Increase in North Korean Defections Could Show Impact of Sanctions

  Another North Korean soldier and two fishermen defected to South Korea on Thursday. The defections could be a sign that economic sanctions intended to punish North Korean leadership are creating difficulties for its people. South Korea’s military spokesman Roh Jae-cheon confirmed that a low-ranking soldier crossed the border on Thursday morning. He is the fourth soldier and one of 15 North Korean total defectors to cross the demilitarized zone, or DMZ, directly into the South this year. In November, a North Korean soldier was badly wounded when North Korean guards fired upon him as he ran across the DMZ to defect to the South. Most of the nearly 30,000 defectors, who have fled to South Korea since the end of the Korean War in 1953, have escaped through China. On Wednesday, the South Korean Unification Ministry said that police found two North Korean men at sea in a small boat off the coast. The two men requested asylum in South Korea and authorities are investigating their identities and claims. Also in Japan, a number of ships containing dead bodies have come ashore recently. Some analysts believe the North Korean fishing vessels did not have enough fuel to return home. Human rights groups are voicing concerns that economic sanctions against North Korea are causing food and fuel shortages for its people. The most recent sanctions ban exports from the $800 million textile industry and reduces oil imports by a third. They also include a ban on the country’s $3 billion coal, iron, lead and seafood exports. Ahn Chan-il, a North Korean defector, is president of the World Institute of North Korea Studies. He says, “These (minerals) have been banned and are no longer being sold, and it has become difficult to feed soldiers. So it is obvious for hungry soldiers to try to defect.” UN human rights representative Tomás Ojea Quintana said he is investigating reports that aid organizations were having difficulties because of the sanctions. They provide food and medical aid to at risk populations in North Korea. “I have to raise awareness with the members of the Security Council,” Quintana said. He added that the U.N. has a responsibility to prevent suffering from sanctions. In September, South Korea announced plans to donate $8 million to help the World Food Program and the United Nations Children’s Fund to provide food and medicine to poor North Koreans. And the North Korean government has rejected earlier offers of direct assistance and cooperation from the South. I’m Susan Shand. Brian Padden reported this story for VOA News. Susan Shand adapted the report for Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   defect – v. to leave a country, political party, organization, etc., and go to a different one that is a competitor or an enemy sanction – n. an action that is taken or an order that is given to force a country to obey international laws by limiting or stopping trade with that country, by not allowing economic aid for that country intend – v. to have (something) in your mind as a purpose or goal obvious – adj. easy to see or notice  

