World News for Students of English

25-05-2021 07:00

Nearly 8,000 people have crossed into Spain’s North African enclave of Ceuta in recent days.

Around a quarter of those crossing from Morocco are minors, with many risking their lives by swimming around a breakwater to reach a beach on the European side. When interviewed, many young migrants said that they had no life prospects in their home countries.

Clashes erupted near Morocco’s border as security forces tried to disperse new arrivals on Wednesday. Police and troops were deployed to the town of Fnideq to block access to the border.

Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez visited Ceuta to assess the situation, and he said that the lack of border control from the Moroccan government disrespected the EU. Spanish authorities said that more than half of the migrants had been returned; however, thousands remained in the enclave with their future uncertain.

Difficult words: enclave (an area within a country where people live who have a different nationality or culture from the people living in the surrounding country), minor (a person under the age of full legal responsibility), breakwater (barriers built in the sea that protect the coast from the waves), prospect (a future, something you can plan to do).

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