Republicans Have Gained Stength in State Legislatures and Governorships

  Republicans in the United States have not won a presidential election since 2004, but they are much stronger on the state government level than the Democratic Party.   The Republican Party has sharply increased its control of state legislatures and governorships during the presidency of Barack Obama. Obama, a Democrat, will leave office in January 2017 after serving eight years as president. Democrats control 919 fewer seats in state legislatures than they did in 2009 -- when Obama first took office. That information comes from the Pew Research Center and the National Conference of State Legislatures. Republicans control 67 of 98 state house and senate chambers. That is more than at any time in the history of the Republican Party. Democrats control 31. Fifty-five percent of the country’s more than 1,900 state senators are Republican. Fifty-six percent of the more than 5,350 state representatives are Republican. There are about 4,040 Republican state legislators and about 3,100 Democratic legislators nationwide. That is the largest number of Republican state lawmakers since 1920. The Republican Party has controlled a majority of the state legislatures since the 2010 elections, when the Democrats lost control of 24 legislatures. This year, the U.S. elections take place on November 8th. Voters will fill a total of 5,917 legislative seats in 44 states. That is more than 80 percent of all state legislative seats nationwide. Currently, Republicans control both legislative chambers in 30 states, the highest number since 1978. Democrats control 12, the lowest number since 1978. Republicans control the state house, state senate and governor’s office in 23 states. Democrats have that level of control in just seven states. There are 31 Republican governors, 18 Democrats and one Independent. The mayor of Washington, DC is a Democrat. Political experts say the increase in Republican control of state governments has happened for many reasons. One reason is that the Republicans have outspent and outworked Democrats at the local and state levels. Another is that white voters have been leaving the Democratic Party -- especially in the “Deep South.” That is an area that includes Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina and South Carolina. It also includes parts of five other states -- Florida, Virginia, Tennessee, Arkansas and Texas. In 1964, Democrats held or controlled almost all of the political offices in the Deep South. That is the year President Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act into law. The measure gave legal protection to minorities. Some observers believe the Civil Rights Act is the main reason many whites have left the Democratic Party. Tim Storey is an expert on the U.S. elections at the National Conference of State Legislatures. He notes that Republicans have been slowly gaining control of the South for the past 25 years. “By 2008, Republicans had gained 46 percent of all seats in Southern legislatures, and today they hold 63 percent of the seats” and every governorship, he added. Republicans control both of the legislative chambers of every Southern state except for Kentucky, which has a small Democratic majority. Every U.S. Senator in the Deep South is a Republican and a large majority of House members from the Deep South are Republicans. There are no white Democrats serving in the U.S. House of Representatives from the South. In a report, the Democratic National Committee noted the increase in the Republican Party’s control of state governments. It said the party worked for more than 30 years “organizing, fostering talent and [making] significant financial investments at the state and local level.” Washington Post reporter Chris Cillizza called the report “largely useless” because it did not have specific plans to take back control of state legislatures and governorships from Republicans.  “The reality -- and this is one of the least-appreciated stories in politics these days -- is that Democrats have been badly beaten by Republicans at the state and legislative level over the past decade,” he wrote. I’m Christopher Jones-Cruise.   VOA’s Christopher Jones-Cruise reported this story and wrote it in 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   legislator – n. a person who makes laws; a member of a legislature chamber – n. a group of people who form part of a government outspent – v. to spend more money than someone or something outworked – v. to work harder or better than foster – v. to help (something) grow or develop specific – adj. special; clearly and exactly stated decade – n. a period of ten years ________________________________________________________________ Here are some other facts about Republican control of state legislatures and governorships: *Since 1900, an average of 12 legislative chambers have passed from one party to the other every two years. *In the 2012 elections, the Democratic Party took back control of eight chambers, but lost five to the Republicans. Two years later, the Republicans took control of 11 more chambers from the Democrats. And Republicans won a majority of seats in the West Virginia house and senate for the first time in 83 years! *Democrats controlled both the house and senate in 27 states as recently as 2010. *Thirty years ago, almost every House district in the Deep South was represented by white Democrats. Now, none are. *For the first time since 2008, Republicans have more support in public opinion surveys in more states -- 20 -- than Democrats, who lead in 14. In 2008, Democrats had a majority of support in 35 states and Republicans had a majority in just five states.  

