US, Britain Ban Laptops, Electronics on Flights from Some Nations

The United States and Great Britain, citing unspecified threats, have banned larger electronic devices on direct flights from several nations in the Middle East and North Africa. The new rules prevent passengers from carrying on personal electronic devices larger than a mobile phone. This includes laptops, tablets, electronic games, cameras and DVD players. The barred items must be placed in checked baggage. The ban applies to direct flights to the United States from 10 airports in mainly Muslim nations. The new rules will affect about 50 flights a day to America of foreign air carriers. The list includes international airports in Jordan, Kuwait, Egypt, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.   An announcement by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said the ban resulted from unspecified “evaluated intelligence.” The intelligence showed that terrorist groups are continuing to target major world airlines, according to a department statement. Terrorists “are aggressively pursuing innovative methods to undertake their attacks,” it added. One possible method for attackers is to “smuggle explosive devices in various consumer items,” the statement said. Britain also announced limits on carry-on electronic devices on direct flights from six countries. A spokesman for Prime Minister Theresa May said the rules would be in effect at airports in Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia. Passengers carrying electronics bigger than a mobile phone will have to place the devices in checked baggage.   “We think these steps are necessary and proportionate to allow passengers to travel safely,” the British spokesman said. There was no change in policy covering electronic devices carried on flights departing from or operating within the United States. The DHS increased some security measures for international passengers coming to the U.S. in 2014. The stronger screening methods included a requirement for passengers to power up their phones and other electronic devices. DHS Secretary John Kelly has said U.S. officials are considering additional measures intended to prevent dangerous people from entering America. One proposal is for border agents to ask visitors arriving from certain countries to unlock phones and provide social media account information and passwords. I’m Bryan Lynn.   Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English, based on reports from the Associated Press and Reuters. Hai Do was the editor. What do you think about the new ban on some electronics aboard planes? Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   baggage – n. cases and bags used when people travel evaluate – v. judge how valuable or effective something is innovative – adj. using new methods or ideas smuggle – v. move something from one country to another secretly and illegally consumer - n. person who buys or uses goods and services proportionate - adj. affecting things at an equal rate to keep the same relationship between them screen – v. examine something to decide if it is suitable for a particular purpose  

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Norway First on List of Happiest Countries

  People in Norway are the happiest in the world. That finding comes from a report released this week. It shows Norwegians are happier, on average, than people in over 150 countries. Over 1,000 individuals were asked to rate their own happiness levels on a scale of 1-to-10. Norwegians had an average happiness rating of 7.537. That is just a little higher than people in Denmark. Danes had a rating of 7.522 in the survey. The 2017 World Happiness Report shows the six happiest countries are all in northern Europe. Norway had been the fourth-happiest country last year, while Denmark was rated number one. This year, Canada is the seventh happiest, while New Zealand and Australia are in eighth and ninth place. A group of social scientists carried out the survey. Their findings were based on a simple question. They asked the subjects to imagine a ladder with 10 steps. The top of the ladder was “the best possible life,” and the bottom was the worst. Then, the people were asked: “On which step would you say you personally stand at this time?” The new report said the least happy country was the Central African Republic, one of the poorest areas in the world. Syria was 152nd on the list. The Syrian civil war began over five years ago, and the fighting continues. While the study’s question is simple, the social scientists worked hard to understand why some people feel happy, and others do not. They decided six factors were partly responsible for one’s happiness. The six were: national wealth, life expectancy, honesty in government, freedom to make life choices, generosity and having a strong social network. Based on those factors, people in Latin America appeared to be about half a point happier than they should be. But the opposite is true in Asia. Meik Wiking directs the Happiness Research Institute in Denmark. He did not mind that Denmark lost its top ranking. “I don't think Denmark has a monopoly on happiness,” he said. “What works in the Nordic countries is a sense of community and understanding in the common good.” The United States came in 14th place, with a happiness rating of 6.993. That is one step lower than last year. Jeffrey Sachs of Columbia University helped write the report. He said there are a number of reasons why Americans are not as happy as before. Sachs said the country is becoming meaner. He also thinks the government is becoming more corrupt, and there is less equality among U.S. residents than in the past. “It's a long-term trend, and conditions are getting worse," Sachs said. I’m Anne Ball.   Dan Friedell wrote this story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. How does your happiness rate compared to other people in your country? We want to know. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   scale – n. a range of numbers that is used to show the size, strength, or quality of something — usually singular factor – n. something that helps produce or influence a result : one of the things that cause something to happen generosity – n. the quality of being kind, understanding, and not selfish : the quality of being generous monopoly – n. complete ownership or control of something trend – n. a general direction of change : a way of behaving, proceeding, etc., that is developing and becoming more common

