NID: 1000125-109-Newsademic Issue 229 B.

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The informative easy to read introduction to world news

7th August 2014

British English edition
Issue Number 229
In this issue
African Leaders Summit
Imposing sanctions on
Russia
Greenpeace ship released
Ebola outbreak worsens
Rosetta makes rendezvous
New Nazca Lines
Argentina debt default
Solar boat in Greece
Gaza war ends?
Enola Gays last crew
member
Yunnan Province earthquake
Tuna and warming seas
K2s 60th anniversary
Presidents Franois Hollande (l) and Joachim Gauck (r) mark the centenary of the start of the First World War
Rich Mountain grave
discovered

FIRST WORLD WAR CENTENARY International Tiger Day

On 3rd August, Franois Hollande, the
French president, and Germanys presi-
dent, Joachim Gauck, met in Alsace, in
eastern France. On this date, 100 years
ago, Germany declared war on France.
The presidents visited a memorial. It
honours the tens of thousands of French
and German soldiers who died in this part
of Europe during the Great War (1914
1918). While the two men stood next to
each other in silence, they held hands.
In 1914, on the day war was declared,
German soldiers crossed the German-Bel-
gian border. The Great War (later called
the First World War) had begun. Germa-
nys attack plan was for most of its army
to march quickly through Belgium and
into northern France. Its army would then
turn to the south west and capture Paris,
the French capital. If the plan worked,
most of the French army would be trapped
close to the German-French border.
Pacific Islands meeting
The following day, Mr Hollande and Natural Trap Cave
Mr Gauck attended another ceremony. Octopus breaks record
This one, which took place on 4th August, Civil war fears in Libya
was in Liege, one of Belgiums largest Glossary Crossword and
cities. There, representatives from over 80 Wordsearch Puzzle
countries gathered to mark the centenary
and the Great Wars first battle.
In 1914 Belgium was a neutral na- Learning
tion. Previously, the UK had signed an English as a
agreement, or treaty, with the country. It
meant the UK guaranteed, or promised to
foreign
protect, Belgiums neutrality. language?
When German soldiers entered Bel-
gium on 3rd August 1914, the UK de-
manded they be withdrawn. Germany re-
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fused. On the following day (4th August
1914) the UK declared war on Germany. Recommended
In 1914 the UK had a large empire. Its war
declaration meant the countries of its em- reading
pire were now also at war with Germany. for
They included: Canada, Australia, New
Zealand, India, and South Africa.
EFL and ESL
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Surprisingly, 100 years ago, Bel- this city was in the southern part of Powers. Russia, France and the
giums small army in Liege delayed the Austro-Hungarian Empire. To- UK were called the Triple Entente.
the German advance for 11 days. day it is the capital of Bosnia and After the war began several other
The city was completely destroyed. Herzegovina (usually called Bos- countries joined the Central Powers.
In Liege, Philippe, the King of the nia). The people who had set out to They included the Ottoman Empire
Belgians, led the remembrance kill the Archduke came from Serbia, (centred on modern-day Turkey) and
ceremony. During it a young girl, a nearby country. Bulgaria. Countries such as Italy,
dressed in white, let go of a white On 28th July 1914, one month Japan and Romania entered the war
coloured balloon. It floated up into after the death of the Archduke, the on the side of the Triple Entente. In
a clear blue sky. The girls balloon Austro-Hungarian Empire declared 1917, the USA finally declared war
was then followed by hundreds war on Serbia. Austria-Hungary on Germany. Its soldiers arrived in
of others. had the support of Kaiser (or King) France about ten months before the
From Liege Prince German surrender. The
William of the UK, Da- war lasted for four long
North Sea
vid Cameron, the UKs years. It ended on 11th
UNITED KINGDOM Baltic
prime minister, Michael Sea November 1918.
RUSSIA
Higgins, the president of Sixteen million peo-
Ireland, Mr Gauck, King ATLANTIC OCEAN BELGIUM GERMAN EMPIRE ple died in the war. Of
Philippe and many others these around ten million
travelled to the Belgian were soldiers. About half
FRANCE
town of Mons. This was AUSTRIAHUNGARY of the bodies of the dead
where German and UK PORTUGAL soldiers were never found
Sarajevo ROMANIA Black Sea
soldiers faced each other ITALY SERBIA or identified. The First
SPAIN BULGARIA
for the first time on 23rd ALBANIA
World War changed the
August 1914. OTTOMAN EMPIRE
world. In 1917 revolu-
S pa
There is an unusual Mo nis
roc h
Mediterranean Sea tionaries seized power in
co
First World War cemetery Morocco (Fr) Algeria (Fr) Tunisia (Fr) Russia. During, or after,
near Mons. Around 500 Europe in 1914 Central Powers The Triple Entente the four years of fight-
German and UK soldiers were bur- Wilhelm the Second, the leader of ing, four empires, the German, the
ied there. It is the only Great War the German Empire. Previously, Austro-Hungarian, the Russian, and
cemetery where soldiers from both Russia had promised to help Serbia. the Ottoman, collapsed.
sides were laid to rest next to each Furthermore, Russia and France The war bankrupted most of Eu-
other. At the cemetery there were were allies. Russia began to mobi- rope. The USA (which lost 116,000
prayers, poetry readings and music. lise its forces. Germany told it to soldiers in ten months of fighting)
Letters from several soldiers killed stop. When this didnt happen Ger- became the worlds new superpow-
in the Battle of Mons were read out. many declared war on Russia. er. The First World War led to com-
There were many reasons for The German plan was to defeat munism in Russia, fascism in Ger-
the First World War. However, France quickly and then attack many and the rise of Adolf Hitler,
most historians agree that the event Russia. However, after the fighting and, just 21 years later, the Second
or spark that started it occurred started it soon became trench war- World War (1939 1945).
in Sarajevo. fare. Opposing soldiers dug long At the ceremony in Liege many
In 1914 the elderly Emperor lines of deep trenches. Living in heads of state spoke. Germanys pres-
Franz Josef ruled the Austro-Hun- these trenches was difficult. Rain ident said: The war that began 100
garian Empire. This empire was caused them to flood. The constant years ago caused misfortune, misery,
centred on the modern-day coun- fighting turned the land where the crippling injury and death to millions
tries of Austria and Hungary. On armies faced each other into seas of people. It taught us a terrible les-
28th June 1914, the emperors eld- of mud. son. Let us show, by our actions in
est son, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, In 1914 Germany and Austria- the present and in the future, that we
was assassinated in Sarajevo. Then, Hungary were known as the Central have truly learned that lesson.
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US AFRICAN LEADERS SUMMIT around US$206 billion (122.5 improving how government depart-
billion) per year. This is more than ments work and making sure that all
The United States African Lead- twice as much as the USAs annual laws are obeyed.
ers Summit took place between trade with the African continent. The On the evening of the summits
4th and 6th August. It was held in EU has held similar meetings with second day Mr Obama invited all the
Washington DC, the capital of the African leaders for several years. leaders to dinner at the White House.
USA. The American president, Ba- India and Japan have also organised The White House, in Washington
rack Obama, hosted the summit, or African summits. DC, is both the home and offices of
important meeting. the American president. Mr Obama
This was the inaugural, or first, said the first African Leaders Sum-
summit of this kind. Mr Obama an- mit was a truly historic event.
nounced a plan for a joint meeting
between the USA and Africa last
year. There are 54 countries in Africa. THE EU, THE USA AND RUSSIA
Most of their leaders were invited.
There were two main reasons for On 29th July representatives of the
organising the summit. One was to 28 European Union (EU) countries
improve trade between African coun- Barack Obama, president of the USA, speaking
at the African Leaders Summit
decided to impose more sanctions on
tries and the USA. The other was to Russia. The next day, Barack Obama,
encourage American companies to During the summit several large the president of the USA, said Amer-
set up new operations in Africa. investments, or deals, were an- ica would also increase, or step up, its
nounced. American companies now economic sanctions against Russia.
plan to spend large amounts of mon- Sanctions are usually imposed as
ey on infrastructure projects in sev- a type of punishment. They are de-
eral African countries. Much of this signed to cause financial problems,
will improve the generation of elec- and to damage a countrys economy.
tricity and the distribution of elec- Sanctions mean that certain things
tric power. Other American compa- will not be sold to, or bought from,
nies plan to invest in construction that country.
and large information technology The leaders of the EU and the
Many people think the USA is (IT) projects. USA are annoyed with Russia. They
worried or concerned about Africa. Some people feared that the re- accuse Vladimir Putin, the Russian
This, they say, is because China, the cent Ebola outbreak in West Af- president, of helping armed groups
European Union (EU) and several rica might overshadow the summit. in the eastern part of Ukraine. These
other countries now have more in- Ebola is a deadly virus that can be armed groups, who are often called
fluence than the USA in most Afri- passed easily from one person to an- separatists, are fighting against the
can countries. Africa still has many other. Currently there is no known Ukrainian army.
problems. Around 400 million Afri- cure for this disease. The leaders of The EU and American leaders
cans are still very poor. One in three Sierra Leone and Liberia decided are also angry about the crash of a
people do not have enough to eat. not to attend the summit. They said Malaysia Airlines passenger plane.
However, economically, the African they needed to urgently work on They claim that Russia is not help-
continent is becoming a much more ways to stop the disease spread- ing with an investigation to find out
important part of the world. ing. Many of the people who have what caused the accident. The pas-
Currently six of the worlds already died from Ebola were from senger plane was shot down on 17th
ten fastest growing economies these two countries. July. The aircraft was flying from
are in Africa. In 2013, of all the In a speech Mr Obama urged Amsterdam, the capital of the Neth-
continents, Africa had the high- African leaders to make their coun- erlands, to Kuala Lumpur, Malay-
est economic growth. The value of tries more attractive for American sias capital city. All 298 passengers
Chinas trading with Africa is now companies. He gave examples of and crew on board died.
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7th August 2014 Newsademic.com British English edition page 4

