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Learning English from the News

Learn the language you need to understand news stories in English. Every week we talk about one big news story and the vocabulary in the headlines that will help you understand it. And in our special Our World in English episodes, we share documentaries from around the world and across the BBC…

New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 8 min
Latest: 7 Oct 2026
Language: English

Latest episode

7 Oct 2026 · 7 minNew

French school protests

Pupils say that they are protesting because their schools are not being well funded. Since protests began, over 6,000 people have been arrested and a number of students and police officers have been hurt. For all the headlines, definitions and a free worksheet to practise, head to our website: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/learning-english-from-the-news_2026/261007 And don't forget to sign up to our email newsletter to get weekly tips and updates from your favourite presenters. Want to get in touch? Let us know what you think of our programmes by emailing us at…

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Earlier episodes 29 most recent

30 Sep 2026 · 8 min

Young people's mental distress is real, according to the head of a new review in the UK

An independent review into mental health has found a rise in mental distress among children and young people, with anxiety, depression, self-harm and eating disorders among the most common issues. Head of the review, Professor Peter Fonagy, says that accusations that young people are overly sensitive are wrong. He says it is now “harder to be young” due to challenges such as economic and employment uncertainty and problems caused by social media. Some are unsure about the new data as some of the sources rely on self-reporting. There is also an argument which says that the higher mental…
23 Sep 2026 · 9 min

AI and trade: Will US and China agree?

US President Donald Trump and China’s President Xi Jinping will meet in a summit at the White House this week for the first time since 2023, following on from a President Trump’s visit to China earlier this year in which a truce was agreed. Before the truce was agreed, both the US and China had imposed high tarrifs on products coming in from the other country. The truce will end in November and many experts say that the two countries will try to extend their truce and make more agreements on trade. Alongside trade tariffs, there are other potential disagreements between the two leaders. For…
16 Sep 2026 · 8 min

Humans could lose control of AI systems, AI boss says

Head of Anthropic, Dario Amodei, published an essay explaining how he feared that humans could lose control of AI systems. Following recent hacking incidents Amodei said that it is possible that AI systems could attempt to take over the entire internet. Meanwhile, AI experts have raised fears that AI systems could decide in future to kill all humans. These experts have said that the risks include: cyberattacks, biological warfare and disruption to economies. These statements have been criticised. Some have said that the fears are exaggerated while others have suggested that AI companies are…
9 Sep 2026 · 8 min

Man survives longest ever pig kidney transplant

A transplanted pig kidney has worked inside a patient for a record nine months. Learn about this news story in simpler English with Becca and Phil. Get a worksheet for this episode to practise the vocabulary: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/learning-english-from-the-news_2026/260909 Learn more English about the topic of health here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/topics/health Sign up to our weekly newsletter here for more ways to improve your English: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/topics/health
2 Sep 2026 · 9 min

Nepal recovering from impact of flash floods

More than 1,000 people have been confirmed dead after last week’s flash floods on the border of Nepal and Tibet, according to Nepal’s disaster agency. Almost 4,000 people are still missing. Rescuers are trying to reach hundreds of workers who have been trapped in a large network of tunnels at hydropower sites. Nepalese Prime Minister Balendra Shah said on Monday that 279 people had been rescued from the sites. A key cause of the deadly floods is thought to be a glacier collapse in the Himalayas. A glacier is a large area of dense ice. Learn more about this story with Georgie and Phil. For…
26 Aug 2026 · 9 min

AI hacking other companies by itself, causing security fears

AI has been hacking other companies during tests, causing fears over safety. There’s been a series of hacks by AI software in recent months. A hack is when secure technology is broken into in order to steal data or cause disruption. The AI hacks have occurred during testing of security systems which have gone wrong. For example, in July, the company OpenAI said its AI models hacked a company called Hugging Face. OpenAI said it lost control of the models during a security test. Many people are concerned about the recent hacks because AI has been able to get out of control and do things its…
19 Aug 2026 · 8 min

