Zimbabwe won't press charges against Cecil the Lion's killer

WEEK 4.
By Eliott C. McLaughlin, CNNUpdated 0451 GMT (1151 HKT) October 13, 2015

Walter Palmer, the Minnesota dentist and big-game hunter who killed Cecil the Lion while on a July hunting expedition, won't face charges in the beloved big cat's death, a Zimbabwean minister said Monday.

There has already been ample publicity surrounding the lion's death, said the country's minister of environment, water and climate, Opa Muchinguri."If you talk to him, tell him that tourists are welcome here," she said. "No hunting, though."Palmer and his family faced threats and saw worldwide protests unfold, including demonstrations outside his Bloomington office after the Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force reported that Cecil was lured out of Hwange National Park and shot with a compound bow.Cecil lived another 40 hours until the hunters tracked him down and shot him with a gun, the conservation group said. He was then skinned and beheaded.The hunters also tried to destroy the GPS collar that Cecil was wearing as part of a research project backed by Oxford University, according to the conservation group.Palmer said in interviews with The Associated Press and the Minneapolis Star Tribune that he couldn't see the collar because it was buried beneath Cecil's mane. He also said that it was not illegal to kill a collared lion.Social media took aim under the hashtag #WalterPalmer. "A poor excuse of a human being," "a killer" and "Satan" were just a few of the Twitter insults hurled in his direction. A Facebook page devoted to shaming Palmer still has more than 17,000 members.Celebrities such as model Cara Delevingne, actress Alyssa Milano and TV host Sharon Osbourne -- who have a combined total of 8.39 million followers -- joined in as well."I had no idea that the lion I took was a known, local favorite, was collared and part of a study until the end of the hunt," Palmer said in a statement in late July. "I relied on the expertise of my local professional guides to ensure a legal hunt."Palmer disappeared for a spell and shuttered his office, River Bluff Dental, as he weathered the storm of criticism and threats. He returned to work last month.Two Zimbabweans have been charged in the case, and before Monday, officials there had said they wanted Palmer extradited to face charges.The 55-year-old dentist had indicated that he'd cooperate, although he said he had yet to be contacted by anyone about the investigation.Cecil's killing apparently was not the first time Palmer landed into trouble while hunting. A man with the same name and age, and from the same town, illegally killed a black bear in Wisconsin several years ago, according to court documents.That individual pleaded guilty to making false statements knowingly to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and was sentenced to one year on probation and ordered to pay a fine of nearly $3,000, records show.

Journalist Columbus Mavhunga and CNN's Ed Payne contributed to this report.

http://edition.cnn.com/2015/10/12/africa/zimbabwe-cecil-lion-walter-palmer-no-charges/index.html

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Zimbabwe won't press charges against lion killer(from: youtube)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJ-5CdlbPRM

Structure of the Lead
WHO	Walter Palmer
WHEN	July, 2015
WHAT	Walter Palmer killed the lion, Cecil
WHY	For fun
WHERE	America
HOW	It evoked demonstrations outside his Bloomington office and worldwide public outrage

_________________________________________________________

Keywords:

• expedition (n.) 遠征；探險；考察
• ample (adj.) 大量的；豐富的
• demonstration (n.) 示威
• mane (n.) 鬃毛
• expertise (n.) 專門技術
• conservation (n.) 保存
• extradite (v.) 引渡(逃犯等)；獲取(逃犯等)引渡 
• knowingly (adv.) 故意地
• sentence (v.) 宣判 
• probation (n.) 鑑定；見習；(法律的)緩刑
• shaming (adj.) 令人羞愧的
• lure (v.) 誘惑

Worried about MERS? South Korea will insure you for free

week 3.

By Charles Riley and KJ Kwon   @CNNMoney

Thinking of canceling your trip to South Korea because of the MERS virus outbreak? Relax, the government will insure you.

More than 100,000 tourists have already dropped plans to visit the country, and if many more stay away the economy could lose billions of dollars.

South Korea now says that foreign visitors will be automatically insured against the risk of contracting Middle East Respiratory Syndrome."To relieve the anxiety of the foreign tourists, we will develop and promote [an] insurance package that compensates foreign tourists if they are confirmed with MERS during their stay in South Korea," a spokesperson for the Ministry of Culture and Tourism said.The government is still working out the details with an insurance company, and it's not immediately clear how much cover will be provided, or when the plan will go into effect.But it's part of a broader effort to reassure travelers. The country's main tourism website, for example, prominently displays the phone number of a MERS hotline specifically for tourists.

