Trump Praises Iranian Protesters

  U.S. President Donald Trump praised Iranian protesters Tuesday. He said Iranians were “finally acting against the brutal and corrupt” government in Tehran. The demonstrations are the largest seen in Iran since the country’s disputed presidential election in 2009. The Associated Press says at least 21 people have died in the unrest. The protests began Thursday in Mashhad over Iran’s weak economy and an increase in food prices. They have since expanded to other cities, with some protesters denouncing the government and Iran’s top leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Hundreds of people have been arrested. A well-known judge on Tuesday warned that some could face the death penalty. On Twitter, Trump wrote that "all of the money" that former President Barack Obama, in his words, "so foolishly gave" to Iran as part of a 2015 nuclear agreement "went into terrorism and into their 'pockets.' The people have little food, big inflation and no human rights.” He added, “The U.S. is watching!" After Trump's attack, Iran’s foreign ministry said Trump was “wasting his time sending useless and insulting tweets regarding other countries.” It urged Trump to attend to domestic issues affecting the United States, “such as daily killings of dozens of people...and the existence of millions of homeless and hungry people." Earlier Tuesday, Khamenei made his first public comments since the demonstrations began. "In recent days,” he said, “enemies of Iran used different tools... to create troubles for the Islamic Republic." Iranian state television broadcast his statement. Khamenei said he would talk more about the protests in the coming days. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani ​said on Monday that security forces would "respond to rioters and lawbreakers."   Deputy Interior Minister Hossein Zolfaghari said 90 percent of those who have been detained are under 25 years old. Many young people are unhappy about a lack of social freedoms and worsening economic conditions in the country. Turkey's Foreign Ministry said Tuesday it hopes foreign involvement will be avoided in Iran, and that it is concerned about the reported deaths. The ministry said violence should be avoided. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the protesters "brave" and "heroic.” British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson called on all those involved to avoid violence. Johnson also said, "We believe that there should be meaningful debate about the legitimate and important issues the protesters are raising and we look to the Iranian authorities to permit this.” Rouhani described the demonstrators as the “minority who chant slogans against the law and the people’s wishes.” The Iranian president added, “The people are absolutely free in expressing their criticisms and even protests. But criticism is different to violence and destroying public property." Hussein Banai teaches at Indiana University in the United States. He told VOA that many earlier protests in Iran have been led by academics and activists. This time, he says, working classes are leading the demonstrations. And they are doing so in a less organized way. The Trump administration says it is “very concerned” about Iran blocking its people from communicating through social media in an effort to weaken the protests. A State Department official said Tuesday that the U.S. is urging Iranians to use VPNs, or virtual private networks, to get around the government’s restrictions. Iran restricted use of Telegram and Instagram on Sunday. State media said the moves were meant to keep peace. Iranians had been using the apps to communicate about the street demonstrations.  I'm Ashley Thompson.    VOA News reported this story. Ashley Thompson adapted it for Learning English, with additional materials from the Associated Press. George Grow was the editor.  ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   brutal  - adj. extremely cruel or harsh death penalty - n. death as a punishment given by a court of law for very serious crimes domestic - adj. of, relating to, or made in your own country pocket - n. a usually small cloth bag that is sewn into a piece of clothing, a larger bag, etc., and that is open at the top or side so that you can put things into it respond - v. to say or write something as an answer to a question or request chant - v. to say (a word or phrase) many times in a rhythmic way usually loudly and with other people slogan - n. a word or phrase that is easy to remember and is used by a group or business to attract attention academic - n. a person who is a teacher in a college or university app - n. a computer program that performs a special function​

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The History of Words Borrowed from Japanese