Meta on trial

Meta, the owner of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, has gone on trial, accused of breaking state and federal laws around child privacy. The trial is expected to last around six weeks. The lawsuit has been filed by 29 US states, representing more than two thirds of the country's population. This is the largest of a number of lawsuits against Meta relating to child safety. This trial may require a payout of $200 billion in damages from Meta if they lose the case and the court could also force the company to make changes to its products. Meta denies the allegations saying that it removes child…
12 Aug 2026 · 9 min

Europe's first solar eclipse since 1999

Many parts of Europe will experience a solar eclipse, when the Moon blocks the light from the Sun, on Wednesday evening. It will be the first in Europe since 1999. Total eclipses are rare events but in the next few years, there will be a few. Following this summer's eclipse there will be a total eclipse in Egypt next August, and a third in Australia and New Zealand in July 2028. Looking directly at the Sun can damage your eyes, even during an eclipse. You can wear special eclipse glasses which block out most of the light so you can look at the Sun safely. Learn more about this story with…
5 Aug 2026 · 8 min

Ceuta migrant crisis

Around 60,000 migrants swam around the border from Morocco into Ceuta, part of Spain. Spanish officials said almost all those who reached the enclave have now returned, but at least 72 migrants died attempting the journey. Many EU leaders called for an urgent meeting, asking for the end of policies that could encourage illegal migration. But Spain says the problems in Ceuta are not caused by its immigration policies, and that Ceuta is not part of mainland Spain, so there was never a security threat to other EU countries. Learn English about this story with Pippa and Georgie. For more…
30 Jul 2026 · 8 min

The end of PlayStation discs

New PlayStation games will no longer be released on discs from January 2028, the gaming giant has announced. It’s owner Sony said that games will still be able to be bought in shops, but they would come with a digital code. There has been criticism of the announcement from some gamers online. But Sony says it has to adapt to consumer trends and a growing preference for digital downloads over physical discs. Learn English from the headlines about this story with Pippa and Georgie. For a worksheet for this episode head to…
22 Jul 2026 · 8 min

Do people trust the news?

Trust in news around the world is the lowest it's ever been since annual reports began in 2015. The 2026 Digital News Report, published by the Reuters Institute suggests that public trust in the news it at 27%, three points down from last year. For the first time, social media and video networks are, on average, more popular than both TV and news websites and apps as sources of news. The use of AI chatbots for news is also growing quickly. Learn English from the headlines about this new study. Test what you've learnt with a free worksheet about this episode:…
15 Jul 2026 · 8 min

Is coffee good for your brain?

New studies suggest that coffee can help our brain in many ways - one of which is preventing memory diseases such as dementia. Learn English from headlines about this new research. Test what you've learnt with a free worksheet about this episode: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/features/learning-english-from-the-news_2026/260715 Subscribe to our newsletter to get weekly tips and updates: https://www.bbc.co.uk/send/u178220599 If learning English from the news is useful for your studies, you should check out 'The Listening Room' - BBC news reports with exam-style questions to help you…
8 Jul 2026 · 8 min

Taylor Swift wedding

Taylor Swift has married American football player Travis Kelce at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Hear about this news story in simpler English and learn interesting vocabulary from the news headlines. Test what you've learnt with a free worksheet about this episode: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/features/learning-english-from-the-news_2026/260708 Subscribe to our newsletter to get weekly tips and updates: https://www.bbc.co.uk/send/u178220599 If learning English from the news is useful for your studies, you should check out 'The Listening Room' - BBC news reports with…
1 Jul 2026 · 8 min

Venezuela earthquakes: Search for survivors continues

The search for survivors continues after two strong earthquakes hit Venezuela. Hear about this news story in simpler English and learn interesting vocabulary from the news headlines. Test what you've learnt with a free worksheet about this episode: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/features/learning-english-from-the-news_2026/260701 Subscribe to our newsletter to get weekly tips and updates: https://www.bbc.co.uk/send/u178220599 If learning English from the news is useful for your studies, you should check out 'The Listening Room' - BBC news reports with exam-style questions to help you…
24 Jun 2026 · 8 min

