YouTube Shooter Told Family She ‘Hated’ the Company

This is What’s Trending Today A woman who believed YouTube suppressed her videos fired shots at the company’s California headquarters on Tuesday. Police said she wounded three people before killing herself. Officials do not believe the woman, Nasim Aghdam, targeted the three victims. But they told the Associated Press that she had had a long-standing dispute with the company. She used the name “Nasime Sabz” online. A YouTube account under that name was removed on Tuesday night. Her website had criticized YouTube’s policies. It said the company tries to “suppress” video creators. The site had posts about veganism and animal cruelty along with photos of Aghdam and her exercise videos. “Youtube filtered my channels to keep them from getting views!” one of the messages on the site said. “There is no equal growth opportunity on YOUTUBE or any other video sharing site, your channel will grow if they want to!!!!!” People can receive money from advertisements connected to their videos on YouTube. But the company will limit payment to some channels for reasons including unacceptable material or having fewer than 1,000 subscribers. Her father Ismail Aghdam told the Bay Area News Group that his daughter “hated” YouTube. He said she was angry that the company stopped paying her for videos she posted on the site. On Monday, he called police to report his daughter missing after she did not answer her phone for two days. She lived in the southern California city of San Diego. Ismail Aghdam said that he also warned the police that she might go to YouTube headquarters in northern California. A police official said officers found Nasim Aghdam sleeping in her car around 2 a.m. about 48 kilometers from YouTube headquarters. She was let go because she did not appear to be a threat to herself or others. The police official official would not say whether officers had been warned that Aghdam might have been headed to YouTube headquarters. YouTube employee Dianna Arnspiger said she was on the building’s second floor when she heard gunshots. She then ran to a window and saw the shooter on a patio outside. Arnspiger said, “It was a woman and she was firing her gun. And I just said, ‘Shooter,’ and everybody started running.” A spokesman for San Francisco General Hospital said one of the shooting victims — a 36-year-old man — is in serious condition. The two other shooting victims, both women, have been released from the hospital. A spokesman for YouTube said, “Today it feels like the entire community of YouTube, all of the employees, were victims of this crime.” And that’s What’s Trending Today. I’m Ashley Thompson.   Hai Do adapted this story for Learning English based on AP and other news reports. Caty Weaver was the editor. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   veganism - n. a philosophy of not eating meat or using animal products filter - v. use software to prevent someone from looking at or receiving material through the internet channel - n. a path for particular contents online opportunity - n. a situation in which something can be done patio - n. ​ a flat area of ground that is covered with a hard material (such as bricks or concrete), is usually behind a house, and is used for sitting and relaxing​  

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Remembering Their Father, Martin Luther King, Jr.

