Amnesty International: Angry Speech Normal for Some Leaders

  The rights group Amnesty International says the world’s most powerful leaders have made angry political speech a normal behavior. Amnesty International released its report on the human rights situation in 159 countries Thursday. The report says leaders in Egypt, The Philippines, Venezuela, China, Russia and the United States have harmed the rights of millions of people by their use of such language. Margaret Huang is executive director for Amnesty International USA. She pointed to Philippine leader Rodrigo Duterte as an example in connection with his anti-drug trafficking campaign. “In the case of the Philippine President [Rodrigo] Duterte he has actually called on people to go out and kill those they suspect to be drug dealers,” Huang said. The report also criticized U.S. President Donald Trump in connection with his effort to deny travel visas to people from Muslim-majority countries with high levels of terrorism. It described the action has “hateful.” It also criticized European leaders for being “unwilling” to deal with the problems of migration to their countries. Salil Shetty leads Amnesty International. He said the world saw how bad a society can behave when it is encouraged to hate, fear and blame minorities. The main example was, in his words, “…the military campaign of ethnic cleansing against the Rohingya people in Myanmar.” Report targets reproductive rights The report denounced what is known as the Mexico City Policy of the U.S. The policy bans U.S. State Department and USAID funding to international groups that provide abortions or abortion support. The Trump administration has expanded the measure to include all U.S. international health care funding. The administration says the policy is designed to protect the lives of unborn babies around the world. John Lotspeich is with Marie Stopes International, a non-governmental group that supports contraception and abortion services. He says that birth control measures are less available in places like Madagascar, Uganda and Zimbabwe because of the loss of funding. The group says the policy has cost organizations like theirs millions of dollars. The U.S. State Department, however, says that funding for most health groups continues. These include non-governmental organizations and government agencies. The department said this is because they have met the requirements of the policy. Amnesty: free speech also suffered in 2017 The rights group also said that free speech suffered, especially in China, Egypt and Turkey. Amnesty International’s Huang noted that her own group had been affected. “Turkey has imprisoned more than 50,000 people over the last couple of year including both the chair and director of Amnesty Turkey,” she said. In Turkey, she said, there was an effort, in her words, “to arrest anyone who has been critical of the government, which is the same kind of situation we are seeing in Egypt and China.” However, the report praised movements such as the Women’s March in the United States and the international #metoo campaign. The international protests and social media campaign have brought additional attention to the issues of sexual abuse and harassment worldwide. Each year, Amnesty International releases its report called “The State of the World’s Human Rights.” This year’s report of over 400 pages discusses human rights issues such as armed conflict, the justice system and poverty all over the world. The 2017 report also drew attention to government efforts to cut costs saying this was a human rights issue. The report noted that such measures hurt people’s ability to get education, health services and housing. I’m Mario Ritter.   Mariama Diallo reported this story for VOA News. Mario Ritter adapted it for VOA Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   encourage – v. to make (someone) more likely to do something funding – n. money that is used for a special purpose abortion – n. a medical procedure used to end a pregnancy contraception – n. things that are done to prevent pregnancy harassment – n. the act of repeatedly annoying or bothering someone

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Making and Responding to Suggestions

