World News for Students of English

18-08-2015 07:00

Security has been tightened at a sports stadium holding hundreds of migrants on the Greek island of Kos after violence broke out at the site between migrants and police.

Greek police used fire extinguishers and batons against migrants yesterday during clashes at the stadium where hundreds of people, including young children, were waiting for immigration papers. It was not immediately clear what had sparked the violence. Once calm had returned, police ushered yet more migrants into the stadium, packing the stands.

The scuffles took place a day after a police officer on the island was suspended for brandishing a knife and slapping a man identified by Greek media as a Pakistani migrant.

The situation appeared calmer today as police with riot shields lined fences around the stadium and migrants queued to be registered.

Local authorities are responsible for the registration process, but migrants complain that they are understaffed, too slow and that there was no food or protection from the heat in the stadium. The migrants arriving in cars have come back crossing the sea in rubber dinghies from Turkey in a bid to enter the European Union. Many have fled war zones and poverty.

Difficult words: clash (a fight), spark (to start), usher (to introduce), scuffle (a fight), brandish (to wave and to threaten), riot (a violent demonstration), dinghy (a small boat).

Source: www.ondemandnews.com