  Think of a language as a living thing. Like most things living, languages are always growing and changing. And today, in our highly connected world, these changes happen more and more quickly. Every year, for example, the Merriam Webster English Dictionary adds many new words – or new meanings for common words -- to the English language. English has always been made of up of words from many languages. Most English words come from Latin, Germanic languages and French. But, in the last several hundred years, English has borrowed words and terms from other languages. These so-called “borrowed” words are not returned, of course. Rather, they remain part of a language for a very long time. You can learn a lot about history and culture by looking at what led to the borrowing of certain words. Today, we will tell you the story of words that English has borrowed from Japanese. It may surprise you that English has taken more than a dozen words from Japanese. They include skosh, honcho, tycoon, hunky-dory and, most recently, emoji. Emoji Let’s start with emoji. About 10 years ago, English speakers used the word emoticons for computer keyboard symbols that express emotion in electronic messages and on the Internet. That was before the invention of smiley face icons.   Then, in the late 1990s, a Japanese computer programmer named Shigetaku Kurita changed everything when he invented emoji* -- images, icons and symbols that express meaning without words. In Japanese, the word emoji means “pictograph” and comes from the word e meaning “picture” and moji, meaning “letter” or “character.” The similarity to the English word “emotion” is only by chance. Skosh Another word English borrowed from Japanese is skosh. The English meaning of skosh is “a small amount.” The word is used informally in English. It comes from the Japanese word sukoshi, which means the same thing. In Japanese, sukoshi can also mean “a few” “a little" or "some." Notice the similarity between the English and Japanese pronunciations: skosh and sukoshi. American soldiers picked up sukoshi while they were stationed in Japan after World War II. They brought it back with them to the United States in the 1950s. While the English word is a noun, the Merriam-Webster Dictionary notes that, sometimes we also use the word as an adverb, such as in the example “I’m a skosh hungry” In other words: "I'm a little bit hungry." Honcho Honcho, another word borrowed from Japanese, also came into use around World War II. In English, honcho means "person in charge.” In Japanese, the word is hancho. It means "squad leader" and comes from two words: han meaning “squad" and cho meaning "head" or "chief." Imprisoned American servicemen in Japan learned about the word. Later, they brought it back with them to the United States. When native English speakers use the word honcho, they often say "head honcho." It has the same meaning as honcho. However, it is a native English speaker mistake, since "head honcho" is redundant. Tycoon Another borrowed Japanese word that describes someone who holds a lot of power is tycoon. In English, the word refers to a very wealthy and powerful businessperson. Tycoon comes from the Japanese taikun meaning “great lord or prince.” The word comes from the Middle Chinese word tai kiun. In the mid-1800s, the United States was ready to use military power to force Japan to re-open trade relations with the West. Navy officer Commodore Matthew Perry led the negotiations. When he arrived in Japan, he refused to meet with anyone other than the highest official in the empire. The Japanese presented Perry with their shogun, or general of the Japanese army. But they were concerned that the English translation of his title would not seem powerful enough to Perry. So, they introduced their shogun using the title taikun. What Perry – or the West – did not realize was that shoguns had more power than emperors in Japan at the time. Perry’s negotiations with Japan were successful. And the word tycoon soon became popular in America. It came to mean “top leader.” Tycoon first appeared in print in the U.S. in 1857. Even Abraham Lincoln began to like the word. When he was president, members of his cabinet called him tycoon as a nickname. Hunky-dory Our final example today is hunky-dory. Today, this adjective means “fine” or “free of trouble or problems.” The word hunky-dory is actually a combination of words from two languages. The first part of the word – hunky – means “in a safe position.” Word experts say it is from the Dutch word honk, which means "post” or “station.”   In the mid-1800s, “hunk” was a slang term that children in New York City used in street games, such as tag. In this game, one or more players chase after other players in an attempt to touch them with their hands. If the players reach the secure location before being tagged, they are considered “safe.” The story of the second part of the word – dory – is less clear. One theory from 1876 links the word hunky-dory to the Japanese word honcho-dori. This was believed to be a street in Japan where American sailors went to have fun while they were stationed there. However, clear evidence does not exist to prove this is true. What is clear, though, is that the pronunciation of the word for “street” in Japanese sounds a lot like “dory.” It’s pronounced tori. Join us again soon to learn the history of English words borrowed from other languages. I'm Jill Robbins. I’m Alice Bryant.   Alice Bryant wrote this story for Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   dozen - n. a group of twelve things or people keyboard - n.  the set of keys that are used for a computer or typewriter icon – n. a small picture on a computer screen that represents a program or function pictograph – n. a pictorial symbol for a word or phrase pronunciation – n. the way in which a word is said squad – n. a group of people who are involved in a particular activity empire – n. a group of countries or regions that are controlled by one ruler or one government redundant – adj. a group of countries or regions that are controlled by one ruler or one government nickname – n. a name that is different from your real name but that family, friends or others call you slang – adj. words that are not part of standard language but are used informally   *In English, the plural form of the word is emojis.

