World News

Royal celebration

Members of the Mexican Delfines Mariachi dance group perform on May 10 during the Diamond Jubilee Pageant in Windsor, England. The event was held to celebrate the 60-year reign of Queen Elizabeth II. — AFP

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Wild weather

Rain and hail wreak havoc

Beijing — After recent heavy rains and hail in northwestern China, the death toll rose to 37 with 19 people reported missing. Roads were blocked, houses collapsed and 7,000 hectares (43,750 rai) of farmland were destroyed by the extreme weather. Nearly 30,000 local residents were evacuated from the area.

About 2,000 officials and 800 soldiers tried to walk slowly through mud and water to areas where trapped villagers were waiting to be rescued. — DPA

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War relic

Old plane found in desert

Cairo — A World War II aeroplane that crash-landed in Egypt’s western desert has been found almost 70 years later, officials from the British embassy in Cairo said on May 12.

The Kittyhawk P-40 was discovered almost intact during mineral exploration in Egypt’s western desert. The plane’s pilot, presumed to be Flight Sergeant Denis Copping, made an emergency landing in June 1942, however his body is missing. — AFP

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Ceremonial haircut
A South Korean boy gets his head shaved by a Buddhist monk during an ordination ceremony to celebrate Buddha’s birthday at Jogye Temple in Seoul on May 13. — AFP

Clean sweep

Taiwanese go for gold

Taipei — A city in northern Taiwan will run an innovative scheme to keep its streets clean by encouraging residents to collect dog poo for a chance to win gold.

New Taipei City, which surrounds the capital, will offer residents who collect canine waste the chance to enter a lucky draw July.

Those taking part in the scheme will be given one lottery ticket in exchange for the dog waste they collect for a chance to enter the draw, which has a top prize of a gold ingot worth $2,000 dollars (60,000 baht). — AFP

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Dangerous job

Workers suffocate in mine

Manila — Seven men suffocated while working in a mine in the southern Philippines, police said on May 11. The victims were among eight workers transferring a hose on May 10 to the other end of a tunnel at the mine in Mabini village in Surigao City.

The workers suddenly experienced difficulty breathing while inside the tunnel. Their co-workers pulled out the eight from the tunnel, but seven of the men were declared dead on arrival at a nearby hospital while one was admitted for treatment. — DPA

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Pirates attack

Oil tanker hijacked

Nairobi — Pirates hijacked a Greek-owned oil tanker carrying 135,000 tonnes of crude oil while in the Arabian Sea. It was the first successful attack on an oil tanker off the Horn of Africa in more than a year.

The vessel’s manager, Dynacom Tankers Management, said they had lost contact with the crew of the MT Smyrni tanker following the attack off Oman on May 10.

The tanker was believed to be heading to Somalia with a crew of nine Indians and eight Filipinos. — Reuters

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EASY NEWS FOR M1-3

Heroin haul

Drugs found in Karachi

Karachi — Police seized 125 kilogrammes of heroin at Karachi port in Pakistan. It was the largest amount of heroin ever seized in the country. The drugs were worth about $13.75 million dollars (4.12 billion baht). — AFP

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Exercises

1. Where was the World War II aeroplane found?

a. In Egypt’s southern river.
b. In Egypt’s western desert.
c. In Egypt’s northern town.

2. Pirates hijacked a Greek-owned oil tanker in Tahiti. True or false?

3. How many districts in Lampang province were declared flood disaster zones?