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China-backed Dam Project May Threaten Myanmar Wildlife Sanctuary

  Environmental activists say plans for a large dam threaten wildlife sanctuaries in Myanmar’s northern Karen state. China would finance the proposed Hatgyi dam on Southeast Asia’s Salween River. The Sinohydro company of China and Thailand’s Electricity Generating Authority are building the dam. The Salween is the longest river in Southeast Asia that does not have a major dam. Now, developers want to build seven dams on the main part of the river. Saw Paul Sein Twa is the executive director of the Karen Environmental and Social Action Network, or KESAN. He says the proposed dam project should be stopped. He says his group needs to study the wildlife in the area. “The dam will flood the area where we have found so many species -- including tigers -- (that) we need to really preserve. We need to do more research (and) survey to find out their status,” he said. Species under threat Researchers wrote about the sanctuary last month in the Oryx Journal. They studied the area over a period of five years. They found that many tigers, leopards, Asian black bears and elephants live in the wildlife sanctuary area.   The researchers said the Karen people need help in their effort to protect, in their words, “one of Southeast Asia’s last intact rich and diverse ecosystems.” The International Union for the Conservation of Nature says at least 17 of the 31 species found in the area are threatened or in danger of disappearing. Groups including the World Wide Fund for Nature, zoological associations from Scotland and Europe and Australia’s Wildlife Asia have supported the five-year study. Clare Campbell is the director of Wildlife Asia. She said protecting the area from threats like development and poaching requires international help. She told VOA that “threats are emerging all the time.” Teams of local Karen people help guard the area. A program to protect the sanctuary against poaching led to the creation of the groups. Campbell said the anti-poaching teams want to expand the areas they protect. Political factors The government of Myanmar has reached cease-fire agreements with several ethnic armies, including the Karen one. And more developers are entering the country, following government reforms and increased political calm. But the reduction in conflict has led to an increase in attacks on animals. Since 2012, Myanmar has reported an increase in yearly elephant poaching. Officials blame the increase on the demand for animal parts. Demand is especially high in China. Conservationists fear that China’s growing influence in Myanmar may cause the Karen leadership to stop supporting the sanctuary. During recent cease-fire talks, a top Karen rebel visited China. He was the first such leader to do so. Saw Paul says some experts are worried that the Karen leadership may end their support for the sanctuary, especially since China is backing the dam project. VOA was unable to talk with Karen officials. In an effort to stop the government from supporting the Hatgyi dam, the Karen have launched the Karen Wildlife Conservation Initiative, or KWCI. The KWCI brings together the Karen Forestry Department, KESAN and Wildlife Asia. The group has named an area -- including the place where the dam is to be built -- a Karen cultural and community reserve and wildlife sanctuary. I'm Ashley Thompson.   Correspondent Ron Corben reported this story from Bangkok. John Smith adapted his reporting into VOA Special English. Mario Ritter 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   sanctuary – n. a place where someone or something is protected or given shelter species – n. a group of animals or plants that are similar and can produce young animals or plants status – n. the current state of someone or something intact – adj. not broken or damaged; having every part diverse – adj. made up of people or things that are different from each other ecosystem – n. everything that exists in a particular environment zoological – adj. describing the branch of science that involves the study of animals and animal behavior poach – v. to hunt or fish illegally; to catch or kill an animal illegally emerge – v. to rise or appear from a hidden or unknown place or condition conservationist – n. someone who works to protect animals, plants, and natural resources or to prevent the loss or waste of natural resources; a person who is involved in conservation  

