Russia Pressures India to Support Chinese Trade Project

  Russia is pressuring India to support China’s plan to build trade and transport links across Asia and in other areas. On Monday, Russian officials suggested that India find a way to work with China on the Belt and Road project, even if the two sides have political differences. India is strongly opposed to an economic corridor that China is building in Pakistan as part of the project because it travels through Kashmir. Both India and Pakistan have territorial claims to the area. India was the only regional country that did not send representatives to China for a meeting in May. Chinese President Xi Jinping used the gathering to promote the Belt and Road project. Under the plans, crews are building railway lines, ports and electric power grids. The work is expected to cost many billions of dollars. Earlier this week, the foreign ministers of China, India and Russia met in New Delhi. They talked about India’s concerns about the project. After the talks, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov spoke to reporters. Lavrov said he told Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj that India should not let political disagreements stop it from joining -- and benefiting from -- the project. “I know India has problems … with the concept of One Belt and One Road. But the specific problem in this regard should not make everything else conditional to resolving political issues,” he said. Lavrov noted that Russia, all the countries in central Asia, and European nations have agreed to support the project. He says it will increase economic cooperation in the region. “Those are the facts,” he said. “India, I am 100 percent convinced, has enough very smart diplomats and politicians to find a way which would allow (it) to benefit from this process.” Russia was an ally of India during the Cold War with the United States and western countries. Fifteen years ago, Russia, India and China formed an alliance to challenge American influence on world affairs. But the three countries do not agree on everything. For example, India and China have had disagreements over border issues for many years. These disputes have stopped the three nations from fully cooperating. Also, India has grown closer to the United States in recent years. It has spent billions of dollars on American military weapons and equipment. Until recently, the Indian military mostly used weapons made at the time of the Soviet Union. I’m Jill Robbins.   Sanjeev Miglani reported this story from New Delhi for the Reuters news agency. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted the report for VOA 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   corridor – n. a passageway or path regional – adj. of or related to an area promote – v. to support; to help bring into existence grid – n. a system of evenly spaced lines; a system of electrical wires and equipment that supplies electricity to a large area benefit – v. to be useful or profitable to concept – n. an idea resolve – v. to deal with successfully challenge – n. a problem; the act of testing one’s ability

