A dangerous route to Europe

To the deserts of North Africa now where many start their journey to Europe in search of a better life.

As the EU cracks down on people arriving in Greece from Turkey more and more people are risking their lives on the merciless route across the Sahara to Libya. Then over the Mediterranean to reach Europe. The International Office for Migration estimates 100,000 people pass through there last year alone.

In India it's sewers – they run beneath the streets and they are an essential part of infrastructure. Keeping them free from blockages is not just a hard and unpleasant job but it can also be dangerous because workers are employed on a day-by-day basis, often without safety gear.

The children of white British parents do worse in their GCSEs [exams] than those who speak English as a second language. This is according to an education think tank. It's The Centre Forum, which also says many primary school pupils are falling behind the world's leading countries in education such as Finland and Canada.

Words and phrases and definitions

cracks down: mengatasi situasinya dengan tegas

merciless: amat berat

infrastructure: prasarana, sistem yang memungkinkan sesuatu berjalan dengan lancar

think tank: sekelompok ahli yang mengkaji masalah tertentu