February 16, 2017

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

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America's Presidents - Geroge Washington

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Killing in Malaysia Seen as Evidence of North Korea’s Illegal Acts

The apparent assassination of the half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has increased support for critics of the country’s government. Those critics accuse North Korea of being a state that operates outside the law. They say the government kills its enemies and depends on criminal activity for survival. Malaysian officials continue to investigate the death of Kim Jong Nam, who was attacked at Kuala Lumpur International Airport on Monday. He died a short time later. Kim Jong Nam and Kim Jong Un are sons of former North Korean leader Kim Jong Il. Investigation into Kim Jong Nam’s death continues On Thursday, Malaysian police said they arrested a woman suspected of involvement in the killing. She is said to have an Indonesian passport.   Another woman was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of involvement in the case. She reportedly had Vietnamese travel papers.   Police also detained a man who provided information that led to the arrest of one of the women. South Korean officials have said two North Korean female agents poisoned Kim Jong Nam at the airport. They say the women sprayed liquid droplets at him and then held a cloth over his face. That information is different from early reports of how Kim Jong Nam may have been poisoned. Airport cameras captured images of the suspects. One woman wore a shirt with the letters “LOL” on the front. There are reports that Malaysian officials have refused efforts by North Korean officials to stop a medical exam of the body. North Korea involved in illicit activities North Korean critics have described the government as a highly corrupt, family-led criminal operation. They say North Korea is active in smuggling, secretly transporting goods and other materials in and out of the country. Critics also say the government is involved in drug trafficking and arms dealing, including the exchange of nuclear materials and missile parts. They say all the money earned goes to North Korea’s wealthy leadership. In 2012, United Nations diplomats reported on the discovery of North Korean-made graphite cylinders on a Chinese ship traveling to Syria. They said the tubes could be used to make missiles. In 2005, an official from Ireland was arrested for having high-quality counterfeit copies of money from the United States. The counterfeit $100 bills reportedly were made in North Korea. In 2016, a British citizen was sentenced to 15 years in prison for plotting to import 100 kilograms of North Korean methamphetamine drugs into the U.S. Robert Kelly teaches at Pusan National University in South Korea. He says he would not be surprised if the North Korean leadership was to blame for the killing of Kim Jong Nam. “You know, the North Koreans, they just don’t follow the rules, both internally and externally. They treat their own people terribly and overseas they basically have engaged in this massive illicit economy and it’s not surprising that that would also include illicit political behaviors like assassinations.”  China’s cooperation needed Kim Jong Nam was once considered a possible replacement for Kim Jong Il as North Korea’s head of state. But the son was caught trying to enter Japan with a false passport in 2001, reportedly to visit Tokyo Disneyland. After that, Kim Jong Nam spent most of his time in Macau. In 2012, he wrote a note to a Japanese reporter. It said, “The Kim Jong-un regime will not last long. Without reforms.” The South Korean National Intelligence Service said recently that the North Korean leader had given a “standing order” for his half-brother’s killing when he took power. Robert Kelly says stopping unlawful activity by North Korea’s leadership could put pressure on the government to change. But, he says, that would require cooperation from China, North Korea’s main ally. He thinks China is unwilling to do anything that would weaken the Kim family’s control and that would create instability within its neighbor. As of Thursday, there was no news of Kim Jong Nam’s death in North Korean media. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un marked the birthday of his father Kim Jong Il, which is a national holiday in the country. I’m Mario Ritter. Brian Padden and Youmi Kim reported this story for VOANews.com Mario Ritter adapted their report for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story assassination – n. the killing of a person for political reasons graphite – n. a light-weight carbon material externally – adv. outside of something, not inside illicit – adj. something not allowed or illegal instability – n. the state of being easily changed or disordered

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Businesses Close in U.S. to Mark 'Day Without Immigrants'

