Turkey Suspends Thousands of Teachers in Kurdish Areas

Educators in Turkey are at the center of a government campaign against Kurdish rebels. More than 12,000 teachers have been suspended for suspected ties to the Kurdish Worker's Party, or PKK. The campaign has affected schools in Diyarbakir, a city with a large Kurdish population. Almost one-fourth of its 17,000 teachers are suspended. The teachers are accused of supporting terrorism because they took part in a strike last year. The strikers called for an end to fighting between the PKK and the Turkish government. Saliha Zorlu is a leader of Diyarbakir's educator's union. She says that she believes there is a larger plan behind the government’s crackdown. Her union, she explains, supports secularism in education and in Turkish society in general. Secularism is the belief that religion should not have a strong influence in education or other public parts of society. If the union is not active, she says, the education system will change into a religious one. "We are already seeing signs of this today," Zorlu adds. "During the attack on us, we saw that imams were appointed to state-run dormitories." Dormitories are the buildings where students live. Traditionally, Kurds in Turkey are religious conservatives. Religious groups that support the government have recently increased their activities in Kurdish areas. These activities include supporting calls for the region's return to its Islamic roots. Religious activities are seen as an opposition to the secular PKK. Like the rest of Turkey, there has been an expansion of religious schooling in the Kurdish region. The government insists that the teacher's suspensions are about fighting terrorism. The head of the ruling AKP party in Diyarbakir, Muhammad Akar, said, "In the upcoming days, those who made propaganda for the terror organization, who boycotted schools and who encouraged students to join the terrorists, will be separated from the innocent teachers." He added "I can say that a significant percentage will be reinstated to their duties, and the others, those who are guilty, will be charged." The arrests and suspensions of teachers are continuing to fuel anger and protests. Idris Baluken, a parliamentary group leader of the pro-Kurdish party HDP, warns the suspensions are increasing tensions in the area. The conflict between Turkey and the PKK appears to have a new front line: education. Children and teachers seem likely to be caught in the crossfire. I’m John Russell. Dorian Jones reported this story for VOANews.com. John Russell adapted his report for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story crackdown – n. a serious attempt to punish people for doing something that is not allowed region – n. an area imam – n. an Islamic religious leader crossfire – n. shots that come from two or more places so that the bullets cross through the same area — sometimes used figuratively reinstate – v. to return or re-establish

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How the Technology Industry Is Helping Refugees