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2dF7AAF
via IFTTT

Study: Do Fitness Trackers Help You Lose Weight?

From VOA Learning English, this is the Health & Lifestyle report. We begin with bad news for people who bought a wearable fitness tracker in hopes of losing weight. A new study finds the electronic device probably does not help with weight loss. The study was a project of researchers from the University of Pittsburgh in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Fitness trackers are designed to record your physical activity. They are usually worn around the wrist, where they measure a person’s heart rate. The University of Pittsburgh research team looked at two groups of individuals. The first wore a fitness tracker and took part in health counseling. In other words, they spoke with nutrition and physical fitness experts to consider the best weight loss plan. The researchers compared this group with people who only took part in health counseling. The study found that those who simply had health counseling lost more weight than those who had counseling and wore a fitness tracker. In fact, those who only spoke with the health experts lost nearly six kilograms. Those who used a fitness tracker lost only 3.5 kilograms. John Jakicic is the lead researcher. He is also chairman of the university’s Department of Health and Physical Activity. He questioned the use of electronic devices as tools for weight control in place of “effective behavioral counseling for physical activity and diet.” The study involved 470 subjects between the ages of 18 and 35. Some of them were overweight, while others were heavier and considered obese. Over three fourths of the subjects were women, and 29 percent were minorities. The researchers told all the subjects to increase their physical activity. The men and women also were told to start on a low calorie diet. The subjects were told to have their weight measured once every six months over the two-year study. After six months, researchers divided the group into two parts: one continued with monthly counseling, while members of the other group were given a wearable fitness tracker. Eighteen months later, both groups "showed significant improvements in body composition, fitness, physical activity, and diet,” with no major difference between groups. However, when it came to losing weight, the people who spoke with experts lost nearly twice as much weight. Jakicic said the study’s findings “are important because effective long-term treatments are needed to address America's obesity epidemic.” He warned that “questions remain regarding the effectiveness of wearable devices.” More information is needed, he adds, to learn how to best use these devices to change “physical activity and diet behaviors” in adults who want to lose weight. The researchers published their findings in The Journal of the American Medical Association. I’m Anna Matteo.   Matthew Hilburn reported this story for VOANews.com. Anna Matteo adapted it for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story fitness ­– n. the quality or state of being fit tracker – n. a device that is aware of a fact, progression or condition counseling – n. advice and support that is given to people to help them deal with problems, make important decisions, etc. calorie – n. a unit of heat used to indicate the amount of energy that foods will produce in the human body composition – n. the way in which something is put together or arranged : the combination of parts or elements that make up something journal – n. a magazine that reports on things of special interest to a particular group of people  

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2dmnDn2
via IFTTT

Japanese Scientist Wins Nobel in Medicine

  Yushinori Ohsumi of Japan has won the 2016 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. The Nobel Assembly at Sweden’s Karolinska Institute announced the prize on Monday. The institute is honoring Ohsumi for his experiments with baker’s yeast in the 1990s. He studied a natural process in which cells break down and reuse some of their parts. This process is called autophagy. The word autophagy comes from two words in the Greek language. They are “auto-,” meaning “self,” and phagein, meaning “to eat.” The prize committee said understanding the science behind this process has led to a better understanding of diseases such as cancer, Parkinson’s and type 2 diabetes. The Karolinska Institute said, “His discoveries opened the path to understanding the fundamental importance of autophagy in many physiological processes.” “Autophagy has been known for over 50 years, but its fundamental importance in physiology and medicine was only recognized after Yoshinori Ohsumi’s paradigm-shifting research,” it said. “Thanks to Ohsumi and others following in his footsteps, we now know that autophagy controls important physiological functions,” to break down and recycle cellular particles. Ohsumi is now a professor at the Tokyo Institute of Technology. He told the Kyodo news agency he was “extremely honored” to get the prize. Separately, he told Japanese broadcaster NHK he had “always wanted to do something that other people wouldn’t do.” He said the breakdown of particles interested him. Christer Hogg is a professor with Sweden’s Karolinska Institute. He said the experiments helped explain important processes in human development, from growing up, to aging, to dying from a disease. “In the very early stages, your organs and your whole body is constantly being made over again – you are growing. So you need to get rid of the old stuff and generate new structures,” he told Reuters news service. “When you undergo aging, you have structures that have to be taken away, and this – autophagy – is the principle that gets rid of them.” “If you affect this system – the genes and proteins involved in autophagy – you no longer can take care of the waste, and once it accumulates, you will get some type of disease.” The prize for physiology or medicine is the first Nobel Prize awarded each year. It is worth $930,000. Other Nobel prizes will be announced this week and next week. I’m Caty Weaver.   Fern Robinson reported this story for VOANews.com. George Grow adapted her report for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   physiology – n. a science that deals with the way living things work or operate baker’s yeast – n. the common name given to organisms used to help bread or baking products rise when heated paradigm-shifting – adj. of or related to changing theories or ideas about how something should be done or made stage – n. a period in the growth of development of something rid – v. to make free (of something) accumulate –​ v. to gather something or over time  We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2dF6dxp
via IFTTT

