Trump Inspects Proposed Models for Border Wall

President Donald Trump has inspected several proposed models for a border wall to separate the United States and Mexico.  Trump went to the border site Tuesday, just after landing in San Diego. It is his first visit as president to the state of California. The president spoke to reporters and others gathered at the site. He said a new wall would help stop ''99 percent'' of illegal immigration or, in his words, ''maybe more than that.'' There are eight border wall designs. Trump said he favored a fully concrete wall because it was the hardest to climb. However, he also noted part of the wall should be transparent. Trump said he noticed the repaired holes in some parts of the existing fence at the border. He described the existing wall as “lousy” but noted it stopped as much as 95 percent of attempted illegal entry. Activists for and against the president’s plan demonstrated near the site. The Trump administration is currently battling with California about its refusal to help federal agents detain undocumented immigrants in the United States. The president said Tuesday that the state's sanctuary policies ''put the entire nation at risk.'' Last week, the U.S. Justice Department took legal action against California over three state immigration laws. Trump said the laws were the best friend of the criminal. ''The criminals take refuge in these sanctuary cities and it's very dangerous for our police and enforcement folks,'' he said. While in California, Trump is also expected to speak to Marines in San Diego. He will also attend a fundraiser in Los Angeles, where he will stay overnight. Demonstrations were held at the San Ysidro port of entry in San Diego, the nation's busiest border crossing, where protesters chanted, ''No ban! No wall!'' Protests were also held on the Mexican side, in Tijuana. At San Ysidro, 21-year-old Jose Gonzalez expressed his displeasure with Trump’s policy. ''I don't think it's really fair how he has the choice to separate us,'' he said. Gonzalez holds Mexican and U.S. citizenship. He crosses the border from Mexico daily to work at a San Diego restaurant. However, 48-year-old Army veteran Mark Prieto criticized the protesters. ''People are so narrow-minded,'' the Riverside firefighter said as the crowd chanted. ''Finally we have someone who is putting America first.'' His wife, Corina Prieto, a nurse who has extended family in Mexico, agreed. Both voted for Trump. ''I think he is doing a lot of good, like protecting our Border Patrol,'' she said. I’m Caty Weaver.   Caty Weaver adapted the story for Learning English based on AP news reports. Hai Do was the editor. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   concrete – n. a hard, strong material used for building and made by mixing cement, sand, and rocks with water transparent - adj. able to see through sanctuary - n. a place where someone is protected or given shelter We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.            

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English Words Borrowed From Arabic