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Pakistan Meets with US Ambassador over Trump’s Comments

  Pakistan called a meeting with the United States ambassador in Islamabad Tuesday. The talks came one day after U.S. President Donald Trump criticized Pakistan for continuing to provide shelter for terrorists. He was speaking about militants who are fighting U.S. forces in nearby Afghanistan. The president’s comments about Pakistan appeared on the Twitter online messaging service. In his first tweet of 2018, Trump said the U.S. government has "foolishly" given Pakistan over 33 billion dollars in aid over the past 15 years. In return, he continued, the U.S. had gotten "nothing but lies & deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools.” Trump added, "They (Pakistan’s government) give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!" U.S. officials have long accused Pakistan of failing to deal with or of secretly helping the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani network. The two groups have carried out cross-border attacks against Afghan and U.S.-led forces. Pakistan’s government denies claims it is sheltering Afghan militants. The government says anti-state militants are using Afghanistan for terrorist attacks against Pakistan.  On Monday, Pakistani Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif reacted to Trump’s comments. The official wrote on Twitter that his country "will let the world know the truth...difference between facts and fiction." Rafiq Dossani is with the Rand Corporation research group. “There is no doubt that Pakistan remains a safe haven in many areas for terrorist activity. I mean, compared to the last two years, things have changed dramatically for the better, but not at the level where it should be.” Dossani told VOA that Asif wants the world to know that his country "is in the front lines of the battle against terrorism.” He said Pakistanis believe they have paid dearly for problems that were created a long time ago “without their consent.” He was speaking about the 1979 invasion of Afghanistan by the former Soviet Union. Dossani said Pakistanis "feel aggrieved" that what they have lost "is so much more than any other country." He said that their failures have been recognized more than their sacrifices. President Trump announced his administration’s policy on South Asia last August. At the time, he accused Pakistan of providing “safe haven” to terrorists.  The administration also announced at the time that it was suspending $255 million in military assistance until Pakistan takes steps to fight extremists. Richard Green and Ayuz Gul reported on this story for VOANews.com. George Grow adapted their report for Learning English. Mario Ritter Jr. was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   deceit – n. dishonest behavior haven – n. a place of shelter or safety fiction – n. a made-up story; something that is not true dearly – adv. very much consent – n. approval; a sign of agreement on an action aggrieve – v. to give pain or trouble to; to cause an injury  

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South Korea Calls for Talks with North Korea on Winter Olympics

  South Korea has offered to hold high-level talks with North Korea over the North possibly taking part in the Winter Olympic Games next month. Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon said Tuesday that South Korean officials want to meet North Korean diplomats in one week. He said the two sides could meet at Panmunjom, a village in the demilitarized zone separating the Koreas. The meeting would be the first high-level talks between the sides since December 2015. The South Korean offer came one day after North Korea leader Kim Jong Un gave his New Year’s Day message. In it, Kim announced that he is considering sending a team to take part at the winter games, in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Late Monday, South Korean President Moon Jae-in welcomed the North Korean offer. However, he added that any improvements in relations between North and South Korea could take place only with the North ending its nuclear weapons program. Grant Newsham is a researcher at the Japan Forum for Strategic Studies in Tokyo. He told VOA that the Moon administration considers restarting talks a possibility. He said the effort represents the desire by some South Koreans to “somehow reach a deal” with North Korea. Newsham expressed concerns, however, that South Koreans blame the United States for the situation on the Korean Peninsula. He said, there is a belief “that somehow it’s the Americans’ fault that the Koreas are divided.” He added that conflict on the Korean Peninsula would not serve any group involved. China’s government is an ally of North Korea. It said it supported talks between the two sides. A foreign ministry spokesman said it was a good development that could ease tensions and support the removal of nuclear weapons from the Korean Peninsula. In his speech, Kim Jong Un warned the United States that North Korea’s nuclear program is a reality. He said that he has the ability to use nuclear weapons if attacked. U.S. President Donald Trump commented on the situation on the social media network Twitter. He said strong restrictions on North Korea and other forms of pressure are working. Of the offer of talks, Trump said, “Perhaps that is good news, perhaps not – we will see!” I’m Mario Ritter. Richard Green reported this story for VOA News. Mario Ritter adapted his report for VOA Learning English. The story also includes material from VOA’s Victor Beattie and the Reuters news agency. 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   demilitarized zone – n. an area where soldiers and weapons are banned fault – n. responsibility for a bad situation or mistake  

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Lesson 15: I Love People-Watching!