Did the US Just ‘Give Away’ Control of the Internet?

  The U.S. government has officially transferred control of the internet address system to an international governing body. The change took place on October 1. What will this mean for internet businesses and users all over the world? To answer that question, it is necessary to consider the history of how the public internet developed. The public internet was still in early development in 1998. That year, the U.S. Department of Commerce took over the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). This not-for-profit organization is located in Los Angeles, California. The U.S. government gave ICANN the authority to oversee domain names for websites and individual IP addresses for internet users. This responsibility included assigning the operators of high-level domains, such as .com and .uk. The contract between the Department of Commerce and ICANN ended on Saturday. This had been planned for a long time. Now a global internet community -- including governments, businesses, technical experts and members of civil society -- oversees ICANN.  Obama administration support Supporters of the change, including the administration of President Barack Obama, said it made sense to transfer control of ICANN to an international community. They noted that this community is made up of technical experts who helped build the internet. These experts are still responsible for many of its operations. Opponents argued the transition was a mistake because it could lead to authoritarian governments getting greater control over the internet. They tried to block the ICANN transfer. Censorship argument The move was opposed by Senator Ted Cruz of Texas. Cruz, a Republican Party member, explained his concerns during a hearing last month of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee. “Imagine an internet run like many Middle Eastern countries, that punish what they deem to be blasphemy. Or imagine an internet run like China or Russia, that punish and incarcerate those who engage in political dissent.” Cruz said not having the government in control of ICANN means the organization is not bound to uphold the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment. The First Amendment covers basic rights including freedom of speech and religion. “That means when ICANN escapes from government authority, ICANN escapes from having to worry about the First Amendment, having to worry about protecting your rights or my rights.” Milton Mueller is a professor at Georgia Institute of Technology’s School of Public Policy. He disagrees with those who fear new censorship on the internet.  “What they are saying is that as long as the U.S. has this control, there’s no danger of censorship. And as soon as the US relinquishes this control, then suddenly the internet is in great danger. That is completely false.”  Mueller, who also heads the private Internet Governance Project, says ICANN rules bar the organization from using its powers to control internet content.   Lawrence Strickling is the Administrator of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, which was overseeing ICANN. He told the Senate hearing the U.S. government never had the power to censor online content. “The U.S. government has no role whatsoever with respect to who gets domain names at the second level or above, what content they put on those websites, and how it is handled internationally.” Policies governed by consensus Mueller said not having ICANN under the control of the U.S. government makes the organization more accountable to all people. This is because member governments must all agree to any policy changes. “So if China says let’s do something crazy, the United States will say, no, we don’t agree – we’re vetoing that. And that will be that.” Goran Marby is the President and Chief Executive Officer of ICANN. He said the group is a “nonpolitical technical entity” that has “nothing to do with protecting free speech on the Internet.” A last-minute legal attempt to block the ICANN transition came last week. Four U.S. states filed a lawsuit, arguing the move was an illegal transfer of government property and therefore could not go forward without the approval of Congress. A judge in Texas rejected the legal argument and refused to stop the transfer.   I’m Bryan Lynn. Bryan Lynn reported this story for VOA Learning English. Additional information came from a story by VOA’s Joshua Fatzick, and a report by Agence France-Presse. Mario Ritter was the editor. We want to hear from you. Do you think the official transfer of internet control from the U.S. is a good thing? Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   domain – n. a group of computers that can be accessed and administered with a common set of rules IP address – n. code made up of numbers and dots that identifies a particular computer on the internet civil society – n. a community of citizens and organizations connected by common interests transition – n. change from one system to another authoritarian – adj. strict form of government not allowing personal freedoms blasphemy – n. showing open disrespect to God or religion incarcerate – v. put in jail dissent – n. public disagreement with official opinions relinquish – v. to give up accountable – adj. being responsible for actions taken entity – n. something that exists by itself  

