Japan's Abe to Visit Pearl Harbor; Will Not Apologize for Attack

  Japan says Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will not apologize for his country’s 1941 attack on United States forces when he visits Pearl Harbor, Hawaii later this month.   Wednesday marks the 75th anniversary of the attack on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor. Japanese warplanes dropped bombs that sunk the battleship USS Arizona. They also damaged or destroyed 20 other ships and 164 planes. More than 2,300 Americans were killed. The attack led to the American entry into World War II. The day after the attack, Congress declared war on Japan. The war ended after the U.S. military dropped atomic bombs on the Japanese city of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The two attacks killed more than 210,000 people. Six months ago, Barack Obama became the first U.S. president to visit a memorial to the bombing in Hiroshima while still in office. Tuesday, Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary, Yoshihide Suga, said the prime minister will visit Pearl Harbor on December 26th and 27th. He said Abe’s visit is designed “to show his commitment towards the future and to never repeat the tragedy of the World War, as well as to send a message of reconciliation between the U.S. and Japan." Abe’s visit will be the first by a Japanese leader since the attack. Matthew Linley is a professor in the Department of International Programs at Nagoya University. He said that Abe and his supporters consider the visit a sign that the two countries now have strong relations. “This is also seen within Japan as -- especially for Abe and his supporters -- as being kind of a final conclusion of the post-war period. For Japan, the post-war period, many of them feel that relations now are completely normalized between the two countries. And that, even though it was of course controversial for President Obama to visit Hiroshima and controversial for Prime Minister Abe to visit Pearl Harbor, I think especially within Japan there’s a lot of support for Prime Minister Abe to make this visit. "But the main point that the media seems to be making is that this is a good move, but it’s tied to a number of, of different things. One thing is of course the Donald Trump incoming presidency -- Japan really wants to create a good relationship with Donald Trump because Japan is very worried about China and the South China Sea and North Korea’s missile program. Because Trump made some critical comments of Japan and the US-Japan alliance during the campaign, Japan is very concerned about trying to create good relation(s) with the United States and all eyes I think are on the Trump administration coming forward.” Linley noted that Abe was the first foreign leader to meet with Trump. The two spoke in New York last month. During the campaign, Trump criticized Japan and other nations where the U.S. military has troops. He said they should be paying more for the security the troops provide. Grant Newsham is a senior research fellow at the Japan Forum on Strategic Studies. Newsham says “Trump’s statements while he was a candidate suggesting that Japan was not doing enough for its defense and not paying enough for the services of U.S. forces really frightened the Japanese government.” “Since Mr. Trump has been elected -- to the Japanese population and the Japanese government’s great surprise -- the Japanese government has really been scrambling to try and build some sort of relationship with Mr. Trump. They didn’t think he would win.” This week, U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter announced plans to return to the Japanese government almost 4,000 hectares of land in Okinawa used for military training.  I’m Christopher Jones-Cruise.   VOA Reporters Chris Hannas, Victor Beattie and Jeff Custer reported this story from Washington. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted their reports 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   reconciliation – n. the act of causing two people or groups to become friendly again after an argument or disagreement commemorate – v. to do something special in order to remember and honor (an important event or person from the past) atrocity – n. a very cruel or terrible act or action

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How Will Europe’s Populist Movements Change the EU?

