Thailand's Government Delays Migrant Labor Law After Protests

Thailand’s military government has delayed a new labor law by six months. The government was forced to delay the start of the law after protests and panic from workers and employers. Also, many migrant workers have left the country. There are about 2.7 million workers in Thailand from Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia. They work in industries such as fisheries, building, agriculture, and processing. However, on June 23, the government announced a decree that threatened foreign workers who lacked legal documents with large fines and prison terms.  The new law said that undocumented workers can be fined up to $2,700.  Employers can be fined $23,000 for each illegal worker found at their workplace. New law causes panic The new policy is part of the Thai government’s effort to control illegal labor in the country. However the law came with very little public discussion from workers, trade unions, or employers.  This caused foreign workers to panic. Many rushed to return home, creating crowds at bus stations and border checkpoints. Sinapan Samydorai is with the Migrant Workers Task Force of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN. He said thousands of migrant workers had fled to their home countries. Thai labor rights groups estimate that more than 100,000 migrant workers have left Thailand since June 23. Samydorai told VOA that the law punishes foreign workers who lack the correct cards and documents. He said this caused many workers to panic and return to their homes in Cambodia, Myanmar, and Laos in large numbers. Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha announced on Tuesday that there would be a period of 180 days before the law goes into effect. The Prime Minister used a special executive decree to delay the law. Panitan Wattanayagorn is an advisor to Deputy Prime Minister. He said parts of the new law protected migrant and employer rights. However, it also established “very strict punishment for violations.” He also urged related government agencies to work together to help the law take effect. "The implementation of it [the decree] has to be coordinated between different ministries, between the Labor Ministry, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Interior,” he told VOA. Effects on Thai business The decree has hurt Thai businesses as employees have either fled or lost their jobs because employers fear high fines. In Cambodia, officials shut down more than 40 border crossings into Thailand. They said it was to prevent Cambodians from entering Thailand and being punished. On the border with Myanmar, two police checkpoints were closed after Thai police were accused of taking bribes from migrant workers. Boonthai Chailert is president of the Chiang Mai Tourism Business Association. He said the laws created problems for small businesses and tourism in the Northern provinces. His fear is that workers will not return. “They go out; they go back to Myanmar, or to Cambodia or to Laos. They don’t come back again because in Myanmar and Cambodia or Laos their country is developing,” said Boonthai. A business leader said he thought the new government policy was a mistake. The importance of consultation and coordination Thailand has been working with the U.N. International Labor Organization, or ILO, to create a registration process for migrant workers. The process will include labor agreements with Cambodia, Myanmar and Laos. Nilim Baruah, an ILO research specialist, said that parts of the law were welcomed, but the lack of consultation was a problem. “It would have been much better to have a consultation, a public hearing that they are planning to do now,” he said. Thailand put the new labor law in place shortly after the U.S. Department of State kept the nation in the tier 2 group of countries on its Trafficking in Persons watch list. Tier 2 countries are judged to have governments that do not fully meet requirements of a U.S. law on human trafficking. Thailand’s Labor Minister said the new law’s punishments still follow the laws linked to human trafficking and child labor. I’m Phil Dierking.   Ron Corben reported this story for VOANews.com. Phil Dierking adapted her report for Learning English. Mario Ritter was the editor. What do you think is a good labor policy for migrant workers? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   decree - n. an official order given by a person with power or by a government​ panic - n. a state or feeling of extreme fear that makes someone unable to act or think normally​ scramble - n. to move or act quickly to do, find, or get something often before someone else does​ union - n. an organization of workers formed to protect the rights and interests of its members​  

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July 6, 2017

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

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News Words: Unfamiliar

Baseball is a sport unfamiliar to many South Africans. Learn what unfamiliar means in this week's News Words.

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Explainer: Why do they call it G20?

