Trump Visits Hurricane Victims, Aid Workers in Puerto Rico

  President Donald Trump flew to the island of Puerto Rico Tuesday to meet with its leaders for the first time since a powerful storm hit the U.S. territory two weeks ago. Trump and his wife Melania landed at an air base near San Juan, the Puerto Rican capital. Aid workers are using the base to direct recovery efforts on the Caribbean island. “I’ve never seen people working so hard in my life,” Trump said. The Trumps met with U.S. troops, emergency medical crews and survivors of Hurricane Maria. The storm was the strongest to hit Puerto Rico in many years. Maria destroyed its electric power network, as well as many homes, businesses, roads and farms across the island. At least 16 people were killed. Trump noted the island's relatively low death toll compared with another storm, Hurricane Katrina, which struck the southeastern United States in 2005. Katrina was blamed for more than 1,800 deaths, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency. “Every death is a horror,'' Trump said. “But if you look at a real catastrophe like Katrina and you look at the tremendous, and hundreds and hundreds of people that died, and you look at what happened here...nobody's ever seen anything like this.” Trump praised the island’s recovery efforts and promised an all-out effort to keep providing federal assistance. He praised Puerto Rican officials for offering kind words about the aid. But he admitted that a lot more must be done and called on locals to do more to help aid get to areas outside the city. Trump met with a number of Puerto Rican officials and shook the hand of San Juan’s mayor, Carmen Yulin Cruz. A few days ago, Cruz strongly criticized the Trump administration for the speed of recovery efforts. Trump reacted by attacking Cruz on Twitter for her “poor leadership.” He also suggested her criticism was influenced by politics. In another Twitter post, the president said the people of Puerto Rico “want everything to be done for them.” Trump said he now thinks the mayor may have changed her mind about the recovery efforts. “Well, I think she’s come back a long way,” he said. “I think it’s now acknowledged what a great job we’ve done, and people are looking at that.” Trump met with hurricane victims at several stops on the island and handed out supplies during a visit to a church. “There's a lot of love in this room,” he said, calling those in attendance “great people.” Trump also met with Puerto Rico’s Governor, Ricardo Rossello, and Governor Kenneth Mapp of the U.S. Virgin Islands, which were also hit by Maria. Rossello told reporters on Monday that more than 720 of the island's 1,100 gasoline stations were now up and running, with more fuel supplies expected in coming days. The governor reported that about half of water and sewer services are still not operational. He added that federal and local officials were working together to keep at least 50 of the island’s 69 hospitals operating. I’m Bryan Lynn. Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English. His story was based on information from VOANews.com, the Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse. 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 network – n. a system of lines or wires that are connected to each other according – adv. as stated by or in catastrophe – n. terrible disaster acknowledge – v. say you accept or agree with something sewer – n. pipes buried underground that carry water and waste

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October 3, 2017

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

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Explainer: FAA

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EU Calls for Talks to End Spanish Independence Dispute