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Huge Chicken Confuses, Scares Social Media Users

  This is What’s Trending Today…. People on social media often debate whether a piece of information, video or photograph is real or not. If someone does not believe that something is real, they might call it “fake news.” This week, the main “fake news” Twitter debate has centered on a video of a chicken.   The one-minute video shows a black and white chicken looking out of a small structure called a chicken coop. At first, it appears to be a normal bird. But then, a huge chicken foot comes out of the coop followed by the rest of the bird. The extremely large chicken begins to flap its equally huge wings and strut around. It appeared to be one very proud bird.   ​ A man from Kosovo posted the video of his chicken to the “Decorative Poultry” Facebook group late last week. He wrote of the video, “Enjoy looking at Merakli,” which is reportedly the name of the chicken. The video spread quickly around social media and other sites. Some on Twitter described the chicken as “scary” and “horrifying.” Some people refused to believe “Merakli” was a real chicken. One Twitter user wrote the video really shows an adult in a chicken costume.   ​ Other people believed that the chicken was real, but said its huge size was the result of factory farming. In truth, the chicken in the video is a real bird. And it is not the product of factory farming. It is a Heritage Breed Brahma, or simply “brahma chicken.” The group Livestock Conservancy recently posted information about these chickens on its Facebook page. Brahmas, it says, are often called the “King of All Poultry.” They were developed in America in the 1800s from very large birds that came from China and India. By the early 1900s, brahma chicken meat was hugely popular in the United States. Despite these answers, it seems, people remain terrified of the large bird. As one person tweeted, “was about to fall asleep, but just remembered I live on the same planet as that huge chicken.” And that’s What’s Trending Today. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   coop - n. a cage or small building in which chickens or other small animals are kept flap - v. to move (something) up and down or back and forth strut - v. to walk in a confident and proud way  

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March 21, 2017

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

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Explainer: "Whistleblower" vs "Leaker"

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Screen Time: How Much Is Too Much?

