Las Vegas shooting
A man killed 58 people in as Vegas during a country music festival on Sunday last week. Another 500 people were injured trying to flee the scene. Stephen Paddock shot from the window of a hotel suite and he fired for 9 to 11 minutes before he was stopped. When the first shots came many festival goers believed it to be firework or technical problems. When people realized they were being shot at there was a panic. People threw themselves on the ground in an attempt to take cover but only gave the shooter a better target.
The incident seems to have been meticulously planned. Stephen Paddock checked into the hotel a few days before Sunday and stocked different weapons in the suite. He installed cameras to check if law enforcement or security approaches. The shooting only stopped when the police turned up outside his hotel room. The shooter then turned his attention to the door and fired at it, wounding a security man. When police entered the room they found Stephen Paddock dead.
A total of 47 weapons have been fund in the hotel room and his two houses. Paddock was previously unknown to the police and had no criminal record. He was a retired accountant and his motives are still unclear. The police think he acted alone and they hope to get more information from the shooter´s girlfriend who has just returned from a vacation. There are no known links to a terror group.
during (ˈdjʊərɪŋ) – während
to injure (ˈɪnʤəʳ) – jdn verletzen
to realize (ˈrɪəlaɪz) – etw erkennen, sich bewusst werden
attempt (əˈtem(p)t) – der Versuch
target (ˈtɑ:gɪt) – das Ziel, Zielscheibe
incident (ˈɪn(t)sɪdənt) – der Vorfall, das Ereignis
meticulously (məˈtɪkjələsli) – akribisch, bis ins kleinste Detail
to stock (stɒk) – etw auffüllen, vorrätig haben
different (ˈdɪfərənt) – unterschiedliche, verschiedene
law enforcement (lɔ: ɪnˈfɔ:smənt) – die Strafverfolgung, Polizeibeamte
to approach (əˈprəʊtʃ) – sich jdm nähern, auf jdn zukommen
attention ( əˈten(t)ʃ ə n) – die Aufmerksamkeit
to wound (wu:nd) – jdn verwunden, verletzen
weapon (ˈwepən) – die Waffe
previously (ˈpri:viəsli) – vorher, zuvor
criminal record (ˈkrɪmɪnəl ˈrekɔ:d) – das Vorstrafenregister
to retire (rɪˈtaɪəʳ) – in ten Ruhestand treten, pensioniert
accountant (əˈkaʊntənt) – der Buchhalter
to act (ækt) – handeln
to return (rɪˈtɜ:n) – zurückkehren
vacation (vəˈkeɪʃən) – der Urlaub
Nobel Prizes 2017
Since Monday this week the Laureates for the Nobel Prizes 2017 are announced. A committee has decided who among scientists, writers and peace workers have conferred the greatest benefit to mankind. The Nobel Prizes are awarded every year in several categories by Swedish and Norwegian institutions to recognize academic, cultural or scientific advances. The prize ceremonies take place annually in Sweden, except for the Nobel Peace Prize, which is awarded in Oslo.
The Nobel Prize is named after the Swedish chemist, engineer, inventor, businessman and philanthropist Alfred Nobel who established the prizes in his will in 1895. The first Nobel Prize was awarded in 1901. Between then and today 911 people and organisations were presented with the Nobel Prize. The awards are given in the categories physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature and peace work.
At the beginning of this week, on Monday, the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was announced. The Nobel Prize in Physics was made public on Tuesday and went to three Us-physicists for their work that led to the detection of gravitational waves. The Nobel Prize for Chemistry was announced on Wednesday. It was awarded for the development of the cyro-electron microscopy. The winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature was announced yesterday and it went to the British author Kazuo Ishiguro.
Later today the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize will be made public. The last award winner will be announced on Monday next week in the category economic sciences in memory of Alfred Nobel.
