Latest Learning English from the News
2025: The year's big news stories
Episode 251231 / 31 Dec 2025
Neil and Pippa look at some of the biggest headlines from the year
Japan bans baby names like Pikachu and Kitty
Episode 251224 / 24 Dec 2025
Japan changes the law to stop parents giving their children names considered strange or silly
Australia teen social media ban
Episode 251217 / 17 Dec 2025
Australia's social media ban for under-16s has started.
Syria: One year since Assad's fall
Episode 251210 / 10 Dec 2025
The 8th of December marked a year since Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad was forced to leave the capital, Damascus.
Deadly fires in Hong Kong investigated
Episode 251203 / 03 Dec 2025
Hong Kong leader orders investigation into deadly fires which killed at least 151 people
First treasure recovered from $20bn sunken ship
Episode 251126 / 26 Nov 2025
A ship that sunk in 1708 is thought to have $20bn worth of treasure on it
Death penalty for former Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina
Episode 251119 / 19 Nov 2025
Former prime minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina has been sentenced to death for crimes against humanity
COP30: Are climate talks effective at fighting climate change?
Episode 251112 / 12 Nov 2025
International leaders gather for COP30 climate talks, but some important people are not attending.
Fastest glacier melt in modern history
Episode 251105 / 05 Nov 2025
An Antarctic glacier shrunk by 50% in just two months - this is the fastest retreat recorded in modern history.
'Storm of the century' hits Caribbean
Episode 251029 / 29 Oct 2025
Hurricane Melissa, the strongest hurricane in modern history to hit Jamaica, has caused severe damage in the Caribbean
Historic jewels stolen from Louvre
Episode 251022 / 22 Oct 2025
Historic jewels, worth millions of euros have been stolen from the Louvre museum in Paris
Hostages released in Gaza ceasefire agreement
Episode 251015 / 15 Oct 2025
Israeli hostages and Palestinian detainees were exchanged on Monday as a ceasefire deal is agreed to end the war in Gaza
Solar and wind beat coal for first time
Episode 251008 / 08 Oct 2025
More electricity has been generated through wind and solar power than from coal power plants for the first time ever
Taliban cut off internet
Episode 251001 / 01 Oct 2025
The Taliban government of Afghanistan has shut down the internet, making it even harder for women and girls to access education.
Trump's unproven autism claim
Episode 250924 / 24 Sep 2025
President Trump makes unproven link between autism and the pain relief drug Tylenol – scientists react.
Israel committing genocide in Gaza: UN commission
Episode 250917 / 17 Sep 2025
A report commissioned by the United Nations has found that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza
'God's influencer': First millennial saint named
Episode 250910 / 10 Sep 2025
Catholic church names 15-year-old boy the first millennial saint
Earthquakes hit Afghanistan
Episode 250903 / 03 Sep 2025
Earthquakes in Afghanistan kill over 1,400 people
Heatwaves speed up ageing process, study says
Episode 250827 / 27 Aug 2025
Heatwaves may make our organs deteriorate more quickly
Is prostate cancer over-treated?
Episode 250813 / 13 Aug 2025
Charity Prostate Cancer UK says some people are being treated when they don't need to be.
Ukraine: Presidents discuss end to war
Episode 250813 / 20 Aug 2025
Trump meets Putin, then Zelensky for talks on the war in Ukraine.
Hiroshima: 80 years since atomic bomb
Episode 250806 / 06 Aug 2025
It's 80 years since the United States dropped an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima.
Thailand-Cambodia conflict
Episode 250730 / 30 Jul 2025
There have been military clashes at the Thailand-Cambodia border, with civilians killed.
War in Gaza 'must end now', 28 countries say
Episode 250723 / 23 Jul 2025
Aid agencies say mass starvation is spreading across Gaza.
India Air crash report doubts
Episode 250716 / 16 Jul 2025
What does the preliminary report say caused the Air India crash? And why is the report being criticised?
