Singapore Investigating Man After Tooth Picks Found in Bus Seat

  A 60-year-old man in Singapore is under investigation for putting toothpicks into a seat on a public bus. Police in Singapore are describing the incident as a suspected case of “mischief.” Through extensive questioning and with the help of video evidence, “officers … established the identity of the suspect," a police statement said this week. The man could receive a two-year jail sentence if he is found guilty. The Reuters news agency says pictures of three toothpicks sticking up from the bus seat were published on Facebook in July. A Facebook user said she saw the three small sticks just as she was preparing to sit down. She urged other users to look closely at their seat before sitting down. Her message was shared more than 2,500 times. Singapore has one of the lowest crime rates in the world. Yet one of the government’s public information signs reads, “Low crime doesn’t mean no crime.” Judges are known for taking firm action against violators of minor crimes. Those found guilty of damaging or destroying property have been sentenced to canings -- beatings with a stick. The wealthy city-state bans the import of chewing gum, in part, to keep public spaces clean. Two years ago, a smoker was fined about $14,550 for throwing cigarette ends out of a window of his home. The police said investigations into the case of the toothpicks were continuing. The crime carries a punishment of up to two years in jail, a fine or both. I’m Jonathan Evans.   The Reuters news agency reported this story. George Grow adapted the report for Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   toothpick – n. an instrument for removing food particles trapped between teeth mischief – n. a cause of damage, harm or evil chewing gum – n. a sweetened, soft material that people bite on, but do not eat   We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2utHiJq
via IFTTT

August 10, 2017

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

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2wyzUcW
via IFTTT

News Words: Dissent

Does your government put restrictions on dissent?

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2vqz7ul
via IFTTT

America's Presidents - William McKinley

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2vJ2riz
via IFTTT

US City Bans Texting while Walking

Parents usually teach their children how to cross the street safely, by looking both ways for cars. But do they also teach them to put away their cell phones? The city of Honolulu, Hawaii wants everyone to learn that lesson. Texting while crossing the street will soon be banned in the city. Beginning on October 24, you could be fined from $15 to $99 if you step into a Honolulu street while looking at your phone. Honolulu is the first major U.S. city to ban what is called "distracted walking." It recently passed a law in a seven to two vote. The law says: "No pedestrian shall cross a street or highway while viewing a mobile electronic device." In other words, do not look at a screen when you cross the street or you could be fined. The law’s creators hope it will lower the number of people hit and killed by cars in the city. Mayor Kirk Caldwell told Reuters news agency, "We hold the unfortunate distinction of being a major city with more pedestrians being hit in crosswalks, particularly our seniors, than almost any other city in the country." The law includes all electronic devices with screens: cell phones, tablets, gaming devices, digital cameras and laptop computers. The law does permit an exception. Pedestrians may use such devices in the street to call emergency services and rescue workers, such as firefighters and police officers. Pedestrian deaths have been increasing as the use of cell phones rises. The Governors Highway Safety Association, or GHSA, says pedestrian deaths in the United States increased 25 percent between 2010 and 2015. That trend continued in 2016 with the number of pedestrian deaths rising to almost 6000, 11% higher than in 2015. Other U.S. cities may follow Honolulu. The state of Washington was the first to outlaw distracted driving back in 2007. Now, 46 other states as well as D.C., Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, have laws against texting while driving reports the GHSA. If you still want to text while walking, you could avoid being fined in Honolulu (and be safer, in general) by using a voice-controlled digital assistant such as Siri or Google Assistant. Or you could just wait until you are again, safely, off the street. I'm Caty Weaver.   Do you think a law banning distracted walking is a good idea? Vote in the poll:   Carolyn Nicander Mohr wrote this report for VOA Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. Do you like Honolulu's new law that bans texting while walking? Do you think it will make Honolulu safer and reduce pedestrian deaths? Do you text while walking? Share your thoughts in the Comments Section below or on our Facebook page. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   distracted - adj. unable to think about or pay attention to something : unable to concentrate pedestrian - n. a person who is walking in a city, along a road, etc. distinction - n.  the quality that makes a person or thing special or different senior - n. a person who is older than another person trend - n. a general direction of change digital assistant - n.  an application program that can understand natural language and complete electronic tasks for the user

