November 16, 2016

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

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Why Are South African Students Protesting?

Students have been protesting at universities across South Africa for several months. At some universities, protesters have clashed with police or security officers. The website Quartz Africa reports that more than 500 college students have been arrested since February. A number of schools have temporarily closed or suspended classes.  The protesters have what sounds like a simple, straightforward demand: free and quality education for all. Some are also demanding what they call decolonized education: changes to the study program to make the classes less European-centered. The student movement is being called Fees Must Fall. Free education is an idea that many people around the world can respect, and that few people in South Africa seriously disagree with. Yet the protests are showing no sign of stopping since they began a year ago. In recent weeks, protests have spread to most of South Africa’s 26 universities, with clashes between students and police at some of them. In September, the government announced that universities may raise fees by as much as 8 percent. The announcement fueled the most recent wave of protests. The protests first began last year when the government announced it would increase school fees by 10 to 12 percent. But the government cancelled its decision as a result of the protests. A presidential spokesman believes there is no reason for students to be concerned about the rising costs. He says the government has promised to pay for the increase for poor students. That is about 75 percent of the student population. Promises unmet  Twenty years have passed since the end of apartheid, South Africa’s former system of racial separation. Many studies, including a World Bank study in 2014, found that South Africa is one of the most unequal societies in the world. The World Bank study points to education as a means to reduce the differences between rich and poor.    Students are angry that the ruling African National Congress has failed to act on a promise of free education it made in 1994. Just a few days ago, a report came out describing suspected corruption in the administration of President Jacob Zuma, which seems to further strengthen students’ cause. Fasiha Hassan is a protest leader at University of the Witwatersrand, also known as “Wits,” in Johannesburg. An American reporter from National Public Radio (NPR) recently asked her whether the closings at universities were helping the protesters. “Nobody’s getting an education. How is that in anybody’s interest?” the reporter asked. Hassan described the reasons that a free university education is so urgent to South African students. She said that many blacks are receiving a poor quality education compared to whites. Because of this, she said, they have trouble gaining acceptance into universities.   Hassan told NPR that, even when a high school student is accepted into a university, the school is unlikely to pay for housing costs. These struggling students may sleep in libraries and computer centers, Hassan said. Some months, they don’t have money for food. At her university, students launched a program to feed hungry students. Many students say that the rise in school fees would make it impossible to return to classes next year. The ends and the means Protesters have used a number of methods to get their message heard. For example, at some universities, they marched into classrooms, angering school administrators, teachers and students. In October, an official at the University of Cape Town said protesters broke windows, forced open doors, and threw waste products into the halls of a university building. Most of the protests have been peaceful. But students were shot at two months ago at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. Security officers fired at the students during what appeared to be a peaceful demonstration. Police then used tear gas as they were deployed to student housing and across the campus grounds. That night, the campus’ law library was set on fire. Some reports say the fire was set to answer abuse by law enforcement, including the rape of a female student. On October 4, hundreds of student protesters marched through Wits singing a protest song, The Guardian newspaper reported. The police fired tear gas, stun grenades, and rubber bullets at students. Some protesters threw stones at security guards. Yet, other students offered flowers to police. At the end of September, Universities South Africa estimated that $44 million in damages have been done to university property. Jo Seoka is an Anglican bishop. He marched in an earlier protest at Wits. He said that police officers militarized the campus. The religious leader also said he believed the police were purposely not wearing identification on their uniforms. The shape of things to come    Presidential spokesman Bongani Ngqulunga believes that students are competing with one another to make bigger demands. He says the problem is that many of the protests are being led by students who are not members of student government. Filmmaker and social justice activist Rehad Desai is more sympathetic. He says that the student movement is still finding its direction and that the protesters are at the beginning stages of building this movement. “And they want to do that on the basis of as much agreement as possible. Now that takes time, to hear all voices and so on,” he said. The protesters can agree on one thing: “None of the students that are protesting want to be repeating the year,” said Thabo Boom, a law student and student council member at Wits. So how do they get out of this situation? Bishop Ziphozihle Siwa is the head of the South African Council of Churches. He says a neutral negotiator is needed. Siwa says the most important thing is “to calm the situation, get the police out of there and then continue the negotiations.” But, he adds that the students’ grievances started years before they were born -- when the government created a system to separate black and white, rich and poor. President Zuma has formed a ministerial team to help bring an end to the clashes. I’m Alice Bryant. And I’m Phil Dierking.     Alice Bryant wrote this story for Learning English. Her story was based on reports from VOANews.com, National Public Radio, The Guardian and other media organizations. George Grow was the editor.   We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. __________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story fee - n. an amount of money that must be paid library - n. a place where books, magazines, and other materials are available for people to use or borrow campus - n. the area and buildings around a university, college, school, etc. stun grenade - n. a non-lethal explosive device used to confuse a person’s sense; it makes a loud sound and a blinding flash of light. uniform - n. a special kind of clothing that is worn by all the members of a group or organization, such as an army or team grievance - n. a feeling of having been treated unfairly  

