White Supremacist gathering in Charlottesville
On Saturday last week white supremacists gathered to protest the planned removal of a statue of Confederate general Robert E. Lee. He commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War from 1862 until his surrender in 1865 and became a post war icon of the “lost cause of the Confederacy”.
The rally was called “Unite the Right” and the group consisted of members from the Ku-Klux-Klan, neo-Nazis and militia. They met early on Saturday morning at Emancipation Park, former Lee Park, to defend their Southern history, as they argued. Some of them came in full tactical gear with helmets, boots and openly carrying rifles. They chanted anti-immigrant slogans and blocked the entrance to the park with shields. It was the largest gathering of white nationals in America for decades.
A group of anti-protestors gathered as well, they threw bottles and pepper spray was used on both sides. The governor declared a state of emergency and the rally was cancelled. While the National Guard closed off the area a driver ploughed into the crowd of counter-protestors and killed a young woman. 19 others were injured. The driver was a 20-year-old man who was arrested and charged with second-degree murder.
removal (rɪˈmu:vəl) – die Entfernung, die Beseitigung
surrender (sərˈendəʳ) – die Kapitulation,
postwar (pəʊstwɔ:ʳ) – die Nachkriegszeit, nach dem Krieg
cause (kɔ:z) – der Grund, die Ursache
rally (ˈræli) – die Zusammenkunft, die (Massen)veranstaltung
to consist (kənˈsɪst) – aus etw bestehen
to defend (dɪˈfend) – etw verteidigen, sich gegen etw wehren
tactical gear (ˈtæktɪkəlgɪəʳ) – die taktische Ausrüstung
to carry (ˈkæri) – etw tragen
rifle (ˈraɪfl̩) – das Gewehr
to chant (tʃɑ:nt) – etw singen, skandieren
entrance (ˈentrən(t)s) – der Eingang
decade (ˈdekeɪd) – das Jahrzehnt
to declare (dɪˈkleəʳ) – etw verkünden, bekanntmachen
state of emergency (steɪt ɒv ɪˈmɜ:ʤən(t)si) – der Ausnahmezustand
to plough (plaʊ) – seinen Weg bahnen, hindurch pflügen
Mudslide in Sierra Leone
More than 300 people died during a massive mudslide in Freetown after heavy raining on Monday. Many people were surprised in their homes and fast asleep when the catastrophe struck. Volunteers started digging for people in the mud in the night. Rescue operations started early on Tuesday morning, the military has been deployed to help looking for survivors and to recover the bodies.
The hillside collapsed due to too much unregulated building. An estimated 9.000 people are affected by the catastrophe and thousands of houses and makeshift settlements were destroyed. Many areas of Sierra Leones capital are close to sea level and have only a poor drainage system. Deforestation is one of the main reasons flooding and mudslides have been getting worse.
A contingency plan has been set up to prevent the outbreak of diseases like cholera. People are still buried in their houses that collapsed under the mud and it is believed that around 600 people are still missing. A mass burial was planned for Wednesday this week.
mudslide (mʌdslaɪd) – die Schlammlawine
to surprise (səˈpraɪz) – jdn überraschen
to be fast asleep (fɑ:st eˈsli:p) – tief und fest schlafen
volunteer (ˌvɒlənˈtɪəʳ) – der Freiwillige
to dig (dɪg) – graben
rescue operation (ˈreskju: ˌɒpəˈreɪʃən) – die Rettungsaktion
early (ˈɜ:li) – früh, zeitig
to deploy (dɪˈplɔɪ) – jdn/etw einsetzen
survivor (səˈvaɪvəʳ) – Überlebender
to recover (rɪˈkʌvəʳ) – etw zurückerlangen, hier: bergen
hillside (hɪlsaɪd) – der Berghang
to collapse (kəˈlæps) – einstürzen, zusammenbrechen
unregulated (ʌnˈregjəleɪtɪd) – unkontrolliert
to build (bɪld) – etw bauen
makeshift (meɪkʃɪft) – behelfsmäßig, provisorisch
settlement (ˈsetl̩mənt) – hier: die Siedlung
poor (pɔ:ʳ) – hier: schlecht
drainage system (ˈdreɪnɪʤˈsɪstəm) – das Abwassersystem, die Entwässerungsanlage
deforestation (di:ˌfɒrɪˈsteɪʃən) – die Abholzung
contingency plan (kənˈtɪnʤən(t)si plæn) – der Notstandsplan, der Eventualplan
to prevent (prɪˈvent) – etw verhindern, etw vorbeugen
disease (dɪˈzi:z) – die Krankheit
to bury (ˈberi) – jdn begraben
Terror in Barcelona
13 people died and many more were injured when a van drove into crowds on Las Ramblas in Barcelona on Thursday. Las Ramblas is a popular street for tourists and locals with market stalls, bars and restaurants. Witnesses said the driver deliberately targeted people, swerving from side to side trying to hit people. The victims were from countries all over the world.
The driver fled the scene and is still being hunted by the police. However, two people were detained later on Thursday in a connection to the attack. It is confirmed that it was a terror attack, as the so-called Islamic State said it was behind the Las Ramblas attack. Three days of national mourning started today with a minute´s silence.
crowd (kraʊd) – die Menge
popular (ˈpɒpjələʳ) – beliebt
market stall (ˈmɑ:kɪt stɔ:l) – der Marktstand
witness (ˈwɪtnəs) – der/die Zeuge/in
deliberately (dɪˈlɪbərətli) – absichtlich
to target (ˈtɑ:gɪt) – jdn ins Visir nehmen
to swerve (swɜ:v) – schwanken
to flee (fli:) – fliehen
to hunt (hʌnt) – jdn jagen, suchen
to detain (dɪˈteɪn) – jdn in Gewahrsam nehmen, festnehmen
to confirm (kənˈfɜ:m) – etw bestätigen
to mourn (mɔ:n) – trauern
minute´s silence (ˈmɪnɪtˈ saɪlən(t)s) – die Schweigeminute