Forest fire in Portugal
Due to hot and dry weather a fire started in Portugal´s forest in the Pedrógao Grande area last weekend. At least 64 people have died since Saturday and more than 250 were injured. Many people died in their cars while trying to flee the area. Although officials say that 70% of the fire is under control soaring temperatures and wind threaten to reignite the fires.
A state of emergency was called around the area north-east of Lisbon. More than 1,000 fire fighters are tackling the fires at all fronts. The fire is believed to have started on Saturday caused by lightning. After a long drought the forests are dry and the hot temperatures together with strong winds created a perfect storm, as fire fighters call it.
Neighbouring countries like Spain and France sent water-dumping aircrafts over to help getting the fires under control. The fire already ravaged 30,000 hectares of forest.
at least (li:st) – mindestens
since (sɪn(t)s) – seit, seitdem
to be injured (ˈɪnʤəd) – sich verletzen
to flee (fli: ) – fliehen, flüchten
although (ɔ:lˈðəʊ) – obowhl, obgleich
to soar (sɔ:ʳ) – rapide ansteigen, zunehmen
to reignite (ɪgˈnaɪt) – neu entfachen, neu entzünden
state of emergency (steɪt ɒv ɪˈmɜ:ʤən(t)si) – der Ausnahmezustand, der Notstand
to tackle (ˈtækl̩) – etwas angehen, etwas bekämpfen
to cause (kɔ:z) – etwas verursachen
lightning (ˈlaɪtnɪŋ) – der Blitz
drought (draʊt) – die Trockenheit, die Dürre
fire fighter (ˈfaɪəʳˈfaɪtəʳ) – der Feuerwehrmann
neighbouring (ˈneɪbərɪŋ) – benachbart
water-dumping (ˈwɔ:təʳ– ˈdʌmpɪŋ) – wasserwerfend
aircraft (eəʳkrɑ:ft) – das Flugzeug, das Luftfahrzeug
to ravage (ˈrævɪʤ) – etwas verüwsten, verheerenden Schaden anrichten
Otto Warmbier dies after his return from Norh Korea
The 22-year old student Otto Warmbier died on Monday after he was returned to his family in Ohio. While on a tourist trip to North Korea he was detained in Pyongyang and charged with committing a hostile act against the government. Allegedly he had tried to take down a propaganda banner from a hotel. After a one-hour trial Otto Warmbier was convicted and sentenced to 15 years of hard labour.
He was held in Pyongyang since January 2016. Last week he returned back to the United States to his parents in an unconscious state. His doctor´s said he had extensive brain damage dating back longer than one year. He was not able to speak or react during the reunion with his family.
The Chinese agency that had organised the trip stated they will no longer offer North Korean tours. They had tried to speak with Otto Warmbier during his detention but were denied any contact and only received reassurances that the student was fine. There is no further information about his period in detention. President Trump offered his condolences to the family and condemned the actions of North Korea.
to return (rɪˈtɜ:n) – zurückkehren, wiederkehren
to detain (dɪˈteɪn) – jdn inhaftieren, in Haft nehmen
to charge (tʃɑ:ʤ) – jdn anklagen, beschuldigen
to commit (kəˈmɪt) – etw begehen
hostile (ˈhɒstaɪl) – feindselig, feindlich
allegedly (əˈleʤɪdli) – angeblich
to convict (ˈkɒnvɪkt) – verurteilen, schuldig sprechen
to sentence (ˈsentən(t)s) – verurteilen
unconscious (ʌnˈkɒn(t)ʃəs) – bewusstlos
extensive (ɪkˈsten(t)sɪv) – umfangreich, hier: schwer
reunion (ˌri:ˈju:niən) – das Treffen, die Zusammenkunft
detention (dɪˈten(t)ʃən) – die Haft
to deny (dɪˈnaɪ) – etw abstreiten, etw verweigern
to receive (rɪˈsi:v) – etw erhalten, bekommen
reassurance (ˌri:əˈʃʊərən(t)s) – die Versicherung, die Beteuerung
condolence (kənˈdəʊlən(t)s) – das Beileid
to condemn (kənˈdem) – etw/jdn verurteilen