Kim Jong Nam’s Killing, A Year Later

  As the world follows North Korea’s diplomatic offensive at the Winter Olympics, two young women could be sentenced to death. They stand accused in the murder of the half-brother of North Korea’s leader. It is a crime that involved the two Southeast Asian women, even if they knew nothing about it. Kim Jong Nam was the target of a deadly attack one year ago in a crowded airport in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He was a brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and the eldest son of former leader Kim Jong Il. Siti Aisyah of Indonesia and Doan Thi Huong of Vietnam are the only defendants in the murder case. Malaysian officials accuse them of rubbing a cloth containing the nerve agent VX on Kim Jong Nam’s face. The poison, developed for military use, is so strong that he was dead within two hours. Kim was once seen as a possible leader for North Korea. But he fell out of favor with the country’s leadership and moved overseas. While Kim was not a political threat to Kim Jong Un, he may have been seen as possibly competing with his brother. Trial of two suspects From the start of their trial last October, the two suspects have said they thought their actions were part of a trick for a hidden-camera, television show. They face a death sentence by hanging if found guilty. A lawyer for the women says the lack of North Korean suspects in the case hurts their legal defense. He said, “As long as the North Korean suspects are away, the actual truth will never be proven. I sincerely believe that the girls should be acquitted because we have clearly shown that they are being used as scapegoats.” Both the defense and prosecution lawyers agree the women, coming from rural poverty, could not have been acting completely on their own. They believe that the crime was carried out as part of a plot by a group of North Korean agents. They think the agents sought out the women, then trained and supplied them with the VX nerve agent. The Malaysian government even has a good idea who the suspected plotters are. Four North Koreans were seen on airport security cameras after the attack. They appeared to be changing their clothing and throwing away their belongings. A North Korean embassy official was believed to have helped the four men with flights out of Malaysia. But Malaysian officials have not officially accused North Korea of involvement in Kim’s death. Instead, they have focused narrowly on proving the women’s guilt. Prosecutors said the two women knew they were working with poison. They said airport video showed them moving quickly to the washroom and holding their hands away from their bodies after the attack. Trial to re-start next week The trial is set to continue on February 22. Prosecutors are expected to rest their case by April or early May. If the judge finds there is no case against the women, they will be freed. If he rules against them, the trial will continue for several more months. An appeal to higher courts could add several years. James Chin is director of the Asia Institute at the University of Tasmania in Australia. He said, “The Malaysian government wants it all to go away by trying to rush the trial and end it.” Chin added, “Once everything is under the bridge, which will take years, Malaysia and North Korea will likely resume normal relations. The Kim Jong Nam case will be just another footnote in history.” I'm Caty Weaver.   Eileen Ng and Eric Talmade reported this story for the Associated Press (AP). Hai Do adapted their report for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   eldest – adj. of the greatest age out of favor – expression. having or showing approval acquit – v. to find someone not guilty scapegoat – n. someone who is blamed unfairly for something prosecution – n. the act or process of holding a trial against someone focus – v. to direct attention rush – v. to do something in a hurry Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page.

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Changes Urged to Protect Children from Tech Addiction