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Lesson 29: A Long Time Ago

Summary Anna and Marsha have a lot of work to do. An advertisement makes them remember their childhood dreams. What do you think they wanted to be? Speaking In this video, learn to say the new words for this lesson. You can also learn about how to use adjectives. Pronunciation Use this video to learn about the noises English speakers make to show they are listening. Conversation Anna: Hello! In Washington, D.C., there are many places that bring history to life. But people who live here often do not have time to see them. They are too busy with work -- like me. Hi, Marsha! Marsha: Hi, Anna! Have a seat. Anna: Thanks. This was a good idea. Working outdoors is nice. Marsha: Um-hum, it is. Anna: I am tired. Today was a busy day at work. And I still have work to do! Marsha: Hmm, that’s too bad. Anna: How are you these days? Marsha: I'm really busy too, Anna. Let’s get to work. Anna: Marsha, look! That bus has a photo of Abraham Lincoln! Marsha: That’s an advertisement for Ford’s Theatre. They have a new show. Anna: They have shows where Abraham Lincoln died? Marsha: Yeah, it’s a working theater and a museum. Anna: I love Lincoln. You know, Marsha, that advertisement reminds me of something. Marsha: Um-hum. What’s that? Anna: When I was a little girl … When I was a little girl … I was not like other children. Marsha: Um-hum, I can believe that. Anna's voice: I was tall, serious child. At the playground the other children played silly games. They played with dart guns. They played on the swings, the slide and the teeter-totter. They also played ball But not me. I loved to read serious books about U.S. presidents. Anna: In fact, I wanted to be … don’t laugh … President of the United States. Marsha: (laughs) Anna: Stop! I know it’s a silly childhood dream. Marsha: I’m sorry. It’s not silly. Guess what I wanted to be? Anna: What? Marsha: I wanted to be... an astronaut. Anna: Really? Marsha's Voice: When I was a kid, I studied the stars and planets. I wanted to fly into outer space! Anna: You know, Marsha, childhood dreams are really important. Marsha: They are. And it’s good to remember them. Anna: Hey! I have an idea. Let’s go. Marsha: Go where? Anna: Let’s go make our childhood dreams come true. Marsha: We’re going to the Air & Space Museum! Yes! Anna: No. We’re going to see a show at Ford’s Theatre just like Abraham Lincoln! It’s not far from here. Marsha: Uh huh. That is your childhood dream. Anna: Good point. Okay, next week, we'll come here and be astronauts. Marsha: Honestly? Anna: Honestly. Anna: Tonight we are seeing a show at Ford’s Theatre, where a man shot President Abraham Lincoln. This is history come to life … and a childhood dream come true! Until next time ...   Writing In this lesson you learn about Anna and Marsha's childhood dreams. What was your childhood dream? What did you want to be? Write to us by email or in the Comments section. Click on the image below to download the Activity Sheet and practice using adjectives and talking about your career dreams with a friend. Learning Strategy Learning Strategies are the thoughts and actions that help make learning easier or more effective. The learning strategy for this lesson is Personalize. When we connect new information to our own interests and experiences, we are personalizing. Personalizing can help us remember new information.  In this week's video, Anna is learning about historic places in Washington, D.C.  The advertisement for Ford's Theatre makes her think of her childhood dream - to be President of the United States. Anna is personalizing because she is connecting new information to her own interest in U.S. Presidents. She decides to act on her interests by going to the theater and learning more about Abraham Lincoln's history. How about you?  Do you ever personalize when you are learning English? Write to us about it in the Comments section or send us an email. Teachers, see the Lesson Plan  for more details on teaching this strategy. Quiz ​Listen to short videos and test your listening skills with this quiz. ______________________________________________________________ New Words advertisement (ad) - n. something (such as a short film or a written notice) that is shown or presented to the public to help sell a product or to make an announcement astronaut - n. a person who travels in a spacecraft into outer space ball - n. a usually round object that is used in a game or sport or as a toy believe - v.to accept or regard (something) as true childhood - n.the period of time when a person is a child come true - expression. to materialize, to become a reality, or become fulfilled dart gun - n. a small toy weapon that throws out small objects with a sharp point at one end die - v. to stop living dream - n. something that you have wanted very much to do, be, or have for a long time Ford’s Theatre - n. Ford's Theatre is a historic theatre in Washington, D.C., used for various stage performances beginning in the 1860s. It is also the site of the shooting of U.S. President Abraham Lincoln on April 14, 1865. planet - n. a large, round object in space (such as the Earth) that travels around a star (such as the sun) really - adj. without question or doubt—used to make a statement more definite or forceful serious - adj. thoughtful or quiet in appearance or manner shoot - v. - to fire a weapon such as a gun (the past tense is shot) slide - n.a structure with a slippery surface that children slide down star - n.any one of the objects in space that are made of burning gas and that look like points of light in the night sky swing - n. a seat that hangs from ropes or chains and that moves back and forth teeter-totter - n. a long, flat board that is balanced in the middle so that when one end goes up the other end goes down tired - adj. feeling a need to rest or sleep true - adj. agreeing with the facts or not false um–hum / uh-huh - interjection — used to express affirmation, agreement, comprehension, or interest working - adj. doing work or in operation ______________________________________________________________ Free Materials   Download the VOA Learning English Word Book for a dictionary of the words we use on this website. Each Let's Learn English lesson has an Activity Sheet for extra practice on your own or in the classroom. In this lesson, you can use it to practice using adjectives and talking about your career goals with a friend. For Teachers ​ ​ See the Lesson Plan for this lesson for ideas and more teaching resources. Send us an email if you have comments on this course or questions. Grammar focus:  Review simple past and irregular past tense verbs; Using adjectives with correct adjective placement; Infinitives: to read, to be; to work Topics:  Describing physical states & emotions;  Learning Strategy: Personalize Speaking & Pronunciation Focus: Using adjectives; Back-channeling noises: Um-Hum, Uh-Huh ______________________________________________________________ Now it's your turn. Send us an email or write to us in the Comments section below or on our Facebook page to let us know what you think of this lesson.

