A two-minute round-up of world news, useful for practising listening comprehension and news vocabulary.
Summary of News Items
- Iran — Strait of Hormuz closed again
- US — Continued blockade of Gulf ships until peace deal
- Lebanon — Ceasefire holding in southern region
- Russia/Ukraine — US renews waiver for Russian oil; Ukraine drone attacks
- Pope Leo — Finishes Cameroon visit, heading to Angola
- DRC — Peace talks with M-23 rebels in Switzerland
- Nigeria — Kidnapping victims rescued in Benue state
- France — Actress Natalie Baye dies at 77
Transcript
Iran’s military says it’s closed the Strait of Hormuz again and accused the United States of failing to fulfil its obligations. The opening was announced with a fanfare on Friday and warmly greeted by the markets. But President Trump subsequently said the U.S. would continue its blockade of ships travelling out of the Gulf until a peace deal was reached.
Meanwhile the ceasefire in southern Lebanon appears to be broadly holding.
The United States has renewed a waiver allowing countries to buy sanctioned Russian oil for another month, days after saying it would not do so. The Kremlin’s special envoy said the extension would affect another 100 million barrels of oil in transit. A port in Russia’s northwestern Leningrad region has been set on fire in a drone attack, as Ukraine continues to target oil exporting facilities. Kyiv also confirmed it had attacked two oil refineries in the Samara region.
Pope Leo has celebrated one last mass in Cameroon at the conclusion of his three-day visit. He used his stay to deliver strong warnings against corruption and the plunder of resources before travelling on to Angola.
The Democratic Republic of Congo and the Rwandan-backed M23 rebels have concluded a fresh round of talks in Switzerland. A joint statement says both sides will allow in humanitarian aid, protect civilians and begin monitoring a permanent ceasefire.
Nigerian police say several of the 14 people kidnapped by gunmen in Benue state have been rescued in a security operation, and that seven suspects have been arrested.
One of France’s most celebrated film stars, Natalie Baye, has died at the age of 77. The internationally known actress was known for roles in the Spielberg hit Catch Me If You Can and the period drama Downton Abbey. Her family said she had been living with the neurodegenerative disease Lewy body dementia.
Key Vocabulary
| Word/Phrase | English Definition | Chinese Definition |
|---|---|---|
| blockade | an act of sealing off a place to prevent goods or people from entering or leaving | 封锁 |
| waiver | an official cancellation of a rule or requirement | 豁免；放弃 |
| ceasefire | a formal agreement to stop fighting | 停火 |
| plunder | to steal goods or resources by force | 掠夺 |
| neurodegenerative | relating to the progressive loss of structure or function of neurons | 神经退行性的 |
Critical Thinking Questions
- How does world news vocabulary (blockade, waiver, ceasefire) differ from everyday conversational English?
- Try summarising one of the eight stories above in your own words in under 30 seconds.