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New Google Flights Tool Tells When Airfare Prices May Change

  The cost of airplane flights is often the biggest expense of travel. Airfares can be expensive and budgeting for them can be difficult. Prices change often so it is not easy to know which flight is best. And there can be extra charges for baggage. The process is even more complex for family travel. Now, the online search service Google Flights has a new tool to help you find the best airfares and plan your next trip. The service can let you know when the price for a flight is going to end. It can alert you when prices are expected to rise. Google Flights now compares airfares to historical price data for similar flights. Using Google Flight's New Tool To use this new tool, go to the Google Flights website. You can search for flights by date, airports, number of stops, flight class and number of passengers. Google Flights will highlight in green the flights it thinks are the best choices, based on price, flight times and number of stops. After you choose a flight, you may also see a note about when the price is set to end. Google Flights may also suggest you book as soon if prices are expected to rise soon. This tool only works when a flight’s historical data is available. The information may be able to show you how much time you have to book a flight before the price changes.   Track Prices Search results include a “Track Prices” option. You can turn on to receive emails about price changes and travel tips. Google Flights lets you choose Track Prices even if you have not yet purchased your tickets nor chosen a flight.   You can manage your tracked flights and change the search fields, such as number of passengers, airports, dates and more. Google Flights will e-mail you if there is a considerable change in airfares for your saved flights.           Comparing Airfares Google Flights also has other tools to help you compare airfares. It provides a calendar with flight prices listed every day. You can see flight prices listed by date so you can choose an economical time to fly.           You can also see airfares on a bar graph to compare prices easily.           Google Flights also shows airfares on a map to help you decide where to go.       You may see a tip at the top of the results, advising that you could save money by flying on a different date or from a nearby airport.   I’m Caty Weaver. Carolyn Nicander Mohr wrote this report for VOA Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. Do you try to find the best prices for airfares? Would you sign up to get notices about price changes? Are you interested in finding out when an airfare will end? Share your thoughts in the Comments Section below or on our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   airfare - n. the money a person pays to travel on an airplane expensive - adj. costing a lot of money alert - v. to make (someone) aware of something manage - v. to have control of something

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November 15, 2016

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

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Former US Diplomat Suggests North Korea Policy Change