  European leaders are urging talks to solve a dispute between Spain's government and the leaders of an independence movement in Catalonia. The northeastern province has long considered a vote on independence from Spain. A statement Monday from the European Commission called on all sides in the dispute to move “from confrontation to dialogue.” The statement came after a violent crackdown by Spanish police who tried to stop a referendum on independence Sunday in Catalonia. Spain’s government and Constitutional Court had declared the referendum illegal. Nearly 900 people were injured in clashes after Spanish riot police entered voting stations to stop people from voting. In some cases police used batons and fired rubber bullets to clear protesters. Officials said most of the injuries were not serious. Spain’s Interior Ministry said more than 400 National Police and Civil Guard officers also suffered injuries during the clashes. Most of the injuries were not serious and no officers were hospitalized. The European Commission statement said “violence can never be an instrument in politics.” It added that it trusted Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy to manage the crisis in a way that respects “both the Spanish constitution and the rights of citizens.” The European Union and most of its 28 nations have not backed Catalonia's independence movement. Experts say EU officials are fearful that supporting it could open the door for many other independence campaigns across the continent. The movement’s leaders had hoped the police crackdown might cause European leaders to take steps to intervene in the dispute with Spain’s government. The leader of Catalonia, Carles Puigdemont, told a news conference Monday that international mediation is needed to resolve the dispute. He said Catalonia had “won the right to become an independent state.” He urged the EU to “stop looking the other way” in Catalonia’s bid to break away from Spain. Puigdemont said early results showed more than 90 percent of voters supported independence. Forty-two percent of voters reportedly took part. He said the area’s parliament will be asked to declare independence in the next few days after final voting results are announced. Several human rights organizations and the United Nations called for an independent investigation into police violence during the operations to stop voting. However, Spanish officials said the police response was needed to enforce a judicial order to prevent the referendum from taking place. About 5,000 extra police officers were sent to Catalonia and are expected to remain there for now. Catalonia, with the coastal city of Barcelona as its capital, has a population of 7.5 million people. It makes up about one-fifth of Spain's economy. Public opinion studies have repeatedly shown that most Catalonia residents support a referendum. However, the studies found they are about evenly divided on the issue of independence from Spain. I’m Bryan Lynn. Bryan Lynn wrote this story based on reports from VOA News, the Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse. 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   confrontation – n. argument or clash over something dialogue – n. discussion or series of discussions between two groups referendum – n. election in which the people in an area vote for or against an issue of public concern baton – n. thick stick sometimes used by police as a weapon mediation – n. process to find a solution between two or more people who disagree about something  

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Three Americans Share Nobel Prize in Medicine

  Three American scientists have won the 2017 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. The three were recognized for their work on the body’s daily rhythms -- the biological processes that our bodies repeat over and over again. These actions affect the way a person feels. The Nobel committee says the scientists’ work has opened up new areas of research and increased understanding about the importance of getting enough sleep. Jeffrey C. Hall, Michael Rosbash and Michael W. Young won the $1.1 million prize for finding genetic processes that control circadian rhythms. Circadian rhythms adapt the workings of the body to different times of the day. They can influence sleep, behavior, body temperature and the natural processes for breaking down food and making energy. The scientists were able to see inside our biological clock and explain its inner workings, the Nobel statement said. A Nobel report said that our well being is affected when the circadian rhythms are not in balance. One example is jet lag – a condition many people experience after a long flight. Your biological clock is “off” when you fly great distances, passing over many time zones. When you reach your final stop, it takes time to adjust to the new time. If one’s circadian rhythm is off, the person can develop disorders like insomnia, depression and even heart disease, over time. The scientists studied insects, fruit flies, as model organisms for their work. “I am very pleased for the fruit fly,” said Michael Rosbash, a professor at Brandeis University in the eastern state of Massachusetts. Rosbach said he got a telephone call about the award just after 5 in the morning, local time. He said that when the phone rings at that time, “normally it is because someone died.” Rosbach told the Associated Press “I’m still a little overwhelmed,” adding “I stand on the shoulders of giants. This is a very humbling award.” Michael Young is at Rockefeller University in New York City; Jeffrey Hall was a visiting professor at the University of Maine, but said his prize work was done at Brandeis. Hall, who is 72 years old, said that he was already awake when the call informing him of the prize came around 5 a.m. Hall said he was awake because age-related changes in his own circadian rhythms mean he gets up early in the morning. Michael Hastings is a scientist at Britain’s Medical Research Council. He said the discoveries had opened up a whole new field of study for biology and medicine. “Until then, the body clock was viewed as a sort of black box,” Hastings told the AP. “We knew nothing about its operation. But what they did was get the genes that made the body clock, and once you’ve got the genes, you can take the field wherever you want to.” “It’s a field that has exploded massively,” he told the AP. And, he said, is because of the work of these researchers. Their work goes back to 1984 when the three men were able to separate out the “period gene” in fruit flies. Hall and Rosbash found that a protein encoded by the gene increased during the night and weakened during the day. Then 10 years later, Young reported the discovery of another “clock gene.” Today scientists are looking for new treatments based on the circadian cycles. They include establishing the best times to take medicines as well as increased attention on the importance of a good night’s sleep.   I’m Anne Ball. The Associated Press and Reuters news agency reported on this story. Anne Ball adapted their reports for VOA Learning English.  George Grow 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 rhythm – n. a regular, repeated pattern of events, changes, activities, etc. circadian – adj. relating to the regular changes in a person or thing that happen in 24-hour periods adapt – v. to change your behavior so that it is easier to live in a particular place or situation clock – n. a device that shows what time it is and that is usually placed in a room or attached to a wall jet lag – n. a tired and unpleasant feeling that you sometimes get when you travel by airplane to a place that is far away time zone – n. any one of the world's 24 divisions that has its own time giant – n. a legendary creature usually thought of as being an extremely large and powerful person humbling – adj. feeling less important, less proud