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

Rare Frog Dies, Probably Last of Its Kind

  This is What’s Trending Today. Over 10 years ago, scientists from the United States went on a trip to Panama. The scientists were from Atlanta, in the state of Georgia, and Southern Illinois University, in Carbondale, Illinois. They were worried that a disease might infect and destroy trees and plants in Panama. The plant life served as home to many frogs and other small amphibians, like toads and salamanders. The scientists wanted to collect a few live amphibians from the area in case the remaining ones died. One of the animals they collected was later named the “Rabbs’ fringe-limbed tree frog.” One scientist from Georgia said the frog was completely unknown to experts before the trip. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution says the tree disease eventually did spread to Panama, and many of the frogs disappeared. The Rabbs’ frog lived in a special enclosed area at the Atlanta Botanical Garden. He was named “Toughie.” He lived there for the last eight years, but he died late last month. Toughie was over 11 years old. He was the last living member of the species in captivity. Many people used social media sites to express sadness about Toughie’s death.  One Twitter user reacted this way: “We need to do more to protect our wildlife and planet. It’s such a shame when a species becomes extinct.”   Leilani Munter is a race car driver and a biologist. She wrote that seeing the frog was kind of like “meeting a little unicorn – the last of his kind.” And that’s What’s Trending Today. I’m Dan Friedell. Dan Friedell wrote this story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. What do you think of the tree frog’s death? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   species – n. a group of animals or plants that are similar and can produce young animals or plants; a group of related animals or plants that is smaller than a genus fringe – n. a narrow area along the edge of something limb – n. a leg or arm extinct – adj. no longer existing unicorn – n. an imaginary animals that looks like a horse and with a horn growing from its head

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2dF6wby
via IFTTT

Melting Arctic Sea Ice Shows Global Warming

Arctic sea ice is melting faster than expected, and that means big changes in Earth’s climate system.  That warning comes from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). Its scientists are calling for the establishment of an Arctic observatory to help deal with possible dangerous changes resulting from the melting ice. The WMO believes changes in the Arctic area are likely evidence of a coming disaster. It noted that temperatures around the world continue to rise. 2016 is predicted to be the hottest year since modern record-keeping began 150 years ago. The Arctic is warming at least two times as fast as the world average, the WMO said. Arctic sea ice now covers 40 percent less area at the height of the summer melt season than it did in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The highest Arctic sea levels in March were said to be the lowest on record. Petteri Taalas is the WMO’s Secretary-General. He told VOA that the changes in the climate were having a serious effect on the environment. For example, he said, the tree line in mountain areas is moving upward. “There are also some species of animals who have difficulties in coping with these changes,” Taalas said. These include polar bears, Arctic seals, and even some birds. He said the changing climate will also have an effect on fisheries. Taalas also warned that the melting of the Arctic’s frozen permafrost could release large amounts of greenhouse gases. Those gases are the ones that speed up the rise of temperatures. But the melting of the Arctic sea ice is also opening up new transportation, travel and exploration possibilities. Taalas said that less ice could cut the time it takes for ships to sail between Europe and East Asia. Opening the Arctic would also increase the risk of accidents in hazardous waters and oil spills. The cold, undeveloped environment is more difficult to clean up than other areas. Taalas called for the establishment of an Arctic observatory to study, predict and react to climate change. He said this would keep transportation in Arctic waters safe. I’m Anne Ball.   This story was written Lisa Schlein for VOA News.  Anne Ball adapted it for Learning English.  George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section and visit us on our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   permafrost – n. a layer of soil that is always frozen in very cold regions of the world hazardous – adj. involving risk or danger

