How to Use Your Phone as a Magnifying Glass

  Whether you are trying to read a menu in a dark restaurant, the warning label on your medicine, or the fine print on a contract you possibly should not be signing, a magnifying glass can come in very handy. One with a light is even better. Good news! That phone in your pocket is filled with handy tools, including a magnifying glass. No more squinting! Your phone’s magnifying glass lets you see the small stuff, any time, anywhere. iPhone magnifying glass Setting The iPhone has a useful magnifying glass feature that uses the camera. You must turn this feature on in order to use it. Turning on the magnifying glass on an iPhone To turn on the magnifying glass on your iPhone, go to: Settings, then General, then Accessibility, then Magnifier. Turn it to On.                   You can also turn Auto-Brightness to on. Auto-Brightness changes the brightness of the screen based on the available light. Using the magnifying glass on an iPhone To use the iPhone’s magnifying glass, called the Magnifier, tap the Home button three times. That will open the magnifying glass screen.                         Slide the yellow dot on the Magnifier to zoom in and out. Slide the dot right to zoom in and left to zoom out. Tap the lightning icon to turn on the light on your phone and brighten what you are seeing. Tap the lock icon to keep the camera’s focus level from changing.   Tap the white circle button to freeze the image. The circle will have a yellow edge while the image is frozen. Tap the button again to unfreeze the image.         You can freeze the image on the Magnifier and then zoom in on it. This way the image is stable as you are trying to see it. Move the image around with your finger to see different parts of the image. Tap the triangle in the lower right corner of the screen to control the image you are seeing. The filter lets you adjust the brightness and color of the image. You can also add colored filters to the image. In the bottom left corner of the filter screen is an invert button that lets you change the colors. Tap that to invert the colors.                   Android Some Android phones also have a magnifying glass feature, but you need to turn it on for it to work. To turn on the magnifying glass, go to Settings, then Accessibility, then Vision, then Magnification and turn it on. When you need to use the magnifying glass, go to the camera app and tap the screen three times. To turn off the magnifying glass, tap the screen three times again. Some Android phones do not come with a magnifying glass feature built in. You can use zoom in the camera app if you need magnification. Many magnifying apps are in the Google Play app store with different features. Some of these apps are free but have advertisements. Magnifying Glass Flashlight Magnifying Glass Flashlight currently has the highest rating of the magnifying apps in the Google Play store. This app has both magnification and a flashlight to shine a light on what you are trying to see. Like the iPhone Magnifier, this app can freeze the image so you can zoom in and steady what you are trying to see. This app has small ads at the bottom of the screen. They do not flash or move so they are fairly easy to ignore. The first time you use the app, you will see that the flashlight is on by default. You can turn this off if you do not need it, and want to save battery, by tapping the lightbulb icon in the lower right corner of the screen.                             Tap the “A” button to add a blue filter and invert colors so light becomes dark and dark becomes light.                                 Tap the Red and Blue button to have the camera light flash like a strobe light. Tap the camera button to freeze the image and take a screenshot of the image. Pinch and spread your fingers to zoom in and out of the image. Tap the photo button on the left to see the screenshots you have taken and to share them with others. Tap the back button on your phone to return to the magnifying glass. You can check out other Magnifying Glass apps in the Google Play Store: Magnifying Glass Apps in Google Play. Be sure to check for apps having a light, if that is important to you. I’m Caty Weaver. And I’m Pete Musto.   Carolyn Nicander Mohr wrote this report for VOA Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. Have you ever needed a magnifying glass but did not have one handy? Do you like the idea of using your phone as a magnifying glass? Do you use a magnifying glass app that you would recommend? Share your thoughts in the Comments Section below or on our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   menu - n. a list of the foods that may be ordered at a restaurant​ contract - n. a legal agreement between people, companies, etc.​ magnifying glass - n. a specially shaped piece of glass that is attached to a handle and is used to make an object look larger than it is squint - v. to look at something with your eyes partly closed zoom - v. to adjust the lens of a camera focus - n. a state in which something (such as a camera, a telescope, or a person's eyes) produces a clear picture or image​ invert - v. to change the position, order, or relationship of things so that they are the opposite of what they had been default - n. a setting, option, etc., that a computer uses if you do not choose a different one strobe light - n. a bright light that flashes on and off very quickly​ screenshot - n. an image of the data displayed on the screen of a computer or mobile device.    