  Former technology industry leaders are calling for urgent measures to protect children from smartphone addiction. Among those urging major changes is Tristan Harris – a former high-level employee at Google. He just launched a group that will seek to gather and publish evidence of how digital devices and social media can harm children and young people. Leaders of the organization – called the Center for Humane Technology – used to work for major technology companies. They hope to use this knowledge and experience to lead a “cultural awakening” among the public about the dangers of technology. While at Google, Harris says he felt the company had great power over millions of people who used its technology. He spoke about his experiences during a conference last week in Washington. “Never before in history have 50 mostly men - mostly 20 to 35 year-old-engineers - in 50 miles of exactly one place on earth, shaped what a billion people - really two billion - think, feel and do, and who they relate to.” He said Google was successful in building products that created certain thoughts in users’ heads. “Whatever you're thinking is first, and then you choose out of the thoughts you have, because thought precedes action,” he said. ​Harris says he believes companies like Google, Facebook and Apple have a “moral responsibility” not to create technology products that can “hijack how the mind works.” The conference where Harris spoke was sponsored by Common Sense Media, a child and family activist group. The organization says research suggests that half of all teenagers feel addicted to their mobile devices, while about 60 percent of parents believe their kids are addicted. The group also cites a recent study of eighth-graders that found heavy users of technology were 56 percent more likely to say they are unhappy, while 27 percent more likely to be depressed. Even Facebook cited research last year suggesting that social media use can harm mental health when used in certain ways.  And last month, two major investors in Apple raised fears about rising smartphone addiction among young users. In an open letter, the investors urged the iPhone maker to offer more choices and tools to help children fight addiction to devices. Such action “is both good business and the right thing to do,” the letter said. In response, Apple said the iPhone and other devices running on its mobile software already offer controls for parents to limit or block material considered harmful. But Tristan Harris says Apple and other technology companies need to go much further - and actually change their current engineering and design methods - to be more kid friendly. “I see this as, this is game over, unless we change course. Really, genuinely, I 100 percent believe that.” Groups to provide resources for learning Common Sense Media is partnering with the Center for Humane Technology on a new campaign aimed at getting companies to make such changes. The effort includes a major public information campaign that will target schools, where research has also shown that mobile devices can hurt the learning process. James Steyer is the founder of Common Sense. He says more than half of schools in the U.S. are already members of the organization. The group provides teachers and parents with learning materials intended to help students develop critical thinking skills and balance their digital lives. Steyer says Common Sense will be providing even more resources to educators beginning in the new school year next fall. “And you know what’s going to be in there? Stuff about addiction, how to prevent digital addiction. Stuff about digital manipulation. I actually think if you tell kids how they're being manipulated, it will change their relationship with technology.” Most education experts believe technology will remain in schools far into the future. Steyer says the big question is, how will this ever-changing technology be used in schools going forward. “And are we going to educate the teachers, the students and their parents about the thoughtful, ethical use of those platforms and the software? That's the whole challenge ahead of us.” The Waldorf School Some U.S. schools, however, have tried to limit or remove technology to improve learning. One of them is in Silicon Valley, the center of the American tech industry. The Waldorf School of the Peninsula does not use any computers or digital technology in its education programs up to the seventh grade. The school’s website says while Waldorf teachers recognize the role technology can play in the classroom, it must wait until the student reaches the right developmental age. “We observe that a child’s natural, instinctive, creative and curious way of relating to the world may be repressed when technology is introduced into learning environments at an early age,” the website says. When students reach high school, they are allowed to use computers and digital tools in the classroom. There are many independent Waldorf Schools throughout North America. The schools center heavily on hands-on learning and aim to teach skills in “creativity and innovative thinking.” They also place importance on students developing “social and emotional intelligence” as part of the educational experience. I’m Bryan Lynn. Bryan Lynn reported this story for VOA Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ QUIZ ​_____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   addiction – n. strong and sometimes harmful need to regularly have or do something precede – v. to happen or exist before something else genuinely – adv. actual, real, true critical – adj. using or involving careful judgment about the good and bad parts of something manipulation – n. the act of controlling someone or something in a clever and usually unfair or selfish way ethical – adj. following accepted rules of behavior: morally right and good challenge – n. a difficult task or problem instinctive – adj. behaving or reacting naturally and without thinking curious – adj. having a desire to learn or know more about something innovative – adj. using new methods or ideas  

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February 13, 2018

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

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Kenya's Flower Industry Grows

