News Level: C2
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, […]
Medical tourism surges in South Korea
NEWS SUMMARY South Korea is becoming a major destination for medical tourism, with more travellers adding health check-ups to their holidays. In 2025, over two million foreign patients visited the country, attracted by affordable prices, efficient service and high-quality healthcare. Many clinics offer comprehensive health screenings, including blood tests, ultrasounds and X-rays, in a single […]
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 […]
Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’ premiers in London
NEWS SUMMARY ‘The Odyssey’, Christopher Nolan’s three-hour version of Homer’s epic poem, has premiered in London. So far, the reviews have been very positive. The film has been described as ‘breathtaking’, ‘an absolute triumph’ and ‘a colossal achievement of scale, even by Nolan’s standards’. The cast includes Anne Hathaway, Matt Damon, Robert Pattinson and Zendaya. […]
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce got married
NEWS SUMMARY Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce got married at a ceremony held at Madison Square Garden in New York after three years together. The wedding was confirmed by Swift’s publicist, while giant screens outside the venue displayed the message ‘JUST&T MARRIED!’ Comedian Adam Sandler officiated the ceremony, and the couple’s brothers played important roles […]
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 […]
David Hockney dies at 88
NEWS SUMMARY A renowned British painter, David Hockney, has died at the age of 88. Hockney was best known for his vivid colours and bold shapes. He also worked as a photographer, created landscapes on his iPad, produced lithographs, stained glass windows and much more. In 2018, one of the paintings from his swimming pool […]
World Cup ticket prices under fire
NEWS SUMMARY FIFA is under investigation over its ticket sales practices for the 2026 World Cup. Critics have accused the organisation of charging extremely high prices and using a confusing sales process. For the first time, FIFA introduced dynamic pricing, causing ticket prices to increase significantly as demand grew. Some tickets for the final rose […]
Dozens of new species discovered in Angola
NEWS SUMMARY Scientists exploring Angola’s remote Lisima Plateau have discovered many species that were previously unknown to science. These include eight new dragonfly species, three new grasshopper species, around 60 new butterflies and moths, an armoured cricket that can spray liquid at predators and a newly identified caterpillar and butterfly species. Researchers also found two […]
Patagonia vs Pattie Gonia lawsuit
NEWS SUMMARY Outdoor apparel brand Patagonia has filed a trademark lawsuit against environmental activist Pattie Gonia, the drag persona of the photographer Wyn Wiley, to prevent them from officially registering their stage name. Patagonia argues that Wiley’s move to expand from an online persona into commercial events and products directly competes with their brand and […]
Driverless taxis suspended in major US cities
NEWS SUMMARY Waymo has temporarily paused its robotaxi services on US freeways after several self-driving cars drove into flooded areas and became stuck. The company is now updating its software to improve how the vehicles react to dangerous road conditions and construction zones.The suspension affects freeway routes in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Miami, […]
Crowds gather for new Swatch watch
NEWS SUMMARY People rushed to buy a limited-edition £335 pocket watch from a collaboration between Swatch and luxury brand Audemars Piguet. The design was inspired by Pop Art. The product quickly became highly sought after, with some people reselling it online for as much as £16,000. Because of safety concerns, Swatch temporarily closed many of […]
Hantavirus outbreak
NEWS SUMMARY Passengers from the hantavirus-affected cruise ship have been evacuated and transported to several countries worldwide. So far three cruise ship passengers have died, while five other individuals have tested positive for the virus. According to the World Health Organization, the overall risk to the general public remains low. Hantavirus is mainly transmitted through […]
Banksy’s new artwork appears in Central London
NEWS SUMMARY Banksy, an anonymous and world-famous street artist, has confirmed that a large statue that appeared in central London is his work. The sculpture shows a suited man walking forward off a pedestal while a flag covers his face, and it was secretly installed in Waterloo Place, a prominent area of central London near […]
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 […]
Inside the Artemis II mission
NEWS SUMMARY NASA’s Artemis II mission marked the first time in more than 50 years that humans traveled around the moon. A crew of four astronauts completed a 10-day journey around the moon and back, launching the first crewed flight of the Artemis program. The initiative aims to land people on the Moon by 2028 […]
From gaming to air traffic control
NEWS SUMMARY The US government is encouraging gamers to apply for jobs as air traffic controllers to help solve a staff shortage. A new campaign by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) highlights that gaming skills, such as quick decision-making, are useful for the role. Air traffic controllers are responsible for coordinating air traffic at airports, […]
Rising oil and gas prices worldwide
NEWS SUMMARY Due to the ongoing US-Iran conflict, global oil and gas prices have increased sharply. Countries around the world are taking action to reduce the impact on their citizens: Source: Sky News ACTIVITY 1 Ask students if they know what is happening on the global oil market. Follow up by asking if they are […]
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 […]
Musk liable for misleading investors
NEWS SUMMARY A San Francisco jury found Elon Musk liable for misleading investors with his tweets during his 2022 acquisition of Twitter. In the tweets, Musk expressed his concerns about the actual number of bot accounts on the platform and stated that the deal was ‘temporarily on hold’. Shareholders who sold their stock after the […]
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 […]
Satellite images and emperor penguins
NEWS SUMMARY Scientists discovered new emperor penguin moulting sites in Antarctica using satellite images from previous years. During moulting, emperor penguins replace their old waterproof feathers with new ones. Scientists studied images from the past seven years and found brown patches on the ice where penguins had left their old feathers. Between 2022 and 2024, […]
Winter Olympics 2026: sport, art and viral moments
NEWS SUMMARY As the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina came to an end, the BBC published a collection of striking photographs from the Games and compared them to famous works of art. From an infrared image of a Ukrainian luger that looks like a futuristic painting, to a South Korean snowboarder ‘floating’ looking like a […]
Evidence for alien life?