Summary Anna and her friends are eating lunch outside on a beautiful day in Washington, DC. They are people-watching. They like seeing the many different people walking by. Speaking In this video, you can learn to say the new words. Learn about the sounds English speakers make to show they are happy. You can also download the Activity Sheet and practice talking about how people look with a friend.​ Pronunciation ​In this video, you ​learn about how to make tag questions. These are the short questions at the end of a sentences, as you hear in the video, "It's a beautiful day, isn't it?" Conversation   Anna: Hello! People from all over the world come to Washington, D.C. When I’m at work, I love eating lunch outside. I like to watch people walking by. They all look very different. Today, my friend Ashley is eating lunch with me. Anna: Ashley, today the weather is beautiful, isn’t it? Ashley: Yes, it is. Ahh. Ooh, we have to return to work! Anna: No, we have time! Let’s people-watch a little more. Ashley: Okay. Anna: Oh, I know her. She works in my office! Keyana, hi! Come and join us! Keyana: Hi Anna, how are you? Anna: I’m doing great! Keyana, this is my friend Ashley. Keyana: Hi, Ashley! Anna: We need to return to work. But the weather is beautiful and people-watching is fun! Keyana: I love people-watching too! Anna: Well, have a seat! It is fun to see how people are different or the same. Keyana: It is. For example, Anna, you are tall. But Ashley and I are short. Anna: And Keyana, you and Ashley have brown eyes; I have blue eyes. Keyana: You two have light skin and I have dark skin. Anna: Ashley, you have straight hair. Keyana and I have curly hair. Ashley: You have very curly hair, Anna. Keyana: I need to return to work. See you, Anna! Nice to meet you Ashley! Ashley: Bye, Keyana! Ashley: Anna, I have to go, too. Are you returning to work? Anna: I still have time. And this sun feels so good! Ashley: Um, Anna, what does your boss look like? Anna: She is short. She has straight, light hair. Ashley: Does she wear glasses? Anna: Yes. Yes, she does. Ashley: Is she wearing a blue sweater today? Anna: How do you know that? Ashley: She’s coming this way. Anna: Oh no! Hide me! Ashley: Um, bye, Anna. Call me later. Anna: Bye, Ashley! Talk to you later! Caty: Anna? Is that you? Anna: Ms. Weaver! Hi! Caty: What are you doing behind that bench? Anna: I am looking for my, my … stick. Here it is. Anna: I am people-watching. Oh! But it’s time to return to work! Caty: No need to hurry. I love people-watching too! Let’s sit! Anna: Sure! Ahh. Caty: It’s a beautiful day, isn’t it? Anna: Yes. Yes, it is, Ms. Weaver. Anna: People-watching in D.C. is fun. It makes me forget the time! Anna: Until next time! Ahh.   Writing What do you look like? What  does your friend look like? Write to us by email or in the Comments section. Click on the image below to download the Activity Sheet and practice with a friend.   Learning Strategy Learning Strategies are the thoughts and actions that help make learning easier or more effective. The learning strategy for this lesson is Access Information Sources. In our digital world there are many free sources of information to help you learn English. And remember that other people can also help.  Here is an example. João is visiting Miami. He wants to take a tour of the National Park in the Everglades (or marismas in Portuguese). He finds the word "Everglades" in his pocket paperback Portuguese - English dictionary, but doesn't know how to pronounce it. He opens a translation web page on his phone, writes "Everglades" and pushes the button to translate. Soon a symbol appears under the word. João clicks on the symbol to hear the sound of the word, "Everglades." He goes to the hotel tour desk and asks, "Do you have a tour of the Everglades?" The clerk understands him and begins to show him the tour information. João asks the clerk, "Will you please say the word slowly for me? I want to check my pronunciation." The clerk smiles and pronounces the word and João says it again. Now João is sure he can say it correctly. How do you access information sources when learning English? Write to us in the Comments section or send us an email. Teachers, see the Lesson Plan for more details on teaching this strategy.   Quiz Test your understanding by taking this listening quiz. Play the video, then choose the best answer. ​______________________________________________________________ New Words   bench - n. a long and usually hard seat for two or more people blue - adj. having the color of the clear sky brown - adj. having a color like coffee or chocolate curly - adj. formed into a round shape dark - adj. of a person's hair, eyes, skin, etc.: black or brown in color eyes - n. the part of the body that you see with forget - n. to be unable to think of or remember (something) glasses - n. a pair of glass or plastic lenses set into a frame and worn over the eyes to help a person see hair - n. a thin threadlike growth from the skin of a person or animal hide - v. to put (something) in a place where it cannot be seen or found join - v. to come together with (something or someone) light - adj. not dark or deep in color; pale like - prep. similar to look like - to have an appearance that is very similar to (someone or something) people-watch - v. to spend time idly observing people in a public place. seat - n. something (such as a chair) that you sit on : a place for sitting have a seat - a polite invitation to sit down. short - adj. having little height; not tall skin - n. the natural outer layer of tissue that covers the body of a person or animal stick - n. a cut or broken branch or twig straight - adj. not having curves, bends, or angles tall - adj. greater in height than the average person ______________________________________________________________ Free Materials   Download the VOA Learning English Word Book for a dictionary of the words we use on this website. Each Let's Learn English lesson has an Activity Sheet for extra practice on your own or in the classroom. In this lesson, you can use it to practice describing people.   For Teachers See the Lesson Plan for this lesson for ideas and more teaching resources. Send us an email if you have comments on this course or questions. Grammar focus: Descriptive adjectives; Tag questions Topics: Describing Differences and Similarities; Watching People Learning Strategy: Access Information Sources Speaking & Pronunciation Focus: Non-Verbal Expressions of Happiness; Rising and Falling Intonation in Tag Questions ______________________________________________________________ Now it's your turn. Send us an email or write to us in the Comments section below or on our Facebook page to let us know what you think of this lesson.

