Snow storm
On January 28, South Korean and US Marines hurl snow during a winter military drill in Pyeongchang, South Korea. — Reuters
Buried alive
Five killed in avalanche
Montreal — Five snowmobilers have been killed after being buried in an avalanche in Canada’s British Columbia province, officials said on January 30.
The deaths were confirmed by the BC Coroner’s office, which said the accident occurred in the western Canadian hamlet of McBride, 800 kilometres northeast of Vancouver.
Officials said six other people trapped by the avalanche were rescued alive. Rescuers said the snowmobilers had strayed to a part of the area that was off-limits to skiers and other winter sport enthusiasts. Avalanche Canada said the disaster was likely caused by human activity. — AFP
Political attack
Petrol bombs thrown at minister
Athens — A group of unknown assailants threw petrol bombs outside the house of a Greek minister in central Athens early on January 30, causing damage but no injuries, police officials said.
The attack took place outside the house of State Minister Alekos Flabouraris, a top adviser to Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, in the downtown area of Exarchia, police said. A car which belonged to Alekos’ security team parked outside his house was burned and another was seriously damaged in the attack, officials said. — Reuters
Bug out
City workers on January 29 fumigate a park as part of preventive measures against the Zika virus and other mosquito-borne diseases in Santa Tecla, El Salvador. — Reuters
Suicide attack
Terrorists target Yemen
Aden — A suicide bombing killed seven people and wounded seven others on the night of January 29 in Aden. It was the second deadly attack in as many days in Yemen’s second city, officials said.
The bombing targeted a police checkpoint not far from the January 28 suicide attack that previously killed eight people outside the presidential palace in the city, local sources said.
A hospital spokesman confirmed that seven people were killed in the January 29 bombing. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack but the jihadist Islamic State group said it was responsible for the January 28 bombing. — AFP
Virus vaccine
Scientist announces news
Winnipeg, Canada — A vaccine for the Zika virus, which has been linked to severe birth defects in thousands of infants, could be ready for emergency use before the end of the year, one of its lead developers said on January 29.
Canadian scientist Gary Kobinger, part of a consortium working on the vaccine, said in an interview that the first stage of testing on humans could begin as early as August. If successful, that may allow the vaccine to be used during a public health emergency in October or November. — Reuters
Fun park panic
Man found with guns
Paris — A man carrying two handguns and ammunition was arrested on January 28 at the Disneyland resort outside Paris, with the city still on edge after a devastating jihadist attack left 130 dead in November.
The man was detected upon his arrival at the hotel on the Disneyland site where he had a reservation. Hotel security found two handguns, a Koran and ammunition on him, officials said.
Disneyland Paris said the guns were picked up by routine scanning of the man’s bags at the hotel entrance. — AFP
EASY NEWS FOR M1-3
Falling ceiling
Airport roof collapses
Manila — Part of a ceiling collapsed. It happened at Manila Airport in the Philippines. Authorities reported the news on January 28. One passenger was injured. — AFP
Exercises
1. Who is Gary Kobinger?
a. A pilot.
b. A politician.
c. A scientist.
2. A suicide bombing killed eight people and wounded eight others on the night of January 29 in Aden. True or false?
3. Where is Wihan Phra Mongkhon Bophit located?
Vocabulary
- snowmobiler (n): a sports player whose vehicle can move over snow and ice easily
avalanche (n): a mass of snow, ice and rock that falls down the side of a mountain
consortium (n): a group of people, countries, companies, etc. who are working together on a particular project
