English News Pod: Recent Episodes
English Teacher Caroline
Do you want to learn English but don’t have a lot of time? Listening to the news in English is a great way to build your fluency by learning common vocabulary and phrases associated with various topics! The best news (no pun intended), is that with this podcast, you can learn from anywhere! This podcast is great for students of all levels, from beginners trying to expand their listening and vocabulary skills to advanced students looking to build a regular practice. Subscribe and follow for breaking news in English with English Teacher Caroline. Let's get to learning English together!
Episode 25: Today's news in English will look at the ongoing coup in Niger. A sudden coup in Niger has sent shockwaves through West Africa and the world. With the democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum overthrown, Niger is now at a critical crossroads. As international tensions rise, the future of Niger and its people hangs in the balance. Let’s delve into this unfolding situation.
Episode 24: Today's news in English will look at the damage caused by the Hawaii wildfires in August 2023. Please find the full transcript here.
Visit www.englishnewspod.com for more learning resources!
Today's news in English will look at Twitter’s new name, “X.” Please find the full transcript here.
Today's news in English will look at the war happening between Barbie and Oppenheimer in the box office. Please find the full transcript here.
Today's news in English will look at Taylor Swift’s highly successful Eras Tour. Please find the full transcript here.
Episode 20: Today's news in English will look at the business side of Wimbledon. Please find the full transcript here.
Episode 19: Today's news in English will look at Instagram’s new app, Threads. Please find the full transcript here.
Episode 18: Today's news in English will look at Lionel Messi signing at Inter Miami. Please find the full transcript here.
Episode 17: The United Nations (UN) estimates the world’s population to hit 8 billion people soon! Please find the full transcript here.
Episode 16: Today's news in English will look at Indonesia's new digital nomad visa. Please find the full transcript here:
Today's news in English will discuss Adele’s first public concert in 5 years. Please find the full transcript here. Thanks for listening, and I will see you soon for more news in English!
Episode 14: Today's news in English will look at the impact of UK visa processing time delays. Please find the full transcript here. Thanks for listening, and I will see you soon for more news in English!
Episode 13: Today's news in English will look at millions of people in Japan being asked to turn off their lights due to a heatwave. Please find the full transcript here. Thanks for listening, and I will see you soon for more news in English!
Episode 12: Today's special grammar episode will look at the active and passive voices in English. Please find the full transcript here. Thanks for listening, and I will see you soon for more news in English!
Episode 11: Today's news in English will look at the coup in Myanmar (Burma) and the most recent updates on the protests, curfews, and state of emergency. You can find a full transcript of this podcast episode here. Thanks for listening, and I will see you soon for more news in English!
Episode 10: Today's news in English will look at how Wall Street was brought to its knees by people like you and me on Reddit. This is the story of the GameStop Stock (GME) war. You can find a full transcript of this podcast episode here.
Thanks for listening, and I will see you soon for more news in English!
Episode 9: Today's news in English will look at the new COVID-19 curfews in the UK and the reaction of British pub-goers. You can find a full transcript of this podcast episode here.
Thanks for listening, and I will see you soon for more news in English!
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EnglishTeacherCaroline
Episode 8: Today's news in English will look at the 2020 U.S. hurricane season and the rare naming of storms using the Greek alphabet, rather than the typically used Latin alphabet. You can find a full transcript of this podcast here.
Thanks for listening, and I will see you soon for more news in English!
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EnglishTeacherCaroline
Episode 7: Today's news in English will look at the destruction of the Moria Refugee Camp on the Greek island of Lesbos late in the night on September 8, 2020. Please find the full transcript here.
Thanks for listening, and I will see you soon for more news in English!
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EnglishTeacherCaroline
Episode 6: Today's news in English will look at Uganda’s gorilla baby boom this summer in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. Look below for a full transcript:
Hello my beautiful students and welcome back to English News Pod, the best way for you to learn practical English through the news. I’m your host and teacher, Caroline.
Now, let’s take a look at today’s top news. You can find a full transcript of this podcast episode in the description.
Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is experiencing a baby boom. No, not of humans, but gorillas! This boom is unprecedented. At least 5 baby gorillas were born from July to August this year. Some people attribute the baby boom to the halting of tourism to the park due to the coronavirus, which created a more calm environment for the gorillas to flourish. However, officials believe the baby boom is a sign that heightened conservation efforts to protect and monitor the endangered gorillas are finally paying off.
Let’s take a look at some grammar:
- Baby boom - a “baby boom” is a period of time when a lot of babies are born.
- Unprecedented - unprecedented means that the event has not happened before, or has not happened as intensely as in the past. In this example, this number of babies born in the park is unprecedented because it has never happened in such a short amount of time.
- Attribute - “to attribute” is a verb which means that someone believes one thing is caused by another thing. For example, some people attribute the baby boom to the lack of tourism during coronavirus, meaning some people believe the baby boom was caused by the park closing during coronavirus.
- Halting - “to halt” is a verb that means to stop. In this example, we are talking about tourism being halted, or stopped, because of the coronavirus pandemic.
- Flourish - “to flourish” means to grow very quickly and oftentimes in a beautiful way. For example, you can say your garden is flourishing when all of the flowers grow quickly and beautifully. In our case, we are saying the gorillas are flourishing because they are having a baby boom.
- Heightened - “heightened” is an adjective which means increased or more than normal. So, the park officials believe heightened, or increased, conservation efforts caused the baby boom.
- Conservation efforts - the word “conservation” comes from the verb “to conserve something.” When you conserve something, you are trying to save it or protect it. “Effort” is a noun that means an attempt, or when you try to do something. So, together, a “conservation effort” is the attempt to save or protect something. In our case, we are discussing the attempt to protect the gorillas in Uganda.
- Endangered - “endangered” is an adjective which comes from the word “danger” and means that a group is in danger of becoming extinct, or disappearing forever. Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is a place to protect endangered gorillas, so they can continue to live without the danger of disappearing.
- Paying off - “pay off” is a phrasal verb which means to get a good result. In this case, the conservation efforts are paying off and the baby gorillas are the good result!
That wraps us up for today. If you liked this podcast, please subscribe and follow for episodes 3 times a week, every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
Thanks for listening, and I will see you soon for more news in English!
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EnglishTeacherCaroline
Episode 5: Today's news in English will look at the president of Turkey, Erdoğan, and his plan to construct a huge canal through Istanbul. Look below for a full transcript:
Hello my beautiful students and welcome back to English News Pod, the best way for you to learn practical English through the news. I’m your host and teacher, Caroline.
Now, let’s take a look at today’s top news. You can find a full transcript of this podcast episode in the description.
Erdoğan, the President of the country, Turkey, continues to push ahead with plans to create a new canal in Istanbul. The new canal is a mega-project that will be constructed by digging a 45 km long route through the European side of the city to help cargo ships pass through the city easier. Erdoğan argues this project is necessary for the economy to grow, however, a lot of people oppose the project. Opponents claim the country cannot afford to build the canal, and that it eventually will destroy the environment and increase the population of the city.
Let’s take a look at some grammar:
- Push ahead - “to push ahead with something” is a phrasal verb that means to continue following a plan in a determined way. In this case, Erdoğan is pushing ahead, or continuing his plans to create a new canal in Istanbul.
- Canal - a canal is like a small river that is built specifically for boats to travel easier.
- Mega - “mega” is a prefix used to describe something very very large and expensive. In this example, the new canal is a mega-project, or a very large and expensive project.
- Cargo ship - cargo ships are large boats that carry food, manufactured products, and animals to be imported and exported between different countries.
- Pass through - “pass through” is a phrasal verb used to describe travelling somewhere or going somewhere for a short period of time. For example, cargo ships pass through, or travel through, Istanbul quickly.
- Oppose - “to oppose something” has the opposite meaning of “to support something.” In this example, opponents, or the people who oppose the canal project, do not like the project and do not support it.