  As populist movements grow in Europe, it remains unclear how they will affect the European Union. Italy is the latest country to vote against its leadership. On Sunday, Italian voters rejected constitutional reforms proposed by Prime Minister Matteo Renzi. About 60 percent of voters rejected the reforms in a nationwide referendum. Renzi actively campaigned for the measures. He made it clear that if they were not approved, voters would be rejecting his government. Renzi accepted responsibility for the loss and offered his resignation on Monday.   The proposals were meant to simplify Italy’s government, centralize power and reduce corruption. One measure would have turned the elected Senate into a much smaller, appointed body. Renzi’s government has supported pro-European Union policies. His defeat energized other Italian parties, including the anti-establishment Five Star Movement and anti-immigration Northern League. However, some observers say the referendum vote cannot be seen as a direct result of populist movements, such as the election of Donald Trump in the United States. Ben Wellings is an expert on the E.U. at Monash University in Australia. He told VOA that while the Italian result was not helpful to Europe, the E.U. will clearly survive. “We’re not suggesting that Italy is in any way going to leave the European Union or even the Euro zone. So it’s an unwanted element of instability, but I think the European Union will see this one through.” Peter Eltsov is a political expert at the National Defense University in Washington. He says he thinks the rise of populist movements in Europe could give Russia a chance to expand its influence there. “You have a sense that Russia supports those either right-wing politicians or left-wing politicians. But mostly politicians who are skeptical of the European Union, who would like to leave the E.U., who would support the lifting of sanctions from Russia.” Eltsov notes that Russian banks have provided financial support to political movements in Europe. He said the leader of France’s National Front, Marine Le Pen, received a large campaign loan from a Russian-backed bank. France will hold a presidential election next year, and Eltsov said many experts think Le Pen could win. “If she wins in France, it's my prediction it’s going to be the end of the European Union.” He added that in addition to financing some European politicians, Russia is using propaganda to increase its influence in the continent. Countries that may be vulnerable to such propaganda could be Greece, Italy, Spain and Bulgaria, he said. Eltsov said Russia may also use its financial and political influence to try to weaken the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. He said this could involve trying to get some members to leave the alliance or stop efforts to join it. I’m Bryan Lynn. Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English. The story was based on VOA News reports from Zlatica Hoke, Jamie Dettmer, 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   referendum – n. a direct vote in which people cast ballots to decide on a specific issue or policy element – n. a particular part of something skeptical – adj. doubting that something is true vulnerable – adj. easily attacked physically or emotionally right-wing – adj. the conservative side of a party or group left-wing - adj. the liberal side of a part or group  

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Cameroon Denies Security Forces Abused Protesters

  The government in Cameroon says its security forces did not abuse protesters during demonstrations in two areas last month.  Students, teachers, and lawyers in English-speaking parts of the country were protesting the influence of the French language. A government official told VOA that Cameroon’s military acted with restraint during the demonstrations, and showed respect for international rules on human rights. Government spokesman Issa Tchiroma said the government is investigating the protests and the actions of military officers. He noted that if the government finds evidence of wrongdoing, it will take corrective action to punish the violators. He also said that Cameroon will not accept any attempts to ruin the country's hard-earned national unity.  The spokesman said he was reacting to a statement by the United States. He said the State Department released the statement on November 28. The State Department expressed concern about the deaths, injuries and damage that resulted from protests in the capitals of Cameroon's Northwestern and Southwestern regions. U.S. ambassador Michael Hoza expressed concerns over the violence. He met with Cameroon's president Paul Biya and explained that the United States respects Cameroon’s history of acceptance of diversity. “…And both President Biya and I agreed that dialogue is the future for Cameroon. We know that there are many discussions and we are certain that Cameroon's people will find solutions and they have to live together in tolerance as they have for many, many years." Cameroon has two official languages: English and French. English speakers make up about 20 percent of the population. Cameroon’s constitution says that English and French should be equally important. However the protesters say the two languages are not treated equally. English-speaking lawyers say some judges working in English-speaking areas have trouble speaking the language. Another issue is that the French-speaking regions operate under French civil law, but the English-speaking areas are based on English common law.  Teachers have said that the government continues to send teachers that only speak French to English-speaking parts of the country.  Some students in those areas are worried that they will not be able to get good jobs after they finish school. I’m Phil Dierking. Reporter Moki Edwin Kindzeka in Cameroon wrote this story for VOANews.com. Phil Dierking adapted his report for Learning English with additional sources. ­­­­­George Grow was the editor. How do you feel education can influence children? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   dialogue – n. a discussion or series of discussions that two groups or countries have in order to end a disagreement diversity – n. the quality or state of having many different forms, types, ideas, etc. solutions – n. something that solves a problem spokesman – n. someone who speaks for or represents a person, company, etc.