  From VOA Learning English, this is the Health & Lifestyle report. Many children spend a lot of time watching or playing with electronic media – from televisions to video games, computers and other devices. So, it is natural that parents should wonder about all the time children spend looking at a TV or computer screen. Americans say “screen time” when they talk about any time spent in front of an electronic device. Perhaps parents should ease up on their concerns about screen time, at least for older boys and girls. Until last year, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) suggested that children and teenagers have no more than two hours of screen time a day. The academy has since changed that advice. In October 2016, the group’s members agreed on a policy statement called “Media and Young Minds.” In the statement, they listed a number of suggestions for parents and child care specialists. Here are some of the suggestions. “Avoid digital media use (except video-chatting) in children younger than 18 to 24 months.” For children ages 18 to 24 months, choose “high-quality” media with your child. Avoid letting the child watch media alone. And avoid using media as a way to calm your child. For children two to five years of age, limit screen time use to one hour of “high-quality programming” a day and watch it with your child. For children ages 6 and older, limit time spent using media and the kinds of media. Also, make sure screen time does not take the place of healthy sleep, physical activity and “other behaviors essential to health.”  Make sure to have media-free times together as a family, such as dinner or driving. Also make some areas of the home media-free. Turn off your child’s electronic devices an hour before bedtime. The AAP also suggests that doctors “educate parents about brain development in the early years” and the importance of hands-on, free play that builds language, thinking and social skills.   The group also suggests that parents balance a child’s screen time with other activities, such as getting enough sleep, exercising and doing homework. However, some experts question claims that too much screen time is harmful. Christopher Ferguson teaches psychology at Stetson University in the American state of Florida. He notes a lack of evidence supporting reports that too many hours spent playing video games or watching TV is truly harmful. Still, Ferguson notes, many people believe that too much screen time is bad. "So there's always this kind of sense of there being a zero-sum game that the more time our kids are spending with screens, the less time they're spending with academics, the more they're getting exposed to all kinds of anti-social messages or objectionable messages that we would not like our kids to be exposed to." However, there are only so many hours in a day. If a child spends six hours a day watching a screen, that is six hours he or she could be doing other things, like reading, enjoying a sport, or simply staring up at the clouds. Ferguson doesn’t dispute that those activities are important. He seems more interested in one idea: the link between video games and violent or risky behavior. When he saw results from a recent British survey on screen time, he wanted to know more. The British study found a small negative effect -- about a one percent increase -- in aggression and depression among children who had six or more hours of screen time a day. He wanted to see if there was a similar effect among young people in the United States. So, Ferguson and a team of investigators examined answers from a survey on risky behaviors. The study involved about 6,000 boys and girls in Florida. Their average age was 16. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention developed the questionnaire. Data from this 2013 survey found that American children are also fairly resistant to the negative effects of electronic media. Among those who played video games, watched TV or worked on the computer up to six hours a day, the survey found: a small increase in delinquency of half of one percent; a 1.7 percent increase in signs of depression; and a 1.2 percent negative effect on school grades. The researchers found no increase in risky sex or driving behaviors, use of illegal substances or eating disorders. Ferguson adds that young people can have up to six hours of screen time a day without an increase in problematic behavior. "Kids actually can consume a larger amount of media than we kind of thought in the past -- up to six hours per day -- without there being any kind of noticeable correlation with problematic behaviors." The researchers published their findings in the journal Psychiatric Quarterly. The American Psychological Association created a task force to look at a possible link between video games and violence. In August 2015, the group issued a statement saying it found that violent video games did lead to aggressive behavior in the player. It also said there is not enough evidence to prove that this link leads to “criminal violence or delinquency.” Ferguson is openly critical of this APA study and others that link video game use and violence. To further argue his point that screen time is not harmful, Ferguson adds that children should become familiar with screen technology. Electronic devices, he says, are a part of our everyday lives -- from school to work to our personal lives. To balance that statement, the American Academy of Pediatrics says that “parents should not feel pressured to introduce technology early.” The group adds that computer interfaces are very easy for children to learn. Give a child a new electronic device and most likely they will figure it out -- easily. And that’s the Health & Lifestyle report. I’m Anna Matteo.   Jessica Berman reported this story for VOANews.com. Anna Matteo adapted her report for Learning English and added additional reporting. George Grow was the editor. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   screen – n. the surface on which the image appears in an electronic display essential – adj. extremely important and necessary data – n.  factual information (as measurements or statistics) used as a basis for reasoning, discussion, or calculation zero-sum game – phrase : a situation in which one person or group can win something only by causing another person or group to lose it : (Mathematics) (in game theory) a contest in which one person's loss is equal to the other person's gain survey – v. to ask (many people) a question or a series of questions in order to gather information about what most people do or think about something : (– n.) an activity in which many people are asked a question or a series of questions in order to gather information about what most people do or think about something   negative – adj. harmful or bad : not wanted delinquency – n. conduct that is out of accord with accepted behavior or the law consume – v. to use (fuel, time, resources, etc.) correlation – n. the relationship between things that happen or change together interface – n. a system that is used for operating a computer : a system that controls the way information is shown to a computer user and the way the user is able to work with the computer

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A Conversation About Nowruz in America