- Population - “population” is the amount of people who live in a place. For example, Istanbul’s population is currently more than 15 million people. The opponents of the canal project worry that the population of Istanbul will increase.
That wraps us up for today. If you liked this podcast, please subscribe and follow for episodes 3 times a week, every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
Thanks for listening, and I will see you soon for more news in English!
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EnglishTeacherCaroline
Episode 4: Today's news in English will look at the new remote/digital nomad visas being introduced by countries around the world. Look below for a full transcript:
Hello my beautiful students and welcome back to English News Pod, the best way for you to learn practical English through the news. I’m your host and teacher, Caroline.
Now, let’s take a look at today’s top news. You can find a full transcript of this podcast episode in the description.
Do you want to work abroad but like the job you currently have? Well, some countries are making it easier to obtain visas for remote work, particularly in the wake of COVID-19. Bermuda, Barbados, Georgia, Mexico, and Estonia have each recently released visa programs targeted for remote workers and self employed digital nomads. This follows a recent trend of many European countries offering visas for entrepreneurs and freelancers. So, if you’re interested in working abroad remotely, be sure to research the income requirements and duration for each of the different programs.
Let’s take a look at some grammar:
- “In the wake of” - “in the wake of + something” is a phrase we use to describe when a smaller event is happening at the same time as a larger event. In this example, we are talking about the release of the new visas (the small event), happening during the coronavirus pandemic (the big event).
- Remote workers - remote workers, or working remotely, means to be able to work from anywhere in the world through your computer.
- Digital nomads - digital nomads are remote workers who use their remote lifestyle to travel often and live in exotic and inexpensive places - most popularly Thailand and Bali.
- Trend - a trend is a pattern. For example, the new visa programs are part of “a recent trend, or pattern, of many European countries also offering visas for entrepreneurs and freelancers.”
- Income - income is the amount of money you make from working. You will usually see this amount described as before tax or after tax.
- Requirement - a requirement is a condition you HAVE to meet before you can apply for something. For example, you might need to make a certain amount of money, or income, to apply for a digital nomad visa.
That wraps us up for today. If you liked this podcast, please subscribe and follow for episodes 3 times a week, every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
Thanks for listening, and I will see you soon for more news in English!
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EnglishTeacherCaroline
Episode 3: Today's news in English will look at Twitter's tribute to the death of Black Panther star, Chadwick Boseman. Boseman's final tweet is now the most-liked tweet ever on Twitter. Look below for a full transcript:
Hello my beautiful students and welcome back to English News Pod, the best way for you to learn practical English through news - on the go. I’m your host and teacher, Caroline.
Now, let’s take a look at today’s top news. You can find a full transcript of this podcast episode in the description.
Social media platform, Twitter, has confirmed that beloved actor Chadwick Boseman’s final tweet is the most-liked Tweet ever. Twitter shared a tweet saying, “A tribute fit for a King #WakandaForever.” Sadly, Boseman passed away a few days ago on August 28 due to cancer. Boseman was best known for his role in the 2018 Marvel film, Black Panther. He played the king of the imaginary kingdom of Wakanda. The film had an almost entirely black cast, marking an important cultural milestone that has inspired children and adults around the world. Let’s take a look at some grammar:
- Beloved - the word beloved means to be loved by many people. So, when we say, “beloved actor Chadwick Boseman,” it means that Chadwick Boseman is loved by a lot of people.
- Tribute - when someone tributes, they are making a large statement or giving a large gift to show respect to someone else. For example, Twitter shared a tweet saying, “A tribute fit for a King”. In this case, Twitter’s tweet about Chadwick is actually Twitter’s tribute to Chadwick.
- Passed away - a nice and gentle way to saying that someone died.
- Role - a role is the part an actor is in charge of in a movie, tv show, or play. You will often hear it used with the verb ‘to play’. For example, “He played the King”. Meaning that Boseman’s character in the movie was the king.
- Cast - the cast is all of the actors in a movie, tv show, or play. For example, "Black Panther had an almost entirely black cast."