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Remembering the Summer of Love

The summer of 1967 forever changed American culture. It was a summer of anti-war protests, peace movements, love, flowers, drugs and rock and roll. It became known as the “Summer of Love.” ​Scott McKenzie sang what would become one of the summer’s theme songs: “If you’re going to San Francisco, be sure to wear some flowers in your hair…” Fifty years ago, thousands of people gathered in San Francisco, California. They heard new music by groups that went on to write songs that are still famous today. And they protested the U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War, saying, “make love, not war.” Singer Grace Slick shot to fame with her band Jefferson Airplane. “Don’t you want somebody to love? Don't you need somebody to love?”…. ​Slick spoke with VOA Learning English about life there during the summer of 1967. Now 77, and a painter, Slick says she and others did not call it the “Summer of Love.” They were just doing “stuff,” Slick says -- creating art and music and making jewelry and other things. “It was actually just a whole bunch of people playing music and hanging out and having fun. It was pretty much that simple.” Jefferson Airplane, along with the Grateful Dead, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and others, started what is known as psychedelic rock music. One of that summer’s best-known songs was Slick’s “White Rabbit.” “One pill makes you larger and one pill makes you small and the ones that mother gives you...” Grace Slick says her idea for “White Rabbit” came from the book “Alice in Wonderland,” by Lewis Carroll. The story is about a girl who finds herself in a strange place. Slick says living in San Francisco in the 1960s was, for her, similar to Alice’s Wonderland. “She went from very proper Victorian England down the 'rabbit hole' into this nut, you know, wonderland, which is just crazy. I went from very proper (19)50s, United States, into the (19)60s, which is very similar to her experience.” Dennis McNally was the long-time publicist for the Grateful Dead. The band started in San Francisco in 1965. He helped put together a new exhibit called “On the Road to the Summer of Love” at the California Historical Society in San Francisco. The exhibit is part of the city’s 50th anniversary celebration of the Summer of Love. McNally says two big things led to the Summer of Love: psychedelic drugs and rock music. The psychedelic drug of choice was LSD, also called acid. It causes people to hallucinate— to see things that seem real, but are not. And rock and roll? He says the 1964 introduction of The Beatles helped start the rock “revolution.” "She loves you yah, yah, yah..." San Francisco has a tradition of being open to new ideas and different lifestyles. Fifty years ago, it was not today’s costly, high-technology center. Housing costs in the 1960s were low in “the Haight”— the neighborhood around Haight and Ashbury streets. In January of 1967, bands and poets threw a party called the “Human Be-In.” Around 50,000 people went to the event, held in Golden Gate Park.  Psychologist Timothy Leary, who supported the use of LSD, repeated his famous line to the young crowd. “Turn on. Tune In. Drop out.”  The saying was about taking LSD, tuning into one’s self, and dropping out of the mainstream lifestyle of the time. ​When American media began covering what was happening in San Francisco, young people from all over the country started coming to the city by the thousands. Many of them were high school- or college-aged, McNally explains. “People without a lot of resources, emotional, not very worldly showed up. And a lot of them said “take care of me” and they did, and it worked.” Suddenly, San Francisco became one big social experiment. It also became “hippie central.” Bright colors were everywhere. Pictures, posters, clothes, and even houses and cars, were painted in new bright psychedelic colors and patterns. ​ Hippies -- both the men and the women – had long, flowing hair. They wore “love beads” around their necks. The women wore flowers in their hair. They desired peace instead of war. Area musicians who once played quiet folk music started playing electric instruments -- loudly. People experimented with new ways of living, too. They lived in groups called communes. They shared housing, money, food and sex. Such experiments became known as the “counter-culture.” And they changed the way young people lived. “It was genuinely a challenge to American mainstream thinking about materialism and how you are supposed to live your life.” Grace Slick says they didn’t call it socialism, but “more or less” it was. They lived together and tried to help each other. Women’s rights   In the summer of 1967, the women’s equal rights movement was about to take off. She says that many women wanted a different life from the one their mothers lived in the conservative 1950s America. "So a lot of us look at it and went, ‘too flat. Let's make it a little more interesting.’ And in our each individual way that's what we were trying to do.” Some women began burning their bras at marches to protest women’s oppression. Slick says more work still needs to be done. And she says that if women want to get ahead, they should study. “Same thing a man has to do, only we have to do just a little bit more.Still. And we get paid less so we’re still pushing.” Protest songs Also in the summer of 1967, the Vietnam War was raging. More than 480,000 American soldiers were fighting in Vietnam. That year, over 11,000 of them were killed in action. Musician Country Joe McDonald is known for his anti-war songs. He formed a band called Country Joe McDonald and The Fish. “I-Feel-Like-I'm- Fixin'-To-Die Rag" is his most famous protest song: "And it's one, two three four, what are we fighting for? Don't ask me I don't give a damn, the next stop is Vietnam..." McDonald was different from other musicians in California at the time. He had served in the U.S. military before the Vietnam War. He says the experience influenced how he wrote his protest song. “The unique thing about the song is that it does not blame soldiers for war, it blames politicians.” Many young people in the late 1960s were critical of the U.S. government. “The leadership of America was completely out of touch with the problems and desires of the youth of America at that particular time.” Spreading the music - and the message Both McDonald and Slick shared good memories of playing to large crowds that summer, like the Monterey Pop Festival in June. The festival introduced the counter-culture’s music to a wider audience. Dennis McNally says many of the movements and ideas that began 50 years ago in the Summer of Love still live on today. “If you do yoga, you’ve been influenced by the summer of love, if you eat organic food, if you are concerned about the environment, if you are part of feminism or almost any kind of challenge to the most traditional gender roles, you’re influenced by the summer of love.” He says the 2016 U.S. presidential elections set the country back. McDonald and Slick agree. Even today, Americans are generally divided between those in support what happened during the Summer of Love and those who oppose its message to “make love, not war.” So, is another Summer of Love possible in America? Grace Slick hopes so. "Yeah, I was going to say probably not with me. I'll probably be dead by the time they do it again. But let's push for that again. Stop war; open up to each other; appreciate different races, different religions, different styles different colors. Open it up.” She says, “Let’s do it again!” "C'mon people now, smile on your brother, everybody get together try to love one another right now.. ." I'm Anne Ball.   Anne Ball wrote this story for Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   theme – n. a particular subject or issue that is discussed often or repeatedly psychedelic – adj. used to describe a drug (such as LSD) that affects your thinking and causes you to see things that are not real or  also suggesting the effects of psychedelic drugs by having bright colors, strange sounds, etc. hallucinate – v. seeing things that are not real and are caused usually caused by drugs revolution – n. a sudden, extreme, or complete change in the way people live, work or in this story, played music mainstream – n. the thoughts, beliefs, and choices that are accepted by the largest number of people hippie – n. usually a young person from the 1960s and 70s who rejects established social customs  counterculture – n. having values and customs that are very different from and usually opposed to those accepted by most of society bra – n. a piece of clothing that is worn by women under other clothes to cover and support the breasts appreciate – v. to understand the worth or importance of something or  to admire and value something or someone

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Tips for Using Google Maps When You Travel