The aircraft was flying at a height
of 10,000 metres (33,000 feet). As it
crossed the eastern part of Ukraine,
the plane exploded. Most people
think it was shot down accidentally.
The leaders of Ukraine, the USA
and the EU claim that a Russian
made surface-to-air missile (SAM)
hit the passenger aircraft. They ac-
cuse Russia of giving these types of
missiles to the separatists.
SAMs are designed to shoot
down military planes that fly high in
the sky. In the days before the pas-
ethnic Russians. Most of them use Greenpeace workers announced that
the Russian language. the Arctic Sunrise was now sail-
Six months ago the Ukrainian ing from the Russian port of Mur-
president was overthrown. A new mansk to Amsterdam, the capital of
government was set up. Most of the Netherlands.
those who support the new gov- Greenpeace is often described
ernment live in the western part as an environmental protection or-
of Ukraine. They want Ukraine to ganisation. It was founded, or set
work more closely with EU coun- up, over 40 years ago. The organisa-
tries. Yet many Russian-speakers tions first protest was to try to stop
in the east say the new government an American nuclear bomb test on
is illegal. They want Ukraine to be an Alaskan island called Amchitka.
partners with Russia. This island is in the northern part
BELARUS of the Pacific Ocean. A group of
POLAND

senger plane was hit, the separatists RUSSIA people decided to sail a ship to Am-
shot down several Ukrainian mili- Kiev chitka from Vancouver, in Canada.
tary aircraft. However, Russia in- Luhansk They hoped to get near the island.
UKRAINE
sists that it has not given any SAMs Donetsk If they succeeded the nuclear test
MO

to the separatists. It says a Ukrainian would have to be cancelled.