Columbia Heights is the heart of Washington, D.C.’s Hispanic community. The neighborhood’s busy streets are lined with popular immigrant-owned businesses, from taquerias to Salvadoran pupusa shops to Latino food markets. But on Thursday some of them were closed. February 16 marked “A Day Without Immigrants” in the United States. Immigrants nationwide stayed home from work and school to show that they are important to the U.S. economy and way of life. Restaurants and businesses in major U.S. cities also closed their doors in a show of support for immigrants. “A Day Without Immigrants” strikes took place in Washington, New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago and other cities. The protest is in answer to President Donald Trump’s administration, which has promised to increase deportation of undocumented immigrants. Trump has also ordered a ban on travelers from seven Muslim-majority countries. And he plans to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. Spreading the Word The idea for a national “Day Without Immigrants” strike spread on social media, messaging applications and directly from person to person.  The hashtag #DayWithoutImmigrants” trended worldwide on Thursday. In Washington, D.C., restaurant owner and activist Andy Shallal led the way for area restaurants to support the strike. He closed all six of his Washington-area businesses and restaurants Thursday. Shallal is an immigrant himself. He came to the United States from Iraq more than 50 years ago. Other restaurant owners and chefs followed Shallal’s decision. John Andrade owns several restaurants in Washington, D.C., including Brookland Pint and Meridian Pint. He said in a statement that he chose to close down the kitchen at both locations to “stand in solidarity with all of my immigrant staff.” “I will close all my kitchens this Thursday in support of their desire and right to protest the evolving state of immigration policies in our country,” Andrade's statement was posted on Facebook. He said his decision was not motivated by politics. Protesters Gather at White House Christian Benitez-Garcia works at a Hilton hotel in the Washington, DC area. His parents are from El Salvador. He took the day off from work Thursday and went to the White House, where protesters had gathered. His mother, Isabel, joined him. She held a sign that read, “United Immigrants of America.”   He said most of the kitchen staff where he works took the day off Thursday, as well. “I just think everyone has gotten together because they really feel attacked by the immigration policies taking place right now,” Benitez-Garcia said. “I think everyone is just frightened for their families…[whether] they’re here legally or illegally.” Businesses joined the strike in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as well. On Ninth Street in South Philadelphia’s Italian Market area, it was so quiet in the morning that Rani Vasudeva thought it might be Monday, when most of the businesses there are closed. The empty vegetable and fruit stands along "Calle Nueve" — as Ninth Street is more commonly known — were a reminder of what it would look like without its immigrants. "It's actually very sad," Vasudeva, a professor at Temple University, told the Associated Press. "You realize the impact the immigrant community has. We need each other for our daily lives." Protests against the new Trump administration are becoming routine in Philadelphia, Washington and other large cities. The wave of protests began with the Women’s March on January 21. Large numbers of demonstrators have since marched in the streets to protest Trump’s travel ban and some of his nominees for Cabinet positions. And on Thursday, protesters marched through Columbia Heights as they made their way to the White House, about five kilometers to the south. Maha Hilal is executive director of the National Coalition to Protect Civil Freedoms. Her parents immigrated to the United States from Egypt. On Thursday, she was among the crowd of demonstrators in front of the White House. “There’s two competing narratives. One that we’re a melting pot...that we’re a nation of immigrants. And at the same time, we explicitly malign immigrants,” Hilal told VOA. “So I think that it’s important to be here today and to really show the world that immigrants are an important part of the fabric of the United States.” I’m Caty Weaver. Ashley Thompson wrote this story based on original reporting and an Associated Press report. Caty Weaver was the editor. ______________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   taqueria - n a Mexican restaurant that serves tacos, among other things pupusa - n. a traditional food of El Salvador  deportation - n. the act of forcing (a person who is not a citizen) to leave a country solidarity - n. a feeling of unity between people who have the same interests, goals, etc. staff - n. a group of people who work for an organization or business evolve - v. to change or develop slowly  motivated - v. to be a reason for (something) impact - n. a powerful or major influence or effect routine - adj. done very often narrative - n. a story that is told or written melting pot - expression. a place where different peoples, styles, theories, etc., are mixed together. explicitly - adv. in a very clear and complete way  

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Voters Choose to Remove Thimble from Monopoly Game

