Episode notes
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:…
Learning English from the News
by BBC Radio · English · Learning
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…
More from Learning English from the News
-
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…
-
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…
-
7 Oct 2026 · 7 min
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…
-
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…
Take it with you
The Melo app keeps playing with the screen off, works in the car and on your watch, wakes you to your station, and browses the whole catalogue offline. Free, no ads, no account.