  On a recent program, we told you about some English words borrowed from African languages. Today, we will tell you about words English has borrowed from the Arab world. Arabic words entered the English language through a number of ways.  In the early 8th century, Arab fighters invaded and took control of the Iberian Peninsula, or what is modern day Spain and Portugal. These forces were known as the Moors. During their occupation, their language spread throughout the area, and entered Latin, the language spoken by the locals. Over the next several centuries, Christian-led forces took control of the Iberian Peninsula. However, by this time, the language spoken there had been forever influenced by the Arabic language.  Many of these words have survived. As Latin began to influence English, some of the Arabic words were passed on. To this day, many words commonly used in English have Arabic roots. Algebra Algebra is a widely used system in mathematics. It uses symbols, instead of numbers, to solve problems. Algebra is also one of the oldest forms of mathematics. Some of the earliest notes with algebraic formulas were found in Egypt and what is now Iraq.  The word “algebra” itself comes from the Arabic word al jebr, which means a “reunion of broken parts.” This term was first used by a Baghdad mathematician, Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi. He used it in the name of his book Kitab al-jabr w’al-Muqabala, which means “Rule of Reintegration and Reduction.”  The word algebra entered the English language sometime in the 15th century. Word historians believe it probably came from Arab medical workers in Spain. At first, the English word meant “bone-setting,” likely from a medical process of setting broken bones. Alcohol The English word alcohol comes from the Arabic word al kohl. Al is the definite article in Arabic, acting much like the word the in English. The original meaning of kohl was a powder, or fine particles, that was added as makeup around the eyes. It is not clear how this word came to mean a drink. But a common belief is that this happened after the word alcohol entered the English language. The term was once used for the powder produced from sublimation of natural minerals. The meaning was later changed to refer to when substances were purified to create ethanol, a kind of alcohol that can be drunk.  Alcohol is now the most common English word for the colorless, but often powerful liquid in some drinks. Coffee There are several stories about how coffee, another drink, was discovered. The most famous is that coffee beans were discovered in the Oromo area of Ethiopia. However, another country, Yemen, was the first to export the drink widely. The Arabic language is widely spoken in Yemen. The Arabic word for coffee was qahwah, which originally meant “wine.” Long ago, traders sold coffee beans throughout the Middle East, and later to Turkey, where it was called kahveh. Coffee eventually came to Europe, arriving in Italy, where it was called caffe. By 1650, the drink had arrived in England. By then, the name had changed to the sound it has today, coffee. Lemon Some food names also have Arabic roots, such as a common fruit: the lemon. Like many Arabic words in English, the word became part of Latin and other romance languages before finally entering English. There are several stories about the origins of lemons. Some experts say they came from India, while others have said it was closer to China. Some records show that Arab traders eventually brought lemons from India to the Middle East. In Arabic, they were called laimun. The fruit later found its way to Spain, and then spread across Europe. The word entered the French language, and was called  limon.  Yet the meaning has always been the same: a “pale yellow citrus fruit.” In modern use, the English word lemon sometimes suggests difficulty. The word is often used in the expression: “If life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” This means that you should always be hopeful and move forward, even during difficult times. Numbers Many people do not realize it, but the Arabic language influenced the numbering system used in most English-speaking countries. It is called the Arabic Numeral System, or the Hindu-Arabic Numeral System. There are several stories about where the numbers started. But most say the numeral system was first developed in India in the 6th or 7th century. There is evidence that the earliest form of some numbers may have come from Persia. They were later brought into the Arabic language through Baghdad. The final form of the numbers is likely a combination of symbols originating from Hindu and Arabic. ​ ​Many experts say it was the mathematician Al-Khwarizmi who was responsible for spreading the Hindu-Arabic numeral system throughout the Middle East, and later to Europe. Gerbert of Aurillac has been credited with bringing Arabic numerals to Europe after he visited the Iberian Peninsula while under Moorish rule. He later became head of the Roman Catholic Church and was known as Pope Sylvester II. By the 15th century, the Hindu-Arabic numeral system replaced the Roman numeral system that had been used in Europe. I’m Phil Dierking. And I'm Alice Bryant. This story was written by Phil Dierking for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. Can you think of any other English words that originated from Arabic?  We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Quiz Now, test your understanding by taking this short quiz. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   bean - n. a seed that is eaten as a vegetable and that comes from any one of many different kinds of climbing plants​ citrus - n. a juicy fruit (such as an orange, grapefruit, or lemon) that has a thick skin and that comes from a tree or shrub that grows in warm area​ definite article - n. the word the used in English to refer to a person or thing that is identified or specified​ ethanol - n. a colorless volatile flammable liquid which is produced by the natural fermentation of sugars; alcohol.​ formula - n. a general fact or rule expressed in letters and symbols​ original - adj. happening or existing first or at the beginning​ pale - adj. light in color​ sublimation - n. When anything solid turns into a gas without first becoming liquid​ symbol - n. an action, object, event, etc., that expresses or represents a particular idea or quality — often + of

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Claims, Mistrust Hurting Brazil’s Yellow Fever Vaccine Campaign