  This is What’s Trending Today. Toy maker Hasbro announced on Thursday that it was removing an iconic piece of its famous board game, Monopoly. Fans of the game voted to do away with the “thimble” playing piece. The Associated Press news service reports that Hasbro is trying to make the game more meaningful to a younger audience. A thimble is used in sewing. The metal device covers the top of a finger to protect it from the sewing needle. Proposed new game pieces include representations of an emoji, hashtag and rubber duck. The thimble had been in the game for over 80 years. But people went to a Hasbro website and voted to end its use. The thimble is not the first classic piece to be removed from the game. In 2013, a vote carried out on Facebook resulted in a representation of a cat replacing the iron playing piece. In the recent vote, fans of the game were asked to choose their eight favorite game pieces from a group that included the current eight, along with 56 possible new pieces. Those new pieces include a stopwatch, a fish, a television, a truck, a rabbit, a trumpet and a dinosaur. Hasbro will announce the eight winning game pieces in March. Those pieces will be available starting in August. Jonathan Berkowitz is senior vice president of marketing for Hasbro. He told CNN that “there is a possibility other classic pieces were also voted out.” People are already posting their comments about the news on Twitter. One user tweeted: “This is a huge mistake …”  Another compared the news to the day space scientists decided Pluto was not a planet. Someone else wondered if the move was a just a marketing effort. Joey Healy wrote: “They’ll remove it, and then come out with a special edition that has it back.”  And that’s What’s Trending Today. I’m Dan Friedell. Dan Friedell wrote this story for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. What do you think of Hasbro removing the thimble from the game? Let us know in the comments section. ____________________________________________________________   Words in This Story iconic– adj. used to describe something that has become widely known relevant – adj. relating to a subject in an appropriate way emoji – n. a picture that can be used for communication in text messaging hashtag – n. a word or phrase that starts with the symbol # and that briefly indicates what a message (such as a tweet) is about classic – adj. used to describe something that has been popular for a long time edition – n. a particular version of a product

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Disagreements in Everyday Conversation

  For VOA Learning English, this is Everyday Grammar. Imagine that you are walking down the street in an American city. You might hear short conversations as you pass people. One such short conversation might sound like this: A: Should we try that restaurant? I hear the food is cheap! B: Their food is supposed to be bad, though.* There's a reason the food is cheap! A: Yeah but I need to save money for my Mom's Christmas gift! The point of this conversation is not to teach you that America has a lot of bad restaurants. In fact, America does have some very good restaurants! The point of this conversation is to show you how some Americans disagree with each other in everyday conversation. These friendly disagreements, for example, might be between friends who are trying to decide what they want to do. Americans often use the words, though and but, to show contrast or disagreement. They may use these words in specific ways to be more or less forceful. In today's report, we will explore how the words though and but are used in everyday conversation. Though In many grammar books, you will see that though introduces a clause that shows an unexpected result. For example, you might read a sentence such as this: "Though it was raining, we went for a walk." Though is not commonly used this way in everyday conversation. Susan Conrad and Douglas Biber are English grammar experts. They say that in conversation, though is commonly used as an adverb. The adverb can show a transition between sentences. In other words, it links ideas between sentences. When though is used as a transition, it shows disagreement or contrast. It often appears at the end of a sentence. 3 Common Uses of Though in Conversation Though has three common uses in conversation, say Conrad and Biber. #1 Showing contrast with a previous statement First, a speaker can use though to express contrast with their own statement. So, for example, a speaker talking about a new pair of jeans might say the following: "These jeans are a little loose. I like the color, though." #2 Showing contrast with another speaker's statement The second common use of though is to show a contrast with another speaker's point.  It does not necessarily mean that one speaker disagrees with the other, it just means that one speaker is adding a contrasting point to the statement of the other speaker. Here is an example:                              "A: These jeans are really nice."                               B: Yeah, they're expensive, though." #3 Showing disagreement with another speaker The third common use of though is to show disagreement with another speaker's previous statement. Consider this example:                            "A: These jeans are really nice!"                             "B: They're poorly made, though." Despite their disagreement, these two speakers are showing a polite way to disagree. Why? Because it is a less direct way of disagreeing. Often, Americans prefer less direct ways of speaking – particularly when disagreeing. A more direct and forceful way of disagreeing would be in the following example: "A: These jeans are really nice! B: No, they are not." Some Americans would consider this to be an impolite way to disagree – especially if the other person was not well known to them! This is because the language is much more direct and negative. What about but in conversation? The word but also shows contrast or disagreement. In everyday conversation, but is a conjunction that often appears at the beginning of a sentence. Although though and but might seem alike, you will learn that there are important differences between how they are used in conversation. Consider this example:               "A: I really like those jeans!               B: But you told me last week that you don't like jeans!" The second speaker is directly disagreeing with the first person's statement. Why did the speaker choose to start the sentence with but? The second speaker also could have said, "You told me last week that you don't like jeans, though!" The speaker, who disagrees by using the word but, probably has strong feelings about the jeans. Starting the sentence with a word – such as but ­- that shows disagreement is a stronger and more forceful way to speak. Other ways to use ‘but’ One way that Americans reduce the force of the word but is to put words in front of it. The most common way to do this is to use the word yeah. Here is an example of what this sounds like: A: I really like those jeans! B: Yeah but you told me last week that you don't like jeans! This way of disagreeing, even though it is informal, sounds softer and less forceful. Americans may choose to say yeah first because it sets a pleasant tone to the sentence. By beginning the sentence with the agreeable word, yeah, speakers can show that the strength of their disagreement is not very strong. Using yeah but is less polite than using though, say Conrad and Biber. In addition, it is less forceful than using but alone. What can you do? Think back to the conversation at the beginning of this story: A: Should we try that restaurant? I hear the food is cheap! B: Their food is supposed to be bad, though. There's a reason the food is cheap! A: Yeah but I need to save money for my Mom's Christmas gift! You will notice that the two speakers show contrast or disagreement with the word though. One speaker uses yeah but when disagreeing with the other. Learning these ways to disagree is not easy. It can take a long time to learn how grammar, word choice, and culture work together. However, the next time you are watching an American film or TV show, try to focus on how speakers disagree with each other. You might notice that they disagree, or show contrast, in different ways. Think about the situation to understand how and why the speakers might be disagreeing with each other. In future Everyday Grammar stories, we will explore these issues in more detail. I’m Anne Ball. And I’m John Russell.   John Russell wrote this story for Learning English. Mario Ritter was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. *There is a debate about comma placement and the word "though." We chose to use the comma for the sake of consistency. A discussion about comma placement is beyond the scope of this story. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   conversation – n. an informal talk involving two people or a small group of people  contrast – n. something that is different from another thing clause – n. grammar : a part of a sentence that has its own subject and verb adverb – n. a word that describes a verb, an adjective, another adverb, or a sentence and that is often used to show time, manner, place, or degree transition – n. grammar a word or phrase that connects ideas tone – n. a quality, feeling, or attitude expressed by the words that someone uses in speaking or writing