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Grammar and Christmas

Many Americans experience surprise (or disappointment) when they wake up on Christmas Day. They might be surprised or disappointed by a family member's actions. They might be happy or unhappy about a Christmas gift. Imagine a child expects to get an Xbox or PlayStation for Christmas. On Christmas morning, they quickly open their gift …. Inside is an English grammar book. They might feel disappointed. The Everyday Grammar team would prefer the new English grammar book. But if you are like most young people, you would probably rather have a new videogame system. Today, we are going to explore those feelings – feelings of surprise and disappointment. In other words, we are going to explore how speakers show that reality was better or worse than their expectations. Counter expectation Many languages use words to express expectation. Speakers also use words to express how events are not happening as expected. This idea is known as "counter expectation."* Do not worry about the term. Just remember that it means that speakers use words to show that reality is going against (or countering) their expectations. English has many words that serve this purpose. Three of the most common are the words "even," "still," and "actually." You will often hear them in casual, everyday speech. Speakers use these words to show surprise or disappointment. The pitch of their voice tells you what they mean. Let's study examples of each word. #1 Even Speakers often use the word "even" to show disappointment or surprise. Imagine a young child that expects a phone call from a family member – perhaps an uncle or grandparent. The phone call never comes. The child might say the following: "What's wrong with him? He didn't even call me on Christmas day."​ ​   Here, the child is expressing disappointment. She could have expressed the same idea in a much longer statement, such as: "I was expecting him to call on Christmas Day, but I didn't hear from him. Why didn’t he give me a call?" "Even" highlights the child's disappointment because it emphasizes that the family member did not try to call. "Even" does not always have a sad meaning. It can have a happy meaning too. Imagine a man named Ted. Ted is a forgetful man. He forgets to send letters or gifts to his parents. Ted's parents might have the following talk after they get a Christmas letter from him: "Did you see Ted's letter? Yeah – he even sent us a gift!" Here, the word "even" shows a pleasant surprise. Ted's mother did not expect a gift from him. By saying "he even sent us a gift" she is suggesting that Ted has gone beyond her expectations. #2 Still Americans sometimes use "still" for showing how reality does not quite meet their expectations. Consider this example, from the 1986 film, Ferris Bueller's Day Off. At the end of the film, Ferris says the following lines. A different speaker might say similar lines after a lengthy, tiring, and disagreeable family Christmas party: You're still here? It's over! Go home. Go!" In the film, you can see the surprised look on Ferris' face. When he says, "You're still here," you can tell he did not expect people to still be around.  He is a little disappointed.   Now, imagine a different situation. A family is having a Christmas dinner. They are looking for one family member, Uncle Bob. They wonder if he left without saying goodbye. "-Have you seen Uncle Bob? -No. Did he leave?  Wait! There he is! He's still here!" The way the final speaker says "still" shows that she is surprised to learn he was still at the dinner. She expected otherwise. #3 Actually A third common word that shows surprise or disappointment is "actually." "Actually" suggests something is true – even when it differs from what might have been thought or expected. Remember Uncle Bob? Bob has always been a nice guy. Imagine Uncle Bob sees a Christmas present he likes, and then runs away with it. A speaker might say: "I can't believe it! Uncle Bob actually stole her Christmas gift." Here, the speaker uses “actually” to emphasize the unexpectedness of a happening – Uncle Bob stealing the present. She does not sound very happy! Speakers can use "actually" to show positive feelings, too. Think back to our character Ted – the guy who always forgets to give gifts for Christmas. His parents could have shown their surprise at receiving a gift from Ted by saying the following: "Ted actually gave us a gift!" Here, the word "actually" shows that they are pleasantly surprised at this strange happening: Ted remembered Christmas! What can you do? The next time you are listening to an English speaker, try to find examples of words that show "counter expectation." Is the speaker expressing surprise or disappointment? How does the speaker change the pitch of their voice? By answering these questions, you will start to learn how English speakers communicate emotions in subtle ways. -"Excuse me, John, are you still recording your show?" -"Yes!" -"You're still recording? We have to go to the Christmas party!" -"Oh no! I had actually forgotten about that! And that's Everyday Grammar." I'm John Russell. I'm Anna Mateo. And I'm Ashley Thompson.   John Russell wrote this story for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. *John McWhorter. Why English Won't - and Can't - Sit Still (Like, Literally). Picador. 2016 pgs. 37-41 _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   prefer – v. to like (someone or something) better than someone or something else​ rather – adv. used to indicate what you want or prefer to do, have, etc.​ pitch – n. the highness or lowness of a sound​ emphasize – v. to give special attention to (something) : to place emphasis on (something)​ disappointment – n. a feeling of sadness or displeasure when one's hopes or expectations are not fulfilled casual – adj. not formal positive – adj. thinking about the good qualities of someone or something : thinking that a good result will happen: hopeful or optimistic​ subtle – adj. hard to notice or see : not obvious

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Squatters Demonstrate Brazil’s Poverty

