News Words: Allegations

Learn words in the news with Anne Ball and Jonathan Evans. This week's word is allegations.

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2duU1Pz
via IFTTT

1100 UTC English Newscast for September 29, 2016

From Washington, this is VOA News. I'm Ira Mellman reporting. Pakistan says India killed two of its soldiers in an unprovoked attack. Pakistan says the attack occurred when India fired across the border of the disputed region of Kashmir, while India said it had carried out a "surgical strike'' against terrorists, in an exchange that marks an escalation of tensions between the uneasy and nuclear-armed neighbors. Pakistan’s claim is that India killed the Pakistan soldiers in an unprovoked attack. Talking to reporters in New Delhi Thursday, Lt. Gen. Ranbir Singh is director general of military operations for the Indian Army,. (He) said "surgical strikes'' were carried out in Pakistani-controlled Kashmir late Wednesday. "During these counter terrorist operations, significant casualties have been caused to the terrorists and those who are trying to support them. The operations aimed at neutralizing the terrorists have since ceased. We do not have any plans for further continuation of the operations; however, the Indian armed forces are fully prepared for any contingency that may arise.” Pakistan dismissed the Indian military reports that it had carried out strikes against "terrorist launch pads'' inside the Pakistan-controlled part of Kashmir. Russia said Thursday it supports a 48-hour cease-fire in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo, but not a longer truce proposed by the United States. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said a week-long cease-fire would give militants time to regroup and replenish supplies. His comments came a day after U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry told Russia they are making plans to suspend bilateral engagement. This is VOA News. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2cNK1Tm
via IFTTT

September 28, 2016

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

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2d68EKC
via IFTTT

Tom Hanks Surprised Bride and Groom

  This is What’s Trending Today: Elizabeth Murphy and Ryan Barclay were posing for wedding photos along a path in New York City’s Central Park. It was already an exciting day in their lives. Murphy was wearing a beautiful, white wedding dress. Barclay was wearing a formal black suit called a tuxedo. And then, actor Tom Hanks showed up. He was exercising in the park. He was wearing shorts, a t-shirt and a sweatshirt. (embed video) The couple was surprised when he walked up and introduced himself. He said, “Hi, I’m Tom Hanks.” Elizabeth asked, “Can we get a photo with you?” And he said, “By all means.” Video and photos from the encounter are being shared on social media this week. Hanks is one of the most popular movie actors of all time. He is known for playing Forrest Gump; a stranded traveler on a small island in “Cast Away”; and Woody the cowboy in the “Toy Story” animated films. His current film, “Sully,” is the top new movie in the U.S. It tells the true story of pilot who safely landed a commercial airplane on the Hudson River near New York City after both engines failed. Hanks posed with the couple, kissed the bride on the hand and cheek, and even took a selfie with his own phone.  The meeting took just over a minute. One person in the group invited Hanks to the wedding, saying, “We have extra seats.” But the actor declined, saying, “I think I have a dinner engagement.” On Facebook, many people praised Hanks for being so friendly. One person wrote: “Such a gem of a human being.” Others joked about Hanks’ many movie roles. One man wrote: “This guy is amazing! I saw on TV that he landed a plane on the Hudson River and now he’s crashing wedding pictures, pretty cool guy.” One woman posted a photo she took with Hanks at a Los Angeles restaurant. She wrote: “Tom Hanks is such a nice guy!” And that’s What’s Trending Today. I’m Anna Mateo. Dan Friedell wrote this story for Learning English. Kelly Jean Kelly was the editor. What do you think of Tom Hanks’ surprise? We want to know. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story formal – adj. requiring or using serious and proper clothes and manners encounter – n. a meeting that is not planned or expected strand – v. to cause (something, such as a boat or a sea animal) to become stuck on land — usually used as (be) stranded animated – adj. produced by the creation of a series of drawings, pictures, etc., that are shown quickly one after another : produced through the process of animation selfie – n. a picture that you take of yourself especially by using the camera on your smartphone engagement – n. a promise to meet or be present at a particular place and time gem – adj. excellent or admirable crash – v. to go to (a party) without being invited  