  Traveling somewhere new can bring exciting adventures. But it can also bring unwelcome surprises. The difference between the two may be in the tools you use before and during your trip. With the right technology, you can make the most of your time on the road. Google Maps has many tech tools that help make traveling easier. While people most commonly use Google Maps for directions from one place to another, it offers many other kinds of travel tools. Today, we bring you 11 top tips for using Google Maps. The suggestions come from a recent infographic from Expedia. 1. Plan a road trip route When you are traveling on a road trip, you do not have to plan each part of the trip separately with Google Maps. You can search for all of the parts of the trip in order to plan your route more efficiently. To plan a road trip, open Google Maps. Search for your first destination, and then click on the arrow to get directions. Then, click on the plus + sign to add more destinations to your trip. 2. Plan your idea itinerary Looking for places to see? Search for them in Google Maps, then save them to Favorites, or create a new list. When you are ready to plan your trip, go to the Google Maps menu, choose Your Places, and find your list with your saved places. You can then add these places to your travel itinerary. 3. Share your route with friends If you are traveling with friends, or just want to share your itinerary with others, you can let people know about your travel plans easily using Google Maps. After you have planned your route, click Share or open the menu and click "Share or embed map" to share your route with others. 4. Save your maps for offline use When you are traveling, you may not always have access to the Internet. Or you may not want to pay international charges for using your phone in other countries. The good news is you can still use Google Maps even without the Internet. You can download a map from Google Maps to your phone. To do this, open the Google Maps app on your phone and search for the area you want to save. Click on the address at the bottom of the screen, then choose Download. The app will show you the area of the map you will be saving and how much space the saved map will use on your phone. 5. Skip the lines at popular places Another useful Google Maps tool shows you how busy a place is during the week. A bar graph will show you the normal busy and quiet times during the week for places like restaurants, stores, tourist attractions and more. By using this tool, you can plan your trip to avoid the busiest times of the places you want to visit. 6. Find the best places in town Want to know the best local places? You can ask Google Maps for recommendations. After you search for a city in Google Maps, click Nearby to find the top-rated restaurants, hotels, pubs, coffee shops, and more. 7. Share your current location with friends Thanks to a recent Google Maps update, you can now share your location with your friends. And, if you are using Google Maps for navigation, you can share your route with friends so that they can see what time you will arrive at a place. This video shows you how Google Maps Share Your Location works. You can learn more about sharing your location with Google Maps in a recent Learning English article. 8. Use Google Maps for a walk or bike ride While Google Maps may first give users directions to a place by car, it also offers biking or walking directions. You can get those directions by clicking the walking or bicycle icon. The results also tell you the elevation change of the route, so you know how much energy you will have to use by choosing to walk or ride a bicycle. 9. Use Street View to see a location Sometimes you want to know what a street, building or location looks like before arriving somewhere new. Google Maps’ Street View can help. To use this tool, click and drag the yellow person icon to the location that you wish to see. This will change the view from an overhead map view to the street-level view. Next, you can drag the screen around to see more of the street view. 10. Save money on gas If you are planning a car trip in North America, Google Maps can show you the lowest gas prices in the United States and Canada. Search for "gas stations" on the Google Maps app and you will see a list of nearby stations with gas prices. The stations will also be marked on the map so you can see the closest ones to you. 11. Get tickets to events When you search for a venue where performances and concerts are held, Google can show you the place’s upcoming schedule of events. It can also connect you with a website where you can buy tickets for the events. Click on one of the upcoming events to be connected to such a website. I'm Dan Friedell. And I’m Ashley Thompson. Do you use Google Maps when you travel? Which of these tips were new to you? Do you have any other tips for using Google Maps? Let us know in the comments section.  Infographic used with permission, courtesy of Expedia Canada   ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   road trip - n. a long trip in a car, truck, etc. efficiently - adv. capable of producing desired results without wasting materials, time, or energy itinerary - n. the places you go to or plan to go to on a journey download - v. to move or copy (a file, program, etc.) from a usually larger computer system to another computer or device bar graph - n. a graph or chart that uses narrow columns of different heights to show and compare different amounts elevation - n. the height of a place drag- v. to move (items on a computer screen) by using a computer mouse or your finger on a touch screen​ venue - n. the place where an event takes place

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North Korea Celebrates ICBM, US Calls for Global Action