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Study Finds Beliefs About Boy and Girl Differences Start at Early Age

  For VOA Learning English, this is the Health & Lifestyle report. No matter where they live, children get a strong message about what is expected of them as they grow up. And, in most countries in the world, these expectations are closely tied to gender. Boys learn that they have to be strong. They are encouraged to explore new things and have adventures. But, researchers say these expectations leave them with an increased risk of HIV, homicide and suicide. Girls get a message that their bodies are both assets and problems. They need to look good, but not too good. They need to stay away from boys so they do not bring dishonor to their families. Dr. Bob Blum is the director of Global Early Adolescent Study at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. He led the study. He says it is the first of its kind. "There was no research at all, no understanding at all of young adolescents." He said people held the belief that children are not receiving messages about gender, gender-based violence, rape and things of that nature. But the study came to a different finding. The researchers talked to 450 poor children and their parents about gender expectations. The talks took place in a total of 15 countries of mixed wealth. Children in the study were between ages 10 and 14. The World Health Organization, or WHO, and Johns Hopkins Medicine healthcare system were partners for the study. Poverty's effects Dr. Venkatraman Chandra-Mouli works on adolescent health for the World Health Organization. He says poverty has a powerful effect on keeping these damaging ideas alive.   It means boys will be pulled out of school and sent to work. Girls will not be educated, or they will be removed from school as soon as they reach their early teen years. And, they will be forced to marry young. "If I see the daughter in my house as a burden, and a burden that I need to watch over very carefully because I don't want her to have sex before marriage because, if she does, she's not marriageable. Then what do I do?... I keep her under very tight control and I get her married off as quickly as I can." But there is a push for change. In Nigeria, study researcher Bamidele Bello found that girls do not want to be limited by their gender. She said they want to become doctors and professors. They have big goals and do not want their gender to limit them.    In Shanghai, China girls are told they should be economically independent and should not depend on men for financial help. At the same time, girls are told their husbands will leave them if they do not do housework. This burden does not affect men, said researcher Xiauan Zuo. He said traditional culture requires women to be obedient. Mirror, mirror on the wall Blum says they found that even in the most liberal societies, children internalize the belief that boys are strong and independent and girls are weak and dependent. Children receive these messages all the time – from brothers and sisters, classmates, teachers, parents, family members, religious leaders and sports team leaders. The researchers also found that, in most cultures, by the time girls are 10 years old, they have been taught that their main asset is their physical appearance. Lead co-researcher Kristin Mmari said girls around the world are concerned about their bodies and other peoples' attitudes toward them. She said in New Delhi, India, the girls talked about their bodies as a big risk that needs to be covered up. And in Baltimore, Maryland, girls told researchers their main asset was their bodies and that they need to look good, but not too good. Chandra-Mouli said violence against women is extremely common. He said one in three women experience violence from their husbands or other sexual partners. But the researchers found that gender expectations put boys in danger, too. The social pressure to become strong and independent makes them more likely to be victims of physical violence or homicide. And, there is a higher chance they will have unhealthy behaviors, like tobacco, drug and alcohol use. Where to go from here The study said that societies that want healthier young adults need to make changes in gender messaging. The WHO wants to use the study findings to create programs that change ideas about what is normal for each gender before children reach age 15. Blum said the researchers will measure changes in their subjects over the next few years to see how beliefs about gender affect individuals' lives. And, they want to see whether programs change these results. Blum and other researchers from the study discussed their findings at the National Press Club in Washington. And that's the Health & Lifestyle report. I'm Jill Robbins. And I'm Alice Bryant. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   gender – n. the state of being male of female HIV – n. a virus that causes AIDS homicide – n. the act of killing another person asset – n. a valuable person or thing internalize – v. to make something, such as an idea or an attitude, an important part of the kind of person you are tobacco – n. a plant that produces leaves which are smoked in cigarettes and pipes