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

December 12, 2017

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

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2BXHQ9H
via IFTTT

Learn Prefixes, Suffixes to Expand Your Vocabulary

  On a recent program, we explained that knowing just a few root words in English can help you understand the meaning of hundreds more words. To refresh your memory, a root word is the simplest form of a word. For example, two forms of the root for the word “see” are vis- and vid- such as in the words "television" and "video." Today, we will tell you about prefixes and suffixes – groups of letters that appear at the beginnings and endings of words. Learning the meanings of common prefixes and suffixes can help you understand unknown English words you come across. It can also help you become better at spelling words. Prefixes Let's start with prefixes. A prefix is a letter or a group of letters that we add to the beginning of a word. Prefixes change the meanings of words. For example, the prefix un- (or u-n) can mean "not," "remove," or "opposite." Adding un- to the word "happy" gives you the word "unhappy," which means not happy. U-n and r-e (or re-) are the two most common prefixes in the English language. Re- means "again" or "back," such as in the words "rethink" "redo" and "repay." Here are a few things to remember when learning prefixes: Different prefixes in English can have similar meanings, such as un-, in- and non- all of which mean "not" or "opposite of." Also, the prefixes mis- and ir- mean "wrong," "wrongly," or "incorrectly." Notice that double letters are possible. For example, when you add the prefix im- to words that begin with the letter "m," you get two "m"s as in "immeasurable." That's also true when you add un- to words that begin with the letter "n," as in "unnoticeable." The same is true for many other prefixes. When adding a prefix to a word, the spelling of the base word never changes. For example, the prefix un- did not change the spelling of the word "happy." And, the prefix re- would not change the spelling of the word "live" in "relive." Watch out for "lookalikes" – words that look like they contain prefixes but, in fact, do not. For example, the un- in the word "uncle" is not a prefix, nor is the re- in the words "reach" or "real." Suffixes Now, let's turn to suffixes. A suffix is a letter or group of letters added to the end of a word. Suffixes are commonly used to show the part of speech of a word. For example, adding "ion" to the verb "act" gives us "action," the noun form of the word. Suffixes also tell us the verb tense of words or whether the words are plural or singular. ​Some common suffixes are -er, -s, -es, -ed, -ing and -ly. Here are a few things to remember when learning suffixes: Some suffixes have more than one meaning. For example, the suffix -er may suggest a person who performs an action, like a teacher. But "er" is also commonly added to the ends of adjectives and adverbs. They compare two things and show that one is "more" than the other, such as in "faster" and "stronger." The spelling of a base word can change when a suffix is added. This is true of most base words ending in the letter "y." For instance, when we add the suffix -ness to the word "crazy" to make "craziness," we replace the "y" with an "i." This rule is also true of many base words ending in a silent "e" when the suffix begins with a vowel. For example, in the words "write," "make" and "manage," we drop the "e" in the words when we add -ing to make: "writing," "making" and "managing." We also often drop the silent "e" before the suffix -able such as in "usable." Be careful, though, because with some words, we keep the "e," such as in "changeable" and "loveable." There are additional suffix rules, but they deal with spelling and can be learned with time and practice. A thing to keep in mind about both prefixes and suffixes is that some are only used with some words. For example, we add the suffix -ful to some nouns to mean "full of," such as in the words "beautiful" or "helpful." But, we cannot add -ful to just any noun. You could not, for example, say "loveful" to mean full of love. So, what are some ways that you can practice common prefixes and suffixes? One way is to use online flashcards from websites like Quizlet. You can choose sets of cards that are already made or create and use your own sets. Or, you can make your own flashcards with pieces of paper. Once you've spent time practicing, take a news story or page in a book and look for words that have the prefixes and suffixes you learned. Then, use what you know about the meaning of the root words to guess the meanings of those words. Learning prefixes and suffixes will not only build your vocabulary but can make unfamiliar English words a lot less frightening. I'm Phil Dierking. And I'm Alice Bryant.   Alice Bryant wrote this story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   spell – v. to say, write, or print the letters of a word (gerund: spelling) practice – n. to do something again and again in order to become better at it vowel – n. one of the letters a, e, i, o, u and sometimes y flashcard – n. a card that has words, numbers, or pictures on it and that is used to help students learn about a subject

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

Trump Blames Democrats for Fueling Sexual Abuse Claims

  Donald Trump is blaming opposition lawmakers for fueling stories that he abused women before becoming president of the United States. On Monday, 56 members of the U.S. House of Representatives called on House leaders to investigate reports of sexual wrongdoing by Trump. All 56 are female and members of the Democratic Party. Tuesday, the president denied knowing any of the women who claim he abused them. He published the denial on the social networking website Twitter. Trump wrote that the Democrats have been unable to prove his presidential election campaign worked with Russia. He added that “they are moving on to the false accusations and fabricated stories of women who I don’t know and/or have never met.” Trump also criticized New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a Democrat. On Monday, Gillibrand told CNN she believed Trump’s accusers. She said many of their stories “are heartbreaking.” Gillibrand joined three other Democratic senators in calling on Trump to resign from the presidency immediately. She said if he does not do so, Congress “should have appropriate investigations of his behavior and hold him accountable.” On Twitter, Trump called Gillibrand a “lightweight.” He said she has “begged” him for campaign donations “and would do anything for them.” On Monday, the 56 lawmakers sent a letter to Republican Congressman Trey Gowdy, who heads the House Committee on Oversight and Government Relations. The letter was also sent to Elijah Cummings, the top Democrat on the committee. The letter noted that “at least 17 women have publicly accused the president of sexual misconduct.” It said “The American people deserve a full inquiry into the truth of these allegations. The president’s own remarks appear to back up the allegations...(He) feels at liberty to perpetrate such conduct against women. We cannot ignore the multitude of women who have come forward with accusations against Mr. Trump.” The letter invites Trump to provide evidence that will show he did not do what the women accuse him of doing. Three women who accused Trump last year of making unwanted sexual advances repeated their claims on Monday. They called on Congress to investigate. They noted that many other powerful men have been punished recently for their mistreatment of women. During the 2016 election campaign, at least 12 women accused Trump of sexual misconduct. He denied all of the accusations. On Sunday, Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, spoke in support of the growing number of women who have reported abuse. Haley told CBS News that any woman who has felt violated or mistreated by a man has every right to stand up, even if she is accusing Trump. “Women who accuse anyone should be heard,” Haley said. “They should be heard, and they should be dealt with.” In a statement on Monday, the Trump administration again rejected the women’s claims against the president. Also on Monday, administration spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said “we feel these allegations have been answered” by the results of the election. “The American people knew this and voted for the president,” she added. I’m John Russell.   Wayne Lee, Ken Bredemeier, Kenneth Schwartz wrote this story for VOANews.com. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted their report for VOA 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   fabricate – v. to create or make up (something, such as a story) in order to trick people accountable – adj. required to explain actions or decisions to someone lightweight – n. someone or something that has little importance or power inquiry – n. an official effort to collect and examine information about something at liberty – expression able to act or speak freely (followed by to + verb) perpetrate – v. to do (something that is illegal or wrong) multitude – adj. a great number of things or people (often + of) advance – n. the act of speaking to someone in an effort to start a sexual relationship  

