Easy Ways to Unsubscribe from Email Lists

  If one of your goals in 2017 is an emptier email inbox, we know a way to help. There is a simple way to end subscriptions to email lists that can send multiple messages every day. Unwanted emails from these sources can fill your inbox quickly and waste your time. But there are tools available to block such mail forever. Unsubscribing Using the Unsubscribe Link You can simply unsubscribe from emails by clicking the “unsubscribe” link. Many emails come with this link at the bottom of the message. Often it is difficult to find. It might be hidden in small print or a light color.   Unroll.me Unroll.me is a free website that lets users unsubscribe from email lists easily. Sign up for an account and link your email address. You will need to give Unroll.me permission to view and manage your emails and your contacts. Unroll.me works with Outlook.com (including Hotmail, MSN, & Windows Live), Gmail, Google Apps, Yahoo! Mail, AOL Mail, and iCloud. Unroll.me will find subscription emails in your inbox and list them at their website. You can click which ones you no longer wish to receive and unsubscribe from them.     Unroll.me Digest If you want an emptier inbox but still want to receive some subscription emails, Unroll.me can help. Subscriptions can be added to an Unroll.me digest called a “rollup.” It will be emailed to you daily. This digest arrives in your email inbox once a day and is filled with the subscription notices you have received within the past day. For example, instead of receiving 29 email messages in a day, you could receive one, the rollup from Unroll.me with 29 notices in the message.               Click on any of the notices to read the full subscription email message. Daily rollup digests are also available at the Unroll.me website, where they can be organized by subject like shopping, travel, news, etc. Unroll.me App Unroll.me also has an app for iPhone and iPad to unsubscribe and view and manage your Rollup.  Unroll.me app for iPhone and iPad   Gmail Unsubscribe Google has added a feature to Gmail to make unsubscribing easier. Now, instead of having to hunt for the Unsubscribe link, you can find it at the top of Gmail messages.         When Gmail finds an Unsubscribe link in an email message, it adds the link to the top of the message so you can find it more easily. Click on Unsubscribe and a confirmation message will appear.       Confirm that you want to unsubscribe.You will then be taken to the Unsubscribe page of the sender or receive a notice from Gmail that you should be unsubscribed.     Mail App on iPhone and iPad The operating system for iPhone and iPad, iOS 10, has added a feature to the Mail app that makes unsubscribing from email lists easier. When the Mail app finds an email message is from a subscription service, the message will show a notice that says, "This message is from a mailing list." An unsubscribe link will be added to the top of the email message.             Tap unsubscribe to remove your email address from the subscription list. You can also tap the “X” on the right side of the notification to remove it. I’m Caty Weaver.   Carolyn Nicander Mohr wrote this report for VOA Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. Is one of your New Year goals to have an emptier inbox? Have you used any of these ways to unsubscribe from emails? Share your thoughts in the Comments Section below or on our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   subscription - n. an agreement that you make with a company to get a publication or service regularly multiple - adj. more than one​ account ​- n. an arrangement in which a person uses the Internet or e-mail services of a particular company manage - v. to control the movements or actions of something digest - n. information or a piece of writing that has been made shorter feature ​- n. an interesting or important part, quality, ability, etc.

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Obama Appeals for Unity, Warns of Threats to Democracy

