European refugee problem

Who:Migrants and refugees
When:Not given
Where:Middle East and Africa
Why:Pushed by civil war and terror and pulled by the promise of a better life
How:Not given

Europe is experiencing one of the most significant influxes of migrants and refugees in its history. Pushed by civil war and terror and pulled by the promise of a better life, huge numbers of people have fled the Middle East and Africa, risking their lives along the way.


More than a million migrants and refugees crossed into Europe in 2015, compared with just 280,000 the year before. The scale of the crisis continues, with more than 135,000 people arriving in the first two months of 2016.


Among the forces driving people to make the dangerous journey are the conflicts in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan. The vast majority - more than 80% - of those who reached Europe by boat in 2015 came from those three countries.


Poverty, human rights abuses and deteriorating security are also prompting people to set out from countries such as Eritrea, Pakistan, Morocco, Iran and Somalia in the hope of a new life in somewhere like Germany, Sweden or the UK.


But as European countries struggle with the mass movement of people, some have tightened border controls. This has left tens of thousands of migrants stranded in Greece, raising fears of a humanitarian crisis.




Location:http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-24583286



Key words:
influxes of migrants and refugees: 移民和難民的湧入
deteriorating security:安全日益惡化
tightened border controls:加強邊境管制

US Lawmakers Meet With Aung San Suu Kyi, Speak Out on Myanmar Sanctions


Who:Aung San Suu Kyi and U.S lawmarkers
Where:In U.S
When:On Thursday 
 How:To lift economic sanctions on the country formerly known as Burma.



U.S. lawmakers met Thursday with Myanmar’s de facto leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, and expressed mixed reactions to President Barack Obama’s intention to lift economic sanctions on the country formerly known as Burma.


Aung San Suu Kyi held separate talks with prominent House and Senate members of both parties at the Capitol. Sanctions played prominently in the discussions, according to several lawmakers who spoke with VOA afterward.


“The message was clear, that Burma’s a different country today than it was when those sanctions were imposed,” said Senator Ben Cardin of Maryland, the top Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee.


Cardin stressed that America’s attention is still needed in Myanmar, but that U.S. influence can be exerted more with carrots than sticks.

“There is a continued role for the United States, but it’s going to be in a much more positive way,” he said.

“The president acted unilaterally [lifting sanctions] in a way that was unfortunate,” said Republican Cory Gardner, chairman of the Subcommittee on East Asia and Pacific. 

“There are a number of concerns with military involvement and crony business operatives participating in illicit activities that warrant continued sanctioning."

“We should make sure that the military doesn’t have access to ways to enrich itself, as it has been for decades, and to make sure that we continue to provide leverage against the bad actors who have created so much difficulty for the people of Burma,” Gardner added.

Location: http://www.voanews.com/a/suu-kyi-meets-with-congressional-leaders-after-talks-with-obama-on-lifting-sanctions/3510132.html

Key words: 

VOA( Voice of America) : 美國之音

carrots than sticks:軟硬兼施

unilaterally [lifting sanctions]:單方面貿易制裁

illicit activities :非法活動