  Luciano Oliveira looks at the floor of the small poorly built wooden house where he lives. It is among thousands of similar poor homes in an occupation near the city of Sao Paulo. Oliveira was fired from his restaurant job at a few months ago, after arriving from the northeastern state of Bahia. “I can’t read. I can’t write. And I have nowhere else to go,” said Oliveira, 23. “But here I met so many people like me. I feel I am part of a movement now. This has become my family.” More than 8,000 shacks and poorer shelters make up Oliveira’s occupation, or “squat.” It is one of the largest in Brazil. The 20-year-old Brazilian group, Homeless Workers Movement, organized it and others across the country. The group seizes abandoned government buildings to house homeless people. Sometimes the group negotiates with governments and private companies for such use. Brazil continues to recover from economic crisis. Oliveira’s neighborhood shows how difficult life has been for the poorest Brazilians. The labor union research organization DIEESE says almost 42 percent of squatters are unemployed. That is almost 30 percentage points above the national average. On average, they earn about $350 a month, less than the average cost of rent for a two-bedroom home in Sao Paulo’s metropolitan area. Seventeen percent of 15 to 17 year olds in squats are not attending school. Instead, many must work to help their families survive. The occupation near Sao Paulo has little electricity. Some shelters are no more than pieces of plastic on the ground and above. Others have wood walls and floors. Adriana Marcolino is a DIEESE researcher. She said Brazil is not investing enough in social policies, including the minimum wage. She said more such occupations may be established, as a result. She called the squatters “the face of Brazil’s poorest citizens.” For many, the squatters are the face of Brazil’s deepest poverty. Many entertainers organized a concert in central Sao Paulo on December 10 to raise money to help the homeless. Grammy-award winner Caetano Veloso sought to perform at a squat. A judge barred him from doing so, saying it was unsafe. People who live near the squatters are less sympathetic, and have called on them to leave. “They make noise all night long. They don’t care about people that were already here and are not to blame for their situation,” said neighbor Carlos Elias. He lives in a building of costly homes next to the squatters. Recently, gunshots were fired at the occupation from a nearby building. One squatter was wounded in the arm. The Homeless Workers Movement has received much attention this year. Some think its leader, Guilherme Boulos, will run for president next year. If so, he would take votes away from former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, the frontrunner. But Lula da Silva may not seek any office at all. A court found him guilty of corruption in July and sentenced him to more than nine years in prison. The case is in the appeals process. Boulos said whether to run “is not a decision for now.” He said his biggest concern now is the squats. Recently, squatters seized the headquarters of Sao Paulo state’s housing administration and demanded negotiations with the government. They did not leave until the government agreed to let the squats remain for at least four months while the two sides held talks. On a recent day at the squat, most tents sat empty as their owners were out looking for work. Some people made use of the five kitchens and several bathrooms. Renata Swiecik, 31, has lived in the squatters’ neighborhood for three months. She last held a steady job three years ago. She begs to support her four children. She says her two youngest live with their grandmother mostly, so they do not have to bathe in cold water every day. “When the cold comes at night and during our showers we can’t pretend that we want to be here forever,” she said. The building company MZM owns the land on which the squat sits. The company is taking legal action to reclaim the property. In October, a court ordered the land be returned to MZM. The squatters have ignored the decision. Luciano Oliveira spoke of possible police action to remove the squatters. “If they come we will be here.” he said. “We have nothing to lose.” I’m Dorothy Gundy. And I’m Susan Shand.   The Associated Press reported this story. Susan Shand adapted it for VOA Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   squat – v. to live in a building or on land without the owner's permission and without paying shack – n.  small house or building that is not put together well conviction – n. the act of proving that a person is guilty of a crime in a court of law frontrunner - n. the person or thing that is most likely to win a race or competition

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News Words: Jackpot

This news word is about a Powerball lottery winner in the United States.