  In his final speech as president, Barack Obama said he is more hopeful now than when he was first elected. He called for unity and for all Americans to stay involved in the country’s democracy. Obama went home to Chicago, Illinois to give his last speech as president. He leaves office on January 20. Chicago was where his political career started more than 20 years ago. On Tuesday night, he spoke to thousands of supporters. "Thank you! It's good to be home! Thank you!" Obama took a look back on his eight years as president. He said the United States is a “better, stronger place” than when he took office in 2009. People cheered as he listed some of the things his administration has done. "If I had told you eight years ago that America would reverse a great recession, reboot our auto industry, and unleash the longest stretch of job creation in our history…if I had told you that we would open up a new chapter with the Cuban people, shut down Iran's nuclear weapons program without firing a shot, and take out the mastermind of 9/11…if I had told you that we would win marriage equality, and secure the right to health insurance for another 20 million of our fellow citizens ... if I had told you all that, you might have said our sights were set a little too high..." Recognizing the current political divide in the country, Obama urged Americans to seek common ground with one another. He said that while "democracy does not require uniformity," it does "require a basic sense of solidarity." Obama is the first African American to serve as president of the United States. After his election, there was talk of a “post-racial” America — one where race is not important. But Obama said race is a still a “potent and often divisive force” -- meaning that it is still a strong issue, and one that divides people. The president warned that the nation faces threats to democracy, such as issues of economic and racial inequality. Obama said the United States has to guard against weakening its values because of fear. One of the loudest cheers he received was when he said he rejects discrimination against Muslim Americans. The president said he was more hopeful about the country now than when he took office. He called on Americans to stay involved in the democratic process.  "I am asking you to hold fast to that faith written into our founding documents; that idea whispered by slaves and abolitionists; that spirit sung by immigrants and homesteaders and those who marched for justice; that creed reaffirmed by those who planted flags from foreign battlefields to the surface of the moon; a creed at the core of every American whose story is not yet written: Yes, We Can..." It was a return to his 2008 campaign saying “Yes, we can.” Some observers say the president’s comments sounded more like a campaign speech than a traditional farewell address. Larry Sabato is a political scientist with the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics. He told VOA the speech was different from others given by presidents before they left office. “Certainly, it was untraditional, we’ve never had a farewell address like this. One can only imagine what George Washington, or for that matter Dwight Eisenhower, who had the most famous farewell address, would have thought of this manner of delivery. It was more like a political rally.” Sabato says Obama leaves office with a mixed record. He thinks the president achieved a fair amount, but he adds, "it’s also true that we’re more divided than ever.” And he notes, most of the speech was about positions and actions that Donald Trump wants to amend or end in the coming years. “When we think back on this speech, we’re going to realize that most of what President Obama talked about is no longer reality...” In less than two weeks, Trump will be sworn-in as president. And Barack Obama will return to being a private citizen. Obama says he will stay involved as a citizen. He plans to stay in Washington while his youngest daughter finishes high school. I’m Anne Ball.   Anne Ball wrote this story for Learning English with material from VOA reports.  George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section and visit us on our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   common ground – n. basing something on a common interest or agreement uniform – adj. having the same form solidarity – n. unity that is based on community interests or beliefs divisive – adj. creating disunity abolitionist – n. a person who works toward the end of slavery creed – n. a statement of beliefs farewell – adj. of or related to a wish of well-being when leaving someone or something address – n. a speech

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Music Service Spotify Recruits Barack Obama

  This is What’s Trending Today. Barack Obama gave his final speech as President of the United States on Tuesday night. His final day in office is Friday, January 20. That is the day that Donald Trump will be sworn in as America’s 45th president. The Obama family plans to continue living in Washington, D.C. while younger daughter Sasha finishes high school. But what will the former president do with his time? Some observers think Obama will get to work helping the Democratic Party find new candidates who can win local elections in 2018. Obama said in 2015 that he might go back to working on issues similar to those he worked on before he got involved in politics. Before he became a state senator in Illinois, he helped poor communities in Chicago. But, in case Obama changes his mind, the popular music streaming service Spotify seems to have a job for him. The music service published a job posting on Monday for a “President of Playlists.”  Some of requirements for the job are very specific. Obama is likely the only person in the world who is qualified for the job. The job requirements include having had singer Kendrick Lamar perform at a birthday party. Lamar, Obama and Janelle Monae all sang “Happy Birthday” to Obama’s daughter Malia in 2016. Another requirement is eight years of “running a highly-regarded nation.” Spotify also says the applicants must have a Nobel Peace Prize. The listing also mentions being one of the “greatest speakers of all time.” Many people enjoyed Obama’s summer music playlists he created last August. His playlists included artists like Miles Davis, Aloe Blacc and Leon Bridges. The founder of Spotify is Daniel Ek of Sweden. He tweeted the job listing on Monday. He wrote: “Hey Barack Obama, I heard you were interested in a role at Spotify. Have you seen this one?” The message was liked and retweeted almost 20,000 times. One person said she would sign-up for Spotify if Obama came to work for the service. And, many people said they would happily take the job if Obama were not interested. And that’s What’s Trending Today. I’m Dan Friedell. Dan Friedell wrote this story for Learning English based on news service reports. Ashley Thompson was the editor. Do you think Barack Obama would be a good Spotify employee? Let us know in the comments section. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   streaming – adj. playing continuously as data is sent to a computer over the Internet playlist – n. a list of songs to be played especially by a radio station regard – n. a feeling of respect and admiration for someone or something posting – n. a public announcement of something  

