Study: Farmer Suicides Increase Because of Climate Change

  When Rani’s husband took his own life, he left his family with debts they could not pay. Rani’s family farms in southern India. Now, she says her family’s farming days are over. “There are no rains,” Rani said. Rani is a 44-year-old woman from Tamil Nadu state. She was one of hundreds of farmers protesting in the capital New Delhi for increased government support for farmers. Her state has been affected by drought. “Even for drinking, we get water only once in 10 days,” she said. A recently released study suggests that more tragedies like Rani’s will happen. Higher temperatures are damaging crops and worsening droughts the study says. It argues that the temperature and the number of people who take their lives are linked. It states that for every one degree above 20 degrees Celsius on any day during the growing season, an average of about 70 suicides take place. The study was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, or PNAS. Scientists predict that the worldwide average temperature could rise up to 3 degrees by 2050. With hotter weather, more droughts and stronger storms are likely to take place. In addition, extreme weather changes could become more common. These changes could affect Indian farmers who depend on good weather for income. Tamma Carleton was the author of the study. She is a researcher at the University of California, Berkeley where she studies agriculture and resource economics. Carleton looked at numbers from India’s National Crime Records Bureau. She compared the number of people who took their own lives between 1967 and 2013 with other information on agricultural crops and temperature changes. Carleton estimated that hotter temperatures over the last 30 years “have already been responsible for over 59,000 suicides throughout India.” The study said that hotter temperatures were one of the reasons why there was a 6.8 percent increase in the number of people who took their own lives in India over 30 years. Vikram Patel is a psychiatrist and mental health expert with Harvard Medical School. Although he was not involved with the study, he helped write India’s first national mental health policy. Patel said farming is a risky job. He said the amount a farmer earns depends on the weather. And farming gets riskier with climate change. Patel said anything that affects their job negatively will affect farmers’ mental health. India has 1.3 billion people. For half of those people, agriculture is their source of income. Although farmers are an important part of Indian society, they have been struggling economically over the last 30 years. Many pressures weigh on India’s farmers Usually there is not a single reason for a person to take his or her own life. But, some reasons include losing crops, debt, poverty or a lack of community support. Farmers with a lot of debt may take their own lives so the government, in some cases, would give money to their families. “We may not be able to stop the world from warming, but that doesn’t mean we can’t do something to address suicide,” Patel said. He said financial support and increased attention to mental health could help deal with the issue. Howard Frumkin is an environmental and occupational health professor at the University of Washington. He was also not involved in the study. Frumkin said the study shows that unfavorable weather leads to less crops, rural misery and more people taking their own lives. India’s farms are regularly being hit by strong storms, extreme drought and heat waves. This kind of weather is going to increase with higher temperatures. Some farmers in India still depend on rainfall instead of irrigation to water their crops. India’s farmers have held many protests for better crop prices, more help with loan repayments and water delivery systems among other issues. Such systems would help guarantee irrigation during droughts. Many farmers said they believe they have been ignored. Some are protesting at government offices and some have dumped large amounts of vegetables on roads to block traffic to bring attention to their situation. In the past month, hundreds of farmers have been protesting in a central New Delhi square. Some are holding human skulls that they say are from other farmers who have taken their own lives in Tamil Nadu. They say it will be a 100-day protest. They say they are protesting to “prevent the suicide of farmers who feed the nation.” On July 27, Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh told lawmakers that 11,458 farmers took their own lives in 2016. That is the lowest number in 20 years. That year also had good temperatures and normal seasonal rains. Singh noted that for 2014 and 2015, the number of farmers who took their own lives increased by 9 percent. Those two years had a drought. The number of farmers who took their own lives reached 12,602 in 2015. Some reasons included financial failure, debt and other farming issues. Most of the people were farmers with less than two hectares of land. The author of the research noted that the study could not tell the difference between urban and rural people who took their own lives. That is because the crime records bureau only began separating the two categories in 1995. M. S. Swaminathan is a geneticist who is known for creating India’s Green Revolution in the 1960s. That was a movement to greatly increase agricultural productivity. He said, “Suicides occur due to extreme economic despair.” Swaminathan has carried out research suggesting that small temperature changes can hurt crop harvests. The M S Swaminathan Research Foundation works to solve farming problems related to climate change. Some of these include rising heat, drought and increasing salt levels in soil because of rising sea levels. Swaminathan said better crop insurance and quick compensation for crops lost to climate change “will help to avoid a sense of hopelessness that leads to suicide.” I’m Mario Ritter. And I’m Olivia Liu.   Katy Daigle wrote this story for the Associated Press. Olivia Liu adapted this story with additional materials for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter was the editor. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   drought – n. a severe lack of rain psychiatrist – n. a medical doctor that works in mental health negatively – adj. having a harmful effect misery – n. severe suffering irrigation – n. systems to bring water to crops delivery – n. the act of bringing something compensation – n. money given to make up for the loss of something We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.

