Colombia, Rebels Sign Deal to End 50-year Conflict

Colombia and the country’s main rebel group have signed a peace deal aimed at ending more than 50 years of conflict in the South American nation. Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos and the top rebel commander, known as Timochenko, met in the port city of Cartagena to sign the peace document. Leaders from Latin America gathered for the event. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon also attended. Many rebel leaders of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, known as FARC, were among more than 2,500 people witnessing the signing. A long time in the making The peace deal between FARC and the government took four years to negotiate. The sides agreed to the deal in June. The negotiations mainly took place in Havana, Cuba after starting in Oslo, Norway in 2012. The signing, however, is not the final step. The agreement must be approved in a referendum to be held on October 2. At least 13 percent of registered voters must take part in the referendum for it to be valid. Public opinion studies show support for approving the agreement. An end to the longest conflict in the Americas? The conflict between Colombia’s government and FARC rebels has been long, complex and deadly. It has been blamed for more than 220,000 deaths and has displaced millions of people over half a century. Ongoing fighting has hurt the country’s economy and limited foreign investment. FARC started as a revolutionary movement of poor farmers in the mid-1960s. It was supported by Cuba and the former Soviet Union. FARC funded its operations mainly through illegal trade in the drug cocaine. Much of those drugs went to the United States and Europe. Former president Alvaro Uribe has criticized this month’s peace deal as giving amnesty to drug traffickers. He said, “Colombians have learned over decades of attempted negotiations with other terrorist groups, it is that impunity always becomes the seed of new forms of violence.” But the current president, Juan Manuel Santos, has argued that compromise was needed to get rebels to turn over their weapons. Help for farmers, security in exchange for disarmament Supporters of the deal say it calls for the government to work with coca farmers to get land titles. That part of the agreement addresses anger by small farmers about unequal land ownership. The deal also provides help in the transportation of crops other than coca leaves, which are used to make cocaine. The peace agreement also requires the government to campaign against violent criminal groups known as BACRIM. Some of these groups were once paramilitary fighters. They also trafficked in cocaine, fought FARC and targeted rights activists. FARC members can avoid prison if they admit their crimes and make reparations in what is being called a truth-and-reconciliation process. FARC would become a legal political party and gain representation in congress. If the agreement is approved by the October referendum, FARC’s 7,000 fighters would begin moving to special areas. They would then hand over their weapons to United Nations-supported observers. FARC has also agreed to cooperate with efforts to remove mines from the country. Colombia is estimated to have the second largest number of mines in the world after Afghanistan. A U.S. official, who asked not to be named, said the peace deal is more than an agreement to put down weapons. “It really includes a major transformation of Colombia itself. It includes a far-reaching commitment to bring government services, security, police, education, health, roads, economic development to the vast stretches of the interior that have been left out of national life,” said the official. If FARC does disarm, Colombia still will have to deal with armed, violent groups. Under the deal, the government has promised to control the BACRIM. But, it still has no peace agreement with the smaller rebel group called the National Liberation Army. I’m Mario Ritter. Reports by VOA’s Steve Herman and Jeff Swicord were combined with AP materials to make this report for VOA Learning English. Kelly Jean Kelly was the editor. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story referendum – n. a public vote on a specific issue rather than a representative title – n. a legal right to land ownership impunity – n. freedom from punishment amnesty – n. a decision that a group of people will not be punished or that a group of prisoners will be allowed to go free​ valid – adj. approved, according to the law reconciliation – n. the act of causing people or groups to become friendly again after conflict transformation – n. a complete or major change in someone's or something's appearance, form, etc.​ commitment – n. a promise to do or give something​ interior – n. the part of a country that is far from the coast​

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U.S. Political Party Animals

In U.S. politics, the elephant represents the Republican Party and the donkey represents the Democratic Party. Watch the history on how that came to be.