  Elisangela Santos does not understand why everyone in her neighborhood is being told to get the yellow fever vaccine this year. Yellow fever has been a problem for a long time in parts of Brazil, yet the 44-year-old school employee is suspicious. "Every year, it's something else," Santos said as she waited next to a health center in the city of Sao Paulo. “They (Officials) invent another thing to make Brazilians spend money,” she told the Associated Press. The yellow fever vaccine is free at public health centers across the country. Santos’ suspicion that someone must be profiting from the vaccine is a sign of Brazilians’ current high levels of mistrust in the government. The low levels of trust have resulted, in part, from a series of corruption cases. Another issue is a badly designed communications campaign for the vaccine. In addition, Brazil’s decision to give partial doses, so as to stretch supplies, has led to claims that the vaccine is weak or even dangerous. That misinformation is keeping many people away from the public health campaign. Health workers are trying to vaccinate more than 23 million people in areas of Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Bahia states that until recently were not considered at risk for yellow fever. Nearly six weeks into the campaign, the Health Ministry reported that 76 percent of the target population has been vaccinated. That is far short from its goal of 95 percent. The fear about the vaccine is likely to make the last 20 percent very difficult to reach. They are affecting the efforts of South America’s biggest nation to contain its largest yellow fever outbreak in more than 30 years. The fear and suspicion could lead to more cases in Brazil's major cities. The country hasn't had an outbreak in major population centers since 1942. Luiz Antonio Teixeira Junior is Rio de Janeiro’s health secretary. He said the disease could reach the cities if they have more cases of yellow fever and "the Aedes aegypti mosquito starts to become infected and transmits yellow fever.” He noted the government is doing everything it can to stop yellow fever from entering the cities. Yellow fever has long been a problem in large parts of Brazil, but the disease has been spreading in recent years. This is the second outbreak in two years in places where vaccinations for the disease were not common. During the 2016-2017 outbreak, more than 770 people were infected. During the ten year period before, Brazil had fewer than 10 cases each year. In the current outbreak, health officials have already confirmed 846 cases, of which 260 have died. The outbreak is causing problems for the health system just a few years after officials battled Zika, which was linked to birth defects in babies born to infected mothers. While unconfirmed claims sometimes were a problem during earlier campaigns, the rise of the WhatsApp messaging service is creating more misinformation, said Igor Sacramento. He works as a researcher for Fiocruz, Brazil's leading public research institute. WhatsApp is one way the government shares health information, said Sacramento. Since WhatsApp messages come from friends and relatives, people place a high value on the information, and that means people often accept it without looking at facts, he said. One report on Whats App says a mutation in the yellow fever virus has made the vaccine ineffective, even pointing to a study published by Fiocruz. That is not true, and the group released a statement saying that changes in the disease have not change the vaccine's effectiveness. Even some health experts believe some of the claims. Some have refused to give partial doses, noted Ana Goretti, the acting coordinator of the immunization program at the Health Ministry. The ministry and all of Brazil's medical organizations are preparing to release information that says the partial dose is safe and effective. The vaccination efforts have also been unorganized. Earlier this year, there were hours-long waits at some health centers before people simply stopped coming. Many people outside a health clinic in Jardim Miriam said the first clinic they went to did not have the vaccine. Stopping misinformation and fears about the vaccine is important because yellow fever does not seem to be moving away from coastal areas. The Health Ministry is considering asking for all Brazilians to get vaccinated and earlier this year the government decided that all children should get the vaccinated. The ministry and state health departments are using Twitter and Facebook to advertise the vaccination campaign. They share links to information about the vaccine and the disease. Members of the ministry's social media team have also answered questions about the vaccine on the ministry's Facebook page. But they have not been using social media or WhatsApp to fight unconfirmed claims. Instead, officials say they usually talk to the local press to explain that the vaccine is safe, effective and necessary. Health workers in Sao Paulo and Rio have also gone door to door to tell people to get vaccinated. The claims have scared off Manoel da Silva's family. The 57-year-old retiree said his adult children and his wife are refusing to get vaccinated. His family told him they heard stories of people who were sickened by the vaccine and concerned about the partial doses. "There are lots of things on the internet," said da Silva. He added that his family thinks the campaign is a trick because of the partial doses. Scientists have said that the one-fifth dose works and the World Health Organization has said it can be used in emergencies. It is still unclear how long the protection lasts. Brazilian officials say they have scientific information that shows the vaccine is good for at least eight years, but others have said it may be less. More studies are expected. The yellow fever vaccine, like all vaccines that use live virus, can cause sickness. Susan McLellan is a professor of infectious diseases at the University of Texas Medical Branch. She says the yellow fever vaccine may even cause more vaccine-linked disease than other live virus vaccines. But “in a high risk setting, you're a lot safer with the vaccine than the disease," said McLellan. Da Silva, whose family does not want to get vaccinated, said he, too, was worried, but decided to get the vaccine. "I heard about people getting sick" from the vaccine, he said, "but if a mosquito bites me, I'm already at risk." I'm Susan Shand. And I'm Dorothy Gundy. Sarah DiLorenzo reported this story for the Associated Press. Susan Shand adapted her report for VOA Learning English. George Grow. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   outbreak – n. a sudden rise in the number of cases of a disease dose – n. the amount of a medicine, drug, or vitamin that is taken at one time mosquito – n. a small flying insect that bites the skin of people and animals and sucks their blood transmit – v. to infect someone else with a virus or disease defect – n. a physical problem; something that causes weakness; a lack of something needed for something to operate perfectly mutation – n. a change in the genes of a plant or animal that causes physical characteristics that are different from what is normal      

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Japan’s Abe: North Korea Must ‘Match Words with Actions’

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is expressing caution about planned talks between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and U.S. President Donald Trump. Abe met Tuesday in Tokyo with the head of South Korea’s National Intelligence Service, Suh Hoon. Before the meeting, the Japanese leader said he welcomed any new denuclearization talks with North Korea. But he also said he believes it is “extremely important” that North Korea “match its words with actions.” Abe also told reporters that any high-level talks with the North should also include discussions of other issues. One of those issues is a dispute with Pyongyang over kidnappings of Japanese citizens by North Korean agents in the 1970s and 1980s. Abe said resolving the kidnapping issue with North Korea has been a longstanding Japanese government policy. The Japanese leader has repeatedly called on North Korea to return at least 13 people that Pyongyang has admitted to kidnapping. He has also demanded that the North provide information about other people Japan believes were taken and used to train North Korean spies. So far, North Korea has allowed five people it kidnapped to return to Japan, Reuters news agency reported. A Japanese government official told Reuters that Japan was considering setting up a direct meeting between Abe and Kim Jong Un to discuss the kidnapping issue. Japan’s request to have the issue brought up in upcoming talks with North Korea was not included in a South Korean statement about Suh’s talks with Abe. The statement, released by the presidential Blue House, said Abe told Suh he did not believe the North would use high-level talks to buy time to keep developing its nuclear and missile programs. Suh was part of South Korea’s team that recently held talks with Kim Jong Un and other officials in North Korea. He traveled to Tokyo to brief Japanese officials on the talks, while another member of the team informed Chinese officials in Beijing. After the talks, South Korea announced Kim had agreed to hold separate, direct meetings with South Korean President Moon Jae-in and President Trump. Officials have said Kim and Moon will hold talks in late April, while the Trump meeting is supposed to happen by May.  I’m Bryan Lynn. Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English, based on reports from the Associated Press and Reuters. Hai Do 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 caution – n. care taken to avoid danger or risk  

