Although it rarely actually works, it’s always good to see people trying to bring real international issues into the classroom. Seeing the name John Shepheard on this also made me hopeful, as he was responsible for the absolutely classic Anti-Grammar Grammar Book. However, I can see no way on earth of getting my students interested in the topics they have chosen and the materials make no attempt to help me do so:

New Internationalist Easier English and announcement

As with almost all of this kind of material, you’d be better of just going back to Taboos and Issues.