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2C9FoxK
via IFTTT

American Clergyman Leads Rare Event in Vietnam

  More than 10,000 people filled a sports center in Hanoi last week to listen to American religious leader Franklin Graham. The clergyman told the crowd he wants Vietnam’s communist government to consider Christians its best citizens. Vietnam is one of the fastest growing countries in Southeast Asia. The government has made a number of economic reforms over the past 30 years. But the Communist Party still controls all parts of society, from media to religion. Human Rights Watch says more than 100 Vietnamese are in prison for taking part in peaceful religious and political activities. Graham told the Associated Press that the event last Friday was one of the biggest ever held in Vietnam. He said the government did not set conditions on the prayer service. He added that Vietnamese officials did not give final permission until early this month. “This is unprecedented, really for us and for the government,” the clergyman said. “We don’t want to do anything that would embarrass the government or the people of Vietnam. Again we’re guests. The government has not told me what to say or not say. I’m going to talk about God -- we are not here to talk about politics.” Graham said he hoped the event will cause the government to see Christianity in a different way. “I hope the government will see that Christians are not enemies, but Christians are some of the best citizens in Vietnam and people that they can trust and depend on,” he said. “I hope it would be good for the churches and I hope this meeting would be good for the government and they will see us in a different light.” Graham leads the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, which was formed by his father. Like his father, he is one of the best-known religious leaders in the United States. Franklin Graham says religious freedom has slowly improved in Vietnam. “The fact that we are here today…shows you how much the government has changed in the last 20 years,” he said.  In its latest report on religious freedom, the U.S. State Department says Vietnam limits activities of unrecognized religious groups -- especially those believed to be involved in political activity. The report said some religious leaders reported different forms of harassment, including physical assault, short-term detention, legal action, restrictions on travel and property seizure or destruction. Thadeus Nguyen Van Ly, a Roman Catholic clergyman, founded the pro-democracy group Bloc 8406. He was released last year after eight years in prison on charges of spreading anti-government propaganda. There are about 6.5 million Catholics and more than one million Protestants among Vietnam’s 95 million people. Most Vietnamese are Buddhists. I’m Jonathan Evans.   Associated Press Correspondent Yves Dam Van reported this story from Hanoi. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted the report for VOA 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   unprecedented – adj. not done or experienced before embarrass – v. to make (someone) feel confused and foolish in front of other people guest – n. a person who is invited to a place or an event as a special honor church – n. a building that is used for Christian religious services different light – expression to understand someone or something in a different way than before harassment – n. the act of annoying or bothering (someone) in a constant or repeated way assault – n. the crime of trying or threatening to hurt someone physically