  A growing number of people are using computer software and other technology to support the needs of immigrants worldwide. Many of these people already work in the technology industry. Some observers are calling this new movement digital humanitarianism. Over the past two years, VOA and other media have been reporting on the immigration crisis in Europe. Many of these immigrants are coming from the Middle East and Africa. They are looking for safety and a better quality of life. Some of the immigrants are migrants, but many others are refugees. Migrants go from one place to another for economic reasons. Refugees flee violence or political unrest in their home country and seek asylum. The United Nations’ refugee agency (UNHCR) reports that about 65 million people were displaced at the end of 2015. Since last year, many software developers have been creating digital solutions to help countries deal with the growing number of immigrants. Technology is changing every part of the journey of refugees and migrants. Before going overseas, for example, they need to plan their trip. During their travels, they might need to send signals for help. After finally arriving in their new country, there are a long list of needs, such as housing, health care, jobs, and legal help. Last month, the Migration Policy Institute released a report on these digital tools and how governments can better support their development and use. The report is called “Digital Humanitarianism: How Tech Entrepreneurs Are Supporting Refugee Integration.” It says the 2015-16 period was impressive for the expansion of these digital tools. The report says that, although the movement has shown promise, it needs more financing, better organization, and inclusion in policy talks with governments. Too Much Too Soon? Since 2015, computer programmers have launched a number of digital tools designed to help refugees. For example, an app called InfoAid is for individuals and families traveling through southeast Europe. It provides information about national borders and transportation, and advice on security, among other things. Another tool, Trace the Face, can help immigrants reunite with loved ones by posting images and searching for photographs online. The website is a service of the International Committee of the Red Cross. Yet the report also found that a number of good ideas from this flood of high-tech development have resulted in wasted energy. It said that too many teams were working separately and creating tools that perform similar tasks.   Meghan Benton, the lead writer of the report, is a Senior Policy Analyst at the Migration Policy Institute. She talked about the mistakes tech humanitarians were making. “One of the challenges I point to in my report is the fact that there have been hundreds of apps developed that try and be the default – the one app to help people access services when they get to a new city. And I think that we’re finding with some emerging evidence that refugees would prefer often to use existing platforms like Facebook or WhatsApp or just to have government websites that are easier to understand." A number of these apps are no longer operational. The report adds that the technology industry is learning from its mistakes. It is moving away from the “let’s create an app” model, Benton notes, and finding better ways to serve refugee communities. Many programmers are now attempting to organize themselves through a non-profit group called Techfugees, the report says. The group coordinates conferences and projects among its 15,000 members in 14 countries, including the United States. Techfugees supports user-centered design, which Benton believes is important. User-centered design is about listening directly to what refugees say their needs are and then designing high-tech tools based on these needs. Techfugees also plans to use its expertise to help non-governmental organizations (NGOs), such as the UNHCR, with their tech needs. Hurry Up and Wait The report says government officials and lawmakers only recently have learned about some of these inventions. So, while the tech community might be going in the right direction, governments are not yet sure how to make use of their efforts. The report calls on governments to identify the needs of refugees, invite the tech community to join policy talks, and help finance the best inventions. For example, when governments need solutions, such as ways to make housing available to refugees, they sometimes offer prizes for good ideas. The European Commission and the Swedish government already offer challenge prizes. Benton says government agencies need to do more of this. But, is technology a realistic solution for every refugee need? Jobs and the wages they provide are a continuing issue. The report says governments and many NGOs have mostly overlooked new refugees’ need for credit. Refugees usually have problems opening bank accounts. The report suggests crowdfunding and peer-to-peer lending as another way to help the new arrivals.  While jobs are the best way to earn money, most refugees cannot work legally in their new home until they are offered asylum. Meghan Benton notes that when the asylum offer finally arrives, the refugees are often housed in rural areas, far from the best positions. For now, technology can help reduce costs for job training and education. More importantly, the training can take place on a computer – and sometimes a telephone - anywhere. Some software tools connect highly skilled refugees with employers, such as Workeer in Germany. Other programs offer education at no cost. There is also is a serious effort to offer free coding classes to refugees so they can start careers in computer programming. Two examples are RebootKamp, in Jordan’s Zataari refugee camp, and Refugees on Rails in Germany. Benton admits that more attention must be paid to refugees with lower-level skills. She says they could get help from a website like Amazon Mechanical Turk, which advertises many kinds of small jobs. The site is a division of the American online business Amazon.com. I’m Alice Bryant. And I’m Jill Robbins.   Alice Bryant wrote this story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor.   Have you or someone you know used an app, website, or other digital tool similar to the ones discussed in this story? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the comments section. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   digital - adj. using or characterized by computer technology journey - n. an act of traveling from one place to another impressive - adj. deserving attention, admiration, or respect : making a good impression app - n. a computer program that performs a special function online - adv. connected to a computer, a computer network, or the Internet task - n. a piece of work that has been given to someone : a job for someone to do analyst - n. a person who studies or analyzes something default - adj. to automatically use a particular setting or option, unless you choose a different one coordinate - v. to make arrangements so that two or more people or groups of people can work together properly and well peer - n. a person who belongs to the same age group or social group as someone else crowdfunding - n. the practice of funding a project or venture by raising many small amounts of money from a large number of people, usually on the Internet

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Strange Video of 'Ice Monster' Recorded in Alaska