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September 26, 2106

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

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New Information Adds to Understanding of Black Holes

  The human eye is unable to see black holes in space. But telescopes with special tools can help find black holes by seeing how they affect nearby stars. In February, the Japanese space agency sent its Astro-H satellite into orbit around the Earth. The satellite’s job was to examine large structures in space, like huge black holes that exist at the center of most galaxies. Galaxies are large groups of stars. Scientists estimate there are between 100 and 200 billion galaxies in the universe. The Astro-H satellite fell apart after only a month in space. But in that short time, Astro-H was able to gather important information. It sent back data about the Perseus cluster – a grouping of galaxies in the star constellation Perseus. The Perseus cluster is home to hundreds of galaxies. They are 240 million light years from Earth. What are black holes? Black holes are areas where the pull of gravity is so strong that not even light can escape. Usually they happen after very big, supergiant stars explode. The exploded star turns into something called a “supernova.” It is very bright, but short-lived. Supernovas create the largest explosions in space. The material remaining after the supernova explosion collapses. Gravity pulls, or crushes, all the matter into a very small space. When light can no longer escape that space, it is known as a black hole. The Japanese satellite Astro-H was carrying an instrument called an X-ray spectrometer. It was able to measure the way gas flows at the center of the Perseus cluster. What it found was that the superheated gas at the center of the cluster flowed more calmly than researchers expected. And that told them something about how black holes work, and how galaxies are formed. Brian McNamara is an astrophysicist with the University of Waterloo in Canada. "And that gives us a very precise measurement of how much energy is being pumped into this gas by supermassive black holes, and so it allows us to form a more complete picture of how galaxies evolve, how the stars and the gas that will eventually cool out like rain to form the stars, evolves over cosmic time." The scientists are also looking at the hot plasma — another kind of matter — and gases that surround galaxies. "This is gas that has not cooled out and condensed out like rain in our atmosphere to form stars, planets, life, for example. So it's the potential for the future, and we're trying to understand what the future destiny of this galaxy and many other galaxies would be." McNamara says that supermassive black holes may change how galaxies form and change over time. “The energy released by these giant black holes is very tightly coupled to these atmospheres, which is the stuff out of which future stars will form.” And what that means, he says, is that these huge black holes can affect the rate at which a galaxy grows. I’m Anne Ball.   Deborah Block reported on this story for VOANews.com. Anne Ball adapted her report for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section and find us on our Facebook page.   ____________________________________________________________   Words in This Story galaxy – n. any one of the very large groups of stars that make up the universe Perseus cluster – n. the group of galaxies in the star group of Perseus x-ray spectrometer – n. an instrument used to measure x-rays cosmic – adj. of, or relating to, the universe or outer space constellation – n.  a group of stars that forms a particular shape in the sky and has been given a name supergiant  – adj. something extremely large precise – adj. very correct and exact​ eventually – adv. at some later time : in the end​ condensed – adj. reduced to a smaller or dense form potential – n. a quality that something has that can be developed to make it better​

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Young Baseball Star Killed in Boating Accident

  This is What’s Trending Today: Jose Fernandez was one of professional baseball’s most exciting young players in the United States. Fernandez was a rising star for Major League Baseball’s Miami Marlins. The team plays its home games in Miami, Florida. He was born in nearby Cuba. Fernandez died in a boating accident early Sunday morning. He was only 24 years old. Public safety officials say he was on a 10-meter long boat with two other people. They said the boat was going at full speed when it struck rocks in waters near Miami Beach, killing all three people. People around the United States and in Latin American countries are reacting to the death of Jose Fernandez. Fernandez left Cuba with his mother when he was only 15 years old. After a short stay in Mexico, he moved to the United States.  He was unsuccessful in his first three attempts to leave the island nation. Until recently, Cubans were not permitted to freely leave the country in order to seek work with a U.S. employer. Five years ago, Fernandez signed an agreement to play for the Miami Marlins. A short time later, he made his first appearance in Major League Baseball. In 2013, Fernandez won an award for being one of the best first-year players in baseball. In his four seasons as a Major League Baseball player, he pitched two times in the All-Star Game, which honors the sport’s best players. He missed parts of the 2014 and 2015 seasons recovering from an arm injury which required surgery. But this year, he was again one of the best pitchers in baseball. In his last game, on September 20, he helped the Marlins defeat the Washington Nationals. He pitched eight innings and prevented Washington from scoring any runs. While Fernandez was a great pitcher, many people say they will miss his personality. Fernandez did not hide his emotions on the field. He cheered when his team made great plays. He was sad when his team lost. Fernandez attended a U.S. high school and spoke English fluently. ​ ​ Baseball teams are remembering Fernandez in different ways. Some teams hung a large piece of cloth with his name near the field. Others painted his number – 16 – on the field. The Marlins did not play on Sunday because of his death. And that’s What’s Trending Today. I’m Dan Friedell. Dan Friedell wrote this story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. Will you miss Jose Fernandez? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story inning – n. one of the usually nine parts of a game in which each team bats until three outs are made run – n. a score made in baseball when a player reaches home plate after going around the bases fluent – adj. able to speak a language easily and very well professional – adj. related to a job that requires special skill or training pitch – v. to throw something, usually toward a target