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Trump Dismisses Tillerson as Secretary of State

President Donald Trump has dismissed U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. The president announced the move Tuesday. Trump announced the change in a message on the social media network Twitter early Tuesday. The announcement came four hours after Tillerson returned to Washington from a trip to Africa. Trump said he would nominate Mike Pompeo, the director of the Central Intelligence Agency, to replace Tillerson. The move comes as the administration prepares for important talks with North Korea. “Mike Pompeo, Director of the CIA, will become our new Secretary of State,” Trump tweeted. “He will do a fantastic job! Thank you to Rex Tillerson for his service! Gina Haspel will become the new Director of the CIA, and the first woman so chosen. Congratulations to all!” Both appointments must be confirmed by the Senate. Speaking this morning, the president said he and Tillerson “disagreed on things,” including their opinions about the Iran nuclear deal. For months, officials have spoken about Trump’s dissatisfaction with Tillerson although Tillerson insisted he did not plan to leave. Rumors about disagreements between Trump and Tillerson began spearding last year. In October, NBC news reported that Tillerson called the president a “moron,” something Tillerson never actually denied. Tillerson continued to insist his relationship with the president was solid and denied rumors of problems between them. Two officials familiar with the situation said that Tillerson had been fired by Trump on Friday, while in Africa. However, that was not clear as Tillerson returned to Washington early Tuesday from Nigeria. But Tillerson had cut short his trip by one night. He told reporters he had been sick in Africa and had not slept well because of urgent issues, including the North Korea announcement. “I felt like, look, I just need to get back,” Tillerson said. One top Trump administration official said dismissing Tillerson had been discussed at many levels for a long time. The official said the situation with North Korea and the invitation to meet brought more urgency to the decision. Two officials said Trump wanted to have a new team in place before the meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and also before trade talks. The officials were not authorized to speak publicly and demanded that their names not be released. Tillerson also was known for his ties with Russia and Russian President Vladimir Putin. He developed the ties as an executive for U.S. oil company Exxon. Tillerson joined a long list of senior officials who have either resigned or been fired since Trump took office in January 2017. Others include strategist Steve Bannon, national security adviser Michael Flynn, FBI Director James Comey, White House chief of staff Reince Priebus, communications director Anthony Scaramucci, and press secretary Sean Spicer. Recently, cabinet secretary Rob Porter, communications director Hope Hicks and economic adviser Gary Cohn have resigned from the administration. I’m Mario Ritter.   Mario Ritter adapted this AP story for VOA Learning English. Hai Do was the editor.   _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   fantastic –adj. very good, exceptional rumors –n. information or a story that is passed from person to person but is not proved to be true authorized –adj. having received legal or official permission to do or say something mandatory –adj. required by rule or law   We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.      

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Napping May Improve Learning, Memory