  This is What’s Trending Today. Many people have heard the story of Scotland’s Loch Ness monster. The sea creature, often called Nessie, is said to live in Loch Ness, a large waterway in the Scottish Highlands. Yet, have you ever heard of an ice monster in the American state of Alaska? Well, an ice monster is what many people thought they were seeing when a federal government agency published a strange-looking video. The Bureau of Land Management put the video on its Facebook page. The pictures were taken in Fairbanks, a city in north-central Alaska. Alaska is the northernmost part of the United States. While winter has yet to officially begin, weather conditions in Fairbanks already are very cold. In the video, a fish with ice on its back appears to be swimming in the Chena River. The video was only 20 seconds long. But it was enough to get people wondering what they saw. One person said he thought it showed a shark that lost its way. Someone else wrote that he thought the video was a prank designed to trick people. The writer said the Bureau of Land Management wanted to bring attention to its Facebook page. A number of media organizations picked up on the ice monster story and talked about it on their shows.  Other writers asked if the video was edited in some way, removing some images or adding others. Perhaps, they reasoned, the bureau was trying to frighten people around the celebration of Halloween. Some people said the ice monster was a “zombie salmon,” or a larger fish: a sturgeon. One writer even suggested the creature was an alligator or crocodile. But such an animal could not survive in Alaska, where it does not get very hot, even in summer. Some readers said it was ice moving in the river current, or ice that was frozen to a rope or some other object. On October 31, the Bureau of Land Management published an update. It agreed with some of the people who commented on the original piece. An expert from the Department of Fish and Game told the bureau the picture looked “really cool,” but it was probably just ice stuck to a rope. The ice caused the rope to float and move in the river’s current. Even though the mystery seems to be solved, some people do not seem persuaded. Others are still wishing it was a “real” monster. And that’s What’s Trending Today. I’m Dan Friedell. Dan Friedell wrote this story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. Did you think it was a real “ice monster?” We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________   Words in This Story bureau – n. a government department or part of a government agency prank – n. a trick that is done to someone, usually as a joke edit – v. to prepare a book, newspaper story or television program to be seen or heard; to change, move, or remove parts of a work zombie – n. a dead person who reportedly has the ability to move because of magical powers monster – n. a creature that frightens or produces fear update – n. a report that includes the most recent information current – n. a continuous movement of water or air in the same direction​

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Program Helps Lift American Families Out of Poverty

  A program designed to help families escape poverty in the American state of Georgia is serving as a model for other parts of the United States. The program is a partnership between private donors and the city government in Atlanta, Georgia’s capital. Today, the East Lake neighborhood of Atlanta is a nice place to live. But 20 years ago the neighborhood was unsafe and looked unappealing. Recently, VOA reporter Chris Simkins visited East Lake and spoke with Daniel Shoy, the president of the East Lake Foundation. The foundation was set up to help people in the community. “More than 20 years ago this was the home to East Lake Meadows, which was one of the nation’s most violent housing developments, and today is probably one of the most promising.” The city and private charities are spending $150 million to help poor families escape poverty. Carol Naughton works for a non-profit group called Purpose Built Communities. It works with local leaders to help improve communities. “The absolute idea of income inequality is part of the problem, but the lack of social mobility is just as big a problem. If people in America don't feel like they have a reasonable shot at working and earning a better life and creating a better opportunity for their children, I think our democracy is threatened at its very core.” East Lake Village is home to about 2,100 people. Only low or middle-income individuals are permitted to live there. The housing development has banks, a grocery store and other businesses usually found in higher income neighborhoods. Young people in East Lake are given help with their education so they can go to college and get a good job. Twenty years ago, an average family of four in this neighborhood struggled to earn $4,500 a year. Shoy says the average income is now about $20,000. “There was only 14 percent employment in this community. Now we see a hundred percent employment for the families that we work with who are living in the subsidized units. We’ve seen a dramatic increase in annual household income.” Michelle Campbell and her family have experienced success since they moved to East Lake in 2013. Campbell helps operate the housing development. She is building wealth and will soon buy her first home. “This type of program encourage(s) self-sufficiency. It is a move-to-work program, so the residents are required to work 30 hours or more in order to be on the program. And the goal is geared to them getting off the program, finding a home, getting into a better position financially.” East Lake leaders say its success can be a model for what is possible when people come together to end poverty. I’m Caty Weaver.   VOA’s Chris Simkins reported this story from Atlanta, Georgia. Christopher Jones-Cruise 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   charity – n. an organization that helps people who are poor, sick, etc. social mobility – n. the ability or tendency to move from one position or situation to another usually better one; the opportunity to improve one’s situation in life shot – n. informal chance, opportunity core – n. the most important or basic part of something income – n. money that is earned from work, investments, business, etc. subsidize – v. to help someone or something pay for the costs of (something) unit – n. one of a number of apartments in a building annual – adj. yearly encourage – v. to make (someone) more determined, hopeful or confident self-sufficiency – n. the act of being able to live or function without help or support from others geared – v. aimed at, designed for; to get ready or to cause (someone) to get ready for something or to do something