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Refugees Improve English Skills While Waiting for Resettlement

  For many refugees around the world, boredom is a fact of life. While the United Nations High Commission on Refugees – or UNHCR – works on resettling them, they wait. And wait. And wait. They cannot work, enroll in a school or travel. In 2014, several Hazara refugees in Indonesia found a way to spend their time. They created an informal school for children: the Refugee Learning Center, or RLC. Asad Shadan is one of the founders of the RLC. He left Afghanistan after the Taliban threatened his family. Shadan says that starting the school was a difficult process: "We asked the UNHCR to help us with some kind of educational program for three months, but after getting no response, we decided to just go for it and started a class on our own with 18 kids." The school's website describes how the local and international community came together to help it grow. An Australian couple paid the rent for the school. Parents gave $2.50 each to pay for carpet, whiteboards and other teaching materials. Women in the community volunteered to teach. The program, originally an informal class, has grown into a six-room school with classes for adults and children. The program, Shadan explains, grew quickly. "Within six months we had 100 children enrolled, and now we have 200 students and 16 teachers. It gives all of us something to do." Thanks to donations over the past couple of years, RLC now has a library, English classes and an indoor football league. Politics For years, Indonesia has hosted refugees. It is part of a transit route for refugees and migrants going to Australia. But, Shadan says, “the Indonesian government pretends that we don't exist.” Indonesia has never signed the UN Refugee Convention, and it offers no formal rights to asylum seekers and refugees. In addition, the Australian government's 2013 decision to cut the number of refugees it admits – in addition to turning away ships carrying migrants – has created a backlog of refugees in Indonesia. The UNHCR reports currently almost 14,000 refugees and asylum-seekers live in Indonesia. Around half of these come from Afghanistan. Building skills for the future While waiting for resettlement, the students at RLC are trying to build skills. They like to think about the future. "What we want to avoid is that, once resettled, we don't have any skills, or that kids have been wasting their formative years of their education," says Shadan. Although English is not the native language of the refugees, many speak English very well. "We have a lot of time to practice," jokes Shadan. Some of the refugees are being resettled, but very slowly. Masoma Faqihi, a 20-year-old, said her family of six have finally received approval to go to the U.S., after more than three years in Indonesia. "I like teaching at the school here but I'm just about done with school for myself, I think," she said. "I heard you can do anything in America, though, so really, I want to be a makeup artist. Wish me luck." I'm John Russell. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. Krithika Varagur wrote this story for VOA News. John Russell adapted it for Learning English. Kelly Jean Kelly was the editor. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   boredom –  n.  the state of being tired and annoyed resettle – v. to begin to live in a new area after leaving an old one donation – n. something (such as money, food, clothes, etc.) that you give in order to help a person or organization migrant – n. a person who goes from one place to another especially to find work backlog – n. a large number of jobs that are waiting to be finished 

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New Amazon Store Lets Customers Avoid Long Lines

  This is What’s Trending Today… The online marketer Amazon is opening a new kind of store. It is one where people do not have to wait in long lines to buy a product. Instead, the buyers pay using their smartphones. The new store is in the American city of Seattle, Washington. It is called Amazon Go. It sells products that are normally found in a grocery store. What you will not find, however, are long lines and cashiers exchanging money. Customers must have a smartphone, an Amazon account, and a program on their smartphone: the Amazon Go app. The app makes a list of everything that customers plan to buy from the store. After customers have finished shopping, they can simply leave. Amazon says that because its new store does not require as many employees, the prices of goods will remain low. The company has been working on creating the store for four years. #AmazonGo became a trending topic this week on social media. One person on Twitter published a photograph of himself waiting in a very long line at a grocery store. He wrote, “I cannot wait for Amazon Go. Longest queue in history.” But, it may be some time before Amazon Go stores open up in other areas. Even the Seattle store is still only open to Amazon employees. The company plans to open that store to the public in early 2017. And that’s What’s Trending Today. I’m Jill Robbins.   Ashley Thompson adapted this VOA News report for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. ________________________________________________________________   Words in This Story   account - n. a record of money that has been paid and money that has been received cashier - n. a person whose job is to take in or give out money in a store, bank, etc. queue - n. (British) a line of people who are waiting for something shopping - n. he activity of visiting places where goods are sold in order to look at and buy things (such as food, clothing, etc.) customer - n. someone who buys goods or services from a business grocery store - n. a store that sells food and household supplies