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California Group Loans Money to People in 83 Countries

Genaro lives in a village in Peru. He is hoping to raise $1,300. Genaro says he needs the money to grow more coffee trees. He sells coffee seeds, known as beans, to support himself and his two children. Mrs. Phuc lives in Vietnam. She is hoping for a $2,000 loan to raise pigs so she can earn more money for her family. And in Ghana, a young man named Richard is looking for $1,275 to pay his college tuition and buy books to take classes. These are just three of the small loans that Kiva, a group in California, is seeking to finance through donations. Kiva only lists the first names of people requesting loans. Premal Shah, 40, helped start Kiva 10 years ago. He is now the charitable group’s president. Shah said Kiva makes giving simple. People are not asked to solve big problems like climate change, poverty, or war, he said. Instead, they are asked to help individual people make their lives and their families’ lives better. The Human Connection Has Appeal “There is a basic human connection,” he said. “People often don’t feel they can do very much to produce sustainable change. But here they can make a big change, helping people and their families.” A Kiva loan can help someone who cannot get a loan from a bank develop a business or go to college. But it also helps others, Shah said. People who earn more money will spend more money in their communities, and maybe even give jobs to neighbors. In Ghana, 25-year-old Sarah Ayi-Mensah said she is trying to earn enough money to support herself and her family. She sells oils, gifts and other things at a small store. Ayi-Mensah has received two $400 loans from Kiva to help her add products to sell to customers. She has already paid off the first loan and is working to repay the second. “It has been a big help,” she told VOA from Ghana. Ayi-Mensah is not married and does not have children. But she said she is now able to provide more help to her extended family. “I’m hoping I will be able to sell even more in the future,” Ayi-Mensah said. But she added that the poverty in her village means many people do not have enough money to spend much at her store or other businesses. $25 Is the Minimum Donation Here is how Kiva works: On the charity’s website, hundreds of requests for loans are listed by individuals who state what they will do with the money. People wanting to donate can narrow down the requests by country or area. Or they can choose what they want their money to do -- whether it be to help someone pay for school, or expand a business or farm. People who decide they want to help can do so on the internet. The minimum donation, or loan, is $25. An individual donation is added to others to produce the loan amount requested. So, if someone asks for a $400 loan, the amount could be funded by 16 $25 donations. Last week, a Kiva donor received an email saying he received repayments of $5.58 on three loans. Maria Eugenia, for example, repaid 94 cents of her $25 loan so she could add new products to her store in Colombia. When each $25 is returned, the donor can find another person to help, or get his or her money returned. Success Stories There have been lots of success stories, said Kiva president Premal Shah. One of them is Lindiwe, 22, of Zimbabwe. She received a $500 loan and business training from Camfed, a Kiva partner. That helped her open up three businesses -- raising chickens, a store selling home-made drinks and another store selling household products. All this has given her a feeling of independence, Lindiwe said. “If I want to help someone who is in need, I can just take my money and help,” she added. Helping Produce More Banana Bread Chancey Lindsey-Peake used a $2,000 Kiva loan to expand a banana bread business in the southeastern American state of South Carolina. “The loan got me back on my feet,” she said. Her mistake was agreeing to pay the loan back too quickly, Lindsey-Peake told VOA. “My timing wasn’t good,” she said. She took out the loan and started repaying it in October of 2012, just as the Greenville Farmers Market was closing for the winter. She “sold lots of banana bread” at the farmers market. “But I’m doing well now,” Lindsey-Peake said. “My head is above water. I’m making a little profit, and I now I can pay myself.” By above water, Lindsey-Peake meant she is no longer losing money on her business. What has kept her going is a belief in her banana bread, a belief backed up by happy customers. “My banana bread is excellent,” she said. Kiva is also moving forward. After difficult times during the 2008 recession, Kiva brought in $150 million in loan funding over the past year, Premal Shah said. That is a record. Over its 10 years, the charity has raised $880 million from 1.5 million people. It has provided loans to over 2 million people in 83 countries. Over 80 percent of the money went to women. The website Charity Navigator rates charities. It said that Kiva ranks 97 out of a possible high score of 100. Kiva spends over 81 percent of its money on its programs and services, the site said. I’m Bruce Alpert.   Bruce Alpert reported on this story for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section and share your views on our Facebook Page. If you had the money, who would you like to help? If you could get a loan what would you use it for? ___________________________________________________________ Words in This Story tuition - n. money that is paid to a school for the right to study there sustainable - adj. able to last or continue for a long time customer - n. someone who buys goods or services from a business charitable – adj. of or related to helping people who are poor or sick basic – adj. forming or relating to the most important part of something minimum - adj. of or related to the smallest possible amount