  For some industries, Christmas or New Year’s celebrations are the busiest times of year. But for Kenya’s flower growers, the biggest holiday is Valentine’s Day. Workers in the city of Navaisha, the center of Kenya’s flower industry, are busy cutting, packing, and cooling roses. Flower workers are celebrating something else, too: a plan for direct flights from Nairobi to New York City beginning next October. The move would create a possibility for the Kenyan flower industry to sell more in the American market. Right now, South American exporters dominate the U.S. market. Jane Ngige is the outgoing chief of the Kenya Flower Council. “What we're looking at is an opportunity to diversify our markets to the American market and we’re also looking not to compete with the South Americans, who are the main producers or the main suppliers of flowers to North America, but to look at complementing the product. Because our products are very different.” Kenya’s roses, for example, have smaller heads than those grown in Colombia. Industry experts believe Kenyan growers can offer different types of flowers and lower production costs. Kenya is currently the fourth-largest exporter of cut flowers. Most of its flowers go to Europe, Australia, and Japan. It does not sell as many cut flowers to the United States because the cost of an air freight stopover in Europe is costly. Jonathan Ralling is with Flamingo Horticulture Kenya. He says that the Kenyan flower industry’s success in America will depend partly on how much freight space is available on planes making the planned nonstop flights. For most of the year, Kenya’s flower industry directly employs about 100,000 workers. But the Flower Council says other services and products create another 400,000 jobs. In total, the industry provides livelihoods for about 2 million people. And with better access to the U.S. market, Kenya’s flower industry can only grow. I’m ­Kelly Jean Kelly.   Daniel Schearf reported this story for VOA. Kelly Jean Kelly adapted it for VOA Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   dominate - v. to be the most important part of freight - n. goods that are carried by ships, trains, trucks, or airplanes livelihood - n.  a way of earning money in order to live

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South Africa’s ANC Party Orders President Zuma to Step Down

  South Africa’s ruling party has ordered Jacob Zuma to step down as president. It is not clear, however, if Zuma plans to follow the order.  Zuma’s party, the African National Congress, or ANC, made the order on Tuesday. It came after a week of negotiations failed to persuade the president to quit. Ace Magashule is the secretary-general of the ANC. He spoke to reporters on Tuesday. Magaschule said party leaders informed Zuma of their decision after meeting for thirteen hours in Pretoria. Zuma has not made an official statement about the decision. And Magashule said the ANC had not given Zuma an exact time to respond. But Magashule said he spoke with the president and expects Zuma to respond by Wednesday. The South African constitution does not require Zuma to agree to his party’s wishes. But if he refuses to step down, the issue will go to the parliament. Lawmakers there will vote on a motion of no confidence. If a majority of lawmakers support the motion, Zuma will be removed. Magashule said Zuma had asked the party to give him three to six months before stepping down. The ANC rejected the request, saying the situation “requires us to act with urgency.” Magashule said the party needs to restore the country’s confidence in their government and work quickly toward economic recovery. A history of scandal Zuma became president in 2009. Since then, he has been linked to a number of scandals. One relates to misuse of public money. South Africa’s highest court found that Zuma violated the constitution by using about $20 million of public funds to improve his home. Zuma has also been charged with corruption related to a weapons deal he made in the late 1990s. State lawyers are expected to announce soon if they will restore those charges. South Africa has also seen its economy suffer during Zuma’s time in office. And investment from banks and mining companies has slowed. ANC party officials say the issues are a result of the problems and political uncertainty surrounding Zuma. Political pressure If Zuma leaves, Cyril Ramaphosa, would likely become the next South African president. Ramaphosa is currently the president of the ANC. He narrowly defeated Zuma’s ex-wife for the position. Since Ramaphosa was elected party president, pressure has increased on the 75-year-old Zuma to step down. However, the party’s leadership was divided on when Zuma should leave, the secretary general of the ANC said. Zuma's current term is scheduled to end next year, when South Africa holds general elections.  I’m Phil Dierking.   Phil Dierking wrote this story for VOA Learning English using reports from VOA, Associated Press, and Reuters. Kelly Jean Kelly was the editor. Do you think it help a country to ask their president to step down?  We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   confidence - n. a feeling or belief that you can do something well or succeed at something​ dissolve - v. to officially end ​ motion - n. a formal suggestion or proposal that is made at a meeting for something to be done​ respond - v. to say or write something as an answer to a question or request​ uncertain - adj.  not exactly known or decided​

