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Learning English from the News

Upper intermediate level

India: Bomb threats delay flights

Episode 241023 / 23 Oct 2024

(Photo by Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
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The story

A large rise in hoax bomb threats has caused chaos around the world with flights having to land in the wrong places or turn around.

A hoax bomb threat is where someone says they have put a bomb somewhere but they’re lying. They can cause lots of problems for airlines and passengers because airlines and authorities have to take the threats seriously in case they’re real.

In the last week, there have been at least 90 fake threats, targeting mostly Indian airlines.

News headlines

RAF Typhoon fighters scrambled as Heathrow-bound flight latest target of bomb threats 
The Standard

False threats, real losses: Airlines see red as they lose money & passenger goodwill 
The Times of India

Faced with flurry of bomb hoaxes, govt mulls law revamp 
The Week, India

Key words and phrases

scramble
move quickly and urgently

  • When the fire alarm went off, everyone scrambled to evacuate the building. 

see red
become very angry

  • I couldn't believe it when the train was delayed, then cancelled, and then all the buses were cancelled too. I just totally saw red. 

mull (something over)
think about something carefully

  • I've been mulling over whether to move house for a while now and I think I've finally made a decision.

Next

Try this episode of News Review about an influencer who went to jail for a plane crash hoax.

Learn more English vocabulary from the news with our News Review archive.

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