*【137-139】Nearly 70 Percent of Americans Report 'News Fatigue'
*【137】AS IT IS
Nearly 70 Percent of Americans Report 'News Fatigue'
June 13, 2018
People check election returns on their phones at the election night party for Conor Lamb, the Democratic candidate for the March 13 special election in Pennsylvania's 18th Congressional District, on Canonsburg, Pa., Tuesday, March 13, 2018. (AP Photo)
For those who said the media was doing “fairly well,” 69 percent reported fatigue. Among those who think the media was doing “very well,” only 48 percent reported fatigue.
Only 17 percent of those surveyed said national news agencies do very well at informing the public. Nearly 25 percent gave answers of "not too well” or "not well at all" when asked how well those agencies were doing in informing the public about the most important national stories.
Fifty-eight percent said the media do "fairly well."
One Twitter user said she fought news fatigue by directing her attention only to a few issues.
-t1-
Another person on Twitter blamed her fatigue on fake news.
-t2-
Levels of news fatigue were different among groups. Women were more likely to feel news fatigue than men. And Americans over the age of 65 were less likely than younger people to report fatigue, Pew researchers said.
I’m Alice Bryant.
Matt Hilburn reported this story for VOAnews.com. Alice Bryant adapted it for Learning English. George Grow was the editor.
_____________________________________________________________
Words in This Story
survey – n. an activity in which many people are asked a question or questions in order to find out what most people think about something
leaning – v. gerund. a verb used to say that someone supports one group or set of beliefs more than another
likely – adj. probably
fake – adj. meant to look real or genuine but not real or genuine
*【138】AS IT IS
Erdogan Says Turkey's Growth Confirms His Economic Policies
June 13, 2018
Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, addresses supporters of his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) during a rally in Nigde, June 11, 2018. Turkey holds presidential and parliamentary elections on June 24, 2018.
A slowing economic policy usually means reduced government spending and higher interest rates.
Turkey’s strong economy has helped Erdogan and his AK Party during their 16 years of electoral success. The economy has been expanding for over a year. But studies have found that many Turks are dissatisfied with the government’s economic program.
Fifty-one percent of likely voters who were questioned said the economy was their major worry. The Metropoll research service reported the finding. Last year, security problems were the number one concern among voters. Other studies found that a majority of voters blamed the government for their economic problems.
“It’s a…liability for Erdogan,” said Atilla Yesilada of Global Source Partners. He noted that while employment has decreased, prices have risen. He also said no one is investing in new factories because interest rates on loans have topped 22 percent.
Yesilada explained that the economic growth has not helped the people on the streets, so there is a lot of public anger.
Turkey’s unemployment rate remains about 10 percent. That information comes from the Turkish Statistical Institute.
Payments ahead of elections
In May, Erdogan announced retirees would receive two payments of over $200 timed to religious holidays. The first payment is set to go out this week.
But Atilla Yesilada warned that the money means little because of the financial pain caused by the increase in interest rates.
“We all use loans. The middle class use loans to buy houses. Businesses use loans to expand. Even before the latest (interest) hikes, they were already at a 10-year high. Banks have nearly stopped making new loans,” Yesilada said. He added that a recession is likely.
Candidates competing against Erdogan for the presidency talk about economic fears.
“Erdogan can’t survive this economic crisis,” Muharrem İnce said during a recent campaign appearance in Istanbul.
İnce is the presidential candidate of the CHP Party. He said that “Turkey is heading to dark days. Don’t be surprised if the Turkish lira hits 8 or 10 to the (United States) dollar. When troubled days have come to countries around the world, they couldn’t get through them unless they changed leaders.”
In May, at the start of the election campaign, the lira was less than four against the U.S. dollar. It now stands at over 4.5. Its high was nearly 5 to the U.S. dollar.
Erdogan's public works projects are also a target in the election campaign. They include building one of the world's biggest airports and some of the longest bridges.
The presidential candidate for the İYİ (Good) Party, Meral Aksener, said Turkey has the financial resources, but she thinks some officials are corrupt. She noted that the government built up a budget deficit of $453 billion in debt. “What happened in return? Did your son find a job?"