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20-Year Sentence for Woman Linked to Former S. Korean President

  The woman whose dealings with former South Korean President Park Geun-hye led to her removal from office has been sentenced to 20 years in prison. The Seoul Central District Court announced the sentencing of Choi Soon-sil on Tuesday. The court ordered Choi to pay a fine of nearly $17 million. She was found guilty on charges of abuse of power, bribery and meddling in state affairs. The scandal involving Choi, Park, other government officials and business leaders led to huge protests across the country. As a result, South Korea’s National Assembly voted to impeach Park in late 2016. The Supreme Court voted to remove her from office last year. This led to early presidential elections, won by current president Moon Jae-in. The scandal has led to calls for reform of the chaebols, a term for South Korea’s very largest corporations. Some critics say these businesses have too much influence over the economy. Influence over the former president Choi Soon-sil was accused of having strong influence over the former president, which some observers described as a “cult-like” control. The 62-year-old longtime friend of Park held no government position, but she had influence over the president’s decisions. Park and Choi had known each other since the 1970s. Choi also was found guilty of using her relationship with Park to force large businesses to donate more than $68 million to two non-profit corporations she controlled. Business leaders connected to the case also received jail sentences. The court sentenced the chairman of the Lotte Group, Sin Dong-bin, to two and a half years in prison on bribery charges. Sin was charged with giving over $6 million to a group Choi supported in exchange for state permission to open a duty-free store and other things. A former aide to Park also received a six-year sentence for abuse of power. Last week, another person linked to the case had his sentence suspended and was released from prison. Lee Jae-young is heir to the wealth of the family that controls much of Samsung Electronics, one of South Korea’s biggest companies. Lee was sentenced last August to five years in prison for bribery and a number of other financial crimes linked to the Choi scandal. I’m Mario Ritter.   Richard Green reported this story for VOANews.com. Mario Ritter adapted his report for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   scandal – n. a case of wrongdoing that shocks many people bribery – n. the act or crime of paying money to an official in order to get something meddle – v. to become involved in concerns of others when you involvement is unwanted affairs – n. activities impeach – v. to bring charges against a public official cult – n. a small, religious group that is not connected to any larger group that is believed to have extreme ideas duty-free – adj. selling goods that will not be taxed when taken to another country heir – n. a person who has the legal right to receive the property of someone after they die   We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.

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Strong Relationships Equal Health, Happiness