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Remembering Golf Star Arnold Palmer

American Arnold Palmer, known as “The King” of professional golf, died on Sunday in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He was 87-years-old. The head of his company, Arnold Palmer Enterprises, confirmed that Palmer died from issues related to heart problems. He was admitted to a hospital Thursday, but his health reportedly worsened over the past few days. Arnold Palmer is considered among the most important players in the history of golf. He won seven major championships and 62 other Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) Tour events. Before Palmer’s long career, golf was considered a sport mainly for rich people. Many Americans liked his aggressive style of play, and the way he seemed at ease with both presidents and the golfing public. Palmer became a sports star at about the same time television moved into most American homes. His good looks, devilish smile and go-for-broke thinking helped make golf appealing to one and all. Other players remembered Palmer on Sunday. Tiger Woods said Palmer added excitement to the game. "Thanks, Arnold, for your friendship… and a lot of laughs," Tiger Woods said through social media. "It's hard to imagine golf without you or anyone more important to the game than the King." Arnold Palmer never like being called "The King" of golf, but the name stuck. Palmer was a leader in sports marketing. He became one of the first athletes to earn millions of dollars by appearing in advertisements. Some 40 years after his last PGA Tour win, he still rates among the highest earners in golf. It is estimated Palmer was worth close to $675 million. As a spokesperson for products, Palmer's image was everywhere. He made ads for motor oil, ketchup and financial services companies. Even as late as 2011, Palmer was No. 3 on Golf Digest's list of top earners at $36 million a year. Only Woods and Phil Mickelson earned more money.​ ​As a golfer, Palmer became famous for winning and losing golf tournaments. Palmer came back from seven shots behind to win a U.S. Open Championship. And he once lost a seven-shot lead during the final nine holes to lose a U.S. Open. Palmer was never dull. He would smoke cigarettes while playing as he attacked golf fairways, greens and holes. With powerful hands holding the golf club, Palmer would hit the ball with all his strength. Then he would twist his muscular neck as his eyes followed where his shot traveled. Doctors told Palmer that he had prostate cancer in 1997. But the disease was found and treated early. He returned to golf a few months later. Palmer designed some golf courses. And he was a success off the course. His name was used for a line of clothing and a drink combining iced tea and lemonade. Palmer's other love was flying. He piloted his first aircraft in 1956. Palmer flew airplanes the way he played golf. He set a record in 1976 when he went around the earth in 57 hours, 25 minutes and 42 seconds in a Lear 36 plane. He continued flying until he failed to renew his flying license at age 81. He was just short of 20,000 hours of flying as a pilot. Through it all, he came into contact with more people than he could possibly remember. "I'm not interested in being a hero," Palmer said, suggesting that too much was made about his return from cancer. "I just want to play some golf." I’m Kelly Jean Kelly. Doug Ferguson wrote this story for the Associated Press news agency. Jim Dresbach adapted the report for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story style – n. a way of behaving or doing things tournament – n. a sports competition or series of contests that involves many players or teams and that usually continues for at least several days go-for-broke –​ expression to take a major risk in hopes of a big win advertisement – n. something (such as a short film or a written notice) that is shown or presented to the public to help sell a product or to make an announcement​ devilish – adj. showing a desire to cause trouble but in a way that is not serious dull – adj. not exciting or interesting fairway – n. the part of a golf course that has short grass and that lies between a tee and a green  

