KATRINA REMEMBERED
Marchers mark the tenth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina by taking part in a remembrance parade through New Orleans, Louisiana, US, on August 29. — Reuters
PEACE TALKS
President signs peace deal
Juba — East African leaders travelled to South Sudan yesterday to witness President Salva Kiir’s signing of a peace deal with rebels, amid threats of UN sanctions in the absence of an agreement.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, who has hosted months of talks aimed at ending the 20-month war that has killed tens of thousands of people, arrived for the signing ceremony on August 27.
The Kenyan President also left for South Sudan’s capital Juba, his office said. — AFP
ILLEGAL IVORY
Customs officials seize more ivory
Hanoi — Vietnam customs officers have confiscated elephant ivory camouflaged among legal cargo for the third time in two weeks, authorities said on August 26.
The latest shipment was found inside containers declared to be red beans imported from Malaysia. “This is a very big case. At least a tonne of elephant tusks and pangolin scales were hidden inside the container,” said Dang Van Toan of Da Nang customs.
Trafficking in both items violates international laws designed to protect endangered species. — DPA
CARTOON PM
On August 30, a protester holds a caricature of Japan's Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, during a rally outside the parliament in Tokyo, Japan. The placard reads, "Are you a dictator, Abe?" — Reuters
POOR INNOCENTS
Villagers killed in attack
Sialkot — At least 10 civilians were killed on August 28 as India and Pakistan traded fire across their disputed border, officials said, less than a week after high-level talks were aborted amid a row over Kashmir.
Six died near the city of Sialkot in Pakistan’s Punjab province and at least four villagers were killed in Kashmir. Officials said more than 50 were wounded.
A meeting between the Indian and Pakistani national security advisers was called off amid a dispute about the agenda. — AFP
OTTO OUT
Guatemalans demand resignation
Guatemala City — Tens of thousands of Guatemalans took to the streets on August 27 to demand the resignation of President Otto Perez, who has refused to quit in the face of accusations that he was involved in a lucrative customs racket.
Demonstrators staged marches from the capital to other regions while many businesses closed in support of the protest.
“It can’t be that he looks the other way and ignores the fact that people don’t want him anymore,” one marcher said of Perez. — Reuters
DRONE DEATH
British hacker murdered
Washington — A British hacker who US and European officials said became a top cyber expert for the Islamic State in Syria has been killed in a US drone strike, a US source said on August 26.
It was the second reported killing of a senior Islamic State figure in the last eight days.
The source indicated that the US Defence Department was probably involved in the drone strike that killed British hacker Junaid Hussain, a former resident of Birmingham, England. — Reuters
EASY NEWS FOR M1-3
WILD FIRES
Schools closed due to haze
Jakarta — Haze from forest fires covered an area of Sumatra Island, Indonesia. It happened on August 28. Many schools were closed for safety reasons. No casualties were reported. — DPA
Exercises
1. Which of the following statements about the spirit festival in Myanmar is TRUE?
a. The celebration is held for 16 days.
b. The event is a small spirit festival in Myanmar.
c. Thousands of people take part in the event each year.
2. When did Guatemalans take to the streets to demand the resignation of President Otto Perez?
3. How old was Wiroj when he died?
Vocabulary
- karmic (adj): connected with the good or bad effect of doing a particular thing
dispute (n): an argument or a disagreement between two people, groups or countries
lucrative (adj): producing a large amount of money
figure (n): a person of the type mentioned