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2uqCIeF
via IFTTT

More than Half of India's Languages May Disappear

  More than half of the languages spoken by India’s 1.3 billion people may disappear over the next 50 years. The People’s Linguistic Survey of India, or PSLI, recently made the comment during the launch of the latest volume in its planned 50-volume study of the country’s languages. There are as many as 780 languages spoken in India, the PSLI said. The scholars called for increased efforts to preserve the languages spoken by India’s tribal communities. G.N. Devy, the chair of PSLI said, “At least 400 Indian languages are at the risk of dying in [the] coming 50 years.” India has already lost 250 languages in the last 50 years. Devy added that, when a language is lost, so is a culture. The scholars and teachers at PSLI document Indian languages in order to save cultural heritage and diversity. Most of the at-risk languages are spoken by tribal communities. Children from these communities sometimes receive no education. If they do go to school, they are taught in one of India’s 22 officially recognized languages. Ashis Nandy is a political psychologist. He said India has many old languages, some spoken for the last 1,000 years. He said such languages are “surviving somehow in India, but we are hardly passing them on.” Devy said the PSLI will soon start work on a project to document about 6,000 living languages in the world. Their report is expected to come out by 2025. I’m Ashley Thompson.   Reuters reported this story. Ashley Thompson adapted it for Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. _________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story volume - n.  a book that is part of a series or set of books preserve - v.  to keep (something) safe from harm or loss   

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2hKhjHs
via IFTTT

Madrid the Latest City to Open Public Napping Space

  A Spanish company has opened the first public napping space in Madrid. Siesta & Go promises Spaniards a quiet and restful getaway in the middle of the city’s business center. Napping spaces are nothing new; places to rest already exist in other big cities, such as Tokyo, London, Brussels and New York. But the idea would appear to work well with the culture of Spain, where people traditionally take an afternoon nap, called a siesta. Siesta & Go invites people to try a different place to lie down and enjoy the qualities of a short rest. “The siesta is considered one of those small pleasures of life, especially recommended in every way for its clear health benefits,” the company says on its website.   The Madrid nap bar recently opened with 19 beds. They can be rented by the minute or by the hour. People can choose either a private or shared room. An hour of napping time inside a private room costs about $15. The company also offers areas to work, as well as armchairs, newspapers and coffee for those not wishing to sleep. Philip Marco is one happy customer. Marcos says he gets tired during the day because he has a long drive to work. He says a siesta is the perfect way to build up energy. “I come for about 30 minutes, something like that. Sleep 30 minutes and that usually is enough for me to be able to get through the evening.” Siesta & Go provides all bedding, clean nightshirts and other materials. Nappers can request to be woken up when their time is up. While many Spaniards love their midday naps, others like Carlos Villarroja say they are just too busy to keep this tradition. “It’s a Spanish tradition, but I think it’s more of a legend than a tradition. Because with the lifestyle we have, the working hours, the rhythm of life that all Spanish workers have, you have very little free time for a siesta, in my case, at least during the week.” But many health experts believe there is evidence that taking a short nap can be very good for the body and mind. Guy Meadows is founder of the Sleep School, which aims to help people get better sleep. He says power naps can increase energy, improve memory and help people stay focused, along with other benefits. “Actually, we’ve seen that you can double an individual’s ability to solve a creative problem after a power nap, than if they hadn’t [napped].” Siesta & Go cites scientific studies suggesting that taking a siesta can also prevent heart disease, lower blood pressure and reduce stress. I’m Bryan Lynn.   Faiza Elmasry reported this story for VOA News. Bryan Lynn adapted it for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story nap – n. a short period of sleep recommend – v. to say something or someone is good and should be chosen; to suggest rent – v. money paid in return for being able to use property belonging to someone else legend – n. a story from the past that is believed by many people, but cannot be proven as true rhythm – n. a repeated series of events or activities benefit – n. something that produces a good effect afternoon – n. the period between the middle of the day and sunset  