  Imagine that you haven’t seen a good friend in a month. In a telephone call, your friend tells you she would like to get together for dinner but can’t think of a restaurant to go. So, you offer an idea. Listen to a short conversation: I’d love to have dinner on Friday but I’m not sure where. How about we go to Chez Philip? Great idea! I haven’t been there in over a year. The phrase How about is one common way to make a friendly suggestion in English. To make a suggestion means to offer an idea or plan for someone to think about. You probably already know a few ways to make suggestions in English, using words such as could or should. But, on this Everyday Grammar program, we’ll talk about common phrases you can use for making friendly suggestions. We use many of these phrases in question form. How about…? Let’s start by talking a little more about the phrase How about. When you ask a question using How about, you are asking someone if they agree with what you are suggesting. There are two structures for using this phrase. The first is: How about + subject + simple verb form Let’s listen to the first example again: How about we go to Chez Philip? In this example, the subject is we, and the verb is go. The second structure for using How about is: How about + gerund Listen: How about going to Chez Philip? In this example, the subject is still we, although is not directly stated. Instead, the subject is implied. And, going is the gerund form of the verb go. You can also use How about + gerund to make a suggestion for an action that does not involve you. For example: How about starting a group for English learners? What about…? The phrase What about is very similar to How about. You can replace the phrasing How about + gerund with What about + gerund to express the same meaning. For example: What about going to Chez Philip? However, What about + gerund is less common in American English than in other types of English. Something that English learners will notice is that native English speakers often leave out both the subject and verb when we use What about and How about to make suggestions. Listen: How about Chez Philip? What about Chez Philip? Why don’t..? Why don’t is very similar to How about and What about. The difference here is that we ask the question using the negative don’t. The structure is: Why don’t + subject + simple verb form Let’s hear our example again, but this time with Why don’t: Why don’t we go to Chez Philip? Why not..? Why not also uses the negative not. But this phrase is a little different from the other phrases. It is usually used to make more general suggestions. Advertisers often use Why not for selling products or services. The structure is Why not + simple verb form Listen: Why not treat yourself to a Caribbean holiday? In this example, the subject is you, but it is not directly stated. And, the verb is treat. Shall…? Using Shall is another way to make a suggestion. However, it sounds a lot more formal and is more common in British English than American English.   The structure is: shall + subject + simple verb form For example: Shall we go to Chez Philip? One thing to note when using Shall to make suggestions: it is only used with the subjects I and we. We would not say, Shall you to offer an idea. Let’s… Sometimes, suggestions are expressed in statements instead of questions, such as with the phrase Let’s. Let’s is a contraction for the words let us. It is used to tell someone what you want to do with them. The structure is Let’s + simple verb form Listen: Let’s go to Chez Philip! In this sentence, the subject is us. So, how do you respond to friendly suggestions? You can either accept or decline. Accepting  A few phrases for accepting a suggestion are: That’s a good/great idea! That sounds good/great. Perfect! Thanks! I’d love to. Declining  A few phrases for declining a suggestion include: I’d prefer… That’s a good idea but… I’m not sure. When you decline a suggestion, you may want to then politely suggest something else. For example: I’m not sure. Chez Philip is not my favorite. How about Fearless Farmers? Making and responding to suggestions in English takes practice. But it’s one of the more fun things you can do with a classmate, friend or family member. You can also practice in our comments section. Try using a few of the phrases you learned today to make a friendly suggestion. I’m Alice Bryant.   Alice Bryant wrote this story for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   conversation – n. an informal talk involving two people or a small group of people gerund – n. an English noun formed from a verb by adding -ing imply – v. to express something without saying or showing it plainly negative – n. a word or statement that means “no” or that expresses a denial or refusal formal – adj. suitable for serious or official speech and writing prefer – v. to like something better than something else contraction – n. the act or process of making something smaller or of becoming smaller decline – v. to say no to something in a polite way polite – adj. having or showing good manners or respect for other people practice – v. to do something again and again in order to become better at it

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News Words: Youthquake

The Oxford Dictionary's word of 2017 is youthquake. Learn the meaning of youthquake with Jonathan and Caty in this week's News Words.

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As Conditions in Gaza Worsen, Israel Turns to World for Help