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2dlYp2z
via IFTTT

New York Orchestra Gives Life, Energy to Classical Music

  That music is Symphony No. 2, known as the Resurrection Symphony. Austrian Gustav Mahler composed the piece in the late 1800s. Classical musician David Titcomb feels strongly about the composer and his work. “Mahler is just… It’s so evocative. It’s so emotional and maybe those are cheap thrills, but to me they are deep emotional works especially the Resurrection Symyphony.” Music has filled Titcomb’s life from almost the start. An inspiring music teacher handed young David a trombone to play in elementary school.  He could barely make a sound at that time. But, he stuck with it. Titcomb studied music at the State University of New York, Purchase. He went on to receive a Master of Fine Arts degree at Yale University School of Music. David Titcomb played the trombone professionally for more than thirty years. He says it was a difficult decision to stop playing and to do something else. “When I had to decide to stop my career as a player and move on to just the organizing of an orchestra, it was my heart and soul to play in orchestras and after a 30 year career I think I had done my part and wanted to move aside, now I’m semi-retired I only play the trombone in my wife’s rock and roll band now, but for 30 years I was a member of the New York City Opera Orchestra and I also played very often with the Metropolitan Opera and various other freelance organizations and the New York City Ballet as well.”   Now, Titcomb is the Managing Director for the Philharmonia Orchestra of New York (PONY). The organization held its first performance last March. It hopes to bring new audiences to classical music. It aims to make performances higher tech and more affordable.  Titcomb praises the more than eighty orchestra musicians, describing them as among New York’s finest. “The Philharmonia Orchestra of New York its comprised of many musicians who I have worked with over the last 30 years and many of them continue to work in the major companies at  Lincoln Center including Metropolitan Opera, New York Philharmonic, New York City Ballet, New York City Opera and we came together shortly after the nuclear disaster and tsunami in Japan.” Mahler Symphony No. 2 music is reflective of a project dear to David Titcomb’s heart. David Titcomb has worked effortlessly along with PONY Principal Conductor Maestro Atsushi Yamada on bringing the Philharmonia Orchestra of New York and more than 100 choral students from Japan together to perform. The program is called Project Hand-in-Hand. Project Hand in Hand aims to use performance to support disaster relief, cultural exchange, and education. David Titcomb says it is a collaboration.  “With our good friend Atsushi Yamada whose our conductor who we worked with at New York City Opera back in the early 2000s and we started as the friends of Japan orchestra we played a concert actually it was Resurrection symphonies about a year after the disaster in northern Japan and we brought over 100 kids just to kind of show them that we were still paying attention and we wanted to give them some inspiration to continue to deal with their troubles and manage.” The joint performance with the PONY musicians and Japanese high school choir also includes students from American universities. Titcomb says the collaboration makes him happy. “Bringing the kids over to play at Lincoln Center a lot of these kids have never been out of there prefecture let alone been on a jet into New York to perform at Lincoln Center. So seeing an orchestra of 90 players on the stage and making music together with a chorus of 200 that what makes me smile.”   Hand in Hand was created in response to the earthquake and tsumani in Japan. Earlier this year, Japan marked the 5th anniversary of the earthquake and tsunami that devastated the country in 2011. More than 18,000 people died or disappeared. The 9.0 magnitude quake struck offshore, creating a huge, powerful surge of water that rushed inland. Whole towns were destroyed in moments. And, the tsunami caused a major failure at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant. The result was the worst nuclear disaster the world had ever seen. More than 150,000 people were forced to leave their homes. Many have not been able to return because of radiation danger. David says just like the Resurrection Symphony No. 2 by Mahler the music starts dark and has feelings of loss and by the end of the symphony, it is a triumph resurrection and things are reborn. This is the hope David Titcomb and PONY have for the victims of the 2011 disaster in Japan. I’m Marsha James. Marsha James wrote this story for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. Try this video quiz to test your understanding of the story. Next time on People in America, meet Exceptional Minds Vocational Center & Animation Studio For Young Adults on the Autism Spectrum.   ___________________________________________________ Words In This Story    evocative adj. bringing thoughts, memories or feelings into the mind thrill – n. a feeling of great excitement or happiness resurrection – n. the act of causing something that had ended or been forgotten or lost to exist again symphony – n. a long piece of music that is usually in four large, separate sections and that is performed by an orchestra semi-retired – adj. working only part time at a career or job because you have reached the age at which you no longer need to work full-time freelance – adj. working for different companies at different times rather than being permanently employed by one company comprise – v. to be made up of something triumph – n. a great or important victory reborn – adj. brought back to life

