Ethnic Group Blames Myanmar Security Forces for Attacks

  Aid agencies and rights groups say about 25,000 members of the ethnic group known as Rohingya have crossed into Bangladesh since October. They are fleeing violence as the government fights rebels in Rakhine state. Many of the new arrivals are saying that Myanmar's security forces are attacking civilians. Some rights groups say satellite pictures support claims that whole villages have been burned to the ground. For Gul Jahar, there is nothing left to go home to. Her three sons disappeared during an attack in November. She describes how soldiers came to her village and carried out violence. "The soldiers burnt down all the houses and everything we had in our village. The rice that we kept in a barn – they burnt it all. We had nothing left," she said. Abu Tha Heck, who traveled to Bangladesh with his wife and four of his six children, tells of witnessing Myanmar security forces committing rape. The shop owner and farmer left his house and land behind. He still does not know where two of his sons are. Government response The government denies that abuses have taken place. A statement posted to the Ministry of Information's website on December 19 criticizes the international community for putting pressure on Myanmar's government. Kyaw Moe Tun, the director general of the Myanmar Ministry of Foregin Affairs, says accusations of abuse are not helpful. But he said that the government is ready to work with those who provide evidence of suspected crimes. "Whoever has [that] kind of information, please bring [it] forward and give use the concrete evidence. Then, the government is ready to look into the matter," he said. In an interview with IRIN news, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Aye Aye Soe said, "The things they are accusing us of didn't happen at all." She added "I am sure there are people going over the border, I accept that, but I don't know if it could be 20 or 30 thousand. It's blown out of proportion." NGOs Dispute the Government's Claims However, human rights groups dispute the government's statements. They say that evidence shows Myanmar's military is committing rights abuses. In a report published in mid-December, Amnesty International says that satellite pictures show that about 1,200 Rohingya homes have been burned. The government says that Rohingya militants have burned the homes. But, Amnesty says, eyewitness reports and satellite pictures show that the burning patterns are "consistent with targeted and systematic attacks by the military." Another human rights group, Human Rights Watch, says other satellite imagery shows the government is behind the burnings. The images show a military post next to the village of Wa Peik, where around 300 buildings have been burned. Brad Adams, the Asia director at Human Rights Watch said, “It’s difficult to believe that militants burned down over 300 buildings in Wa Peik over a one-month period while Burmese security forces stood there and watched.” Foreign reporters and humanitarian groups have been banned from going to the northern parts of the Rakhine state, making it difficult to document violence in the area. Several journalists will be permitted into the area this week, but it is not clear how freely they will be able to travel. I’m John Russell. Steve Sanford wrote this story for VOA News. John Russell adapted it for Learning English with additional sources of information. Mario Ritter was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   commit – v.  to do (something that is illegal or harmful) concrete – adj. relating to or involving specific people, things, or actions rather than general ideas or qualities systematic – adj. using a careful system or method blow out of proportion – expression. to think of or describe something as larger or greater than it really is

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December 28, 2016

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

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Group Works to Bring Better Eyesight to People in Poor Nations