  From VOA Learning English, this is the Health & Lifestyle Report. March 16 is International Sleep Day. And we should all celebrate the act of sleeping. Studies have shown that a good night’s rest helps us stay healthy, both mentally and physically. And researchers say sleep is probably the best tool we have for memory and learning.   Michael Twery is director of the National Center on Sleep Disorders Research at America’s National Institutes of Health. Twery is an expert on the science of sleep and sleep disorders. He told me that a good night’s sleep helps to learn better. “Getting a good night’s sleep is important for the learning and memory process. It’s important because it stores the training exercises and the learning exercises into our more permanent memory while we’re sleeping 7-8 hours in bed. And then the next morning when you wake up your mind is better prepared to act on that information.” But what about getting rest during the middle of the day? Short periods of sleep may help our brains work better, or so says a recent study on napping. Past studies have shown that napping can help babies and young children learn better. And napping can help brain performance in older adults. Taking a nap may also help this group of people fight off age-related memory loss. Many Americans do nap. But one-third of all adults in the United States are also chronically tired, notes the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It found that 50 million to 70 million Americans have chronic sleep disorders. So, someone who naps as a way of paying off a sleep debt may not experience the same improvements from napping as a healthy, well-rested person would. Also, many people may not want to admit that they take a nap. They may think that napping shows they are weak or lack energy. That only children, the very old, sick or lazy people nap is not an uncommon opinion. In fact, we Americans sometimes do a very strange thing. Some brag about how few hours of sleep they need each night. Health experts suggest that adults get seven to eight hours of sleep each night. People who claim they only sleep five hours a night, they may think they are somehow stronger than the average human – superhuman, if you will. However, that may be changing. Many offices now offer napping rooms and napping cafes are appearing in many U.S. cities, including Washington, D.C. While resting in the middle of the work day may seem like a luxury to Americans, napping is very much part of a normal, everyday life in other parts of the world. The China sleep study Take China, for example. While it depends on the age and job, China, generally speaking, is a land of nappers. So, researchers recently looked at information provided by nearly 3,000 Chinese adults, aged 65 years or older. They wanted to learn if napping after a mid-day meal, a tradition in some areas, had any effect on the mental performance of the subjects. First, the researchers asked the people if they napped and for how long. Then, based on their answers, researchers put them into four groups: non-nappers (0 minutes), short nappers (less than 30 minutes), moderate nappers (30-90 minutes), and extended nappers (more than 90 minutes). Nearly 60 percent of those 3,000 people said they did take a nap after lunch and that their naps lasted anywhere from 30 to 90 minutes. Most of the subjects who said they napped said they napped for about an hour. The study found that people who took an hour-long nap did much better on mental tests than those who did not nap. The hour-long nappers also did better on the tests than those who napped for shorter and longer periods. In this study, it seems that the most effective nap lasted for about an hour, but not much longer. These researchers reported their findings in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. Keep in mind, however, that these are the findings for those over the age of 65. Yet Doctor Michael Twery notes that an hour long nap may be too long for young, healthy adults. “Currently, we’re recommending that we try to sleep for about 30 minutes or less. And 30 minutes is enough to remove the pressure to sleep and will help us feel more awake. If we nap longer, we will get trapped into those deeper layers of sleep, which can be hard to get out of.”   The feeling Twery described is called sleep inertia -- the period when you awake from a very deep sleep. For a time, you are unable to think clearly. “So sleep inertia is when someone is being awakened from deep sleep. Some individuals may find it hard to change instantly from that deep sleep – where everything is a bit foggy and confused – to the fully awake state. We may be a little bit clumsy. We may not have all our thoughts in order when we wake from deep sleep." The National Sleep Foundation also warns that if you have trouble falling asleep at night, limit your daytime nap to under 45 minutes. Also nap before 3 p.m. in the afternoon. And that’s the Health & Lifestyle report. I’m Anna Matteo. Are you a napper? Does your life style allow you to take a nap midday? Is napping common in your culture? Share your thoughts with us, we would love to hear from you.   Anna Matteo reported on this story for VOA Learning English using information from ScienceDaily.com, MedicalNewsToday.com and several health websites. George Grow was the editor. Let us know in the Comments Section. ________________________________________________________________ Quiz ​________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   nap – n./v. to sleep briefly especially during the day chronic – adj. continuing or taking place again and again for a long time lazy – adj. not liking to work hard or to be active brag – v. to talk about yourself or your successes in a way that shows you are more important or better than other people luxury – n. something that is helpful or welcome and that is not usually or always available geriatric – adj. of or relating to the process of growing old and the medical care of old people sleep inertia – n. the state of not being able to think or act clearly immediately after waking from sleep. foggy – adj. unsure or confused confused – adj. unable to understand or think clearly

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Alaska Officials Use DNA to Help Count City Moose

  Wildlife biologists in the U.S. state of Alaska are collecting genetic material from moose in an attempt to get a correct count of the big animals. The counting is being done in Alaska’s largest city, Anchorage. Many moose are found within the limits of the city of 300,000 people. But officials are not sure how many moose pass through the area. The counting process is not easy. The animals continually move and the city covers an area of over 5,000 square kilometers. In the past, officials used low-flying airplanes to watch for moose on the ground to estimate numbers. But rules from the city’s airport now bar such flights. So Alaska’s Department of Fish and Game is experimenting with a new method for counting the city’s moose. They are collecting genetic material called DNA from the animals. They say this will permit them to get better estimates and identify each individual moose without having to capture them. Biologists sought help from the public during their three-day project last month. They asked people to call or send text messages to report when they saw a moose. Teams of moose trackers then quickly drove to the areas. The teams shot the moose with special darts designed to capture small pieces of skin and hair. The darts are weighted so they fall off the moose and can be collected. Researchers say the darts do not hurt the animals. The skin and fur are then taken to a laboratory to be studied.  Biologist Dave Battle helped lead the project. He told the Associated Press that until now, officials had to take an “educated guess” about the number of moose in the city. “There’s really been no technique up until now. And it’s something we’ve been kind of beating our heads against the wall for the last couple of years about,” he said. The project is paid for with taxes on firearms, ammunition, and archery equipment, as well as state hunting licenses. Battle says the technology is allowing officials to improve their knowledge and management of the moose population in the Anchorage area. But he added that it will take some time to study the DNA material to come up with specific numbers. Safety was a big concern during the project. Moose, which weigh up to 700 kilograms, can be aggressive and dangerous to people. Moose can cause deadly traffic accidents and also can harm people and other animals by stepping on them. I’m Bryan Lynn.   Bryan Lynn adapted this story for VOA Learning English, based on a report from the Associated Press and other sources. 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   tracker – n. person who follows a path or trail made by people or animals walking dart – n. small object with a sharp point at one end technique – n. way of doing something by using special knowledge or skill archery – n. the sport or skill of shooting with a bow and arrow license – n. official document or card showing someone has the legal right to do something  

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What Can Be Done for a Nuclear Deal with North Korea?