On April 4, 1968, a movement lost its leader when the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. was killed in Memphis, Tennessee. But four children also lost their father. Yolanda was 12 years old. Martin was 10, Dexter was seven and the youngest, Bernice was just five. Many people in America still mourn the civil rights leader, fifty years later. His three surviving children deal with the loss on their own terms. ‘‘That period, for me, is like yesterday,'' said Dexter King, now 57. ‘‘People say it's been 50 years, but I'm living in step time. Forget what he did in terms of his service and commitment and contribution to humankind ... I miss my dad.'' His children hold on to the few memories they have of him. For years, they have had to publicly mourn a man who was among the most hated in America at the time of his death. Now King is beloved around the world. And his children are forced to share him with many people. For more than ten years, they have had to do this without the guidance of two important family members: their mother, Coretta Scott King, who died in 2006, and their older sister, Yolanda, who died in 2007. As adults, the siblings suffered a public image of disputing over family property, including their father's Bible and Nobel Peace Prize. But today, the three say they are in a ‘‘good place.'' They have put their differences aside and come together as a family in times of difficulty. Sharing their father's memory with the world Their memories help all remember that at the center of this tragedy was a young family, robbed of a loving husband and father, who was just 39. His children are all older than King was when he died. The tributes to their dad, from the buildings and streets named after him, to statues in his home state and in the nation's capital, are points of pride. But, for King children they also represent the pain of loss. Martin Luther King III smiles as he recalls the happier times: in Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia, helping his dad welcome new members, throwing a football or baseball together, taking swimming class at a local pool. When he came home from battling racism, King's serious expression would change to smiles and he would become playful. King III and his brother traveled with their father. They were alongside him in South Georgia. He was organizing people to attend his upcoming Poor People's Campaign in Washington. King III is now 60. He says he still gets emotional around his father's death. If he listens too closely to King's ‘‘Drum Major Instinct'' speech, in which the preacher discusses wanting to live a long life, he cries. For years after his father’s murder, King III tensed whenever he saw a news bulletin. He would immediately think of the bulletins that announced his father’s murder, his uncle’s drowning death, and his grandmother’s murder at church. All the losses took place while he was still a child. ‘‘I was afraid, because I was like, ‘Is this going to be something else that happens to our family?''' he said. ‘I wish I knew him more’ Bernice King, the youngest, was once envious of her siblings, who had many more memories of King. Shared stories from her mother, sister and brothers, as well as home movies, helped humanize her father. Nicknamed ‘‘Bunny,'' Bernice King said she treasures the few moments she remembers sharing with her father, like the ‘‘kissing game'' they would play. The now 55-year-old Bernice said, ‘‘I'm glad I had that, because everything else, other than a few memories of being at the dinner table, I don't recall. I wish I knew him more.'' She admitted to struggling with having to share her parents with strangers over the years. ‘‘It's hard to have the private moments, “ she said. “It's like everybody else has a part of him, and that's always hard to deal with. But I won't let it get in the way of what they have done and what they mean to the world.'' ‘The worst had happened’ ​ King was shot and killed at a hotel in Memphis, Tennessee. That night and the days that followed remain frozen in Dexter King's memory. He remembers his mother telling them something had happened to their father before she left for the airport. After Coretta Scott King left, their caregiver answered the kitchen telephone, started screaming and fell. Dexter, then 7, knew the worst had happened. When King's body returned to Atlanta, Dexter remembered running in the airplane, and seeing his father's coffin on the floor. ‘‘I asked my mom, `What's that?''' he said. ‘‘She explained, ‘Your dad is going to be sleeping when you see him and he won't be able to speak with you. He's gone home to be with God.''' Dexter King spoke of his father's warmth and playfulness. But Dexter King said he and his siblings knew their father's work was important from watching him as a church and civil rights leader. ‘‘You saw the interaction and the energy, just the way people reacted to him,'' he said. He was again struck by the people's reaction at his father's funeral. A seemingly endless sea of mourners formed a funeral march through Atlanta. “‘There's Dad, and there's the leader the world owns.’ Generally, I accept that,” Dexter continued. “But he had a family. As kids, we did not choose this life. And I don't know that my dad chose it. It really chose him.” He said, “We're human, and in some ways, we're still grieving.'' I’m Caty Weaver. And I’m Ashley Thompson. _____________________________________________________________ AP reporter Errin Haines Whack wrote this story. Caty Weaver adapted it for VOA Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. Words in This Story Words in This Story commitment – n. a promise to do or give something contribution – n.  something that is done to cause something to happen sibling – n. a brother or sister tribute – n.  something that you say, give, or do to show respect or affection for someone envious – adj. feeling or showing a desire to have what someone else has coffin – n. a box in which a dead person is buried preacher – n. a person who speaks publicly about religious subjects in a Christian church or other public place​ bulletin – n.  a quick announcement from an official source about an important piece of news​ grieve – v. to feel or show grief or sadness We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.

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Thousands of US Teachers Strike to Demand Higher Pay