It's the first day of spring through the northern hemisphere. And for Iranians and other cultures and countries in Central Asia, the day is very important. Today is Nowruz. Here in studio with me is my co-worker Kaveh, who is Iranian-American. And I thought we could talk about how you celebrate Nowruz in America.  Hi Kaveh.  Hi Ashley.  Eide Nowruz Mobarak.  Thank you, Ashley.  You're welcome! Did I say that right?  You did.  Okay. So can you talk a little bit about how you and your family are celebrating today?  Nowruz for us is our new year. It means "new day." In Iran, it's celebrated for two weeks. And during this time, families clean out their houses, they put on fresh new clothing, and they visit friends and family members. But here in the U.S., we celebrate it a little bit differently. We get together on Nowruz with our family, we make food and eat together and spend time together; and we also celebrate the first day of spring, which is a new beginning for us.  One of the very important things for Nowruz is the "haft seen." "Haft seen" means "seven s's," so seven items that start with the letter "s." That's correct, Ashley. "Haft seen" is our tabletop arrangement. And it's the seven symbolic items that we use to display Nowruz. It's very beautiful, because there are many items in there with various vibrant colors. It's sort of like the American Christmas tree during the Christmas holiday season here in the U.S. So we have the first "seen," which is "sabzeh," which kind of means "green vegetable," in a way?   It's actually wheat or barely or lentil sprouts. It's grown in a dish. And it represents rebirth.  And our second "seen" is "samanu?" Yes, "samanu" is a sweet type of pudding, that represents affluence.  And, "senjed." It is a kind of olive?  Yes, it's a Persian olive. And it represents love.  Interesting. [Next we have] "seer," which is garlic, and that represents health or medicine.    That's correct.  Okay. "Seeb" -- I also know this word -- apple. And the apple represents beauty?  It does.  And what are the final two?  The sixth one is "sumaq." It's pretty much sumaq fruit. And it represents sunrise. And the last one is "serkeh," which is vinegar, and that represents old age and patience.  How long do you display this "haft seen?"  We typically have the "haft seen" set up a week or two before Nowruz, and about 13 days after. Because the 13th day after Nowruz is considered "Sidzeh Bedar." That's another holiday where we get together with friends and family and typically go to a picnic. And we take our "sabzeh...."  Which is the barley or lentil plant?  Exactly. And we go to a stream or a river, and we release it into there.  So you put it in nature.  Exactly. Kaveh, is it ever difficult to find these items for your "haft seen?"  Well there are a lot of Persian supermarkets around the area, and I have to tell you that during this time, they are very crowded! I bet! There are long lines and a lot of people go there to gather their seven "s's" for their "haft seen" arrangement. Here in the Washington, D.C., area, we have a big Persian community that celebrates Nowruz. I know that in Los Angeles, California, the community over there is much larger, but we still get together here to celebrate the beginning of spring.      Alright! I know you also took some photographs of your family's "haft seen." So our audience in Iran and around the world...if you are curious what the "haft seen" looks like...check out our website, and you can enjoy Kaveh's beautiful photographs.  Thank you so much, and "eide shoma mobarak!"  "Eide shoma mobarak."  I'm Ashley Thompson.  And I'm Kaveh Rezai.   

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FBI Confirms Investigation into Possible Russian Ties to Trump Campaign