Critical elections
Turkey watchers believe the attacks by Erdogan’s opponents over the economy are likely to grow stronger. Economic concerns are expected to continue to be the main issue in the June 24 elections.
The election campaign is leading to less than certain results, noted Sinan Ulgen, head of the Istanbul-based Edam research group. He added that the Turkish lira is under pressure because of worries about the direction of the economy.
Anti-Erdogan politicians accuse the president of calling elections 18 months early so he could take use the country’s strong economy to support his campaign. But many studies of likely voters now show Erdogan’s lead is getting smaller. Observers warn the economy that was once Erdogan’s greatest strength could be what leads to his removal from office.
I’m Anna Mateo. And I'm Ashley Thompson.
Dorian Jones reported this story for VOANews.com. Susan Shand adapted his report for Learning English. George Grow was the editor.
We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.
________________________________________________________________
Words in This Story
conspirator – n. Someone who plots with other to do bad things
GDP – n. short for Gross Domestic Product, the total value of the goods and services produced in a country during a year
account – n. a financial instrument in which a bank keeps a record of the money that a person puts in and takes out of the bank
liability – n. the state of being legally responsible for something
inevitable - adj. something that is sure to happen
resource – n. something that a country has and can use to increase its wealth
certain – adj. sure
*【139】AS IT IS
China Ban on Foreign Waste Creates Crisis for Recycling Businesses
June 13, 2018
A plastic bottle recycling center in Hefei Anhui in May 2014.
North of Anaheim, in the city of Azusa, another Waste Management center also is dealing with changing rules for its workers and their sorting machines. They use magnets and other equipment to organize the waste. Now those systems do not meet the new levels and must be changed.
Adam Minter wrote a book called "Junkyard Planet: Travels in the Billion-Dollar Trash Trade." He explains the problems facing recycling companies.
"Recycling is about manufacturing and if somebody doesn't want to use those rawmaterials," then there is no reason for recycling programs.
He said that China's waste ban started as a desire to clean up the environment. But he added that nationalism and political control are also a part of the move.
'Shockwaves around the world'
Some environmentalists are happy about the waste ban.
Greenpeace East Asia plastic campaigner Liu Hua said it will send "shockwaves around the world.” He said it will force countries to examine their policies about waste, especially environmental contaminants like plastics.
Joshua Goldstein of the University of Southern California is an expert on China. He told VOA the ban may cause social problems there.
Goldstein has studied China’s 3 million to 5 million small recycling businesses. He says they make small amounts of money by sorting through trash and selling materials that can be reused.
"It also raised 3 to 5 million households out of poverty."
Goldstein said China will find it difficult to create businesses as profitable as the small recyclers.
Companies are also looking for new markets. More recyclable waste from the United States will now go to India, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand or Indonesia. However, industry experts say shipping costs are high and demand in those countries is limited.
Because prices have dropped, there is hope for increased use for waste such as mixed paper in the United States.
Cleaning up waste
Brent Bell, vice president of recycling operations for Waste Management, said his company is trying to clean up its waste to meet the new levels China and other countries are demanding.
Bell said his company is working to educate Americans about cleaner recycling, adding it’s “something we all missed as an industry."
"Whether we're shipping material to China, to India, or even to Louisiana, our customers all want to make sure the material is as clean as possible," he said.
Republic's Coupland said the waste and recycling industry needs to work with communities to find a new business model to replace one that no longer works. This could make the cost of waste collection higher.
And China may change its policy again, noted Joshua Goldstein.
Paper waste is hard to replace, he says. China may be forced to change its bans if its manufacturers need raw materials.
The economics of the recycling industry are changing, he added.
I’m Susan Shand.
VOA’S Mike O’Sullivan reported this story. Susan Shand adapted it for Learning English. George Grow edited this story.
Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page.
_______________________________________________________________
Words in This Story
recycle – v. to use waste to create new products
bale – n. a large amount of something that has been tied tightly together
backlog – n. a large amount of work that is waiting to get done
contamination – n. something that has been made dirty or impure by adding something harmful, like a chemical or poison
raw - adj. in its natural state