  Thousands of teachers in two U.S. states are striking to demand higher pay and increased education funding. More than 30,000 educators in Oklahoma began a walkout Monday and have promised to stay on strike until their demands are met. Oklahoma’s largest teachers union has called for a $10,000 pay raise for educators over the next three years. It is also seeking an increase of $75 million in state education funding. Union officials said the strike led to classes being cancelled for about 500,000 of Oklahoma’s 700,000 public school students. Thousands of striking teachers traveled to the state capital, Oklahoma City, to join a mass demonstration. The president of the Oklahoma Education Association, Alicia Priest, called on all teachers to join the protest to pressure lawmakers to act. Priest says teachers and students have dealt with 11 years of funding cuts that have prevented upgrades of school equipment. Class sizes have also been growing. “We will not continue to be ignored,” Priest said in a message posted on Facebook. “Educators will continue to walk until we get a deal that our students deserve,” she said. Oklahoma came in at 47th place among U.S. states in money spent per student in 2016, the National Education Association estimated. The association also reported the state came in near the bottom in pay, with the average teacher in Oklahoma earning about $45,000 a year. Oklahoma’s legislature is controlled by Republicans and lawmakers had sought to avoid tax increases in recent years. The state’s governor, Mary Fallin, is also a Republican. Fallin signed legislation last week to give teachers a raise of 15-18 percent. But many educators said the amount was not good enough and decided to walk out. Rae Lovelace is a single mother and third-grade teacher in northwest Oklahoma. “If I didn’t have a second job, I’d be on food stamps,” she told the Associated Press. Lovelace is among many teachers who have taken a second job to earn extra money. She says she works an extra 30 to 40 hours a week teaching internet courses for another school. Protests in Kentucky Schools across Kentucky were also empty. Some were closed for spring break vacation, while other schools cancelled classes to allow teachers to join protests in the state capital, Frankfort. Thousands of teachers showed up to demonstrate. Last Friday, hundreds of teachers in Kentucky called in sick to protest last-minute changes to their retirement system. Republican lawmakers in Kentucky passed the pension bill Thursday. The measure continued pension benefits for most state workers, but reduced them for new teachers. Lawmakers said the move was necessary to make up for underfunding of the state’s teacher retirement system. Teacher unions condemned passage of the bill and promised large protests to oppose it. Language arts teacher Lesley Buckner said the goal of the protests was to send a clear message to Kentucky lawmakers. “If we continue to stay united, they cannot turn away from us, they cannot turn their backs on us.” More to come? The latest demonstrations followed protests and strikes in West Virginia in February. Teachers statewide walked off their jobs for more than a week. The educators eventually won their demand for a 5 percent increase in pay. In Arizona, teachers held protests last week demanding more education funding. Teachers there are also demanding a 20 percent pay increase and are considering a strike to press their demands. Many Arizona teachers wore red clothes to school on Monday to express support for teachers in Oklahoma and Kentucky. I’m Bryan Lynn.   Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English, based on reports from the Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse.  Hai Do was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ QUIZ ​_____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   upgrade – n. a situation in which one thing is replaced by something better, newer, more valuable, etc. deserve – v. be worthy of something food stamps – n. small document given by the government to poor people so they can buy food benefit – n. money paid by a company or government when someone dies, becomes sick, stops working, etc.  

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Migrants Bring Attention to US-Mexican Border Policies

  The Mexican government says it is offering refugee status to some members of a group of migrants from Central America marching north through the country. The activist organization People Without Borders (Pueblo Sin Fronteras) helped form the caravan of people. It has done so each year for the last 10 years to help bring attention to the rights of migrants, especially those fleeing dangerous situations. The Mexican interior and foreign affairs ministries released a statement Monday night about the caravan. The Mexican ministries say the migrants are mainly from Honduras. Some are from Guatemala and El Salvador. The government statement said, “Mexico’s migration policy is a sovereign one, through which it seeks to ensure legal, safe and orderly migration with full respect for people’s rights.” However, it added the Mexican government did not support, in its words, “irregular migration.” The ministries added that officials had sent 400 members of the caravan back to their countries. The group started with about 1,100 members. People Without Borders has called the asylum process in the United States and Mexico “punitive and unjust.”  A spokesperson for the group, Gina Gribo, told VOA that the organization supports migrants fighting for their rights. The Associated Press reports that the group’s director, Irineo Mujica, said that the group is not meant to march all the way to the U.S. border. However, a coordinator with the group, Alex Mensing, said on Twitter that the caravan is seeking to pressure Mexico. He said members want Mexico to give them “permission to travel to places where they can seek asylum.” The group has said that some of the members from Honduras were there because of political crises caused “in large part by the policies of the U.S. government.” Two smaller caravans reached the United States last year. Trump comments on the group Reports about the caravan caused American President Donald Trump to write about the issue on Twitter. He said Mexico had the power to keep migrants from entering their country. He also said that the United States has, in his words, “weak immigration policies.” The Mexican government has said it has kept the U.S. government fully informed about the situation. Mexican Interior Secretary Alfonso Navarrete Prida said Mexico will act “to enforce our immigration laws, with no pressure whatsoever from any country whatsoever.” He denied that Mexico is not making an effort to control illegal migration. The Trump administration told reporters on Monday that it was seeking new laws to speed up some deportations of immigrants who enter the country illegally. The administration’s effort to change immigration laws is in addition to its plan to build a wall along the border with Mexico. The wall project has only received a small part of the necessary financial support from Congress. Last year, Trump ended a program supported by former President Barack Obama. The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA program affects about 800,000 people who entered the United States illegally as children. The program permits the immigrants to stay in the country and protects them from deportation. The time limit for the law passed in March. However, a federal court ruled that it must remain in place until Congress acts. Congress has failed to pass a law to deal with the issue. About 700,000 people officially take part in the DACA program. More than two-thirds of them are from Mexico. Others are from El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and other countries. I’m Mario Ritter. Chris Hannas, Megan Duzor and Ken Bredemeier reported this story for VOA News. Mario Ritter adapted it for VOA Learning English with AP material. 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   status –n. the current state or position of someone or something caravan –n. a group of people or animals that travel on a long trip sovereign –adj. having the power to govern oneself deportation –n. the act of forcing someone from a country  