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

Experts: No End to Yemeni Civil War in Near Future

  The killing of Yemen’s former president has led the country into further uncertainty and violence. Iran-supported Houthi rebels shot and killed Ali Abdullah Saleh on December 4. He died either in a gun battle or was executed. Saleh once saw the Houthis as uneasy allies in the country’s civil war. He announced an alliance with them in 2015, one year after the fighting started. Now the rebels are working to take complete control of Sanaa, the largest city in Yemen. The Houthis have captured more than 40 media workers. This includes employees of Yemen Today, a television broadcaster connected to Saleh. James Mattis, the United States Secretary of Defense, spoke on Tuesday about conditions in the country. “The situation for the innocent people there, the humanitarian side, is most likely to [get] worse in the short term,” he said. On Wednesday, Saudi Arabian-led airplanes began increasing airstrikes on Yemen. Most observers agree there is little chance of the violence ending or a negotiated settlement in the near future. For some, there was a sign of hope two days before Saleh’s death. That was when the former president communicated with Saudi Arabia, which is leading a military coalition against the Houthis. Saleh publicly expressed a willingness to take part in peace talks if the Saudis and their allies lifted a blockade on Yemen’s seaports and airports. He also wanted them to let more humanitarian aid enter Yemen, which is suffering from mass starvation. Saleh was ousted in 2011. He had helped the Houthis in their rise to power in an attempt to create a deal that would lead to his return to the presidency. But relations between Saleh and the Houthis had been worsening in recent weeks. His fighters began battling the Houthis in southern districts of Sanaa. And Saudis stopped identifying Saleh as a “deposed dictator” and began speaking of him as “the former president.” Observers say this marked the end of his unlikely alliance with the Houthis, which was based on a shared need. The Houthis are strong militarily, but weak in governance skills. They needed the expertise of Saleh and his General People’s Congress party to reach deals with tribal leaders. The Houthis also needed help governing the territory they control in the north of the country. On the other hand, Saleh and his followers were not as strong militarily as the rebels. Gerald Feierstein is an expert with the Middle East Institute, a research group. He says Saleh’s death weakens the Houthis’ position in their conflict against the internationally accepted government of Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi. Hadi also has the support of Saudi Arabia, and currently lives in exile in Riyadh. Feierstein says Houthis have lost “an important symbolic presence that gave them some credibility as a broad-based movement.” Now they will be considered as more of a “pro-Iranian … Shi’ite movement” with goals of completely changing Yemen, he adds. They will likely suffer greater decreases in their popular support. He says their support is already dropping as a result of never-ending conflict and violence against civilians. “The big question is whether this … will force them back to the negotiating table,” he notes. There are no signs that the Saudis and Hadi are interested in negotiations. After Saleh’s death, Hadi gave a hostile speech in which he spoke against the Houthis. “Let us put our hands together to end the control of these criminal gangs and build a new, united Yemen,” he said. The speech was broadcast on Saudi Arabia’s Al Arabiya television. Ahmed Abdullah, Saleh’s son, now lives in Riyadh. He has promised to seek vengeance for his father’s killing. “I will lead the battle until the last Houthi is thrown out of Yemen,” he said. “The blood of my father will be hell ringing in the ears of Iran.” However, experts say vengeance and airstrikes are unlikely to be useful in moving the balance of power and ending the conflict. Mamoun Abu Nowar is a military expert and former Jordanian Air Force general. He noted, “You need an international intervention to stop this war.” Peter Salisbury is a researcher with Britain’s Chatham House, a group that studies international affairs. He said that Saleh may have divided people in the past. But the former president was also the person most likely to reach some kind of settlement. “Without his deal-making skills, the civil war he helped to spark and the … humanitarian crisis it caused are only likely to get worse,” Salisbury suggested. I’m Pete Musto. And I’m John Russell.   Jamie Dettmer reported this for VOA News. Pete Musto adapted his report for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. What do you think will happen next in the conflict between the Houthis and Saudi coalition? Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   uncertainty – n. the quality or state of being not definitely known humanitarian – adj. concerned with or seeking to promote human happiness, health and success district(s) – n. an area or section of a country, city, or town depose(d) – v. to remove someone from a powerful position symbolic – adj. expressing or representing an idea or quality without using words credibility – n. the quality of being believed or accepted as true, real, or honest Shi’ite – adj. describing a Muslim who is a member of the Shia branch of Islam gang(s) – n.  a group of criminals vengeance – n. the act of doing something to hurt someone because that person did something that hurt you or someone else spark – v. to cause something to start or happen