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

English @ the Movies: 'Takes Your Breath Away'

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2uwsY2s
via IFTTT

August 11, 2017

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

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

Lesson 44: Making Healthy Choices

Summary Anna is hungry. She goes to the supermarket and looks for good foods to eat. But she has a problem. One part of her wants junk food. The other part wants healthy food. Which part will win? Speaking In this video, learn how to say the new words. Then learn the difference between "mustn't" and "don't have to." ​ Pronunciation Use this video to practice the pronunciation of "mustn't." Conversation Anna: Hi there, Ashley! Ashley: Anna! Hi! Where are you going? (Anna’s stomach growls loudly) Ashley: What was that? Anna: I’m hungry. When I’m hungry, I only want to eat junk food! But I know I should eat healthy food. So, I fight with myself. One side says, ‘You should eat healthy food.’ The other side says, ‘But I want to eat junk food!’ Ashley: Well, Anna, go to the Giant supermarket. You should be able to find all kinds of food there - for all of you. Anna: Good idea, Ashley. See you later! Ashley: 'Bye, Anna. Anna: Wow! This supermarket is huge! Look at all of these fruits and vegetables! I should eat more vegetables. Healthy: Good idea, Anna. You must eat more vegetables … like celery! Junky: Celery?! Do you know what the web says about celery? Anna: No, what? Junky: “Celery is 95 percent water - 100 percent NOT ice cream. I love the web!” Healthy*: Anna, you mustn’t eat junk food. Junk food will kill you. Junky*: You are being silly. Healthy: No, you are! Junky: No, you are. Anna: Will you two please be nice to each other? It is important to eat healthy foods. But, a little junk food will not kill me. Hmm, ice cream. Ice cream does sound good. Junky: Take this cart to the frozen food aisle! Healthy: No wait, go back! Go back! We forgot fruit. Go back!! Anna: Okay, we are in the frozen food aisle! Junky: Mmm, ice cream! Healthy: Mmm, frozen peas! Junky: Nobody says, ‘Mmm, frozen peas. They say, ‘Mmm, ice cream! Healthy: Mmm, frozen peas!! Junky: Mmm, ice cream!! Anna: I am not going to tell you two again! Stop fighting! Anna: I smell fresh bread! I love the smells of a bakery! Healthy: Oh, Anna, let’s buy a fresh loaf of whole wheat, organic bread! Junky: You don’t have to buy bread. Buy some donuts, Anna! Healthy: You mustn’t buy donuts. They are only fat and sugar. Junky: Exactly! You know, you are really no fun at all. Healthy: And you must think having high cholesterol is fun. Junky: Everyone likes donuts! That is why you don’t have friends! Healthy: And that is why your cholesterol is so high! Junky: My cholesterol is none of your business!! Healthy: And I have lots of friends!! Anna: Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! I am sick and tired of the both of you!! Anna: I know what you two need! Junky: Anna! What are you doing? Healthy: Put me down! Anna: You two need to cool off! Anna: I am going to go buy my healthy food and my junk food! Good bye! Anna: Until next time …   Note: "Healthy" and "Junky" are Anna's thoughts about what she should eat. Writing In this lesson, Anna goes shopping. She thinks about the foods that are good for her and the ones that are not so good. What do you think about when you shop for food? Do you sometimes fight with yourself as Anna does in this lesson? Write a short conversation about the thoughts you have while you are shopping. Write to us by email or in the Comments section. Click on the image below to download the Activity Sheet and practice  talking about different kinds of foods. Learning Strategy Learning Strategies are the thoughts and actions that help make learning easier or more effective. The learning strategy for this lesson is  Classify. When we classify we sort things into categories, or looks for things that are different or the same. Classifying helps us to organize and remember new information. In this lesson, Anna classifies foods into two groups: healthy and junk food. She knows that she should eat more healthy foods. But she also like to have some junk foods, like ice cream. Do you ever classify the new things you are learning in 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   aisle - n. a passage where people walk through a store or market bakery - n. a place where bread, cakes, cookies, and other baked foods are made or sold cart - n. (shopping cart) a metal basket on wheels used to hold groceries while you are shopping cholesterol - n. a substance that is found in the bodies of people and animals, a high percentage raises the risk of coronary heart disease cool off - phrasal verb. to become calm after a period of anger or conflict fat - n. an oily solid or liquid substance in food freeze - v. to become a hard substance (such as ice) because of cold (past participle: frozen) healthy - adj. good for your health or healthful junk food - n. food that is not good for your health because it contains high amounts of fat or sugar kill - v.to cause the death of (a person, animal, or plant) must - modal verb. used to say that something is required or necessary organic - adj. food that is grown or made without the use of artificial chemicals smell - n. the quality of a thing that you can sense with your nose smell - v. to use your nose to sense smells sugar - n. a sweet substance usually in the form of white or brown crystals or white powder that comes from plants and is used to make foods sweeter whole wheat- adj. made from wheat from which no part (such as the bran) has been removed FOODS 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 classifying foods and giving advice using mustn't or don't have to. For Teachers ​ Grammar: Mustn’t vs. Don’t have to, Must vs. Should Topics: Expressing concern, Nutrition; Types of foods; Complimenting about food choices Learning Strategy: Classify Pronunciation: Pronouncing must & mustn’t​ 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. ____________________________________________________________ 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.