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UN Approves Resolution Rejecting US Decision on Jerusalem

The United Nations General Assembly voted Thursday in an emergency special session to reject U.S. President Donald Trump’s declaration of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.  The U.N. resolution was approved with 128 yes votes, nine no votes, and 35 abstentions.                                             Before the vote, Trump and his U.N. ambassador, Nikki Haley, had threatened to cut off aid to member states that voted in favor of the resolution. Speaking before the resolution was approved, Haley said: “The United States will remember this day in which it was singled out for attacks in the General Assembly for the very act of exercising our right as a sovereign nation. We will remember it when we are called upon to once again make the world’s largest contribution to the United Nations.” Earlier this month, Trump reversed years of U.S. policy in recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. The decision led to anger and protests from Palestinians and across the Arab world. Israel considers Jerusalem its indivisible capital and wants all embassies based there. Palestinians want the capital of an independent Palestinian state to be in eastern Jerusalem. Israel captured that area in the Six-Day War in 1967. However, the move was never recognized internationally. On Thursday, an aide to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas thanked countries that voted in favor of the resolution “despite all the pressure exerted on them.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he completely rejects the “preposterous” U.N. resolution. He said in a video published on Facebook that Jerusalem “always was, always will be Israel’s capital.” He also thanked Trump for his defense of Israel. While Thursday’s vote was a victory for Palestinians, fewer U.N. members voted “yes” than expected. Observers had predicted at least 150 “yes” votes. The United States vetoed a similar draft resolution on Monday in the 15-member U.N. Security Council. The remaining 14 Security Council members voted in favor of it. However, the United States used its veto power to block its adoption. Haley said after Monday's Security Council vote, "The United States will not be told by any country where we can put our embassy." Trump has said he plans to move the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Haley also warned other countries in a letter before the vote. At the U.N., several diplomats said they had received Haley’s letter, but did not plan to change their position. Thursday’s emergency General Assembly session was requested by Palestinian envoy Riyad Mansour. Mansour said he hoped the measure would receive "overwhelming support." General Assembly resolutions are non-binding. Rather, they demonstrate the majority opinion of the international community. I’m Ashley Thompson.   Ashley Thompson adapted this story for Learning English based on VOA News and Associated Press news reports. Hai Do was the editor. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   abstention - n. a formal refusal to vote on something contribution - n. a regular payment that is made to an organization exert - v. to cause pressure, force in order to have an effect preposterous - adj. very foolish or silly overwhelming - adj. very great in number, effect or force non-binding - adj. not officially required or not able to be enforced  

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Trump Threatens to Cut Aid to UN Members Over Jerusalem Vote

U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to stop giving financial aid to countries that vote in favor of an emergency United Nations resolution this week. The draft resolution calls for the United States to withdraw its decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. Trump told reporters at the White House Wednesday, “They take hundreds of millions and even billions of dollars, and then they vote against us. Well, we’re watching those votes." “Let them vote against us. We’ll save a lot. We don’t care,” the president added. The 193-member U.N. General Assembly will hold the rare emergency special session on Thursday. Arab and Muslim countries requested the special session. Egypt drafted the resolution. The United States vetoed the draft resolution on Monday in the 15-member U.N. Security Council. The remaining 14 Security Council members voted in favor of it. The draft resolution does not directly mention Trump or the United States. But it expresses “deep regret at decisions concerning the status of Jerusalem.” Nikki Haley, the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, said in a letter to several U.N. states that Trump had asked her to “report back on those countries who voted against us.” She repeated that warning in a Twitter post, writing, “The U.S. will be taking names.” Bolivia’s U.N. Ambassador, Sacha Sergio Llorentty Soliz, said of Haley’s message: “The first name that she should write down is Bolivia.” He added that the message was disrespectful and arrogant. Several senior diplomats said Haley’s warning was not likely to change many votes in the General Assembly, where such public, direct threats are rare. Miroslav Lajcak, the president of the General Assembly, did not comment on Trump’s threat. But he did say, “It’s the right and responsibility of member states to express their views.” A spokesman for U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also did not comment on Trump’s remarks. Trump reversed US position on Jerusalem Trump suddenly reversed years of U.S. policy earlier this month when he recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. The decision led to anger and protests from Palestinians and across the Arab world, as well as concern among Western allies of the United States. Trump has said he plans to move the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv. The draft U.N. resolution calls on all countries to not establish diplomatic missions in Jerusalem. Israel considers Jerusalem its indivisible capital and wants all embassies based there. Palestinians want the capital of an independent Palestinian state to be in the city’s eastern area, which Israel captured in the Six-Day War in 1967. The move was never recognized internationally. I’m Ashley Thompson.   Reuters reported this story. Ashley Thompson adapted it for Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   draft - n. a version of something (like a document) before the final version take names - expression, keeping track of countries (in this instance) that are against the U.S. arrogant - adj. showing the insulting attitude that they are better, smarter, or more important than other senior - adj. higher standing or rank  