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Boy Rescued After Falling into Los Angeles Sewage System

  This is What’s Trending Today… California officials are praising workers for rescuing a 13-year-old boy who fell into a river of sewage in Los Angeles. The boy, Jesse Hernandez, spent more than 12 hours in the city’s large underground sewage system. It is filled with refuse liquids and other waste materials, some of them poisonous. Jesse had been playing at a public park with other children during a family gathering on Sunday. At one point, the children were on pieces of wood that covered an opening leading to the sewer system. One of the wooden planks broke. The boy fell about eight meters down and landed in fast-moving sewage, said Brian Humphrey, a spokesman for the Los Angeles Fire Department. The other children quickly told adults what had happened. The adults then called an emergency telephone line for help. Rescuers immediately began searching for Jesse underground. They set cameras on floatation devices, which they put into the sewage system. Rescuers finally found Jesse after seeing images of handprints on a pipe. A crew of sanitation workers hurried to the area and opened a manhole. “The first thing they heard was ‘Help!’” said Adel Hagekhalil, an official with the Los Angeles sanitation department. The crew lowered down a long hose to Jesse, who was about three meters deep in the pipe. The boy held onto the line while workers pulled him up. By the time workers found Jesse, about 700 meters of pipes had been inspected during a 12-hour period. Jesse was found less than two kilometers from where he fell in. He was taken to a hospital for a full physical examination and to be reunited with his family. More than 100 people took part in the search for Jesse. In addition to the major rescue effort, Humphrey credited the boy for being able to survive.        Not only did he survive being pushed through sewage moving at speeds of 24 kilometers an hour, Jesse was able to find a small area of breathable air and wait there until he was found, officials said. “Many would call it miraculous,” Humphrey said of Jesse’s survival. He added that the chances of someone surviving such an event are low. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti was among those closely watching the rescue effort. On Twitter, Garcetti praised rescuers and thanked Jesse’s family for their “patience and optimism” during the frightening experience. And that’s What’s Trending Today… I’m Ashley Thompson.   The Associated Press reported this story. Ashley Thompson adapted it for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   sewage - n. waste material (such as human urine and feces) that is carried away from homes and other buildings in a system of pipe miraculous - adj. very wonderful or amazing like a miracle​ optimism - n. a feeling or belief that good things will happen in the future : a feeling or belief that what you hope for will happen​ plank - n. a long, thick board that is used especially in building something​ sanitation - n.​ the process of keeping places free from dirt, infection, disease, etc., by removing waste, trash and garbage, by cleaning streets, etc.​ hose - n. a long, usually rubber tube that liquids or gases can flow through​ manhole - n. a covered hole in a street that a person can go down into to do work under the street

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Independent Chefs Exchange Ideas