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Trial Opens for Women Accused of Killing Half-Brother of Kim Jong Un

  Two women accused of killing the half-brother of North Korea’s leader have gone on trial in Malaysia. Siti Aisyah of Indonesia and Doan Thi Huong of Vietnam told the court they are not guilty. They are accused of spreading a poison on Kim Jong Nam’s face to kill him. The incident took place February 13 at Kuala Lumpur’s main airport. Kim Jong Nam is the half-brother of Kim Jong Un, North Korea’s leader. The women told the court that they thought they were taking part in a television prank show that used hidden cameras. They say they believed at the time that the action was harmless. Four witnesses spoke to the court Monday. They told about their interactions with Kim shortly after he started complaining of health problems at the airport. Several North Koreans suspected of involvement in Kim’s death left Malaysia soon after the incident. Three other suspects who were at North Korea’s embassy were permitted to leave the country after reaching an agreement with Malaysia. The killing led to weeks of tensions between Malaysia and North Korea. Government lawyers are expected to take two months to present evidence. After that, a judge will decide if there is enough evidence to require the defendants to present a defense, said the lawyer for Huong. The two women could face a death sentence if found guilty. Efforts to pressure North Korea continue The trial of the two women begins as diplomatic efforts to persuade North Korea to end its banned weapons programs continue. In Beijing Saturday, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said the U.S. was communicating with North Korea. He suggested the country had shown interest in talks. However, a State Department spokeswoman later suggested that North Korea had shown no such interest. In a tweet on the social media network Twitter, the president suggested that Tillerson was “wasting his time” in trying to negotiate with the North Korean leader. Trump also suggested in other tweets that 25 years of policy toward North Korea had failed. “Clinton failed, Bush failed, Obama failed. I won’t fail,” he wrote. Trump is to visit China, Japan and South Korea on a major trip to Asia in November. The issue of North Korea’s weapons programs is expected to be an important subject of discussion during meetings with Asian leaders. I’m Mario Ritter. Mario Ritter adapted this story for VOA Learning English from an Associated Press report. 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   prank –n. a trick done to someone as a joke indication –n. a sign that shows something channels –n. ways or paths of communication  

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Gunman Kills More Than 50, Injures Hundreds at Las Vegas Concert