  Four years ago, Israeli forces and Hamas militants fought a 50-day war. The fighting caused heavy damage to many buildings, roads and other infrastructure in the Gaza Strip. Now, Israel fears a humanitarian disaster along its border. The country is appealing to the world to provide support for a series of development projects in Gaza. Qatar has become an unlikely partner in the Israeli effort. The wealthy Gulf state has offered to donate money and is urging other nations to do so. But, it remains unclear whether the rest of the international community is ready to help. Donors have noted some successes in rebuilding Gaza since the 2014 war. But they say Israeli government officials are still too slow in approving projects. And they say Israel’s blockade of Hamas-ruled Gaza is working against the goal of developing the territory’s economy. The World Bank has helped direct the rebuilding effort. The aid organization said, “Israel now realizes the growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza and its impact on the population.” Gaza’s recent history Gaza is a small piece of land between Israel, Egypt and the Mediterranean Sea. Conditions there have worsened since Hamas militants seized the area in 2007. The militants took away control from the Palestinian Authority. Israel and Egypt set up a blockade in an attempt to weaken Hamas. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has increased pressure on Hamas by cutting wages of public servants and limiting electricity. He hopes his administration can regain control of the territory. Israel and Hamas have fought three conflicts since the group took control of Gaza. The most recent one, in 2014, was especially damaging. The United Nations says nearly 20,000 homes were destroyed, and over 150,000 others were damaged. Hospitals, schools and infrastructure were also damaged. After the fighting ended, international donors gathered in Cairo and came up with a $3.5 billion reconstruction plan. But only 53 percent of the promised money has been donated, according to the World Bank. Gaza’s economy is in trouble. Unemployment is over 40 percent. Public water supplies are undrinkable. And Gazans receive only a few hours of electricity a day. The Associated Press says evidence of problems are clearly noticeable on the streets of Gaza. Many of the roads are in bad condition. Drivers often see young men sitting idly in groups on sidewalks. Many storekeepers spend their time on smartphones since few people are buying their products. And the air is often filled with the smell of waste from the Mediterranean. Israel and Hamas blaming each other Israeli officials blame Hamas for the conditions. They say Israel has no choice but to continue the blockade, which restricts imports and exports, because the group is plotting ways to attack Israel. The militant group has said it wants to destroy the Jewish state. But fearing a humanitarian disaster that could lead to violence, Israel has begun to soften its position. Israel and the international community, however, have different ideas for how to fix the situation. On January 31, Israeli officials appealed to an emergency gathering of donor nations to support delayed projects sought by the international community. The officials said the projects are expected to cost hundreds of millions of dollars. The Israeli list is reported to include a power line, natural gas line, industrial area and waste treatment center. Mohammed Al-Emadi, the head of Qatar’s Gaza reconstruction committee, urged other nations to support the effort. “We have to fund as soon as possible,” he told the AP. “When you want to do work in Gaza, you have to go through the Israelis.” Gaza Reconstruction Mechanism Qatar, the United States and the European Union have been leading donors to what is called the “Gaza Reconstruction Mechanism.” The program was set up after the 2014 war to rebuild the territory while avoiding contact with Hamas. Under the effort, the Palestinian Authority leads the projects, while Israeli security officials consider and approve them. The United Nations studies the movement of supplies to make sure that things like cement and metal pipes do not reach Hamas. Israel considers the system to be a success. Israeli reports say nearly 90,000 homes have been rebuilt, while 380 large projects, such as hospitals, housing and water treatment centers, have been completed. Qatar has provided money for some of the biggest projects. These include an $84 million road across Gaza and a $114 million group of buildings in southern Gaza and a modern hospital. U.N. and World Bank officials say the reconstruction mechanism has worked well on normal projects. But they say actions by Israeli officials and security inspections of complex equipment have resulted in delays of up to six months. At the donors’ conference last month, the Israelis promised to ease some restrictions and to speed up work. The World Bank welcomed the steps. UN diplomat Nickolay Mladenov said that for Gaza’s economy to truly recover, the world must direct its attention to bigger goals. These include halting the militant activities of Hamas, permitting the Abbas government to retake control of Gaza and ending the Israeli blockade. “This will fully enable the international community to support the economic and social revival of Gaza,” he said. I’m Alice Bryant. And I'm Phil Dierking   Josef Federman wrote this story for the Associated Press. George Grow adapted his report for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter was the editor. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   infrastructure – n. the system of public works in an area impact – n. a major effect; the force of one thing on another reconstruction – n. the act of rebuilding according – adv. as stated by or in idly – adv. without much thought or effort fund – v. to pay for cement – n. a hard substance made from a mixture of soft powder, water and other substances revival – n. a return of importance, strength or interest We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.  