  American Chris Spear has been cooking food for others since he was 16 years old. Spear has worked for a chef at large restaurants, and even had almost 100 employees reporting to him. But there came a time when he grew tired of this job and wanted to be more creative. So he stopped working for restaurants and set up his own food catering business. It is called Perfect Little Bites. Spear told VOA that spending many hours preparing food doesn’t make him feel tired. But he was concerned that becoming an independent chef, and not working in a restaurant, would make him feel lonely. That led him to create an online networking group called Chefs Without Restaurants. It is a place for chefs to exchange ideas, advice, and even customer referrals. Bringing chefs together virtually Spears says that, while the service is new, the idea for it is not. "I've been thinking about the Chefs Without Restaurants for about five years now, even before I took Perfect Little Bites full time because I kept thinking about, 'Well, when I do this full time, who are going to be my colleagues? Who are going to be the people who I can bounce ideas off? How am I going to be able to do things like cater an event that's maybe outside my range of 30 people? Like, do I have a resource where I can pull in one or two other people?” ​Spear said he didn’t feel like having full-time employees for his catering business. But he did want a way to communicate with others in the food preparation business. The online group started last January.  Since then, around 100 chefs have joined it. Spear said that independent chefs have many different kinds of businesses, but don’t always get recognized. He wanted to use the group to bring attention to chefs who normally would not get it.  “I wanted to have something that's beneficial, but also didn't cost money. We are a Facebook group where I can just post and say, ‘hey next Wednesday a customer wants to do dinner here and the price range, where they live, if anyone is maybe interested, send me a personal message and I get you their info(rmation)." Spears thinks this network can help those not working in the food service industry. He and other chiefs are building a website that lists the group’s members, what their specialties are, which ones are able to cater large parties and personal chefs for smaller events. Cooperation instead of competition  Lana and Bobby Browner are a wife and husband team who own their catering business Bent and Bent Events in Frederick, Maryland. The Browners specialize in Creole and Caribbean cooking. They also prepare and mix together foods that are available locally, in Frederick County, Maryland. When the Browners heard about Chefs without Restaurants, they decided to become members. The biggest difficulty for many chefs, they said, is that they don’t often form partnerships because they are competing for business.  ​"But you don't have that in this group," Lana Browner noted. "What we experience so far is a lot of learning about different chefs in the area.” It's even been interesting to get comments from chefs that work outside Frederick, she added. The food community embraces idea Chefs without Restaurants is also bringing more business to local eateries. One example is Maryland Bakes, a place where members often meet and prepare food in a common area. Terri Rowe, owner of Maryland Bakes, says the group brings more energy to local small food businesses. "They bring connections," she says. "They bring creative ideas and just the whole network of independent people joining together." The group is popular with the local food community. Olive Oil and Vinegar is one of the local stores Spear likes to visit. It often holds events to present cooking ideas and let chefs meet their customers. Store owner Sharon Streb says small businesses should help one another succeed. "I think by sharing that and having them come to the store," Streb explains. "They get in front of our customers and, hopefully, we get in front of their customers. That's a win-win for both of us.”  She adds that it’s difficult for small businesses, and many don’t succeed, so it’s important they work together. I’m Phil Dierking.   Faiza Elmasry wrote this story for VOANews.com. Phil Dierking adapted her story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. What other independent workers could benefit from this kind of organization?  We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   beneficial - adj. producing good or helpful results or effects ​ bounce - v. to talk about (something, such as an idea) in an informal way in order to get different opinions about it​ cater - v. to provide food and drinks at a party, meeting, etc., especially as a job​ colleague - n. a person who works with you ​ customer - n. someone who buys goods or services from a business​ flexible - adj. capable of bending or being bent​ network - n. a group of people or organizations that are closely connected and that work with each other​ online - adj. connected to a computer, a computer network, or the Internet​ range  - v.  a group or collection of different things or people that are usually similar in some way​ referral - n. the act of sending someone to another person or place for treatment, help, advice, etc.​ resource - n.  something that a country has and can use to increase its wealth​  

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April 3, 2018

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

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Does City Living Hurt Mental Health?