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Health Experts Warn of Overuse of Antimicrobials

From VOA Learning English, this is the Health & Lifestyle report. For today’s report, we talk about the dangers, not of an illness, but of medicines -- antimicrobial medicines. Health experts are more and more concerned about the overuse of antimicrobials. A growing number of bacteria and other disease-causing organisms are developing resistance to these drugs. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) says the growing resistance is a threat to people and animals alike. The FAO recently noted an "increased use and abuse of antimicrobial medicines in both human and animal healthcare." It said their use and abuse has led to a growing number of disease-causing microbes that are resistant to traditional medicines. FAO officials say this can be seen, for example, in multi-drug resistant tuberculosis. The problem is so serious that U.N. officials called a high-level meeting to consider the dangers of antimicrobial resistance. Antimicrobial resistance is also called AMR. But just how widespread is antimicrobial use? “We don't really know how much of the antimicrobials, including antibiotics, are being used in food and agriculture.” Juan Lubroth is an expert on animal health. He serves as the Chief Veterinary Officer for the FAO. He says there are many unanswered questions about the manufacturing and marketing of antimicrobial drugs. “In fact, we don't really know how much is being made. Who is buying? Who is selling? How much is the international traffic, either as drugs ready to be used or the active ingredient inside a drug that is then formulated someplace else?” Doctor Lubroth says the overuse of antibiotics involves everything: humans, animals and agriculture get caught in what he calls a cycle of disease transmission. “We can get sick. They can get sick. They can die. They need the antibiotics to be given in a proper way so they can recover. So, it's not only about food and agriculture. It's also about our dogs and cats, our mascots.” Misuse of antimicrobials includes failing to follow directions and possibly taking someone else’s medicine. Lubroth admits that even he has misused antibiotics. “Even I'm guilty. My physician may have given me antibiotics to take for the course of a week, seven days, and I stopped at day six. Well, that's bad. That's not good. That's a misuse of the antibiotics.” Failure to follow directions when taking medicine is one way germs can develop a resistance to a drug. The FAO says that antimicrobial medicines are critical in the treatment of farm animals and plants. "Their use," it says, "is essential to food security, human well-being and animal welfare." Lubroth says the Food and Agriculture Organization has developed a four-part action plan for antimicrobial resistance. “One is to create the awareness among the general public of the issue. Two would be to have the evidence. Have the surveillance in place that I can monitor when the antimicrobial resistance appears, and I report it in a timely fashion...” The action plan calls for strengthening governmental agencies that deal with public health, food and agriculture. It also calls for sharing of information with each other and with medical experts. Another part of the plan is to provide support for good practices in food and agricultural systems and the effective use of antimicrobials. Such drugs are often used in small amounts in animal feed to support growth. Once in farm animals, they become part of the food chain. “I think that the consumers should be empowered to really push their governments or their food providers that they want safe food -- wholesome food. I think we can all agree on that. We may disagree on some of the specifics of how to get there, but I think that the consumer and the voice of the consumer has to be heard.” Lubroth says "the long-term consequences of not being able to use an antimicrobials because of resistance” would be terrible. He adds that the medicines bring a "global public good to the planet." I’m Anna Matteo.   Joe DeCapua wrote this report for VOANews.com. Anna Matteo adapted it for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. ___________________________________________________________ Words in This Story mascot – n. a person, animal, or object used as a symbol to represent a group (such as a sports team) and to bring good luck consequence – n. something that happens as a result of a particular action or set of conditions food chain – n. a series of types of living things in which each one uses the next lower member of the series as a source of food empowered – v. to give power to (someone) veterinary – adj. relating to the medical care and treatment of animals ingredient – n. one of the things that are used to make a food, product, etc. formulate to create, invent, or produce (something) by careful thought and effort cycle – n. a recurring series of events: as transmission – n. the act or process by which something is spread or passed from one person or thing to another awareness – n. the state of knowing that something (such as a situation, condition, or problem) exists surveillance – medical n. close and continuous observation or testing fashion – n. manner or way of doing something   