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Kerry Tries to Save ‘Two State Solution’ for Israel, Palestinians

    Secretary of State John Kerry will join world leaders at a conference in Paris on Sunday. The conference is to be one of Kerry's last missions as U.S. secretary of state. Kerry will try to save what is known as the two-state solution. The two-state solution refers to a political deal in which Israel and a Palestinian state exist next to each other. Many experts believe that the possibility of a two-state solution is disappearing. Neither Israeli officials nor Palestinian representatives will attend the Paris conference. Israeli officials concerned about the conference Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his supporters in Washington are concerned about the conference. Last month, the United States allowed the passage of a United Nations Security Council resolution that was critical of Israel. Resolution 2334 demands an end to Israeli settlements. It calls these settlements a “violation under international law." The United States has blocked similar resolutions in the past. Kerry explained the action in a speech on December 28. He said, "We cannot properly defend and protect Israel if we allow a viable two-state solution to be destroyed before our own eyes." Israel worries the resolution could help the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions , or BDS movement, which aims to put economic pressure on Israel. Last week, the House of Representatives voted to condemn resolution 2334. Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce said this action was, in part, "to head off any more moves the Obama administration might have in the next few days." To “head off” means to stop something from happening. The Netanyahu government and its supporters still worry that during his remaining days in office, U.S. President Barack Obama might take some action related to the two state issue. They are concerned he might formally declare recognition of a Palestinian state or support a French resolution in the U.N. Security Council that declares two states. Ron Kampeas is the Washington bureau chief for the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. He says he thinks such an action by the Obama administration is not likely. President-elect Donald Trump made it clear that he differs from the Obama administration on American policy toward Israel. After Resolution 2334 passed, for example, Trump wrote on Twitter, "As to the U.N., things will be different after Jan. 20th." David Friedman, Trump's choice for ambassador to Israel, supports Israeli settlements. He has also said he opposes the two-state solution. Is there a new Palestinian plan? Uri Savir is an Israeli diplomat. He also established the Peres Center for Peace. He said a person inside the Palestinian Liberation Organization, or PLO, who did not want to be identified described a new Palestinian plan. Savir wrote that PLO officials have developed a plan for a temporary agreement. The agreement would establish a Palestinian state until permanent negotiations could be launched a year from now. Michele Dunne is director of the Middle East Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. She says this proposal probably does not interest the Israeli government. The Palestinians are not unified, she said. "So even if the current Palestinian Authority Leadership were to accept an initiative like this, many in Israel and elsewhere would say 'Well, the Palestinian Authority doesn't represent that many people anyway." Dunne says the proposal sounds like an attempt to keep the two-state solution alive. I’m John Russell. Cecily Hilleary wrote this story for VOA News. John Russell adapted it for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   mission –n. a task or job that someone is given to do settlement – n.  the act or process of moving to a new area or place to live there divestment – n. the act of selling or giving away (possessions, money, etc.) head off – phrasal verb to stop something from happening

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Trump Appoints Son-in-Law as Top Adviser