LD
OV

ROMANIA
A

air force plane fired at the Malaysia Crash

Airlines plane.
The aircrafts wreckage landed
in fields near a village. The debris is
close to where the Ukrainian army
and the separatists are fighting.
Most of those who died on the plane
were from the Netherlands, Malay-
sia and Australia. These countries
have sent special teams to Ukraine.
One of their jobs is to work out why
the plane exploded. Yet, because of
the nearby fighting, it has been dif-
ficult to get to the crash site.
Russian president, Vladimir Putin (kremlin.ru)
For many years Ukraine was part
of the old Russian-led Soviet Union.
It became an independent country
in 1991. This was when the Soviet
Union began to break up. However,
many people in eastern Ukraine are
Site
Crimea
Black Sea
The leaders of the EU and the USA
quickly announced that they would
support Ukraines new government.
Mr Putin declared that he would help
ethnic Russians in Ukraine if they
needed it. One part of the Ukraine,
called Crimea, decided to rejoin Rus-
sia. The separatists come from two
regions in eastern Ukraine called
Donetsk and Luhansk. They want
these places to either join Russia or
become a separate country.
Some people argue that the EU
and the USA were wrong to offer
support to Ukraines new govern-
ment. They say that, as Ukraine is
so close to Russia, their support was
always going to anger the Russian
president.
GREENPEACE SHIP RELEASED
Ten months ago Russian coast-
guards seized, or took control of,
the Arctic Sunrise. This is a Green-
peace protest ship. On 1st August,
An American navy ship forced
the protesters ship to turn back.
The nuclear test then went ahead
as planned. Yet news of the protest-
ers voyage was reported around the
world. Many people agreed with
what they tried to do. Soon after-
wards the American government
announced it would no longer test
nuclear weapons in this part of the
Pacific Ocean.
By the early 1980s Greenpeace
had become an international organi-
sation. It arranged many other pro-
tests against actions that it claimed
damaged the environment or wild-
life. These included cutting down
rainforests, hunting and killing
whales, and dumping toxic, or poi-
sonous, waste into the sea.
In recent years some countries,
including Russia, have begun look-
ing for oil and gas under the Arctic
Ocean. Greenpeace has organised
several protests in the Arctic region
to try to stop them. Greenpeace pro-
testers claim that oil and gas drilling
work in Arctic waters is dangerous.
They worry that an accident might
happen. Greenpeace says it would
 NID: 1000125-109-Newsademic Issue 229 B. Prepared for: [Your Name or School Name Here]
7th August 2014
be difficult to stop a large oil leak
or clean up a big oil spill because
of the freezing temperatures. Ac-
cidents like these, it claims, would
destroy local ecosystems.
The Arctic Sunrise has been
strengthened so it can sail in waters
where there is a lot of sea ice. Last
September, the ship sailed close to
an oilrig, or drilling platform, in the
Barents Sea. As a protest a number
of Greenpeace activists approached
the large floating platform in small
boats. Several tried to climb up and
tie themselves to the oilrig to stop it
from working.
Greenpeaces Arctic Sunrise
Those in the small boats were
arrested. Russian coastguards then
climbed down ropes from helicop-
ters to land on the Greenpeace ship.
After taking control, a Russian coast-
guard ship towed the Arctic Sunrise
to Murmansk. Everyone who was on
board was detained. They came from
many countries such as France, Swe-
den, Canada, the USA, and the UK.
Four were Russian.
Fourteen were accused of piracy,
or a violent crime that takes place
on board a ship or aircraft. After two
months in prison all were allowed
to leave. Most were then expelled
from Russia.
Russian officials released the
Arctic Sunrise about one month ago.
However, when the crew members
arrived they discovered that the ship
was not seaworthy. Some navigation
and communication equipment had
Newsademic.com British English edition
been removed or destroyed. The crew
has spent the last four weeks making
repairs. Greenpeace say they plan
to carry out further protests against
Russian Arctic oilrigs in future.
EBOLA EPIDEMIC
A small aircraft took off from Libe-
ria on 5th August. The plane, which
is fitted with medical equipment,
flew to the city of Atlanta, in the
USA. This was the aircrafts second
journey to Liberia. On each occasion
it collected a sick American health
worker. After treating Ebola patients
in Liberia, both health workers have
caught the disease.
Ebola is often described as one of
the worlds most deadly diseases.
It is highly infectious. The latest
Ebola epidemic, or outbreak, began
in Guinea, in West Africa, about six
months ago. Within a few weeks
others were suffering from the virus
in Sierra Leone and Liberia, two
nearby countries.
The disease is spread from per-
son to person by body fluids that
contain the virus. Healthcare work-
ers have to wear special gloves and
protective clothing. They also need
to use facemasks and goggles. This
stops any droplets from patients
coughs and sneezes getting into
their mouths, noses and eyes.
The first symptoms of Ebola oc-
cur about 21 days after a person is
infected. They may get a sore throat,
muscle pain, headaches, weakness,
and fever. Vomiting, diarrhoea, kid-
ney, and liver problems follow. The
person may also suffer from inter-
nal and external bleeding. Currently
there is no cure for Ebola. Nor are
there any vaccinations.
The virus name comes from
the River Ebola, in the Democratic
page 5
Republic of Congo (DRC). This
was where the first outbreak of
the disease was recorded in 1976.
Since then there have been other
outbreaks in several parts of Africa.
The current epidemic in West Af-
rica is the biggest so far. There are
several strains, or types, of Ebola.
About 60% of the people infected
with the disease in West Africa have
died. However, some past Ebola
outbreaks have killed over 90%.
No one knows where Ebola
comes from. Experts suspect that
fruit bats carry the virus. Ebola does
not affect the bats, but its thought
to live inside them. The virus can
be passed to other wild animals.
Traditionally, local people, in parts
of West Africa, catch and eat these
animals. They also eat fruit bats.
Ebola virus seen through a microscope
The World Health Organisation
(WHO) and World Bank are send-
ing large amounts of money to West
African countries. It will be used for
special treatment centres, medical
equipment and supplies. The USA
plans to send 50 health experts. The
WHO says the epidemic is now
moving faster than it can be con-
trolled. Two people in Nigeria have
recently died from it. A passenger
who flew from Liberia to Lagos,
one of Nigerias biggest cities, took
the virus to the country.
Experts say the best way to
stop the outbreak is to set up iso-
lation centres. Here, people with
the virus can be treated. Yet eve-
ryone who they spoke with, met
or touched must be found. These
people are then taken to other
 NID: 1000125-109-Newsademic Issue 229 B. Prepared for: [Your Name or School Name Here]
7th August 2014 Newsademic.com British English edition
isolation centres. They are watched
or monitored to see if they develop
any Ebola symptoms.
If these isolation centres are op-
erated correctly, the outbreak can
be stopped quickly. However, as so
many people have been infected in
West Africa, finding all those who
touched or came near them is dif-
ficult. In Nigeria, everyone who
spoke or met with the people who
died are now being kept in isolation.
GUINEA
SIERRA
NIGERIA
LEONE
LIBERIA
Lagos
ATLANTIC OCEAN
The WHO says that the Ebola out-
break has now killed nearly 950 peo-
ple. This number is expected to in-
crease. At least 60 of those who have
died were health workers. The two
Americans are being looked after in a
special hospital isolation ward in At-
lanta. Hospital officials say there is
no danger of them passing the Ebola
virus to anyone else in the USA.
American scientists hope to start
testing a new Ebola vaccine next
year.
ROSETTAS RENDEZVOUS
For the last ten years Rosetta has
been travelling towards a special
rendezvous in space. Rosetta is a
European Space Agency (ESA) un-
manned spacecraft. It was launched
in 2004. So far, Rosetta has travelled
a distance of nearly 6.4 billion kilo-
metres (four billion miles). On 6th
August it finally arrived at a point
just 100 kilometres (62 miles) away
from a speeding icy comet.
The comet is known as 67P. Two
astronomers from Russia first spot-
ted it in 1969. The comet is named
after them. (Its official name is
67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko.)
The comet is about four kilometres
(2.5 miles) across. The figure 67 is
the comets list number. These num-
bers are given by an organisation
in the USA called the Minor Planet
Center. This organisation collects
information on all known asteroids
and comets. The P in 67Ps name
shows that it is a periodic comet.
Asteroids are lumps of space
rock. Comets are different. They
are made of ice and dust. Comets
are often described as large dirty
snowballs. Like all the planets in
our Solar System, comets orbit the
Sun. Yet they take far longer to do
so. Comets have a nucleus, or solid
centre, which is mostly made from
frozen water. Comets with an orbit
of less than 200 years are known as
periodic, or short-period, comets.
Those with orbits longer than 200
years are called long-period comets.
When in deep space, comets are
completely frozen. As they get closer
to the Sun they begin to warm up.
Comets then start to release dust and
gases. These create whats known as
a coma. This is a cloudy atmosphere
around the comet. Comets seem to
light up as their comas absorb heat
from the Sun. At this time a long tail
can be seen trailing behind them.
Currently Rosetta and 67P are far
out in the Solar System near Jupi-
ter. Rosetta will now stay alongside
the comet as it travels at 55,000
kilometres (34,00 miles) per hour
towards the inner Solar System.
The spacecraft will record how
67Ps ice and dust heat up as it nears
the Sun. In three months time, if
page 6
everything goes to plan, Rosetta
will release a small lander. Called
Philae, it is about the size of a re-
frigerator. Philae will land on the
comet and then drill into its surface.
The landers scientific equipment
will work out what 67P is made of.
It will also take photographs.
However, ESA scientists have re-
cently discovered that Philaes land-
ing may be more difficult than pre-
viously thought. The latest pictures,
taken by Rosetta, show that 67P is
an unusual shape. Some describe it
as looking like a rubber duck. The
scientists will now have to look for
the best landing site on the comet.
Picture of 67P taken by Rosetta
The ESAs spacecraft is named
after the Rosetta Stone. This ancient
artefact was found in Egypt over
200 years ago. Carved on the stone
are three different translations of the
same text. One is in Egyptian hiero-
glyphs. Another is Demotic script.
(This was an everyday old Egyp-
tian language.) The third language is
Ancient Greek.
Philae is the name of an island
in the River Nile, in Egypt. An ob-
elisk, or tall stone monument, was
found on the island. It had Egyptian
and Ancient Greek writing carved
on it. In the 1820s French and Brit-
ish scholars studied the Rosetta
Stone and Philae obelisk. Using the
wording on these two artefacts they
worked out how to read Egyptian
hieroglyphs.
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7th August 2014
NEW NAZCA LINES
Recently a pilot and a researcher
were flying in a small plane over a
part of Peru. On the ground below,
they noticed some shapes. The two
men believe that these shapes are
new Nazca Lines, which, until
now, had never been seen.
The Nazca people, or civilisa-
tion, lived in an area that is now
in southern Peru. Experts believe
their culture began about 100 BCE.
However, around 600 years later
the Nazca civilisation seemed to
decline. Then within the next 250
years it disappeared completely. No
one knows why.
The Nazca people lived in two
river valleys. They produced beau-
tiful ceramics, or pots, and textiles.
The Nazca seem to have been good
engineers. They built underground
water channels, some of which still
work today. Yet the Nazca are best
known for the huge drawings they
created on the ground in a nearby
desert area. These figures and lines
are called geoglyphs.
Nazca Lines: aerial photograph of condor
A pilot first discovered the Nazca
geoglyphs in 1939. When he flew
over the desert he was amazed to see
large figures on the ground. In total
there are about 700 geoglyphs. They
include: a hummingbird, parrot, mon-
key, shark, lizard, dog, spider, and
condor (a type of large bird). Some
are very big. The condor, for exam-
ple, is 134 metres (440 feet) long. As
Newsademic.com British English edition
well as the figures there are many ge-
ometric shapes (triangles, spirals and
rectangles) and long straight runway-
like lines. The Nazca Lines cover a
desert area of around 725 square kilo-
metres (280 square miles).
Nazca Lines: aerial photograph of spider figure
This desert is covered in pebbles,
or small stones. The Nazca made the
figures and lines by moving the peb-
bles. By doing this they exposed, or
uncovered, the different coloured
ground beneath them. So the lines
show up as lighter areas. This de-
sert is one of the driest places in the
world. The lack of rain has probably
helped to preserve the geoglyphs.
It is not possible to see the shapes
when walking across the desert.
They can be seen from the tops of
some surrounding hills. However,
the best view is from high in the air.
No one knows why the Nazca
made these huge drawings. There
are several ideas. Some think they
are copies of constellations, or
groups of stars, in the night sky.
Others say they might have been a
giant calendar. A different theory is
that they had something to do with
water and irrigation. Similar fig-
ures decorate some Nazca pots. As
the figures can only be seen clearly
from the sky, some people have sug-
gested that they were made by, or
with the help of, aliens.
The newly discovered shapes are
thought to have been uncovered by
recent strong winds and sandstorms.
page 7
The new shapes include a snake, a
bird and what could be a llama. Lla-
mas are native to South America.
The animals have thin legs and long
necks. Llamas have been used for
their meat and wool in this part of
the world for thousands of years.
The new shapes are not as well
defined, or clear, as the previously
discovered ones. Archaeologists
are now investigating. They say its
possible that these new figures are
older than the others.
ARGENTINA DEFAULT?
A judge in the USA recently declared
that Argentina has to repay two
companies that bought some of its
bonds. The payment had to be made
by 30th July. As Argentina did not
make the payment it has defaulted
on its debts. However, Cristina
Fernandez de Kirchner, Argentinas
president, and her senior ministers,
insist that this is not true. They are
angry about the judges decision.
If governments need money they
often borrow it. They do this by sell-
ing bonds. Government bonds are
like IOUs (I owe you). The buyers
of the bonds are usually other coun-
tries, or financial companies, in-
cluding banks. The country selling
the bonds agrees to pay the money
back after a set period. This could be
one, ten, 15 or 20 years. The country
also has to pay the bond owners, or
bondholders, an additional amount
of interest each year. This must be
paid on a set date.
Once a company or bank has
bought government bonds it can
sell them to other organisations
if it wants to. Nowadays, govern-
ment bonds are frequently traded,
or bought and sold. The country that
sold the bonds pays the interest to
 NID: 1000125-109-Newsademic Issue 229 B. Prepared for: [Your Name or School Name Here]
7th August 2014
whichever organisation owns the
bonds on the interest payment date.
About 13 years ago Argentina did
default. Then, the country announced
that it could not repay bonds that
were worth around US$100 billion
(59.5 billion). However, Argentina
did offer to pay the owners of these
bonds a reduced amount. It said it
could pay 35 cents for every US$1
it borrowed as well as the interest
on this amount. Nearly all the bond-
holders accepted this proposal. Le-
gal documents were signed. Yet two
American companies refused to ac-
cept the offer. These firms are hedge
funds. Hedge funds are companies
that try to make large amounts of
money for their wealthy clients.
Cristina de Kirchner, Argentinas president
The two hedge funds bought the
bonds from other companies before
the 35 cents offer was agreed. They
paid a low price for them. However,
the hedge funds say Argentina must
pay them the full amount for the
bonds they own. This figure is about
US$1.3 billion (770 million). Ar-
gentina could pay this money. Yet if
it did it might cause a bigger problem.
The legal documents state that if any
bond owners are paid in full, other
bondholders (or those that accepted
the 35 cents) could also demand the
full amount.
Argentina still has to pay interest
to the bondholders who accepted the
35 cents offer. This is about US$539
Newsademic.com British English edition
million (320 million) every year.
Recently Argentina paid this money
to a bank. The bank then pays the
bondholders their interest. Yet the
judge has stopped the bank from
making these payments. He said Ar-
gentina must pay the hedge funds be-
fore any interest payments are made.
The interest should have been paid
by 30th July. As it wasnt, Argentina
has officially defaulted again.
Ms de Kirchner calls the two
American hedge funds vultures.
Vultures are large birds that feed on
the dead bodies of animals. She ac-
cuses them of trying to use Argen-
tinas financial problems to make a
lot of money.
Currently, Argentinas economy
is not doing well. Inflation is high,
the price of food is rising and many
people do not have jobs. The lat-
est default is likely to make things
much worse. However, most people
in Argentina think their government
should not give in to the American
hedge funds.
SOLAR BOAT SEABED SURVEY
The Tranor PlanetSolar has recent-
ly arrived in Greece. Usually called
PlanetSolar, it is the largest solar
powered boat in the world. In Greece,
the boat will carry out a special sea-
bed survey near the Franchthi Cave.
This large cavern is on the countrys
south east coast. The survey is part of
an archaeological project.
PlanetSolar was built in Germa-
ny. It was launched four years ago.
The boat is covered in 500 square
metres (5,380 square feet) of solar
panels. These are connected to elec-
tric motors and batteries in each of
its two hulls. The solar boats top