A former United States official says President-elect Donald Trump would take action against North Korea to destroy a standing missile armed with a nuclear weapon. Christopher Hill formerly served as the U.S. ambassador to Iraq and Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs. Hill also led the U.S. team during the Six Party Talks on North Korea’s nuclear activity under President George W. Bush. The Six Party Talks involved North and South Korea, China, Japan, Russia and the United States. However, all six nations have not met on the nuclear issue since 2009. A new direction in North Korea policy Hill was in Seoul to speak at a South Korean government conference on the chances for peace and unification on the Korean Peninsula. He sought to signal a change in U.S. policy. “So I think that North Korea needs to understand that there will be a new sheriff in town in Washington...” With his statement, Hill noted the president-elect’s willingness to take action against a possible North Korean threat. He also tried to reassure America’s allies that the U.S. government will honor its security agreements in Asia. Not all those who attended the conference were in agreement. Gareth Evans formerly served as Australia’s foreign minister. Evans said he is worried the American president-elect would act impulsively against an aggressive opponent. He also is concerned that such an action could start a wider conflict. "Where is that going to take us, a preemptive military strike? I mean that is premised on the assumption that if the North Koreans have a nuclear weapon and have a missile delivery capability, the United States and everyone else is at real risk. But what on Earth is ever going to encourage the North Koreans to use such a missile in that situation?" Evans said that, as a candidate, Trump had caused allies to question the U.S. commitment to defending them and securing peace in Asia. North Korea has expanded its nuclear development program this year. The North’s government has tested two nuclear devices and many long- and medium-range missiles. Experts say within five years, North Korea will be able to launch an intercontinental missile armed with a small nuclear warhead. Hill also noted that moderate foreign policy specialists from the Republican Party are among those on Trump’s national security transition team. He said they are placing importance on stability and continuity in North Korean policy. During the election campaign, candidate Trump had criticized some U.S. allies for not providing enough support for defense efforts in Asia. The South Korean Defense Ministry has said the division of defense costs is fair. A ministry spokesman also said that South Korea is unwilling to pay more for the deployment of the THAAD missile defense system. As a presidential candidate, Trump voiced support for allies gaining possession of nuclear weapons. Later, he denied the statement. Importance of alliances restated After the election, the president-elect promised to continue American security commitments. He did so during phone calls with South Korean President Park Geun-hye and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Abe is planning to meet with Trump later this month before a meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) group in Lima, Peru. Last week, the office of South Korea’s president said Trump told Park, “We are with you all the way and we will not waver.” Ambassador Hill says actions after the election show the importance of the U.S. alliances with Japan and South Korea in stopping North Korean threats and China’s military power. “But I have no doubt, I have no doubt that the U.S. administration, the Trump administration, will be able to continue what is really on of our best relationships in the world...” Hill also said he opposed offering unconditional talks or engagement with the North. He said that the government of Kim Jong Un must first agree to halt its nuclear weapons program. Hill admitted that getting China’s assistance for new sanctions on North Korea will be difficult if trade relations with the United States worsen. Trump has criticized China’s trade policies and threatened import taxes on Chinese goods. I’m Mario Ritter. Brian Padden reported this story for VOA News. Mario Ritter adapted his report for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to know what you thing. Write your comments about this story below. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   impulsively – adv. to do something suddenly without careful thought preemptive – adj. to take action to stop an unwanted act before that act takes place intercontinental – adj. between two or more continents, able to travel the distance between continents stability – n. the state of not changing easily or quickly, secure engagement – n. a promise to stay or keep involved with someone or something sanction - n. a measure designed to punish someone or something for failure to obey international rules commitment – n. a promise to do something reassure – v. to make someone less fearful or concerned

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Trump Begins Forming White House Team with Campaign Loyalists

The next president of the United States, Donald Trump, has begun appointing members of his White House team. The president-elect chose his top two advisers on Sunday. He is expected to name more appointments this week.  His first two choices demonstrate two very different styles of politics. Trump chose the national chairman of the Republican Party, Reince Priebus, as his chief of staff. This position generally controls most operations at the White House. The chief of staff also helps set the president's daily activities and decides who gets to meet with him. The 44-year-old Priebus has headed the Republican National Committee since 2011. His political skills helped elect Trump and resulted in Republicans keeping control of both houses of Congress after the elections last week. Some observers say the choice of Priebus sends a message to party officials and congressional leaders that Trump is willing to keep ties with the Republican political establishment.       The other top White House job went to Stephen Bannon, whom Trump named as his chief strategist and senior adviser. Bannon served as the chief executive officer of Trump’s election campaign. In a statement, Trump called Priebus and Bannon “qualified leaders who worked well together on our campaign and led us to a historic victory.” He added: “Now I will have them both with me in the White House as we work to make America great again.” Democratic Party activists, civil rights groups and even some Republicans quickly criticized the choice of Bannon. Before joining the Trump campaign, Bannon led the Breitbart News website. Under his leadership, the website published stories supporting nationalist, anti-establishment positions. It also had many stories in support of Trump and others critical of Hillary Clinton, the Democrats’ presidential candidate. Bannon once described the news site as a “platform” for what has been called the Alternative Right, or “alt-right." The alt-right means a right-wing movement that publicizes – largely on the Internet – nationalist, racist and sexist ideas.   Breitbart News has been criticized for using news headlines with racist and sexist overtones. One story about a conservative commentator was called “Republican spoiler, renegade Jew.” Another headline read "Birth control makes women unattractive and crazy,” while yet another asked, "Would you rather your child had feminism or cancer?" The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) is one group condemning Bannon’s appointment. The ADL’s director, Jonathan Greenblatt, called it a “sad day” when a man with Bannon’s history is chosen to be a senior member of “the people’s house.” Greenblatt called on the president-elect “to appoint and nominate Americans committed to the well-being of all of our country's people.” The leading Democrat in the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, said Bannon's appointment sent "an alarming signal that President-elect Trump remains committed to the hateful and divisive vision that defined his campaign.” John Weaver, an adviser for Republican Ohio Governor John Kasich, tweeted that the "racist, fascist extreme right is represented footsteps from the Oval Office. Be very vigilant, America," he wrote. On Tuesday, Trump met with Vice President-elect Mike Pence in New York to discuss other appointments. Trump campaign manager Kellyanne Conway said his team is also making plans to choose a replacement for Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. Scalia died in February 2016. Since his death, the high court has had eight members, instead of the usual nine. I’m Bryan Lynn. Bryan Lynn wrote this story for Learning English, based on reports from VOA News, the Associated Press and Reuters. 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   style – n. a way of doing things strategist – n. someone skilled in planning qualified – adj. having the skills and qualities necessary to perform a job platform – n. a way to tell the public about your views and opinions overtone – n. idea that seems to be expressed, but not directly stated unattractive – adj. not beautiful or interesting alarming – adj. – making someone feel frightened or worried vision – n. the ability to see someone or something fascist – adj. – extreme, harsh control or authority vigilant – adj. – watching carefully for signs of problems or danger  