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December 20, 2017

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

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Facebook Admits Social Media Can Harm Mental Health

  Facebook has released new research suggesting social media can harm mental health when used in certain ways. The research is discussed in an online report titled “Hard Questions: Is Spending Time on Social Media Bad for Us?” Facebook’s director of research, David Ginsberg, wrote the report along with social psychologist Moira Burke. The two cooperated with psychology and sociology experts and mental health professionals. Several studies were used to support the findings. Interaction has an effect on users Facebook said research suggested that social media users who spent a lot of time only reading information – but not interacting with others – reported feeling worse afterward. Users who had interaction during the experience reported having better feelings. The company cited a study from the University of Michigan. It found that college students chosen to only read Facebook for 10 minutes were in a worse mood at the end of the day than those who read and posted messages or communicated with friends. Facebook also reported a survey by the University of California San Diego and Yale. It found that people who opened at least four times as many links as average users - or who “liked” twice as many posts – reported worse mental health than average. The report noted that some research makes a strong connection between technology use and teen depression. It said such problems may arise because mobile phones have redefined relationships, creating a state of people being “alone together.” The researchers said some people become depressed by looking at social media profiles and posts of others and then making negative comparisons to themselves. A study by Carnegie Mellon University suggested positive results for increased interaction. It found people who sent or received more messages and comments on their personal pages reported better improvements in social support, depression and loneliness. Facebook said these improvements were even greater when the interactions took place with close friends and family. An additional study suggested that stressed students were twice as likely to choose Facebook to make themselves feel better than to watch online videos or play video games. Overall, Facebook said it is not just social media use that can affect a person’s well-being. Rather, it believes both good and bad effects can result from how the service is used. Critics say Facebook is exploiting users The information on the new research came shortly after two former Facebook officials strongly criticized the social media service for its harmful effects on society. Facebook’s founding president Sean Parker – who no longer has ties to the company – accused the social media service of using methods that “exploit” human psychology. Parker said the goal in the early days of Facebook was to find ways to take up as much of a user’s time and attention as possible. This development model, Parker claims, created an addictive system to keep people on Facebook for long periods to seek “likes” and comments from others to make them feel good.   Former Facebook executive Chamath Palihapitiya recently told an audience that he feels guilty for helping develop Facebook when he knew deep down that “something bad could happen.” He said he now believes Facebook and other social media services provide tools that are “ripping apart” the way humans interact in society. He said the problems are being fueled by the basic need of people to seek ongoing feedback from others. Such feedback can actually lead to the pleasure chemical dopamine being released in the brain, he added.  Palihapitiya says he has no easy solutions for how to solve these “destroying” influences of social media. In his own life, he rarely uses Facebook and said he does not allow his children to use it. In a television interview, he did say he believes Facebook is now doing more than other technology companies to address the negative effects of social media. Cal Newport is a professor of computer science at Georgetown University in Washington D.C. He has studied and written a lot about the harmful effects of social media. He told an online technology conference that most major social media companies now employ “attention engineers” to help design products that are as addictive as possible. Newport cited research suggesting social media use can break up a person’s attention throughout the day. He says evidence shows that over time, this can permanently reduce an individual’s ability to fully concentrate, possibly limiting education and job success.  He also cited research confirming that social media use can lead to loneliness, depression and anxiety. Newport urges everyone to consider quitting social media – like he has - and he provides steps for helping people do this. I’m Bryan Lynn.   Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English, based on material from Facebook, the Associated Press and other sources.  Hai Do was the editor. What are your thoughts on the effects of Facebook and other social media on mental health? Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   interact – v. to talk or do things with other people mood – n. the way a person feels at a particular time negative – adj. bad or harmful, not wanted positive – adj. good or useful exploit – v. to get value or use from something or use in a way that helps someone unfairly addictive – adj. a strong and sometimes harmful need to regularly have or do something pleasure – n. feeling of happiness or enjoyment concentrate – v. give your full attention and thoughts to something anxiety – n. feeling or being worried or upset  