speed is about 26 kilometres (16
miles) per hour. It has a crew of six.
page 8
In 2012 PlanetSolar became the
first boat to circumnavigate, or go
all the way around, the world using
solar power. A university in Swit-
zerland is currently using PlanetSo-
lar as a floating marine laboratory.
The archaeology project at the
Franchthi Cave is being organised
by a joint team from Greece and
Switzerland. The large cavern is one
of the most important prehistoric
sites in Europe. It was occupied, or
lived in, by humans for many thou-
sands of years. This is very unusual.
Some people have described it as
the oldest known home in Europe.
Tranor PlanetSolar
Ancient humans first began liv-
ing in the cavern between 37,000
and 30,000 years ago. It was finally
abandoned about 3,000 BCE. The
cave was therefore continuously
lived in for at least 25,000 years. Ar-
chaeologists have made many im-
portant discoveries in the Franchthi
Cave. These include ancient plant
seeds and animal bones.
In the recent past a complete
10,000-year-old skeleton was dug
up in the cavern. It belonged to a
man who was about 25 years of age.
He died of malaria. This disease no
longer exists in Greece. The bones
are the oldest complete human skel-
eton ever found in the country.
Today the Franchthi Cave is next
to the sea. However, it used to be
farther inland. About 20,000 years
ago thick ice sheets covered large
parts of northern Europe and North
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7th August 2014
America. Sea levels were much
lower. Within the next 7,500 years
much of this ice had melted. Sea
levels rose and the coastline was
similar to what it is today. So, be-
tween 20,000 and 12,500 years ago,
there was a big area of dry land be-
low the Franchthi Cave.
Franchthi Cave (arrowed) (Xalaros)
The Greek-Swiss team suspect
that the people who used the cave
had at least one settlement, or vil-
lage, on this dry land. Even though
this settlement is now under water,
they hope to find it. Using special
equipment PlanetSolar will move
back and forth over the area of sea
to the front and sides of the cave.
Its survey will create a three-dimen-
sional (3D) seabed map. If there
is an ancient settlement on the sea
floor it should appear on the map.
GAZA TRUCE
The leaders of Israel and Hamas
agreed to a ceasefire, or truce, on
5th August. Hamas is a Palestinian
political and military organisation.
For many years it has controlled the
Gaza Strip. The truce stopped the
fighting between Israeli forces and
Hamas militants.
The conflict broke out four
weeks ago. During this time there
have been several ceasefires. None
lasted for long. Each side blamed the
other for breaking the truce. Many
people suspect that this ceasefire is
Newsademic.com British English edition
different. This is because Israeli
military leaders ordered all their
soldiers to withdraw from Gaza.
Also, leaders from Israel and Hamas
agreed to travel to Cairo, the capital
of Egypt, for talks. Egyptian offi-
cials will arrange these discussions.
The problems between the Pales-
tinians and the Israelis began many
years ago. In 1948, with help from
the USA and the UN, the state of Is-
rael was set up in a region of the Mid-
dle East called Palestine. The new
state was to be a homeland for Jewish
people. Thousands of Jews living in
Europe moved there. Many of them
had lost family members during the
Second World War (1939 1945).
However, the set up of Israel
meant many Palestinians were
forced to leave their homelands.
Thousands had to move to refugee
camps in nearby countries. This
caused many arguments. Several
wars broke out between Israel and
nearby Arab countries that support
the Palestinians.
In 1994, after peace talks be-
tween Palestinian and Israeli leaders,
the Palestinian Authority (PA) was
formed. It is made up of two areas,
the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
Palestinians living in these areas
were then able to govern themselves.
The two main Palestinian po-
litical groups are Hamas and Fatah.
They rarely agree with each other.
In recent years Hamas controlled
the Gaza Strip and Fatah ran the
West Bank. However, a few months
ago the two groups decided to work
together. In the past, Fatah has
agreed to talk with Israel to try to
find a peaceful solution. Yet Hamas
does not recognise Israels right to
exist. It has always refused to join
any peace talks.
Today around 1.8 million peo-
ple live in the Gaza Strip. It is very
page 9
crowded. Since Hamas has been in
charge of Gaza, Israel has restricted
what can be taken across the border.
These restrictions are often called
the blockade. In recent months
Egypt has also closed its border
with Gaza.
Around five weeks ago Hamas
started firing rockets into Israel.
These were aimed at Israeli villages,
towns and cities. Israel has an anti-
missile defence system. Called Iron
Dome it has shot down most of the
rockets. These rockets are believed to
come from Iran. They are smuggled
into Gaza through secret tunnels that
Hamas has dug under its borders.
In retaliation Israel launched air
strikes on Hamas bases. Around
two weeks later Israeli soldiers
moved into parts of Gaza. Their or-
ders were to find the tunnels and de-
stroy them. Israels military forces
are much more powerful than Ha-
mas armed fighters.
LEBANON
SYRIA
West
Bank
Mediterranean
Sea Jerusalem
Gaza Strip
JORDAN
ISRAEL
EGYPT
During the fighting around 1,800
Palestinians were killed. Over half
of those who died are believed to
have been civilians. Many were
children. Sixty-seven Israelis died.
Nearly all were soldiers. The leaders
of many other countries have criti-
cised Israel for its attacks on Gaza.
However, most agree that it has a
right to defend itself from Hamas
rocket attacks.
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7th August 2014 Newsademic.com British English edition
Fighting has broken out between
Israel and Hamas in Gaza before.
The last time was at the end of 2008.
Then, it lasted for three weeks. At
the talks in Cairo, Hamas leaders
are expected to demand an end to the
blockade. The leaders of Israel will
probably insist that Gaza becomes a
demilitarised zone. This is an area
where no military equipment, weap-
ons or soldiers are allowed.
LAST ENOLA GAY CREW MEMBER
Theodore Van Kirk died on 28th
July. He was 93 years old. Known as
Dutch, Van Kirk was the last sur-
viving crew member of the Enola
Gay. This was the name of the air-
craft that dropped an atomic bomb
on the city of Hiroshima, in Japan,
on 6th August 1945.
The Enola Gay was a B-29 Su-
perfortress. The B stands for Boe-
ing. This was the company that made
the aircraft. B-29s were designed
to carry a large number of bombs.
Wartime pilots often gave the planes
they flew a nickname. Paul Tibbets
(1915 2007) was the pilot of the
Enola Gay. He named the aircraft
after his mother, Enola Gay Tibbets.
Van Kirk was the planes navigator.
About 140,000 people died in
Hiroshima. Many others suffered
from radiation poisoning and burns.
Three days later, a different B-29
(nicknamed Bockscar) dropped a
similar bomb on the city of Naga-
saki. It killed at least 70,000 people.
The bombing of Hiroshima and Na-
gasaki was the first (and, so far, the
last) time that nuclear weapons have
been used in a war.
Earlier in 1945, Germany had sur-
rendered to the Allies (the USA, the
UK and Russia) in Europe. Yet fight-
ing in parts of Asia and the Pacific,
between Japan and the USA and the
UK, continued. Six days after the
Nagasaki bomb Japan surrendered.
Its defeat finally brought the Second
World War (1939 1945) to an end.
Some people think the USA was
wrong to use the two atomic bombs.
They say its leaders should have
given Japan a warning. If the coun-
try didnt surrender a terrible new
weapon would be used to destroy
Japanese cities.
However, many others disagree.
The atomic bomb was developed in
secret. No one would have believed
the destruction the weapon could
cause unless it was used. These people
therefore argue that a warning would
not have made Japan surrender.
By August 1945 Japan was los-
ing the war. Yet Japanese army com-
manders refused to give up. To end
the conflict the USA would have to
invade Japan. Any invasion would
have led to the deaths of many thou-
sands of American troops, Japanese
soldiers, and civilians in Japan. The
atomic bombs ended the war quick-
ly. An invasion was not necessary.
Some people therefore argue that
the destruction of Hiroshima and
Nagasaki actually saved lives.
Van Kirk (l) and Tibbets (c), in 1945
Van Kirk left the air force one
year after the end of the war. He
studied chemical engineering at uni-
versity. Van Kirk then spent many
years working for a large American
chemical company.
page 10
In later years Van Kirk, and the
other members of the Enola Gays
12-man crew, were often asked
about Hiroshima. Did they regret
dropping an atomic bomb on the
city? They always said no. Each be-
lieved that what they did helped to
end the war. However, in 2005, Van
Kirk said that all nuclear weapons
should be destroyed or abolished.
Enola Gay (B-29 Superfortress)
The Enola Gay and Bockscar are
now on permanent display at differ-
ent air museums in the USA.
YUNNAN EARTHQUAKE
A powerful earthquake hit part of
Yunnan Province, in south west Chi-
na on 3rd August. The epicentre was
not far from Zhaotong. This city has a
population of 5.5 million. The quake,
which happened during the day, had a
magnitude or strength of 6.1.
Leaders of the province immedi-
ately sent 10,000 rescue workers to
Zhaotong. They included soldiers,
medical workers, police officers,
firefighters, and government of-
ficials. Even though Zhaotong was
close to the epicentre, most dam-
age was in the surrounding towns
and villages.
Yunnan is one of the poorer parts
of China. Many buildings are not
well made. Homes in the surrounding
steep hills and valleys are often built
from mud bricks. These structures
are likely to fall down as soon as the
 NID: 1000125-109-Newsademic Issue 229 B. Prepared for: [Your Name or School Name Here]
7th August 2014
ground starts to shake. In some places
over half the buildings collapsed.
There was heavy rain for sev-
eral days after the earthquake. This
made the rescue work harder. Bridg-
es cracked and landslides blocked
many roads. Reports say at least
12,000 buildings were destroyed.
Another 30,000 may be damaged
beyond repair. The earthquake cut
power cables, telephone lines and
water pipes. Over 20,000 tents,
15,000 folding beds and thousands
of blankets have been sent to the
worst affected areas.
CHINA
Chengdu
Sichuan
INDIA
Zhaotong
Yunnan
VIETNAM
MYANMAR
LAOS
South China Sea
Several days after the earth-
quake, Chinese officials announced
that around 600 people died. Most
had been inside buildings that col-
lapsed. Another 2,400 were injured.
Earthquakes are frequent in this
part of China. Since 1990 there have
been more than ten with magnitudes
greater than 5.0. The worst was an
8.0 earthquake in 2008. Its epicentre
was not far from Chengdu, a city of
15 million people. Around 90,000
died. Chengdu is the largest city
in Sichuan Province, which is next
to Yunnan.
The Earths crust is made up of
huge pieces called tectonic plates,
or plates. These float on very hot
liquid rock that is deep below the
surface. The plates move slowly at a
speed of about two centimetres (0.8
inches) each year. The places where
they meet are known as fault lines,
or faults. Plate movements along
Newsademic.com British English edition page 11
these faults can cause earthquakes most other fish. Instead, to get the
and volcanic eruptions. oxygen they need from the water,
Where the earthquake happened the tuna swim with open mouths.
is not far from whats known as the If they stop swimming bluefin tuna
Longmenshan fault. Some people can suffocate and die.
call this fault the Dragons Gate. In the Atlantic Ocean there are
Here, two tectonic plates (the Indian two groups, or populations, of blue-
and the Eurasian plates) are pushing fin tuna. One group lays their eggs,
against each another. or spawns, in the Gulf of Mexico.
Xi Jinping, Chinas president, The other goes to the Mediterra-
told local officials to do everything nean Sea to spawn. Both groups are
they could to rescue people who known to cross the Atlantic Ocean.
were trapped. The day after the However, they always go back to
earthquake, Li Keqiang, Chinas the same place to breed.
premier, travelled to Zhaotong. He To swim so fast bluefin tuna need
helped to coordinate the rescue op- to keep their muscles warm. They
eration. As many roads were still are not normally found in parts of
blocked, Mr Keqiang had to walk to the ocean where water temperatures
several badly damaged villages. are less than 11C (52F). Bluefin
tuna can dive to depths of 1,000 me-
tres (3,300 feet). They usually feed
WARMING SEAS on smaller sea creatures such as an-
chovies, herring, mackerel, starfish,
Recently five boats from Denmark squid, and eels.
were fishing in the northern part of
the Atlantic Ocean. Not far from
the coast of south west Greenland
they let out their nets. When the
nets were reeled, or pulled, in they
contained a surprise. Among many
smaller fish were three large Atlan-
tic bluefin tuna.
Several Danish researchers were
School of Atlantic bluefin tuna
on the boats. They were studying
certain types of fish that are nor- Bluefin tuna do swim in the
mally caught in the Atlantic Ocean. North Atlantic Ocean. Yet they are
The researchers want to find out if not known to swim as far north as
global warming is affecting where southern Greenland. The fish caught
these fish are found. in the ships nets were the first blue-
Bluefin tuna are large powerful fin tuna to be seen in this part of the
fish. Adults can be 2.5 metres (eight Atlantic for over 340 years. Where
feet) long and weigh up to 250 kilo- the fish were caught was within 160
grams (550 pounds). These fish of- kilometres (100 miles) of the Arctic
ten swim in large groups known as Circle. The researchers think the
schools. When chasing food (other tuna were probably part of a school
smaller fish) they can swim at of between ten and 100.
around 80 kilometres (50 miles) an The researchers say the three
hour. Bluefin tuna swim so fast that tuna show that the seas in this part
they are unable to use their gills like of the world are getting warmer.
 NID: 1000125-109-Newsademic Issue 229 B. Prepared for: [Your Name or School Name Here]
7th August 2014 Newsademic.com British English edition
They suspect that warming seas are
causing the food chain to move. As
plankton spread farther northwards,
groups of fish, such as mackerel,
follow. Bluefin tuna feed on mack-
erel. They will chase large numbers
of these fish very long distances.
Conservationists are worried
about bluefin tuna. In recent years
their numbers have been decreas-
ing. This is because of overfishing.
The number of bluefin tuna being
caught, the conservationists say, is
unsustainable. There are not enough
tuna left to breed to replace the num-
bers being caught each year.
People who catch bluefin tuna
can make a lot of money. Raw tuna is
a very popular dish in Japan. There,
one large bluefin tuna recently sold
for US$1.7 million (1 million).
K2 60 YEARS LATER
A team of climbers from Pakistan
reached the top of K2, the worlds
second highest mountain, on 25th
July. K2 is on the border between
northern Pakistan and south west
China. The mountaineers named
their expedition K2 60 Years Lat-
er. It was organised to celebrate the
anniversary of the first successful
ascent of K2, in 1954, 60 years ago.
K2 is part of the Karakoram. This
is a 500-kilometre (310 mile) long
mountain range. Fourteen moun-
tains in the world are over 8,000
metres. Mountaineers call them the
8,000ers (or eight-thousanders). All
14 are either in the Karakoram or
the Himalayan Mountain Range.
The Karakoram has the highest
concentration of eight-thousanders.
K2 is 8,611 metres (28,251 feet).
Three other nearby mountains are
also over 8,000 metres. Mount Ev-
erest is the worlds tallest mountain.
Its peak is about 237 metres (778
feet) higher than K2. Mount Everest,
which is on the Nepal-Tibet border,
is in the Himalayan Mountain Range.
Tibet is a region of southern China.
Over 200 years ago a survey of
the Karakoram and the Himalayas
was begun. It was organised by
a team from the UK. The teams
members worked out the height of
the tallest mountains. One drew
a sketch of two high mountains in
the Karakoram. In the drawing the
mountains are marked K1 and K2.
(The K is for Karakoram.) Later
it was discovered that local people
called K1 Masherbrum. However,
the other mountain didnt have a
name. This is why it is still called
K2. One of the survey teams lead-
ers was Sir George Everest (1790
1866). Mount Everest was named
after him.
South face of K2
Even though K2 is not as high
as Mount Everest, it is much harder
to climb. K2 is pyramid shaped.
The mountain has very steep sides.
Climbers often call it the Savage
Mountain. Mount Everest was first
climbed in 1953. Since then roughly
3,500 people have got to the top.
page 12
Only about 400 have managed to
reach K2s summit. Around 25% of
those who have set out to climb it
have died on the mountain.
The first expedition to K2 was
in 1902. The team of climbers from
the UK turned back when they were
two-thirds of the way up. Seven
years later a team of Italian climb-
ers reached a similar height. Yet
they also had to give up. There were
several more expeditions to K2, but
all failed. Two climbers from Italy
eventually got to the top in 1954.
The next successful expedition was
not until 1977.
Individual climbers from Paki-
stan have reached the top of K2 be-
fore. However, these climbers were
part of larger international teams.
The 60th anniversary expedition
was the first Pakistani team to climb
K2. It included about 30 people. Six
reached the top. The Italian govern-
ment helped to pay for the expedi-
tion. Three climbers from Italy gave
help and advice. However, the Ital-
ians were not among the group that
climbed to the summit.
MINERS GRAVE DISCOVERED
Construction workers in Potos have
found a large grave. It is thought
to contain the bones of around 400
people. Potos is a city in Bolivia. In
the past the city was famous for the
amount of silver it produced.
Potos is in the Andes Moun-
tains. At 4,000 metres (13,120 feet)
above sea level, it is one of the high-
est cities in the world. Potos is at
the foot, or bottom, of a mountain.
This mountain used to contain large
amounts of silver. Local people call
it Cerro Rico (Rich Mountain).
By the early 1500s, European ex-
plorers and soldiers had crossed the
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7th August 2014 Newsademic.com British English edition page 13