  From VOA Learning English, this is the Health & Lifestyle report. Are people happier in nature with blue skies overhead and fresh green grass underfoot? Could noisy streets, crowded with cars and people, make us unhappy?  The possible mental health effects of city living affects a lot of people. The World Health Organization estimates that 54 percent of the world’s population lived in urban areas in 2014. The WHO adds that that amount will increase to 66 percent by 2050. People often move to cities for better jobs and more cultural activities. But are they putting themselves at risk? Maybe. Experts at the American Psychiatry Association say that "natural environments or green spaces" do much for good our mental health. Many studies have shown that nature can calm us and make us feel happy. Nature, experts say, can also help us learn better. And experiencing nature helps people recover from the mental tiredness that comes from day-to-day work. Other research also suggests that activity in natural outdoor settings can help to reduce the symptoms of Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children. ADHD is a brain disorder that can effect a person’s ability to think clearly. On the other hand, mental health experts say some research suggests that city living might hurt our mental health. But they cannot say exactly why. "What are the specific aspects of the urban environment which causes some people to develop mental health issues?" Andrea Mechelli is a doctor with the Institute of Psychiatry at Kings College, London. "There have been studies where people were literally taken out of an urban environment into a rural environment, and their symptoms would improve. And we also see that the greater the city the greater the risk.” Mechelli says that someone who lives in a city is three times more likely to develop psychosis than someone who lives in the country. Kings College researchers, along with city planners, land and building designers and others wanted to learn more about city living and mental illness. So, they created a smartphone app called Urban Mind. They say they wanted to understand how different parts of the urban environment affect mental wellbeing. The Urban Mind app measures your experience of city living in the moment. Researchers collected real time information from 108 people. These people answered just over 3,000 questions during a one-week period. The researchers found that "being outdoors, seeing trees, hearing birdsong, seeing the sky, and feeling in contact with nature were associated with higher levels of mental well-being." ​They also found that these seeming effects of nature were especially strong in those individuals at greater risk of mental health problems. The Urban Mind Project team says it hopes "the results will inform future urban planning and social policy aimed at improving design and health." Their report is titled "Urban Mind: Using Smartphone Technologies to Investigate the Impact of Nature on Mental Wellbeing in Real Time." It was published in the January publication of BioScience magazine. The researchers launched a new version of the Urban Mind app in March 2018. This new version will feature several languages and will be used for a large international study. If you are interested in the project, you can visit the website at UrbanMind.info.  And that's the Health & Lifestyle report. I'm Anna Matteo.   Anna Matteo wrote this story using research from several websites including Urban Mind. The quotes are from Martin Secrest for VOA News.  ______________________________________________________________ QUIZ   ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   urban – adj. of or relating to cities and the people who live in them specific – adj. relating to a particular person, situation, etc. aspect – n. a part of something literally – adv. used to stress that a statement or description is true and accurate even though it may be surprising symptom – n. a change in the body or mind which indicates that a disease is present psychosis – n. a very serious mental illness that makes you behave strangely or believe things that are not true smartphone app – n. A mobile application, most commonly referred to as an app, is a type of application software designed to run on a mobile device, such as a smartphone or tablet computer. associate – v. to think of one person or thing when you think of another person or thin

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In Trade Dispute, China Put Import Taxes on US Goods

China has increased import taxes on $3 billion of American products in reaction to recent United States trade policies. The Chinese government placed the tariffs on more than 100 products including pork, fruit and other goods. The measures are to take effect immediately. China’s finance ministry said the move was in reaction to U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum imports announced in March. China’s most recent move adds to complex trade tensions involving the U.S., Europe and Japan. They say that China’s government unfairly supports some companies. This support, they say, is like a subsidy that makes China’s exports less costly and unfairly competitive. The group also says that state support for Chinese companies violates China’s requirements under the rules of the World Trade Organization. Foreign governments also oppose a Chinese policy requiring foreign carmakers and other companies to work with a state-owned partner. The requirement means that companies doing business in China must share technology with a possible competitor. Last month, U.S. officials said a plan by China to manufacture electric cars, robots and other high technology products was “hugely problematic.” Business groups say the plan, called “Made in China 2025” would block foreign competition within China in those industries. On March 20, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang promised there would be “no mandatory requirements for technology transfers.” But, Chinese officials deny that foreign companies are required to hand over technology. This has caused some companies to be unsure if there is a change in policy. Concerns about further trade actions Experts say the new Chinese tariffs on U.S. goods are likely to have limited effect. However, many in the financial industry worry about a trade war. In such a case, countries would react to new tariffs with their own import taxes, placing new barriers to trade. Stock markets in Tokyo, Shanghai, and New York all decreased on Monday. Taimur Baig is an economist with the bank DBS Group based in Singapore. He told AP that tariffs “signal a most unwelcome development, which is that countries are becoming protectionist.” But, he said the most recent tariffs are, in his words, “not very substantial” compared to China’s total imports from the U.S. However, the tariffs announced on Monday might target states that voted for U.S. President Donald Trump in 2016. Many of those are farm states. China is placing a 25 percent tariff on U.S. pork products and aluminum scrap metal. It also is placing a 15 percent tariff on some kinds of wine, steel pipe used by oil and gas companies and many agricultural products such as apples, walnuts and grapes. It is unclear if China will make an exception for Chinese-owned Smithfield Foods, the biggest pork producer in the U.S. China imported about $1.1 billion in pork products in 2017. Experts are concerned about a new round of proposed tariffs on Chinese exports to the U.S. The Trump administration announced in March that it is preparing a list of products that could face tariffs. The AP reports that administration officials have identified over 1,000 imported products worth about $48 billion that could face additional tariffs. Trump has promised to reduce the U.S. trade deficit with China which reached a record of $375 billion in 2017. The U.S. president said he asked China to find a way to reduce that deficit by $100 billion. White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Monday on the television show “Fox and Friends” that Trump was “going to fight back and he’s going to push back.” I’m Mario Ritter.   Mario Ritter adapted it for VOA Learning English with reporting from VOA, the AP and Reuters. Hai Do was the editor. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   tariffs –n. taxes on imported or exported goods or services subsidy –n. money paid, usually by a government, that keeps the price of a product or service low mandatory –adj. something that is required or that must be done transfer –v. to hand over, to move from one place to another substantial –adj. a large or important amount, size or number scrap –adj. leftover or unused parts (often used for recycling) We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.