Texas hit by deadly floods
Episode 250709 / 09 Jul 2025
Over 100 people have died in flash floods in Texas.
Deadly heatwave hits Europe
Episode 250702 / 02 Jul 2025
Many countries in Europe are experiencing an extreme heatwave.
Israel-Iran ceasefire
Episode 250625 / 25 Jun 2025
A ceasefire is in place after over a week of missile strikes between Israel and Iran.
Israel-Iran strikes
Episode 250618 / 18 Jun 2025
Israel has launched missile strikes on Iran. In response, Iran has launched strikes on Israel.
Los Angeles protests: Trump sends Marines
Episode 250611 / 11 Jun 2025
Donald Trump sends the Marines to Los Angeles after immigration raids lead to protest
North Korean secrets revealed by phone
Episode 250604 / 04 Jun 2025
A North Korean smartphone has revealed details about how the regime controls its people
Global warming increases risk of cancer in women: Study
Episode 250528 / 28 May 2025
Global warming increases the risk of cancer in women, a new study has found
Human consciousness: Where is it in the brain?
Episode 250521 / 21 May 2025
A large study puts two leading theories to the test
Weight-loss drugs reduce cancer risk, study finds
Episode 250514 / 14 May 2025
Could this be a new era of preventative cancer medicine?
Octopuses and fish work together
Episode 250507 / 07 May 2025
Scientists have discovered new underwater behaviour.
Huge power cuts in Spain and Portugal
Episode 250430 / 30 Apr 2025
What caused this huge power cut? Learn about this story with Pippa and Beth
Pope Francis dies
Episode 250423 / 23 Apr 2025
What happens after the Pope dies? Learn about this story with Neil and Georgie
Sudan war: 'World's worst humanitarian crisis'
Episode 250416 / 16 Apr 2025
The war in Sudan is the biggest humanitarian crisis in the world today, say charities and aid agencies
World reacts to Trump's tariffs
Episode 250409 / 09 Apr 2025
How are Trump's latest tariffs affecting the global economy?
Myanmar mourns earthquake dead
Episode 250402 / 02 Apr 2025
Myanmar is in mourning after an earthquake killed at least 2,700 people
Turkey protests after political rival jailed
Episode 250326 / 26 Mar 2025
Thousands of people protest in Turkey after Erdogan's main political rival jailed
Astronauts home after 9 months in space
Episode 250319 / 19 Mar 2025
After a delay of 9 months, Nasa astronauts return to Earth
Woolly mice: Are woolly mammoths next?
Episode 250312 / 12 Mar 2025
Scientists hoping to bring back woolly mammoths create woolly mice
50% adults overweight or obese by 2050: Global study
Episode 250305 / 05 Mar 2025
What does this new study reveal about obesity?
Is vaping as bad as smoking cigarettes?
Episode 250226 / 26 Feb 2025
A new study reveals harmful effects of vaping
Ukraine war: US-Russia peace talks
Episode 250219 / 19 Feb 2025
The US and Russia have agreed to start negotiations for ending the war in Ukraine
Gaza ceasefire at risk
Episode 250212 / 12 Feb 2025
Ceasefire violations and Donald Trump's plans are putting Gaza's ceasefire at risk
Trump's tariffs
Episode 250205 / 05 Feb 2025
Why has Trump started imposing tariffs on imports into the USA?
DeepSeek: Chinese AI app shocks tech world
Episode 250129 / 29 Jan 2025
Why has this Chinese AI app shocked the tech world?
Trump returns to power
Episode 250122 / 22 Jan 2025
Donald Trump has returned to power as US president
Kumbh Mela: 400 million to attend world's largest festival
Episode 250115 / 15 Jan 2025
The Kumbh Mela festival, the largest religious gathering in the world, has begun in the northern Indian city of Prayagraj.
North Korea hypersonic missile claims
Episode 250108 / 08 Jan 2025
Has North Korea launched a hypersonic missile?