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Tourism in Caribbean, Florida Likely to Suffer After Hurricane Irma

  Hurricane Irma caused severe damage to some Caribbean islands and the American state of Florida. These places depend heavily on tourism to fuel their economies. The area had been preparing for an increase in visitors from the United States and Europe ahead of the upcoming high tourist season. But instead of foreign visitors, many local governments are struggling just to provide their people with food, water and other needed supplies. In some areas, shortages caused unrest and looting. Among the hardest hit areas was the independent island nation of Antigua and Barbuda. Officials there reported about 95 percent of buildings were either destroyed or severely damaged. Also hard hit was St. Martin, which is split between French and Dutch territories. Witnesses on the island said most buildings were flattened by Irma. Similar damage reports came from the French island of St. Barthelemy and the British and U.S. Virgin Islands. Tourism is important to Caribbean islands. In 2016, the Caribbean set a record for the most visitors ever with 29 million tourist arrivals, according to the Caribbean Tourism Organization. The total amount spent by those visitors rose to nearly $36 billion in 2016, the organization said. But there has seen severe damage to airports, roads and buildings on many islands. It is not known how much rebuilding can be completed before the high tourist season arrives in December. Hundreds of tourists trapped by the storm have been evacuated from the area. The U.S. military has helped with evacuations and the United Nations has provided emergency supplies by air. Cruise ship companies have even sent ships to disaster areas to help evacuate people and carry supplies. Gabriel Torres is an expert for Moody's Investors Service who has studied the economic effects of storms in the Caribbean area. He told the Associated Press that companies with better disaster insurance will be able to rebuild more quickly. "It has an impact on tourism because some hotels will decide not to rebuild or take a long time to rebuild, and that's lost revenue," Torres said. "That can take years to recover." Torres added that St. Martin will also benefit from aid money from France and the Netherlands to help with rebuilding. He said it will likely be more difficult for Antigua and Barbuda, which became independent from Britain in 1981. Antigua and Barbuda’s ambassador in Washington, Ronald Sanders, told VOA his country is prepared to “fight on” and rebuild the best it can on its own. But he also hopes the country will receive aid from other sources. Sanders said he plans to organize a conference of possible donors to discuss rebuilding. Some travel experts have noted that some of the Caribbean came away with little damage from the storm, including the popular islands of Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao. They will be trying to get the message out that tourists should not cancel their visits.  In Florida, Irma devastated one of the state’s most popular tourist areas, the Florida Keys. The Keys were the hardest-hit area by the storm in the U.S. Officials there say it is too early to estimate financial losses from Irma. U.S. National Guard troops are in the area carrying out rescue operations. They have also been working to clear roads and airport runways to ease the delivery of lifesaving supplies. The head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, Brock Long, said the Florida Keys suffered a lot of damage. He said early estimates say that 25 percent of homes were destroyed and 65 percent suffered major damage. I’m Bryan Lynn. Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English, based on reports from VOA News, the Associated Press and Reuters. Mario Ritter was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   tourism – n. business of providing hotels, restaurants, entertainment, etc., for people who are traveling high tourist season – n. the time of year when an area popular with tourists is at its busiest loot – v. steal things from a place during war or after major destruction has occurred insurance – n. agreement in which you pay a company money and they pay your costs if you have an accident, injury, etc. evacuate – v. remove people from a dangerous place devastate – v. destroy or damage something very badly delivery – n. the act of taking something to a person or place  

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North Korea’s Weapons Tests Hurt Efforts to Build Education Links