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News Words: Executive Order

This week's News Words is about the Executive Branch of government in the United States.

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Manufacturer of Lobster Traps Expands

  A small American manufacturing company is growing and hoping to expand -- in part because of what it learned making lobster traps. The company could use that information to develop other products, including fencing for the border between the United States and Mexico. Riverdale Mills is based in Northbridge, a town in the northeastern state of Massachusetts. Riverdale has expanded from 60 people to 185 employees over the past few years. Jim Knott, the head of the company, says he wants to add 35 workers. Riverdale Mills is adding workers at the same time that many U.S. manufacturing jobs are being lost. About one-third of manufacturing jobs nationwide have disappeared because of competition from other countries and increased use of automation. Riverdale says its wire mesh products are used in most of the lobster traps used in the United States and Europe. It says these traps have replaced traditional wooden devices. The company says it uses special processes to treat and protect the wire against rust. These processes help keep the metal from breaking down in extreme environments, like at the bottom of the sea floor. The company is using information from the production of lobster traps to design security fences that protect nuclear centers, U.S. embassies and borders. Knott says Riverdale hopes to sell more security fences as part of President Donald Trump’s plan to build a wall along the border with Mexico. But he says the government’s plans and design of the fences are not yet known. Riverdale exports about 45 percent of the products it makes. Knott says exports are one of the reasons the company has been able to grow.    VOA Correspondent Jim Randle reported this story from Northbridge, Massachusetts. 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   lobster – n. an ocean animal that has a long body, a hard shell and a pair of large claws and that is caught for food automate – v. to run or operate (something, such as a factory or system) by using machines, computers, etc., instead of people to do the work mesh – adj. a material made from threads or wires with evenly spaced holes that allow air or water to pass through rust – n. a reddish substance that forms on iron or some other metal usually when it comes in contact with moisture or air

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The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe, Part 1

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Dubai to Launch Self-Flying Air Taxi by July