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S. Korea Wants to Postpone Military Drills Until After Olympics

South Korean President Moon Jae-in said on Tuesday that next year’s joint military exercises with the United States might be postponed until after the Olympics. In an interview with NBC News, the South Korean leader said he had made the “suggestion to the U.S., and the U.S is currently reviewing (it).” A presidential official in Seoul said the decision to delay the exercises would depend on North Korea avoiding any provocations during the Olympics. The 2018 Winter Olympics will be held in PyeongChang in February. President Moon said a lack of provocations during the games would help create an opportunity for talks between the two Koreas and between the United States and North Korea. However, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said in Ottawa, Canada, on Tuesday he did not know of any plans to delay the regular military exercises. Tillerson had earlier said the United States was prepared to hold unconditional peace talks with North Korea. But after being corrected by the White House, he explained that the North must first avoid additional provocations. Is it wishful thinking? In the last two years, North Korea has accelerated its missile and nuclear development program. Last month, the country’s state media announced it had the ability to hit the U.S. mainland with an intercontinental ballistic missile. The Moon administration calls the February games the “Olympics for Peace.” Moon's government has been urging North Korea to take part, to both calm the region and encourage future talks. Critics do not believe North Korea will change its actions in response to Moon’s words. David Straub is an analyst with the Sejong Institute in South Korea. He said, “all this focus on the Olympics as an opening for diplomacy and peace is very much wishful thinking.” The United States and South Korea regularly hold military exercises to prepare for possible conflict with the North. The exercises held in the spring involve about 17,000 U.S. troops and more than 300,000 South Koreans. A delay in the U.S.-South Korea joint military exercises could be seen as consideration toward China and Russia. The two powers proposed a suspension of the exercises in return for North Korea stopping further nuclear and missile tests. Neither the U.S. nor South Korea have agreed to the Chinese and Russian proposal. Delaying the joint drills could also help improve relations between South Korea and China. Relations between the countries have grown difficult over South Korea’s deployment of the U.S. THAAD missile defense system. China objects to the system's powerful radar that can potentially see far into its territory. South trying to engage the North Since taking office in May, Moon has tried to improve relations with the Kim Jong Un government while supporting strong economic sanctions against the North. Straub said many in the Moon administration want to bring back the Sunshine Policy of the early 2000s. The policy provided unconditional aid to the North but failed to persuade the country to end its hostile behavior or nuclear program. “The Sunshine Policy was supposed to be nice to the North Koreans in the hopes that eventually they would be nice to our side. And it is quite clear by what the North Koreans have done, especially in the past few years, that that is not their intention and not what they’re going to do,” he said. North Korea has rejected past offers from the South for humanitarian aid and to host reunions for families separated by the division of the Korean Peninsula. The North Korean Olympic Committee missed the Oct. 30 deadline to register for the winter games, but the International Olympic Committee has said it is still not too late. Two North Korean skaters are the country’s only athletes to qualify for the winter games so far. I’m Mario Ritter.   Brian Padden reported this story for VOA. Susan Shand adapted the report for Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   review – v. to carefully look at or examine the quality or condition of something or someone provocation – n. an action or occurrence that causes someone to become angry opportunity  – n. an amount of time or a situation in which something can be done​ regular – adj.  happening over and over again at the same time or in the same way​ accelerate – v. to cause (something) to happen sooner or more quickly ballistic missile – n. a weapon that is shot through the sky over a great distance and then falls to the ground and explodes region – n. a part of a country, of the world, etc., that is different or separate from other parts in some way​ encourage – v.  to make (something) more appealing or more likely to happen​ response – n. something that is done as a reaction to something else​ analyst – n a person who studies something​; an expert in a field focus – v. to direct your attention or effort at something specific drill – n.  an exercise done to practice military skills or procedures​ potentially – ​adv. capable of becoming real ​ nice – ​adj. kind, polite, and friendly​ eventually – ​adv. at some later time : in the end​ intention – n.  the thing that you plan to do or achieve : an aim or purpose​ athlete – n. a person who is trained in or good at sports, games, or exercises that require physical skill and strength​  