  American President-elect Donald Trump has appointed his son-in-law Jared Kushner to a high-level position in his administration. Trump asked Kushner to serve as a senior adviser to the president. Unlike cabinet positions, the job of adviser does not require approval of the United States Senate. Six members of Congress are questioning Kushner’s appointment. All six belong to the Democratic Party. The lawmakers wrote a letter to Attorney General Loretta Lynch and the U.S. Office of Government Ethics. They noted that a 1967 law bars a public official from appointing a family member to the same agency in which the official serves. They also asked the Justice Department and ethics officials to investigate possible conflicts of interest. Jared Kushner is married to Donald Trump’s daughter Ivanka. Lawyer Jamie Gorelick is advising Kushner on legal issues. She said the law does not affect the president because the White House does not fall under the definition of an agency. The lawyer also said that Kushner plans to sell all his foreign investments and his financial interests in an investment company and an office building in New York. He also will resign as head of Kushner Companies and as the publisher of The New York Observer newspaper before working for the Trump administration. The six lawmakers questioned Gorelick’s statement that Kushner would remove himself from decisions involving his remaining financial interests after leaving his companies. They said he would still have investments that could be affected by government policy that he influences. Aides to Donald Trump said that, as a presidential adviser, Kushner will work mainly on issues involving trade and the Middle East. They said he will work closely with Chief of Staff Reince Priebus and Chief Strategist Stephen Bannon. Legal experts are offering differing opinions about whether the appointment of Trump’s son-in-law violates the 50-year-old law. Kathleen Clark is a law professor at Washington University in Saint Louis, Missouri. She said her understanding of the law is that it does affect the president. “Congress didn’t in this law carve out an exception for the White House,” Clark told the Associated Press. She said it governs the presidency, the legislature, the courts and the District of Columbia government. But Indiana University professor Gerald Magliocca said he did not think the law could be used to restrict the president’s team without risking constitutional problems. “It’s hard to see why Congress has the authority to limit presidential staff members,” he said.   I’m Caty Weaver.   Chris Hannas reported on this story for VOANews.com. George Grow adapted his report for Learning English. Additional information came from the Associated Press. Mario Ritter was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the comments section. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   ethics – n. a theory or system of moral values strategist – n. policymaker carve out – v. to create authority – n. power staff member – n. a worker or employee  

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US Could Become an Energy Exporting Country

  Experts say increased production of oil and gas in the United States, along with production cuts by OPEC, could lead to an American energy surplus. Adam Sieminski is head of the U.S. Energy Information Agency. Recently, he said demand for energy in the U.S. has grown slowly while production has increased notably. This imbalance could mean the U.S. would have an energy surplus. “The U.S. could become a net energy exporter...” Industry experts say production increases are the result of greater use of technologies that make recovery of oil and gas more effective. Sieminski says the production increases mean the U.S. could have more energy than it can use. During 2014, world oil prices began to drop sharply as supplies increased and demand weakened. When a price drop happens, major oil producing countries often try to cut their output. But members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries – or OPEC – did not seek to do this for a long time. Experts say OPEC hoped low prices would push competitors with higher production costs out of the market. These competitors included U.S. companies that use technology such as hydraulic fracturing, better known as fracking, to drill for hard-to-get oil and gas deposits. Amos Hochstein is an energy expert with the U.S. State Department. He says American producers answered OPEC’s bet by becoming more efficient. “The resilience of production meant for OPEC, the U.S. wasn’t going away, shale (oil) production wasn’t going away, so letting it (the price of oil) ride low is not going to be the answer..."   OPEC answered the long price drop only late last year, with members agreeing on some production cuts. Some OPEC members, including Venezuela, and even top producer Saudi Arabia, are facing budget deficits because of the big drop in income from oil. Worldwide crude oil prices have increased since OPEC and some other large producers first announced an agreement to cut production. Among the non-OPEC countries agreeing to reduce output is Russia. However, for the second time in recent years, Indonesia suspended its membership over the issue of production cuts. Benjamin Zycher is an expert with the American Enterprise Institute. He says producers now face very difficult decisions about whether decreasing oil output will help them. He says the deal reached last year might not last. “I think that the agreement is unlikely to hold...” Some experts note that as prices increase, fracking producers will have a bigger reason to expand production still more. That, they say, could force prices down once again. I’m Mario Ritter.   Jim Randle reported this story for VOA News. Mario Ritter adapted it for VOA Learning English. Kelly Jean Kelly was the editor. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   net – adj. what remains after subtracting imports, the balance of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) – n. forcefully injecting material into the earth to release oil and gas deposits deposit – n. an amount of a mineral resource existing underground resilience – n. the ability to recover from a setback, difficulty or problem    shale oil – n. oil recovered by processing shale rock that contains oil  

