VOA慢速英语:American Jihadist Killed in Syria

Details are being gathered about the first American known to be killed fighting for Islamic State militants in Syria. Douglas McCain was 33 years old when he died Sunday. He was raised in Minnesota and had worked as a caregiver in California.

On Tuesday, the U.S. National Security Council confirmed Douglas McCain's death.  The State Department said U.S. officials had communicated with his family.

Mr. McCain reportedly left the U.S. for Turkey and later traveled into territory controlled by the Islamic State militants. Over the weekend, he took part in an attack near Aleppo against another opposition group, called the Free Syrian Army, NBC News reported.

The Free Syrian Army killed McCain. It also executed six others Islamic State militants posted their photos on Facebook.

U.S. officials have recently expressed concern about American citizens who join extremists groups like Islamic State. They fear one or more might return home to carry out terrorist acts on American territory.

Pro-Russian Separatists Capture Key Southeast Town

Ukrainian government forces and pro-Russian continued to battle for control of Ukraine’s coast Wednesday. The separatists captured an important town in the southeast.

The separatists entered NoVOAzovsk after three days of shelling. About 40,000 people live in the town, a popular vacation place along the Sea of Azov. The town is on a road that links Russia to the Ukrainian port of Mariupol and Crimea on the Black Sea.

The fighting happened as Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed a possible peace plan.

First Patient to Receive Spine Part Made from 3-D Printer

A Chinese boy with bone cancer has become the first patient with a spinal part from a three-dimensional printer.

Twelve-year-old Qin has Ewing’s sarcoma. The sometimes deadly bone cancer usually attacks children and young adults, causing severe pain.

Doctors at Beijing University removed a small part of Qin’s backbone and replaced it with a 3-D printer copy.  The part is made of titanium.

Doctors say Qin will soon regain normal movement of his body.