FBI Director James Comey confirms that his agency is investigating possible links between the Trump campaign and Russian officials. Comey also says that he has “no information” to support claims by President Donald Trump that the government wiretapped his phones during the 2016 campaign. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the country's top criminal investigative agency. Comey was speaking Monday during a hearing of the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee. Earlier this month, Trump sent a series of tweets accusing former President Barack Obama of ordering wiretaps of his offices at Trump Tower in New York City.  Comey said the FBI and the U.S. Department of Justice had both “carefully” investigated Trump’s claim. “With respect to the president’s tweets about alleged wiretapping directed at him by the prior administration, I have no information that supports those tweets.” He added that Department of Justice officials asked him to inform the committee that they had also reached the same conclusion about the Trump tweets. Comey said the investigation is ongoing, the work is “complex,” and he could not say when it would be completed. “But they will always do it well no matter how long that takes. I can promise you we will follow the facts wherever they lead.” So far, White House and senior intelligence officials have offered no information to back up Trump’s claim of wiretapping. A spokesman for Obama has called the allegation "simply false.” Speaking about the wiretapping process, Comey said no individual can order surveillance of an American. He said a court must approve wiretaps after an application process is completed. Confirmation of investigation into possible tie with Russia Comey officially confirmed for the first time that the FBI is investigating possible links between Trump campaign officials and the Russian government. He said investigators were looking into “whether there was any coordination between the campaign and Russia’s efforts.” In keeping with FBI policy, Comey said he was not able to publicly comment on specific parts of the investigation. The House Intelligence Committee is one of several congressional panels investigating possible Russian influence during the U.S. presidential election. U.S. National Security Agency Director Michael Rogers also testified during Monday’s hearing. He said he stands by an earlier conclusion of U.S. intelligence agencies that Russia did attempt to influence the 2016 election with the goal of electing Trump. Comey said the intelligence community conclusion had determined that Russia “hated” Hillary Clinton and wanted to harm her chances of winning the election. He added that investigators believed Russian officials saw the possibility early on that Trump could win the election. Later, when most opinion surveys showed Clinton had a wide lead over Trump, Russia focused all its effort on harming her campaign, Comey said.    U.S. intelligence agencies concluded that Russia was responsible for leaking emails of U.S. people and political institutions. Thousands of emails were leaked by anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks from the Democratic National Committee (DNC). Private emails from a top campaign adviser to Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton were also leaked. The emails showed embarrassing, behind-the-scenes efforts of Democratic officials to help Clinton win the party's nomination. The U.S. intelligence community concluded that Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the hacking into computers at the DNC. The Trump administration has denied that any campaign officials cooperated with Russian officials in that cyberattack. Before Monday’s hearing started, Trump sent out a series of tweets denying that his campaign had cooperated with Russia. “The Democrats made up and pushed the Russian story as an excuse for running a terrible campaign. Big advantage in Electoral College & lost!” he tweeted. “The real story that Congress, the FBI and others should be looking into is the leaking of Classified information. Must find leaker now!” he wrote. Both Comey and Rogers addressed the issue of leaks, saying they are an important part of their work and will be fully investigated. “Leaks of classified information are serious, serious federal crimes for a reason. They should be investigated and, where possible, prosecuted in a way that reflects that seriousness, so that people understand it simply cannot be tolerated.” The two officials said no evidence had been found that Russian cyber attackers had changed any actual vote numbers in key states during the election. I’m Bryan Lynn.   Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English, based on reports from the Associated Press, VOA News and other sources. Hai Do 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   wiretap – v. place a device on someone’s phone to secretly listen to their calls complex – adj. involving many different, but connected parts surveillance – n. act of watching someone carefully, especially by police of government agencies leak - n. disclosure of information not previously known embarrassing – adj. something that makes someone feel ashamed or foolish tolerate – v. allow something to exist, happen or be done  

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Cold Weather Limiting Washington’s Cherry Blossoms

This is What’s Trending Today. There are about 1,700 cherry trees planted in the southwestern part of Washington, D.C. They live along the Potomac River and around a connecting body of water called the Tidal Basin. The city’s first cherry trees were a gift from Japan to the United States in 1912. Each year, about 1 million people travel to Washington to see cherry blossoms growing on the trees. The best time to see the blossoms usually is in late March through early April. There are parades and other events to celebrate the flowering trees and the return of spring. About two weeks ago, we reported that an unusually warm winter had forecasters worried that the blossoms might come out early. After all, on March 1, the air temperature in Washington reached 27 degrees Celsius. Some of the trees were already producing pink and white blossoms. But then the weather began acting more like winter. It got colder and snowy. In fact, last Wednesday, the temperature was - 5 degrees Celsius. There was snow on the ground. Many of the blossoms and buds froze when the snow turned to ice. The U.S. National Park Service says about half of the blossoms were destroyed. But there are so many trees, and so many buds, that experts think visitors to Washington will still enjoy the cherry trees. Michael Stachowicz studies the trees for the park service. He told the Washington Post newspaper that many of the buds were not harmed by the cold weather. “Our blooms are just so dense and lush and just overwhelming,” he said. “There might be some trees that don’t blossom at all, but I think that will be in the minority.” While the cherry trees may not look their best this year because of the late winter weather, trees in some other cities are expected to look great. For example, people in Korea and Japan are already celebrating cherry blossom season and posting beautiful photographs on Twitter. And in Japan, McDonald’s restaurants are getting into the spirit. There are cherry blossom-themed drinks and sandwich wrappers. Twitter users in other countries say they wish they were in Japan to enjoy them. And that’s What’s Trending Today. I’m Dan Friedell.   Dan Friedell wrote this story for Learning English based on stories from the Associated Press, VOANews.com and the Washington Post. George Grow was the editor. Are there cherry blossoms where you live? We want to know. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   festival – . a special time or event when people gather to celebrate something forecast – v. to say that (something) will happen in the future : to predict (something, such as weather) after looking at the information that is available blossom – n. a flower especially of a fruit tree bud – n. a small part that grows on a plant and develops into a flower, leaf, or new branch lush – adj. having a lot of full and healthy growth overwhelming – adj. very great in number, effect, or force