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How Well is English Spoken Worldwide?

Adults in the Netherlands are the best non-native English speakers, a new report released Tuesday says. The report also says that Iraq has fallen to last place. The private education company Education First (EF) released the 2016 English Proficiency Index report. The English Proficiency Index is based on the online test scores of 950,000 adults from 72 countries. The results do not show the English ability of a country’s entire population. They are based on people who took an online test, the EF Standard English Test (EFSET), during 2015. You can take the test online for free. The study is the sixth produced by EF. It is a yearly report that examines the English knowledge level of adults from 72 countries. It has found most areas in the world are continuing to improve their English language ability. The report also says that English language remains an important part for a country’s economic power. According to EF Director of Research Min Tran, one quality the highest-ranking countries share is a strong education system. However, he says that may not be enough. “However, another very important factor is whether your country has an English speaking environment. If you go to Singapore today, you hear English on the streets. You hear Singaporean youngsters mixing Chinese, Malay, and English. Singaporeans are watching TV, watching films, listening to music in English...” Tran also said the report has found a gender difference in English ability.  “You look at the genders, women are better than men. And we’ve seen that in nearly every country, every age group, every industry even when you look at business English. Women are just consistently outperforming men.” Europe Similar to the previous six years, Europe leads the rankings with its overall strength in English. Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Finland were the top five countries in Europe and in the world. These countries have been in the top five almost every year the report has been released. The only difference is that the Netherlands has moved from second place to first this year. The report says there are several reasons these countries perform well. They have strong education systems, and primary and secondary schools in those countries require English language studies. There are also many chances for people to use English in their day-to-day lives. The report says one very helpful quality is that English is used often in the media of these Northern European countries. One important change took place in France. It moved from the “Low Proficiency” category last year to “Moderate Proficiency” for 2016. France placed 24 out of 28 European countries included in the report.  “English is a sensitive issue in France because the country is very proud of French and the position of French as the first language in the world. Universities do not teach in English, whereas other universities in Europe do have programs, even entirely in English. So we’ve seen France go down in the past five years, and this year is the first year they’ve gone back up...” The lowest performing countries in what the report considers Europe were Azerbaijan and Turkey. Those countries made small improvements from last year, but their scores were lower than the rest of Europe. The report says these countries tend to have weaker teaching methods that depend on rote memorization rather than communication. Asia In Asia, Singapore was the highest ranked country, moving to sixth place in the index. Singapore was considered to have a “Very High Proficiency” level for the first time. Tran says this improvement is because Singapore has a very strong education system. “Well, Singapore’s education system is often seen as one of the best in the world. If you look at other English tests like IELTS and TOEFL, Singapore is consistently at the top -- not just in Asia, but throughout the world. It just has a very, very strong education system that focuses on quality of instruction and has extremely high standards for their students...” Along with Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines were the next highest-ranked countries. The report says countries with a historical link to the British Empire usually have stronger English levels than other countries in the area.  However, the report says Thailand and Cambodia still have low levels of English proficiency, although they have a growing tourism industry. China also increased its rank by moving from 47th to 39th place. However, it is behind many other countries in Asia. Tran says this might be the result of its large population. Latin America Adult English proficiency in Latin America remains less strong, the study says. Most countries had a lower rank this year than last year. Argentina is the only country to rank as “High Proficiency.” The Dominican Republic follows closely behind.  One reason for Argentina’s high ranking, according to the report, is that English teachers there are “highly qualified.” They have to complete a five-year training program to teach English in public schools. Latin America’s largest countries, Brazil and Mexico, have lower rankings this year. This is the case although there are efforts to send students to English-speaking countries for university studies.  Tran says one reason these countries do not have higher rankings is the large size of their populations. In large countries, it takes more time for enough citizens to learn English to raise the average English level. The Middle East and North Africa The Middle East and North African area had the greatest changes in scores from last year. Morocco and Qatar made the most improvements of all countries in the area, but Iraq and Oman’s scores dropped the most. Only Morocco and the United Arab Emirates are in the “Low Proficiency” level. All other countries fell into the “Very Low Proficiency” level.  Tran says some issues causing the low performance in the Middle East and North Africa, or MENA, area are outside of the classroom.  “They are countries that have experienced quote a lot of turmoil. When you have such turmoil in your country for such a long time, then it’s difficult for the education system to really make a difference.” The report says that factors affecting these countries are poor education systems and not enough jobs for students after they finish school. This can cause students to not try as hard to succeed in their studies. The survey did not include sub-Saharan African countries. Steps to Success Tran suggests three things for countries trying to improve their English level.  First is to make quality English teaching available to all citizens. Next, a country should invest in teacher training, and then invest in its English-speaking environment. “I think the number one priority would be to make sure that everybody has access to quality English instruction, and to do that I think to then is to leverage teacher training, right? And making sure that you have a teacher supply that is ready to deliver the quality instruction that you need in your entire school system. “Then it’s about creating that English environment in your country. It’s having bilingual signs, bilingual venues, having programs in English that are not dubbed, and creating excuses for your students to speak in English, right?” The report shows that it is not easy to improve English-speaking ability country-wide, and it also is costly. But, it is clear that the economic and social benefits make it worth the investment. I’m Phil Dierking. And I’m Jill Robbins.   Phil Dierking wrote this story for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter was the editor. How well do you think your country speaks English?  We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   benefit – n. a good or helpful result or effect bilingual – adj. able to speak and understand two languages gender – n. the state of being male or female leverage – n. influence or power used to achieve a desired result proficiency - n. good at doing something rank – n. a position in a society, organization, group, etc. rote memorization – n. a memorization technique based on repetition turmoil – n. a state of confusion or disorder sensitive – adj. easily upset by the things that people think or say about you