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Indiana Governor Brings Balance to Republican Ticket

  Mike Pence is the Republican Party’s vice-presidential nominee. He is the governor of the Midwestern state of Indiana. He is a very different person from Donald Trump, the party’s presidential nominee. “People who know me well know I’m a pretty basic guy. I’m a Christian, a conservative and a Republican in that order.” In the 1990s, Pence hosted a radio talk show. At that time, he spoke to Randy DeCleene about his hopes for the future and for government service. DeCleene praised Pence’s message. “The over-arching message of what he had to say was very, very positive and upbeat and inspiring.” Paul Ryan is a Republican and the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. He said Pence believes strongly in his faith and conservatism. “He’s a man of faith. He’s a man of conviction. He’s a man you can trust. He comes from the heart of the conservative movement and from the heart of America.” Pence failed the first two times he tried to win a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. He was successful on his third attempt, in 2000. He says he does not believe government should try to solve all problems. “We’re tired of being told that a little intellectual elite in a far-distant capital can plan our lives better for us than we can plan them for ourselves.” In 2012, Pence left the U.S. House and became governor of his state. He dealt with difficult issues such as abortion, and the conflict between gay rights and religious freedom. Pence’s conservative beliefs and voting record bring balance to the Republican Party ticket. He does not support all of Trump’s positions. Gary Nordlinger teaches at George Washington University. “The conservative branch of the party -- who's been suspicious of Donald Trump -- know that they can trust Pence. So if Trump is elected, I think Pence can be of great value in terms of dealing with members of Congress on behalf of the administration.” Pence would then have the hard task of serving as a bridge between the administration and Congress. I’m Anne Ball. VOA Correspondent Katherine Gypson reported this story from Washington. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted her report into VOA Special English. Mario Ritter was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section, or visit our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story in that order – expression a ranking; the rank in which things are arranged (people or things); a particular way that things or events are organized in a list or series overarching – adj. including or influencing every part of something upbeat – adj. positive and cheerful; happy and hopeful inspire – v. to make (someone) want to do something; to give (someone) an idea about what to do or create conviction – n. a strong belief or opinion; a strong belief or opinion movement – n. a series of organized activities in which many people work together to do or achieve something elite – n. the people who have the most wealth and status in a society; the most successful or powerful group of people (usually singular) abortion – n. a medical procedure used to end a pregnancy and cause the death of the fetus gay rights – n. the rights of homosexuals -- those who are sexually attracted to someone who is the same sex branch – n. a part of a company or organization

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Oil Producers Seek a Deal to Lift Prices

  World oil prices have risen a little after two years of weaker demand for oil and lower prices. During that time, a number of developments have affected the balance between oil supplies and demand. One is unrest in some oil-producing countries. Another is the expanded use of technology for collecting oil from deep underground. In addition, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has been working on a deal to reduce oil production. OPEC’s members have been trying to limit production to ease oversupply. Will oil prices rise? Perhaps the easiest way for Americans to experience the effects of oil prices is through gasoline. American drivers have paid less for fuel as oil supplies have increased and prices have dropped. In the United States, oil production has increased sharply in recent years. One reason is new technology, such as hydraulic fracturing, also known as fracking. It has helped drilling services recover more oil and natural gas from the Earth. In fracking, liquid is forced into the ground under high pressure. The force can break up rock under the Earth’s surface, releasing oil and gas. Hannah Breul is with the U.S. Energy Information Administration. She thinks oil prices will rise as supplies, or inventories of unsold oil, start to decrease. “Global supply has far exceeded global consumption, so we have seen massive inventory builds and we have seen lower prices as a result. Once the supply and consumption come back into alignment, and the inventories level off, and can start to be drawn down, that will be a market signal to increase production.” Low oil prices hurt companies that use fracking, making their operations too costly and less profitable. Rising prices, says Breul, make it more cost-effective for oil producers to keep shale wells operating. She says demand for oil is expected to rise over a long period of time. Other things can influence oil prices. Members of OPEC and some major non-OPEC producers, like Russia, appear to have agreed on a deal to limit production. Russia’s Energy Minister, Alexander Novak, says the two sides are trying to make joint agreements. Reports of a deal helped push oil prices above $50 a barrel temporarily. Prices had fallen to less than $40 last year. As a cartel, OPEC’s members seek to fix prices so they can increase profits. One way they do this is with limits on oil production. The group is expected to meet in late November to finalize details of a production agreement. Several members, including Iraq, have asked for permission to be exempt from cuts. About two-thirds of electricity in the United States comes from coal and natural gas. The U.S Energy Information Administration says oil has little direct effect on the cost of energy. It says that only one percent of the country’s electricity comes from oil. The cost of producing renewable energy has continued to fall. The International Energy Agency says renewable has become the world’s largest new source of energy. The cost of producing energy from sources like the sun and wind is also decreasing. I’m Mario Ritter. Jim Randle reported this story for VOANews.com. Mario Ritter adapted his report for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. Tell us about energy prices where you live. Send us your thoughts in the comment section below. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   consumption – n. the use of something inventory – n. an unsold supply of a product that are stored in a place cost-effective – adj. providing a good result at a relatively low cost shale wells – n. wells that recover oil from shale, a kind of rock that is easily broken alignment – n. being in line with, matching or being in balance with something else renewable energy – n. energy produced from a source that cannot run out, such as the sun, wind or water