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2dupPbp
via IFTTT

US Presidential Debate Shows Disagreement on Asia Policy

  Presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump set out sharply different ideas about America’s allies in Asia during their debate Monday night. Clinton, a former United States Senator and Secretary of State, is the candidate of the Democratic Party. Trump, a businessman, is the Republican Party’s choice for president. In the debate, Clinton noted existing U.S. agreements to defend the Asian allies with conventional or nuclear weapons, if necessary. She sharply criticized Trump’s earlier statements that suggested he might withdraw troops from Asia if elected. “He has said repeatedly that he didn’t care if other nations got nuclear weapons … Japan, South Korea, even Saudi Arabia.” Trump reacted to her comment by saying that Clinton was misrepresenting his position. He repeated his call for the allies to pay a greater share of security costs. “All I said was they may have to defend themselves or they have to help us out.” Trump also said that he wanted to negotiate a better deal to get more support for defense efforts aiding both sides. One reason is the U.S. government’s budget deficit. “We are a country that owes 20 trillion dollars, they have to help us out.” The two candidates did appear to agree on one thing. Both said that nuclear weapons were the biggest problem facing the world today. The Republican nominee said the possibility that terrorists might gain a nuclear device is “the single greatest threat facing the United States.” Clinton criticized the way Trump had spoken about nuclear weapons and the possibility that nations in Asia could acquire them. “His cavalier attitude about nuclear weapons is so deeply troubling. That is the number one threat we face in the world and it becomes particularly threatening if terrorists ever get their hands on any nuclear material.” U.S. nuclear policy has long been to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons. Central to this effort is the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, which first became effective in 1970. Trump calls for greater defense cost-sharing In the past, Trump has called Japan and South Korea “free riders.” The United States has 50,000 troops in Japan and about 28,000 troops in South Korea. The U.S. forces are stationed there to help support peace and security in East Asia. However, Trump has said that these countries and others contribute too little to support the American troops. Trump has argued that, because the U.S. has large budget deficits, it no longer has enough money to keep large numbers of troops in bases overseas. It is estimated that Japan pays $1.6 billion toward the costs of U.S. troops there and South Korea pays $866 million. On Tuesday, South Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman Cho June-hyuck said his country is closely watching the U.S. election. Officials there are considering how the vote might affect relations with the U.S. and the alliance with it. Cho said, “I can tell you that our government has been contributing and playing a role to maintain and strengthen Korea-U.S. joint defense capability and provide stable conditions for the USFK (U.S. Forces Korea) to be stationed.” On Monday, the United States and South Korea carried out joint naval exercises, one of several major exercises this year. The commander of U.S. Naval Forces Korea, Brad Cooper, said the exercise was organized to show “the unwavering strength and resolve” of America and its military allies. Some U.S. lawmakers have moved to restate the country’s longstanding guarantee of protection to its allies. In July, two members of the U.S. Senate wrote a commentary together. In it, Republican John McCain and Democrat Robert Menendez said the U.S. will meet its mutual defense treaty obligations no matter who is the next president. However, some lawmakers in South Korea’s ruling Saenuri Party have expressed concern over the U.S. defense alliance. They are urging the South Korean government to develop its own nuclear weapons to defend against the growing North Korean threat. I’m Mario Ritter. Brian Padden reported this story for VOANews.com. Mario Ritter adapted it for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story acquire – v. to get, to come to own something cavalier – adj. without concern for something important or serious station – v. to put in place, to assign a person or group to an area for a period of time contribute – v. to give unwavering – adj. to continue without decreasing obligation – n. something that must be done mutual – adj. shared by two or more people or groups​ conventional – adj. common or not unusual; traditional

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2cLSyWP
via IFTTT

David Titcomb: Passionate About Transforming Classical Music with New York’s Philharmonia Orchestra

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2dlfLR1
via IFTTT

PONY and Choir Performs Gustav Mahler Symphony No. 2 "Resurrection"

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2cWCwHg
via IFTTT

Gustav Mahler Symphony No. 2 "Resurrection"