  Foreign-supported educational centers in North Korea are reducing their activities as more governments strengthen travel warnings for the country. The United States recently banned most travel by Americans to North Korea. North Korea also remains under a series of United Nations Security Council restrictions. South Korea, the U.S. and other nations have also placed their own restrictions on the North because of its nuclear and missile testing activities. Britain also has announced additional travel warnings for its citizens, which have affected education links with North Korea. A spokesperson for the British Council told VOA, “The British Council suspended the English language teaching program in Pyongyang when the travel advice from the U.K. (British) government changed.” The Council added that it is delaying talks on extending its program in North Korea. The British Council has operated the English Language Teacher Training Program (ELT program) since May of 2000. That year, Britain established diplomatic relations with North Korea to support “critical engagement” with the country. The effort was aimed at reducing the country’s isolation through educational and cultural exchanges. The Council has trained more than 4,000 English teachers in Pyongyang. Four teachers were involved in the suspended program. The Council made its decision because the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office increased its travel warning for North Korea on September 3. The office “advises against all but essential travel to North Korea.” It adds, “There remains a threat of further missile or nuclear tests, which could lead to further instability in the region.” On September 1, the United States banned most travel by its citizens to North Korea. That ban already may have affect education links to North Korea. Last week Pyongyang University of Science and Technology released a statement. The university, known as PUST, said classes had been “adapted to suit the available resources.” PUST is a private university that is supported mostly by Western, Christian groups. It educates the children of ruling families in North Korea. Sixty to 80 foreign professors work at the university during each semester. A university statement says about half of them have U.S. passports. The university did not say how many American teachers will be affected by the U.S. travel ban. PUST noted it expects that additional teachers will join during this fall learning period. However, some of the university’s teaching activities seem to have been restricted. One professor at PUST told VOA that only North Korean professors teach classes in dentistry this fall. The professor said the U.S. measure is affecting not only American citizens but other foreign nationals. The professor asked not to be identified. Another PUST employee, who asked not to be identified, said he would not be returning to Pyongyang this fall. The employee said the aid agency that organizes the teaching trips decided not to send anyone to the school at this time. The U.S. State Department first announced the travel ban in July after North Korea tested two long-distance missiles. It warned of growing concerns over “the serious risk of arrest and long-term detention” to Americans traveling to and within North Korea. The ban permits exceptions for some humanitarian or other special purposes, although they require approval. I’m Mario Ritter. Kim Hyunjin reported this story for VOA News with contributions from Jenny Lee. Mario Ritter adapted it for VOA Learning English. Caty Weaver 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   engagement –n. the state of being involved with something isolation –n. to be separated from other, to be alone essential –adj. the most important and necessary instability –n. easily changed or likely to be changed region –n a part of a country or of the world adapt –v. to change in order to better deal with a place or situation suit –v. to provide something needed, to be suitable evangelical –adj. relating to a Christian group who stress the importance of Biblical writings and preach those beliefs faculty –n. teachers at a school, college or university  

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London is Still Considered World’s Top Financial Center

  A newly released study finds that London is still considered the most attractive financial center in the world. London was followed by New York City. The study showed that the British capital extended its lead over New York compared to past years. Some politicians and economists have suggested that London would lose its top rating because of Britain’s planned withdrawal from the European Union. But the study shows there are few signs of that happening -- at least not yet. The Z/Yen Global Financial Centers Index rates 92 financial centers on things such as public services and the availability of experienced and well-educated workers. New York, in second place, finished 24 points behind London. That is the largest difference between the two cities since the study was first published in 2007. Hong Kong finished in third place, and Singapore finished fourth. New York’s overall rating fell 24 points from its rating the year before. That is the biggest fall among top cities. Study organizers say the large drop probably resulted from “fears over U.S. trade.” Since becoming U.S. president in January, Donald Trump has removed the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal. Critics have described his economic policy as isolationist. TheCityUK is the most powerful group working in support of Britain’s financial industry. The group says its members are saying that they do not know enough about what will happen when the country leaves the EU. Miles Celic leads TheCityUK. He says because it is not clear what will happen then, “many firms have already started to activate their contingency plans and others will undoubtedly follow suit if these aren’t confirmed as soon as possible." The survey was completed in June. Since then, talks between Britain and the European Commission about Britain’s planned withdrawal from the EU have become increasingly unpleasant. And in the past two months, most major U.S., British and Japanese banks have said they will open offices in Frankfurt, Germany or Dublin, Ireland. A year ago, Frankfurt finished in 23rd place in the study. This year it rose to 11th. Dublin was 33rd last year. This year it moved up to 30th place. The Reuters news agency reported this story from London and Frankfurt. 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   attractive – adj. having a feature or quality that people like index – n. a number that indicates changes in the level of something (such as a stock market) when it rises or falls isolationism – n. the belief that a country should not be involved with other countries; a policy of not making agreements or working with other countries firm – n. a business organization contingency plan – n. a plan that can be followed if an original plan is not possible for some reason follow suit – expression. to do the same thing that someone else has just done  