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2ftbptq
via IFTTT

Twitter Celebrates Book Lover’s Day

  This is What’s Trending Today. Every day seems to be a different “day” on the internet. For example, August 8 was “International Cat Day.” There were even more pictures of cats on social media than usual.  ​ It was both “International Beer Day,” and “Coast Guard Day” on August 4. Later this month, people will celebrate “Rum Day” (August 16) and “Eat a Peach Day” (August 22). On August 28, if you see someone wearing a bow tie around their neck, it might be because it is “Bow Tie Day.” In 2014, Money magazine interviewed John-Bryan Hopkins. He is a food writer from Birmingham, Alabama. Hopkins started a website called Foodimentary. Hopkins said he created different food celebration days for fun, and they caught on. For example, August 2 was “National Ice Cream Sandwich Day.” Did you celebrate by eating a frozen treat made of ice cream and two cookies?   The magazine called these days “fake” holidays. But that may not be fair. Many people enjoy celebrating these days, even though they may not be formally recognized. In the article, Hopkins said he has the right to change what is being celebrated on any given day. “I might … decide that I don’t like what’s being celebrated that day,” he said. “So I make it a new one.” Hopkins said he does not usually make days celebrating healthy food. “I like the foods that America really likes,” he said. Some upcoming food-related holidays celebrate filet mignon and soft-serve ice cream. This Wednesday was Book Lover’s Day. Many internet users celebrated the calorie-free act of reading. People who wrote on Twitter using the hashtag #BookLoversDay received a smiley-faced emoji reading a book.   Some publications created lists of ways to celebrate the day. Bookish.com’s “10 Ways to Celebrate National Book Lover’s Day” included visiting the library, buying a new bookshelf and re-reading an old favorite book. The magazine Fast Company reminded people of a story from earlier this year. It listed the five books on Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates’ summer reading list. The books included “Hillbilly Elegy” by J.D. Vance, “A Full Life” by former U.S. president Jimmy Carter, and “Born a Crime” by talk show host Trevor Noah. His book is about growing up with a black parent and a white parent in South Africa. Noah was a young boy during the period known as apartheid. TED Talks reminded readers of their list of 101 book recommendations for the summer. They are broken into categories like: “When you are lying in the sun,” “When you are in the mood for adventure,” and “When you are spending the summer in the city.”  And that’s What’s Trending Today. I’m Dan Friedell.   Dan Friedell wrote this story for VOA Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor. What did you do to celebrate Book Lover’s Day? We want to know. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page.   _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   sandwich – n. two or more cookies, crackers, or slices of cake with something between them cookie – n. a sweet baked food that is usually small, flat, and round and is made from flour and sugar fake – adj. not true or real calorie – n. a unit of heat used to indicate the amount of energy that foods will produce in the human body emoji – n. a small digital image used to express an idea in electronic messages elegy – n. a sad poem or song

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2vOVD2j
via IFTTT

August 9, 2017

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

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2urcqoG
via IFTTT

Calls to Remove Statue of a Chinese God from Indonesian City

  Community organizations on the Indonesian island of Java are demanding that a statue of a Chinese god be destroyed. Protesters from the organizations demonstrated in the city of Surabaya on Monday. They gathered in front of the East Java Provincial Legislative Building to demand the demolition of the warrior god statue. They claim it does not represent Indonesian culture. The brightly colored, 30-meter-tall statue stands on the grounds of the Kwan Seng Bio temple in Tuban, East Java. The statue is now covered in cloth. Chinese Indonesians are a minority in the world’s most populous Muslim nation. Local Chinese Indonesians say the protesters do not understand that the Confucian god directs people to oppose war. One local official told VOA the only problem with the statue is that it lacks a building permit. Religious divides raise tension The protest over the statue of the Chinese god comes at a time of religious tension in Indonesia. In Jakarta, Islamist protests against the city’s Chinese Christian governor, Basuki "Ahok" Purnama, turned violent during his recent re-election campaign. He is now serving a two-year jail sentence after a court found him guilty of blasphemy charges. Purnama failed to win re-election in the April voting. He lost to Anies Baswedan, whose campaign was backed by supporters of political Islam. In July, Indonesian President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo banned the group Hizbut Tahrir, which supports creation of an Islamic caliphate. And while the country is an officially secular – not supporting any one religion -- public support for Islamic sharia law has been on the rise. Didik Muadi helped to organize the Tuban protest. He told local media that many consider the huge Confucian statue an insult to Indonesia. The statue has been part of the local landscape since July. At the time, the chairman of the People's Consultative Assembly said he hoped Indonesians and foreigners would come to see the statue. Statue's height seen as a threat His comments did not please Didik Maudi, however. He said, “If they want to make a memorial statue, it should not be that high...Maybe it should be at most two meters high, and inside the temple, if it is a memorial. This statue is so tall, it’s as if the god of war has taken over Tuban, and we can’t permit that!”    Gatot Santosom heads the Regional Association of Chinese-Indonesians in East Java. He said the protest was based on a lack of understanding of the statue. He said, “They misunderstood and thought the statue is of a general, that we are showing respect to a war general, but that’s not true...What we respect is what he symbolizes - loyalty, our loyalty to humanity - and he defends justice.” Where's the building permit? Abu Cholifah is a member of the Tuban Regency Legislative Body. He is blaming outsiders for the debate about the statue. He said they wanted to turn a statue of a Chinese god into a political issue in a nation with a long history of oppressing the Chinese community. If there is any issue with the warrior god statue, he added, it is that the local government failed to issue a building permit before it was put up. I’m Jonathan Evans.   Petrus Riski reported this story for VOANews.com. George Grow adapted his report for VOA Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   temple – n. a building for religious services or uses blasphemy – n. the act of showing disrespect for God or something considered holy caliphate – n. the rule of a chief Muslim leader landscape – n. all the recognizable mountains, rivers and other things on a piece of land or in the countryside We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.  