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

'Feminism' Is Merriam-Webster 'Word of the Year'

  This is What’s Trending Today… Covfefe, dotard, rocket man, moron, recuse, collusion, complicit, and #MeToo are among the words and phrases that dominated the news in 2017. So many new words became popular that the publishers of “Words with Friends” added 50,000 terms to the game. Yet a winning word stands out. In 2017, a popular dictionary publisher says people looked up one word more than any other. Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Year is “feminism.” Searches for “feminism” increased 70 percent from 2016 to 2017 on Merriam-Webster.com. It rose several times after key news events. In January, discussions about the Women’s March on Washington and other locations sent many people to look up “feminism.” Interest in the word increased with the release of the new television series “The Handmaid’s Tale” and the film “Wonder Woman.” More recently, sexual assault accusations against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein inspired the #MeToo movement. Since then, many women have come forward to accuse rich and famous men in media, politics and entertainment. The word “feminism” was first entered in a dictionary by Noah Webster in 1841. It was defined then as “the qualities of females.” Peter Sokolowski is an editor at Merriam-Webster. He told the Associated Press that “the word was used in the 19th century in a medical sense, for the physical characteristics of a developing teenager.” Today, Merriam-Webster defines feminism as the “theory of the political, economic and social equality of the sexes” and “organized activities on behalf of women’s rights and interests.” So, what are the runners-up for the Word of the Year? “Complicit” was also a top search in 2017. Interest in the word came after a satire video from the television program “Saturday Night Live.” Complicit is Dictionary.com's word of the year. Searches for “recuse” rose in reference to Attorney General Jeff Sessions and the Donald Trump-Russia investigation. “Empathy” did not make any news this year. But the word was frequently used to criticize some Republicans for what some called a lack of empathy in comments or proposed legislation North Korean leader Kim Jong-un used the word “dotard” to describe U.S. President Donald Trump, who had called Kim “rocket man.” People searched for “syzygy” on the day of the total eclipse on August 21. It means the nearly straight-line configuration of three celestial bodies in a gravitational system, such as the sun, moon and earth, during a solar or lunar eclipse. In March, “gyro” became a top search after television host Jimmy Fallon and singer Luke Bryan ordered the Greek food from a truck in a music video. The debate on healthcare in the United States Congress sent people to look up “federalism.” With Harvey, Irma, Jose and Maria causing damage in southestern U.S. and the Caribbean, people looked up hurricane to get more information. And finally, after the 2017 Academy Awards many people wanted to know more about the word “gaffe,” which means a socially awkward mistake. Announcers wrongly said that “La La Land” had won Best Picture. The real Oscar winner was “Moonlight.” And that's What's Trending Today.   Hai Do wrote this story for Learning English based on Merriam-Webster. Kelly Jean Kelly was the editor. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   feminism - n. the belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities complicit - adj. helping to commit a crime or do wrong in some way recuse - v. remove oneself from a case because of a possible conflict of interest empathy - adj. the ability to understand and share another person's experiences and emotions dotard - n. an old person, especially someone who has become weak or senile syzygy - n. the nearly straight-line configuration of three celestial bodies in a gravitational system, such as the sun, moon and earth, during a solar or lunar eclipse. gyro - n. a Greek food that consists of a pita wrapped around a filling of lamb, onion, tomato and yogurt sauce federalism - n. is a system of government in which the states (or provinces) share power with the national government hurricane - n. an extremely large, powerful, and destructive storm with very strong winds gaffe - n. a mistake made in public or a social situation