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September 13, 2017

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

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After Harvey, a Long Road to Recovery for Houston Schools

  Now is the time that students and teachers are supposed to be beginning a new year together. But those affected by Hurricane Harvey, which struck Texas earlier this month, have to change their plans. The hurricane damaged an area more than 480 kilometers along the Gulf Coast. It affected more than 1 million students and 220 school districts. Officials in many of those districts are still examining their properties to see if people can even come on campus. In Houston, the largest school district, the superintendent says he is bringing in crisis counselors to help students traumatized by the storm. The hurricane poured more than 100 centimeters of water on the city. Superintendent Richard Carranza added that employees have also been affected by the storm. "They have lost everything and [are] coming to work and expected to provide support and encouragement to students," Carranza said. He said it does not matter how well you plan for an emergency. "The true impact of a situation of this magnitude is something that no one can really plan for."   ​First steps of action Some school leaders who have survived similar disasters are sharing their advice. Kerry Sachetta is the assistant superintendent for operations in Joplin, Missouri. Sachetta’s school district was destroyed by a tornado in 2011. She says the first priority is safety. “You have to first take care of your own situation before you can help someone else," Sanchetta said. Frank Scarafile is the superintendent of the Little Ferry school district in New Jersey. In late October 2012, most of Little Ferry was underwater after a nearby river overflowed. The flood caused nearly $6 million in damages to the district's two buildings. The district closed for two weeks. Scarafile said that once his students were back in school, teachers looked for signs of trauma. "When you had a really bad rainstorm afterwards, their fear was that they were going to get flooded again," Scarafile said. "They were afraid. That was part of getting displaced…that was part of losing everything. There was a lot of anxiety." Robert Romines is the superintendent in Moore, Oklahoma. He agrees that after a natural disaster, mental health should become a priority for school leadership. Mental health is especially important for communities where children may be experiencing death and trauma for the first time, he said. Coping with fear ​Angela Stallings is the associate superintendent for the Pasadena Independent School District near Houston. One of their high schools was used as an emergency shelter during the storm. Stallings said that she is already hearing about students’ feelings of anxiety. Her district will be offering counselors for a long time, she said. Carol Salva teaches English-language development in the Spring Branch district in Houston. She spent a few tense days at home with two of her children, ages 10 and 13, before finally deciding to evacuate. Her neighborhood did not have an order to leave. However, her home would have been in the "path of destruction" if one of the nearby dams broke. Neighbors were leaving, and helicopters were rescuing some people in nearby neighborhoods. "It's just very scary to live so close to those reservoirs that you're seeing on the news," she said. Salva finally left the neighborhood three days after the storm. She is already thinking about how to discuss the disaster once she returns to school. She is especially worried about how the storm affected some of the refugees who had recently settled in the area.   ​Displaced students Hurricane Harvey will also affect students who do not go to school in places struck by the storm. Their districts will have to accept children who can no longer return to their schools. Last week, the Austin, Dallas, and San Antonio districts were preparing to take in displaced students. People throughout the region were offering services and support to help them. Superintendent Nicholas Gledich, whose district suffered a forest fire in 2012, knows the impact a natural disaster has on all communities.  "You know in your heart and your mind that Houston needs support and resources,” said Gledich. “But let me tell you, those other districts will need resources too." I’m Phil Dierking    This story was originally written by Francisco Vara-Orta and Denisa R. Superville for Education Week (edweek.org). Phil Dierking adapted it for Learning English using other media, with permission from Editorial Projects in Education. Kelly Jean Kelly was the editor.  What do you think the most important steps are for school districts after a natural disaster?  We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page.   _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story    displace - v.  to force people or animals to leave the area where they live​ campus - n. the area and buildings around a university, college, school, etc. traumatize - v. to cause (someone) to become very upset in a way that often leads to serious emotional problems tornado - n. a violent and destructive storm in which powerful winds move around a central point anxiety - n. fear or nervousness about what might happen​ encouragement - n. the act of making something more appealing or more likely to happen​ magnitude - n. the size, extent, or importance of something​ prescribe - v. to make something an official rule​ reservoir - n. a usually artificial lake that is used to store a large supply of water for use in people's homes, in businesses, etc.​ superintendent - n. a person who directs or manages a place, department, organization, etc.​ trauma - n. a very difficult or unpleasant experience that causes someone to have mental or emotional problems usually for a long time​