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FIFA Plans to Expand World Cup Field in 2026

  This is What’s Trending Today... Sports lovers around the world are reacting to the latest news about football -- a game called soccer in the United States. FIFA, the international governing body of football, unanimously voted to expand the World Cup tournament in 2026. FIFA’s voting members agreed to add 16 more teams to the men’s competition. All voting members supported the plan as a way to raise more money for the organization and add excitement to the event. The 2026 World Cup tournament will involve 48 nations. It will also have 80 games, 16 more than in the past. But the eventual winner will still only play seven games. The extra games should result in about $1 billion in additional money for FIFA. That money will come from sponsorships, advertising and deals with broadcasters. Countries in Africa and Asia should receive the majority of the new tournament berths. By May, regional governing organizations will know how many new positions they have been awarded. The newly approved plan will include other changes, too. For example, there will be 16 groups of three teams. The top two teams in each group will earn rights to compete in a 32-team elimination round. Penalty shootouts may be used as tie-breakers in the group games. Some countries think the World Cup will not be as good as in past years because of the increased number of teams. But FIFA officials said they used a computer program to predict the results of 10,000 tournaments. It found that the quality of the event was always decided by the best 32 teams. The announcement is getting mixed reaction. Some football fans and sports lovers say the World Cup was fine the way it was. One writer already predicted the 16 groups based on the current FIFA ratings. The list includes countries like Curacao, Burkina Faso and Uzbekistan. These countries have never qualified. Other fans celebrated the news. They say their country's team will now have a better chance of getting into the tournament.   In other news, FIFA announced the 2016 winners of its 2016 Best Player of the Year award. Real Madrid and Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo won the men’s award. The women’s prize went to Carli Lloyd of the United States.   And that’s What’s Trending Today.   Dan Friedell wrote this story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. What do you think of FIFA news? We want to know. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   unanimously – adv. agreed to by everyone involved tournament – n. a sports competition or series of contests that involves many players or teams and that usually continues for at least several days sponsor – n. a person or organization that pays the cost of an activity or event (such as a radio or television program, sports event, concert, etc.) in return for the right to advertise during the activity or event berth – n. a place or position on a team or in an event elimination – n. the act or process of removing something or someone  

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Start the New Year By Setting Reasonable Learning Goals

