile already played. But there is something else you can do with dominoes. You can place the dominoes upright and knock them down. One domino falls and knocks down the next domino. The lined-up dominoes create a chain reaction. This is where the expression “domino effect” comes from. Hevesh is a master at making complex and creative domino art projects. She uses multi-colored dominoes. When they fall down, the design changes color. Her work has been featured in a car commercial and a popular morning television program. On Saturday, she released a video of her latest domino project. It is called “The Amazing Triple Spiral.” She made the design using 15,000 dominoes. It took her 25 hours and eight days to complete the project, she said. Hevesh laid the dominoes on the floor in a wide spiral pattern. The blocks are all different colors – orange, yellow, blue, red, white, and green. Some of the dominoes are stacked on top of each other. When she knocks down the first domino, it starts the chain reaction. It lasts for about 90 seconds. First, the dominoes on the inside part of the spiral fall. Then the dominoes climb a stairway. The dominoes standing higher up on a platform then fall. Then the platform itself falls. The platform was created by placing five layers of dominoes on top of each other. Hevesh’s latest design quickly impressed YouTube viewers. It has been viewed almost 3.5 million times. One viewer wrote, “I couldn’t imagine myself spending 25 hours to build that, even if I had the dominoes.” Another wrote, “Incredible, a whole new level and very artistic.” Hevesh once told her local newspaper that the best part about making domino art is “knocking them down and seeing it was successful.” But, not all of her projects turn out as well as her latest creation. In August, Hevesh and another domino artist worked on a huge domino tower. The artists were trying to break the world record for the tallest domino tower. They worked for seven hours putting more than 3,000 dominoes on top of each other. The tower was almost six meters tall. Then, Hevesh accidentally knocked over the tower. Although they did not break the world record, they still broke the American record for tallest domino tower. 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 did you think of the domino art? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   domino – n. a small flat rectangular block made of wood or plastic that has one or more dots on one side and that is used in playing games dot – n. a small round mark tile – n. a small, flat piece that is used in some board games match – v. to have the same appearance, color, etc. chain reaction – n. a series of events in which each event causes the next one : a series of events caused by one single event domino effect – n. a circular curving line that goes around a central point while getting closer to or farther away from it domino effect – expression. an effect produced when one event sets off a     series of similar events spiral – n. a circular curving line that goes around a central point while getting closer to or farther away from it stack – n. a usually neat pile : a group of things that are put one on top of the other block – n. a solid piece of material (such as rock or wood) that has flat sides and is usually square or rectangular in shape platform – n. a flat surface that is raised higher than the floor or ground layer – n. a covering piece of material or a part that lies over or under another tower – n. a tall, narrow building or structure that may stand apart from or be attached to another building or structure

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September 12, 2016

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

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