Former Colombia Rebels Become a Political Party

A former rebel group in Colombia is becoming a political party. The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia fought against the Colombian government for more than 50 years. It was the largest rebel movement in the country. This week, it launched a political party at a conference in the capital, Bogota. The former rebels said they would work with other groups to overturn the country’s traditional conservativism. The rebels signed a historic peace deal with the government last year. The agreements guarantee the former fighters 10 seats in Congress. The new party will get the same amount of financial support the government gives to Colombia’s 13 other political parties. The government also agreed to give the former rebels $500,000 to launch a research group to help the party develop its political beliefs. Rodrigo Londono was known as Timochenko when he fought for the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, also called the FARC. He recently told a group of former rebels they “are taking an extraordinary step in the history of the common people’s struggle in Colombia.” But he noted that the decision to sign the agreements doesn’t mean we are rejecting in any way “our fundamental principles.” The group has said that it still believes in the political and economic ideas of Karl Marx. And it says it will seek support for its social justice policies from poor people, workers and middle-class Colombians who live in cities. The group faces opposition from many who identify the rebels with kidnappings and terrorism. In August, an opinion study found that fewer than 10 percent of Colombians said they had complete trust in the rebels as a party. A large majority said they would never vote for a former guerrilla in congressional elections. Adam Isacson works at the Washington Office on Latin America, a research group. He says the former rebels are “not going to be received very warmly in most of Colombia. Their human rights record hurt them. Their media image is terrible. Most Colombians quite simply aren’t socialists or communists.” But Isaacson added, “All is not lost. A message of wanting to redistribute wealth and undo economic injustice could probably do quite well in a lot of poor areas of Colombia.” The group’s entry into politics is strongly opposed by politicians like former President Alvaro Uribe. He has sharply criticized the peace agreement. And the Supreme Court is now considering whether a law naming the former rebels a political party is constitutional. Earlier, the court had ruled it was. At a recent court hearing, former Peace Commissioner Camilo Gomez said “the fact that a war criminal could become president of Colombia makes no sense.” But many people support the peace deal. Ivan Cepeda of the Alternative Democratic Pole says bringing the rebels into the political process is the best way to guarantee a lasting peace. “We have had to pay a very high cost in lives, in infrastructure that today we are saving with the end of the conflict,” Cepeda said. “It’s more an investment in the democracy of Colombia.” The FARC was formed in the early 1960s by guerrillas allied with Colombia’s Communist Party. Over the next 53 years, at least 250,000 people were killed in fighting among the rebels, government forces and paramilitary groups. About 60,000 people are still listed as missing, and millions of people were displaced. Four years of negotiations in Cuba between rebel leaders and the Colombian government ended with the signing of the peace agreements. The rebels agreed to give up their weapons and admit to their crimes in a special peace tribunal. Most of them will not be sent to jail. The rebels must also return any property they seized to victims of the conflict. The agreement also deals with how to reduce the production of coca crops, from which the drug cocaine is made. The United States once named the FARC as one of the world’s biggest traffickers of illegal drugs. Colombian voters rejected the peace deal by a small number of votes. But the country’s legislature later approved a different version, with minor changes. Recently, the Colombian company Politmetrica asked Colombians whether they were hopeful about the peace process. The survey found that public optimism has dropped since the nationwide vote last October -- from 67 percent of those surveyed to just about 53 percent. I’m Phil Dierking. And I'm John Russell.   The Associated Press news agency reported this story from Bogota. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted the report for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section, or visit our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   extraordinary – adj. very unusual; extremely good fundamental – adj. of or relating to the most important part of something principle – n. a law, moral rule or belief redistribute – v. to spread to other areas paramilitary – adj. of or relating to an armed group or militia tribunal – n. a court of justice survey – n. ​an activity in which many people are asked a question or a series of questions in order to gather information about what most people do or think about something ​ optimism – n. ​a feeling or belief that good things will happen in the future : a feeling or belief that what you hope for will happen​ We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.