  Many people were shocked last week by news of the planned talks between the leaders of the United States and North Korea. U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un are supposed to meet by May. Yet as of Monday, the Associated Press noted that North Korean media had yet to confirm the meeting. A South Korean spokesman said, “I feel they’re approaching this matter with caution and they need time to organize their stance.” Observers say the meeting has raised expectations of progress in resolving the nuclear crisis on the Korean peninsula. But they warn the process leading to removal of all nuclear weapons from the area is complex. Can a deal be reached? On Saturday, Trump said his talks with Kim could end with no agreement or they could be “the greatest deal for the world.” Cheong Seong-chang is an expert on North Korea at the Sejong Institute in South Korea. He is hopeful about the meeting. “It is expected that there will be more rapid progress regarding the freezing and dismantling of the North Korean nuclear program than in the past, as the leaders of the U.S. and North Korea will meet directly this time,” he said. Experts suggest North Korea could offer to stop developing intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM). The country has said its missiles can hit the United States. The experts believe that North Korea could announce an extension of its freeze on missile and nuclear tests. They also say the North could even offer to reduce the amount of nuclear materials it has saved for making nuclear weapons. It is unclear what the U.S. government might offer in return. The Trump administration is concerned about offering help in exchange for promises. Officials note that North Korea failed to honor earlier agreements. Experts suggest the U.S. would likely demand that international inspectors be given permission to verify any freeze or break up of the nuclear program. Only then, they say, would economic actions against the North be reduced. However, the U.S. government would have to offer something that North Korea wants in return. Go Myong-Hyun is a North Korea expert with the Asan Institute for Policy Studies in Seoul. He said, “In order to make the whole process successful, for which Donald Trump will be responsible, he would have to provide economic concessions.” Both sides have acted to moderate the situation North Korea and the United States have made the possibility of talks more likely by easing tensions. The North Korean government has not tested nuclear weapons or long distance missiles since November of last year. The U.S. side has dropped its condition that North Korea take real measures to end its nuclear program before talks can begin. The Trump administration, however, says its “maximum pressure” campaign will remain in place until a deal is reached. The U.S. has led efforts in the United Nations Security Council to put in place sanctions that have cost North Korea billions of dollars in trade. Security Council measures also have punished individuals and companies linked to the North Korean government. Concerns about North Korea’s true goals Some experts are concerned that North Korea could be seeking to delay international action while strengthening its nuclear program. Some experts think North Korea has from 13 to 30 nuclear weapons. The North continues to produce nuclear fuel, plutonium, at its Yongbyon nuclear center. Experts say it could take years for inspectors to confirm that the production had been stopped. In that time, they say, North Korea could add to its nuclear weapons stockpile. The Asan Institute’s Go Myong-Hyun said, “If North Korea can have nuclear weapons for the next 20 years in the process of nuclear disarmament, then North Korea becomes a de facto nuclear state.” Many issues, sides to be considered South Korean President Moon Jae-in is to hold talks with Kim Jong Un in April before the proposed meeting with the U.S. president Moon and Kim are expected to talk about a proposal for restarting communications between the North and South Korean militaries. Other subjects for discussion include reunions for families separated by the Korean War and restarting humanitarian aid. The Moon administration also may offer North Korea an economic deal tied to progress in denuclearization. The South Korean leader might offer to reopen the Kaesong industrial center, which was closed after a North Korean nuclear test in 2016. The factory complex provided jobs to thousands of North Koreans. The international community accused the North of using money from the complex for its weapons programs. On Monday, South Korea’s national security adviser praised China, another country with an interest in the denuclearization talks. The official, Chung Eui-yong, met with Yang Jiechi, China’s top foreign policy adviser. Chung said South Korean government officials “believe that various advances toward achieving the goal of peace and denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula were made with active support and contribution from President Xi Jinping and the Chinese government.” Yang repeated China’s position that it wants denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula and problems to be solved through talks. A permanent peace? In the past, North Korea has called for a permanent peace to replace the armistice that ended fighting in the Korean War. Cheong Soeng Chang spoke about the possibility of North Korea giving up its nuclear and missile programs. For that to happen, he said, “the United States will have to cease all joint South Korea-US military exercises, completely eliminate the international community’s sanctions on North Korea, and to accept establishing diplomatic ties between the US and North Korea.” The United States and South Korea have said they oppose ending their long military alliance in exchange for the North’s denuclearization. The U.S. military currently keeps about 28,000 soldiers and other armed forces members in South Korea. I’m Mario Ritter.   Brian Padden reported this story for VOANews. His report includes information provided by Lee Yoon-jee. Mario Ritter adapted the report for Learning English. His story includes material from VOA’s Ken Bredemeier and Chris Hannas. George Grow was the editor. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   caution – n. care stance – n. position dismantle – v. to slowly bring something to an end  verify – v. to find out if something is true concessions – n. giving up or allowing something in order to reach an agreement maximum - adj. as great as possible; the most sanctions – n. punishments usually in the form of trade restrictions meant to force a country to obey international law de facto – adj. something that exists but is not officially recognized or accepted advance – n. a step forward contribution – n. something done to help bring about some result We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.