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No One Talks About Counties -- But They Should

On election night in the U.S. this year, reporters will talk a lot about places that are not familiar even to most Americans: Hamilton, Bucks, Chester, Hillsborough and Pinellas. They are not U.S. states, and they are not U.S. cities. They are just a few of the more than 3,000 counties across the country. What is a county? The U.S. Census Bureau calls counties “the primary political and administrative divisions of states.” In other words, a county is part of a state. It can be as small as a few square miles or it can be tens of thousands of square miles. Each state has an average of 62 counties. However, Hawaii and Delaware have only three. Texas has the most counties – 254. Counties were among the first local governments created in the original 13 American colonies in the 1600s. The first counties were created so that the area’s main city -- called the “county seat” -- was no more than one day’s travel by horse for people who lived within the county’s borders. The county government headquarters, county courthouse and land ownership records are in the county seat. The root of American counties is in England, where local governments of the king were called “shires.” The king created these shires a thousand years ago to help him rule his country. The top law enforcer in these shires was called the “shire reeve.” This became the word “sheriff.” The shire reeve acted as both the local government and the representative of the king. After the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, shires began to be called counties, a French word. A county by any other name… In Alaska, counties are called boroughs. In Louisiana, they are called parishes. Each county has a name. The majority are named after people. More than 30 are named for George Washington, the first president of the United States. Among those counties with geographic names, the most common word is “lake.” Many counties are also named for Native American tribes, including Appomattox in Virginia and Tishomingo in Mississippi. And some counties were named for areas of England, such as Essex and Suffolk Counties, or for members of the British aristocracy, such as Hanover and Loudoun. Other interesting county names include Petroleum, Piscataquis, Esmerelda, Cimarron, Beaver, Coffee, Christian, Winnebago and Wirt. Others are Treasure, Eureka, Sunflower, Granite and Musselshell. What can counties do? Unlike states, neither counties nor cities are mentioned in the Constitution. The founders let the states decide what powers they would give to the counties, if any. At first, counties just enforced state laws. But after World War I and World War II, the U.S. population increased sharply and more people moved to cities. States needed help. They were unable to govern effectively from their capitals, so the power of counties began to grow. Today, counties handle child welfare, libraries, transportation, consumer protection, economic development and environmental protection.   The National Association of Counties says “county governments affect the lives of Americans across the country every day.” The organization notes that counties “keep important records -- like birth certificates, marriage licenses, court documents and land purchases. Counties build roads and bridges and ensure their safety. Some counties maintain parks with fields for soccer and baseball. They care for the sick, operate hospitals, pick up trash and run courts and jails.” Counties also register voters and supervise elections. Some operate police departments and health and welfare departments. Some large counties do far more. Overall, counties spend more than $554 billion every year and employ about 3.6 million people. Who lives where? An average of about 100,000 people live in America’s counties. The smallest county measured by population is Loving County, Texas. Fewer than 100 people live there. The county with the largest population is Los Angeles County, California. Almost 10 million people live there. The top four most-densely-populated counties are in New York City. New York County, New York has about 71,000 persons per square mile. The top four least-densely-populated counties are in Alaska. Those counties have less than one person per square mile. Across the United States most counties are losing population. In fact, an increasing number of U.S. counties are dying. Experts say counties “die” because they have increasingly-older populations, a low birth rate and a poor economy. They say it is difficult for such counties to retain or attract younger people. Kenneth Johnson is a senior demographer and professor of sociology at the University of New Hampshire. He told the Associated Press news agency that “these counties are in a pretty steep downward spiral. The young people leave and the older adults stay in place and age. Unless something dramatic changes -- for instance, new development such as a meatpacking plant to attract young Hispanics -- these areas are likely to have more and more natural decrease.” If not for immigrants, 194 more counties across the U.S. would have lost population in recent years. So why the election night coverage? Even though they are important to their local populations, the vast majority of counties will never receive national attention. But in November every four years, the media talks a lot about several counties -- including Hamilton County in Ohio, Bucks and Chester Counties in Pennsylvania, and Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties in Florida. These are “swing counties” -- counties where voters change every few years, or at least change their minds about which political party to vote for. Presidential candidates often fight for these voters. And often, political observers say, results from these swing counties predict which way the rest of the state will go.  I’m Christopher Jones-Cruise. VOA Correspondent Christopher Jones-Cruise reported this story from Washington and wrote it in Special English. Kelly Jean Kelly was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section, or visit our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story seat – n. a place (such as a city) where the people who run a government, religion, etc., are based aristocracy – n. the highest social class in some countries; the people who have special titles (such as duke and duchess), who typically own land, and who traditionally have more money and power than the other people in a society retain – v. to keep (someone) in a position, job, etc. attract – v. to cause (someone) to choose to do or be involved in something spiral – n. a situation in which something continuously increases, decreases or gets worse  