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South Korea, Japan Join United Nations in Punishing North Korea

  South Korea and Japan are adding to recent international punishment against North Korea for its nuclear testing programs. Japanese and South Korean officials announced the sanctions Friday. They are in response to North Korea’s threat to strike back against new United Nations sanctions announced earlier. The United Nations announced new sanctions against North Korea on Wednesday. The punishments came in response to North Korea’s test of a nuclear device on September 9. China, North Korea’s main trading partner, and Russia agreed to the U.N. action. North Korea’s vice foreign minister Han Song Ryol spoke to foreign diplomats in the nation’s capital, Pyongyang. He said the new U.N. sanctions are “an abuse of power” and violate his country’s “right to self-defense,” according to the Associated Press. Earlier, North Korea warned it will respond to the UN sanctions. It did not say what the response would be. The sanctions announced Friday by Japan and Korea are mostly symbolic. Trade between the two nations and North Korea is largely non-existent because of sanctions already in place. South Korea’s new sanctions ban North Korea from engaging in financial dealings with top aides to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Japanese officials said Friday they will bar ships that have traveled to North Korea from using Japanese ports. Japan said it will also freeze holdings of groups and individuals connected to North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs. On Wednesday, the United Nations Security Council approved new sanctions without any opposition.The sanctions largely target North Korea’s coal exports. Coal is the country’s largest source of income. United States State Department spokesman Mark Toner said the new sanctions will cut North Korea’s coal exports by more than 60 percent. “None of these sanctions are directed and nor do we seek to punish the people of North Korea who indeed are long-suffering under the current regime,” Toner said. He added that the sanctions target North Korea’s ruling class who he said are responsible for North Korea’s bad behavior. I’m Jonathan Evans. VOA News reported on this story for VOANews.com. Bruce Alpert adapted this story for 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   sanctions - n. actions taken to force a country to obey international laws by limiting or stopping trade with that country symbolic - adj. relating to or being used as a symbol indeed - adv. without any question regime - n. a form of government  

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Trump Still Using Twitter to Speak Out on China, Other Issues

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump says he would not be tweeting as much if he got fairer news coverage. But he wrote on Twitter, Monday, that he did not know if “that will ever happen.”     Trump has been busy on Twitter in recent days. Among other subjects, he wrote about his telephone call with Taiwan’s president, Tsai Ing-wen. Their discussion broke diplomatic norms. For more than 30 years, U.S. presidents have avoided direct contact with Taiwan’s leaders in support of the government’s one-China policy.   Last week, Trump said on Twitter that he plans to stop the Obama administration’s move to normalize relations with Cuba, unless Cuba gives the United States “a better deal.”   ​His comments came after the death of former Cuban leader Fidel Castro. It was not the first time Trump and his advisers said a Trump administration might end President Barack Obama’s two-year efforts to improve ties with Cuba. But it was the first time the next U.S. leader announced a major foreign policy decision on social media. Twitter has been Trump's chosen social media network to express his opinions -- both as a presidential candidate and, more recently as he forms his administration. Trump will be sworn-in as president on January 20, 2017. Trump Still a Twitter Regular Also last week, Trump expressed on Twitter his position about a move to recount ballots from the U.S. presidential election. Former Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein asked for the vote recount in three states. Trump, a businessman, was the Republican Party’s candidate. He said on Twitter that Hillary Clinton won the popular vote because of millions of illegal votes. Clinton was the candidate of the Democratic Party. She now leads the popular vote by 2.5 million ballots. In his tweets, Trump said there was "serious voter fraud" in Virginia, New Hampshire and California -- all states won by Hillary Clinton. He also attacked the cable news network, CNN. State election officials, both Republican and Democratic, have rejected Trump's claim. Trump won enough states to enjoy a large lead in America’s Electoral College. Members of the Electoral College are set to meet on December 19 to officially elect the next president. All signs point to Trump winning, even with the vote recounts. Trump's supporters say they enjoy reading his comments on Twitter. At his campaign events, people praised Trump for “telling it like it is.” Trump Says Tough Talk Leads to Better Negotiating Trump has defended his strong language. Taking strong positions, he said, is part of his negotiating style to get better deals. But some diplomats say his strong words on Twitter and elsewhere could lead to misunderstandings, or worse. Aaron David Miller was a Middle East negotiator for three different U.S. administrations, Democratic and Republican. He is now a vice-president at the Wilson Center, a research-policy center based in Washington, D.C. “We’ve never really confronted a potential like this before -- certainly not in the administrations I’ve worked for,” Miller said. Kellyanne Conway directed Trump’s presidential campaign. She told CNN television on Sunday that no decision has been made on how much Trump will tweet once he is president. Conway told CNN that Trump believes Twitter and Facebook provide him with a good way to talk directly to people. She said his tweets and Facebook posts reach 25 million people or more. But it can be hard to express positions on major issues in the 140 characters permitted by Twitter. Kathleen Hall Jamieson is a communications expert at the University of Pennsylvania. She said that discussing important policy issues on Twitter increases the risk that the president elect’s message might not be understood. Tweets by U.S. Leaders Not New Twitter is not an altogether new way of communicating for presidents. Barack Obama was the first U.S. president to take office in the age of social media. He has used Twitter, Facebook and other social networks.  But Obama’s Twitter account, like that of many world leaders, is operated by his top aides. The president himself only rarely issues personal statements on Twitter.   I’m Ashley Thompson.   William Gallo reported on this story for VOANews.com. Bruce Alpert adapted his story and did additional reporting for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. What do you think of President-elect Trump's use of Twitter and social media? 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   norms - n. standards of proper or acceptable behavior network - n. a group of organizations that provide similar services style - n. a particular way in which something is done, created, or performed confront - v. to challenge someone in a direct and forceful way potential - n. a chance or possibility that something will happen certainly - adv. without doubt post - n. to make information or opinions known to people characters - n. the number of letters and spaces