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Tajikistan to Start School During Muslim Religious Observance

  Officials in Tajikistan have decided to begin the new school year this Friday, even if Friday is one of the holiest days for the country’s Muslims.  The Education Ministry confirmed to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty on Monday that classes will be held in schools and universities across Tajikistan on September 1. This is the same day as the start of the Muslim holiday Eid al-Adha, or “Feast of the Sacrifice,” which takes place over several days.  Eid al-Adha is one of two major religious observances named as public holidays in Tajikistan’s 1994 constitution. The other is Eid al-Fitr, the Muslim festival that marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan.  The country also observes September 1 as the Day of Knowledge, which marks the beginning of the school year. Tajik officials said they decided to start the new school year on this date. But they also chose to give students a public holiday on Saturday, September 2, to celebrate Eid al-Adha.  Students in Tajikistan attend school six days a week, including Saturday.  “Eid al-Adha is celebrated for three days, so our students will still have an opportunity to celebrate it on Saturday and Sunday,” the ministry spokesman said.  The decision was supported by imams across Tajikistan, where about nine out of 10 people are Muslim. The religious leaders urged parents to honor the government’s decision and send their children to school on September 1.  Imams in Tajikistan largely support the country’s secular system of government. In recent years, Tajik leaders took steps to tighten control over some Islamic customs as officials warned of the possibility of growing extremism.  The hijab head covering and other forms of Islamic clothing are not permitted in Tajik schools and government offices. Children are mostly barred from praying in mosques. Other Central Asian states that declared independence from the Soviet Union have made their own decisions on how to handle Eid al-Adha and the start of school.  Kyrgyzstan will mark both the religious festival and the first day of school on September 1, but has canceled classes. Instead, schools will hold gatherings to mark Education Day.  Kazakhstan moved the first day of school to September 2 to enable Eid al-Adha celebrations.  Uzbekistan did not need to make changes because September 1 is already a public holiday held to mark Independence Day.  Turkmenistan’s state media reported that Eid al-Adha would be celebrated with a three-day public holiday starting on September 2. The country announced an additional “day off” September 5, to make up for the Sunday that happens during the Eid al-Adha festival.  I’m Dorothy Gundy.    Farangis Najibullah wrote this story for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Bryan Lynn adapted the report for Learning English. George Grow was the editor.  We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. ______________________________________________________________  Words in This Story    imam – n. Muslim religious leader  secular – n. not related to religious or spiritual matters  hijab – n. head covering worn in public by some Muslim women   

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UN Official Criticizes Trump’s Attacks on News Media

  A top United Nations official has criticized U.S. President Donald Trump for his repeated criticisms of the news media. U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein is warning Trump’s comments could incite violence against news media workers. He also accused the president of attacking “freedom of the press.” Trump has repeatedly criticized news organizations such as The New York Times newspaper and CNN television for their reporting. He has also been critical of The Washington Post newspaper, which is part of the internet business Amazon. The president criticized some media organizations for their reports on violence in Charlottesville, Virginia earlier this month. The violence took place at a demonstration called by white nationalists. Their opponents launched a counter-protest to answer the demonstration. One counter-protester was killed in the violence. Later, Trump criticized the media for their reporting, calling some reporters “truly dishonest people” for the way they described those events. Al-Hussein spoke about Trump’s recent comments in Geneva Wednesday. “To call these news organizations fake does tremendous damage,” the U.N. official said. He went on to question criticizing individual reporters. “Is this not an incitement for others to attack journalists” he asked? Al-Hussein called the violence in Charlottesville an “abomination.” He added that a reporter from the Guardian newspaper had been, in his words, “assaulted in the United States most recently.” The U.N. official also expressed concern over Trump’s decision to pardon Joe Arpaio, a former Arizona law enforcement official. A court had found Arpaio guilty of disobeying the order of a federal judge to halt targeting immigrants at traffic stops. The Trump administration announced the pardon last Friday. Al-Hussein also said he was worried about comments the president has made in the past about women, Mexicans and Muslims. Al-Hussein formerly served as Jordan’s ambassador to the United States. He has been the U.N.’s top human rights official since September 1, 2014. I’m Mario Ritter.   Wayne Lee reported this story for VOANews.com. Mario Ritter adapted his report for Learning English. His story includes additional material from the Reuters news agency. George Grow was the editor. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   fake – adj. not real tremendous – adj. to a very great or high level abomination – n. something that causes horror or hatred We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.

