English Listening Practice — September 9, 2026

📰 N Korea has built two-storey uranium enrichment facility, says watchdog

North Korea has erected a new two-storey uranium enrichment facility at its primary Yongbyon nuclear complex.

According to IAEA chief Rafael Grossi, the structure is reportedly capable of housing up to 28 centrifuge cascades.

Grossi designated the development a cause for serious concern.

He affirmed that Pyongyang’s advancing nuclear program constitutes a clear violation of UN Security Council resolutions.

The agency relies on satellite imagery to track this steady expansion of the North’s sanctioned nuclear infrastructure.

⚔️ Iran attacks US base after American strikes on tankers

Early Wednesday, Iran launched a ballistic missile barrage targeting an American military base in Jordan.

Iranian officials confirmed the strike was carried out in direct retaliation for recent United States attacks on Iranian tankers.

According to United States statements, American forces successfully destroyed five Iranian oil tankers.

Those maritime strikes occurred in the Gulf of Oman and in waters near Kharg Island, off Iran's coast.

Iran confirmed that its missile assault in Jordan was a direct response to the destruction of those five vessels.

📰 Serbia's Vucic calls snap elections after nearly two years of protests

On Wednesday, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic formally called snap parliamentary elections for October 25.

The impending vote serves as a pivotal test for his right-wing populist Serbian Progressive Party.

This critical electoral contest comes in the direct wake of nearly two years of persistent, student-led anti-corruption protests.

The scheduled autumn ballot is widely anticipated to gauge the ruling party’s political resilience.

It will measure their overall standing following this extended period of sustained public demonstrations.

⚔️ Oil prices rise above $100 a barrel for first time since July as Iran war escalates

Oil prices have surged past the 100-dollar-a-barrel threshold for the first time since July.

Brent crude gained roughly three percent, climbing past 100 dollars and 80 cents.

This rally follows escalating hostilities in the Gulf between the United States and Iran.

Tehran launched ballistic missiles at an American warship, prompting the US military to destroy several Iranian tankers.

Compounding the turmoil, Iranian-backed Houthi forces struck four Saudi cities, injuring over 70 people and setting oil facilities ablaze.

European gas markets followed suit, hitting multi-month highs.

🇨🇳 EU unveils ‘buy European’ public procurement rules to counter China

The European Commission has unveiled a comprehensive overhaul of its public procurement framework.

The initiative urges public bodies, including schools and hospitals, to favor homegrown goods and services.

This strategy aims to counter non-European competitors, particularly China.

Notably, the draft rules stop short of imposing binding domestic quotas.

Industrial policy chief Stéphane Séjourné emphasized that the overhaul offers public buyers greater legal certainty.

Crucially, it clarifies that agencies are not legally bound to award contracts to the lowest bidder.

📰 India's Adani Airport to raise $1bn from BlackRock, Temasek and others

Adani Airport Holdings, India’s largest private airport operator, is securing 98.25 billion rupees—approximately 1.04 billion dollars—in fresh funding.

The capital raise draws backing from a marquee investor consortium featuring BlackRock, Temasek, and Alpha Wave Global.

As a core unit of Adani Enterprises, the firm commands a major market footprint.

It currently manages roughly a quarter of India's passenger traffic.

Additionally, the business handles about a third of the nation's air freight volume.

🤖 OpenAI says it cracked 90-year-old maths problem in 88 hours

OpenAI claims to have resolved a 90-year-old mathematical conundrum in a mere 88 hours.

The breakthrough addresses long-unproven aspects of the complex Navier-Stokes equations, which govern fluid motion.

To crack the notoriously difficult problem, the lab mobilized roughly 10,000 autonomous AI agents running a new model.

OpenAI hailed the feat as a landmark milestone for rapidly advancing AI capabilities.

However, the proposed solution has not yet undergone independent verification or formal public validation.

📰 Giant new dinosaur discovered beneath construction site in Brazil

Paleontologists have unearthed a new giant dinosaur species in northeastern Brazil.

Crews stumbled upon the fossils during construction of a road-rail terminal in Davinópolis, Maranhão.

Dubbed Dasosaurus tocantinensis, the massive creature stretched roughly 20 meters long.

It roamed the region approximately 120 million years ago.

Intriguingly, its closest known evolutionary kin lived in modern-day Spain.

Researchers believe its ancestors migrated into South America via North Africa while the continents were still joined.

This formidable beast easily surpasses the region's previously known dinosaurs in sheer scale.

🤖 US allies lack resources to keep pace on AI, top Pentagon official says

America’s closest allies lack the scale and capital to match the Pentagon’s rapid artificial intelligence adoption.

Cameron Stanley, the Defense Department’s chief digital and AI officer, delivered this candid assessment on Tuesday.

He noted that NATO and Five Eyes partners lag in critical resources and operational experience.

Consequently, Washington is collaborating with these nations to help them steer clear of early missteps.

Stanley highlighted strong domestic momentum, citing the GenAI.mil platform reaching 1.7 million users.

He also pointed to Agent Network, a tool designed to accelerate command decisions.

📰 LIV files for bankruptcy protection with over $45m owed to players

LIV Golf has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the United States.

The move follows Saudi Arabia’s withdrawal of multibillion-dollar funding.

The league owes over $45 million to current and former players, who may now leave.

Jon Rahm tops the creditor list with a $7.5 million unsecured claim.

Other prominent claimants include Bryson DeChambeau at $5.7 million, Dustin Johnson at $5.5 million, and Cameron Smith at $4.8 million.

LIV plans to restructure its business and has secured a new investor in BC Partners to stay afloat.

📰 Shelton beats Alcaraz in latest-ever US Open finish to reach semis

Ben Shelton clinched a spot in the US Open semifinals after toppling defending champion Carlos Alcaraz.

The grueling five-set quarterfinal spanned four hours and 28 minutes.

Shelton, the eighth seed, prevailed with a final score of 6-7 (5-7), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 (10-7).

Following delayed evening matches, play started around 11:00 p.m. on Arthur Ashe Stadium.

The contest concluded at 3:34 a.m. local time.

This marked the latest finish in tournament history.

A rapt crowd remained late into the night, ultimately giving Shelton a standing ovation.

⚖️ Actor Noel Clarke charged with sexual offences

British actor Noel Clarke has been formally charged with multiple sexual offences.

The Crown Prosecution Service authorised the Metropolitan Police to charge the 50-year-old following a formal police inquiry.

The charges comprise two counts of sexual assault, three counts of voyeurism, and one count of exposure.

Prosecutors allege the offences took place between 2007 and 2016 and involved five women.

Clarke is scheduled to appear before Westminster Magistrates’ Court on the morning of 21 October.