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A Few Films For All Holiday Moviegoers

  What makes a film right for the holidays? It has to appeal to the whole family and moviegoers of all ages. This year, three high-budget films meet the requirements. Star Wars: The Last Jedi was released widely last Friday. The political thriller, The Post, comes out this Friday. And the musical, The Greatest Showman, will be in theaters December 20th. Star Wars: The Last Jedi, is the latest in the series about the fight of the Resistance against the First Order. And this installment is absorbing, even to those who do not follow Star Wars like a religion. The visually powerful science fiction film includes massive sets and complex characters.  And the story is unpredictable, although it does, of course, center on the battle of good against evil.  Actor Daisy Ridley again plays the part of Rey, a resistance member, who finds Luke Skywalker and uncovers the powers of the Jedi.  Actor Mark Hamill, who returns to the part of Luke Skywalker, praised the size and detail of the production.  "I've never been on a set that opulent in my life, plus 150 extras in exotic makeups and alien prosthetics."    This is the first Star Wars movie directed by Rian Johnson. "I hope audiences come out of the theater wanting to run into their backyard, grab their Star Wars toys and start flying spaceships around. I hope it just feels like a great Star Wars movie, a fun Star Wars movie, that takes you back to being ten years old again."  From sci-fi... "This is a devastating security breach that was leaked out of the Pentagon?" ...we turn to a real-life political story that shook America in the 1970s.   "If the government wins, the Washington Post will cease to exist. " In The Post, director Steven Spielberg tells a story of bravery in journalism. In the 1970s, The Washington Post newspaper published parts of top-secret government documents. The documents described the war in Vietnam as a lost cause. They also showed that the US government lied about the extent of its involvement in the war.  Tom Hanks plays Ben Bradlee, the famed Washington Post editor.   "The way they lied, those days have to be over."   Meryl Streep plays Washington Post publisher Katherine Graham, one of very few of women in leadership positions at the time. "If you publish, we'll be at the Supreme Court next week."  "Meaning?  "We could all go to prison." The Post is a highly entertaining, fast moving political drama that will appeal to fans of political thrillers. But it should also interest people who see a link between the 1970s American political environment and the current one. "What will happen if we don't publish? We will lose. The country will lose!" If you consider movie musicals as the beating heart of the holidays, you are in for a treat. This year, actor Hugh Jackman takes center stage as The Greatest Showman. "Ladies and Gents this is the moment you've been waiting for!"   The Michael Gracey film is based on the life of P.T. Barnum, founder of the Barnum and Bailey Circus, which he called "The Greatest Show on Earth."   Hugh Jackman plays the celebrated character as he rises to fame. He gathers people with unusual skills who live on the edges of society. Together, they create an extraordinary variety show. Critics have not been able to review the film, yet. But, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association nominated it for two Golden Globes: best musical or comedy and best actor. The music writers of last year’s hit “La La Land” are also behind the songs in The Greatest Showman. I’m Caty Weaver.   Penelope Poulou reported this story for VOA News. Caty Weaver adapted it for Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   thriller – n. a novel, movie, etc., that is very exciting : a story full of exciting action, mystery, adventure, or suspense character – n. a person who appears in a story, book, play, movie, or television show opulent – adj. very comfortable and costly exotic – adj. very different, strange, or unusual prosthetic – n. an artificial feature or piece of flexible material applied to a person's face or body to change their appearance temporarily drama – n.  a play, movie, television show, or radio show that is about a serious subject and is not meant to make the audience laugh stage – n. a raised platform in a theater, auditorium, etc., where the performers stand variety – adj. a type of entertainment that has many short performances (such as dances, skits, and songs) which follow one another and that are not related — usually used before another noun