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

October 3, 2016

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

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2dnpl5d
via IFTTT

Vice President: From Joke Target to Top Adviser

Democrat Tim Kaine and Republican Mike Pence are running for vice president. They will compete in a televised debate Tuesday night. Vice president is a position that has long been the object of jokes because many saw it as an unimportant job. The vice presidency has grown in importance. Recent vice presidents have been asked to do much more than represent the United States at funerals. But for many years, even those who held the office said they had little to do. ‘Most Insignificant Ever’ John Adams was the first U.S. vice president, serving under George Washington. He said the vice presidency was the “most insignificant office” ever. Thomas Marshall served as vice president from 1913 to 1921. He joked: “Once there were two brothers. One ran away to sea; the other was elected vice president of the United States. And nothing was heard of either of them again." Walter Mondale, who was Jimmy Carter’s vice president from 1977 to 1981, said that “over most of America’s history, the vice president has been standby equipment.” By standby, he meant that the vice president stands by, ready to become president if the president dies or gives up the office. That has happened nine times -- eight because of the death of the president and once when the president gave up the office. The last two vice presidents to take over the presidency were Lyndon Johnson and Gerald Ford. Johnson took the oath of office after President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963. Ford replaced President Richard Nixon after he resigned in 1974 as Congress investigated a scandal known as Watergate.   Mourner in Chief Joel Goldstein is a law professor at the University of St. Louis in the state of Missouri. He is considered one of the top experts on the vice presidency. He said the vice presidency was long connected to representing the United States at funerals and casting the deciding vote in the Senate when a vote was tied. But that changed, beginning with Richard Nixon, who served as vice president for Dwight Eisenhower in the 1950s. Eisenhower sent Nixon to meet with foreign leaders, Goldstein said. A Nixon visit to the Soviet Union led to a debate with Russian Premier Nikita Khrushchev over which is better: capitalism or communism. Nixon, a Republican, went on to run and lose the presidential election to Democrat John Kennedy in 1960. Eight years later, Nixon won the presidency, defeating another vice president, Democrat Hubert Humphrey. Office Grows under Mondale Goldstein said Walter Mondale expanded the importance of the vice presidency. He acted as an important adviser to President Jimmy Carter from 1977 to 1981. Mondale, a Democrat, started a tradition that future administrations copied. He started weekly lunches between the president and vice president to discuss top issues, Goldstein said. George H.W. Bush served as Ronald Reagan’s vice president. He helped move Reagan’s agenda through Congress, Goldstein said. Bush also helped persuade Reagan to negotiate nuclear weapons reduction with Russian President Mikhail Gorbachev. Bush, a Republican, won the presidency over Democrat Michael Dukakis in 1988. From 2001 to 2009, Dick Cheney served as vice president to President George W. Bush. George W. Bush is a Republican, like his father, George H.W. Bush. Reuters said Cheney played a big part in the Bush administration’s decision to invade Iraq. George H.W. Bush, in a book, said that Cheney pushed too hard for war. Current Vice President Joe Biden has also been a top adviser to President Barack Obama. Biden said he attends almost every meeting with Obama, “at his request.” He has led White House efforts to pass gun control bills and to fight cancer. “One of the finest vice presidents in history” is what Obama said of Biden on CBS Television. Vice Presidential Candidates Are Part of a Ticket People do not vote directly for the vice president. They vote for what is called a “ticket.” On November 8, voters will choose between the Republican ticket of presidential candidate Donald Trump and Vice Presidential candidate Mike Pence and the Democratic ticket of Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine. At Tuesday night’s debate, Pence and Kaine are likely to spend a good deal of the 90-minute debate talking about their partner on the ticket. They will explain why their running mate would make a good president and why the other presidential candidate would not. Goldstein, the University of St. Louis expert, said vice presidential debates generally get less attention than the three debates between the major presidential candidates. But there was one big exception. The 2008 vice presidential debate between Democrat Joe Biden and Republican Sarah Palin drew 70 million viewers. That is more than the number of people who watched the first presidential debate between Barack Obama and John McCain. The most remembered moment in a vice presidential debate was in 1988, Goldstein said. That was the debate between Republican vice presidential candidate Dan Quayle and Democrat Lloyd Bentsen. After Quayle compared his experience to that of former President John Kennedy, Bentsen responded this way: “Senator, I served with Jack Kennedy. I knew Jack Kennedy. Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine. Senator, you are no Jack Kennedy.” Bentsen’s line was the most quoted in news reports of the debate. But the Republican ticket of George H.W. Bush and Quayle defeated the Democratic ticket of Michael Dukakis and Bentsen that year. I’m Bruce Alpert.​   Bruce Alpert reported this story for VOA Learning English. ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Mario Ritter was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section and share your views on our Facebook Page. ________________________________________________________ Words in this Story insignificant –adj. small or unimportant standby –adj.  ready or available to take over when needed scandal –n. an occurrence in which people are shocked and upset because of behavior that is morally or legally wrong ticket –n. candidates running together for elected office agenda –n. things to be done, legislation supported by a political party or leader