• South Korea MERS death toll at 20; 8 more cases diagnosed

The government estimates that a 20% decline in visits during the peak June to August tourism season would cost the industry $900 million in lost revenue. A 50% decrease in numbers would cost $2.3 billion.South Korea's economy was looking shaky even before the MERS outbreak killed 20 people. On Wednesday, the government announced eight new cases, ringing the total number to 162 -- 18 of whom are in an "unstable" condition.

• South Korea races to limit economic fallout from MERS

Last week, the Bank of Korea warned that MERS posed a significant threat, and cut its main interest rate to a record low to try to contain the fallout. By making it cheaper for companies and households to borrow, the central bank is hoping to stoke domestic demand.

South Korea's economy is home to major global companies such as Samsung (SSNLF) and Hyundai (HYMTF), and heavily dependent on exports. Domestic consumption has been weak in recent months, and external demand has slowed.The International Monetary Fund warned last month that officials should take measures to stimulate the economy if signs of a recovery did not emerge soon. It expects growth to stagnate around 3.3% this year.

http://money.cnn.com/2015/06/17/news/south-korea-mers-tourism-insurance/index.html

_________________________________________________________

DAY BREAK 06:00 Latest update on MERS in Korea: 4 deaths, 41 cases(from: youtube)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NV2tiKAVlw

MERS in Korea(from: youtube)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_HvuWf29wM

Structure of the Lead
WHO	Korea government
WHEN	Not given
WHAT	Outbreaks of MERS
WHY	Not given
WHERE	Korea
HOW	The government will insure tourists

_________________________________________________________

      Keywords:

• automatically  (adv.)自動地；無意識地；不自覺地
• respiratory (adj.)呼吸的
• syndrome (n.)併發症狀
• compensates (v.)補償
• revenue (n.)收入
• unstable (adj.)不穩定的
• stimulate (v.)刺激

Treacherous journey to epicenter of deadly Nepal earthquake

WEEK 2.

By Arwa Damon, Samson Karki and Tim Hume, CNN

Updated 0407 GMT (1107 HKT) May 5, 2015

More than 1,400 meters above sea level, amidst Nepal's treacherous alpine terrain, an entire mountain is shaking.

The terrifying tremors last for about five seconds. They send the few villagers left in the remote village of Mandre -- a 174km drive northwest of Kathmandu, when roads are passable -- scrambling down the mountainside towards the relative safety of the plains. Most of the village has taken refuge there since the devastating 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck more than a week ago.

We hear a landslide below us. In the distance, three more can be seen, triggered by the jolt.

Sunil Bishokerma, making his way up the mountain with his brother to search for his missing family members, tells us his whole body is in shock.

• No assistance

We are making our way on foot in an attempt to reach Barpak, a village in Nepal's Western Region. It lies more than 2,000 meters above sea level, at the epicenter of the deadly April 25 quake which has claimed 7,365 lives.The route here has involved an eight-hour drive west from Nepal's capital, along a bumpy road winding its way along the banks of the Trishuli River.As we drive among stunning Himalayan scenery, the effects of the earthquake gradually reveal themselves.We meet a mother, Miru, who tells us her family have lost everything. The only consolation -- that they still have their daughter Sanjita, who was nearly killed when their house collapsed.At a local grocery store, we meet a group from a village further up the mountain. They've been walking down to the road every day since the quake hit to try to get assistance, but so far none has arrived.The little aid we do see is generated by the community. We encounter 10 friends who say they have driven 100 km (62 miles) on their motorbikes to distribute supplies."We have heard that (the) earthquake affect(ed) that village and we came to help them," says one.Further along, we reach the end of the road. Massive boulders have tumbled down the mountainside, crushing a digger and blocking the road, cutting off what lies beyond from a vital lifeline to aid. From here we must continue on foot.

• Abandoned village

The arduous path up the mountain is marked with gaping crevasses and uprooted trees, tossed down the slope. Porters say we should proceed with caution, as the steep walkway is unstable and there is a constant threat of falling debris from the frequent tremors.

The village of Mandre -- or what is left of it -- is unnervingly empty.

Unlike many other villages we've passed through, there are no shelters pitched next to the ruined homes.