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

Overweight Asian-Americans Seen More American

  What does an American look like? Nearly 1,300 Americans, mostly college students, were asked that question for a recent study in Psychological Science. They were shown pictures of people and asked by University of Washington researchers who looked American to them. The most surprising answer was how people saw Asian-Americans. Over-weight Asian-Americans were more likely to be seen as Americans than normal weight Asian-Americans, the researchers said. Researchers who worked on the study believe this all fits into common stereotypes. A stereotype is a belief, often untrue, that many have about a group of people. And one common stereotype is that Asians are thin and most Americans are heavy, the researchers said. Sapna Cheryan is a co-author of the study. She also teaches psychology at the University of Washington. She said the findings show an unusual benefit for overweight Asian-Americans. She noted that overweight people often face discrimination. But Cheryan said that being overweight makes Asian-Americans seen more American. That makes them less likely to face discrimination directed at those believed to be foreign, she said. Cheryan said her interest in ethnic and racial stereotypes goes back to her youth in Urbana, Illinois. She is Indian-American and remembers people would praise her mother because she “spoke English so well.” It was as if they did not expect a woman who appeared to come from a foreign country to speak English, she said. Cheryan also remembers worrying when friends would come over to her house. She was embarrassed that her family served Indian food. The food seemed “different” compared to American favorites such as pizza and Doritos. The research on how people see Asian-Americans is a follow-up of her 2011 research. It found Asian-Americans were three times as likely to order American food after being asked if they spoke English than if they had not been asked that question. “The suggestion is that maybe people avoid foods that are stereotypical of their ethnic group so that they would fit in better,” Cheryan said. This is not always a good thing for Asian-Americans. She notes that traditional American food often contains more calories and fat than many Asian dishes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 34.5 percent of white Americans are considered obese, or very overweight. For Asian-Americans, the percentage is 11.7 percent. For African-Americans, the percentage of obesity is 48 percent and for Latino Americans, the percentage is 42.5 percent. The new University of Washington study showed people photos of people from different racial and ethnic groups to see if weight influenced their opinions. Among the questions asked: “How likely is this person to have been born outside the U.S? Another, “How likely is it that this person’s native language is English?" Weight did make a difference in how people decided whether Asian-Americans were Americans. Those questioned by the University of Washington researchers also looked at pictures of Latinos, whites and African-Americans. The researchers found that weight did not influence whether they saw whites, African-Americans and Latinos as being Americans. This supported their opinion that people believed to be from foreign countries where people are believed to be mostly thin are considered more likely to be American if they are overweight. The researchers noted that many Americans believe Latinos are overweight. As a result, overweight Latinos are not seen as more likely to be Americans -- as was the case with Asian-Americans. I'm Jill Robbins. And I'm Bruce Alpert.   Bruce Alpert reported on this story for VOA Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section and share your views on our Facebook Page. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   psychological - adj. of or relating to the study of the mind response - n. something that is said or written as a reply to something co-author - n. one of the writers of a study or report embarrass - v. to make (someone) feel confused and foolish in front of other people weird - adj. strange pizza - n. a food made from flat, usually round bread, that is often topped with tomato sauce and cheese and often with meat or vegetables Doritos - n. a brand of chips made of corn influence - v. the power to change or affect someone or something