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November 1, 2016

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

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Growing Number of American Girls Question School Dress Codes

In August, a group of eighth grade girls took part in an unusual protest in the American state of Maryland. The girls are students at Urbana Middle School in Frederick County, Maryland. When they walked into Urbana’s dining room in yellow, baggy t-shirts, everyone cheered. The top school official required the group to wear the shirts after violating Urbana’s dress code. But the girls added large lettering to their clothing. It read: “I am more than a distraction.”  The t-shirt punishment is not written in Urbana’s dress code; the school official made it up. That is one reason why the girls carried out their protest. The girls are part of a larger group of students in Frederick County who believe dress codes unfairly target girls. Also in Maryland, a young woman named Rachel Zuniga launched what became a popular student petition at Linganore High School. Her campaign questioned why many of Linganore’s dress code policies required girls to cover up too much of their bodies. School administrators say student opposition to dress codes is normal for the first month or two of every school year. Yet, the last few years have witnessed something different: a growing number of American girls expressing the belief that those policies unfairly target them. The United States Supreme Court ruled in 1969 that schools have the right to limit a student’s expression if they believe that it disturbs the learning environment or violates the rights of other students. But there often are conflicts between what the school officials believe is a disturbance and what the students believe are their rights in a democracy. Many students think that dress codes conflict with the policy of gender equality – an important idea in American democracy. More Than A Distraction Two years ago, a group of girls in South Orange, New Jersey launched an online campaign to protest their high school’s dress code. The campaign was called #IAmMoreThanADistraction. It received attention nationwide from girls who shared their experiences about what they believed were unfair rules on students’ clothing. #IAmMoreThanADistraction even became a trending topic on Twitter. Since that campaign began, hundreds of petitions have questioned school dress codes. And some students have walked out of school in protest, notes The Atlantic. Many girls are uniting under their opposition to dress codes. They say these rules result in body shaming. The girls also say the codes excuse “rape culture,” and support unhealthy ways of thinking about women that can lead to sexual assaults. At the heart of it all, they say, is the belief that girls’ bodies are a “distraction.” Lauren Weis is the director of Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at American University in Washington, D.C. She agrees that some dress codes target girls. “As I see it, the problem is that these kinds of codes sexualize and demean girls’ bodies because they assume that girls and their bodies are a distraction or a temptation to male students.” Other educators and sociologists also find dress codes rooted in a highly problematic societal logic: that girls and women “are the ones who need to protect themselves from unwanted attention,” says The Atlantic, “and that those wearing what could be considered sexy clothing are ‘asking for’ a response.” At Linganore High School, for example, a policy about leggings – which are usually worn by girls – says they can be worn only if shirts worn with them cover the student’s backside. This leggings policy is said to be common at other American schools. Zuniga disagreed with the leggings rule and other policies on clothing at Linganore. She told the Frederick News-Post newspaper that her school’s dress code teaches males “that it is OK for their wrongdoings against females.” VOA attempted to contact two administrators at Frederick County Schools, but was told they were too busy to speak on the issue. VOA also reached out to that same district’s spokesman, but has yet to receive an answer. Tom Saunders is the instructional director of middle schools for Frederick County. Asked whether the dress code wrongly targeted girls, he told the News-Post in August that men’s clothing has mostly stayed the same over the years. He also said that middle school age students grow quickly, and therefore clothing that was appropriate in the past may “no longer fit.” He suggested that parents who do not agree with the dress code contact the head of the school. Social Media and Popular Culture Lauren Weis believes a new social awareness is happening among girls, and that some of it “is the result of the popularity of what we might call ‘pop culture feminism,’” she told VOA. She said celebrities like Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, and Emma Watson have publicly promoted feminist ideas “in ways that seem to make sense to young women.” Media personalities may be partly responsible for this new recognition among girls. But social media is also adding to the national discussion. Last year, security officers at Vista Murietta High School in California removed at least 25 girls from class for dress code violations, according to Seventeen magazine. Most of the girls were told their dresses or skirts were too short. The incident took place on a day in June when the temperature was about 32 degrees Celsius. The school’s policy says that dresses, skirts, and shorts must be no shorter than 10 centimeters above the top of the knee. Some Vista Murietta girls posted images on social media to show their clothing the day they were “dress coded” and to show their school’s clothing policy.  