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Study: Record Low Numbers of White, Christian Americans

  The number of Americans who identify as white and Christian now represents less than 50 percent of the United States population. A new study says immigrants have driven the decrease along with a growing number of Americans who reject organized religion. The Public Religion Research Institute, or PRRI, did the study. It questioned more than 100,000 people between January 2016 and January 2017. It found that Christianity overall remains a large majority. Nearly 70 percent of Americans identify themselves as Christian. However, white Christians -- once dominant -- now make up only 43 percent of the national population. Forty years ago, about 80 percent of Americans were white Christians. Today, about 25 percent of Americans do not identify with a single religion, the study found. About 17 percent of Americans now identify as white evangelical Christians, compared to 23 percent 10 years ago. In the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump, a Republican, received 80 percent of the votes of white evangelicals. The PRRI study found that more than one-third of all Republicans say they are white evangelicals. And nearly 75 percent of Republicans identify themselves as white Christians. By comparison, about eight percent of Democrats call themselves white evangelicals. Almost 30 percent of Democrats identify as white Christians. And 40 percent of Democrats say they have no religious affiliation. The latest PRRI study also provided state-by-state details. It found that New York is the state with the greatest religious diversity. The southern state of Mississippi has the least religious diversity. The northeastern U.S. has long been where most of American Catholics live, and the northeastern state of Rhode Island remains the most Catholic state in the country. However, the Catholic population in the country is shifting, PRRI reports. A majority of Catholics in the U.S. now live in the south or west. The change comes from an increase in Latin American immigrants settling in those areas. I’m Ashley Thompson.   The Associated Press reported this story. Ashley Thompson adapted it for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor.  _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   dominant - adj. most common evangelical - adj. ​of or relating to a Christian sect or group that stresses the authority of the Bible, the importance of believing that Jesus Christ saved you personally from sin or hell, and the preaching of these beliefs to other people​ affiliation - n. ​ the state of being closely associated with or connected to an organization, company, etc.​ shift - v. to change or to cause (something) to change to a different opinion, belief, etc.​  

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Will New UN Measures Get North Korea to Change?

  Nations are expressing support for new United Nations restrictions placed on North Korea in reaction to its sixth nuclear test. The U.N. Security Council voted 15-0 to approve new sanctions. The Council hopes the measures will force North Korea to observe existing U.N. resolutions. South Korea’s presidential office said the vote showed that the U.N. was sending a united message. “The only way for it (North Korea) to get out of diplomatic isolation and economic pressure is the come back to the dialogue table,” said Park Soo-hyun, a presidential spokesman. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe also welcomed the new sanctions. He said it was important to use pressure to change North Korea’s weapons development policy. The United States Ambassador to the U.N., Nikki Haley, praised the vote. She said the world would not accept a nuclear-armed North Korea. Haley said the world would act if North Korea failed to disarm itself. Sanctions target resources, trade U.N. Security Council resolution 2375 aims to punish North Korea for its September 3 nuclear test. The test was recorded as a 6.3-magnitude earthquake. North Korea says the test was of a hydrogen bomb, a weapon far more powerful than those tested earlier. In reaction, the Security Council agreed to target North Korea’s trade and fuel imports. The resolution calls for cutting North Korea’s oil imports by one-third. Haley called oil the “life blood” of the nation’s effort to develop a nuclear weapon. North Korean imports of other fuels, including gas, are to drop by more than one half. The resolution also targets sources of income. It bans sales of textiles, meaning cloth or clothing, by North Korea. Haley said this ban would cost North Korea nearly $800 million a year. The resolution seeks to bar new work permits for North Korean workers employed in other countries. North Korea has long been accused of using money paid to its overseas workers to support its weapons programs. In addition, the Security Council called for freezing the assets of three powerful groups linked to the government. China and Russia oppose stronger measures The United States had sought stronger measures against North Korea. At first, the U.S. called for a complete oil embargo and a freeze on the assets of leader Kim Jong Un. It also sought to permit military force, if necessary, to stop ships supplying banned goods. However, China and Russia pushed for the compromise version that the U.N. Security Council approved. Both China and Russia are permanent Security Council members and hold veto power on resolutions. Both countries say that discussions are the only way to solve the North Korean issue. On Tuesday, China’s official Xinhua news agency called for talks. It described the dispute as a situation where “nuclear and missile tests trigger tougher sanctions and tougher sanctions invite further tests.” China and Russia also have urged the United States to suspend its joint military training with South Korea in exchange for a North Korean nuclear freeze. However, supporters of the Trump administration’s policy of “maximum pressure” on North Korea say the most recent sanctions are not enough. Grant Newsham is a researcher with the Japan Forum for Strategic Studies in Tokyo. He says if these U.N. restrictions do not work, the U.S. could punish Chinese banks that do business with North Korea. On Tuesday, reports say some of China’s major state-owned banks have stopped providing financial services to North Koreans. That could be a sign of increased enforcement of existing sanctions. But critics of North Korea sanctions say that approach will not cause the country to disarm. I’m Mario Ritter. Margaret Basheer and Brian Padden reported this story for VOA News. Mario Ritter adapted it for VOA Learning English. Caty Weaver 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   sanction –n. measure put in place to cause a country to obey international law, usually by limiting or banning trade isolation –n. apart alone dialogue –n. talks and discussion between two or more parties asset –n. something of value maximum –adj. the most trigger –n. something that causes an action or process to begin  