  Imagine sitting in a classroom and not being able to see a picture that your teacher is showing. Imagine driving a car, not knowing that your vision is so bad, that driving is dangerous to you and others. For millions of people, that condition is normal. That is because there are not enough eye doctors, known as optometrists, to diagnose and treat eyesight problems in many poor nations. In some developing countries, there is only one optometrist for every eight million people. That estimate comes from J. Kevin White. He started the group Global Vision 2020. He also is its executive director. Global Vision 2020 is a charity based in Maryland that is working to bring eye tests and low-cost eyeglasses to people in developing nations. Glasses allow people with bad vision to see normally.  “So even if you knew you needed eyeglasses, which most people don’t, the opportunity to find, to get help, is really, really limited and even the cost is just cost prohibitive.” A person can expect to pay $100 for an eye test and glasses, White said. That is too much for most people in many developing nations where many earn $2 a day or less, he said. White has developed a low-cost tool that teachers, nurses, and almost anyone can be trained to use and quickly learn if children or adults need glasses. White demonstrated his system at a coffee shop near Global Vision’s office in Easton, Maryland. In less than five minutes, he tested the eyesight of a woman who could not see things well a short distance away. He then picked out the correct lenses for her, and placed them into a frame. She could then see normally. This meant she could see a group of letters about six meters away. That is what a person with normal vision is expected to see without glasses. Some people need glasses because they cannot see things that are close to them, such as a book when they are reading. White says he uses glasses that cost as little as $1. He uses a tool he calls a USee. It is a frame with a dial on each side. Turning the dial changes the focus of the lenses. When the people being tested say their vision has become clear, the USee shows what lenses are needed to correct their vision. The lenses then are placed into a frame, and soon students who had trouble can now see what their teacher wrote or a driver can read a roadside sign. According to the World Health Organization, about 285 million people have eyesight problems. About 90 percent of those with vision problems live in areas where incomes are low, according to the WHO. Of course, it is helpful to be able to see clearly. For example, White said, studies show that people with vision problems drop out of school at higher rates than those with normal vision. He believes many car accidents are caused by people who need but do not have glasses. “Almost everything that we do is affected by our vision, whether we’re driving, your economic output, everything. You know, we kind of live in a visual world.” White noted how many people had vision problems in poor nations, especially in Africa, during his days on active duty with the United States Marines. During that time, he helped provide glasses to people who needed them. After leaving the Marines, White worked to find a low-cost system that would help the many millions of people who do not see well. That search led him to develop USee. White recently traveled to Mozambique. He is seeking grants that will help pay for a supply of USee lenses and frames that teachers and health officials can use in Mozambique and other countries. During his trip, White said, he gave an eye test to a regional health care official and found he needed glasses. After the official put on his new glasses, he was surprised at what he could see. Wearing the new glasses, the official saw for the first time that under the picture of the country’s president, Filipe Nyusi, his name is written. “Everyone laughed,” White said. They told the health official that all public photos of the president include Nyusi’s name. White said that the first glass frames he produced were not a success because they did not look good. Now, he has produced modern-looking, colorful frames. White said people are now excited to wear them. The people wearing them, he said, look good and see well. I’m Bruce Alpert. And I'm Anna Mateo. Bruce Alpert reported on this story for VOA Learning English.  Mario Ritter was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section and share your views on our Facebook Page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story vision - n. the ability to see diagnose - v. to recognize a disease or eye problem by examining someone charity –n. an organization that works to help people in need opportunity - n. the chance to get something done prohibitive - adj. so costly that people are prevented from using or buying something lenses - n. a clear curved piece of glass or plastic that is used in eyeglasses frame - n. the plastic or metal structure that holds the lenses of eyeglasses dial - n. a round part on a piece of equipment that you turn to operate something focus - n. a state in which something such as glasses produces a clear picture or image grant –n. an amount of money given to a person or group that is to be used for a specific purpose

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December 27, 2016

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

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‘Star Wars’ Actress Carrie Fisher Dies

  The American actress Carrie Fisher, who became famous around the world for her part as Princess Leia in the “Star Wars” movies, has died. Fisher’s daughter, Billie Lourd, said in a statement that Fisher died Tuesday morning in Los Angeles, California. She had been in a hospital since Friday, when she suffered a medical emergency on a flight from London to Los Angeles. Fisher’s first movie was “Shampoo” in 1975, which also starred Warren Beatty. Later, Fisher appeared in “Austin Powers,” “The Blues Brothers,” “Charlie’s Angels,” and “When Harry Met Sally.” She is best remembered, however, as Princess Leia in the 1977 “Star Wars” movie. As Princess Leia, Fisher wore her hair in braids, tied up in two buns.  She was tough and powerful and said the famous line: “Help me Obi-Wan Kenobi, you’re my only hope.” Fisher played the role again in 2015 in “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.” Her image also appears in this year’s movie “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.” Fisher suffered from drug dependency and mental problems. She wrote a bestselling book partly about her own experiences called “Postcards from the Edge” in 1987. It became a film in 1990, starring Shirley MacLaine and Meryl Streep. The actress wrote several other books, including this year’s autobiography, “The Princess Diarist.” In the book, she admitted that she and “Star Wars” co-star Harrison Ford had been romantically involved during the film. Fisher also performed in a one-woman show called “Wishful Drinking.”  She had performed the show across the country since 2006. She discussed many hard experiences, including her short marriage to singer Paul Simon and her parents’ divorce and romantic affairs. The show was later turned into a book. Debbie Reynolds, a Hollywood actress and singer and Eddie Fisher, also a singer, were her parents. She grew up among many famous people. In “Wishful Drinking,” Fisher said: “I’m the product of Hollywood. When two celebrities mate, something like me is the result.” At another point in the show, she joked, “I don’t have a problem with drugs so much as I have a problem with sobriety.” Fisher’s friends and fans honored and remembered her on Tuesday. Whoopi Goldberg wrote on Twitter Tuesday, “She was funnier & smarter than anyone had the right to be.'' Along with her daughter, Fisher is survived by her brother, Todd Fisher, and her mother. In a 2009 interview with The Associated Press, Fisher said she hoped her public battle with drugs and mental illness would help people dealing with similar issues. “People relate to aspects of my stories and that's nice for me because then I'm not all alone with it,'' she said.  “Also, I do believe you're only as sick as your secrets. If that's true, I'm just really healthy.'' Fisher was 60 years old. I’m Alice Bryant. Ashley Thompson adapted this report for VOA Learning English using materials from AP and other sources. Mario Ritter was the editor. _______________________________________________________ Words in This Story Original –adj. happening first in relation to other events Buns –n. hair tied up in a round shape similar to a round loaf of bread Role –n. a character or part played by an actor Autobiography –n. a book written about the author’s life Sobriety –adj. the state of being sober: not influenced by alcohol or drugs    