Vista Murietta High School’s policy includes one list for boys and another list for girls. Some of the policies for clothing length, for example, only apply to girls. One student posted a photograph on social media of a boy wearing very short shorts, noting that girls are not permitted to wear shorts that length. Weis believes that the Vista Murietta students and others are evidence of something beyond gender: a larger social movement around inequality. “And in today’s culture, there’s so much more awareness of inequality, so, inequality on the basis of gender or sexuality as well as race, class, economic status, and, more recently in the news, so much discussion about sexual assault and sexual violence, and young girls are paying attention.” Social media has helped young people reach a wider audience. Girls at Linganore, for example, used Twitter for this goal. They started an account called @Linganore Girls to “support each other and work against misogyny and body shaming.” At Farragut High School in Knoxville, Tennessee, student Holly Sikes started a petition on Change.org, a social media site for launching national petitions. Her appeal read, “Are we as a county seriously willing to send a girl home and deprive her of her education simply because her shorts are ‘too short’?” She also wrote that these rules “promote victim blaming.”  More than 3,700 people have signed her petition. A spokesperson for Knox County Schools told WATE.com that parents and students did not object to the dress code after a public school board meeting on those rules. Even so, some parents do object to school dress codes, and are using social media to discuss their experiences. A mother in Kansas, Kimberly Jones, became angry after her daughter was forced to change into gym clothing at school. She posted a photo of her 11-year-old daughter’s violation: a long shirt with leggings. The girl was new to the school, Jones explained to People magazine. Jones used Facebook to tell her story. She wrote that the school did not allow her daughter to call her to bring her a different pair of pants. “Apparently, 13 year old boys can’t control themselves around this,” she said jokingly about her daughter’s long shirt and leggings. To Be or Not Be… Gender Neutral There is another group whose gender Weis believes is unfairly targeted: students whose gender expression is different from their legally recorded sex. She says that gender-specific dress codes may punish and humiliate them and it does not create a good learning environment. For example, earlier this year, CNN reported that a lunch worker at a high school in Ohio denied a boy his meal because the boy was wearing a bow in his hair. In fact, 19 percent of students around the country say they were not permitted to wear clothing that administrators thought was “inappropriate” for their gender. This number comes from a report called the 2013 National School Climate Survey. Weis calls the growing social movement around dress code “a positive and hopeful sign” that young people today will be active in civic life in a way that has not happened in many years. I’m Alice Bryant. And I’m Phil Dierking. Alice Bryant wrote this story based on a number of news reports and an original interview with Lauren Weis. 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 t-shirt - n. a shirt that has short sleeves and no collar and that is usually made of cotton dress code - n. a set of rules about what clothing may and may not be worn at a school, office, restaurant, et cetera distraction - n. something that makes it difficult to think or pay attention petition - n. a written document that people sign to show that they want a person or organization to do or change something disturb - v. to stop someone from working, sleeping, etc​ gender - n. the state of being male or female shame - v. to cause (someone) to feel guilt, regret, embarrassment, or sadness for doing something wrong logic - n. a proper or reasonable way of thinking about or understanding something appropriate - adj. right or suited for some purpose or situation feminism - n. the belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities dress - n. a piece of clothing for a woman or a girl that has a top part that covers the upper body and a skirt that hangs down to cover the legs skirt - n. a piece of clothing worn by women and girls that hangs from the waist down length - n. a piece of clothing worn by women and girls that hangs from the waist down shorts - n. short pants that reach down to the knees misogyny - n. hatred, dislike, or mistrust of women, or prejudice against women validate - v. to show that someone's feelings, opinions, et cetera, are fair and reasonable deprive - v. to take something away from someone or something humiliate - v. to make someone feel very ashamed or foolish bow - n. a knot that is made by tying a ribbon or string into two or more loops and that is used for tying shoelaces or for decoration  