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2vr7Fge
via IFTTT

'Rally Cat' Goes Viral After Baseball Game

  This is What’s Trending Today…. The Saint Louis Cardinals and Kansas City Royals each have fewer than 50 games to play this season. Both teams hope to win enough games to play for the championship of North American baseball later in the year. The Cardinals and Royals have a long-standing rivalry. It is sometimes called the “Show-Me Series.” That is because both teams play their home games in the American state of Missouri, known as the “Show-Me State.” This week, the Cardinals and Royals have been playing against each other in a series of games. But it is not the usual “Show-Me Series” rivalry that people are talking about. Instead, they are talking about a new battle that took place during the game Wednesday night. The battle was between a member of the Cardinals’ field crew and a cat. Twenty-year-old Lucas Hackmann is a college student. He works at the Cardinals’ Busch Stadium in St. Louis. On Wednesday night, he and other crew members discovered a small, gray cat running around on the field in the middle of the game. It was in the sixth inning. The Royals were leading the Cardinals 5 to 4. The Cardinals’ Yadier Molina was at bat, and the bases were loaded. But before Molina could swing at the ball, the cat ran onto the field. It walked up to Royals’ Lorenzo Cain in the outfield. The player looked down and smiled at the small creature. Lucas Hackmann quickly ran onto the field to remove the animal so that the game could continue. The cat tried to escape, but Hackmann was able to catch it. However, the cat was not happy.   It began to attack the man, cutting into the skin, and biting his hands and fingers. Hackmann appeared to be in pain, but continued to hold onto the cat. The crowd laughed and cheered. One television announcer said, “You’ve got to hold them [cats] by the back of the neck, just like the momma does!” Hackmann and the cat did make it off the field together. And the game continued. The Royals’ pitcher then threw the ball to Molina. He hit it into deep left field. The ball landed in the crowd. It was a home run. Because the bases were loaded, the Cardinals scored four runs. Suddenly, the Royals were losing 8 to 5. When the game ended, St. Louis had won. People who follow the Cards have nicknamed the animal “Rally Cat.” A “rally” is when a player or team that has been playing poorly begins to play well. The hashtag #RallyCat soon became a trending topic on Facebook and Twitter.  Hackmann -- a big Cards fan himself -- did not have a good night. He had to go to the hospital because of the injuries he suffered. Thursday morning, Hackmann told a St. Louis radio station that he has never owned a cat. He did not expect the cat to bite him, he said, “but obviously, I was being kind of dumb there.” Rally Cat is not the only one getting attention on social media. Hackmann's Twitter account has “blown up” and “doubled in followers.” Hackmann said he does not know what happened to the Rally Cat after he carried it off the field, but, in his words, “hopefully we’ll be reunited soon.” And that’s What’s Trending Today…. I’m Anna Matteo.   Ashley Thompson wrote this report for VOA 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   rivalry - n.  a state or situation in which people or groups are competing with each other inning - n. ​ one of the usually nine parts of a game in which each team bats until three outs are made​ bases - n. ​any one of the four places a runner must touch in order to score​ pitcher - n. the player who throws the ball to the batter in baseball nickname - v. to give (someone) a name that is not that person's real name dumb - adj. not showing or having good judgment or intelligence home run - n. a hit that allows the batter to go around all the bases and score a run  