  From VOA Learning English, this is the Health & Lifestyle Report. What will most help you lead a long happy and healthy life? Is it making lots of money? Is it a great job that you enjoy? Perhaps it’s fame. If you ask a young person, many are likely to give you one of those answers. Or possibly all three. Some cultures put more importance on work and money than others. Americans can be obsessed with their jobs and making money. They might feel the need to make lots of money for education, medical care, homes and cars. But it’s not just about the money. For many Americans, self-worth is linked to our professional success or failure. Many of us spend most of our lives working – sacrificing other activities. Imagine if we could visit our older selves and ask -- "What would you have done differently to be truly happy?" But we can’t do that. We could learn about what makes people happy, and what does not, by studying people over the course of their lives. For almost 80 years, Harvard Medical School researchers have been doing just that. The Harvard Study of Adult Development is one of the most comprehensive longitudinal studies in history. Since 1938, it has followed the lives of a group of men from their teen years to old age. Later, the researchers began to follow their wives and children, as well. The study finds that wealth, social position and an important job title do not necessarily lead to health and happiness. Robert Waldinger is the current director of the study. He is a psychiatrist and professor at Harvard Medical School. Waldinger shared some of the findings with a Harvard Gazette reporter. He said, "The surprising finding is that our relationships and how happy we are in our relationships has a powerful influence on our health." He added, "taking care of your body is important, but tending to your relationships is a form of self-care too. In 2015, he discussed the study in a TED Talk called, “What makes a good life? Lessons from the longest study on happiness.” The video of the talk has been viewed more than 19.5 million times. In the talk, Waldinger says, “Good relationships don’t just protect our bodies; they protect our brains." He says close relationships are what keep people happy throughout their lives -- not money or fame. These close relationships protect people from the difficult times that come with growing older. They protect against physical and mental decline. The study suggests that strong relationships have a better chance of making a long, happy life than social class, intelligence or even genetics. And, it is not just romantic relationships. Waldinger says the relationships we make and care for throughout the years with friends, family members and co-workers are just as important. The professor adds that strong, close relationships can experience difficult periods. They’re not perfect. But, he says dependability in a relationship is most important. He says people need friends they can turn to when life gets hard. In the TED Talk, Waldinger explains how the researchers collect information for the study. Researchers send a list of questions to the participants. They interview them in their homes, examine their medical records, take blood for testing and take brain images. They talk with wives and children of the participants. The researchers also video tape the participants talking with their wives. The study has mirrored popular schools of thought Clark Heath, the first director of the study, led it from 1938 to 1954. The study at that time included 268 physically and mentally healthy Harvard college students. At the time, common scientific thought was that physical strength, a high social position and a happy childhood were the strongest predictors of a healthy life. Researchers at the time also thought genetic-based elements, like intelligence, played a main part in predicting happiness or unhappiness. So, early on, the research did not include examination of participants’ relationships. Then in 1966, a psychiatrist and professor at Harvard Medical School joined the research team. George E. Vaillant changed the direction of the study. He added a second group of participants -- more than 400 teenagers from some of Boston's poorest neighborhoods. He also expanded the study to include wives and children of the participants. Vaillant placed a greater importance on investigating the relationships of those in the study. He wrote that when "the study began, nobody cared about empathy or attachment. But the key to healthy aging is relationships, relationships, relationships.” He followed the successes and failures of the participants in their relationships, family responsibilities and careers. He followed their recoveries as well. He led the study for more than forty years and then wrote a book about the findings. In Triumphs of Experience: The Men of the Harvard Grant Study, he writes: “The seventy-five years and twenty million dollars expended on the Grant Study points to a straightforward conclusion: Happiness is love." Current director Robert Waldinger, ended his Ted Talk with this advice from American writer Mark Twain. So, we will too. “There isn't time -- so brief is life -- for bickerings, apologies, heartburnings, callings to account. There is only time for loving -- & but an instant, so to speak, for that.” And that's the Health & Lifestyle report. I’m Anna Matteo. Feel free to share your thoughts on this topic in the Comments section.   Anna Matteo wrote this story for VOA Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. _______________________________________________________________ QUIZ _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   comprehensive – adj. including many, most, or all things longitudinal – adj. done by observing or examining a group of people or things over time to study how one or two particular things about them change participant – n. a person who is involved in an activity or event tend – v. to give your attention to and take care of (something or someone) interview – v. to question or talk with (someone) in order to get information or learn about that person decline – n. the process of becoming worse in condition or quality genetic – adj. of, relating to, or involving genes romantic – adj. of, relating to, or involving love between two people psychiatrist – n. a doctor who treats mental or emotional disorders : a doctor of psychiatry empathy – n. the feeling that you understand and share another person's experiences and emotions bicker – v. to argue in a way that is annoying about things that are not important instant – n. a very short period of time

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West Virginia Candy Store Has Sweets from All Ages