Atlantic Ocean and arrived in North, mines. Yet many were forced to do the Pacific Ocean on mules. Ships
Central and South America. Spanish so. Later, slaves from Africa were then took them northwards, along
soldiers, called conquistadors, heard brought to Potos to work in the the coast, to Central America. After
rumours of cities built of gold. They mines and process the silver ore. being unloaded, other mules took
wanted to find the cities and take the Special waterways were built. The the coins across the isthmus to the
gold back to Spain. water they carried powered mills Atlantic coast. There, they were put
The Spanish discovered the that ground up, or crushed, the ore. on ships that sailed to Spain. These
Cerro Rico in 1544. Over Its estimated that as many ships became known as treasure
the next 250 years aroundnd as eight million people ships. Silver coins from Potos were
62,000 tonnes of silverr ddied working in Potoss used in many European countries
was extracted from the ssilver mines. Mercury and other parts of the world.
mountain. Potos be- was used in the process By the early 1800s most of the
came one of the largest of extracting the silver silver ore from the Cerro Rico had
and richest cities in the from the ore. The mines been extracted. Potos began to de-
world. It was said that a w
were full of dust. Tunnels cline. Today local people work in
bridge made of silver collapsed, the mercury the mines, but they only find a small
could have been built Spanish silver coin with PTSI mint was poisonous and the amount of silver. It is still dangerous
marks at lower left and right
across the Atlantic dust badly damaged work. Parts of the mountain have
Ocean between Potos and Madrid, peoples lungs. Many of those who collapsed. This is because of the
the capital of Spain. worked in the mines only survived number of tunnels and shafts that
However, getting the silver ore for six months. have been dug inside it.
out of the mountain was both dif- The Spanish built a mint at Po- It is not known where the dollar
ficult and dangerous. At first local tos. This was where silver coins sign ($) came from. One possibil-
people were paid to work in the were made. The coins were taken to ity is Potos. Silver coins made at