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Anti-Smoking Foundation Faces Criticism

  A new organization called the Foundation for a Smoke-Free World is being criticized by health and anti-smoking groups. They accuse the foundation of acting secretly to assist tobacco companies, a charge the foundation’s president denied. Derek Yach is the founder and head of the non-profit foundation. He was one of the planners of the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in 2005.  Yach said the Convention has been largely successful in preventing people from smoking and “in slowing the increase in kids through higher taxes, marketing and so on.”  But, he told VOA, the Convention does not focus on trying to get the billion current smokers in the world to quit the habit. Yach said more than seven million people globally die earlier than necessary each year from tobacco. He said his foundation’s mission was to get these smokers away from their addiction by using new harm reduction tools such as e-cigarettes and vaping. “If these products have an impact,” he said, “we need to have independent research to show that they should be given more support.  “So, our work will not be to simply push them out, but to do high quality research to look at the negative and positive sides.” The foundation accepted a $1 billion grant from the large tobacco company Philip Morris. The money is to be paid in $80 million yearly payments over the next 12 years. Philip Morris is also a producer of e-cigarettes and is pushing hard into the vaping market. Vince Willmore is a Vice-President of Communications at the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids. With so much money involved, he questioned whether the alliance between the foundation and Philip Morris has credibility. Willmore accused the foundation of trying to “undermine real efforts to reduce the death and disease caused by tobacco use around the world.” He added the foundation was really trying to help Philip Morris sell more products. “It is hard to take Philip Morris seriously that they want a smoke-free world when they are marketing cigarettes as aggressively as ever and they are fighting real solutions to reduce smoking.” If Philip Morris wanted to reduce smoking, he said, it would push for higher taxes, smoke-free policies, and strong warnings on cigarette packages. These are actions that really work, he added. Yach told VOA he had not taken the side of big tobacco. He said that some people “could never understand that profitability and public health can actually work together.” He said his relationship with Philip Morris was not based on trust. “No. What they want to do is have a product that is less risky and that makes them profits. That is the beginning and end of it,” he said. Yach knows that many of his former colleagues at the World Health Organization (WHO) disagree with his decision to work with Philip Morris. He said he also wants to rid the world of tobacco products, but “with one billion lives hanging in the balance, we urgently must do more to cut the adult smoking rate,” he said. WHO would not comment for this article. However, the global health organization issued the following statement: “The tobacco industry and its front groups have misled the public about risks associated with other tobacco products. This includes promoting so-called light and mild tobacco products as an alternative to quitting, while being fully aware that those products were not less harmful to health.” WHO noted the many “conflicts of interest” involved in the foundation and the tobacco company. It stated that “WHO will not partner with the foundation. Governments should not partner with the foundation and the public health community should follow this lead.” Derek Yach said that he set up measures, including a legal firewall, to protect the foundation from the influence of the tobacco company. He added his foundation would lose its non-profit status if they let Philip Morris influence them. Despite his many protestations, Yach admitted that he has some difficulty in dealing with his tobacco business partner. “When I go into meetings with Philip Morris, I feel I have to hold my nose and that is something I suspect will continue for a long time,” he said. I'm Susan Shand.    Lisa Schlein reported this story for VOA. Susan Shand adapted the story for Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   addiction – n. a strong and harmful need to have something vape – v. inhale and exhale the vapor produced by an electronic cigarette or similar device. colleague – n. a person who works with you front group – n. an organization that purports to represent one agenda while in reality it serves some other party or interest firewall – n. a very thick wall that keeps fire from spreading

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