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2wJgpxD
via IFTTT

Nuclear Threats on Anniversary of Nagasaki Atomic Bombing

The threat of a nuclear conflict between the United States and North Korea affected an event marking the anniversary of world’s second atomic attack. A crowd gathered in the Japanese city of Nagasaki Wednesday to remember the U.S. atomic bombing there in the final days of World War II. The attack took place on August 9, 1945. Three days earlier, U.S. forces had dropped an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. The mayor of Nagasaki spoke at Wednesday’s observance. He said “A strong sense of anxiety is spreading across the globe that in the not too distant future these weapons could actually be used again.” He and the crowd observed a moment of silence at 11:02, local time -- the exact time when the atomic bomb was dropped. The ceremony took place a short time after U.S. and North Korea officials exchanged strong language about the North’s nuclear activities. On Tuesday, American media reported that the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency thinks North Korea recently succeeded in building a small nuclear warhead. The weapon is said to be small enough for the missiles that North Korea recently test-fired. The North Korean government has threatened nuclear war with the United States in the past because of United Nations sanctions against North Korea. Those measures are meant to punish the government for its nuclear tests. U.S. President Donald Trump warned North Korea Tuesday that its threat against the United States “will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen.” North Korea reacted quickly to Trump’s comments. The North’s Korean Central News Agency said the North Korean military is examining its plan for “making an enveloping fire” around Guam. The U.S. military has bases on the island territory. This is the first time that North Korea has identified an exact target. Balbina Hwang teaches at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. She said, "The increase in rhetoric does raise existing tensions, but it does not translate into a shift of U.S. policy or strategy on North Korea." A former deputy U.S. ambassador to the UN, David Pressman, is concerned about the rising tensions. “Perhaps there wasn't a careful consideration of the words of our commander in chief in this instance,” Pressman said. He added that, "If ever there was a topic on which we need to be extremely precise, it's nuclear proliferation, when dealing with someone who is as unpredictable as Kim Jong Un." Speaking to reporters while flying to Guam, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said he does not believe there is a threat to the island any time soon. He added “the president is sending a strong message to North Korea in language that Kim Jong Un would understand.” In Seoul, South Korean officials seem to agree with Tillerson’s comment. A top official said “I do not believe the situation has reached a state of crisis, and rather think we may turn this into an opportunity to overcome the serious security condition." The South Korean news agency Yonhap reported his comments.   Hai Do adapted this story for VOA Learning English based on VOA News and Yonhap reports. George Grow was the editor. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   anxiety - n. fear about what might happen fury - n. wild and dangerous force envelop - v. completely cover rhetoric - n. language that is intended to influence people and that may not be honest or reasonable translate - v. to change into a different form shift - n. a change in position strategy - n. a careful plan for achieving a particular goal over a long period of time precise - adj. very accurate and exact proliferation - n. an increase in number or amount quickly

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2vknGWW
via IFTTT