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Thousands Attend Mexican Girl’s Birthday After Seeing Facebook Invitation

This is What’s Trending Today… Rubi Ibarra just celebrated a birthday she will never forget Rubi is a teenager. She lives in the small community of La Joya in northern Mexico. She turned 15 years old. So, her family planned a traditional quinceañera for her. A quinceañera is an important coming-of-age party for girls turning 15. Her family created a Facebook event page for the party. The invitation was listed as public. That means anyone using Facebook could see it. A few weeks before the party, a photographer placed a video to the page. The video showed Rubi’s father describing what his daughter’s party would be like. Crescendio Ibarra said there would be local musicians, food, prizes and horse races. He said “everyone is cordially invited.” By everyone, the Ibarra family later explained, he simply meant everyone in nearby towns. But the public invitation quickly went viral. As a result, “everyone” who saw it thought they were invited. More than 1 million people said on Facebook that they planned to attend the quinceañera.   The original video was seen millions of times on YouTube. Mexican music stars and personalities joked about attending the party. Even a Mexican airline company offered low prices on flights to a city near Rubi’s hometown. Its advertisements for the offer said, “Are you going to Rubi’s party?”   The party was held on Monday, December 26. And, while 1 million people did not actually attend, Univision reported that more than 30,000 people showed up to help Rubi celebrate her 15th birthday. Photographers and reporters from around the world were present. The Associated Press described the Mexican teenager as looking a bit “overwhelmed” by the attention, but “resplendent” in her dress. Jose Antonio Sosa is an expert on social media at the Iberoamericana University. He said that Mexico’s great interest in Rubi's party showed a desire for lighter, happier stories in the news. And that’s What’s Trending Today…. I’m Bob Doughty. Ashley Thompson adapted this story from an Associated Press report. George Grow was the editor. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   cordially - adv. politely pleasant and friendly viral - adj. spreading very quickly to many people especially through the Internet overwhelmed - v. have a strong emotional effect on. resplendent - adj. very bright and attractive 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

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Look for Patterns to Improve Your Writing and Speaking