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2dzHz0h
via IFTTT

Newest Service Robots Act Like Humans

  Machines are now doing many jobs usually performed by people. One new invention is a machine that operates cars and other vehicles in parking garages. Another kind of robot can transport food or medicine in some hospitals. Robots are now used at a new parking garage in West Hollywood, California. Drivers drop off their vehicles in front of the building, and the robots take over from there. The vehicles are lifted and transported by large machines controlled by computers. The computers record the exact measurements of the automobile and take it to the best available space. The robots can leave cars within centimeters of each other without any mistakes. Car owner Johnny D’Agostino said he feels good knowing that a machine is moving his vehicle. “I take my keys and I don’t got to worry about a valet taking my car. I don’t got to worry about someone scratching my car.” When people return to the garage, they use a ticket to pay for the safe return of the vehicle. The robot then retrieves the car and returns it to the driver. Environment friendly The 200-car parking lot is the first of its kind in West Hollywood. The city’s mayor, Lauren Meister, says the system is easy to use, and reduces air pollution. “You don’t have people going and parking their own cars so the ventilation system is different, and we are literally saving hundreds and hundreds of trees.” City officials say the garage cost about 18 million dollars. This is only a little higher than the usual price, since the building does not need extended lighting systems or walkways for humans to use.  Another kind of robot is being used to carry food and medicine in some hospitals and retirement homes. The automated carriers make deliveries to let workers spend more time with patients. GoCart carries food, medicine The robotic GoCart can recognize people and equipment, and move around them to reach its target. Marcus Liebhardt helped develop the robot. “We drive through the hallways, and during that phase the robot generates a map. Once the robot learns the map, it is able to navigate itself.” The GoCart can operate alone or be used in a group of robots that communicate with each other. Liebhardt said the robot is good at recognizing possible hazards and avoiding them. “So if people jump in its way, kids jumping around the robot, then the robot will stop in time to avoid any collision. And it will also, if possible, re-plan its route, move around people.” The South Korean manufacturer, Yujin, says the GoCart is good at performing the same activity over and over again. So it hopes the robots will be used in other medical settings in the future. I’m Bryan Lynn. Bryan Lynn adapted this story for VOA Learning English. It was based on reports from VOA correspondents George Putic and Deborah Block. George Grow 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 deliver – v. to take something to a person or place garage – n. building where cars, trucks, etc. are kept valet – n. person who parks cars for guests at businesses retrieve – v. to get something after finding it ventilation – n. – a system that delivers fresh air navigate – v. to find the right way to move through maps or equipment hazard – n. something very dangerous collision – n. a crash between two vehicles scratch – v. to rub a surface with something sharp  