There are only markers of what has been lost. A child's doll -- a Winnie the Pooh plush toy -- lies abandoned amid the scattered stones and broken timber of what was once a home. There's a fresh grave for three young women, marked with a traditional necklace showing one was married.

Nepalese troops arrive to dig out the bodies of livestock buried beneath the rubble, the decomposing carcasses leaving a heavy stink in the air. But there's no sign that any aid has made it here, other than three tents dropped days earlier.

• complete devastation

Further up the mountain -- a seven-hour trek from where we left our vehicle, stopping to film along the way -- we finally reach Barpak.

The scene is one of complete devastation. The mountainside is dotted with white stones marking graves of the freshly buried. Ninety-five percent of the homes here are destroyed -- those that survived are made of brick and concrete, as opposed to the stone and timber construction that predominates.

The village is a sea of debris: corrugated iron and piled timber. There's a din of clanking and hammering, as residents undertake the work of dismantling the wreckage themselves.

Even here, at the earthquake's epicenter, aid has been frustratingly slow in arriving. One of the few signs of assistance is an Indian army medical team, treating the infected head wound of an injured girl, who cries as they insert stitches.

• 'Best we can'

Why more assistance has failed to make it from Kathmandu to here, where it is needed most, seems inexplicable.

But Nepal's Information Minister Minendra Rijal says the country's response is the best it could do, given the paucity of its resources and the magnitude of the disaster.

"Given the resources we have, given the situation that we're facing, I would say we're doing the best we can," he tells CNN.

"I'm not saying that it could not have been better -- it could have been better -- but I would not say this is something to complain a lot about."

He compared the government's response to the U.S.'s struggle to respond to Hurricane Katrina -- and disputed claims that unlike Katrina, this earthquake was anticipated.

"This was also unexpected," he said.

 "The preparations that were made in the workshops and seminars were simply of no use... No one forecasted an earthquake which would span as large an area as it did, which would affect as many people as it did."

• Tearful reunion

Back in Barpak, Bishokerma chases information from locals about the fate of his family members.

He has received no word from them since the quake.

There's an ominous piece of news from a local resident: she says a girl was killed on their street.

Things do not look promising on the approach to the site of their former home, now a cascade of rubble. Bishokerma walks slowly, dreading what he may discover.

But there's good news. His aunt rushes out from a tent and throws her arms around him.

"My god, they are okay," says Bishokerma, as tears stream down his cousin's face.

They have lost almost everything. But at least they are alive.

http://edition.cnn.com/2015/05/04/asia/nepal-earthquake-epicenter-barpak/index.html

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2015 NEPAL Earthquake - Full Documentary(from: youtube)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weGUeZsX4d4

Structure of the Lead
WHO	Residents
WHEN	April 25, 2015
WHAT	attempt to reach Barpak
WHY	Deadly earthquake took place
WHERE	Nepal
HOW	7,365 lives were claimed

_________________________________________________________

     Keywords:

• treacherous (adj.) 變化莫測的
• tremor (n.)震動
• refuge (n.) 避難；庇護
• epicenter (n.) 震中；中心；中心點
• bumpy (adj.) 崎嶇不平的
• arduous (adj.) 艱巨的；陡峭的
• crevasse (n.) 地球表面的裂縫；裂隙；破口
• debris (n.) 殘骸；碎瓦殘礫；岩層
• corrugated (adj.) 縮成皺紋的；成波狀的
• paucity (n.) 少量 ；缺乏
• magnitude (n.) 巨大；強度
• seminar(n.) 研討會
• ominous(adj.) 不詳的

Lost at sea, unwanted: The plight of Myanmar's Rohingya 'boat people'

WEEK 1.

Euan McKirdy and Saima Mohsin, CNN
Updated 0435 GMT (1135 HKT) May 20, 2015

Meetings between the foreign ministries of Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia are taking place Wednesday in an effort to ward off a looming humanitarian disaster. Thousands of Rohingya migrants remain stranded in the Andaman Sea, while authorities around the region refuse to take them in.

The scale of the crisis is still unknown. No organization, from the UNHCR and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to Rohingya rights groups, knows how many boats there are. The number of migrants stranded aboard these ships, however, is estimated to be in the thousands.

Despite a plea from U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, urging Southeast Asian leaders to uphold "international law" and "the obligation of rescue at sea," Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia are currently refusing to accept the "boat people" -- men, women and children who remain on ships, with rapidly dwindling provisions.