The United States has called for the world to act after North Korea’s leader celebrated the test of an intercontinental ballistic missile, or ICBM. North Korea launched a long-range missile, known as the Hwasong-14, on Tuesday. The missile travelled 933 kilometers and reached an altitude of 2,802 kilometers. American military officials said it went down in the Sea of Japan after 37 minutes. U.S. experts said the missile appears to have a range that could reach the American state of Alaska. South Korea's Defense Ministry said it was unable to confirm whether North Korea had mastered re-entry technology. Re-entry technology is necessary for an ICBM to strike targets over great distances. An ICBM must be able to travel long distances, leave the Earth’s atmosphere and re-enter it, without breaking apart, in order to hit its target. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said the missile was a “gift” to the United States on its “Independence Day,” according to the state news agency KCNA. It said that North Korea will not give up its weapons until the U.S. stops its hostile policy against the North. Responding to the launch, U.S. and South Korean soldiers fired missiles into South Korean waters on Tuesday. The exercises showed a missile “system [that] can be rapidly deployed and engaged [with] deep strike precision capability,” according to a statement from the U.S. Army. On Tuesday, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called the missile test "a new escalation of the threat "to the United States and its allies. Tillerson also warned that any country helping North Korea or failing to carry out United Nations restrictions on the country "is aiding and abetting a dangerous regime". Trump’s response to missile launch In his first response after the launch, U.S. President Donald Trump asked China on Twitter to "put a heavy move on North Korea and end this nonsense once and for all!" On Wednesday, the president criticized China directly on Twitter. He wrote “Trade between China and North Korea grew almost 40% in the first quarter. So much for China working with us - but we had to give it a try!” About 90 percent of North Korean trade comes through China. However, China has resisted putting too much economic pressure on its neighbor and ally. The American president is heading to Europe to meet with leaders of the Group of 20 nations. Trump is expected to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin at the meeting in Hamburg, Germany.  North Korea’s weapons program is expected to be among the issues discussed. I’m Jonathan Evans.   Hai Do adapted this story for VOA Learning English based on AP, Reuters and VOA News reports. Mario Ritter was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   altitude –n. height, distance from the surface of the earth, usually sea level range –n. a distance that can be traveled rapidly –adv. quickly engaged –adj. to be put into or brought into fighting precision –adj. very exact escalation –n. an increase in intensity, to become worse abet –v. to help, encourage or support a criminal regime –n. a form of government  

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New Course Helps Technology Companies Get Started

  A company in Mountain View, California, helps fund and advises new, or startup, technology companies. It is called Y Combinator, and it has helped launch many well-known companies like Dropbox, Airbnb and Reddit. To expand its business, Y Combinator has put its program online at no cost in a new course called Startup School.  This course has gotten more than 7,000 technology founders from 140 countries to sign up for the program. Expanding the Y Combinator reach Y Combinator, also called “YC”, began in 2005.  It holds programs two times a year. They bring company founders to Mountain View for 10 weeks of intensive training. Those taking part receive advice from YC’s large alumni network of well-known companies. In addition to advice, YC invests $120,000 in each startup company.  In return, the company gets seven-percent share of stock in the startup. The program ends with an event called “Demo Day”. During this day, those taking part give their business pitches to a room full of possible investors. YC’s program has become very popular. It also is very competitive.  Only two percent of those who apply are accepted to the YC program. The company created the online Startup School to permit more businesspeople to take part in their program. Goktug Yilmaz did not make it into the normal YC program, but signed up later for Startup School.  Yilmaz wanted to help his game-developing business in Ankara, Turkey.  Yilmaz says he wanted to be part of the Startup School because it lets him talk and receive feedback. “Just seeing this process would help us get better on focusing on our goals,” he said. Helping companies early Steven Pham helps run Startup School.  He said the company wanted to reach business founders outside of California’s technology center known as Silicon Valley. “Internet access has been only something people have access to very recently in a lot of these markets,” Pham said. “In a lot of these communities where startups are super, super early, we wanted to get in there and help them learn best practices ... best ways to think about building their product, best ways to think about sales strategies and market(s).” According to Pham, the interest in Startup School has been surprisingly high. More than 13,000 companies and nearly 20,000 founders applied. Because of the high number of applicants, YC had to limit the first class to 3,000 companies and about 7,000 founders so that it could provide enough advisers. Ti Zhao is an alumna with YC. She helped advise 30 companies during Startup School. “People kind of have this idea of Silicon Valley as where the startups are at and it’s really cool for me to see so many diverse companies from so many places around the world,” she said. Ideas from all over the world The Startup School course ends with “Presentation Day”, which is similar to “Demo Day” of the regular program.  On Presentation Day, those taking part make their pitches online. The one difference is that the objective is not to get the interest of investors, but to present an early version of their product idea in a clear way. The pitches can come from all over the world, including one from Syria, where a group is teaching children how to create circuits.  Another group from Sudan, named SocialEyeze, is trying to help blind people use social media more easily. “I’ve learned many useful skills, and those skills appeared in the modifications we made on our solution,” said Hussam Eldeen Hassan from Socialeyeze. About 56 percent of the first Startup School class, or about 1,580 companies, completed the course. Y Combinator says it plans to expand the number of companies for the next Startup School.  The next course is expected to take place early next year. For Yilmaz, Startup School was a great experience for both business and relationships.  “In Startup School, we made a bunch of friends from the online chat,” Yilmaz said. “We are probably going to continue those friendships with other founders.” I’m Phil Dierking.   Michelle Quinn and Deana Mitchell reported this story for VOANews.com. Phil Dierking adapted her report for Learning English. Mario Ritter was the editor. Do you think Y Combinator would be useful to companies in your home? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   alumni - n.  someone who was a student at a particular school, college, or university​ apply - v. to ask formally for something (such as a job, admission to a school, a loan, etc.) usually in writing​ pitch - n.  things that are said by someone (such as a salesman) in order to make someone want to buy, do, or accept something​ founder - n.  a person who creates or establishes something that is meant to last for a long time such as a business or school. startup - n. a newly established business.​ strategy - n.  a careful plan or method for achieving a particular goal usually over a long period of time​ circuits - n. the complete path that an electric current travels along​ modifications - n. the act or process of changing parts of something​