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

France Orders International Recall of Baby Food

  France and a French food manufacturer have ordered a major international recall of several food products for babies. The Lactalis Group is one of the world's largest manufacturers of dairy products. It said French health officials warned the company that 26 babies had been sickened with salmonella since December 1. The French Ministry of the Economy ordered the suspension of marketing and export of several baby products made at a Lactalis factory in Craon, France. It said all the products were manufactured after February 15, 2017. The French health ministry’s website says the recall affects nine countries in four continents: Britain and Greece in Europe; Morocco and Sudan in Africa; Peru and Colombia in South America; and Pakistan, Bangladesh and China in Asia. The United States, a major market for Lactalis products, is not affected. A company spokesman told the Associated Press Monday that the recall is "precautionary" and involves "several million" products. Lactalis noted in a statement that the 26 cases of infection were linked to products with the brand names Picot SL, Pepti Junior 1, Milumel Bio 1 and Picot Riz. The statement included an apology and expressed support to the families whose children were sickened. The company said it has taken measures to clean the area of the factory where the bacteria spread. Infection with salmonella can cause sickness. Signs of infection include abdominal pain, diarrhea and higher than normal body temperature. The sickness is more dangerous among some populations, including the very young. The Lactalis Group is a privately held company. Its headquarters is in western France. Lactalis has 75,000 employees in 85 countries and earnings of about 17 billion euros a year. Its famous brands include Président and Galbani cheeses, as well as Parmalat milk.  A full list of the products in question is available on the website of France’s consumer protection agency. I’m Phil Dierking. Caty Weaver adapted this story for VOA Learning English. Her story was based on reports from VOA and the Associated Press.  George Grow was the editor. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   recall ­– n. a request by a company for people to return a product that has a defect or problem​ dairy – n. milk or food made from milk​ precautionary – adj. something that is done to prevent possible harm or trouble from happening in the future​ abdominal – adj. the part of the body below the chest that contains the stomach and other organs ​ brand – n. a category of products that are all made by a particular company and all have a particular name​ diarrhea – n. a sickness that causes you to pass waste from your body very frequently and in liquid rather than solid form​ consumer – n. a person who buys goods and services​  

from Voice of America http://ift.tt/2C5GVoa
via IFTTT

Experimental Therapy Saves Boy With Rare Disease

  From VOA Learning English, this is the Health & Lifestyle report. It is one of the worst things a parent can imagine. Your child is sick, and suffering in terrible pain. No medical treatments seem to help. That was the condition of a 9-year-old boy with an incurable skin disease. The father says his son was near death. "He was in severe pain and asking a lot of questions I could not answer: 'Why do I suffer from this disease? Why do I have to live this life?'" Today, the boy is no longer suffering like that. In fact, he is healthy and said to be living a normal life. His recovery shows what gene therapy can do. This boy, whose parents do not want him identified, had until recently been suffering from a rare genetic skin condition. The disease is called junctional epidermolysis bullosa. It causes painful wounds and blisters all over the body. The skin is so fragile that it tears and damages easily. The child’s doctors in Germany said that none of their treatments was working. Left with no other choice, they said they simply wanted to ease the child’s pain and suffering as much as possible. However, the boy’s parents did not accept that. They begged the doctors to look for experimental treatments. One of the German doctors is Tobias Rothoeft at Ruhr University in Germany. "So then we thought we could do nothing for this kid and opted for a palliative care approach. We discussed it with the family, and they begged us to do something about it or to try anything we could." The boy’s father researched gene therapy on the internet. He told the doctors about his findings. They had never dealt with genetic therapy. The parents urged the doctors to consider the experimental treatment. When the doctors saw that experiments were being carried out, they reached out to another medical expert.  "Then we got in contact with Professor De Luca and we discussed this case, and he offered us to give us skin to cover the whole body of this kid." Michele De Luca works with the Center for Regenerative Medicine in Modena, Italy. De Luca says the German doctors tried everything they could to help the boy. But the doctors had few real choices. The German doctors asked De Luca if he and his team could try the genetic treatment on the patient. They called it "an act of compassion." De Luca explained gene therapy was still experimental. However, he agreed to try it as a treatment of last resort for the boy. De Luca's team used a virus to put a healthy gene into cells taken from the boy’s skin. Some of those cells can multiply indefinitely. So, De Luca was able to grow new, healthy skin for the boy which he then sent to doctors in Germany. The German doctors used this genetically engineered skin to replace most of the skin on the child’s body. De Luca says the child appeared better in October after the first transplant on the four limbs. The second operation was on his back and was a bigger transplant. This is when doctors saw that the regeneration, or restoration, of the skin did something to the boy. He got better right away. The child's vital signs, such as body temperature and blood pressure, began getting better. That is when the doctors realized that the operation was a success. Again, here is one of the boy’s German doctors, Tobias Rothoeft. "We're happy that it worked. This kid is back to his normal life again. That's what we dreamed of doing and it was possible." Two years later, the boy is now back in school, and no longer takes special medication. However, his doctors will have to watch him closely over time to watch for skin cancer or other problems. For the Health & Lifestyle report, I'm Anna Matteo.   Kevin Enochs reported this story for VOA News. Anna Matteo adapted it for Learning English using additional information from several websites. George Grow was the editor. ______________________________________________________________ Quiz Now, test your understanding by taking this short quiz. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   gene therapy – medical n. the transplantation of normal genes into cells in place of missing or defective ones in order to correct genetic disorders. blister – n. a raised area on the skin that contains clear liquid and that is caused by injury to the skin fragile – adj. easily broken or damaged opt – v. to make a choice; especially : to decide in favor of something palliative – medical n. : something that reduces the effects or symptoms of a medical condition without curing it compassion – n. a feeling of wanting to help someone who is sick, hungry, in trouble, etc. last resort – n. something done only if nothing else works indefinitely – adv. transplant – medical : to perform a medical operation in which an organ or other part that has been removed from the body of one person is put into the body of another person vital signs – n. important body functions (such as breathing and heartbeat) that are measured to see if someone is alive or healthy