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Worldwide Support for Iranian Protesters

Protesters in various cities around the world demonstrated support for the anti-government protesters in Iran.

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Food Cravings: They're All in Your Brain.

  From VOA Learning English, this is the Health & Lifestyle report. We have all been there. It's 3 o'clock and you've been hard at work. As you sit at your desk, a strong desire for chocolate overcomes you. You try to busy yourself to make it go away. But it doesn't. In fact, the more you try to NOT think about a square of deep, dark chocolate melting in your mouth, the more you want it. You can even smell it! Here is another scenario. Perhaps you are not feeling well. You’re coming down with a cold and feel rundown. The only thing you want to eat is a big, bowl of chicken soup, like your mom used to make when you were sick as a child. A food craving is a strong desire for a specific type of food. And they are normal. Most people have them even though what we crave might be different. One person might crave sweet chocolate, while another might crave salty potato chips. Sometimes the foods we crave are not super healthy ones but rather fatty or sugary foods. Or sometimes we crave foods from our childhoods, like American meatloaf, Polish pirogues or Vietnamese pho. Other times the cravings may be for something healthy but very specific, such as Japanese sushi or Korean kimchi. But where do food cravings come from? And how are they different from hunger? Scientists at the website How Stuff Works compare hunger and cravings this way. Hunger is a fairly simply connection between the stomach and the brain. They even call it simply "stomach hunger." The website explains that when our stomachs burn up all of the food we have eaten, a hormone (gherlin) sends a message to the one part of the brain, the hypothalamus, for more food. The hypothalamus regulates our most basic body functions such as thirst, hunger and sleep. The brain then releases a chemical to start the appetite. And you eat. A craving is more complicated. It involves several areas of the brain. These areas make up the reward center of the brain. A craving can also be tied to our mental state and memory.  So, some scientists call food cravings "mind hunger." Scientists add that while hunger is a function of survival, cravings are not. People often crave foods that are high in fat and sugar and not foods that can keep us alive. Foods that are high in fat or high in sugar release chemicals in the brain. These chemicals give us feelings of pleasure and even mild (and temporary) euphoria -- much like a drug. Back in 2004, researchers at the Monell Chemical Senses Center and the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine studied food craving and the brain. They used functional magnetic resonance imaging or, fMRI, to show that food cravings activate brain areas related to emotion, memory and reward. These are the same areas of the brain activated during drug-craving studies. The lead author of this study was Marcia Levin Pelchat, a sensory psychologist. She says that the finding of the study is "consistent with the idea that cravings of all kinds, whether for food, drugs, or designer shoes, have common mechanisms." They work the same way in the brain. Food cravings, drug addiction, and addictive behaviors such as gambling and over-shopping follow similar neural pathways. Studies show that our mental state affects our food cravings but not really our hunger levels. Also, our food memories affect what we crave and when. For example, if a child is given sweets when he or she feels sad or upset, that may lead to food cravings for sweets later in life. The reward system in the brain may lead us to seek out familiar pleasures. In a 2007 study, researchers at Cambridge University found that “dieting or restricted eating generally increase the likelihood of food craving.” So, the more you deny yourself a food that you want, they more you may crave it. However, fasting is a bit different. They found that eating no food at all for a short period of time, lessened food cravings. So, the next time you crave food from your childhood or have a hankering for something very specific, know that your brain may be more to blame than your stomach. And that's the Health & Lifestyle report. I'm Anna Matteo. So, what foods do you crave? Let us know in the Comments Section!   Anna Matteo wrote this story for VOA Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. ________________________________________________________________ QUIZ   ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   hypothalamus – n. a part of the brain that lies beneath the thalamus, produces hormones which pass to the front part of the pituitary gland, and is important in regulating the activities of the autonomic nervous system appetite – n. a physical desire for food reward – n. a stimulus (such as food) that is administered to an organism and serves to reinforce a desired response euphoria – n.  a feeling of well-being or elation activate – v. chemistry : to cause (a chemical reaction or natural process) to begin scenario – n. a description of what could possibly happen   come down (with something) – phrasal verb to catch or show signs of an illness run-down – adj. not used before a noun : in poor health or physical condition : worn-out or exhausted crave – v. to have a very strong desire for something : craving – n. consistent – adj. continuing to happen or develop in the same way mechanism – n. a process or system that is used to produce a particular result neural – adj. of, relating to, or involving a nerve or the nervous system diet – v. to eat less food or to eat only particular kinds of food in order to lose weight fast – v. to eat no food for a period of time hankering – n. informal + old-fashioned : to have a strong or constant desire for something

