Remote rumblings

Up and away Balloonists from around the world take part in the Hot Air Balloon Festival in West Java, Indonesia on March 24. — EPA

Quake shakes outback

Sydney — Australia was hit by its biggest earthquake in 15 years, seismologists said on March 24. The massive quake hit a remote part of the desert in central Australia, with local Aborigines reporting strong shaking but no major damage.

The 6.1-magnitude earthquake had its epicentre near Ernabella, 320 kilometres from Alice Springs, authorities said. — AFP

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Heavy load

Elephants take international flight

Los Angeles — Three elephants will travel from Toronto Zoo to a sanctuary in California aboard a private plane, with support from animal rights activist Bob Barker.

Public media reported that Barker offered to fund the $880,000 (27 million baht) flight after learning that one of the elephants wasn’t well enough to withstand the long trip by lorry.

“To think that one of them might not survive the trip in a truck touched my heart and purse strings,” he said. — AP

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India on alert

Swine flu outbreak spreads

New Delhi — At least 12 deaths have been reported in a swine flu outbreak across four Indian states, Health Ministry officials said on March 23.

The outbreak has affected a total of 129 people since the beginning of March and many of the patients were still hospitalised, health officials said.

The western state of Maharashtra was the worst hit, with six deaths in Pune and nearby areas. — DPA

Popular Pope Pope Benedict XVI is greeted by the faithful upon his arrival at Silao’s international airport in Guanajuato, Mexico on March 23. — AFP

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Movie magic

Old film posters auctioned

Philadelphia — A collection of rare movie theatre posters found in an attic Pennsylvania has fetched a total of $503,000 (15.5 million baht) at an auction. The sale of 33 posters from the Golden Age of Hollywood at Heritage Auctions in Texas ended on March 23.

The auction house said a rare 1931 poster for the movie Dracula topped the list with a selling price of $143,400 (4.4 million baht). The surprise of the auction was the $101,575 (3.2 million baht) price paid for a rare poster of the 1931 Academy Award-winning movie, Cimarron. — AP

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Deadly accident

Miners trapped in China

Beijing —Chinese rescue workers battled on March 23 to free 17 miners trapped for more than 48 hours in a northeast colliery following a gas blast that left five dead, a local government official said.

The explosion on March 22 in a coal mine in Liaoning province killed five workers and injured another, officials said. News reports on March 23 said rescue workers had managed to locate 17 other workers, who are believed to have gathered at a work platform in the mine. — AFP

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EASY NEWS FOR M1-3

Building bridges

Neighbours to get road link

Vientiane — Laos and Myanmar agreed to build a bridge across the Mekong River. It will provide the first road link between the two countries. The agreement was signed on March 22. Laos’ transport ministry reported the news. — DPA

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Exercises

1. Which of the following statements is true, according to the news?

a. Bob Barker is a women’s rights activist.
b. The recent swine flu outbreak in India has killed at least 12 people.
c. Australia was recently hit by its biggest earthquake in 150 years.

2. What year did the poster for the movie Dracula date from?

3. What was the average score in the social studies part of the O-NET exams last year?