Rohingyas flee from Myanmar
Rohingya Muslims are targeted as part of a security operation in Myanmar. UN human rights chief calls it a textbook example for ethnic cleansing. More than 300.000 people have fled to Bangladesh already. The military in Myanmar justifies the violence by calling it a reaction to attacks by Rohingya militants a few weeks ago. They also deny the allegation they would target civilians.
The Rohingyas are a mostly Muslim minority in Rakhine and have long been subjected to violence and discrimination. In Myanmar they are seen and treated as illegal immigrants. Rohingya militants attacked police posts late in August. The police now respond with a brutal campaign, burning down whole villages and shooting fleeing civilians.
Myanmar has refused to let human rights investigators into the country but they have received images of the violent and brutal behavior of security forces and the local militia against Rohingyas. Aid agencies say the Rohingyas are in desperate need of food, shelter and medical aid. The refugee camps in Bangladesh are already full and still more people keep coming.
to target (ˈtɑ:gɪt) – es auf jdn absehen, zielen
textbook example (tekstbʊk ɪgˈzɑ:mpl̩) – das Musterbeispiel, wie es im Buche steht
ethnic cleansing (ˈeθnɪkˈ klenzɪŋ) – die ethnische Säuberung
to justify (ˈʤʌstɪfaɪ) – etw rechtfertigen, begründen
violence (ˈvaɪələn(t)s) – die Gewalt
allegation (æləˈgeɪʃən) – die Anschuldigung
minority (maɪˈnɒrəti) – die Minderheit
to subject (ˈsʌbʤɪkt) – unterworfen, ausgesetzt sein
to treat (tri:t) – jdn behandeln, mit jdn umgehen
to respond (rɪˈspɒnd) – antworten, erwidern
to refuse (rɪˈfju:z) – etw ablehnen, verweigern
investigator (ɪnˈvestɪgeɪtəʳ) – der Ermitler, Untersuchender
to receive (rɪˈsi:v) – etw erhalten, bekommen
aid agency (eɪd ˈeɪʤən(t)si) – die Hilfsorganisation
desperate (ˈdespərət) – verzweifelt, hier: dringend
refugee (ˌrefjʊˈʤi:) – der Fküchtling
Olympia gives Paris courage
Paris will host the Summer Olympics in 2024. After losing the last three bids the city will finally get what it wanted for so long. The Olympic Committee announced the next two hosts for the Summer Games. This is rather unusual as they normally don’t unveil two cities at once. The next Summer Olympics will be held in Tokyo in 2020, then 2024 in Paris and in 2028 in Los Angeles. This will be a chance to burnish the Olympic image after the doping scandals in Rio and Sochi.
This decision returns the Summer Games to the US for the first time since 1996. But it has been an even longer wait for Paris, the city last hosted the Games in 1924 and it has been trying to get it back ever since. The decision from the Olympic Committee comes at a time of uncertainty and gives the people something to look forward to. Paris is in a state of emergency ever since November 2015, when Islamic militants slaughtered 130 people in coordinated attacks across Paris.
Then came the suicide bombing in Brussels in March 2016 and four weeks later a speeding truck ploughed into a crowd of people in Nice. These events had a devastating effect on tourism. Paris had 1.5 million fewer visitors last year and the Louvre sold 2 million fewer tickets. But this year things seem to be getting better. During the first four months of 2017 tourism was up 19% from a year earlier. The victory of the young Emmanuel Macron as president is also a sign that Paris is on its way back. Now confidence is rising as people are happy that Paris will finally live its Olympic dream.
courage (ˈkʌrɪʤ) – der Mut, Tapferkeit
to host (həʊst) – etw ausrichten, Gastgeber sein
bid (bɪd) – der Versuch, das Angebot
finally (ˈfaɪnəli) – endlich, schließlich
unusual (ʌnˈju:ʒəl) – ungewöhnlich, untypisch
to unveil (ʌnˈveɪl) – etw enthüllen, aufdecken
burnish (ˈbɜ:nɪʃ) – etw aufpolieren
decision (dɪˈsɪʒən) – die Entscheidung
uncertainty (ʌnˈsɜ:tənti) – die Unbeständigkeit, Unsicherheit
state of emergency (steɪt ɒv ɪˈmɜ:ʤən(t)si) – der Ausnahmezustand, Notstand
to slaughter (ˈslɔ:təʳ) – jdn niedermetzeln, abschlachten
to plough (plaʊ) – sich einen Weg bahnen, durchpflügen
devastating (ˈdevəsteɪtɪŋ) – verheerend, vernichtend
few (fju:) – wenig
sign (saɪn) – das Zeichen
confidence (ˈkɒnfɪdən(t)s) – das Vertrauen, Selbstbewusstsein
PewDiePie apologizes for racial slur
The Youtube star PewDiePie apologized for using the n-word in one of his recordings. He said he used the term in the heat of the moment and it sort of just slipped out. PewDiePie is the world´s highest paid Youtube star and he amassed more than 57 million subscribers since he joined the online platform in 2010. He became famous through streaming and posting videos playing games, mostly horror games, and providing commentary.
He has a reputation for being provocative and it is not the first time that he has trouble with allegations of racism. Disney cut ties with him earlier this year in February over anti-Semitism allegations. Furthermore, he was suspended from Twitter for joking about joining the so-called Islamic State. Youtube even cancelled his new series.
Now his use of the n-word during a life stream of the game Firewatch brought him new trouble. The developer of the game, Campo Santo studio, intends to remove all videos and streams of PewDiePie playing their game and any other of their titles. The Youtube star apologized but also says the allegations are unfair as he does not support any hateful attitudes. He claims he didn’t mean his actions in a bad way and is sorry if he offended someone with his words.
slur (slɜ:ʳ) – eine beleidigende Äußerung
to apologize (əˈpɒləʤaɪz) – sich entschuldigen
term (tɜ:m) – der Begriff, der Ausdruck
in the heat of the moment – im Eifer des Gefechts
to slip (slɪp) – ausrutschen, entschlüpfen
to amass (əˈmæs) – etw ansammeln, anhäufen
subscriber (səbˈskraɪbəʳ) – der/die Abonnent/in
to join (ʤɔɪn) – beitreten, sich anschließen
to provide (prə(ʊ)ˈvaɪd) – etw bereitstellen, zur Verfügung stellen, anbieten
reputation (ˌrepjəˈteɪʃən) – der Ruf
allegation (æləˈgeɪʃən) – die Anschuldigung, Behauptung
tie (taɪ) – die Verbindung, Beziehung
to suspend (səˈspend) – vorübergehend aussetzen
developer (dɪˈveləpəʳ) – der Entwickler
to intend (ɪnˈtend) – etw beabsichtigen, planen, etw vor haben
to support (səˈpɔ:t) – jdn/etw unterstützen
attitude (ˈætɪtju:d) – die Haltung, Einstellung
to offend (əˈfend) – jdn beleidigen, kränken