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China-ASEAN Exercises Expected to Ease Tension and Risks

  China is expected to hold its first joint military exercises with a group of Southeast Asian nations later this year. China and the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, agreed to the exercises during a meeting in Singapore last month. Singapore’s defense ministry released a statement at the meeting. It said ASEAN defense ministers “welcomed” the chance to hold maritime exercises with China. The joint exercises are expected to happen before the end of 2018. Experts say the goal of the exercises is to train naval forces from countries operating in the South China Sea to deal with possible conflicts and avoid accidents. They would also work to develop a code of conduct that aims to set rules to keep the sea safe for shipping. ASEAN members and China are still working on final language for the code of conduct, which could be completed this year. Six governments have competing claims in the South China Sea, which acts as a pathway for one third of the world’s shipping traffic. China claims about 90 percent of the sea as its territory and often sends coast guard ships throughout the waterway. China has also been building up man-made islands in the South China Sea in recent years – some of which support military structures. The expansion has angered other nations which also have territorial claims in the area. But clashes and shipping accidents in the South China Sea are rare. Military experts say one reason for this is the development of a code of conduct. Competing nations also use widespread surveillance and have learned to watch out for one another. One part of the joint exercises is expected to involve a simulation of a conflict situation in the South China Sea. Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana recently suggested the exercises might start out with a “table top” exercise. This usually describes an operation that simulates emergencies but does not involve sending ships to sea. Carl Thayer is a Southeast Asia expert with the University of New South Wales in Australia. He says the exercises should be a chance to let different countries exchange skills in fighting fires and rescuing people after boat crashes. He added that the joint operation can be a good way for military officials to build trust in case they ever come across each other in a possible clash at sea. “Theoretically, in a crisis or unexpected situation you have that kind of trust already, that people do know who they’re dealing with. So that’s always seen as an important part militarily and ships even more so because they’re isolated rather than units on the ground.” Thayer says China sees the exercises as the beginning of more long-term military cooperation with ASEAN nations in the future. The U.S. does not claim any part of the South China Sea. But it has sent ships to the area to carry out “freedom of navigation” exercises. Such operations are meant to show military force and support free movement of shipping in international waters. Jonathan Spangler is director of the South China Sea Think Tank in Taipei. He says a joint military exercise involving claimants in the South China Sea would mark an important step in developing relations. But he believes resolving the complex territorial issues is more of a long-term problem. "It all depends whether or not China and ASEAN can keep up the positive momentum," Spangler said. "Because the underlying disputes have not been resolved yet, that may prove difficult in the long run.” I’m Bryan Lynn.   Ralph Jennings reported this story for VOA News. Bryan Lynn adapted it for Learning English. Mario Ritter 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   maritime – adj. of or related to the sea surveillance – n. intelligence gathering simulation – n. something made to look, feel, or behave like something else isolated – adj. separate from others momentum – n. the strength or force that allows something to continue or to grow stronger or faster over time  

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SXSW: Where Music, Technology, Movies Come Together