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

Bitcoin Futures Rise on Financial Exchange Trading

The future prices of bitcoin increased 18 percent to more than $18,000 on Monday morning on the Chicago Board Options Exchange. Futures are a type of contract in which a buyer and a seller agree on a price for a particular item to be delivered on a date in the future. Future contracts are available for nearly everything that can be sold such as wheat, soy, gold, oil, cocoa and, now, bitcoin. The demand for bitcoin futures slowed the trading in the Chicago exchange. At times, trading on the site was not available. The price of a bitcoin itself has gone up from $1,000 at the beginning of 2017. As of December 11, it was $16,511 on the bitcoin exchange Coindesk. What is a bitcoin, anyway? Bitcoin is different from other national currencies that are supported by governments and national banks. It is not a coin or printed on paper. It is stored as a line of computer code. Bitcoin is similar to cash because you can spend it without using your real identity, as you do with a bank transfer or credit card. People who want to buy and sell anonymously like bitcoin. How is bitcoin created? Mining is the only way to create new bitcoin. People “mine” bitcoin by lending computing power to verify other users’ transactions. They receive bitcoins in exchange. The coins also can be bought and sold on exchanges with U.S. dollars and other currencies. This activity is called a blockchain. The blockchain, or global record of how bitcoin is exchanged, prevents anyone from spending the same bitcoin more than one time. How did bitcoin come to be? There is still some mystery about the creation of bitcoin in 2009. An anonymous person or group that used the name Satoshi Nakamoto described the idea of an electronic cash system in a research paper in October 2008. The first bitcoin block was created by Satoshi Nakamoto in January 2009, with a reward of 50 bitcoin. Who is using bitcoin? Some businesses, such as Overstock.com, have accepted payments in bitcoin. Still, its popularity is low compared with cash and credit cards. Many individuals and businesses will not accept bitcoins for payments. Some well-known banking executives have spoken against bitcoin. Jamie Dimon, head of JP Morgan Chase Bank called it a “fraud.” But his bank is starting to use the technology behind bitcoin, known as blockchain, to more accurately track trading and assets. I’m Jill Robbins.   Jill Robbins adapted this story for Learning English based on Associated Press and other news reports. Hai Do was the editor. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   futures - n. [always plural] finance. goods or shares that are bought at prices which are agreed to now but that are delivered at a later time code  - n. instructions in a computer program anonymous - adj. not named or identified verify - v. to prove, show, find out, or state that (something) is true or correct blockchain – n. a global running record of every bitcoin transaction transaction - n. an occurrence in which goods, services, or money are passed from one person or account to another   What do you think of the bitcoin market? Do you use bitcoin or another kind of virtual currency? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.