  For many people, there is nothing better than a piece of candy. Sweets date back thousands of years to the ancient Egyptians, who ate sesame seeds with honey. In the United States, a good place to learn about candy is the True Treats Historic Candy store in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. The store sells many kinds of treats that were popular during different periods in history. The unusual collection has everything from chocolate kisses to edible bugs. True Treats is said to be the only historic candy store in the United States. The business opened eight years ago. It has everything from ancient Greek chewing gum to favorite candies from the 1900s. Susan Benjamin is the store’s owner. She tells people interesting facts about the 400 products found in True Treats. Many visitors enjoy reading historical information written on product labels. Benjamin notes that sweets were first used to treat health problems. "Sugar was used as medicine, and the Turkish delight was made for sore throats somewhere around the year 900.  And it became very popular worldwide." People also enjoyed some plants that were naturally sweet. They chewed on tree bark, branches and roots. "In the mid-1800s, kids would go and buy a root of licorice plant and they would chew it and get that delicious licorice flavor." One popular product at True Treats is a mix of roasted crickets and mealworms. Benjamin says these insects were once considered a sweet snack.  "The crickets, to me, taste a little bit like sesame. I've had ants, and some of them are a little bit bitter, almost tart like lemon." Small round fruit and nut chocolate candies were popular from the 1920s to 1950s with people who played card games. "And they made little candies that people could pick up with their fingers in one hand and hold the cards in the other." Some visitors to True Treats find candy that brings back memories. Others are too young to have grown up with any of the candy in the store, like Bev Soriano. "I came here a lot as a kid, so it's kind of a lot of nostalgia, which is weird because it's in such an unfamiliar setting, yet I have so many fond memories." Benjamin has also written a book called Sweet as Sin about the history of sweet treats. I’m Jonathan Evans.   Deborah Block reported this story for VOANews. Jonathan Evans adapted her report for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   bark – n. the outer covering of a tree sesame – n. a plant that is grown in warm regions and that produces small flat seeds that are used in cooking and as a source of oil  tart – adj.  having a sharp or sour taste candy – n. a sweet food made with sugar or chocolate edible – adj. suitable or safe to eat label – n. a piece of paper, cloth, or similar material that is attached to something to identify or describe it kid – n. a child nostalgia – n. pleasure and sadness that is caused by remembering something from the past and wishing that you could experience it again weird – adj. strange

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At Olympics, North Korea Seeks ‘Charm’ Diplomacy

