Back to school
Australia’s Foreign Minister Julie Bishop waves to Filipino pupils on February 21 during a visit to a government-run school in Mandaluyong city, east of Manila. — EPA
Buried treasure
Jade boulder found
Yangon — An enormous jade boulder that could weigh up to 50 tonnes has been found half buried in northern Myanmar, authorities said on February 21.
The raw jade was discovered by villagers and miners in the region of Hpakant in the middle of February.
“Since it’s still half buried, it’s impossible to know its exact size,” Kachin state minister Lajun Ngan Seng said. He added that authorities believe it may be up to 5.5 metres wide. — AP
Cat attack
Leopard kills young girl
Kathmandu — A 5-year-old girl was killed by a leopard near a village in far-western Nepal, local media reported on February 21.
The leopard entered the village in Baitadi district and took off with the child, the Kathmandu Post daily reported. The remains of the child’s body were recovered from a nearby field.
Many locals in the district have experienced leopard attacks, with six people killed in the last five months, according to the report. — DPA
Horror haze
A woman and a girl wearing masks make their way through the heavy haze in Beijing on February 21. Heavy smog engulfed about 15 percent of China. — Reuters
Financial plans
More support offered in Singapore
Singapore — Singapore will spend S$9 billion (231 billion baht) on health care and other benefits for the elderly, while providing companies with more funds to increase efficiency as the economy adjusts to a tighter labour supply.
Companies will be required to increase contributions to employees’ pension funds by at least 1 percent from January 2015, Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam said in his speech on February 22.
Tharman also announced more education subsidies and financial aid for students from households that need support. — Bloomberg
Bali bust
Woman arrested with drugs
Bali — A New Zealand woman was arrested on the Indonesian resort island of Bali in possession of hash and ecstasy after police raided her villa, an official said on February 21.
Leeza Tracey Ormsby, 37, was detained at the property in the tourist area of Kuta after police received a complaint about a party involving drugs in the neighbourhood.
Police found a cigarette containing a small amount of hash in her bag, as well as 27 grammes of hash and ecstasy pills in a cupboard.
Police said that the raid followed a tip from local residents. — AP
Fabric fatwa
Consumer group wants silk banned
Kuala Lumpur — A Malaysian group announced that Muslim men wearing silk was a sign of the apocalypse, prompting a call for religious authorities to study whether to impose a fatwa on the fabric, a report said on February 21.
An activist with the Muslim Consumers Association of Malaysia said that silk was forbidden for men, citing Islamic literature describing the prophet Muhammad as taking that stance.
A silk fatwa could signal a fashion disaster for Malaysia, where the Batik shirt design, which is often printed on silk, is considered a national heritage item. — AFP
EASY NEWS FOR M1-3
Royal birth
Sweden’s princess has a baby
Copenhagen — Princess Madeleine of Sweden gave birth to a daughter. It happened in New York City on February 20. Sweden’s Royal Palace reported the news. — AP
Exercises
1. Why was Leeza Tracey Ormsby arrested?
a. She sold illegal drugs.
b. She possessed hash and ecstasy pills.
c. She illegally entered Bali Island.
2. An enormous jade boulder found in Maynmar could weigh up to 50 tonnes. True or false?
3. Who is the secretary-general of the Medical Council of Thailand?
Vocabulary
- pension (n): an amount of money paid regularly by a government or company to somebody who is considered too old or too ill to work
villa (n): a house where people stay on holiday
apocalypse (n): the destruction of the world
fatwa (n): a decision or order made under Islamic law