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2cVST9x
via IFTTT

MacArthur Foundation Honors California Man for Helping Poor

A private group has recognized a California man who helps poor people and immigrant families. The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation announced last month that Jose Quinonez is receiving one of its "genius” grants. He was one of 23 people to get recognized. Quinonez was born in Mexico, but moved to the United States as a boy. Today he is a financial service innovator. Quinonez set up a not-for-profit organization called the Mission Asset Fund. Its job is to create a fair financial marketplace for hardworking families. Borrowing money is a big step for people who want to start a business. Quinonez says his goal is to make loans available to individuals who have limited finances. He said about seven percent of Americans do not have a bank account and do not show up on the credit rating system. Without a credit history, it is difficult for them to borrow money, get a job or start a business. Quinonez is using money lending traditions from Latin America, Asia and Africa to help those in need. He organized "lending circles," where groups of neighbors and others combine their money to make small loans. Each individual has to attend a final education class, and persuade others in the lending circle to repay the money. Quinonez says more than 99 percent of the loans are repaid. He and the Mission Asset Fund follow borrowing and repayment activity. They report results to major credit rating agencies. This information gives the individual a proven repayment history. A good credit history makes banks more willing to make loans to these clients in the future. Jose Quinonez’ work with the fund and minorities in San Francisco helped him earn a MacArthur Fellowship. A number of other organizations are now using Mission Asset Fund as a guide to setting up similar programs in other cities. MacArthur Fellows are chosen for their creativity, past successes and potential. They get $625,000 over five years in an effort to give them the financial freedom to follow through on their projects. The MacArthur Foundation is one of the largest private foundations in the United States. Its website says the group “supports creative people, effective institutions, and influential networks building a more just, verdant, and peaceful world.” The foundation also honored a number of people for their work in other areas. This year’s class of MacArthur fellows include a human rights lawyer, an expert on languages, a microbiologist, computer scientists and a poet. I’m Lucija Millonig.   Jim Randle wrote this story for VOANews.com. Jim Dresbach adapted his 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 genius – n. a very smart or gifted person  grant – n. an amount of money that is given by an organization or  company to be used for a purpose innovator – n. a person who does something in an new or unusual way client – n. someone who pays a person or organization for services potential – adj. having the ability to become real institution - n. an established organization verdant – adj. green, with growing plants

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2dwn2xk
via IFTTT

NATO Warns West Is Losing “Information War” Against Russia, Islamic State Group

NATO commanders are calling on Western nations to expand efforts against the ‘information war’ being spread by opponents of the West. The commanders warn that countries like Russia are using the free press in democratic countries to spread disinformation. The term “hybrid warfare” is often used to describe the deployment of disinformation and military power at the same time. An example is the Russian takeover of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014. Two years ago, gunmen launched raids on Ukrainian military bases in the area. At first, the Russian government denied the gunmen belonged to the Russian military. Yet similar unidentified armed groups appeared in eastern Ukraine a few weeks later. That conflict, between Russia-supported rebels and the Ukrainian military, is continuing. Ukraine’s president, Petro Poroshenko, spoke recently to the United Nations General Assembly. He said hybrid warfare is being used against the whole Western world. “Political pressure, blatant propaganda, interference with the electoral process, economic coercion, secret subversive and military operations, cyber attacks, misuse of diplomatic measures.” Janis Sarts is the director of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s STRATCOM Center of Excellence. She said the West is playing catch-up to the disinformation campaigns. Representatives of Western countries recently met to discuss the growing influence of Russian state media, including its 24-hour Russia Today or RT. The television station is often accused of broadcasting propaganda for Russia. Edward Lucas works for The Economist magazine. He says TV stations like RT should not be considered journalism. He says Russia lies about events. He says Western media prioritizes “fairness over truth.” Lucas says the West must be more active on social media. “There’s a real problem with comment fields, and with fake social media accounts, particularly on Twitter. The Russians are putting lots and lots of money into creating tens of thousands of trolls.” NATO officials said Russia believes control of information is an important part of its conflict planning. They said Western nations use separate public relations teams to provide information during conflicts. I’m Christopher Jones-Cruise.   Correspondent Henry Ridgwell reported this story from London for VOANews.com. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted it for 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   hybrid warfare – n. a combination of conventional weapons, irregular tactics, disinformation, terrorism and criminal behavior used in the same time and battlespace to reach a group’s military and political goals blatant – adj. very obvious and offensive coercion – n. the act of making someone do something by using force or threats journalism – n. the activity or job of collecting, writing and editing news stories for newspapers, magazines, television, radio or the internet troll – n. a person who tries to cause problems on an Internet message board, in comments sections of websites or on social media sites like Twitter and Facebook by posting messages that cause other people to argue, become angry, etc.      

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2d6QBC2
via IFTTT