  A gunman killed more than 50 people and wounded at least 500 others Sunday night in the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history. The attack took place at an outdoor country music show in Las Vegas, Nevada. A crowd of more than 22,000 had gathered for the Route 91 Harvest Festival, not far from Las Vegas’ famous Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino. From the hotel’s 32nd floor, police say, a gunman opened fire on the people below. Luke Broadlick was in the crowd. He was recording the performance of musician Jason Aldean on his mobile phone when he heard the sound of gunfire. He moved his camera toward the direction of the noise. His video shows Aldean and other musicians running off the stage. Broadlick put the video on Twitter in the early hours of Monday morning. He wrote, “Insane … this JUST happened.” Later, he wrote. “I’m okay…the guys here are okay.” Another Twitter user, Austin Olson, posted a video from the same moment. In his video, you can hear the sound of rapid gunfire, shots coming one after another. The people in the crowd are lying on the ground, trying to avoid the bullets. The huge Mandalay Bay Hotel is visible.   Police have identified the shooter as Stephen Paddock. They said he broke the windows of his room so that he could target the people below. Las Vegas police later broke into Paddock’s hotel room. They found him dead. Police also said they found 10 guns, including rifles, in Paddock’s room. (advance to 17:30 for audio)   Kodiak Yazzie was at the concert. Yazzie spoke with the Associated Press. “It was the craziest stuff I’ve ever seen in my entire life," Yazzie said. "You could hear that the noise was coming from west of us, from Mandalay Bay. You could see a flash, flash, flash, flash.” Yazzie was describing the burst of fire coming from the gun high above the concert area. In a two-minute-long video recorded on a cell phone, the first round of gunshots lasts for about 10 seconds. More shots start about 40 seconds later. People can be heard saying, “that’s gunshots,” “get down, stay down.” More bullets come again about 30 seconds later.  Aldean, the singer who was performing when the shots broke out, wrote about the experience on Instagram. He said he and his crew members were safe. He wrote: “It hurts my heart that this would happen to anyone who was just coming out to enjoy what should have been a fun night.”     Singer Jake Owen was on stage with Aldean when the shooting started. He told CNN that “the shooting was going on for at least 10 minutes. It was nonstop.” Another witness told a Las Vegas newspaper that the shots were “relentless.” Before Sunday, the deadliest shooting in U.S. history took place in June of 2016 in Orlando, Florida. A gunman killed 49 people at a gay nightclub. Buddy Dyer is the mayor of Orlando. On Twitter, he expressed his support for the people of Las Vegas. “Our community stands with Las Vegas during this difficult time,” he wrote.  President Donald Trump spoke about the shooting Monday morning. He described it as “an act of pure evil.” He ordered U.S. flags to be flown at half-staff to honor those who died. “In moments of tragedy and horror, America comes together as one. And it always has,” Trump said. Former president Barack Obama called the shooting “another senseless tragedy.”  Politicians around the world offered their support for the United States and the people affected by the shooting. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe wrote, “Japan expresses its sincere solidarity with the Government of the United States and the people of the United States as they try to overcome this difficult time.” I’m Ashley Thompson, and I'm Caty Weaver. Dan Friedell wrote this story for Learning English based on reports by VOANews.com, The New York Times and The Associated Press. Ashley Thompson was the editor. How do you feel about the shooting in Las Vegas? We want to know. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   country music – n. a style of music that developed in the southern and western U.S. and that often contains lyrics relating to the lives of people who live in the country casino – n. a building or room that has games (such as roulette or blackjack) for gambling festival – n. an organized series of performances post – v. to add (a message) to an online message board relentless– adj. continuing without becoming weaker, less severe, etc. flash – n. a sudden bright light tragedy– n. a very bad event that causes great sadness and often involves someone's death solidarity– n. a feeling of unity between people who have the same interests, goals, etc.  

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Let's Teach English Unit 5: Role-Plays

Welcome to Let's Teach English. This series offers free online training for English language educators worldwide. Voice of America and the University of Oregon are partners on this project. In this lesson, the teacher presents the learning strategy summarize. Summary In this lesson, the teacher sets up a marketplace to use in a shopping role-play. We join the class as the teacher is reviewing common phrases for shopping exchanges. Students separate into groups using a method that requires them to talk with each other. Students use new language in a authentic context through their role-plays. The shoppers and shopkeepers have different information. This creates a purpose for their communication. Teacher Preparation Video Transcript This episode shows a model of teaching through role plays and group projects. Click on the image below to download a pdf of the transcript. Women Teaching Women English Text Click on the image below to download a pdf of the student text and teacher manual. At the end of the ten-unit course, the whole book will be available for download. Women Teaching Women English Listening These audio files go with Unit 5 of Women Teaching Women English. Click on the "Direct Link" button to the right of the player to download them. Conversation:   Reading: What Do You Think? Let us know what you think about this course. Email us or write your comment in the comments section below. Poll

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Las Vegas Shooting

Police in Las Vegas, Nevada say a man opened fire on a country music concert late Sunday, killing at least 50 people and wounding more than 400 others, in the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history.