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

AP Report: Myanmar’s Security Forces Using Rape Against Rohingya

  A new report uses words like “sweeping” and “methodical” to describe sexual violence against Rohingya Muslims by members of Myanmar’s security forces. Reporters with the Associated Press spoke with 29 women and girls who fled to Bangladesh from Myanmar. The youngest girl they spoke to was just 13 years old; the oldest woman was 35. One of the women in the report wanted to be identified as “F”, the first letter in her name. She told the AP that, one night in June, a group of soldiers entered her home as she and her husband slept. Just days before, F found out that security forces had killed her parents. This time, she said, the solders had come for her. First, the men tied her husband up with a rope. They removed her headscarf and tied it around the husband’s mouth. Then, they threw her on the floor and one of the soldiers raped her. She struggled against him, but other soldiers held her down. She watched in fear as another soldier shot her husband in the chest. Another cut his throat. “Sickening sameness” Associated Press reporters found what they called a "sickening sameness" among the descriptions from the women and girls. Each one said she was raped by a group of men. All but one woman said her rapists wore clothes like those worn by Myanmar’s armed forces. The woman who said her attackers wore plain clothing said that her neighbors recognized the men as working at a local military base. Many of the women said the attackers’ uniforms had either a star or arrows on them. The AP said those markings "represent the different units of Myanmar's army." The attacks took place between October 2016 and the middle of September in Rakhine state, the AP reported. The news agency said doctors and aid workers are shocked by the number of rapes, but "suspect only a fraction of women have come forward." The group Doctors Without Borders told the AP that its medical workers have treated 113 sexual violence survivors since August. It said that one-third of the survivors were under 18. The youngest survivor they have treated was nine years old. Crystal van Leeuwen is an official with Doctors Without Borders. She told the AP, "The stories that they are telling us, and not only the victims themselves, but that other people are telling us about witnessing acts of sexual violence in Myanmar, make us feel that we're only capturing a very small proportion of the victims." The women's stories support the United Nations’ belief that armed forces are systematically using rape as a 'calculated tool of terror' against the Rohingya people, the AP said. It also said Myanmar's security forces refused several requests for comment. The news agency said the military carried out an internal investigation in November and ruled that none of the assaults ever took place. International reaction to Rohingya crisis Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar's civil leader, has come under criticism from the international community. Some officials say has her reaction to the Rohingya crisis has been too slow. The Nobel Peace Prize winner has said there has been “a huge iceberg of misinformation” about the issue. The Rohingya Muslim minority have been denied citizenship and other rights in Myanmar, a Buddhist-majority country. It considers them to be immigrants from Bangladesh. However, many Rohingya families have lived in Myanmar for generations. Myanmar's military has been accused of launching a scorched earth campaign against Rohingya villages. Military officials say the campaign is in response to attacks on police by Rohingya militants in August. Since then, 600,000 people have fled from Myanmar to Bangladesh. Some of the refugees have told rights groups of shootings, rapes and violent attacks by government security forces. They also accuse the security forces of setting fires to villages. The U.N. has described the reported actions carried out by Myanmar forces as "a textbook case of ethnic cleansing." I’m Ashley Thompson I'm Jonathan Evans.   Fern Robinson reported on this Associated Press story for VOANews.com. George Grow adapted her report for Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   sweeping – adj. moving over a wide area; extensive headscarf – n. a cloth worn over the head unit – n. a thing or group that is part of a larger organization fraction – n. percentage iceberg – n. a large piece of ice floating in the ocean scorched earth – adj. related to a military policy involving widespread destruction of property response – n. a reaction to something ethnic cleansing – n. the expulsion, jailing or killing of an ethnic minority by a majority population persecuted – adj. oppressed or repressed

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