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2vJwF4T
via IFTTT

The Excitement of Three-Part Phrasal Verbs

Popular music can teach you a lot about the English language. You may not realize it, but musicians are actually teaching you about English grammar in each song they perform. Consider this song by the famous reggae artist Bob Marley. It tells about the need for equality and justice: ​Get up, stand up. Stand up for your rights Get up, stand up. Don’t give up the fight This song is called “Get Up, Stand Up.” It shows you how to use the three-part phrasal verb, "stand up for." "To stand up for" means "to defend (someone or something) with words.” Today, we explore three-part phrasal verbs – idiomatic expressions that can be difficult for students of English to understand. What are phrasal verbs? As you may remember from other Everyday Grammar programs, a phrasal verb is a verb with two or more words. Most phrasal verbs contain just two words: a verb and a preposition, such as “look up,” which means “to research” or “to search for.” “Look” is the verb and “up” is the preposition. Note that “look” and “up” are words with literal meanings. In some situations, you would use the literal meaning of “look” and “up.” For example, you can say, “When I looked up, I saw a beautiful bird.” In that sentence, “look” means “to direct your eyes to a specific direction” and “up” means “toward the sky or top of the room.” But, when used as a phrasal verb, “look up” becomes idiomatic, which means you cannot understand their meaning from the individual meanings of the separate words. Instead, when the words are put together as phrasal verbs, they mean something else. While many phrasal verbs consist of just two words, there are several that have three words. Three-part phrasal verbs have a verb and two particles. A particle is a word that must appear with another word to communicate meaning: Three-part phrasal verb = verb + particle + particle Three-part phrasal verb = stand + up + for In Bob Marley’s song, the main verb “stand” has two particles: “up” and “for.” When these three words are combined, they become a three-part phrasal verb. Here is an easy way to remember how to use three-part phrasal verbs: all three words always appear together, and the order of the three words never changes. So, although using these verbs may seem daunting at first, do not fear! If you learn the most common ones, you will be able to recognize them and use them yourself. Why do we use three-part phrasal verbs? Three-part phrasal verbs are important if you want to express yourself in English in the most natural way possible. You can use many of these verbs in both casual and formal English. For example, “The meeting lasted three hours. Now, I need to catch up on my work.” To “catch up on” is both casual and formal. It means “to do something you have not had time to do earlier.” But, some three-part phrasal verbs are more common in casual English than in formal, written English. Listen for a three-part phrasal verb in this song by the blues singer B.B. King: Oh, I'm sorry for you baby But you know I just can't put up with you This song, called “Get These Blues Off Me,” uses the verb “to put up with,” which means “to tolerate or accept something unpleasant.” Three-part phrasal verb = verb + particle + particle Three-part phrasal verb = put + up + with In English, many songs about love, or love lost, use the verb “to put up with.” But you probably would not use this verb in formal situations. For example, if you reported your noisy neighbors to police, you might want to avoid saying, “I have put up with the noise for a long time.” Instead, you might say, “I have tolerated the noise for a long time.” How often do we use three-part phrasal verbs? In social, personal, and professional communication, three-part phrasal verbs are often the most natural and least wordy choice. That is why we use these verbs every day. For example, when we have not seen friends or family members for a long time, we want to “catch up with” them. We want to learn about the new things happening in their lives. Note the similarity between “catch up with” and “catch up on.” Yet the meanings are different. Changing any word of a three-part phrasal verb creates a new meaning. A work situation where you might use a three-part phrasal verb is when you run out of time. In the workplace, you can also run out of ideas or supplies. “To run out of” means “to have used all of something.” Speaking of running out of time, we are almost out of time for this program. So here are three ideas to help you with three-part phrasal verbs. Tip #1 The first thing to remember is that these verbs are inseparable, meaning that the three words cannot be separated by an object or any other part of speech. Bob Marley did not say, “Stand up your rights for” or “Stand your rights up for.” And, as we noted earlier, the words will always appear in the same order: Bob Marley also did not say, “Stand for up your rights.” Tip #2 Changing any part of three-part phrasal verbs changes their meanings. Remember that the verbs “catch up with” and “catch up on” do not mean the same thing.   Tip #3 Now, a final point: The examples we have used today are from American English. Many of these verbs are the same in British English and other forms of English. But remember that some of them may have a different meaning or may not be used at all outside of the United States. Three-part phrasal verbs can be difficult to understand, but learning and using them will make your speaking and writing sound realistic and natural. I’m Alice Bryant. And I’m Pete Musto.   This program was written by Alice Bryant. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. You can read more about phrasal verbs here. At the end of this page, you can find a list of common phrasal verbs along with their meanings. __________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   grammar – n. the set of rules that explain how words are used in a language idiomatic – adj. an expression that cannot be understood from the meanings of its separate words but has a separate meaning of its own consist – v. to have (something) as an essential or main part literal – n. involving the common or usual meaning of a word daunting – adj. making people frightened or less sure of themselves; very difficult to do or deal with casual – adj. designed for or permitting normal behavior or clothing; opposite of formal formal – adj. requiring or using serious and correct behavior or clothing wordy – adj. using or containing too many words tolerate – v. to let (something that is bad or unpleasant) to exist, happen, or be done   Reference Three-part Phrasal Verbs Meanings “Stand up for your rights.” To defend yourself (with words or other non-violent actions) “I’m sorry, but I’ve run out of time. Let’s meet tomorrow instead.” To have used all of something, such as time, a food, product, or concept. “His mom is not willing to put up with his messy room anymore.” To allow (someone or something unpleasant or annoying) to exist or happen; to tolerate an unpleasant thing or person “We are teaming up with the community garden center to bring fresh food to the school.” To collaborate with a person group of people to achieve a common goal ”He looks up to his older brothers.” To respect and admire (someone) ”He looks down on everyone.” To think of or treat (someone or something) as unimportant or not worthy of respect ”I’m looking forward to vacation! We’re going to New Orleans.” To be excited about something in the future ”That meeting lasted three hours. Now, I need to catch up on my work.” To do something you have not had time to do earlier ”I can’t wait to catch up with you!” To learn about new things happening in someone’s life, usually a friend or family member ”I would have gotten away with it, too, if it hadn’t been for you meddling kids.” To escape blame or punishment ”Let’s come up with some ideas on where to hold the birthday party.” To contribute, for example, a suggestion or plan “I don’t feel well. I think I’m coming down with the flu.” To get sick; to recognize that you are getting sick. ”She broke up with her boyfriend last month.” To end a romantic relationship ”She made up with her boyfriend yesterday.” To reunite after breaking up with a romantic partner  