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US Investigation Puts Pressure on Burmese Refugees

  The United States Government has begun investigating possible identity fraud among Burmese refugees, a move that has frightened the immigrant community.  In February, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, or USCIS, sent letters to more than 1,000 resettled Burmese refugees in the United States. The letters were requests for official interviews. The goal of the investigation into possible identity fraud is unclear. It is exploring a case that goes back almost 10 years. USCIS officials will not say if criminal charges have been or will be filed. And refugee supporters have not reported any such actions. Yet the letters and interviews have kept refugees and their supporters fearful at a time when the U.S. government has increasingly reduced the refugee program. Jill Niswander is director of communications and fund development at EMBARC Iowa, a refugee support organization in Des Moines, Iowa. She said the USCIS interview requests have forever changed the Burmese community. "It's never going to be the same anymore," Niswander said. "They are always going to be expecting a letter. They are always going to be concerned about something like this happening again.” ​U.S. refugee program The investigation comes after a difficult year for refugee admissions into the United States. The Trump administration has cut arrivals by more than half. Several important refugee officials have been relocated or have retired. The identity fraud investigation is not the first time the U.S. has looked into its refugee selection process. In 2008, the U.S. temporarily suspended refugee arrivals from East Africa after some refugees failed DNA testing to confirm blood relations they claimed in their paperwork. The difference between the current Burmese refugee investigation and earlier ones is that the refugees in question are not outside the United States. They are already inside the country. In the current investigation, the problems may have started on the ground in Malaysia, when refugees were registered with the U.N. system.  It remains unclear how the errors happened. Targeting a small group The USCIS investigation centers on a very narrow group of refugees.  American refugee officials sent the letters only to members of the ethnic Chin community who were processed through the international refugee network in Malaysia between 2009 and 2013. The Chin community makes up about one-fourth of the Burmese refugees and asylum-seekers in Malaysia. In the late 2000s, they were at risk of being arrested in Malaysia; the country has not yet approved the Refugee Convention. The hurry to avoid arrest in Malaysia may have led to errors in identification documents among refugees. Several refugee resettlement workers said they believe the investigation involves refugees who entered the U.S. after either purchasing other refugees' identities or using false names. Gen Langh is a translator with EMfBARC Iowa. He told VOA he witnessed one refugee interview that lasted over two hours. "I was a little bit nervous when the lawyer asked the [USCIS] officer how they were going to use the information that they get from the interviews. They don't really tell, you know, just that they're investigating," Langh told VOA. "It's a little bit uncomfortable… how are they going to use this information? They are going to use [it] against them? I wish they had been a little bit more clear on how they are going to use [the information]." ​What is next? The USCIS said in a statement that the interviews will help determine whether the information on record is correct.  They will also decide any effect on a refugee’s immigration status or future benefits. USCIS would not answer whether the investigation is tied to a 2014 case investigated by the United Nations refugee agency, or UNHCR. That year, UNHCR said it found a large “number of cases of suspected fraud among some refugee communities from Myanmar.” When the refugee agency noted the issue four years ago after an internal inspection, it said that necessary measures “will be taken against any individuals found to have abused these humanitarian procedures." Chris Boian, a spokesman for UNHCR in Washington, said, "We immediately informed the governments of resettlement countries, including the United States.” The refugee agency then carried out "a top-to-bottom” reform of their registration process. It also added digital biometrics, Boian said. Fear and worry Langh, the EMBARC translator, said there are stories going around the Burmese community that some refugees could be forced to leave the country. The community is very stressed, he said. "They're just afraid that the government is going to send them back, or put them in jail," Langh added. Even if criminal charges are filed, removal from the United States would be difficult. Myanmar is on the list of "recalcitrant" countries. This means it refuses to take back nationals forced to leave a country. Reena Arya is a lawyer with the Catholic Legal Immigration Network, or CLINIC. “No system is perfect,” Arya said. She added that possible human error should not cause governments to be suspicious of every person who is fleeing discrimination. I’m Phil Dierking. And I'm Alice Bryant.    Victoria Macchi wrote this story for the VOAnews.com. Phil Dierking adapted this story for VOA Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor. What is your country’s policy towards refugees?  We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   biometric - adj. relating to or involving the application of statistical analysis to biological data.​ digital - adj. showing the time with numbers instead of with hour and minute hands​ DNA - n.  a substance that carries genetic information in the cells of plants and animals — often used before another noun​ error - n. something that is not correct​ fraud - n. the crime of using dishonest methods to take something valuable from another person​ procedure - n. a series of actions that are done in a certain way or order ​ interview - n.  a meeting at which people talk to each other in order to ask questions and get information​ translator - n. a person who changes words written in one language into a different language​