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Why Are Facebook Users 'Checking In' at Standing Rock Indian Reservation?

This is What’s Trending Today… You might have seen some of your Facebook friends “checking in” recently at Standing Rock Indian Reservation, inside the American state of North Dakota. They probably did not suddenly decide to travel to the remote place. Instead, they are showing support for people there who are protesting the building of the Dakota Access Pipeline. The $3.8 billion oil pipeline is almost finished. It is designed to carry 470,000 barrels of oil every day from North Dakota to Illinois. It would run under the Mississippi River. The pipeline is very close to land belonging to Native Americans of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe. Sioux Indians and their supporters have been protesting the pipeline since July. Protesters say the pipeline would harm the tribe’s drinking water supply and damage sacred sites. In September, the U.S. government halted work on part of the pipeline. Opponents have continued to urge the government to change the pipeline's path. Last week, police removed more than 140 protesters near Standing Rock after reports of violence. And earlier this week, protesters spread a message on Facebook. They said that the local police were using Facebook check-ins at Standing Rock to find and target protesters. The protesters urged people on Facebook to check in at Standing Rock Indian Reservation to “overwhelm and confuse” police efforts. Their request spread quickly on social media. More than 1.4 million people have now “checked in” at Standing Rock. On Monday, the Morton County Sheriff’s Department posted on its Facebook page about the issue. They called the claim that police were using Facebook to find protesters “absolutely false.” Protesters say that the check-ins have brought more attention to the issue. However, the main group supporting the protest is urging people to do more than simply check in. And that’s What’s Trending Today. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story remote - adj. far away from other people, houses, cities, etc. sacred - adj. worthy of religious worship : very holy overwhelm - v. to cause (someone) to have too many things to deal with absolutely - adv. completely or totally

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1200 UTC Newscast for November 1, 2016

From Washington, this is VOA News. I’m Frances Alonzo reporting. Iraq's special forces entered Mosul city limits Tuesday. They are advancing toward its more urban center and are encountering fierce resistance by Islamic State group fighters who hold the city, according to an Iraqi special forces general. The troops by noon, local time, were only 800 meters from the Karama district. U.S. defense spokesman Peter Cook, on Monday, said they were pleased with the progress made thus far. "We have seen reports from Iraqi forces that they are in some places less than a kilometer from Mosul itself. While distance is not the best measure of the fight ahead and the coalition's prepared for difficult fighting ahead, there's no question that counter-ISIL (Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant) forces continue to have the momentum in this fight." The troops’ advance could be the start of a grueling and slow operation. Russia’s Defense Minister said Tuesday a Western failure to rein in violent Islamists in Syria had indefinitely delayed the resumption of peace talks. The minister says rebels, backed by Western governments, had attacked civilians in Aleppo, despite a pause in Russian and Syrian air attacks. Pakistani opposition leader Imran Khan has called off a mass protest aimed at shutting down the capital and forcing the resignation of the prime minister. Khan announced Tuesday he was calling off his “million men” rally, a day before it was due to take place in Islamabad. He says his supporters should instead “celebrate victory.” With a week to go until Election Day, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are storming battleground states Tuesday. Trump was scheduled to speak in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. And Clinton is in the must-win state of Florida. You could follow VOA’s live election coverage on Tuesday, November 8 at VOANews.com. This is VOA News.   We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.  

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October 31, 2016

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

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