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2vr481y
via IFTTT

Extreme Heat May Make South Asia Unlivable

  A scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology says people will not be able to live in parts of South Asia by the year 2100 if little is done to stop climate change. Elfatih Eltahir studies the world’s climate. He was among the writers of a recently published report in the journal Science Advances. He said, “the heat wave intensity will reach magnitudes that have not been observed before.” Eltahir’s study takes humidity into consideration, along with heat. The researchers believe the combination of the heat and humidity will make areas in South Asia difficult to live in. The researchers used a measurement called “wet bulb temperature.” It is based on air temperature and the amount of water in the air. A very high wet bulb temperature prevents humans from being able to cool themselves by sweating. The researchers say that if the wet bulb temperature reaches 35 degrees Celsius, it would feel like an air temperature of 72 degrees Celsius. That would make it difficult for humans to cool down, even in the shade. Parts of the world where there is poverty, large populations, and heat and humidity would be in danger. That includes places in South Asia, such as: the Ganges River valley, northeastern India, and Bangladesh. Other areas that might be affected are the eastern coast of India, the Chota Nagpur Plateau, northern Sri Lanka, and the Indus valley of Pakistan. The researchers said people in those areas would be in danger within about 50 years if unlimited heat-trapping gasses continue to be put into the atmosphere. Alexis Berg is a hydro-climatologist at Princeton University. He was not involved in the study. He said that the temperatures in South Asia would not remain high permanently. But even a short heat wave could be deadly. The researchers also noted the possibility that heat trapping gasses will not be reduced at all but continue to be released into the atmosphere. Scientists call this worst-case scenario RCP 8.5. The study’s writers said that if RCP 8.5 takes place, about 30 percent of the world’s population would regularly be exposed to dangerous temperatures. Matthew Huber is a climate scientist at Purdue University in the state of Indiana. He was not involved with the study. However, he called RCP 8.5 “a death sentence for a large fraction of the world.” But he also said that kind of climate change can be avoided. “The choice is very much ours,” he said. “It does not require impossible effort to avoid RCP 8.5.” Huber said the study was more complete than earlier reports about heat. Berg, the Princeton scientist, said there is still time to prevent the worst case scenario. He also said, however, that without change, the heat will continue to get more dangerous. I’m Dan Friedell.   Ben Thompson wrote this story for VOANews.com. Dan Friedell adapted it for Learning English. Mario Ritter was the editor. Do you think we will be able to slow down global warming? We want to know. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story magnitude – n. the size, extent, or importance of something humidity – n. the amount of moisture in the air sweat – v. to produce a clear liquid from your skin when you are hot or nervous shade – n. an area of slight darkness that is produced when something blocks the light of the sun worst-case scenario – n. the worst description of what could possible happen fraction – n. a part or amount of something

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2uL5guG
via IFTTT

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