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U.N. Asks for Record $22 Billion to Aid World's Needy

  The United Nations, or U.N., is asking for $22.2 billion dollars to provide life-saving help for nearly 93 million people worldwide. The U.N. made the request on Monday to international donors. The request says the donations would go to helping the most vulnerable people in 33 countries. U.N. officials say the world is facing its biggest humanitarian crisis since World War II. They say more than 128 million people are in need of urgent support. The people are said to be victims of conflict, displacement and natural disasters. Of this number, U.N. officials are requesting money to help the individuals most severely in need of life-saving assistance.  Stephen O’Brien is the U.N.’s Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs. He says the donations will make a big difference in the lives of tens of millions of people. O’Brien said the money will be used for life-saving food assistance to people close to starvation in areas including the Lake Chad Basin and South Sudan. The donations will also help people in other countries. “It will provide protection for the most vulnerable people in Syria, in Iraq, and in Yemen. And, it will enable children, education for children whose schooling is disrupted by El Niño among many other responses.”  The crisis in Syria is the United Nations' biggest humanitarian concern. The U.N. plans to help nearly 13 million Syrians who are displaced within the country or living as refugees in neighboring countries.  O’Brien says humanitarian assistance is only a temporary solution. He told VOA that a political solution is the only thing that will end the suffering in Syria. He noted that the Syrian conflict is more than five years old. “Humanitarians can do no more than fill the gaps of people who either need food or shelter or medicines or treatments or evacuation or who need access to water and sanitation and hygiene and other non-food items in order simply to survive.”  In addition to Syria, U.N. officials said that Yemen, South Sudan and Nigeria are among the countries with the greatest humanitarian needs. They have had large displacements of people inside and outside their borders. The United Nations noted that about 1.2 million people have fled South Sudan, making this the biggest refugee movement in Africa. Eighty percent of those who fled are women and children. I’m Alice Bryant. Lisa Schlein wrote this story for VOA News. Alice Bryant adapted her story for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the comments section. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   vulnerable - adj. easily hurt or harmed physically, mentally, or emotionally disrupt - v. to cause something to be unable to continue in the normal way El Niño ​- n. a flow of unusually warm water along the western coast of South America that causes many changes in weather in other places gap - n. a space between two people or things evacuation - n. to remove someone from a dangerous place sanitation - n. the process of keeping places free from dirt, infection, and disease by removing waste, trash and garbage hygiene - n. the things that you do to keep yourself and your surroundings clean in order to maintain good health