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Tourism Is on the Rise in America's 'Coal Country'

  Two-thirds of coal industry jobs in Appalachia have disappeared since the 1990s. Now, the area is hoping tourism will help rebuild its economy. Appalachia is the name for a cultural area in the eastern United States. It gets its name from the Appalachian Mountains, and is the center of America’s coal industry. For visitors, history and nature are two of the main draws here. In one town in Ohio, people re-enact a Prohibition rally outside a former speakeasy -- the name for an illegal alcohol store or night club during the Prohibition period in the United States. In rural Kentucky, people are building an elk-viewing area on a former mountaintop coal mine. Virginia’s Crooked Road presents the area’s country music history; Ohio’s Winding Road takes visitors back to the start of the U.S. labor movement. Yet, often, American media presents Appalachia through stories of poverty and communities left behind. Todd Christensen is director of the Southwest Virginia Cultural Heritage Foundation. He says his organization’s aim is to present Appalachia as an “exotic, interesting place, not the godforsaken place that we usually get in the national press.” John Winnenberg is director of The Winding Road project centered in historic Shawnee, Ohio. He says that residents in Appalachia feel a sense of abandonment. Those feelings, he says, come from a history of timber, coal, clay and oil-and-gas industries bringing jobs and money to the area and then disappearing. Such feelings could change, he says, if locals succeed in building their own tourism-based industry.   “We’ve been owned before,” he said. “We don’t want to be owned again.” The promise of a better future for “coal country” is not new. Billions of dollars have been spent closing, reclaiming, reforesting and redeveloping former mine land since the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act passed 40 years ago. Yet, there is a new, more positive feeling toward Appalachia. Visitors young and old enjoy staying in a place full of stories built on struggle and hard work. In Nelsonville, Ohio, the Sunday Creek Coal Company was one of many companies that succeeded in the area’s mining peak, from 1850 to 1940. Today, remains of that period -- opera houses, speakeasies and railway stations -- are protected and promoted for tours, lodging and events such as the re-enactment of a Prohibition rally. Such efforts are not just for outside tourists, Winnenberg says. “We’re going for ourselves as well.” Ecotourism The Appalachian Wildlife Foundation is in Corbin, Kentucky. It is developing an ecology education site on Kentucky’s first mountaintop removal coal mine. The area is rich with wildlife like deer, elk, bears and birds. A wildlife center will open in 2019, as mining operations continue nearby. Frank Allen is the board chairman of the wildlife foundation. He said the area’s mining activities actually created a good environment for elk -- a large deer native to North America. The Monday Creek Restoration Project in New Straitsville, Ohio, has given locals their first look at a stream with clear water in generations. Nate Schlater, the project’s manager, says Monday Creek was once “a dead stream.” In 1994, it was considered unrecoverable. Today, 36 species of fish live in Monday Creek. “My grandkids are catching fish where there’s never been a fish in my lifetime,” Schlater said. Changing economy “Coal country” strongly supported Donald Trump during the 2016 presidential election. As a candidate, Trump promised to create more jobs in the coal industry. About 1,200 new mining jobs have been created across the area since Trump took office. But that does little to make up for the huge decline in recent years; in southwest Virginia, for example, mining employment dropped 45 percent from 1990 to 2014. The new economy appears to be bringing jobs, tourists and even new residents to southwest Virginia. One study there found that arts, entertainment, recreation and related fields added over 5,000 jobs between the year 2000 and 2014. The area’s professional, scientific, education and health industries have also grown, the study found. Still, the area has lost many more coal jobs than it has gained in other industries, Christensen said. But he added that communities in the area are “embracing” the creative economy, and the large numbers of young, college-educated people moving in. He added that visitors often come in with an expectation of what they think they will find. However, he says, “nine times out of ten, they leave with a different perspective than what they brought.” I’m John Russell. And I'm Ashley Thompson.   The Associated Press reported this story. Ashley Thompson adapted it for Learning English. Hai Do was the editor.   _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story    tourism - n. the activity of traveling to a place for pleasure draw- n. ​ someone or something that causes a lot of people to come to a place​ Prohibition - n. ​the period of time from 1920 to 1933 in the U.S. when it was illegal to make or sell alcohol​ exotic- adj. ​very different, strange, or unusual​ godforsaken - adj. ​not at all interesting or appealing and usually located far from interesting people and places​ abandonment - n. ​the action or fact of leaving and never returning​ peak - n. ​the highest level or degree of excellence, quantity, activity, etc. lodging - n. ​a place where a person (such as a traveler) can stay for usually a short period of time : a place to sleep​ stream - n. ​a natural flow of water that is smaller than a river​ embrace - v. ​to accept (something or someone) readily or gladly perspective - n. a way of thinking about and understanding something (such as a particular issue or life in general)