- Milestone - the word milestone 2 meanings: the first is a stone next to the road used to mark distance. But in this context, we are using it as an event marking a big change in life. In this case, the film "marked an important cultural milestone" because its cast was almost entirely black.
That wraps us up for today. If you liked this podcast, please subscribe and follow for episodes 3 times a week, every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
Thanks for listening, and I will see you soon for more news stories in English!
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EnglishTeacherCaroline
Episode 2: Today's news in English will look at the K-pop band, BTS, and their new single, Dynamite. If you don't know, BTS is the Korean pop band taking the world by storm! Look below for a full transcript:
Hello my beautiful students and welcome back to English News Pod, the best way for you to learn practical English through news - on the go. I’m your host and teacher, Caroline.
Now, let’s take a look at today’s top news. You can find a full transcript of this podcast episode in the description.
K-pop group, BTS, has shattered records this week with their new single, Dynamite. The music video for the song broke a record on YouTube, with over 101.1 million views within 24 hours of its release. Dynamite has also landed on the top 10 chart in the UK for the first time. Many think this immense popularity is because the song is in English, rather than Korean. What do you think?
Let’s take a look at some grammar:
- K-pop is the short phrase we use for ‘korean pop music’. “K-pop group, BTS, has shattered records this week...”
- Shattered is a synonym for the verb to break. “K-pop group, BTS, has shattered, or broken, records this week.” In this sentence, shattering records is a lot more intense and impressive than just breaking them.
- Music chart - music charts are lists that rank the most popular songs in a country. “Dynamite has also landed on the top 10 chart in the UK.” In this example, we are talking about the top 10 songs in the UK.
- Immense - is a synonym for something on a very large scale. So, “immense popularity” means the song is very very popular!
That wraps us up for today. If you liked this podcast, please subscribe and follow for episodes 3 times a week, every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
Thanks for listening, and I will see you soon for more news stories in English!
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EnglishTeacherCaroline
Episode 1 is finally here! Today's news in English will look at Qantas' flights from Australia to Antarctica during the Coronavirus pandemic. Look below for a full transcript:
Hello my beautiful students and welcome back to English News Pod, the best way for you to learn practical English through news - on the go. I’m your host and teacher, Caroline.
Now, let’s take a look at today’s top news. You can find a full transcript of this podcast episode in the description.
An Australian airline company, Qantas, is conducting flights from Australia to Antarctica. Qantas calls these “sightseeing flights,” because they begin and end in the same destination in Australia. Currently, Australians cannot leave Australia due to the Coronavirus pandemic. So, these 12 hour tours to nowhere are increasingly popular for travel bugs looking to safely explore somewhere new.
Let’s take a look at some grammar:
- The word “sightseeing,” as a verb, means to see new sights or places. We use this with the verb “to go” … “to go sightseeing.” We can also use it as a noun. For example, we can say tourists are sightseers.
- The term “travel bugs” is a popular phrase we use to describe people who love to travel and who travel often. For example, “these 12 hour tours to nowhere are increasingly popular for travel bugs looking to safely explore somewhere new.”
That wraps us up for today. If you liked this podcast, please subscribe and follow for episodes 3 times a week, every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
Thanks for listening, and I will see you soon for more news stories in English!
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EnglishTeacherCaroline
Hello my beautiful students and welcome to English News Pod, the best way for you to learn practical English through the news - on the go. My name is Caroline and I’ll be your host, and English Teacher.
I have been teaching English for 5 years - in 7 countries and online - and I believe listening to the news is one of the best ways for you to learn new vocabulary and increase your fluency in English.
Each episode will be about 5 minutes long, meaning that you can learn many topics in English, any time, anywhere. Like, on your way to work, at the gym, or in the shower - anywhere!
When you hear this sound (news sound), I will give you the summary of a breaking news event in English. And when you hear this sound (grammar sound), I will help you learn any special or difficult grammar from the news summary. Don’t worry, you can always find a transcript of the episode in the description.
Subscribe and follow English News Pod for new episodes every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
Thanks for listening, and I will see you soon for breaking news!
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EnglishTeacherCaroline