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Scientists Fear Trump Victory Will Stop Global Warming Progress

When Donald Trump was a candidate for president, he criticized scientists who blamed pollution for rising temperatures on Earth’s surface. Trump rejected scientific documentation of climate change, calling it a hoax or unreal. And he promised to pull out of the Paris Agreement on climate change. That agreement was the product of negotiations involving about 200 countries. Trump won the presidential election in the United States. He will replace Barack Obama as president on January 20, 2017. Government officials and scientists are in Morocco this month for climate talks. They worry that if Trump pulls out of the Paris agreement, as he promised, it will have a major effect on their work. “This is critical to protect our planet, safeguard the most vulnerable, and drive shared prosperity,” said United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. He spoke at the opening of the conference in Marrakech. Ban said he hopes Donald Trump will listen to scientists and “understand the seriousness” of climate change. Trump has said he plans to pull back from Obama’s climate change rules during his first 100 days in office. He said he wants to put American coal miners back to work and make the United States more energy independent. Mike Duncan heads The American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity. The group opposes Obama administration climate change regulations. Duncan told VOA that Trump can move the country away from “costly” rules that “limited our access to affordable and reliable power.” Al Gore served as U.S. vice president during the administration of former President Bill Clinton. Gore has been warning for years that temperatures will continue rising if greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide are not reduced. And that means more deadly storms and natural disasters, and land falling into the sea, he said. Gore released a statement after Trump won the presidential election. “President-elect Trump said he wanted to be a president for all Americans,” Gore said. “In that spirit, I hope that he will work with the overwhelming majority of us who believe that the climate crisis is the greatest threat we face as a nation.” Trump’s election was likely to be a subject of discussion at the climate conference taking place in Marrakesh, Morocco. The meeting was called to discuss the next steps to move the Paris Agreement forward. Secretary of State John Kerry was asked by a reporter how he felt, given that Trump has said he will cancel some U.S. climate change regulations. Kerry told reporters that Trump’s election makes the meeting in Morocco, in his words, “perhaps even more important.” I’m Bruce Alpert.   Henry Ridgwell reported on this story for VOANews.com. Bruce Alpert adapted this story and did additional reporting for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section and share your views on our Facebook Page. How important do think global warming is? ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   vulnerable - adj. easily hurt or harmed physically, mentally, or emotionally prosperity - n. the state of being successful usually by making a lot of money access - n. a way of getting near, at, or to something or someone affordable - adj. to be able to pay for something reliable - adj. able to be trusted to do or provide what is needed : able to be relied on greenhouse - adj. relating to or caused by the warming of the Earth's atmosphere that is caused by air pollution overwhelming - adj. very great in number, effect, or force  