NEWS SUMMARY US President Donald Trump has announced that US agencies will release all government files “related to alien and extraterrestrial life, unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), and unidentified flying objects (UFOs), and any and all other information connected to these highly complex but extremely interesting and important matters”. The announcement came after former US President […]
Vanishing coastlines
NEWS SUMMARY Two iconic European tourist landmarks have dramatically changed due to extreme weather and coastal erosion. On Valentine’s Day, Italy’s famous Lovers’ Arch in Puglia collapsed into the Adriatic Sea after strong storms, heavy rainfall and powerful waves changed the rock structure. Meanwhile, in Iceland, world-famous Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach almost disappeared in just […]
Soaring gold prices
NEWS SUMMARY Gold prices have reached record highs, signalling increased economic and geopolitical uncertainty, as investors tend to turn to gold as a safe-haven asset. The surge appears to be driven by factors such as the changing trade policies and tariffs, future interest rates and investor speculation. Market speculations often peak near major market tops, […]
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 […]
George Clooney and family granted French citizenship
NEWS SUMMARY Actor George Clooney and his wife, human rights lawyer Amal Clooney have been granted French citizenship. Their two children have become French citizens, too. The family’s chosen to live in France because they want a quieter life and more privacy than they have in Hollywood. They say that strong privacy laws in France help […]
Understanding the risks of tattoos
NEWS SUMMARY Scientists are discovering that tattoo ink can affect the immune system. Ink particles do not stay in the skin – they can travel to lymph nodes and interact with immune cells. Some pigments, especially in red, yellow and orange inks, may cause allergies, inflammation, or other long-term effects. Tattoo inks can contain metals […]
Retro Christmas decorations make a comeback
NEWS SUMMARY Retro Christmas decorations are trending again. The trend started last year, but in 2025 it has gone over-the-top. People are filling their homes and trees with bold, mismatched ornaments, tinsel, foil garlands, paper chains and brightly coloured lights, so it looks like Christmas has exploded in the room. Many hunt for nostalgic décor […]
Prices of computer memory soaring
NEWS SUMMARY The AI boom is pushing up the price of RAM (random access memory), the fundamental hardware that computer processors need. AI systems require vast amounts of high-speed memory which manufacturers prioritize over consumer RAM. The shift has reduced the availability of regular computer memory, which is likely to lead to higher prices of […]
Australia’s social media ban for under-16s
NEWS SUMMARY Australia has introduced a law banning social media use for anyone under 16 on major platforms like TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat. Users must prove their age using ID or facial verification. Some teens are already finding ways to bypass the system, such as using photos of adults or VPNs. Companies must ensure the […]
Mosquito mouthparts used for 3D printing
NEWS SUMMARY Researchers at McGill University in Canada have developed a 3D printing technique called 3D necroprinting. They used the proboscis of a female mosquito as a natural nozzle, which can print very fine structures as thin as 20 micrometres at low cost. The nozzles fit existing 3D printers and last up to two weeks […]
Farewell to the penny
NEWS SUMMARY The US Mint has produced its last penny (1-cent coin). Pennies are no longer minted because producing them costs almost four times more than they’re worth. The coin itself has very little value and nothing can be bought for a penny anymore. However, since the penny is still legal tender, it will continue […]