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Franklin D. Roosevelt: Powerful

   VOA Learning English presents America’s Presidents. Today we are talking about Franklin Delano Roosevelt. He was related to an earlier president with same last name, Theodore Roosevelt. Many Americans call Franklin Roosevelt by the first letter of each word in his full name: FDR. When FDR took office, the United States was in a severe economic depression. The previous president, Herbert Hoover, had tried to improve the economy, but his efforts had failed. FDR defeated Hoover in the election of 1932. He won, in part, by promising what he called a “new deal” for Americans. Voters did not know what FDR’s “new deal” meant exactly, but many liked his message of hope. Voters also did not know how much FDR would change the country. He remained in office for 12 years – the longest of any U.S. president – and led the country through the Great Depression and most of World War II. Along the way, he changed the way government affected Americans’ lives, and the job of the U.S. president. Early life Franklin Roosevelt was born on a large estate in New York, about 140 kilometers outside New York City. He was the only child of wealthy parents. His mother and father made sure he had an excellent education. As a young man he attended a private high school, and then Harvard College in Massachusetts. He also studied law at Columbia University in New York. Young FDR was not an excellent student, however. He was interested in many things outside the classroom, including politics and girls. Two of FDR’s interests came together in a young woman named Anna Eleanor Roosevelt, who went by the name Eleanor. She was the niece of a politician FDR greatly respected: President Theodore Roosevelt. On the day when Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt were married, Theodore Roosevelt attended the ceremony. In fact, he walked with his niece in front of the guests to her future husband. Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt went on to have six children, although one died as a baby. While Eleanor Roosevelt raised the children, Franklin Roosevelt directed his attention to politics. He left a job in a law office to serve in the New York state senate. In time, he was offered a job in the federal government as an assistant secretary of the Navy. FDR enjoyed the job, but he continued seeking other political positions. He tried unsuccessfully for a seat in the U.S. Senate, but did get nominated by the Democratic Party to be its vice presidential candidate in 1920. Although he and his partner lost the race, FDR seemed like he was in a good position for major political success. But then something unexpected happened. Illness and return to politics When he was 39 years old, FDR suffered major health problems. One day he started to feel a pain in his back. The following day his legs grew tired. Then his skin became sensitive. By the end of the week, both his legs were paralyzed. He could not move from the waist down. He remained paralyzed for the rest of his life. The next years were difficult for the Roosevelts. Eleanor and the children helped care for FDR. And he worked hard to recover some of his strength and physical abilities, especially by exercising. While he remained hopeful about his condition, FDR worried about his political career. He did not think the public would accept a leader who could not even walk by himself. So he took several measures. He created a small wheelchair that would not get too much attention. It was made from a dining room chair, with wheels instead of legs. He refused to let photographers take pictures of him being carried or struggling to move, and he found a way to appear as if he were walking. He used a cane or the arm of a partner to balance, and then he swung his hips to make his legs move forward. Using this method, FDR “walked” to the stage at the 1924 Democratic National Convention. He used the event to nominate the governor of New York for president. That man’s bid did not succeed. But FDR showed himself to still be an able politician. Four years later, FDR himself was elected governor of New York. He held the position in the early years of the country’s economic crisis. In 1932, FDR was a candidate for president. He took the unusual step of appearing in person at the Democratic convention to accept his party’s nomination.  His campaign was such a success that the Democrats took not only the White House, but majorities in both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. The strength of the Democratic Party in Congress would help FDR become one of the most powerful presidents the country had ever seen. Next week we will continue our story of FDR and his presidency. I’m Kelly Jean Kelly. Kelly Jean Kelly wrote this story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. ______________________________________________________________ Listening Quiz  See how well you understand the story by taking this listening quiz. Play each short video, then choose the best answer. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story estate - n. a large piece of land with a large house on it niece - n. a daughter of your brother or sister paralyzed - adj. unable to move or feel all or part of the body swing - v. to move backward and forward or from side to side while hanging from something stage - n. a raised platform in a theater or auditorium where the performers stand

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