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Number of Orphans Drops in Countries Around the World

  After the execution of Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceausescu in 1989, aid groups visited the country’s many state-run orphanages. All were shocked by what they found. Rupert Wolfe Murray is a British reporter. He traveled with aid groups to an orphanage for disabled children. “There was no heating, no windows, no bedding, no running water,” he said. It was overcrowded and under supported. The aid workers also found orphanage records. They showed that in a single year in the 1980s, 30 children had died of cold, starvation and disease. Similar conditions were discovered at tens of thousands of other Romanian orphanages. It is a different story today. About 7,000 Romanian children now live in Romanian orphanages compared to more than 100,000 under Ceausescu. Around the world, governments and private groups are working to get children out of orphanages. The number of children in orphanages is not confirmed. The United Nations Children’s Fund, or UNICEF, estimates the number is about 2.7 million. Eastern Europe In the past, Eastern Europe placed children in orphanages at the highest rate in the world.  Now it is the center of the movement to empty them. In Moldova, Europe’s poorest country, the orphanage population has dropped from 11,000 to 2,000 since 2011. Aid groups did this by reuniting children with parents and establishing foster-care services. Neighboring Bulgaria used family-style care centers to remove children with disabilities from state institutions. UNICEF says the Bulgarian orphanage population dropped from about 7,500 in 2010, to fewer than 1,200 children today. Across the Black Sea, Georgia has had even more success. It reduced the number of state-run orphanages from 50 to two. The number of orphans dropped also, from 5,000 in 2005 to about 75 now, UNICEF says. However, Romania has made the largest improvement. The European Union has provided millions of dollars in aid to support Romanian child-welfare reforms. Private aid agencies like Hope and Homes for Children have helped place children with foster families or smaller homes where they experience a more usual childhood. Stefan Darabus, Hope and Homes’ regional director, says Romania’s next goal is to keep at-risk families together. This helps the children, and costs the state less money than an orphanage placement. In Russia however, child-welfare reforms have been slower. After a 2014 Human Rights Watch report found cases of abuse with disabled children in state-run orphanages, Russia created policies to help these children stay with their families or go to family-style centers. According to Russian officials, the number of children without parents has decreased almost 50 percent in recent years, from about 126,000 in 2011 to 66,000 in 2016. However, there has not been a major increase in adoptions. Historically, the Russian government has controlled orphanages. Now, for the first time, a private orphanage exists to care for children with severe disabilities. St. Sophia’s is run by a Russian Orthodox Church in Moscow. In the past, few Russian families adopted children with conditions such as Down syndrome or cerebral palsy. But St. Sophia’s has placed at least three such children in adoptive homes. Asia In China, most orphans are children surrendered because of medical issues. Many families, especially in poor rural areas, cannot support a child who will face high medical costs. Chinese babies with medical problems would often be left alone in fields and other public and private places, as a result. In 2011, China responded with an experiment. The government established so-called “baby hatches” attached to orphanages. The hatches provided parents a safe place to leave children they could not care for. However, many of the programs were suspended after being flooded with hundreds of children. China now wants to place such children in family settings. Last year, China had about 460,000 orphans. It cared for 373,000 of them through foster care or adoption. Only around 88,000 children went to orphanages. Still, the number of adoptions in China has steadily fallen, from 44,260 in 2009 to 18,736 last year. In India, the government says there are 20 million orphans and abandoned children. Some orphanages receive government inspections to enforce rules of care. However, there are hundreds of privately-run centers that are not inspected. ​ Americas Haiti suffers from extreme poverty and ever-growing numbers of orphaned children. The government struggles to manage the problem. There are about 35,000 children in 814 homes, says Haiti’s main social services agency. Officials say most orphans believe their placement to be temporary, so they could receive education and care their families could not provide. Cases of illegal adoption are common. Haitian parents also report of being tricked into placing children in orphanages seeking international adopters. The Haitian government created new restrictions on adoption after the deadly earthquake there in 2010. About 150 homes have been closed since 2015. However, new ones have opened to fill the need. In the United States large orphanages no longer exist. Most orphans and abandoned children enter family home programs, called foster care, or small group homes for children with special needs. Africa In Africa, Rwanda plans to close all its orphanages.  This is unusual, as there are few services for the millions of children living in poverty. The director of the Rwanda’s National Commission for Children says 3,323 children were in orphanages when the program began in 2012.  Now, the official says, all but about 235 have been reunited with family, adopted, or placed with foster families. The Rwandan government employs social workers to help children with the change from orphanage life. But critics say the program has moved too fast. There have been cases of families unable to feed their returned children, and some young people from the former orphanages are alone and homeless. I’m Phil Dierking. And I'm Alice Bryant    Alison Mutler, Gillian Wong and David Crary originally wrote this story for the Associated Press. Phil Dierking adapted this story for VOA Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. Do you think it’s better for orphans in foster homes, reunited with family, or in orphanages?  We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   adoption - n. the act or process of adopting someone or something​ child-welfare services designed to ensure that children are safe ​ foster - n. to provide the care that a parent usually gives to a child​ institution - n. a place where an organization takes care of people for a usually long period of time​ manage - v. to have control of (something, such as a business, department, sports team, etc.)​ orphan - n.  a child whose parents are dead​ orphanage - n.  a place where children whose parents have died can live and be cared for​

