English Listening Practice — September 25, 2026

⚔️ Netanyahu defends Israeli military action as delegates walk out before UN speech

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a resolute defense of his nation's military campaigns at the UN General Assembly.

His address triggered immediate pushback, prompting dozens of delegates to stage a walkout as he approached the podium.

Undeterred, Netanyahu dismissed those exiting as "moral cowards" and forcefully rebuffed accusations of genocide in Gaza.

He justified ongoing operations targeting Iran and the broader region, vowing to press ahead with the offensive.

Pledging decisive action, he declared, "We're going to win.

We have no other choice."

⚔️ EU to release US$7.5 billion linked to Ukraine military aid

The European Union is preparing to release 7.5 billion dollars in major financial backing.

This substantial capital allocation is tied directly to military aid for Ukraine.

By authorizing the disbursement, the bloc will unlock vital resources for regional defense efforts.

European leaders aim to deliver this multibillion-dollar assistance package smoothly.

The funding represents a strategic move to facilitate ongoing security operations on the ground.

Overall, the financial pipeline underscores a coordinated commitment to address critical military needs.

📰 Number of Sudanese fleeing to Chad surges 20-fold as aid runs dry, UN says

The cross-border exodus from Sudan into Chad has escalated dramatically.

According to UNHCR, more than 400 people are crossing daily.

This represents a twentyfold surge over recent months.

Displaced families are fleeing intense clashes between the national army and the Rapid Support Forces.

They report relentless drone strikes and aerial bombardments across Darfur, Kordofan, and Blue Nile.

Meanwhile, humanitarian relief is severely depleted.

The UN agency has secured just 18 percent of its required $1.6 billion budget.

Consequently, vital operations face drastic shortfalls in emergency shelter, food aid, and safe relocation efforts.

📰 Africa's richest man helps fund $660m fuel pipeline between Ethiopia and Djibouti

Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote is helping finance a $660 million fuel pipeline connecting Ethiopia and Djibouti.

The 120-kilometer conduit will link Djibouti’s Damerjog port to a distribution terminal in Dewele, Ethiopia.

The project includes approximately 400 million liters of storage capacity for petrol, diesel, and jet fuel.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed noted the pipeline will slash fuel transit times from five days to just one.

Dangote emphasized that this critical infrastructure will bolster Ethiopia’s energy security and reinforce its supply chain resilience.

📰 TalkTalk races to sell consumer and broadband arms as administration looms

TalkTalk is scrambling to avert administration by offloading its core businesses.

The debt-laden telecoms provider is in the final stages of dual divestments to safeguard 900 jobs.

It is close to sealing a £100m deal to sell its consumer operation to Opus Broadband.

Simultaneously, the company plans to offload its wholesale arm, PXC, to Octopus Investments for an undisclosed sum.

TalkTalk expects to finalize both transactions imminently.

The move follows a steep decline in the company's subscriber base, which has shrunk from 4 million in 2019 to roughly 1.5 million.

📈 Warsh's regime change at the Fed pushes ahead – and meets resistance

Just 127 days into his tenure, Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh is actively spearheading a regime change.

He has already overhauled central bank communications, streamlining post-FOMC press conferences and charting a sharp break from his predecessors.

However, economic headwinds and institutional resistance have tempered his broader agenda.

Pressing inflation has sidelined his priority of shrinking the Fed’s balance sheet.

Consequently, Warsh has deferred other major operational reforms to five task forces slated to report back early next year.

🤖 Mark Zuckerberg debuts $1,299 Meta VR Glasses and Muse Charm pendant as part of AI agent push

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has unveiled the Meta VR Glasses alongside the Muse Charm pendant.

Speaking at the annual Connect conference, Zuckerberg showcased the streamlined virtual reality eyewear, priced at $1,299.

It features a noticeably slimmer profile than earlier Quest models.

Alongside the glasses, he introduced the Muse Charm.

This handheld accessory allows users to prompt Meta's new Muse AI agent without reaching for a phone.

While pricing remains unannounced, Meta is finalizing internal hardware.

The company aims to dispatch the gadget ahead of the December holiday shopping season.

📰 Scientists discover an “impossible” cellular survival pathway that could help fight cancer

Scientists at Montana State University have uncovered an unexpected survival pathway in mammalian cells.

The study, published in Nature Chemical Biology, was led by genetics professor Ed Schmidt.

All cells require a continuous supply of the amino acid cysteine to survive.

Researchers long believed cells could only produce it through a functioning disulfide reductase system.

Schmidt’s team discovered that cells can still synthesize cysteine even when those primary systems fail.

This newly identified bypass mechanism overturns long-held assumptions.

Ultimately, it could help researchers render certain cancers far more vulnerable to treatment.

📰 US backs Elon Musk's bid to overturn €120m EU fine against X

The US Department of Justice is backing Elon Musk’s bid to overturn a €120 million European Union fine against X.

Regulators levied the penalty after finding the platform’s paid blue verification badges deceptive.

In response, US Assistant Attorney General Brett A.

Shumate filed an intervention with the EU’s General Court.

The Justice Department argues that Brussels has inappropriately overreached its regulatory mandate.

It contends the action runs counter to established principles of territorial jurisdiction under international law.

⚽ Premier League joins call for Fifa reforms

England’s Premier League has aligned with Spain’s La Liga, Germany’s Bundesliga, and Italy’s Serie A to demand sweeping reforms within Fifa.

In a joint statement, the four elite leagues accused Fifa President Gianni Infantino of pursuing relentless expansionism and championing exploitative policies.

They contend that fundamental changes are imperative to ensure the governing body operates with transparency, objectivity, and proportionality.

The unified front follows Infantino’s shelved proposal to sell a World Cup stake to private investors.

The leagues insist systemic flaws persist despite the withdrawal of that contentious scheme.

⚖️ Jay-Z rape accuser says her allegation was false

A woman who accused Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter of a 2000 rape has formally recanted her allegations.

In a newly filed court statement, the accuser confirmed that her claims were entirely fabricated.

She explicitly stated that she has never met or spoken to Carter.

Furthermore, she admitted that he never engaged in any misconduct toward her.

This admission emerged after Carter filed a countersuit against her and her legal counsel.

Acknowledging the fallout, the woman conceded that her false narrative caused Carter immense and irreparable harm.

🎬 ‘In our deepest hearts we are voyeurs’: the paedophile-hunting show that inspired Robert Pattinson’s new film

Robert Pattinson stars in a new film inspired by Dateline NBC’s controversial mid-2000s series, To Catch a Predator.

Pattinson portrays the swaggering journalist Chris Hansen, who orchestrated televised sting operations targeting alleged child predators.

The show became a defining cultural phenomenon during the era's fierce primetime ratings wars.

However, the 67-year-old Hansen has sharply rebuked the adaptation without viewing it.

He characterized the cinematic portrayal as an outright insult and a form of identity theft.