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Independent Defeats Populist in Austrian Presidential Election

  Austria has elected Independent candidate Alexander Van der Bellen as president. The former Green Party leader defeated Freedom Party candidate Norbert Hofer. Van der Bellen captured 53.3 percent of the vote, compared to 46.7 percent for Hofer. The results do not include absentee ballots but officials say there are too few of those to change the outcome. Van der Bellen supports Austrian membership in the European Union. He called his victory a “signal of hope and change” to “all the capitals of the European Union.” In  contrast, Hofer spoke out against EU attempts to get too much control over individual states. He threatened to call a referendum on whether Austria should leave the EU. He also took a strong anti-immigration position during his campaign. Experts partly link Hofer’s rise in popularity to immigration policies. Many people are concerned about the current migrant crisis in Europe. Tens of thousands of migrants have sought asylum in Austria in the past few years.  Many of Hofer’s followers are young men. They include members of Austria’s so-called Identity movement, which opposes multiculturalism. The movement is growing, adding groups in countries across Western Europe. Hofer’s loss is seen as a setback to such populist movements in Europe.  Hofer told reporters that although he lost, he will keep up efforts to make sure the Austrians who voted for him are not ignored. “We are not done,” he told VOA. “I will fight for the next elections.” Political experts say the election of Donald Trump in the United States heavily influenced politics in Austria and other EU nations. Trump campaigned on strong immigration enforcement and criticized European policies on migrants. I’m Caty Weaver.   Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English, based on reports from Jamie Dettmer and Luis Ramirez of VOA News and the Associated Press. Caty Weaver 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   referendum – n. a direct vote in which people cast ballots to decide on a specific issue or policy multiculturalism – n. the belief that different cultures within a society should all be given the same importance  setback – n. a problem that makes something happen later or more slowly than it should populist – adj. related to policies that supposedly represent the opinions of ordinary people

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Pipeline Protesters Cheer In North Dakota

  This is What’s Trending Today.   The United States Army Corps of Engineers has denied a permit that would be needed to complete a major oil pipeline under the Missouri River. The announcement on Sunday ended a tense situation between the U.S. government and several thousand people. They had set up a protest camp on federal land in North Dakota. For months, the Standing Rock Sioux tribe has been leading demonstrations against the Dakota Access Pipeline project. The tribe says the pipeline would affect its drinking water supply and destroy its holy places. The Corps of Engineers is responsible for studying and approving permits for all water crossings nationwide. In North Dakota, protesters are celebrating the federal agency’s decision. Many people who followed the story on social media also are celebrating. They posted articles and videos about the news on social media sites, such as Facebook and Twitter. “North Dakota,” “Dakota Access Pipeline” and “Army Corps of Engineers” were all trending topics on Sunday and Monday. Some news media produced videos of tribe members cheering when they heard the news. Corry Westbrook is an environmental activist in Florida. She called the agency’s decision “great and wonderful news” in her Facebook post. Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders tweeted that the protesters “showed the importance of standing together against injustice.” Members of the tribe started protesting in late July after the Corps of Engineers approved the final land easements and crossing of the Missouri River. The river feeds a nearby, man-made lake, which is used to collect drinking water. The pipeline is designed to bring oil over 1,800 kilometers from western North Dakota to oil processing centers in southern Illinois. The Army Corps of Engineers controls the land along the way close to the tribe’s reservation. The crowd of protesters grew over time. At one point, protesters fought with police who tried to break up the crowd by firing tear gas, rubber bullets and a water cannon. Even with the arrival of cold weather, the number of protesters grew. They were joined last week by thousands of U.S. military veterans who offered their support by building temporary shelters. The Corps of Engineers said on Sunday it will work with Energy Transfer, the company responsible for building the pipeline, to find another way to cross the lake. But Energy Transfer said the decision is only a delay and it plans to finish the project without changing the direction of the pipeline. That means some of the protesters will be back. Many people warned that work on the pipeline could begin again in early 2017 once Donald Trump is sworn-in as president. A Trump aide says the president-elect will “support construction” of the pipeline and will consider the project once in office. 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 decision by the Army Corps of Engineers? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   trend – n. something that is currently popular or fashionable injustice – n. lack of justice reservation – n. public land set aside for a special purpose construction – n. the act of building something; putting several pieces together