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Educators, Stars and Others Help Kids See 'Black Panther' Film

  For years, Xavier Thompson of Albuquerque, New Mexico, has followed Marvel Comics superhero movies. But the 16-year-old student has always wanted to see a film with a black superhero and African-American subjects. Thanks to an Albuquerque educator, Xavier finally got his wish last week when he was invited to a private showing of Black Panther. “It was amazing. The music, the action...everything,” Xavier said. “It made me proud to see our culture depicted like that.” Black Panther tells the story of an imaginary, highly developed African nation called Wakanda. T’Challa, played by Chadwick Boseman, becomes the country’s leader after the death of his father. However, a Wakandan exile named Killmonger, played by Michael B. Jordan, disputes T’Challa’s rule. Black Panther is the 18th film Marvel Comics movie. It is based on 50-year-old stories created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. The movie set a record with its $235-million opening at theaters across the United States last weekend. However, Black Panther is more than just a popular film. It has become a cultural movement. Educators, philanthropists, famous personalities, and business owners are sharing their resources to make sure children of color get to see the movie. Elementary school students in Detroit, middle school students in Atlanta, and students living in public housing in Los Angeles have been given free tickets and transportation to the movie. The number of black lead actors in films and television shows has increased over the years. But there is still a major lack of positive minority images coming from Hollywood. This is why many people are pushing for young blacks to see the movie. Joycelyn Jackson is director of the Black Student Union for Albuquerque Public Schools. She helped Xavier Thompson see the movie. “Something very special is happening here,” Jackson said. Former American first lady Michelle Obama tweeted her praise for the movie. “Congrats to the entire #blackpanther team! Because of you, young people will finally see superheroes that look like them on the big screen,” she wrote on Monday. “I loved this movie and I know it will inspire people of all backgrounds to dig deep and find the courage to be heroes of their own stories.” The cultural movement began with a New York businessman, Joseph Frederick. He launched the Black Panther Challenge in support of the Harlem division of Boys and Girls Clubs of America. Soon after, a former host of ESPN television’s SportsCenter program called on leaders of Detroit to help the city’s children get seats to see Black Panther. “I wish I had time to do it myself, but if there is anyone in Detroit trying to take kids in underserved communities to see Black Panther, holla at me,” Jemele Hill, a Detroit native, wrote on Twitter. Two Twitter groups answered Hill’s tweet by sending students at Detroit’s University Prep Academy High School to see the film. Twitter’s black employee group known as the Blackbirds and Twitter Detroit paid for the tickets and transportation. In Atlanta, a video camera was rolling when students at Ron Clark Academy learned they were going to see Black Panther. The recording shows the 5th-grade students cheering and dancing after hearing the news. The video went viral after it appeared on social media. Now there is an official Go Fund Me page for the Black Panther Challenge. Last week, Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith also supported the effort. He heads the record label of music artist Kendrick Lamar. Tiffith helped get about 1,000 children from poor neighborhoods in Los Angeles to see the movie. He paid for the tickets and transportation. Lamar did the film’s soundtrack. Oscar-winning actor Octavia Spencer announced plans to organize a screening in Mississippi to, in her words, "ensure all our brown children can see themselves as a superhero.” And last weekend, tennis star Serena Williams surprised girls in the club Black Girls Code with a private screening, which she attended. “Empire” star Jussie Smollett took to Instagram to announce he bought all of the tickets for two Black Panther screenings in Chicago, so that elementary and high school students could see the film. Actor Gabrielle Union and her husband, basketball player Dwyane Wade, partnered with the Boys & Girls Clubs in several cities to help kids see the movie. “Black Panther is more than a movie, it’s a movement,” Wade said on Instagram. I’m Ashley Thompson. And I'm Caty Weaver. Caty Weaver wrote this story for VOA Learning English. Her story was based on an Associated Press story and other news reports. ­­George Grow was the editor. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   amazing - adj.  causing great surprise or wonder : causing amazement proud - adj. ​very happy and pleased because of something you have done, something you own, someone you know or are related to, etc. :feeling pride​ philanthropist - n. ​a wealthy person who gives money and time to help make life better for other people​ resource - n. ​a supply of something (such as money) that someone has and can use when it is needed​ ticket - n. a piece of paper that allows you to see a show, participate in an event, travel on a vehicle, etc.​ positive - adj. ​good or useful​ screen - n. a large, flat, white surface on which images or movies are shown​ challenge - n. an invitation to take part in an effort or movement  host - n.  a person who talks to guests on a television or radio show​ holla (holler) - v. to call out loudly; to shout  