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US Military Preparing for Digital Arms Race

  In the controlled environment of the United States military, the big room with shiny white paint stands out. The room has computer work stations, overhead projectors and a digital clock that shows the current time in cities around the world. But what captures the attention of many visitors are the walls. They are covered from top to bottom with questions, mathematical notations, pictures and ideas. These markings represent the best thinking of some of the greatest minds in the military. "There are precious few places in this building where you can write on a wall," said Albert Bolden. His claim is not too surprising since this area, the Innovation Hub or iHUB, is part of a military base. Bolden is director of innovation at the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA). "People from across the agency can come into this space and figure out how to solve our problems," he said. 'Relevant in this digital age' This might seem like a feel-good story of military structure mixing with Silicon Valley creativity to make life easier with technology. But it is about much more. Marine Lieutenant General Vincent Stewart has served as the DIA’s director. He said, “The fight for remaining relevant in this digital age is what keeps me awake." Stewart made clear that it is, in many ways, an arms race. "Our adversaries have been modernizing," he warned, speaking to a small group of reporters and others at the iHUB in August. The agency had invited business representatives and academic experts there for a series of what were called Industry Days. Such meetings between top thinkers at the DIA and those outside of government are an important part of iHUB’s planning. U.S. officials want to know if commercial technologies could help solve problems that agency experts have identified. One company seeking to be part of this effort is a Texas-based start-up business called SparkCognition. It specializes in artificial intelligence: making computers perform work that normally requires human intelligence. The U.S. Air Forces has already shown an interest in SparkCognition. Also, large companies like Verizon and Boeing are now investing more than $30 million in the small start-up's neural network effort. It is designed to copy the operations of a human brain in order to predict results. "What we've done is automate that research that a data scientist would do," said SparkCognition's Sam Septembre. Instead of taking weeks or days, however, Septembre said his company's systems can provide results in hours or even minutes. SparkCognition says its platforms already have succeeded in predicting some major world events, although the test cases still leave room for improvement. "The human factor got involved and skewed it," said Timothy Stefanick, director of business operations at the company. He explained that some predictions were found to be wrong after human experts did not trust the results from the artificial intelligence. AI for video Another company seeking to work with the DIA is Percipient.ai. It is exploring how to make artificial intelligence useful in video work. "This is a kind of capability that helps you get into productive analytics and helps you protect forces," said company cofounder Balan Ayyar. "You can check any person in any video," he said. Ayyar is a retired Air Force Brigadier General. He and fellow Percipient.ai co-founder Raj Shah say their platform can save experts considerable time. For example, the AI could quickly search for terror suspects in hundreds of hours of video from a terror attack. Even mobile phones could be used to follow possible threats, programmed to shake if a person of interest turns up in a "selfie." "With this kind of system, the [terror] watch list could be much, much bigger," said Shah, who formerly was chief of Google Maps. Ayyar and Shah say Percipient.ai's systems can already identify suspicious activity or equipment. Handwriting is on the wall For DIA, the early results have been promising. "We've seen examples when machines are able to provide insights to the analysts that they haven't had," said Randy Soper, a DIA expert on analytics modernization. To speed up the process, DIA even provides money — up to about $250,000 — to projects that have shown the most promise. Two have already been approved. Four others are on a list to receive money as soon as it is available. More projects could soon be added. DIA's Innovation Hub continues considering proposals from industry and academia. But the success in reaching out to industry and universities also has brought some changes to the program. On August 22, the DIA opened up a new Innovation Hub. At first look, it is smooth and modern: a line of computers screens and a digital world clock. A large conference table is the center of the room. But, much of the room is covered in that white, shiny paint. "You can still write on the walls," said one official. I’m Caty Weaver. And I'm Jonathan Evans.   VOA’s Jeff Seldin reported this story for VOANews.com. Caty Weaver adapted his 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   projector – n. a machine for producing images on a flat surface precious – adj. of great value or high price innovation – n. a new idea or method relevant – adj. having something to do with the subject being considered adversary – n. opponent; enemy academic – adj. of or relating to a school or education commercial – adj. related to or used in the buying and selling of goods automate – v. to operate by using machines or computers analytics – n. the careful study of something insight – n. the act of understanding the inner nature of something  