B arents
Greenland S ea
THE NETHERLANDS

Arctic Circle
RUSSIA

UK DENMARK

GERMANY
UKRAINE
FRANCE SWITZERLAND

USA GREECE
CHINA JAPAN
ISRAEL
LIBYA PAKISTAN

GUINEA NIGERIA

SIERRA LEONE MALAYSIA PALAU

LIBERIA

PERU
BOLIVIA

ARGENTINA

This map shows countries to which news stories refer in this issue. Visit www.newsademic.com for more detailed world maps.
 NID: 1000125-109-Newsademic Issue 229 B. Prepared for: [Your Name or School Name Here]
7th August 2014
Potos had the letters PTSI stamped
on them. These four letters were a
short form of Potos. They were
written one on top of the other. The
letters form a symbol that looks like
an original dollar sign. Many of the
coins made in the Potos mint were
called pieces of eight. At that time
the unit of currency in Spain was the
real (pronounced re-al). Pieces of
eight were worth eight reals. In Eng-
lish these silver coins were called
Spanish dollars.
Potos and the Cerro Rico
Researchers from a local uni- the greatest number of wild tigers. In
versity were told about the discov- some countries less than 100 remain.
ery of the grave. They now plan to
investigate the site and remove all
the bones. The researchers think the
bones date back to the time when
Spain controlled Potos. If so, the
site is probably where people who
worked in the silver mines were
buried.
INTERNATIONAL TIGER DAY
Four years ago a special meeting
was held in St Petersburg, Russias
second largest city. Many people
called it the Tiger Summit. The
meetings official name was the In-
ternational Tiger Conservation Fo-
rum. At the summit it was decided
that 29th July would be known as
International Tiger Day.
The reason for an annual Tiger
Day is to make people aware of the
numbers of tigers left in the world.
Newsademic.com British English edition
It is also meant to emphasise the im-
portance of protecting tigers natural
habitats, or the places where they live.
Over 100 years ago there were
more than 100,000 tigers in the
world. Yet today there are only
3,200 living in the wild. Three
types, or subspecies, of tiger have
already died out. The Bali tiger be-
came extinct in the 1940s and the
Caspian and Javan tigers died out in
the 1970s. Another subspecies, the
South China tiger, has not been seen
for many years. Some people fear
that it too may now be extinct.
Thirteen countries took part in the
Tiger Summit. These places are still
home to wild tigers. They include:
Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Chi-
na, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia,
Myanmar (also known as Burma),
Nepal, Russia, Thailand, and Viet-
nam. With around 1,600, India has
Bengal tiger (Paul Mannix)
Including the South China tiger,
six types of tiger still exist. The larg-
est and most common is the Bengal
tiger. These animals live in India, Ne-
pal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh. Others
include the Siberian and Malaysian
tigers. Siberian tigers are only found
in the far eastern part of Russia.
Poaching and loss of natural
habitat explain why there are so few
wild tigers. Poaching is the unlaw-
ful killing of animals for their skins
or body parts. In some countries for-
ests, where tigers live, have been cut
page 14
down. The land has then been used
for building or growing crops. For
example, many forests have been
cleared in Indonesia. There, only
around 500 Sumatran tigers remain.
In all countries where tigers live,
killing them is against the law. Yet
some people, especially in China and
Vietnam, pay large sums of money
for tiger parts. Tigers teeth, claws,
whiskers, and other body parts are
used to make traditional medicines.
In China and Vietnam many people
believe these medicines cure certain
illnesses and improve health. Tiger
skins can be sold for as much as
15,000 (US$25,200).
The countries that took part in
the Tiger Summit now hold frequent
meetings. All agreed to set up pro-
tected areas of forest. Here, tigers
can live and breed in safety. Yet,
even if this is done, poaching can
still be a problem.
China uses a calendar that has a
12-year cycle. A different animal
represents each year. The Tiger Sum-
mit in Russia was in 2010. In the
Chinese calendar, 2010 was the Year
of the Tiger. At the meeting the 13
countries agreed to a plan to double
the worlds tiger population by 2022,
or the next Year of the Tiger.
PACIFIC FORUM
The Pacific Islands Forum is a group
of countries that includes Australia,
New Zealand and 14 other Pacific
island nations. The group holds an
annual summit, or meeting. This
years summit took place between
29th July and 1st August. It was held
in Koror, which is part of Palau.
Palau is officially called the Re-
public of Palau. The country is made
up of around 250 islands. These is-
lands are in the western part of the
 NID: 1000125-109-Newsademic Issue 229 B. Prepared for: [Your Name or School Name Here]