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February 21, 2018

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

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How 3D Printing Helped Team USA Go for Gold

  The United States won its first Olympic medal in a men’s luge singles event at the PyeongChang Winter Olympics. Chris Mazdzer won a silver medal last week – equaling the best finish ever for any member of the U.S. Olympic luge team. In the past, American Olympians won bronze and silver medals in women’s singles and men’s doubles luge. Over the years, German and Austrian teams have dominated the sport. When those teams lost, other European nations won. In the luge, competitors lie flat, feet first, on a small sled. They can travel around an icy track at speeds up to 140 kilometers an hour. The riders control the sled’s speed by changing the position of their feet or by moving their shoulders. So why did Team USA Luge win a medal at the PyeongChang Olympics? Most credit must go to Chris Mazdzer himself. The American said his win was a product of 16 years of preparation and intense training. His teammate and training partner Taylor Morris called him “an animal” whose years of hard work clearly paid off in the end.   But another reason for Mazdzer’s success could have been the 3-D printer technology, which his team used to make its equipment. The term 3-D is short for three dimensional -- meaning an object with length, width and height. In 3-D printing, 3-D models are first created as files, or documents, on a computer. The printer then uses a substance like plastic or metal to create physical objects. The process involves making one layer of material at a time until the objects reach full form. The USA Luge team worked with an American company called Stratasys on the design and manufacturing process for the sleds. First, the company made a scan, or image, of the body of every member of the luge team. Then, 3-D printing technology was used to create tools for making molds in the shape of Olympians on top of a sled. The process of designing and tooling sled parts is highly complex and can take several weeks. Officials from USA Luge say 3-D printing can greatly simplify the process, speeding up production of parts to within hours. Gordy Sheer is the marketing director for USA Luge. He says 3-D printing works well for making last-minute changes that require exactness. "As we learn more about aerodynamics and optimizing our designs, it's nice to be able to have the ability to make those changes quickly," Sheer said. The head of technical programs for USA Luge, Jon Owen, says the use of 3-D printing has made the team more competitive. It helps the team “continuously adjust designs and run them on the track much faster than traditional processes,” he said. He added that the technology also provides a way to perfectly fit each rider to the sled, while cutting production time and costs. Other sports represented at the 2018 Olympics have used 3-D printing to improve their equipment. Snowboard maker CAPiTA used 3-D printers to build stronger sidewalls for its snowboards. The process, called FUS3D, connects a plastic sidewall to the wooden center of the board. The technology even won a product of the year award from an international sports organization.  3-D printing company Materialise makes form-fitted insides for ski boots. It uses a scan of a person’s foot to produce perfectly fit boot inserts within a matter of minutes.  I’m Bryan Lynn.   Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English. George Grow 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   dominate – v. to have power or control over someone or something track – n. an area set aside for racing sled – n. small steerable vehicle used for coasting down snow-covered hills or down a track mold – n. container used to give its shape to something that is poured or pressed into it aerodynamics – n. a science that studies the movement of air and the way objects move through air optimize – v. make (something) as good or as effective as possible adjust – v. to make a small change to something fit – v. to be in agreement with; to be in the exact size or shape of something boot – n. a strong shoe that covers your foot and part of your leg  

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The Vatican Close to a Deal on Catholic Churches in China