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North Korean Issue Repeatedly Raised on Tillerson’s Asia Visit

The United States’ top diplomat completed a three-nation trip to East Asia on Sunday. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson visited Japan, South Korea and China for talks on security and other issues. But the main concern on all three stops was North Korea and its weapons program. Tillerson noted in Beijing that the U.S. and China sensed urgency in their dealings with North Korea, which tested a rocket engine on Sunday. Tillerson met with Chinese President Xi Jinping to prepare for a meeting between the Chinese leader and U.S. President Donald Trump. Their meeting could take place as early as next month. The Trump administration is seeking to find ways of working with China on a number of issues, such as North Korea, trade, and the South China Sea. The U.S. official spoke about North Korea at a press conference in Beijing with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. "We've committed ourselves to do everything we can to prevent any type of conflict from breaking out. And we view there are a number of steps that we can take that are in front of us.” Neither Tillerson nor Wang suggested what steps could be taken. In the past, President Trump has said that China should do more to pressure North Korea on its nuclear and missile programs. North Korea policy being tested The Trump administration is currently studying the U.S. government’s policy on North Korea. Last week, on a stop in Tokyo, Tillerson said that diplomatic and other efforts over the past 20 years have failed to put an end to North Korea’s nuclear activities. He noted that the U.S. had operated under a policy known as “strategic patience.” When Barack Obama was president, the U.S. had ordered strong economic restrictions on North Korea and against North Korean individuals. It also had increased military cooperation with allies South Korea and Japan and increased military exercises on the Korean peninsula. "It is clear that a different approach is required," Tillerson said. Speaking in Japan, he stated, "North Korea and its people need not fear the United States or their neighbors in the region who seek only to live in peace with North Korea." Tillerson called on North Korea to give up its nuclear and missile programs and noted the U.S. commitment to defend Japan and other allies “is unwavering.” In South Korea, the secretary of state did not rule out the use of military force against the North Koreans.  Tillerson said, “If they elevate the threat of their weapons program to a level that we believe requires action, that option is on the table.”  Daniel Pinkston is a security expert with Troy University in Seoul. He told VOA there are three choices in dealing with North Korea. “One is to surrender and appease North Korea, just give them everything they want,” he said. “The second option is preventive war, and the use of force to disarm North Korea. And I think the third option, which is the best of the three and the default option, is deterrence and containment.” However, some experts argue that stronger actions are not necessary at this time. They support direct talks with North Korea. In Beijing, Tillerson said the U.S. and China should work together to get North Korea to take a “different course.” China has said it supports United Nations Security Council sanctions on North Korea. However, officials say all sides must work to reduce tensions in the area and negotiations should be restarted. Since the beginning of 2016, North Korea has carried out two nuclear tests and tested many long-distance missile. Most recently, the North launched four missiles that traveled about 1,000 kilometers. Three of the four landed in waters within Japan’s exclusive economic zone. Looking ahead to future talks with China On Sunday, Secretary Tillerson also discussed a future meeting between presidents Xi and Trump. Diplomatic sources told VOA that the meeting could take place from April 6 to 7 at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago, Florida home. There, the two leaders will have the chance to discuss North Korea and other issues in person. Tillerson told Xi that Trump looks forward to increasing understanding between the two countries and “the opportunity for a visit in the future.   Nike Ching and Brian Padden reported this story for VOANews.com. Mario Ritter adapted their reports for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   Strategic –adj. related to a general plan over a long period of time Unwavering –adj. not changing, continuous and steady on the table –idiom  something to be considered, something that is possible or available default –n. a fallback position, what happens when no other possibility has been chosen committed –adj. given time or energy to do something view –v. to see, to think or have an opinion source –n. a person who gives information approach –n. a way of doing things, a way to deal with a problem or issue

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