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China’s Involvement in British Nuclear Power Plant Debated

British Prime Minister Theresa May will let a Chinese company invest in Britain’s Hinkley Point C nuclear power center. Some people are concerned the decision will open Britain’s nuclear industry to more than investment money from China. The Hinkley Point C power plant, near Somerset, England, is expected to cost $24 billion. The plant is to be jointly owned by Electricity de France and China General Nuclear Corporation. Electricity de France will supply two nuclear reactors. Observers say the joint project could clear the way for Chinese involvement in another British energy project. A planned nuclear center at Bradwell, in eastern England, could be the first to use imported Chinese nuclear technology in a Western country. China General Nuclear Corporation says it has already signed an agreement on possible work at the Bradwell center. Only a few countries, such as Pakistan, use Chinese reactors. However, approval of the Bradwell B project would be important. British approval of a Chinese designed reactor could open doors for Chinese nuclear exports to the west. Prime Minister Teresa May halted the Hinkley Point project last July, and then ordered a study of security risks related to the project. However, she cancelled that decision after meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the recent Group of 20 nations gathering in Hangzhou. The British government did amend the contract for the Hinkley Point project. It put in place terms barring the Chinese company from gaining majority ownership of the plant if the French company pulls out. Critics also question a part of the contract that provides for a fixed electricity rate for 35 years. They argue that energy prices are falling, and are expected to be lower in the future.  Nick Timothy is an advisor to the British leader. Timothy has been critical of China’s part in the project and Chinese investment in Britain’s infrastructure. He said, “No amount of trade and investment should justify allowing a hostile state easy access to the country’s critical national infrastructure.” Others say security is important to May. However, they say she was seeking Chinese investment because of a major need to increase electricity production. The projects also represent a move away from coal-based electricity production. For China, British approval of the Hinkley Point project can improve the country’s image in an important industry. David Gosset is director of the research group Academia Sinica Europaea. He called the possible nuclear deal, “a highly significant form of cooperation.” Gosset added that it might represent an increased level of cooperation between Britain, Europe and China. “We are now witnessing the constitution of a new China-EU-Europe triangle. It is a slow and complex process, but it will be defining the future of the relations between China and Europe,” he said. I’m Mario Ritter.     Saibal Dasgupta reported this story for VOA News. Mario Ritter adapted it for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Tell us your thoughts in the comment section below. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   plant – n. a building or factory where something is made reactor – n. a large device that produces nuclear energy contract – n. a legal agreement between two or more parties that requires some kind of action from all involved infrastructure – n. structures such as roads, ports and energy plants needed for society to operate triangle – n. an object that has three sides and three angles