  News reports suggest that the Vatican and China could reach an agreement on the appointment of Chinese Catholic religious officials. The goal is to end the split between state-controlled Catholic churches and so-called “underground” churches that obey the Pope. The Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera reported earlier this week that a Chinese delegation would visit Rome next month. Among those in the delegation would be China’s deputy foreign minister. However, some Catholics are concerned about such an agreement. Division between official and unofficial church in China They say a deal would normalize relations between the Vatican and China without dealing with the division between official and unofficial churches in China. Jonathan Liu is a priest with the Chinese Christian Fellowship based in San Francisco, California. He says the agreement will do more harm than good for the independence of Catholics in China. Liu said, “If the Pope demands worshipers to unconditionally obey the agreement, there will be a great deal of conflict. Therefore, I don’t think the unjustified agreement will bring unity.” He described the agreement as “spiritual torture” to Chinese Catholics. And he said that it would be considered, in his words, a “betrayal” by members of the underground church movement. The Chinese government cut relations with the Vatican in 1951. Catholics can only legally attend state-controlled Catholic churches. Church leaders, such as bishops, in the state-controlled churches are appointed by the Chinese government rather than the Vatican. Underground churches, however, say they are loyal to the Pope. Anthony Lam is an expert on the Catholic Church in China. He estimated that the country’s Catholic population decreased to 10.5 million in 2016. However, ties between the Vatican and the Chinese government have improved under Pope Francis. In January, the Vatican asked two underground bishops working in China to be replaced by two who were approved by China. Joseph Zen is a retired Cardinal, a top church official. He has criticized the improving relations between the Vatican and the Chinese government. He wrote that the talks with Chinese officials would only give control of the Catholic Church in China to the government. Zen, who also is the former bishop of Hong Kong, said that talks between the sides had not been equal. He said he had heard reports that China refused to discuss Bishop James Su. Zen said Su had been in the hands of the Chinese government for more than 20 years. “Accepting their [China’s] refusal is like kneeling down to them from the outset,” he said. Historic change or political move? However, supporters of the effort to improve ties do not agree. Francesco Sisci, a former Italian diplomat, is now a researcher at China Renmin University. He said a deal does not hurt the principles of the Holy See, the government of the Catholic Church in the Vatican. Instead, he said the move could be a way to bridge, what he called, gaps between China and the rest of the world. He noted that the world’s 230 Cardinals, except Zen, and all bishops in China, have agreed with the Pope’s decision. Hans Stockton is director of the Center for International Studies at the University of St. Thomas in the U.S. state of Texas. He says the Catholic Church is weighing the good and the harm of making a deal with China. “So, there’s the notion of the greatest good with the least harm…So that is calculation, but at the same time, there are potential advantages to be had in terms of conversion in China.” In negotiations, China is expected to seek formal diplomatic ties with the Vatican. However, Stockton notes that such a move would hurt Taiwan which could lose the Vatican as an ally. China considers the self-ruling island a rebel province. Some Chinese have criticized the agreement on social media. They say China will be the winner in talks if the government gets to nominate candidates for bishop. I’m Mario Ritter. Joyce Huang reported this story for VOA News. Mario Ritter adapted it for VOA Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   betrayal –n. to do something that does not agree with your beliefs bishop –n. a high official in the Catholic Church who is usually in charge of a geographical area Cardinal –n. a high official of the Catholic Church who ranks immediately below the Pope kneel down –v.(phrasal) to physically place one’s knees on the ground; to show submission principles –n. moral beliefs that guide one’s behavior gap –n. a space between two things, a missing part calculation –n. careful thought and planning for self-serving reasons conversion –n. to change from one system of believe, religion, political, etc. to another We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.

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American Religious Leader Billy Graham Dies