7th August 2014 Newsademic.com British English edition page 15

Pacific Ocean. Palaus population Kiribati has bought some land on work inside Natural Trap Cave for
is about 21,000. Most live on the Fijis second largest island. People two weeks. During this time they
island of Koror. living in Kiribati will be able to hope to retrieve or extract as many
Several subjects were discussed at move to this area if, in future, their fossils as possible.
the summit. They included: allowing islands are covered by the sea. Natural Trap Cave is a verti-
Fiji to rejoin the Forum, rising sea The number of fish in the Pacific cal shaft. This type of cave is often
levels, commercial fishing, and cer- has been decreasing. This is because called a pit. The entrance to a pit
tain non-communicable diseases. too many are being caught. Some cave can be on the surface or deep
Fiji was suspended from the Fo- Forum leaders want to ban large within other caves. The only way to
rum in 2009. This was because lead- commercial fishing boats. They ar- get to the bottom of these vertical
ers of its military forces deposed the gue that this is the only way for fish shafts is to use ladders or ropes.
prime minister and took over the stocks to recover. Natural Trap Caves entrance is
country. The military command-- The increase of non-commu- about 4.6 metres (15 feet) across.
ers declared that new elections nicable diseases is a problem The cave, which is 26 metres (85
would be held. However, these in many Pacific island coun- feet) deep, is bell-shaped. So the
are yet to be organised. Some tries. These diseases are non- bottom is much wider than the
smaller nations would like to end infectious. So they cannot be passed opening. The pits entrance can only
Fijis suspension. However, Austral- from one person to another. Exam- be seen if you stand next to it. The
ia and New Zealand, the Forums ples are: asthma, cancer, diabetes, cave was a deadly trap for prehis-
two biggest members, insist that Fiji and heart disease. Nowadays many toric beasts. Over tens of thousands
cannot rejoin until it has a new dem- people living on Pacific islands are of years, many animals accidentally
ocratically elected leader. overweight, or obese. Smoking is fell into it. There is a nine metre (30
popular. Obesity and smoking can foot) high pile of bones at the bot-
MI
PACIFIC
OCEAN cause diabetes and heart disease. tom of the pit.
P FM
The Pacific Islands Forum first Natural Trap Cave was first ex-
PNG NR
SI T
K met in 1972. This year was its 45th plored in the mid 1970s. Then, a
V
WS
CI summit. A secretary-general leads university team found the bones
F TO N
the organisation. This person is of many extinct animals. They in-
AUSTRALIA
normally appointed for three years. cluded mammoths, musk ox, saber-
NEW
Yet Tuiloma Neroni Slade has been toothed lions, bears (which were
ZEALAND
the Forums leader for the past six twice the size of grizzly bears) and
Pacific Islands Forum Members years. Three years ago Mr Slade, cheetah-like cats. In the 1980s local
Australia Tonga (TO) who is from Samoa, was asked to officials covered the entrance to the
New Zealand Federated States of stay on for another three-year term. cave with a metal grate. They did
Kiribati (K) Micronesia (FM)
At the Palau meeting it was an- this to stop people taking any of the
Palau (P) Marshall Islands (MI)
Solomon Islands (SI) Tuvalu (T) nounced that Meg Taylor would fossilised bones.
Cook Islands (CI) Fiji (F) (suspended) now take over from Mr Slade. Ms The scientists are the first people
Nauru (NR) Niue (N) Taylor is from Papua New Guinea to enter the pit for over 40 years.
Papua New Guinea Western Samoa (WS)
(PNG) Vanuatu (V)
(PNG). She is the Forums first They have set up a camp near its
woman secretary-general. entrance. The scientists are lowered
Many of the Pacific islands are to the bottom of the cave early each
coral atolls. Some are only a few morning. They do not climb out
metres above the sea. Sea levels in NATURAL TRAP CAVE again until the evening. A genera-
the Pacific Ocean are rising. Most tor on the surface powers lights that
scientists believe that this is a result On 28th July a team of palaeon- have been placed in the pit. The sci-
of climate change and an increase in tologists entered an unusual cave in entists have permission to work in
average world temperatures. Many the state of Wyoming, in the USA. Natural Trap Cave for two weeks.
of the Forums countries are worried Palaeontologists are scientists who They plan to collect the bones of as
about rising sea levels. Recently, study fossils. The scientists will many different animals as possible.
 NID: 1000125-109-Newsademic Issue 229 B. Prepared for: [Your Name or School Name Here]
7th August 2014
Most of the bones in the pit are
believed to be between 11,000 and
20,000 years old. However, some
may be much older. The cave is cold
and damp throughout the year. The
scientists hope that these conditions
will have preserved many of the
bones. If so, it might be possible to
get DNA samples from them.
Bones recovered from the Natu-
ral Trap Cave might help to ex-
plain whats known as the Late
Pleistocene extinction. The Pleis-
tocene is the name of a period, or
era, from 1.8 million to 10,000
years ago. At the end of this era,
or around 11,000 years ago, a
number of larger animals died out
in North America. Examples are:
saber-toothed lions, mastodons and
mammoths. Mastodons were large
elephant-like creatures.
Natural Trap Caves entrance
North America used to be home
to many big animals. Over 11,000
years ago its wildlife was similar
to what can be seen in Africa to-
day. Yet, as most large ones died
out, only a few big animals are now
found in North America.
Some people think a change in
the climate caused the Late Pleis-
tocene extinction. Others sug-
gest that early humans hunted the
animals until none remained. Hu-
mans first crossed over into North
America from what is now Russia
around 17,000 years ago. Another
idea is infectious diseases. The ar-
rival of humans or their dogs might
Newsademic.com British English edition
have carried these infections to
North America.
The scientists plan to revisit the
Natural Trap Cave next year and the
year after.
RECORD-BREAKING OCTOPUS
Marine scientists in the USA have
managed to film a record-breaking
octopus. The female octopus laid its
eggs and then used its body to cover
them. This is normal behaviour for
these types of marine creatures. Yet
this octopus eggs took nearly four
and a half years to hatch.
Octopuses (and squid) are also
known as cephalopods. They are
found in oceans and seas all around
the world. There are at least 300 oc-
topus species. Octopuses do not live
for very long. Most have a lifespan
of less than five years.
The American scientists used a
remotely-operated vehicle (ROV) to
explore a deep underwater trench, or
canyon. The trench is not far from the
west coast of the USA. They were
looking for a type of octopus called
Graneledone boreopacifica. These
cephalopods live in deep water, but
not much is known about them.
The ROV recorded a female octo-
pus at a depth of 1,400 metres (4,600
feet). The scientists noticed that it
had several scars on its body. About
38 days later the ROV returned to
the same place. This time it saw the
octopus on the side of a steep rock.
The scientists knew it was the same
one because of its scars. Some eggs
could be seen under the octopus
body. These were attached to the
rock. As the ROV moved closer the
octopus did not move.
Over the next four and a half
years the ROV returned to the same
place nearly 20 times. The octopus
page 16
was always there. It was possible
to see the baby octopuses develop-
ing inside some eggs. As the years
passed the octopus became a pale
colour. It also seemed to lose weight
and shrink in size.
The scientists suspect that the
octopus did not eat anything for the
whole time it was tending, or look-
ing after, its eggs. It might have
caught and eaten a passing crab or
shrimp when it was not being re-
corded. However, on one occasion
the scientists watched as a crab
moved close to the octopus. Yet, in-
stead of catching the crab, the octo-
pus just pushed it away.
Octopus (Graneledone boreopacifica) and its eggs
Most types of octopus only lay
one set of eggs. Females usually
die soon after the eggs hatch. The
young inside the eggs need oxygen
to develop. Seawater contains oxy-
gen. Females therefore make sure
that fresh, or new, seawater always
passes over their eggs. By covering
the eggs the octopus protects them
from predators. The octopus body
also stops the eggs from getting
covered in mud, or silt.
Eventually, the ROV recorded
160 empty egg cases. They were
still attached to the rock. The oc-
topus was gone. The scientists say
it probably died soon after its eggs
hatched. Surprisingly the octopus
had tended its eggs for 53 months,
or nearly four and a half years.
Octopuses that live in shallow-
er water look after their eggs for
 NID: 1000125-109-Newsademic Issue 229 B. Prepared for: [Your Name or School Name Here]
7th August 2014 Newsademic.com British English edition
between one and three months. The
scientists are not sure why the eggs
of this type of octopus took so long
to hatch. It may be because of where
the octopus lives. At these depths the
temperature of the seawater is very
cold. This probably slows down all
the octopus body functions. The
cold might also explain why the
eggs take so long to develop.
Previously the giant red shrimp
was thought to have the longest
brooding time in the animal king-
dom. This sea creature also lives in
cold water. It looks after its eggs for
about 20 months. So, at more than
double this amount of time, G. bore-
opacifica is now the record holder.
CIVIL WAR FEARS IN LIBYA
Libyas newly elected parliament
held its first meeting on 3rd August.
Yet, as the parliament met, several
armed groups and factions contin-
ued to fight against each other in
different parts of the country.
Because of the violence most for-
eign governments have closed their
embassies in Libya. Before doing so
they arranged for the evacuation of
all their passport holders, or nation-
als, who were working in the coun-
try. Many people now fear that the
fighting in Libya will soon become
a civil war.
For many years Muammar
Gaddafi (better known as Colonel
Gaddafi) ruled Libya. He had con-
trolled the country under very strict
laws for over 40 years. At the be-
ginning of 2011 anti-government
protests began. Those taking part
demanded that Colonel Gaddafi and
his family leave the country. They
wanted to elect their own leaders.
Anti-Gaddafi groups, or rebels,
fought against the Libyan army.
Several other countries such as
France, the UK, Qatar, the United
Arab Emirates (UAE), and the USA
decided to intervene. At first the
leaders of these countries said they
only wanted to protect civilians in
Libya. However, their air strikes
on the Libyan armys bases and its
military equipment helped the re-
bels. The rebels eventually captured
Tripoli, the countrys capital city. A
few months later Colonel Gaddafi
was caught and killed.
ITALY
GREECE
TUNISIA
Tripoli Mediterranean Sea
Tobruk
Zintan Misrata Benghazi
ALGERIA
LIBYA EGYPT
Since the fall of Gaddafi several
elections have been held in Libya.
However, the country still has many
problems. During the war the rebels
captured most of the armys weap-
ons. Many people in the country still
have guns. Armed groups now con-
trol different parts of Libya. They
often refuse to obey the countrys
elected leaders.
When Colonel Gaddafi was in
charge, Libya made a lot of money
from its oil. Most was sold to other
countries. Yet armed groups now
control many of Libyas oilfields
and ports. Much of the oil producing
equipment has been badly damaged
or destroyed.
At the beginning of July fierce
fighting broke out around Tripolis
international airport. The fighting
is between an anti-Islamic group
from the town of Zintan and Is-
lamists from Misrata. Zintan is a
small city about 135 kilometres
page 17
(84 miles) from Tripoli. Misrata
is one of Libyas main port cities.
During the fighting against Colonel
Gaddafi and the Libyan army these
two groups were on the same side.
The airport is now badly damaged.
Large fuel tanks close to Tripoli
were hit and set on fire.
Elsewhere different groups are
fighting against each other in Beng-
hazi. This is Libyas second big-
gest city. One of these groups is a
militant Islamic organisation. Many
of its fighters come from other
Arab countries.
Navy ships from France, Greece,
the UK, and Italy have evacuated
their nationals from Tripoli. The
Greek government agreed to pick
up many of the Chinese people who
were in Libya. Americans in the
country were taken by road to Tu-
nisia. Thousands of Egyptians have
also crossed into Tunisia to get away
from the fighting.
Because of the violence the new
parliaments first meeting was not
held in Tripoli or Benghazi. Instead
its elected members met in Tobruk.
This city is not far from the Libya-
Egypt border. Most Libyans think the
new parliament will be unable to stop
the different warring factions. Many
people now argue that countries such
as France, the UK and the USA, were
wrong to intervene in 2011.
Newsademic.com
Editor: Rebecca Watson
Acknowledgements:
News story photographs by gettyimages
For further details about Newsademic
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www.newsademic.com
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 NID: 1000125-109-Newsademic Issue 229 B. Prepared for: [Your Name or School Name Here]