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Travel Blogger Criticized for ‘Fun’ Trip to North Korea

A popular travel blogger is being criticized for writing only good comments and posting fun videos from a trip to North Korea. British world traveler Louis Cole posted the videos on his YouTube channel last month. The videos were recorded during a 10-day trip with a group of friends. His YouTube channel has nearly two million subscribers, and he has more than 800,000 followers on Twitter. Some social media followers and the activist group Human Rights Watch criticized Cole for not showing the realities of life in North Korea. One user responded to a photo Cole posted on Instagram of him surfing with a smiling North Korean boy. “You have to be realistic, man. Not everything is smiles and rainbows.” The user said Cole’s information was usually realistic and useful for travelers. “I’m disappointed that you weren’t just as honest and realistic on this latest trip. Sure, this was probably 100 percent orchestrated and you weren’t allowed to film anything they didn’t allow you to.” Cole says he purposely tried to focus on the “beautiful, positive things” from the trip. His videos showed him surfing, visiting a water park and sightseeing across the country. He did not focus on the fact that North Korean government officials controlled where he could go and who he could talk to. After his visit, Cole released a video explaining his postings about the trip. “I am not an investigative journalist. I don’t really do political commentary and there are other places on the Internet you can go to find those kind of things...” He denied a suggestion that he might have been paid by the North Korean government to make a propaganda video. “The assumption I made, which may have been wrong of me, was that people watching my North Korea blogs would have already had a broader perspective on North Korea..." Another social media critic said the video and photo postings did not show the real North Korea, “The one in which the majority of North Koreans live in poverty and have their rights stripped from them. The pictures you’re posting are just a glimpse of what THEY want you to see.” The Deputy Director of Human Rights Watch for Asia, Phil Robertson, told VOA he agrees with the criticisms. “Our concern was that this guy was portraying such a relentlessly positive message about North Korea that is completely out of line with what we know about the human rights abuses there.” The United Nations General Assembly has voted to refer North Korea’s leadership to the International Criminal Court. A UN report documented between 80,000 and 120,000 political prisoners inside the country. It also linked North Korean officials to acts including murder, torture, rape, forced abortions and sexual violence. Cole answered his social media critics in a post on Instagram. “Many people saw our trip to North Korea & our positive interaction with people as controversial,” he wrote. “It was moments like this, breaking down the barriers that separate this beautiful country from the rest of the world, that make me honored to have been a part of this group.” Robertson, however, said he does not believe the travel posts were building cultural bridges. He said Cole did not research the real North Korea and gave the country’s government a lot of free publicity. I’m Bryan Lynn.   Brian Padden reported this story for VOANews.com. Bryan Lynn adapted it for Learning English. Mario Ritter was the editor. Do you think this blogger should have included other information in his posts about North Korea? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   blogger – n. a person who writes about personal opinions, activities and experiences on a website. rainbow – n. curved line of different colors that can appear in the sky when the sun shines through rain orchestrate – v. organize something to achieve a specific goal assumption – n. something thought to be true without real proof broader perspective - adj. see something from a larger point of view glimpse – n. to look quickly at something, glance portray – v. to describe something or someone relentlessly – adj. continuing without stopping or getting weaker controversial – adj. relating to or causing much discussion, disagreement, or argument  

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