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Houston Restaurant Sends Rescue Boat for Flood Victims

  This is What’s Trending Today. There have been a lot of stories about people being rescued from flooded homes in and around Houston, Texas. Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States. The area has received over 120 centimeters of rain in just a few days. Many Houston neighborhoods are flooded. Many people decided to wait out Hurricane Harvey when it first hit southeast Texas on Friday. But after so much rain, they found the water had entered their homes and they needed to leave. That is what happened on Monday to J.C. Spencer and his wife Karen, who live in north Houston. “We had to get out of there,” J.C. Spencer told the television show Good Morning America. With local police and fire department crews overwhelmed with life-saving efforts, some Houston residents had trouble getting help. Some people said telephone calls to 9-1-1, the number U.S. residents call when they are in danger, were going unanswered. The Los Angeles Times newspaper reported that some Houston residents calling 9-1-1 found out their call would not be answered for over two hours. So many residents turned to social media websites like Twitter and Facebook and posted messages asking for help. The Spencers had another idea. They called a restaurant where they often had dinner. The restaurant is Chick-fil-A, an eatery known for both its chicken sandwiches and friendly workers. When the Spencers explained their problem, the store’s manager sent her husband to their house on a boat.   J.C. Spencer said the phone call went like this: “I called Chick-fil-A, now that sounds kind of funny,” he said. “I ordered two grilled chicken burritos with extra egg and a boat.” The Spencers loaded their belongings onto the boat, but there was not enough room for them to get in. Next thing they knew, two more people riding Jet Skis arrived to help. A Jet Ski travels on water like a small boat, but moves fast, like a motorcycle. The Spencers got on the Jet Skis and were taken to a safe place. They said they were “grateful” for the help. A number of people reacted to the story on Twitter. One wrote: “don’t forget to give that manager a raise!” Another called it “the best story of the day.” And that’s What’s Trending Today. I’m Dan Friedell. Dan Friedell wrote this story for VOA Learning English based on reports by ABC News and the Los Angeles Times. George Grow was the editor. What do you think about the chicken restaurant sending a boat? We want to know. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   overwhelm – v. to cause (someone) to have too many things to deal with manager – n. someone who is in charge of a business or office grill – v. to cook food on a metal frame over a fire burrito – n. a Mexican food that consists of a flour tortilla that is rolled or folded around a filling (such as meat, beans, and cheese) grateful – adj. feeling or showing thanks raise – n. an increase in the amount of your pay

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August 30, 2017

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

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Trump to N. Korea: All Options Are on the Table

President Donald Trump says “all options are on the table” in connection with North Korea’s launch of a missile over Japan. Trump released a short written statement Tuesday. It said the launch signaled North Korea’s “contempt for its neighbors, for all members of the United Nations.” The statement also said that, “Threatening and destabilizing actions only increase the North Korean regime’s isolation in the region and among all nations of the world.” Trump later told reporters, “We’ll see, we’ll see” when asked what he would do about North Korea. Trump was leaving the White House for a trip to examine storm damage in the American state of Texas. Hours earlier, North Korea had fired a midrange ballistic missile that flew over Japan’s Hokkaido Island and landed in the sea. This marked the first time that North Korea sent a missile over territory of a U.S. ally. With minutes of the launch, residents on the northern Japanese island received emergency messages on their cellphones. Officials sounded alarms and sent emails telling people to stay indoors. Speakers broadcast a message saying, “missile is passing, missile is passing.” The launch followed three other short-range missile tests last week as the U.S. and South Korea were holding their joint yearly military exercises. North Korea has repeatedly described the exercises as preparation for invasion. U.S. officials, including former Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, have said “all options on the table” in answer to North Korea’s nuclear and missile tests before. But many experts believe that the North would likely answer a U.S. strike by attacking South Korea or Japan. About 25 million people live in or near the South Korean capital, Seoul, within range of North Korean artillery fire along the border. The U.S. has said it wants to use economic and diplomatic pressure to win a negotiated solution. Just last week, Trump praised North Korea’s decision to back down from its earlier threats to launch missiles into the sea close to the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam. He added, “Kim Jong Un, I respect the fact that I believe he is starting to respect us… And maybe, probably not, but maybe something positive can come about.” Trump and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan spoke on the telephone about the latest missile test. The White House said the two leaders agreed that North Korea creates “a grave and growing direct threat” to the U.S., Japan, South Korea and countries around the world. Abe said in a statement that Trump also expressed his “strong commitment” to defending Japan. I'm Caty Weaver.   Hai Do adapted this story for VOA Learning English based on Reuters and Associated Press news reports. Caty Weaver was the editor. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   option - n. choice or possibility midrange - n. middle distance resident - n. someone who lives in a particular place positive - adj. good or useful  

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Can Computer Programs Help Students, Teachers?