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US-South Korea Exercise May Be Part of Nuclear Deal

Joint military exercises between the United States and South Korea went ahead as planned this week. However, permanently ending the exercises could become an important part of future nuclear talks with North Korea. The joint exercises take place every year. They were delayed this year because of the Winter Olympics in South Korea.  The exercises also were reduced in size because of upcoming talks to end North Korea’s nuclear program. Improved relations The exercises, known as Foal Eagle and Key Resolve, are expected to be similar to those in the past. They will include more than 23,000 U.S. soldiers and 300,000 South Korean forces. The soldiers will be involved in battlefield exercises. They also will train for computer-simulated attacks from North Korea. This year, more attention is being given to the defensive nature of the exercises. In the past, the exercises where based on operations to target the leadership in North Korea’s capital, Pyongyang.  U.S. bombers able to carry nuclear weapons and nuclear aircraft carriers are not expected to be involved. In addition, the training period has been shortened. Kim Tae-woo is a military expert with Konyang University in South Korea. He said, "The period has actually been reduced into half. Although it was announced that it is at the same level as in normal years, we see that it is reduced in size compared to other years." On Monday, the South Korean government did not make a major announcement about the exercises. The Unification Ministry instead noted the continued improvement of relations between the two Koreas.  There have been signs of increased exchanges between the South and the North. South Korean K-pop singers preformed in Pyongyang on Sunday at a performance attended by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Kim’s attendance was seen as a sign of friendliness after South Korean President Moon Jae-in attended a North Korean orchestra in Seoul. The orchestra was part of the North’s delegation to the PyeongChang Winter Olympics. The two Koreas agreed last week to hold a meeting between their leaders on April 27. ​Compromise for peace The reduced size of the exercises appears to be a temporary compromise to continue the diplomatic developments with North Korea. The North has said it is open to holding denuclearization talks with South Korea and the U.S. North Korea only recently moved away from threatening missile and nuclear tests. However, there are concerns that further restricting or ending the joint exercises could become an important part of the nuclear negotiations. Go Myong-Hyun is a North Korean expert with the Asian Institute for Policy Studies in Seoul. He said, "In order to make progress in the denuclearization front, South Korea will somehow have to downscale or even cancel the joint military exercise." The North Korean leader said he no longer objects to the joint exercises when he met recently with a South Korean diplomatic representative. However, Kim Jong Un also said ending the military threat against the North would be an important part of its nuclear disarmament. In the past, that demand has meant ending the U.S. military presence in Korea. Chung Eui-yong is President Moon’s National Security Adviser. He noted that North Korea "said that there was no need to keep its nuclear program as long as there was no military threat against it.” Moon has so far tried to balance improving relations with the North with South Korea’s military partnership with the U.S. Some experts say his policies risk reducing the U.S. campaign of "pressure" on North Korea supported by President Donald Trump. For now, the U.S. President has shown flexibility in agreeing to meet with Kim Jong Un and permitting Moon’s request to decrease the joint exercises, to give diplomacy a chance. I’m Phil Dierking.   This story was originally reported by Brian Padden for VOAnews.com.  Phil Dierking adapted it for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter was the editor. Do you think it’s a good idea to decrease military exercises for the sake of diplomatic improvements?  We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   aircraft carriers - n. a military ship that has a large deck where aircraft take off and land​ denuclearize - v. remove nuclear weapons from.​ downscale - v. to make (something) smaller​ K-pop - n. abbreviation of Korean pop music, is a music genre originating in South Korea​ orchestra - n. a group of musicians who play usually classical music together and who are led by a conductor​ presence - n.  the fact of being in a particular place​ flexibility - n.  willing to change or to try different things​

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