  The Reverend Billy Graham died Wednesday at his home in the American state of North Carolina, a spokesman said. Graham had long suffered from health problems, including cancer. He was 99 years old. Graham influenced American religious life for generations. He offered spiritual advice to many presidents and became the most widely heard Christian evangelist in history. Tall, with thick hair and clear blue eyes, Graham became a Southern Baptist clergyman in 1940. During his 70 years in public life, he spoke to more than 200 million people in 185 countries and territories. He and his supporters held massive gatherings – called the Billy Graham Crusades. Thousands of people attended each rally, either in person or by satellite. They were held on every continent except Antarctica. Graham often moved around while he spoke to crowds, sometimes also raising a Bible in the air while repeating words from Christianity’s holy book. At the end of his message, he invited people to come forward to seek salvation through a belief in Jesus Christ. Hundreds of people, sometimes thousands, would answer the call and come forward. Graham visited Eastern Europe before the collapse of the Soviet Union. In the winter of 1994, he gave sermons in China and North Korea, where he also met with top political and religious leaders. As a result of his world travels, Graham said Christianity was no longer only a Western religion. Graham was seen as a major force in developing evangelicalism in the United States. Because of his great influence, Graham was known as “America’s pastor.” He was often asked to pray or speak at major public events, such as political nomination conventions and swearing-in ceremonies for U.S. presidents. Graham knew every president from Harry Truman to Donald Trump. He served as a spiritual adviser to some of them. In 1983, President Ronald Reagan awarded Graham the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest U.S. civilian honor. When the Billy Graham Museum and Library opened in 2007, former Presidents George H.W. Bush, Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton attended. At the ceremony, Clinton said of Graham, “When he prays with you in the Oval Office or upstairs in the White House, you feel he’s praying for you, not the president.” President George H.W. Bush invited him to pray at the White House in 1991 on the first long day of the Gulf War. On Wednesday, President Donald Trump wrote on Twitter: “The GREAT Billy Graham is dead. There was nobody like him! He will be missed by Christians and all religions. A very special man,” Trump tweeted. Graham and his wife, Ruth Bell Graham, had five children. She died in 2007 at the age of 87. Graham had been battling several health conditions and rarely appeared in public in recent years. But he did attend a 95th birthday celebration in November 2013. A video message from the aging preacher was played at the celebration. His son Franklin called it his father’s last message to America. In the video, Billy Graham said America was "in great need of a spiritual awakening." Franklin Graham followed in his father’s footsteps and rose to become leader of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. He has preached to more than 7 million people worldwide. Franklin’s son, Will Graham, also speaks at religious celebrations around the world. I’m Alice Bryant. And I'm Bryan Lynn. Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English. His story was based on reports from the Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story reverend – n. a Christian clergyman evangelist – n. person who speaks in public and urges people to become Christians salvation – n. in some religions, a belief that God will save those sermon – n. a talk on a religious or moral subject who believe from the punishment of God for evil or immoral acts evangelicalism – n. a movement within Protestant Christianity which holds that only Jesus Christ can save humanity pastor – n. a clergyman or spiritual advisor  

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More Schoolgirls Reportedly Kidnapped by Boko Haram

More Nigerian schoolgirls have been reported missing after the Boko Haram extremist group attacked a school in the northeastern state of Yobe. People with knowledge of the incident said 91 students did not appear in class when teachers made the roll-call on Tuesday. The disappearance has raised fears of another mass kidnapping by Boko Haram. The terror group took 276 girls from the school in the village of Chibok in April 2014. That kidnapping sparked worldwide anger and led to the formation of the Bring Back Our Girls movement. Nearly four years later, more than 100 of the Chibok girls are still missing. Fearing a repeat of the Chibok kidnappings, parents and guardians gathered Wednesday at the Government Girls Science Secondary School in the town of Dapchi demanding information. An uncle of one missing student said, "Our girls have been missing for two days and we don't know their whereabouts."  A witness from the village of Gumsa, said "I saw girls crying and wailing in three Tata vehicles and they were crying for help."  Witnesses told Reuters Boko Haram militants arrived in Dapchi Monday evening in trucks, some armed with heavy guns. They said the militants immediately went to the school firing their guns. The witnesses also said that Nigerian security forces launched a search and rescue mission shortly after. Nigerian police and the regional education ministry have denied the kidnappings happened. The state ministry of education also denied the kidnappings. However, they closed the school for a week to permit students and their families to reunite. Harming the communities Boko Haram began its rebellion in 2009, and has had a very harmful effect on the communities in northeastern Nigeria.  The group has taken thousands of women and young girls, as well as boys and men old enough to fight. In addition, more than 20,000 people have been killed and 2 million others, mostly from the Borno state area, have been forced to leave their homes. Another 200,000 Nigerians have taken refuge in neighboring states. The charity Doctors Without Borders says hundreds of thousands of people who have been forced to very rural areas of Borno are now totally dependent on outside aid for survival. I’m Jonathan Evans.   This story was originally written by Wayne Lee and Lisa Schlein for VOAnews.com. Phil Dierking adapted her story for VOA Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. How do you think the international community should support Nigeria and the missing girls?  We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   roll-call - n. he act of saying each of the names on a list to find out who is present wail - v. to make a loud, long cry of sadness or pain whereabouts - n. the location of a person or thing vulnerable - adj. easily hurt or harmed physically, mentally, or emotionally

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Winless Joint Korean Hockey Team Scores Symbolic Victory