  Junior Alvarado was worried when he began his first year at a public charter high school in Washington, DC. He often struggled in his math classes and earned poor grades in middle school. But the teachers at the Washington Leadership Academy used computer programs to identify the areas he was weak in and design a learning plan just for him. As Alvarado started geometry in his second year of high school last week, he says he felt much better about his math skills. “For me personalized learning is having classes set at your level,” the 15-year-old said, in between lessons. “They explain the problem step by step, it wouldn't be as fast. It will be at your [speed].” Many schools in the United States struggle to raise the high school graduation rate. They also have difficulty helping many minority and low-income students perform at the same level as others. So many educators see digital technology as a way of solving these problems. ​ Personalized learning The use of technology in schools is part of a larger idea of personalized learning. This idea has been gaining popularity in recent years. Personalized learning is a way of teaching centered around the interests and needs of individual students instead of entire classes as a whole. It includes flexible learning environments, specially-designed education plans, and letting students help decide what and how they learn. Under the Obama administration, the Education Department put $500 million into personalized learning programs in 68 school districts. These programs served almost 500,000 students in 13 states and Washington, D.C. Organizations like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation have also invested heavily in digital tools and other student-centered methods. The International Association for K-12 Online Learning supports the growth of education technology. It claims that up to 10 percent of all of America's public schools now us some form of personalized learning. Rhode Island plans to spend $2 million to become the first U.S. state to make teaching in all of its schools individualized. And current U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos also supports personalized learning. Supporters say traditional methods, where teachers just speak at the front of the class and test students all at once, do not match the modern world. Ken Wagner is the Rhode Island Education Commissioner. He said, “The economy needs kids who are creative problem solvers, who synthesize information, [form] and express a point of view.” At Washington Leadership Academy, educators use computer programs to collect information on students’ performance. This information helps teachers follow their students’ progress and make changes to lessons that meet students’ individual needs. That way students are able to master subjects at their own speed. In English classes, for example, students reading below their level would have the same books or reading materials as their classmates. But complex words in the reading materials would have notes helping explain the words shown on the students’ computer screens. Joseph Webb is the principal who helped establish the Washington Leadership Academy last year. The school serves about 200 mostly African American students from high-poverty and high-risk areas in Washington, D.C. He says the digital tools help teachers identify problems students are facing before they become too serious. “We can [solve them] right then and there; we don't have to wait for the problem to come to us,” he said. Too early to tell Still, many researchers say it is too early to tell if personalized learning works better than traditional teaching. The Rand Corporation recently did a study of personalized learning and found that it only led to small improvements. It found only a 3-percentile improvement in math and even smaller improvements in reading compared to schools with traditional teaching methods. Some students also complained group work in personalized learning classes was more difficult as each student had different tasks to complete. In addition, experts in children’s health say the overuse of technology presents other problems. They warn that too much time looking at screens can damage face-to-face relationships and young people’s interest in physical activity. Some teachers have their doubts as well. Marla Kilfoyle is the executive director of the Badass Teachers Association, an education activist group. She admits that technology can be helpful in the classroom in many ways. But she argues that no computer program should ever replace the personal touch, support and inspiration teachers give their students. “That human element is very important when children learn,” Kilfoyle said. I’m Lucija Milonig. And I’m Pete Musto.   Maria Danilova reported this story for the Associated Press. Pete Musto adapted it for VOA Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. How much technology should teachers and students use in classrooms? How important is the personal connection between teachers and students? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   charter – n. a document which declares that a city, town, school, or corporation has been established   graduation – n. the act of completing an education program at a school, college, or university income – n. money that is earned from work, investments, or business digital – adj. using or characterized by computer technology flexible – adj. easily changed district(s) – n. an area or region containing the schools that a school board is in charge of match – v. to be suited to (someone or something): to go well with (someone or something) synthesize – v. to combine things in order to make something new screen(s) – n. the usually flat part of a television or computer monitor that shows the images or text complain – v. to say or write that you are unhappy, sick, uncomfortable, etc., or that you do not like something doubt – n. a feeling of being uncertain or unsure about something inspiration – n. something that makes someone want to do something or that gives someone an idea about what to do or create

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Arctic Warming Means Battles for Shipping and Riches