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Newly Discovered Solar System Matches Our Own

  The American space agency NASA and the technology company Google have identified an eighth planet in a faraway solar system. That solar system now has exactly the same number of planets as our own. Machines made the surprising discovery, not human researchers. NASA and Google representatives made a joint announcement about the discovery on December 14. The newly discovered planet orbits the star known as Kepler-90. The system is about 2,545 light-years away. A light-year is about 9.5 trillion kilometers. Researchers have named the planet Kepler-90i. Like Earth, Kepler-90i is the third farthest planet from its sun. However, Kepler-90i is much closer to its sun. It only takes the planet 14 days to orbit Kepler-90. So, its surface is much warmer -- 427 degrees Celsius. In fact, all the planets in the Kepler-90 solar system orbit closer to their sun than Earth does to our sun. So far, this is the only other eight-planet solar system that researchers have found. Eight is the largest number of planets ever observed around a single sun. Our solar system had nine planets up until 2006, when the International Astronomical Union decided Pluto did not meet the requirements to be considered a planet. Instead, the group renamed it a dwarf planet. But some astronomers believe there could be a large ninth planet far off in our solar system. They call it Planet X, and believe it is the size of Neptune. Researchers also believe there could be nine or more planets in the Kepler-90 solar system. Google used data from NASA’s special planet-hunting device, called the Kepler Space Telescope, to locate Kepler-90i. The company used the data to develop a computer program with machine learning. This means it can learn and improve itself without a programmer telling it to do so. The program carefully studies planetary signals that are so weak it would take humans years to examine them. Christopher Shallue is a senior software engineer at Google in Mountain View, California. He said, “This is a really exciting discovery, and we consider it to be a successful proof of concept to be using neural networks to identify planets, even in … situations where the signals are very weak.” NASA astrophysicist and Kepler project scientist Jessie Dotson said she is “so excited to see where this goes next.” Shallue partnered with astronomer Andrew Vanderburg of the University of Texas at Austin to develop this machine-learning program. The two trained a computer to identify planets beyond our solar system. To do so, it used observations of the minor changes in the brightness of stars when planets passed in front of them that the Kepler Space Telescope had recorded. Shallue and Vanderburg plan to continue hunting for new planets. They plan to use the program to examine the more than 150,000 stars that the Kepler Space Telescope has already identified. So far, esearchers have confirmed the existence of more than 3,560 planets beyond our solar system. The Kepler Space Telescope, which launched in 2009, located about two-thirds of them. Another 4,500 possible exoplanets await confirmation. I’m Pete Musto.   Marcia Dunn reported this for the Associated Press. Pete Musto adapted it for VOA Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor. We want to hear from you. What kinds of new planets do you think we will discover in the near future? How do you feel this might change life on Earth? Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   solar system – n. a star and the planets that move around it light-year(s) – n. a unit of distance equal to the distance that light travels in one year (about 5.88 trillion miles or 9.46 trillion kilometers dwarf planet – n. an object in space that looks like a small planet but lacks special qualities that are required for it to be defined as such data – n. facts or information used usually to calculate, analyze, or plan something exciting – adj. causing feelings of interest and enthusiasm concept – n. an idea of what something is or how it works neural network(s) – n. a computer system designed to be similar to the human brain and nervous system exoplanet(s) – n. a planet that is beyond our solar system

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Iran Protests: Dec. 31, 2017

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has said his people have the right to protest and criticize the government, in his first public response to nationwide anti-establishment protests that have stretched into a fourth day. On Saturday, as a counter to the protests, state-sponsored rallies took place around the country.

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