  The president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced plans to visit North Korea after the PyeongChang Winter Olympics. An IOC spokesman said Olympics chief Thomas Bach had agreed to the visit as part of the deal for North Korea to take part in the 2018 games. A date has yet to be set. The announcement follows the North’s invitation to South Korean President Moon Jae-in to visit the North Korean capital, Pyongyang. That visit would be the first by a South Korean leader to Pyongyang since Kim Jong Un became North Korea’s leader in 2011. Moon’s office says he wanted to “create the environment for that to be able to happen.” The South Korean leader got the invitation from high-level North Korean officials, who were attending the winter Olympics. The North Korean delegation included chief of state Kim Yong Nam and Kim Yo Jong, a sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Over 400 North Koreans, including athletes and musicians, have gone to Pyeongchang in what some observers have termed a “charm offensive.” The North Korean actions have raised concerns that they could hurt a United States-led campaign of “maximum pressure” against the North. The North Korean leadership continues to face international sanctions because of its nuclear and missile activities. At the same time, the recent contacts have raised hopes of increased diplomatic engagement between the two Koreas. A spokesman for South Korea’s Unification Ministry said North Korea’s actions were meaningful. “It shows that North Korea is willing to improve the relationship between South and North Korea. We also believe it showed that they might take unprecedented drastic action if needed,” he said. The official did not say what “unprecedented drastic action” meant. But he said the goal of the contacts is to start denuclearization talks between the U.S. and North Korea. Surprise meeting of top officials Top officials from several countries sat together last Friday for the opening ceremonies of the 2018 Winter Olympics. They watched athletes of both North and South Korea march together under the white and blue “unification flag.” The South Korean leader greeted the North Korean representatives. Also present were U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. German President Joachim Gauk also was there. Pence did not greet or speak with either of the North Korean officials at the event. Later, some news media criticized him for ignoring the North Koreans and not clapping during the entrance of the joint Korean team at the opening ceremony. However, on Sunday, the U.S. official reportedly spoke to Moon about possible terms for engagement with North Korea, but he added that pressure would continue. On his return to the United States, Pence reportedly said: “No pressure comes off until they are actually doing something that the alliance believes represents a meaningful step toward denuclearization.” Pence added that, while pressure would intensify, the U.S. government remained open to talks: “if you want to talk, we’ll talk,” he reportedly said. The Washington Post newspaper reported his comments. “Charm” efforts bring warnings North Korea experts have warned that the “charm offensive” is aimed at weakening U.S. ties with South Korea. Robert Manning is an expert with the Atlantic Council, a public policy group based in Washington, D.C. He described the North Korean invitation as “a very clever move by Kim Jong Un to drive a big wedge” between the two allies. Ken Gauswe is a director at the Center for Naval Analysis in the American state of Virginia. He noted that North Korea had secured economic aid from earlier inter-Korean meetings. “If it leads to promises of aid, then it would definitely undermine the maximum pressure strategy,” he said. Bruce Klingner, a researcher for the Heritage Foundation in Washington agrees. He said Moon would risk violating United Nations Security Council sanctions if he offered notable aid in return for the North Korean efforts. Some observers said that the latest developments have put the South Korean leader in a difficult situation. “President Moon must balance his desire for North-South reconciliation with his policy of denuclearization,” noted Manning. U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said, during a trip to the Middle East, that it was too early to judge if diplomatic progress was taking place. "It’s really up to the North Koreans to decide when they’re ready to engage with us in a sincere way, a meaningful way,” he said.  Reuters reports that a South Korean official said that the government’s position is that sanctions and pressure can be expected to continue. At the same time, talks with the North, involving both South Korea and the United States, should lead to the North’s denuclearization. I’m Mario Ritter.   Jong Su Oh and Brian Padden reported this story for VOA News. Mario Ritter adapted the reports for VOA Learning English. His story also has information from stories by Reuters and the Associated Press. George Grow was the editor. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   charm – n. qualities that cause someone or something to be very likeable sanctions – n. measures designed to cause a country to obey international law usually by limiting trade maximum – adj. the most engagement – n. the state of being involved in unprecedented – adj. not having happened before drastic – adj. severe, extreme denuclearization – n. a process of giving up the possession of nuclear weapons wedge – n. a tool used to split materials such as wood reconciliation – n. the process of bringing two groups together that were in disagreement We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.

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Olympian Simone Biles Has a New Title: College Student

  Simone Biles has won more World Championship and Olympic medals than any other American gymnast in history. She won four golds at the 2016 Summer Olympics. She wrote a book about her life, which was recently turned into a movie. But one thing Biles does not have is a college education. That will soon change. Biles had planned to go to the University of California Los Angeles after competing at the 2016 Olympics. But her very busy life made studying full-time at a university nearly impossible. Instead, she has started taking classes at the University of the People, a nonprofit, online university. She is working toward a bachelor’s degree in business administration. Biles, who is 20 years old, has also become the university’s global ambassador. Shai Reshef, an Israeli-born businessman, set up the University of the People in 2009. The school offers undergraduate and graduate level degree programs. Students are not required to pay to take the university’s classes. The cost is free, because of private and public donations. More than 6,000 educators and administrators from schools such as Yale University and New York University volunteer their time and expertise. While there are no tuition costs, students must pay $100 for each exam they take. The university estimates that getting a bachelor’s degree costs about $4,060.   Biles has established a special scholarship in her name to help students with those costs. It is meant to help students who have been in foster care, like Biles herself. The school’s nontraditional methods work well for Biles, whose life so far has been anything but normal. “I haven’t had a traditional school experience for a while, actually going into a classroom and sitting down...and the traditional way won’t work for me and I understand that. So it’s okay. Online it is!” Biles was home-schooled during her high school years to make more time for her gymnastics training. Biles spoke with VOA and other media about her involvement at University of the People. She also spoke about the USA Gymnastics sex abuse scandal involving team doctor Larry Nassar. Biles has said she is among the more than 250 women and girls that he abused. Nassar has admitted guilt to numerous sex crimes.  Biles says she hopes that once she returns to competition, people will talk about her abilities as a gymnast, and not her connection to Nassar’s abuse. “I didn’t want the headlines, once I go out and compete again, to be -- you know -- that be the title of me, rather than what I have to offer for this sport." Biles says the same drive and hard work that shaped her gymnastics career will help her in her studies as well. I’m Ashley Thompson.    VOA's Tina Trinh reported this story from New York. Ashley Thompson adapted it for Learning English. George Grow was the editor.  _________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story    bachelor's degree - n. a degree that is given to a student by a college or university usually after four years of study online - adj. connected to a computer, a computer network, or the Internet global - adj. involving the entire world undergraduate - adj. of or relating to a course of studies at a college or university that leads to a bachelor's degree graduate - adj. ​of or relating to a course of studies taken at a college or university after earning a bachelor's degree or other first degree​ scholarship - n. an amount of money that is given by a school, an organization, etc., to a student to help pay for the student's education foster - adj. ​used to describe a situation in which for a period of time a child lives with and is cared for by people who are not the child's parents​ scandal - n. an occurrence in which people are shocked and upset because of behavior that is morally or legally wrong headlines - n. the major news stories reported in newspapers, magazines, or television news programs