Thailand supplied them with food and water in the middle of last week, the last confirmed resupply.

CNN understands that the ships, which remain at sea, are trying to elude patrols and the refugees are effectively being held prisoner by their smugglers. Official sources, who have requested not to be named, say the smugglers may be telling people they can only accept landing rights in Malaysia as the smugglers are possibly Thai and wish to avoid what has become a very high-profile issue.

Thailand will host a regional conference on May 29, where the issue will be high up on the agenda.

More immediately, Malaysia will play host to three-way meetings Wednesday between the foreign ministers of Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. Despite its pivotal role in the crisis, the Myanmar government will not send a representative.

Meanwhile, the U.S. has said that while the humanitarian disaster at sea is the most pressing concern, a State Department official tells CNN the fundamental issue lies in Myanmar.

Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, Tom Malinowski, told CNN's Hala Gorani that the U.S. has offered assistance and is urging the governments of Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia to work together to conduct search and rescue missions, and to allow the refugees to land.

"Our first responsibility is to save lives and that is something that has to be done in the coming days and hours. In the longer run, the biggest challenge is to get at the root cause of this crisis, the treatment of the Rohingya population inside Myanmar."

Myanmar, also known as Burma, is home to a large Rohingya population, particularly in Rakhine state, in the west of the country.

Clashes in 2012 between the state's Buddhist community and Rohingya Muslims, a long-oppressed linguistic and ethnic minority in this majority Buddhist country, left hundreds dead and more than 140,000 people homeless.

The United Nations estimates more than 100,000 Rohingya have fled Myanmar by sea since ethnic and sectarian violence erupted.

The government has forcibly segregated Rohingya from the rest of the population in Rakhine state. They live confined in enclaves -- rural ghettos, in effect -- from which they are not allowed to leave. The government refuses to recognize them as a legitimate ethnic group and as citizens of Myanmar.

Those who have the means to leave do so by perilous sea journey. They are taken out on small boats to cargo ships by smugglers, mostly bound for Malaysia.

The government has said it will not participate in Thailand's regional conference on May 29. Zaw Htay, a director in the office of Myanmar President Thein Sein, told CNN: "We will not participate in the discussions next week if the name 'Rohingya' is mentioned.

"If we recognize the name, then they will think they are citizens of Myanmar... Myanmar cannot take all the blame for these people who are now at sea. We need long term (solutions) and you can't just explain it by saying Myanmar is the source of the problem. A long term solution is needed."

A statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, published in state media on May 19, points to illegal smuggling as the root cause of the problem, and says that the Burmese government "shares concerns expressed by the international community," and that it is "fully prepared to work with the international community, on humanitarian grounds, to alleviate the sufferings of the smuggled victims." The statement makes no mention or acknowledgment of Rohingya claims to citizenship.

  

http://edition.cnn.com/2015/05/19/asia/rohingya-refugee-ships-explainer/index.html

_________________________________________________________

2015.05.23文茜的世界周報(from: youtube)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w87M4Mm7kMw

Structure of the Lead
WHO	Myanmar's Rohingya
WHEN	May 25, 2015
WHAT	Rohingya were eager to be accepted
WHY	Rohingya was forcibly segregated and they fled Myanmar
WHERE	Myanmar
HOW	Not given

_________________________________________________________

      Keywords:

• ward off 避開；避免
• rohingya 羅興亞人
• strand (v.)使擱淺；處於困境
• UNHCR 聯合國難民署
• plea(n.)請求
• dwindling 漸漸減少
• uphold(v.)堅持
• provision(n.)供應
• elude(v.)躲避
• patrol(n.)巡邏兵
• smuggler(n.)走私者；走私船
• high-profile(adj.)引人注目的
• pivotal(adj.)重要的；中樞的
• representative(n.)代表；代理人
• pressing(adj.)迫切的
• linguistic(adj.)語言的
• ethnic(adj)種族(上)的
• sectarian (adj.)派別的
• forcibly(adv.)強制地
• segregated (adj.)種族隔離的
• enclave(n.)飛地
• ghettos(n)少數民族居住區；貧民區
• legitimate(adj.)合法的
• perilous(adj.)危險的；冒險的
• bound for 準備前往……
• alleviate(v.)減輕；緩和