  The Olympic women’s hockey team made up of players from North and South Korea has ended its historic run at the Winter Games.                            Team Korea lost to Sweden 6-1 Tuesday in its last game in PyeongChang, South Korea. The joint team included 23 players from South Korea and 12 from the North. It was the fifth straight loss for the unified Korean team during the 2018 Olympics. Although the team lacked wins on the ice, many Olympic watchers felt the players still won a symbolic victory. Thousands of people watched the team’s final performance against Sweden. After the competition, they cheered for the Koreans one last time. Many also waved Korean unification flags as a sign of support. Before leaving the ice, the team skated around Kwandong Hockey Centre to thank supporters. South Korean forward Kim Heewon wiped away tears as she and her teammates waved to cheering fans.   Randi Heesoo Griffin is an American hockey player whose mother is Korean. She has played with the South Korean team and was a member of the joint Korean Olympic team. She said it was a “special” experience getting to know the North Korean players, and that they would be missed by the South Korean team. But she said it may be difficult keeping in touch. “I mean, none of them have Facebook, so it might be hard,” Griffin said. “But there were definitely bonds that were formed. And I think if we end up playing against each other again - South Korea vs. North Korea - there’s definitely going to be some hugs and some smiles.” Women’s hockey was the only sport at the 2018 Olympics with a team made up of players from both Koreas. The two nations have remained technically at war since a truce was declared in the 1950-53 Korean conflict. The two governments bar their citizens from visiting each other’s country and exchanging phone calls, letters and emails. Officials from both Koreas made the decision to create a joint Korean team just days before the PyeongChang Games began. The decision came during a last-minute attempt to improve ties after a year of rising nuclear tensions led to fears of possible war on the Korean Peninsula. The team’s coach, Sarah Murray, is a Canadian citizen. She said that, since the decision to add the North Koreans came so suddenly, the combined team had very few chances to practice. “With everything that happened to them, prior to the Olympics, for them to come together like this and compete like this in the Olympics, it’s remarkable,” Murray said Tuesday.  Before the team formed, some people questioned whether the North and South Korean players would work well together. But the team was seen getting along well during the competition. The two Koreas had held talks in the past to possibly form joint teams for several Olympics, but no agreements were ever made.  The fact that it finally happened in 2018 became a big story in the media coverage of the Games. But it was not the first time in history that countries divided by war teamed up on joint Olympic teams. East Germany and West Germany formed unified Olympic teams beginning in 1956. During this period after World War II, there was a lot of mistrust between the two German states. West Germany was a democracy with support from the United States and Western Europe. East Germany had a Communist form of government and was allied with Russia and other East European nations. After the two sides agreed to compete together at the Olympics in 1956, the head of the International Olympic Committee, or IOC, declared a political victory. “We have obtained in the field of sport what politicians have failed to achieve so far,” IOC president Avery Brundage said. But several disputes regarding details of the joint team proved difficult to resolve. These included differences over a unified flag and debate about which country’s national anthem to use. Eventually, the IOC helped the two sides reach agreement on those issues. Later, the team faced issues when the United States refused to approve visas for several East German team members seeking to compete in the 1960 Winter Games in Squaw Valley, California. At the time, the U.S. did not have diplomatic relations with East Germany. The building of the Berlin Wall in 1961 complicated the East-West German relationship. West Germany began denying visas to East German Olympians and West German athletes were not permitted to travel to the East.   The two Germanys competed together for the last time at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Then in 1968, East Germany and West Germany began sending separate teams to the Olympics after the IOC recognized the East’s national Olympic committee. I’m Bryan Lynn.   Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English, based on reports from the Associated Press, Reuters and other sources.  Ashley Thompson 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   symbolic – adj. expressing or representing an idea or quality without using words skate – v. to move or glide over a surface on skates bond – n. something shared between people or groups that forms a connection between them hug – n. the putting of your arms around someone and holding them tightly smile – n. a happy or friendly expression in which the corners of a person’s mouth curve up remarkable – adj. unusual or surprising achieve – v. to succeed in doing something, usually by working hard national anthem – n. song that praises a country and that is officially accepted as that nation's song complicate – v. make something more difficult to deal with or understand tears – n. drops of clear, salty liquid secreted from glands in a person's eye when they cry or when the eye is irritated.  

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