Keir Starmer resigns as UK prime minister

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has resigned. It's likely former Manchester mayor Andy Burnham will replace him. Hear about this news story in simpler English and learn interesting vocabulary from the news headlines. Test what you've learnt with a free worksheet about this episode: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/features/learning-english-from-the-news_2026/260624 Subscribe to our newsletter to get weekly tips and updates: https://www.bbc.co.uk/send/u178220599 If you enjoy learning English from the news, you should check out 'The Listening Room' - BBC news reports with exam-style…
17 Jun 2026 · 8 min

US-Iran peace deal

The US and Iran have agreed on an initial deal to end the war between their two countries. Hear about this news story in simpler English and learn interesting vocabulary from the news headlines. Test what you've learnt with a free worksheet about this episode: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/features/learning-english-from-the-news_2026/260617 Subscribe to our newsletter to get weekly tips and updates: https://www.bbc.co.uk/send/u178220599 If you enjoy learning English from the news, you should check out 'The Listening Room' - BBC news reports with exam-style questions to help you with…
10 Jun 2026 · 9 min

World Cup excitement and concern

The 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico is the biggest ever. But concerns surrounding the cost of tickets, the impact of international politics and immigration policies, security, extreme heat and sustainability could also make it the most controversial ever. Learn English from the news headlines with Pippa and Georgie. Get a free worksheet for this episode to practise what you've learnt: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/learning-english-from-the-news_2026/260610 . We have lots of programmes on the topic of sport to help you improve your English:…
3 Jun 2026 · 9 min

El Niño: What to expect

The World Meteorological Organization said this El Niño is likely to strengthen over the rest of 2026, driving more extreme weather around much of the globe. El Niño is the name for a natural climate event where sea water temperatures rise in the Pacific Ocean near the equator. It creates unusually hot and stormy weather. Several forecasts from national weather agencies suggest it could end up as one of the strongest ever recorded – a possible so-called ‘super’ El Niño. Learn about this story and learn some vocabulary from the headlines with Phil and Georgie. Get a free worksheet for this…
27 May 2026 · 10 min

Is social media 'the new smoking'?

A group of senior doctors in the UK compare the harms of social media to smoking, not because it has the same physical health impacts, but because they believe it’s an important health issue that people need to take seriously. Learn about this story and learn some vocabulary from the headlines with Pippa and Georgie. Get a free worksheet for this episode to practise what you've learnt: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/learning-english-from-the-news_2026/260527 . We have lots of programmes ton the topic of technology to help you improve your English:…
20 May 2026 · 9 min

Deadly Ebola virus spreads

An Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo was announced by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday. Ebola is a serious disease caused by a virus caught from wild animals and is usually found in certain parts of Africa. It spreads from person to person when you come in to contact with infected body fluids, such as blood, urine and vomit. Officials in Uganda reported that the deadly disease had spread in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The total ⁠number of suspected cases means that this outbreak is already one of the largest on record Get a free worksheet for…
13 May 2026 · 8 min

Hantavirus ship evacuated

All passengers have now left the Dutch cruise ship, MV Hondius after a voyage that lead to the death of three passengers from hantavirus. The virus is usually found in rats. One passenger is thought to have caught the virus while birdwatching in Ushuaia, Argentina, where the ship's journey began. Get a free worksheet for this episode to practise what you've learnt: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/learning-english-from-the-news_2026/260513 Navigate BBC Learning English content by level on our website. Find the 'easy', 'medium' and 'hard' buttons here:…
6 May 2026 · 9 min

Iran war puts global food production at risk, says fertiliser boss

Global food production is being threatened by an interruption to the supply of fertiliser, according to the boss of one of the world's biggest fertiliser producers. Fertiliser is something that farmers put on fields to help plants grow. When the United States and Israel struck Iran on 28 February, the Strait of Hormuz, which is a narrow waterway between Iran, the United Arab Emirates and Oman, effectively shut down. About one-third of the world's fertiliser trade normally passes through the strait. Less fertiliser means less food is grown, and if there is less food available, then prices…
29 Apr 2026 · 9 min