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To Fight Malaria, Bed Nets Are the Most Important Weapon

  From VOA Learning English, this is the Health & Lifestyle report. United Nations researchers are reporting progress in the fight against the disease malaria. The researchers confirm that malaria-carrying mosquitoes are becoming more resistant to insecticide products. But they note that another way to guard against the insects -- chemically-treated bed nets -- still provides a lot of protection against the disease. The researchers reported on a five-year-long study. The findings were released at a meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene in Atlanta, Georgia. A parasite called plasmodium is responsible for the spread of malaria. Mosquitoes infected with plasmodium pass the disease to human beings through mosquito bites. The parasites reproduce in the human liver, and then infect red blood cells. After they enter the blood cells, they reproduce again. As they do this, they destroy the cells. Signs of the disease appear in victims 10 to 15 days after they are bitten. People with malaria develop a high body temperature. They also can become weak, are unable to hold down food and suffer pain in the head or muscles. If not treated, malaria can make the victim sick and even cause death. The U.N.’s World Health Organization carried out the study on malaria infection in five countries: Benin, Cameroon, Kenya, Sudan and India. The U.N. agency received financing from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. WHO teams examined the effectiveness of long-lasting nets treated with insect-killing chemicals. Tessa Knox, a WHO scientist, was one of the researchers. She says the result of the study was positive. It showed that “the long-lasting nets that are being used all throughout sub-Saharan Africa are still working.” She says that finding showed that there needs to be an increase in the supply of nets. And she adds, health workers should “make sure that everybody who’s living in at-risk areas is sleeping under a net and using the net correctly.” Mosquitoes have developed a resistance to the chemicals in the bed nets. But Dr. Knox says the netting still can offer protection against the disease. “So a mosquito could land on a net and, while it wouldn’t die immediately, what it would do is continue to search on the net for holes so that it can penetrate and go underneath and bite the person beneath the net. In the process of searching on the net, it contacts the net’s surface and absorbs insecticide. And as it absorbs that insecticide, it would eventually take on a lethal dose, which would kill that mosquito. So even if they don’t die immediately, the searching process would mean that eventually they may die.” Dr. Knox says there is an “urgent need for new and improved malaria-fighting tools.” But she says until they are developed and deployed, officials believe the insecticidal nets will continue to be the main way malaria is prevented. As part of the study, researchers in Sudan covered the walls of homes with an insecticide made from chemicals that differed from those used in bed nets. They say that step reduced infections by an additional 50 percent, compared with using only long-lasting insecticidal nets. Dr. Knox says the insecticides used to kill malaria-carrying mosquitoes should not cause health problems for people. “All of the chemicals that are being applied broadly across sub-Saharan Africa have been through a very strict safety testing to get the WHO recommendation that would allow their usage. So there aren’t any concerns that the current insecticides that (manufacturers) have been using in the nets, nor are there concerns that the sprays that are being used on the wall, if they’re being used in the correct way.” The World Health Organization says long-lasting insecticidal nets are one of the most important parts of malaria control efforts in African countries south of the Sahara Desert. That part of the continent has 90 percent of the world’s malaria infections. The WHO says availability of the nets in the area rose from two percent in 2000 to 53 percent in 2015. I’m Anna Matteo.   VOA’s Joe de Capua reported this story from Washington. 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   insecticide – n. a chemical substance that is used to kill insects net – n. a device that is used for catching or holding things or for keeping things out of a space and that is made of pieces of string, rope, wire, etc., woven together with spaces in between; a net that is placed over something (such as a bed) in order to keep out mosquitoes absorb – v. to take in (something, such as a liquid) in a natural or gradual way lethal – adj. causing or able to cause death apply – v. to put or spread (something) on a surface, a part of the body, etc.

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