Editor's note: We revisit one of our popular Education stories from 2016 - an article that provides a good way to start the new year: setting reasonable goals for learning English. In the Education Tips series, education experts in the United States give you ideas about how you can improve your English skills. This week, Eli Hinkel, a professor at Seattle Pacific University, and Marla Yoshida, a Teaching English as a Foreign Language Teacher at the University of California, Irvine, talk about accents and pronunciation. For VOA Learning English, this is the Education Report. Learning a new language is a long, difficult process. This process can become easier if you set goals. Goals help guide language learners and give them reasons to continue studying a language. However, if you set unreasonable goals, then you will probably become discouraged.  Many English learners set difficult, even unreasonable goals. For example, here at VOA Learning English, we often read emails with comments like: "My goal is to sound like a native speaker..." or "My goal is to lose my accent." The problem with the goal of sounding like a native speaker is that it is not a reasonable goal for many people. Why it is difficult to sound like a native speaker When English learners begin studying English after a certain age, they are not able to sound exactly like a native English speaker. That is the opinion of Eli Hinkel, a professor at Seattle Pacific University. She says that people who have not reached puberty still have enough muscle and brain plasticity to allow their brain to control their mouth muscles. Puberty is the period of life when a child becomes an adult. After your physical growth has stopped, the brain loses some of its ability to change the way it controls the muscles of the mouth. This is what results in an accent, according to Hinkel. In other words, having an accent is a natural part of the aging process of the brain. It's OK to have an accent Just because you might not sound like a native speaker does not mean that you should give up trying to improve your pronunciation. And just because you have an accent does not mean that your language skills are poor. Hinkel suggested that English learners should not be too disheartened about their accents. "So, there is really no connection between the quality of one's language and the accent." She adds that there are even benefits to having an accent. Eli Hinkel is a native Russian speaker. But she works as a professor in a Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) program. She believes her accent helps her when she is teaching students. "I teach MA TESL courses …So, my students think that I really, really know what I'm talking about…accent goes a great deal toward that." Practical tips Another teacher says sounding like a native speaker is not necessary. Marla Yoshida is a Teaching English as a Foreign Language Teacher at the University of California, Irvine. She says that improving your pronunciation is definitely possible – if you choose a reasonable goal. "You can reach a stage where your pronunciation is easy for people to understand, where it never causes a problem... you go into Starbucks and say your name, and they understand … you give your order and they understand. So, that's a reasonable goal: being understood easily. Where sounding like a native speaker is wonderful if you can do it… it's not necessary." So, what can English learners do to improve their pronunciation? Marla Yoshida says that, like when you decide to diet, you are more likely to have success if you set reasonable goals. She suggests working on specific areas of pronunciation that you can improve, instead of trying to sound like a native speaker. "Work consciously, if you are an adult, to change the way you pronounce. It's kind of like a diet. If you set a more reasonable goal... then, the diet might succeed. In the same way, pronunciation … if you have a more reasonable goal, like… 'I have trouble with the r and l sounds, so first I'm going try those. And then, when I'm comfortable with those, then I'll move on to some other sound that causes problems.' It takes time, but it is possible." Yoshida added that English learners should understand that improving their pronunciation can take a long time. She said that learners should not be tricked by people who claim to be able to help people get rid of their accents: "It is good to realize that it [improving pronunciation] is not a fast process. Everyone has been speaking their native language for years and years and years. And it's hard to change. Habits of how you move your mouth are really hard to change. So, don't expect miracles. Sometimes, people see advertisements for software or courses that say 'get rid of your accent in only five lessons'—or something... It's not going to happen! There are no miracles." So, what can you do? Start by setting a reasonable goal. Choose one or two sounds that are difficult for you to pronounce. Then, work to improve those sounds. When you have improved, study other sounds. Progress might be slow for you, but don't give up! Next week, we will give you examples of exercises that you can do to start improving your pronunciation. I'm John Russell. John Russell reported on this story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section and post on our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   discouraged – adj. less determined, hopeful, or confident accent – n. a way of pronouncing words that occurs among the people in a particular region or country puberty – n. the period of life when a person's sexual organs mature and he or she becomes able to have children plasticity – n. the quality of being able to be made into different shapes pronunciation – n. the way in which a word or name is pronounced

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California Storm Brings Down Giant Sequoia Tree