Editor's Note: This week, we revisit one of the most popular Education stories of 2016.  In the Education Tips series, education experts in the United States give you tips about how you can improve your English skills. After an interview with Eli Hinkel, a professor at Seattle Pacific University, John Russell wrote about patterns in the English language.   For VOA Learning English, this is the Education Report. Eli Hinkel, a professor at Seattle Pacific University, says that English learners need to learn to recognize patterns in the English language. These patterns, she says, are actually phrases – terms or expressions that relate to speaking and writing. Examples of patterns So, what exactly are these phrases? Here is a real-life example. The author of this story sent an email requesting a time to speak with Hinkel. The email was similar to this one: "Hi, Dr. Hinkel, "My name is John Russell, and I work for the Learning English Division of Voice of America … Are you available for an interview sometime in the next two weeks? We're looking for advice from education experts, and your input would be greatly appreciated." Hinkel gave examples of important phrases in the email: "Hi! My name is something and something. I work for VOA. Are you available …? We're looking for ….   "You did not come and say 'Hey! I saw you speak ... Give me an interview." The important pattern-like phrases that she spoke about are the phrases "Hi! My name is…," "I work for…," "Are you available …?" and "We're looking for …" These expressions are considered polite ways, in American English, to introduce yourself or to ask another person for something. These phrases are socially acceptable and grammatically correct. Building a large set of socially acceptable and grammatically correct phrases can make the language learning process easier, says Hinkel. Anna Uhl Chamot also has studied learning strategies. She advises learners to look for patterns as they learn a language. Chamot calls this strategy "Finding and Applying Patterns." Academic articles follow patterns Eli Hinkel says English academic writing, in particular, uses patterns more often than writing in other European languages. "So, French article writing is not formulaic, German is not formulaic, in general, Central and Eastern Europeans don't do formulae. So, it (the English language) is highly formulaic in practically every way – not just the structure, but also the mode of expression." Hinkel adds that English academic articles often begin with a statement of purpose and then uses common patterns throughout. She gave an example of common and important phrases for introducing a topic and giving a summary in academic writing: "This paper will discuss X, Y, and Z. "First, it will consider A, B, and C, then it will also take a look at blah-blah-blah, and in conclusion, the paper will explain B, C and D. So, in general, these formulae are something that most learners don't notice." The important phrases that learners don't often notice include the following: "First, it will consider …," "then it will take a look at …," and "in conclusion, the paper will explain …" There are many other common phrases in academic writing. For example, you will often see statements such as "I claim that …," which is a common way to make an assertion, or "One suggestion is that ..., " which is a common phrase for making a recommendation. Future education stories will discuss more common phrases in academic writing. Three steps to improving your writing One common problem for English learners is that they often do their writing assignments without a clear goal in mind. For example, Hinkel says, when learners write personal narratives they may choose their subject with little planning. “So, they (English learners) just simply say 'Alright, I'm going to write about my memory from childhood. And it was about my greatest grandfather in the world. And I love him, and he has been long dead.' " She adds that English learners can improve their writing by planning what they want to write: "So, my first and first and first and second and third and fourth tip: Whatever it is that learners are writing – personal memory, scientific article, or a write-up of an interview like this one – follow the pattern… "So, that requires three things: "First, identify similar genre. "Second, analyze the stinking thing to death, until you can identify this pattern. And then follow the yellow brick road." In other words, learners should choose stories, identify patterns in the stories, and then use the patterns that they find in their own writing. Try looking for patterns So, try to find patterns the next time you read a story on our website, learningenglish.voanews.com. Then try to use the patterns that you find. Remember, you should not copy a paper line by line. Copying a paper is considered plagiarism, and plagiarism is unacceptable in English-speaking academic work! However, you should look for examples of pattern-like phrases in the stories. Then, try to include the phrases in your writing or speaking. I’m John Russell.   John Russell reported on this story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. This story has used many patterns. Can you find these patterns? Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page! ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   pattern – n. the regular and repeated way in which something happens or is done phrase – n. a group of two or more words that express a single idea but do not usually form a complete sentence formulaic – adj. produced according to a formula assertion – n. a statement about something that is given in a strong and definite way recommendation – n.  a suggestion about what should be done analyze the stinking thing to death – an idiomatic phrase that means to analyze something for a long time follow the yellow brick road – an idiomatic phrase that means to follow a clear path plagiarism – n. the act of using another person's words or ideas without giving credit to that person

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Relations Between India and Pakistan Remain Tense

