VOA慢速英語：曼谷轟炸中至少18人喪生

At least 18 people have been killed and many more wounded in an explosion near a Hindushrine in central Bangkok late Monday. The explosion took place near an area that attracts tourists and people buying goods. Hundreds of people are usually in the area at the time when the explosion happened.

A man identifying himself as a police officer said a bomb was the cause of the explosion.

Searchers find wreckage believed to be Indonesian plane

Bangkok Bombing Aftermath

Search and rescue workers are heading to an area in the eastern province of Papua, Indonesia, where pieces that may belong to a missing Indonesian passenger plane have been seen. The Trigana airlines plane crashed Sunday while flying in bad weather. Officials said a search plane found the crash site Monday. They said rescuers are working to reach the site.

Forty-four people including crew members and five children were on the plane.

Trigana Airlines operates within Indonesia. It has had 14 serious incidents since it began flying in 1991. It is banned from flying in European Union airspace.

US, South Korea begin yearly military exercise

Troops from the United States and South Korea began a joint military exercise Monday. As many as 80,000 troops are taking part in the yearly exercise, which is aimed at preparing for a military invasion from the North.

On Monday, South Korean President Park Geun-hye called for strong military readiness on the Korean Peninsula.

The exercise takes place as tensions between South and North Korea are high. Two South Korean soldiers were recently seriously injured when landmines exploded as they werepatrolling the area between the two countries. The South blamed North Korea for placing the mines in the ground.

South Korearesponded to the landmine explosions on Saturday by restarting broadcasts on speakers aimed at the North, near the border. This is the first time South Korea has done that in more than 10 years.

Large anti-government protests in Brazil

Tens of thousands of people protested against the government in Brazil on Sunday. They want President Dilma Rousseff to be removed from office. They are angry about corruption in the government, the poor economy and rising inflation.

Many political leaders are being investigated for corruption, including supporters of the president. Some of the reported activities took place while Ms. Rousseff was chairwoman of the board of the Brazilian oil company Petrobras.

The protest Sunday was the third nationwide demonstration against President Rousseff.

Brazilis South America's largest economy. It has had strong economic growth in recent years, but it now appears to be entering a recession.

___________________________________________________________

Words in the News

shrine– n. a place connected with a holy person or event where people go to worship

patrol– v. walking or going around an area or building to make sure it is safe