  A powerful storm has brought down one of the most famous trees in the United States. The huge “Pioneer Cabin Tree” fell Sunday in northern California during a storm that caused severe flooding. The giant sequoia is famous for having a large hole at the bottom of its trunk. The hole was big enough for people to walk under. In the past, California state officials permitted vehicles to drive through it. Until now, thousands of people traveled to the Calaveras Big Trees State Park each year to see the giant sequoia. The park is located east of San Francisco, near Yosemite National Park. Some officials believed the tree was to up to 2,000 years old. The Calaveras Big Trees Association confirmed reports that the sequoia was no longer standing. “The Pioneer Cabin tree has fallen!” said a message posted to Facebook. The weekend storm was “just too much” for the tree to handle, it added. California’s Department of Parks and Recreation said in a statement that root and trunk decay had weakened the tree. That area around the sequoia had been closed because of storms and no one was hurt by the falling tree, it added. Photographs posted on social media showed the fallen tree broken apart in some places as it sat on top of flooded ground. The huge roots that kept the tree in the ground for so many years were showing. Many visitors to the state park took pictures while standing underneath the famous sequoia. After hearing about the tree, some posted photos and messages on social media about their memories and experiences. “It's kind of like someone in the family has died,” tree admirer Joyce Brown told the Associated Press. Brown, now 65, said she was just 12 when her parents first took her to see the “drive-thru tree.” She’s now a retired school teacher who spends about one-third of the year at a small cabin near the tree. The tunnel that made the sequoia famous also weakened it over time. The hole was made in the 1880s to let people and vehicles pass through the tree. This began with horses and buggies and later with cars. Eventually, the path going under the tree was only open to people walking. ​ Sequoias are the largest tree species in the world. They can reach up to eight meters in diameter. A volunteer at the Calaveras Big Trees State Park explained that when the already mostly dead tree hit the ground, it broke apart and was completely unrecognizable. He said the tree quickly went from something "majestic" to pieces of “rubble." I’m Dorothy Gundy. Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English, based on reports from VOA News and the Associated Press. 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   trunk – n. thick stem of a tree that branches grow from decay – n. process of being slowly destroyed by natural processes admirer – n. someone respecting or showing approval for a person or thing tunnel – n. long passage that goes under the ground or an object diameter – n. the distance through the center of something from one side to the other majestic – adj. large and impressively beautiful rubble – n. broken pieces left over from a destroyed building  

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Vietnamese Rapper Suboi Appears in White House Video

  Vietnamese rapper Suboi appeared in a YouTube video with Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Tom Hanks and Aung San Suu Kyi. The video shows memorable moments from U.S. President Barack Obama’s eight years in office. Both celebrities and regular people tell about their favorite moments from Obama’s presidency. The White House posted the video on its YouTube channel on January 5. It is about six minutes long and has been played over two million times.    One young woman remembered when her third grade class sent a letter to the president. “It was really strange when he actually replied back,” she said. “It was like, whoa, I’m a third-grader and I can actually get a response from the president.” Actor Samuel L. Jackson spoke about Obama working to pass the Affordable Care Act. The act provided health insurance to many Americans who could not afford to buy it in the past. Suboi appeared in the video right after actor and comedian Jerry Seinfeld. Suboi remembered what she was thinking when Obama called on her to ask a question during a “town hall” meeting with young Vietnamese in May 2016.  Suboi asked the president if he thought it was important for a nation like Vietnam to support its art and culture. Then Obama asked Suboi, “Before I answer your question, why don’t you give me a little rap? Let’s see what you got.” Suboi rapped for Obama and the two of them had a short conversation about the value of art in society. He said art helps people realize “somebody else’s pain, or somebody else’s hopes.” It was a popular moment in Vietnam and news organizations started calling Suboi “Vietnam’s Queen of Hip-Hop.” Suboi told VOA’s Vietnamese service she was honored to be included in the video. She said the idea of a town hall, where regular people get to speak with a top leader, was new for most Vietnamese people. She said she wanted to ask a question during the entire meeting, and when Obama asked for “one last question” she had to be the one to ask it. Suboi said the fame coming from her exchange with Obama has not changed her daily life. But what changed is how she thinks about her role in society. “We can't just sit down or discuss these topics over and over again. We must take action right now. Making changes for youth and our society is the most important thing,” she said. I’m Dan Friedell. Khanh An reported this story for VOANews.com. Dan Friedell adapted it for Learning English. Kelly Jean Kelly was the editor. What did you think of Suboi’s conversation with President Obama? We want to know. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   rapper – n. a person who performs rap music or speaks the words of a rap song whoa – used to show that you are surprised or impressed insurance – n. an agreement in which a person makes regular payments to a company and the company promises to pay money if the person is injured or dies, or to pay money equal to the value of something (such as a house or car) if it is damaged, lost, or stolen

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January 10, 2017

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

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2iZ3XnS
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