  Relations between India and Pakistan worsened in 2016. This worries world leaders. The South Asian neighbors have fought several wars and each has nuclear weapons. The two countries had better relations a year ago. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi surprised many observers when he went to the wedding of the granddaughter of Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif last December. Many hoped the visit would improve relations that had been tense for months. But in January, Kashmiri militants attacked an Indian air base in Pathankot, 50 kilometers from the Pakistani border. The attack damaged relations between Pakistan and India. In July, Indian troops shot and killed Burhan Wani, a young Kashmiri separatist leader. People protested his killing for months. Indian troops and protesters fought. Many people, including security forces, died. Pakistan strongly supports those who are fighting for Kashmiri independence from India. Pakistani leaders worked in international meetings to bring attention to reported human rights violations in the area. The Modi administration then protested reported human rights violations by Pakistani security forces in Baluchistan province. Indian leaders had never done that before. Tensions worsened further. In September, four gunmen attacked an Indian military base in Uri, in Kashmir. Eighteen Indian soldiers were killed. India blamed the attack on militant groups based in Pakistan. Modi said he would try to isolate Pakistan internationally. The same week, Sharif strongly criticized India in a speech to the United Nations General Assembly. “This indigenous uprising of the Kashmiris had been met, as usual, with brutal repression by India’s occupation force of over half a million soldiers.” India reacted sharply to the speech. Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj suggested that Pakistan is a supporter and exporter of terrorism. Soon, India said it had carried out attacks against militants on the Pakistani side of the Kashmiri border. Pakistan rejected the claim. But it warned that it would consider any such attacks acts of war. Continued fighting along the so-called Line of Control has killed many people, most of them civilians. The line is unofficially considered the border in Kashmir. Pakistan’s army trained near the Indian border. Then, India persuaded some countries not to attend a meeting of nations planned for Islamabad. Pakistan was forced to cancel the meeting. The two countries continue to attack one another, but many observers hope relations will improve in 2017. I’m Jill Robbins.   VOA Correspondent Ayesha Tanzeem reported this story from Islamabad. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted the report for Learning English. Caty Weaver 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   isolate – v. to put or keep (someone or something) in a place or situation that is separate from others indigenous – adj. produced, living or existing naturally in a particular region or environment  

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December 26, 2016

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

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California Halts Self-Driving Cars in San Francisco

The ride-sharing company Uber has removed its self-driving cars from the streets of San Francisco, California. The action came after a dispute between Uber and state officials over whether the vehicles needed special permits to operate. Uber recently launched testing of its self-driving service in San Francisco. But shortly after the launch, California’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) told the company to stop the self-driving vehicles. State officials said the Uber cars needed the same special permit given to about 20 other companies testing self-driving technology in California. But Uber refused to obey and kept its cars on the road in San Francisco. The company, which operates a transportation network around the world, is based in San Francisco. Uber argued that its technology does not make vehicles fully autonomous, and so the special permit was not needed. It added that all of Uber’s “self-driving” cars have a driver sitting in the passenger seat to take over if needed. The head of Uber’s self-driving technology, Anthony Levandowski, explained the company’s position in a blog post. He said the self-driving Uber vehicles do use high-technology tools to assist drivers. But, they are not fully autonomous and require a driver to be at the controls at all times. He compared the technology to solar carmaker Tesla’s advanced driver assist tools. Telsa’s Autopilot system allows its cars to steer in a lane, change lanes, and speed up or slow down based on nearby traffic. The company tells drivers that, when using Autopilot, they should still always be ready to take control of the vehicle. Vehicles equipped with these high-tech driver assist tools do not need a special permit to operate in California. “It’s hard to understand why the DMV would seek to require self-driving Ubers to get permits when it accepts that Tesla’s autopilot technology does not need them,” Levandowski wrote. “We asked for clarification as to specifically what is different about our tech from the DMV, but have not received it.” Uber and state officials were not able to come to an agreement on the issue. On Wednesday, the DMV said it had canceled the registration of Uber’s 16 self-driving cars in San Francisco. All U.S. vehicles driven on the road require state registration. In September, Uber got its first U.S. approval to test self-driving vehicles in the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Uber continues to test the cars and give people the chance to experience the technology. San Francisco’s mayor, Ed Lee, praised the DMV for stopping Uber’s self-driving vehicles. He said he supports self-driving development and testing. “But only under conditions that put human, bicyclists' and pedestrian safety first.” There were several reports of unsafe incidents involving Uber’s self-driving vehicles in San Francisco. Most involved witnesses claiming they saw Uber vehicles not stopping for red lights. Video of one incident was posted online that appeared to show a self-driving Uber car passing through a red light. Another person posted a photo of what she said was an Uber self-driving car in the road that did not stop for a red traffic light. In response, Uber said the video of the incident showed why its cars always require close attention from a human driver - and therefore do not need a state permit. Uber announced it would send the self-driving vehicles to the neighboring state of Arizona to begin a new test project there. Arizona Governor Doug Ducey reportedly said the state welcomed the cars with “open arms” and “wide open roads.”   I’m Bryan Lynn. Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English, with additional material from VOA News, the Associated Press and Reuters. Mario Ritter 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 autonomous – adj. independent, existing separately from other things advanced – adj. at a higher, more difficult level lane – n. part of a road marked for the single passage of vehicles clarification – n. an explanation of something to make it clearer pedestrian – n. a person walking on a sidewalk, road, etc.  

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Sunshine Can Improve Cancer Odds