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1300 UTC Newscast of November 15, 2016

From Washington, this is VOA News. I’m Frances Alonzo reporting. President Barack Obama is in Athens Tuesday. It’s a start of his final foreign trip as U.S. leader. He said that he would press upon European allies that his view that austerity alone "cannot deliver prosperity." Speaking with the Greek Prime Minister, Alexis Tsipras, at the start of his final trip, he said: "In my message to the rest of Europe I will continue to emphasize our view that austerity alone cannot deliver prosperity." Meanwhile, before leaving Washington Monday, Mr. Obama discussed his trip. Aside from Greece, he will meet European leaders in Germany and take part in a two-day Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Peru: "I'll meet with the leaders of countries that have been the focus of our foreign policy through our re-balance in the Asia-Pacific. This is a time of great change in the world, but America's always been a pillar of strength and a beacon of hope to peoples around the globe, and that's what it must continue to be..." You can read more details on the president’s trip at VOANews.com. An Egyptian appeals court has overturned a death sentence handed down against ousted Islamist President Mohamed Morsi in one of four trials since his 2013 overthrow, according to a judicial official. The Court of Cassation ordered that Morsi be retried on charges of taking part in prison breaks and violence against policemen during a 2011 uprising. Russia's Investigative Committee said Tuesday that it had charged the country’s Economy Minister with bribe-taking. He was detained on suspicion of taking a two-million-dollar bribe over a deal involving state oil giant Rosneft. The committee, in a statement, charged the minister with "receiving bribes." This is VOA News. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.  

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Bruce Springsteen’s Motorcycle Breaks Down

This is What’s Trending Today: American singer Bruce Springsteen might need to write a new song after his motorcycle broke down in his home state of New Jersey. Springsteen is known for his songs that tell about life in New Jersey’s small towns. The Associated Press news agency says that Springsteen was riding his motorcycle last Friday in a large park near Wall Township when the bike stopped working. The singer then waited for help. Help came when three other motorcycle riders stopped on the road. The bikers did not know it was Springsteen when they decided to stop. Dan Barkalow is one of the bikers who stopped to help. “Bikers gotta stick together,” he said. Barkalow and his friends quickly recognized the famous singer. Barkalow said Springsteen was “a nice guy, real down to earth.” The group talked about music and motorcycles. They were not able to get Springsteen’s motorcycle running again, though. The bike’s battery had a problem. So Springsteen got on the back of one of the motorcycles and the four men rode to a local bar to wait for a ride. Another of the bikers, Ryan Bailey, said “it was nice to help out.” When the story appeared on Facebook, hundreds of people praised the group for stopping. “This is a fantastic story about humans being decent humans,” one wrote. But, some people said on social media that they would not have helped Springsteen because he campaigned for Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton in the recent presidential election. But another Springsteen fan wrote: “I would have carried his bike for him all the way home … it’s never been about politics.” And that’s What’s Trending Today.   I’m Jill Robbins.   Dan Friedell wrote this story for Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor. Would you have stopped to help Bruce Springsteen? We want to know. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   down-to-earth – n. informal and easy to talk to fantastic – adj. extremely good decent – adj. polite, moral, and honest breakdown – n. a failure of a machine to function : an occurrence in which a machine (such as a car) stops working  

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November 14, 2016

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

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