7th August 2014 Newsademic.com British English edition page 18

ISSUE 229 INSTRUCTIONS: Complete the crossword. The answers are

highlighted in orange in the news stories. There are 25

GLOSSARY PUZZLE
words highlighted and you need 20 of them to complete the
crossword. Once you have solved the crossword go to
the word search on the next page
1 2

4 5 6

8 9

10 11

12

13 14

15

16

17

18

19 20

ACROSS
1 Verb To decrease in size or become smaller
5 Noun A meeting at an agreed time and place
8 Noun Political system ruled by one party in which most
property is owned by the state
10 Noun A close gathering of things or people
13 Noun A state of being kept separate from other things or
people
16 Noun An infectious disease that spreads quickly
17 Noun (Plural) People who campaign to bring about
political or social change
18 Noun The activity of sitting on or looking after eggs until
they hatch
19 Verb Temporarily forbidden or barred from being a
member of an organisation, school or political party
20 Noun Narrow strip of land (with sea or water on either
side) that connects two larger areas of land
DOWN
2 Noun The person on a ship, plane, or in a car, whose job
it is work out the right direction to travel
3 Noun The artificial watering of land
4 Adjective To do with business or buying and selling
things
6 Verb Die from a lack of oxygen
7 Noun The movement of people to a place of safety
9 Verb Deemed to be unable to pay debts
11 Noun A general rise in prices and fall in the value of
money
12 Noun (Plural) Communities of living things and the
environments in which they live
14 Noun (Plural) Groups, with different ideas, within a larger
group
15 Noun Political system based on a very powerful leader
who allows no opposition
 NID: 1000125-109-Newsademic Issue 229 B. Prepared for: [Your Name or School Name Here]

7th August 2014 Newsademic.com British English edition page 19

ISSUE 229 INSTRUCTIONS: Find 19 of the 20

crossword answers in the word search.

GLOSSARY PUZZLE CONTINUED

Words can go vertically, horizontally,
diagonally and back to front. After
finding the 19 words write down the
20th (or missing) word under the puzzle.

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ISSUE 228 ANSWERS

1 2 3 4 D I S P R O P O R T I O N A T E F E
D I S P R O P O R T I O N A T E C
E E Y I L I Y H I T J P C I H M J R
E N O
5 6 7 T R T U N G R M E E K W Q M L L B U
I N C U M B E N T C F A I
P R N A L S G Q G N N S E L Z M V T
O O R V N
8 E C E K C M T A L O O C U A Q W K C
N A P P E N D A G E S I C
9 10
C O B B R I V I S A N M Y M E B R U
D S C C S A I R N M O U L T I T E N W E C R B N R
11 12
O R P H A N A G E S I N T E R C E P T E D E S U C A I N S D U G D N N N J V T
M I R L R I E T P C S O U T I E P T A M T O Z B S
13
E R B I U P O N N I N O K N C R K M L I N A U N I A
14
S A O E N H A N C E D H N C I R I P F N Z X G L O Y O A R Q A R
T T H T T E E K A L X I E K U I F R D D N H K D F
15 16
I O Y I N S T I T U T I O N S I T J O A P P E N D A G E S S P S N
C R D A O R O M O C H C G V K N E U T E R E D R I
17
A S U R V E I L L A N C E M X R Y J I R T S Z E N H A N C E D O
18
R S N J U G W Y U V K K E I D Y E D
T A V N E U T E R E D
V D O S E T A R D Y H O B R A C B M
E T A N
R E C O N C I L I A T I O N W U Z J
D E G O
19 20
U N I S O N E L A N D M A R K S
A V I A T I O N