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Apple Reveals New iPhones

  This is What’s Trending Today. The most popular topic on social media on Tuesday was the big Apple “event” in California. The event took place at the Steve Jobs Theater in Apple’s new headquarters in Cupertino, California. People all over the world wanted to know about the new iPhone. The main trending hashtags and topics related to Apple’s announcement were: #AppleEvent, iPhone 8, Steve Jobs Theater, and Apple TV 4K. Others appeared on social media during the event, which continued for over two hours. Before Apple chief Tim Cook came on the stage to start the event, one Twitter user wrote that he had fallen asleep waiting.   The big news of the day was the iPhone 8 and the chance that an even more advanced iPhone would be revealed. But first, several Apple executives spoke with the audience. One spoke about Apple stores. She said the stores will now be called “town squares.” Lily Rugo is a writer in Boston. She responded to this idea with a joke, saying she will continue to call the place where people go to buy Apple products “a store.”     Apple spoke to its audience about changes to Apple TV and the Apple watch. The leaders also spoke about how its new campus was built with a number of environmentally friendly features. Paul Haddad wrote: “Apple Park, the reason the iPhone is now $1200.”     And after 55 minutes, Apple CEO Tim Cook finally mentioned an iPhone. The audience cheered and many people watching the event online were relieved. The waiting paid off as Philip Schiller came out to talk about the new phones: iPhone 8 and 8-plus. About 20 minutes later, when Schiller was done, Tim Cook came back on the stage. He said: “But we’re not stopping there. We do have one more thing.”   After a short music video, Cook presented the iPhone X, and he pronounced the “X” as the number 10. Schiller returned to discuss the iPhone X. He said the main difference from earlier versions of the iPhone is that the screen has no outside border. There is also no “home” button. For many years, owners used the button at the bottom of the phone to unlock it and get to the main screen. Now, there will be a feature called “Face ID.” The phone will recognize its owner and open the home screen. People will be able to order the iPhone X in late October. It will be available about a week later. It will cost $999. Some people wondered why there will not be an iPhone 9.     Others pointed out that the price of Apple stock on the NASDAQ stock exchange fell as soon as Cook announced the new phones.    And that’s What’s Trending Today. I’m Dan Friedell. Dan Friedell adapted this story for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter was the editor. Will you buy one of the new iPhones? We want to know. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page.   _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   reveal – v. to make (something) known audience – n. a group of people who gather together to listen to something feature – n. an interesting or important part, quality, ability, etc payoff – n. the advantage or benefit that is gained from doing something border – n. a decorative design along the edge of something

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September 12, 2017

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

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