since (sɪn(t)s) – seit
laureate (ˈlɔ:riət) – der/ die Preisträger/in
to announce (əˈnaʊn(t)s) – etw verkünden, bekannt geben
among (əˈmʌŋ) – unter, inmitten
to confer (kənˈfɜ:ʳ) – hier: erreichen, verleihen
to award (əˈwɔ:d) – etw verleihen, etw überreichen
several (ˈsevərəl) – einige, verschiedene
to recognize (ˈrekəgnaɪz) – etw anerkennen
advance (ədˈvɑ:n(t)s) – der Fortschritt
annually (ˈænjuəli) – jährlich
except (ɪkˈsept) – außer
philanthropist (fɪˈlæn(t)θrəpɪst) – der/die Philantrop/in, Menschenfreund
to establish (ɪˈstæblɪʃ) – etw einführen, gründen
will (wɪl) – der letzte Wille, Testament
between (bɪpan>twi:n) – zwischen
to lead (li:d) – etw leiten, führen
detection (dɪˈtekʃən) – die Entdeckung
gravitational wave (ˌgrævɪˈteɪʃənspan data-original-title=””>əl weɪv) – die Gravitationswelle
development (dɪˈveləpmənt) – die Entwicklung
economic science (ˌi:kəˈnɒmɪk ˈsaɪən(t)s) – die Wirtschaftswissenchaft
memory (ˈmeməri) – Gedächtnis, hier: in Erinnerung, in Gedenken
Update Catalonia´s independence
Last week the referendum went ahead despite a police crackdown that left 900 people injured. Spanish police tried to stop the referendum by raiding polling stations, firing rubber bullets at the crowd and beating people who came to vote. Catalonia´s Minister President (MP) Carles Puigdemont said they would declare independence a few days after the votes were counted. Still, according to the Catalan government 90% of participants voted for independence.
But the regional parliament session in which the results of the referendum were supposed to be discussed was suspended by Spain´s constitutional court. Yesterday the court ruled that Catalonia´s MP would violate his rights if he declared independence. The Catalonian government will meet on Monday to discuss their reaction to the court´s decision. Puigdemont said the votes would definitely be put before parliament, no matter which stones are thrown in the way of the independence movement.
Referendum (ˌrefərˈendəm) – das Referendum, Volksentscheid
crackdown (krækdaʊn) – scharfes Vorgehen
to raid (reɪd) – überfallen, angreifen, eine Razzia durchführen
polling station (ˈpəʊlɪŋˈsteɪʃən) – die Wahlstation
rubber bullet (ˈrʌbəʳˈbʊlɪt) – das Gummigeschoss
crowd (kraʊd) – die Menge
to declare (dɪˈkleəʳ) – etw verkünden, bekanntmachen
independence (ˌɪndɪˈpendən(t)s) – die Unabhängigkeit
participant (pɑ:ˈtɪsɪpənt) – der/die Teilnehmer/in
to suspend (səˈspend) – etw einstellen, etw sperren
to rule (ru:l) – etw bestimmen, anordnen
to violate (ˈvaɪəleɪt) – etw/jdn verletzen, gegen etw verstoßen
no matter (nəʊ ˈmætəʳ) – egal
Update Catalonia´s independence statement
The Spanish government has rejected a statement of independence signed by Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont and also dismissed calls for mediation. Although the independence is signed Mr Puigdemont halted its implementation to allow negotiations. The Spanish PM called an emergency meeting to discuss the government´s next steps.
Spain has been in turmoil ever since the referendum, which took place on Oct 1st 2017. The referendum was declared invalid by Spain´s Constitutional Court. Despite this, Carles Puigdemont has called for international states and organisations to recognise Catalonia´s independence. He spoke on Tuesday and said it was the will of the people to break free from Madrid.
Still, it is not clear if the declaration has any legal status. Catalonia is one of Spain´s wealthiest regions and it would disrupt the country´s economy in case of an exit. The European Union declared that Catalonia would not be part of the EU in case of independence. Spain has given the Catalan leaders 8 days to drop their independence bid but separatists are unlikely to back down.
to reject (rɪˈʤekt) – etw ablehnen, zurückweisen
independence (ˌɪndɪˈpendən(t)s) – die Unabhängigkeit
to sign (saɪn) – etw unterschreiben
to dismiss (dɪsˈmɪs) – etw abtun, aufgeben
mediation (ˌmi:diˈeɪʃən) – die Vermittlung
to halt (hɒlt) – etw anhalten, stoppen
implementation (ˌɪmplɪmenˈteɪʃən) – die Einführung, Ausführung
to allow (əˈlaʊ) – etw erlauben, ermöglichen
negotiation (nɪˌgəʊʃiˈeɪʃən) – die Verhandlung
emergency (ɪˈmɜ:ʤən(t)si) – der Notfall, Notlage
in turmoil (ˈtɜ:mɔɪl) – in Aufruhr
invalid (ɪnˈvælɪd) – ungültig, unwirksam
despite (dɪˈspaɪt) – trotz
to recognize (ˈrekəgnaɪz) – etw anerkennen
wealthy (ˈwelθi) – reicht, wohlhabend
to disrupt (dɪsˈrʌpt) – etw stören, zum Erliegen bringen
to drop (drɒp) – etw fallen lassen, aufgeben
bid (bɪd) – das Gebot, Bemühen
unlikely (ʌnˈlaɪkli) – unwahrscheinlich