  Afro hip-hop musician 9ice has traveled from Nigeria to the United States for an event unlike any other. This week, he and musicians from around the world are in Austin, Texas for the South by Southwest (SXSW) conference and festival. 9ice told VOA he came to Austin to meet people in the music business. "It is to make more fans, you know? Introduce my music to people who haven’t listened to my music before," he said. What started as a music festival in the 1980s has become an event that is much bigger and harder to define. "It is a giant party,” said Raymond Wong, who works as a reporter for the Mashable website. “It is a music festival. It is an entertainment festival. It is a tech show," he added. Technology and film production companies send representatives to the event. The SXSW conference and festival has grown over the years because of changes to the economy of Austin, the capital of Texas. For years, the city has kept close ties to the music industry, “but now we are really in the tech world, said Meghan Berry, who comes from Austin. She has attended the conference for the past 10 years.  “I have a lot of friends that work for film studios here, and so, Austin is growing…So, it makes sense the festival would, too," she said. The event now includes technology discussions, interactive demonstrations, advertisements for new movies and other events. "You can go hear a film director,” noted Jesse Needleman, who works in the clothing industry. “You can hear a politician. You can hear someone working on artificial intelligence and do all those things in the space of a morning, which is really interesting," Needleman said. Many attendees like the meeting places set up throughout downtown Austin, where people can socialize. “A lot of them have free alcohol (to drink) and free food, and so, it is definitely a perk," Berry said. These "parties" are places where musicians, techies and others from seemingly very different industries can meet and consider new ways of thinking. Needleman said that through SXSW, the city of Austin gives people a chance to learn about new ideas and products that they can use for their own businesses. The hip-hop artist 9ice sees this mixing across industries every day in his music business. "We have gone away from analog now to digital - mixing, mastering, recording. It's all about technology.” “Without technology, you cannot do music these days," he added. Technology and its many uses in different art forms can be seen everywhere at SXSW. Attendees from around the world get a chance to experience it all in Austin.    I’m Dorothy Gundy.   Elizabeth Lee reported this story for VOA. Susan Shand adapted the story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page.   _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   festival – n. a special time or event when people gather to celebrate something entertainment – n. pleasure that comes from watching a performer or playing a game artificial – adj. not natural or real; man-made perk – n. something good that you get because of your situation introduce – v. to bring to a knowledge of someone or something fan – n. someone who supports or likes an activity or famous personality  

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US Court Rejects Effort to Stop Climate Lawsuit

  A federal appeals court has rejected an effort by the United States government to halt a case against President Donald Trump and his administration. A group of 21 young people brought the case against the federal government. They accuse the Trump administration of violating their constitutional rights by ignoring the harm caused by climate change. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco ruled against the administration on March 7. The court said the government had failed to provide enough evidence under federal law to dismiss the case. The lawsuit started three years ago in the northwestern state of Oregon. At that time, the case was directed against the administration of President Barack Obama. This is one of several cases seeking to have courts deal with climate change and its causes. Young people’s right to a livable climate The young people, now aged 10 to 21, accuse federal officials and oil industry leaders of knowing for years about the effects of carbon dioxide emissions on the climate. Carbon dioxide is a gas produced naturally in the environment. It is made when people and other living things breathe. Carbon dioxide also is produced from the burning of fossil fuels, such as oil and coal. The case says the government and oil industry knew that the burning was harmful to Earth’s climate, but refused to do anything about it. The young people said the lack of action has deprived them of their rights to life, freedom and property, including the right to live in a habitable climate. They want the government to write a recovery plan to reduce carbon emissions to 350 parts per million by the year 2100. That would be 400 parts per million lower than current levels. Many of the plaintiffs are from Oregon, but some come from other states. They say they are affected by the effects of slowly rising temperatures in the atmosphere. They have given examples, such as warmer winters, flooding, and damage to fisheries. The Obama administration first tried to have the case dismissed. It claimed that the courts were not prepared to “oversee a phenomenon that spans the globe,” court papers said. In November 2016, a U.S. district judge in Eugene, Oregon refused to dismiss the lawsuit. District Judge Ann Aiken said a quick dismissal without looking at the facts could support the accusation of the government’s “knowing decision to poison the air.” The Trump administration also tried to have the case dismissed. It urged the court of appeals to halt the case before it continued to trial.  The government said letting the case proceed would lead to a burdensome process of searching for documents and questioning people. It also said the case would create a “constitutional crisis” by putting courts against Trump and the many other administration officials named as defendants. But in the decision on March 7, Chief Judge Sidney Thomas said the dismissal request was too early. He added that deciding whether the accusers’ claims were too general could be discussed through the normal legal process. Bringing climate change to court Julia Olson, who represented the plaintiffs, is executive director of Our Children’s Trust. The trust provides legal help for efforts to improve the climate. Olsen told the Reuters news agency that her group welcomed the decision. “It’s very exciting,” she said. “It will be the first time that climate science and the federal government’s role in creating its dangers will go on trial in a U.S. court.” The decision means the case will probably return to the lower court in Oregon where District Judge Aiken will decide what happens next. Olsen said she will be seeking official statements from several representatives of top federal agencies, as well as climate change scientists. I’m Phil Dierking.   Jonathan Stempel reported this story for the Reuters News Agency.  Phil Dierking adapted his report for VOA Learning English. The article includes information from other media. George Grow was the editor. Do you think that governments should be sued for ignoring climate change?  We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   burden - n. someone or something that is very difficult to accept, do, or deal with​ fossil fuels - n. a fuel (such as coal, oil, or natural gas) that is formed in the earth from dead plants or animals​ litigation - n. tan issue that is decided and settled in a court of law​ meritorious - adj. deserving honor or praise​ phenomenon - n. someone or something that is very impressive or popular especially because of an unusual ability or quality​ plaintiff - n. a person who sues another person or accuses another person of a crime in a court of law​ remedy - n. a medicine or treatment that relieves pain or cures a usually minor illness​

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