  Dubai officials say they plan to use Chinese-made drones to launch a self-flying air taxi as soon as July. The Chinese-made EHang 184 drone has four propeller wings. It is designed to carry one passenger - weighing up to 100 kilograms - and a small piece of luggage. The head of Dubai’s Roads and Transportation Authority says the autonomous taxi has already been tested in the city-state. He said regular service is expected to begin by July. The egg-shaped aircraft can reach a top speed of 160 kilometers per hour. It can operate for up to 30 minutes on a single battery charge, with a flying range of 50 kilometers.  A video demonstration of the air taxi shows the whole trip being automated. Drones can be requested through an app to arrive at an approved pickup location. The passenger then climbs in and enters the desired destination into a device built into the seat.    The auto-piloted aircraft then powers up, takes off and heads to the drop-off location. Officials from EHang say all movements and functions of the drone will be monitored by people in a “Command and Control Center” on the ground. The person inside the aircraft will also be able to communicate with the command center if needed. EHang said it has done major testing on its 184 vehicle in China over the past few years. It has also developed and sells several consumer drone models controlled by remote devices. Last year, EHang signed an agreement with officials in the western state of Nevada to conduct test flights of the EHang 184. Nevada operates a testing center in cooperation with the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, or FAA. The goal is to get FAA approval for the EHang 184 to fly in the United States.   The company has said the drones could have other uses besides carrying passengers in the air in busy cities. They could also help in emergency rescue operations or deliver human organs. Dubai is the commercial capital of the oil-rich United Arab Emirates in the Persian Gulf. Officials there have long been pushing to adopt high-tech transportation alternatives. The ruler of the city-state has said that by 2030, at least 25 percent of all passenger trips are to be completed with driverless vehicles. Dubai is already home to the world’s longest driverless rail line. It also signed a deal with American businessman Elon Musk to look into building his proposed super-fast Hyperloop system. Officials in Dubai have not outlined special regulations for the air taxi system. Currently, people who operate drones are required to register the aircraft. Last year, several drone incidents around Dubai International Airport, causing officials to briefly ground flights at the facility - one of the world’s busiest. I’m Bryan Lynn.   Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English, based on reports from the Associated Press and other sources. Hai Do was the editor. We want to hear from you. Would you be willing to try out this flying drone for a ride? Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   drone – n. a small flying machine flown remotely by a pilot propeller – n. device with blades that turn quickly to make an aircraft move luggage – n. bags people carry when they travel autonomous – adj. existing separately from other things destination – n. the place where is person is going to consumer – n. someone who buys or uses goods and services  

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Actor Harrison Ford's Plane Just Misses Hitting Passenger Airplane

  This is What’s Trending Today... Actor Harrison Ford became famous in the 1970s when he starred as Han Solo, the pilot of the Millennium Falcon spaceship in “Star Wars.” It turns out that he is also an airplane pilot in real life. But over the years, his hobby has resulted in a series of accidents and near-accidents. The latest came earlier this week. Ford was trying to land his small airplane at an airport in southern California. Authorities at the airport said Ford received instructions from air traffic control. Ford then tried to land his plane. But he did not go to the correct part of the airport. He went to an area of the airport where large passenger airplanes wait to take off. And as he was landing, he almost ran into an American Airlines plane, with 116 people on board. News services reported that Ford asked air traffic control: “Was that airliner meant to be underneath me?” The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the incident. Many people on social media are also wondering what happened. The incident made Ford a trending topic. Harrison Ford is 74 years old. He is an accomplished pilot. He has more than 5,000 hours flying planes. He owns several kinds of aircraft. He has had some mishaps. NBC News created a list of Ford’s aircraft accidents. In 2015 he was injured when he crashed a small airplane on a golf course in California. The plane’s engine reportedly failed. People in the area said Ford made a good choice to land his plane there instead of causing danger to people in nearby homes. Back in 2000, Ford had an emergency landing at an airport in Nebraska. A strong wind blew his small airplane off the runway. One year earlier, he crashed a helicopter during a lesson. Some Twitter users are making jokes about his movie aircraft, the Millennium Falcon, and his real-life piloting skills. In one Star Wars scene, Han Solo brags that the Millennium Falcon made the “Kessel run” in “less than 12 parsecs,” which broke a record. One Twitter user tweeted that “Han Solo may have made the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs, but Harrison Ford is about to lose his pilot’s license.” And that’s What’s Trending Today. I’m Dan Friedell.   Dan Friedell wrote this story for Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor. What do you think of Harrison Ford’s latest accident? Let us know in the comments section. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   hobby – n. an activity that a person does for pleasure when not working airliner – n. a large airplane used for carrying passengers accomplished – adj. very skillful : having or showing the skill of an expert mishap – n. an unlucky accident or mistake

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