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Americans Confused By Declaration of Independence Tweets

This is What’s Trending Today. Every July 4th, Americans celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. The document expressed the desire of the American colonies to separate from Great Britain. It contains about 1,300 words. On the July 4th holiday, the American media organization National Public Radio (NPR) broadcasts a reading of the Declaration of Independence over the air. This year, NPR decided to extend that tradition to Twitter. It posted the entire Declaration, line-by-line, in a series of tweets. The first tweet on Tuesday read: “In Congress, July 4, 1776. The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America…” A few minutes later, NPR tweeted: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal…” That is perhaps the most famous line in the document. The Declaration of Independence presents a number of reasons why the American colonies wanted to break off from England. For example, it says those running the government should be there only because the people “consented.” It says if the government becomes “destructive,” it is the “Right of the people to alter or abolish it.” And it mentions that any changes to long-established ideas should be made for a good reason.  The Declaration also writes that the British king, King George III, has a “tyranny” over the states. One line of the document says, “A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a freer people.” Many social media users became confused by NPR’s Independence Day Twitter messages, however. They did not recognize the lines of the historical document, and probably had not seen NPR’s earlier tweets. Some mistook the Declaration’s words about King George III for negative opinions about the presidency of Donald Trump. Twitter users began accusing NPR of trying to get people to fight against Trump. One Twitter user believed that NPR must have been “hacked,” because the tweets did not make sense to her. Another accused NPR of encouraging violence “while trying to sound patriotic.” The NPR Twitter confusion soon became a trending topic. The confused Twitter users soon realized their mistake. Many of them deleted their original tweets. Some even deleted their entire Twitter accounts. Writer Parker Molloy noticed the negative tweets before they were deleted, however. And he posted a number of screen shots of the messages to Twitter. NPR has been broadcasting its reading of the Declaration of Independence for 29 years now. This was its first year to post the entire document on Twitter. NPR spokeswoman Allyssa Pollard said the tweets were shared by thousands of people and created a “lively conversation.” And that’s What’s Trending Today. I’m Kelly Jean Kelly.   Dan Friedell wrote this story for VOA Learning English, with some reporting from the Associated Press. Ashley Thompson was the editor. Would you have recognized the Declaration of Independence tweets? We want to know. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   unanimous – adj. agreed to by everyone confuse – v. to make (someone) uncertain or unable to understand something consent – v. to agree to do or allow something : to give permission for something to happen or be done alter – v. to change something abolish – v. to officially end or stop (something, such as a law) : to completely do away with (something) tyranny – n. cruel and unfair treatment by people with power over others delete – v. to remove (something, such as words, pictures, or computer files) from a document, recording, computer, etc. hack – v. to secretly get access to the files on a computer or network in order to get information, cause damage, etc. encourage – v. to tell or advise (someone) to do something lively – adj. very active and energetic

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July 5, 2017

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

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