  At the top of the world, under the ice, lies a large number of natural resources. Gas, coal, uranium and other minerals, even diamonds, sit under the ice inside the Arctic Circle. As climate change pushes the cold and ice farther north each year, discussion increases about how to get to those resources. Less ice also means possible new business in shipping, tourism and fishing. But, industry experts, researchers and people in the far north say there are many problems in reaching those rich resources. People who want to protect the environment are against any large effort to take Arctic resources.  They warn that the fragile environment could be harmed past repair. The Northwest Passage, between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans is one of the last unexplored areas of the planet. But, that is changing as more companies seek business possibilities in the frozen north. Ships are now taking passengers through the Arctic Circle. Last year, the cruise ship Crystal Serenity sailed through the passage. On board were 500 crew and 1,100 “adventure tourists,” who paid at least $22,000 each for the four-week trip. The trip was unusual, however. Fewer than 500 ships have sailed through the passage since the first in 1906. Such trips require approval of almost 30 Canadian agencies, including Nunavut territory officials. In addition to tourism, shipping companies may start using the passage to save on fuel costs. Sailing through the passage cuts the travel distance between East Asia and Western Europe by more than 10,000 kilometers. Such travel usually moves through the Panama Canal. However, businesses may want to do more than move through the area, like mine for resources. “As the world demand for raw materials is ever increasing, and (with) a realization that a large part of the unexplored deposits are in the Arctic, there is a natural shift to focus on that area,” said Mads Boye Peterson, head of Denmark’s Nordic Bulk Carriers Shipping. Petersen noted that rising temperatures make operations more difficult because the moving ice floes are less predictable than solid ice sheets. The Arctic is a 14.5 million square kilometer area around the North Pole. But, it is not all ice and ocean. It also has a mix of plant and animal life. The U.S. Geological Survey estimates that up to 30 percent of the world’s undiscovered gas and 13 percent of its undiscovered oil are inside the Arctic Circle. But there could be other resources also, like diamonds, uranium, phosphate, nickel, platinum and other minerals. Morten Smelror is the director of the Geological Survey of Norway. He also said lithium and cobalt have been found in important amounts in the Arctic regions of Russia, the Nordic countries and Greenland. Lithium and cobalt are used to make batteries that power the growing number of electric cars and small electronic devices. And the Arctic’s huge Baffin Island holds large amounts of pure iron, which is used to make steel. “The Arctic is certainly among the last frontiers with respect to undiscovered mineral resources, along with the deep oceans,” Smelror said. Countries in the Arctic region are making claims to land and resources in the area. Greenland claims the Lomonosov Ridge, an underwater ridge, 1800 kilometers long.  But Russia disputes the claim. The United Nations is working to settle the disagreement. Russia also has claimed ownership of a large Arctic Ocean area and, ten years ago, placed a Russian flag underwater at the North Pole. Canada and the United States also dispute ownership of parts of the Arctic region. In April, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order that cancelled restrictions on oil exploration in the Arctic and other places. I’m Anne Ball. And I'm Caty Weaver. Anne Ball adapted this story for Learning English from VOA News and AP reports. Caty Weaver was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section and visit us on our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   fragile – adj. easily broken or damaged cruise – adj. a kind of boat or ship that travels to a number of places for vacation adventure tourism – n. tourism that involves travel to remote areas and usually involve physically challenging activities realization – n. the state of understanding or becoming aware of something deposit – n. an amount of a substance (such as oil or coal) that exists naturally in the ground icebreaker – n. a special ship that can move through icy water by cutting the ice complicated – adj. something that is sure to happen or be successful Nordic – adj. of or relating to Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and sometimes Finland and Iceland, or to the people who live there ice floe – n. a large, flat area of ice floating in the ocean ice sheet – n. a very large and thick area of ice that covers a region frontier – n. a distant area where few people live ridge – n. a long area of land that is on top of a mountain or hill

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How Will Angola's New President Deal With Economic Problems?

