News Level: B1
New euro banknote designs revealed
NEWS SUMMARY The European Central Bank has unveiled ten possible designs of new euro banknotes. They include five proposals on the culture theme and five proposals on the nature theme. The culture theme features figures from European history in the fields of art, music, science and literature, and the nature theme features six bird species, […]
A World Cup coincidence
NEWS SUMMARY The 2026 FIFA World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, ended with Spain winning its second World Cup title. Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 after extra time in the final, with Ferran Torres scoring the winning goal in the 105th minute. Argentina finished as runners-up in what is expected to be […]
Extreme heat across Europe
NEWS SUMMARY A record-breaking heatwave has affected much of Europe since around June 20, 2026, bringing temperatures above 40°C (104°F) in several countries. The extreme heat has caused wildfires, disrupted transport, closed schools and put pressure on hospitals and power systems. In France, the public health agency already reported around 1,000 excess deaths linked to […]
Streamer raises record funds for cancer charity
NEWS SUMMARY Polish streamer Patryk Garkowski hosted a 9-day charity livestream to raise money for Cancer Fighters foundation. During the stream, he invited other influencers and celebrities, including footballer Robert Lewandowski, to join him and support the event. He also played a special song during the livestream, which was made by the rapper Bedoes 2115 […]
F1 Japan Grand Prix highlights
NEWS SUMMARY Formula 1 is a world championship where drivers and car constructors compete in races called Grand Prix, which take place in different countries throughout the year. Each race gives points to the drivers. The driver who collects the most points by the end of the season wins the whole championship. So every single […]
Oscars 2026 highlights
NEWS SUMMARY The Oscars 2026 had several important moments. The film One battle after another won six awards including the Best Picture award. Sinners and Frankenstein won several Oscars, which does not happen often for horror films. As for Best Actor, many people thought Timothée Chalamet would win it, but Michael B. Jordan took the […]
The Grammys in focus
NEWS SUMMARY The Grammy Awards took place in the United States, celebrating the biggest achievements in music. Bad Bunny made history when his album DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS became the first all-Spanish-language album to win Album of the Year. Kendrick Lamar had a very successful night, winning five awards and becoming the rap artist with […]
Free solo climb in Taipei
NEWS SUMMARY American climber Alex Honnold climbed a 101-storey skyscraper in Taipei, which stands 508 metres (1,667 feet) tall. He did it without any ropes or other safety gear. The climb took him a little over 1.5 hours. Netflix live streamed the climb but there was a delay ‘should the worst happen’. Honnold has completed […]
Artemis II and names aboard
NEWS SUMMARY NASA’s Artemis II mission, planned for February 2026, will send four astronauts around the far side of the Moon for the first time in over 50 years. Along with the crew, more than 1.5 million names from people around the world will travel on a microchip inside the Orion spacecraft. Anyone can take […]
Best wildlife photographs of 2025
NEWS SUMMARY Wildlife Photographer of the Year is an annual photography competition organized by the Natural History Museum in London. The submitted photographs document wildlife across the globe. It is the largest nature photography competition in the world: in 2025, more than 60,000 photos were entered, of which 100 were selected for the exhibition at […]
Weather extremes in Australia
NEWS SUMMARY December has brought both record heat and record cold to Australia. The western part of the continent is experiencing intense heat, between 8 and 10ºC (14 and 18ºF) above average. The city of Perth has recorded the hottest start to December on record at 39ºC (102ºF). Meanwhile, the south-east of the continent is […]
A 13-year-old inventor helps older people
NEWS SUMMARY Kevin Tang, a 13-year-old from California, invented FallGuard, a system that uses cameras and an algorithm to detect when older people fall, and alerts caregivers about the accident. Tang developed the device after his grandmother’s accident, and later refined it with help from a mentor. His invention earned him the title of ‘America’s […]
Taylor Swift’s record-breaking week
NEWS SUMMARY Taylor Swift has broken Adele’s record for the most albums sold in the first week of release. Her new album, The Life of a Showgirl, sold 3.5 million copies, beating Adele’s 25, which sold 3.4 million in 2015. The album’s success comes from Swift’s incredibly loyal fanbase, known as Swifties, and her strong […]
Shein to open first physical stores
NEWS SUMMARY Online, ultra fast-fashion retailer Shein has announced that it is going to open its first permanent physical stores next month. The shops will be located in several French cities. Shein said that they chose France because it’s an “influential global fashion market”. The idea has drawn criticism from many French people. Shein, founded […]
September equinox
NEWS SUMMARY September 22nd marked the autumnal equinox this year. Astronomical autumn has officially started in the northern hemisphere, while the southern hemisphere welcomed astronomical spring. On the day of the equinox, Earth experiences nearly equal amounts of day and night. Soon, some countries will be turning their clocks back one hour due to daylight […]
Spotlight on the Emmys
NEWS SUMMARY The 77th Emmy Awards were held on Sunday night in Los Angeles. ‘The Studio’ (Apple TV+) was the biggest winner with 13 awards, including Best Comedy Series. ‘Adolescence’ won Best Limited Series, and ‘The Pitt’ won Best Drama Series. ‘The Late Show With Stephen Colbert’ got its first Emmy for Outstanding Talk Series. […]
Accidental summer hit
NEWS SUMMARY What began as a funny TikTok snippet from Luke Holloway’s series Turning Terrible Tinder Conversations into Songs has become 2025’s unexpected summer anthem. ‘I Have One Daughter’ – based on a bizarre dating app exchange – went viral with nearly 3 million likes. Soon, a trend emerged in which social media users play […]
Bezos and Sánchez wedding in Venice
NEWS SUMMARY Billionaire Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez held lavish, three-day wedding celebrations in Venice, Italy. Among the 200 guests were many celebrities, all of whom came with their entourages and security teams. It is estimated that the celebrations cost around $50 million. Some Venice residents protested the event, arguing that the place suffers from […]
China’s EV Revolution
NEWS SUMMARY China has become the global leader in electric vehicles (EVs), with BYD overtaking Tesla as the world’s top EV seller. This success is the result of massive government subsidies and investment in infrastructure like the world’s largest charging network. Chinese companies now produce high-tech, affordable EVs for both domestic and international markets. Western […]
Lilo and Stitch beats Tom Cruise
NEWS SUMMARY Disney’s Lilo and Stitch live-action remake has outperformed Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning during a record-breaking weekend at the box office. The heartwarming story of a girl and a runaway alien surprised many with its strong global performance. Meanwhile, Tom Cruise’s latest action-packed adventure also attracted large audiences. Although Cruise says this […]
Climbing Everest
NEWS SUMMARY A British mountaineer and mountain guide has broken his own record for the most Mount Everest climbs by a non-Sherpa. Kenton Cool, aged 51, has reached the summit of the world’s highest mountain for the 19th time. The world record for the most climbs up Mount Everest is held by a Nepali Sherpa […]
Goodbye, Skype!
NEWS SUMMARY Microsoft has shut down Skype this month, ending the service’s 22-year run as a once-dominant voice and video calling platform. Skype, launched in 2003, was once revolutionary for allowing free international calls. It had seen major success before being acquired by Microsoft in 2011. Over the years, its popularity declined in the face […]