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2dlhtSi
via IFTTT

Russian Culture Rooted in San Francisco

Russian Hill is one of the highest points in the city of San Francisco. And the neighborhood’s name has a lot of history behind it. Historian Andrew Zabegaylin says a Russian cemetery was once nearby. People discovered it in the early days of San Francisco, over 150 years ago. That is when San Francisco was known for being the center of gold mining and trading in the United States. Earlier in Northern California, traders and sailors from the Alaskan Russian American Company called San Francisco home. And that is where they were buried. Some people call San Francisco “the Paris of the West.” But it has more Russian than French influences. For example, Holy Trinity Church was the first Russian church in the city. It opened in 1857 and was an important gathering place for Russian immigrants. At the Holy Trinity Church, Saint Tikhon of Moscow once worked with worshippers. He became an American citizen in the early 1900s. Years later, he became Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church. He led the Church from 1917-1925. San Francisco is also home to the Holy Virgin Cathedral. It is the largest Russian Orthodox church on the U.S. west coast. A second group of Russian immigrants came to San Francisco after 1917, during Russia’s civil war. Their legacy is still felt at the Russian Center. At the center, you can visit the Museum of Russian Culture. Yves Franquien is the director of the museum. He said it is the largest Russian museum in the West. “Many Russian immigrants from around the world donated their personal and family artifacts,” Franquien said. “This is a museum which reflects Russian life before and during the Bolshevik revolution and reflects the life of San Francisco’s Russian colony since the 1920s.” The Russian Center organizes events and classes for young people. They include kindergarten classes, dance classes and gymnastics. The center is also open to people who do not speak Russian. Zoya Choglokova works at the center. She said the goal is not only to serve adults, but also help young people stay connected to their Russian roots. I’m Dorothy Gundy. Vadim Massalsky wrote this story for VOANews.com. Dan Friedell adapted it for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. Are you surprised San Francisco has so much Russian culture? We want to know. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ______________________________________________________________   Words in This Story cemetery – n. a place where dead people are buried legacy – n. something that happened in the past or that comes from someone in the past artifact – n. a simple object (such as a tool or weapon) that was made by people in the past  

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2cWBBH3
via IFTTT

Investigators: Missile That Hit Malaysian Airliner in 2014 Came from Russia

International investigators say a missile transported to Ukraine from Russia was responsible for shooting down Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17. The Malaysian airplane crashed over eastern Ukraine in July 2014.  The investigators released their findings Wednesday. They confirm an earlier investigation by the Dutch Safety Board. It found that the plane was brought down by a Russian-made surface-to-air missile. Russia has denied the Dutch finding. A year ago, the missile’s manufacturer said it investigated the incident. It said the missile was an older model and no longer being used by the Russian military. The manufacturer also said the missile was launched from an area under Ukrainian government control. On Wednesday, investigators said there is strong evidence that the territory from which the missile was fired “was controlled by pro-Russian fighters.” The earlier investigation identified a 320-square kilometer area from which the rocket launch must have taken place. The investigators did not state clearly who fired the missile. But all of the land was under the control of separatists fighting Ukrainian forces. Wednesday, Russia said information from its radars proved that no rocket was fired from within territory held by pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine. Dmitry Peskov is a spokesman for the Russian government. In a telephone call with reporters, he said Russian radar had identified all flying objects over the rebel territory, and did not show a rocket had been fired. “The data are clear-cut...there is no rocket,” he said. “If there was a rocket, it could only have been fired from elsewhere.” All 298 people on the aircraft died after it broke apart while on a flight from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The majority of passengers were Dutch. Many were scientists planning to attend an international AIDS conference in Australia. The plane was also carrying citizens of Australia, Belgium, Malaysia and Ukraine. Wednesday morning, before the announcement of the findings, officials met with family members of some of the people who died in the crash. One of the family members -- Robby Oehlers -- told the Reuters news service the investigation had identified 100 people who could have launched the rocket. He said they found that it was launched from within rebel-held territory. I’m Jonathan Evans. VOA’s Joshua Fatzick and Wayne Lee reported this story from Washington. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted it into Special 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   board – n. a group of people who have been chosen to learn information about something, to give advice, etc. spokesman – n. someone who speaks for or represents a person, company, etc. clear-cut – adj. free from doubt or uncertainty; very definite aircraft – n. a machine (such as an airplane or a helicopter) that flies through the air        

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2dlgSjG
via IFTTT