  Angolans have elected their first new president in nearly forty years. Joao Lourenco, the president-elect, has said he wants to reduce the country's dependence on oil. But critics say the country's economic problems and inequality do not come from dependence on oil. Rather, they say that these problems come from bad governance. Many Angolans hope economic conditions improve. Kialopo Feliciana sells food at a market in Luanda. She makes about $18 a day. But, the business is very costly, she told VOA recently. That is why she has little money for her home and family.   Of the money she makes, Feliciana brings home about $9 a day. But her family depends on the money, she says, because her adult son cannot find a job. Unemployment is around 26 percent in the country. On the other side of town from Feliciana, there are large houses and upscale stores on many streets. At a gelato shop, customers spend what is equal to Feliciana's daily income in one visit. Retiring President Jose Eduardo dos Santos lives in this neighborhood. During his 38-year rule, he was often accused of spending the government's oil income on himself and those close to him. Angola is Africa's second-largest oil producer, but that wealth has not helped all Angolans. President-elect Lourenco says he wants to develop industries other than oil. Before the election, he told a crowd that he wants to increase activity in agriculture, tourism, industry, and other areas of the economy. Accusations of Bad Governance But his critics say the problem is far simpler. Manuel Fernandes is an opposition lawmaker. He told VOA that poverty in the country is not because of the drop in oil prices. Poverty in the country, he said, comes from bad governance. Government critic and reporter Rafael Marques says Lourenco is in a difficult situation because dos Santos still controls much of the nation's wealth. "The question is, how is he going to run the country without money,” he said. Marques says that people who were members of the government “are living with a tight control over the economic assets of the country, which they will not pass on to the new president." It is a difficult situation for Lourenco. Once the official vote count is confirmed, he must turn to the task of governing. I'm John Russell.   Anita Powell reported on this story for VOA News. John Russell adapted it for Learning English. Mario Ritter was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   upscale – adj. relating to or appealing to people who have a lot of money gelato – n. Italian or Italian-style ice cream asset – n. a valuable person or thing  

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Maria Sharapova Returns to Grand Slam Tennis

This is What’s Trending Today. The U.S. Open is the last big event of the year in international tennis. The late-summer championship in New York, the Australian Open, the French Open, and Wimbledon are known as the “Grand Slams.” Maria Sharapova, the Russian tennis star, has not played in a Grand Slam event since January 2016. After the Australian Open in 2016, she tested positive for a banned drug called meldonium. She was suspended from tennis for 15 months. Meldonium is thought to help the heart process energy more easily and allow athletes to play and practice harder without getting sore and tired. Sharapova returned to competitive tennis earlier this year after serving her punishment. On Monday night in New York, she defeated second-ranked Simona Halep of Romania in three sets. The match took three hours, which is unusual for the early rounds at the U.S. Open. Normally, those matches are faster because one of the top-ranked players in the world is playing a much weaker opponent. Due to her suspension, Sharapova is no longer ranked as one of the best in the world, but she is still a very good player. After the match, Sharapova moved up to 134th in the world. Many tennis fans and reporters had the same reaction: “She’s back!” Even Halep was impressed. “She played really well,” Halep said, about Sharapova. Others said Sharapova celebrated as if she had won the championship. Sharapova’s return to high-level tennis may turn out to be good news for the U.S. Open. The tournament is missing a number of top players. Serena Williams is not playing because she is in the last month of her pregnancy. Williams announced she was pregnant in April and the baby will be born sometime soon -- perhaps while the tournament is still going on. In the men’s tournament, three of the world’s top players are missing. Andy Murray of Great Britain decided not to play due to a hip injury. Last year’s finalists – Novak Djokovic and Stan Wawrinka – are not playing either, due to injuries. Long-time favorites Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer are in the tournament, but they cannot meet in the finals. They are in the same half of the bracket. Overall, five of the top 11 men in the tennis rankings are missing. That means more people may be paying attention to Sharapova’s matches if she keeps winning. She is scheduled to play again on Wednesday morning. Chris Evert is a former champion player and a tennis commentator. She said: “women’s tennis needs her, and I’m glad she’s back.” Ben Rothenberg is a New York Times tennis writer. He said the match might have been the best-ever first-round match of a Grand Slam. And that’s What’s Trending Today. I’m Dan Friedell.   Dan Friedell wrote this story for VOA Learning English based on reports by Tennis.com and the Associated Press. Hai Do was the editor. Will you follow Sharapova’s progress in the U.S. Open? We want to know. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   tournament – n. a sports competition or series of contests that involves many players or teams and that usually continues for at least several days practice – n. to do something again and again in order to become better at it sore – adj. feeling or affected by pain rank – n. a position in a society, organization, group, etc. impress – v. to cause (someone) to feel admiration or interest bracket – n. a chart showing the series of games to be played during a tournament

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August 29, 2017

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

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