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Art Lovers Get Chance to Buy Long-Lost Nigerian Painting

  A painting of a Nigerian princess that was lost for more than 40 years has been found in England. It will be sold at the end of February. Nigeria’s best-known modern artist, Ben Enwonwu, painted the work. It is called “Tutu.” The painting will be offered to buyers at a public auction in London. The company organizing the auction says the event will be shown in Lagos on a special video feed. That way, Nigerian art lovers in the country’s largest city can make offers for the painting. History of the painting Enwonwu painted “Tutu” in 1974. It appeared at an art show in Lagos the following year. But there are no records of what happened to the painting after that, until it reappeared in north London. The subject in the artwork is a Nigerian princess named Adetutu Ademiluyi. She was a granddaughter of a traditional ruler from the Yoruba ethnic group. In Nigeria, the painting came to represent a sign of national reconciliation after the Biafran War. The conflict lasted from 1967 to 1970. Enwonwu belonged to the Igbo, the largest ethnic group in southeastern Nigeria. The Igbo attempted to break away from rest of the country under the name of Biafra. The Yoruba people, whose homeland is in the southwest, were mostly on the opposing side in the war. Enwonwu made three versions of the painting. The other two remain lost. However, prints first made in the 1970s have been on display ever since. The images are familiar to many Nigerians. Enwonwu died in 1994. His son, Oliver Enwonwu, is president of the Society of Nigerian Artists. “This is a very significant discovery, given my father’s contribution to Nigerian art and African art,” he told the Reuters news agency. Discovery in London home Giles Peppiatt, an expert on modern African art, identified the painting. He works for the London auction house Bonhams. Peppiatt said it was a shock to him to find the painting hanging in a north London home where he was called to examine it. The owners did not wish to be identified, he said. In the past, Peppiatt noted, he has gone looking for the three paintings, but did not find them. The auction will take place on February 28. Bonhams expects the final sale price of “Tutu” to be anywhere from $275,000 to $400,000. “We are quite hopeful about it because the market for Nigerian modern art is really strong at the moment. I’ve been in the market for 12 years and it’s as strong as I’ve ever known it,” Peppiatt told Reuters. One of the issues in setting up a live auction connecting London and Lagos could be the Nigerian city’s power supplies. Power outages are a problem in Lagos, and they often affect internet connections. Peppiatt is hoping for no problems on the day of the sale. “It’s the first time anyone has done it (such an auction) so that will be rather exciting,” he said. I'm Phil Dierking.   Estelle Shirbon and Alexis Akwagyiram reported this story for the Reuters news agency. George Grow adapted their report for VOA Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   auction – n. a sale of something to the person offering the most money reconciliation – n. the act of becoming friendly again display – n. an event in which something is shown to people contribution – n. payment for a share of something  

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