Trump shooting attempt

An attempt to shoot US President Donald Trump took place at the Washington Hilton hotel during the White House Correspondents' dinner. This dinner happens every year and political journalists are invited. Alongside Trump, Frist Lady Melania Trump, Vice-President JD Vance and other White House officials were rushed from the hotel ballroom after gunfire was heard. There have been two previous unsuccessful attempts to kill President Trump. Both of these happened while he was campaigning for election in 2024. Learn about the news in a level of English you can understand with Becca and Pippa. Get…
22 Apr 2026 · 8 min

Mass shooting at Mexican pyramids

A lone gunman attacked tourists at Mexico's historic Teotihuacan pyramids. One person was killed and at least 13 people were injured. The shooter then killed himself. Teotihuacan is a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the most visited tourist attractions in the country. The attacker has been named as 27-year-old Julio Cesar Jasso Ramirez. On 20th April 1999, 13 people were killed in an attack at Columbine High School in Colorado. It has been suggested that Ramirez was inspired by this attack. Learn about the news in a level of English you can understand with Becca and Phil. Get a free…
15 Apr 2026 · 9 min

Hungary election landslide

Péter Magyar has won a historic victory in Hungary's elections, bringing to an end Viktor Orbán's 16 years in power. Orban had been a close partner of US President Donald Trump and Russia’s Vladimir Putin. Whereas Magyar wants a better relationship with the rest of the EU and Ukraine. Almost 80% of people who could, turned out to vote, which broke records. Magyar’s Tisza party has won a huge majority, which will allow him to change both Orbán's increasingly unpopular domestic policies and Hungary’s global relationships. Learn about the news in a level of English you can understand with…
8 Apr 2026 · 8 min

Artemis II takes humans further from Earth than ever before

Astronauts on the Nasa spacecraft Artemis II are on their way back to Earth after travelling around the Moon. The spacecraft broke the record for the furthest distance humans have travelled into space, reaching 406,771km away from the Earth. While the crew did not land on the Moon, this is the first time humans have travelled to the Moon since 1972. Learn about the news in a level of English you can understand with Georgie and Pippa. Get a free worksheet for this episode here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/learning-english-from-the-news_2026/260408 Learn about all…
1 Apr 2026 · 8 min

US Court: YouTube and Meta built addictive platforms

Meta and YouTube have been found legally responsible for creating addictive platforms. Meta is the company that owns Facebook, Instagram and Whatsapp. Kaley, known only by her first name, started the lawsuit against Meta and YouTube in Los Angeles in the US, claiming that they had negatively impacted her mental health. She received $6m in damages. Meta argued that it’s worked over the years to fight these problems and promoted safe experiences for young people. However, a separate trial in New Mexico ordered Meta to pay $375m for misleading people about the child safety of their platforms.…
27 Mar 2026 · 14 min

Our World in English: Fighting child marriage through football

Though illegal, child marriage is widely practiced in India. UNICEF’s latest estimate is that 216 million girls and women in India today have been married before they turned 18. But some girls and young women are trying to resist the practice. In this short documentary, we meet Munna, who found an unusual way out of becoming a child bride - through playing football. This episode of is based on the documentary India's sportswomen playing to be seen from Assignment on the BBC World Service. The original programme was reported by Divya Arya and produced by John Murphy. Find the original…
25 Mar 2026 · 9 min

Earth ‘pushed beyond its limit’ UN warns

The latest report from the World Meteorological Organization, part of the UN, shows concerning statistics around climate change. Learn about the news in language you can understand with Phil and Becca. Get a free worksheet for this episode here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/learning-english-from-the-news_2026/260325 Try 6 Minute English here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english Sign up to our weekly newsletter for more tips to improve your English: https://www.bbc.co.uk/send/u178220599 Find us on social media @bbclearningenglish

About Learning English from the News

Learning English from the News is a English learning podcast from BBC Radio. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.

Publisher: BBC Radio
Language: English
Category: Learning
New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 8 min
Latest episode: 7 Oct 2026
Feed: RSS — paste into any podcast app
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1291980917
Website: bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05hw4bq
Rights: (C) BBC 2026

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