English Listening Practice — October 13, 2026

⚔️ Bulgaria summons Russian ambassador after ship sinks in Black Sea drone attack

Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev has summoned Russian Ambassador Eleonora Mitrofanova following drone strikes on two commercial vessels off Bulgaria's coast.

One merchant ship sank 17 nautical miles east of Krapets, leaving 11 crew members missing and one sailor rescued.

A second Ukrainian-owned vessel was struck near Byala, where all 15 crew members were safely evacuated.

While conceding a lack of conclusive proof, Radev stated that the strategic outcome benefits the Russian Federation.

Mitrofanova maintained she had received no information from Russia's defence ministry.

🏛️ Ex-president named leader of new DR Congo rebel coalition

Former Congolese President Joseph Kabila has been named head of the Front for the Refoundation of the Nation.

This newly formed rebel coalition aims to topple the government by any means, including armed force.

Adviser Claude Ibalanky announced the leadership at a press conference in Goma.

M23 rebel chief Sultani Makenga will serve as one of Kabila’s four deputies.

The other three deputies also hail from the AFC-M23 alliance.

The move marks the clearest sign yet of Kabila’s direct involvement in an insurgency, following his treason conviction last year.

🏛️ Government spent millions on Trump ads. And, federal agents raid Ilhan Omar's home

An NPR analysis of AdImpact data reveals that the federal government has spent nearly $22 million on advertisements promoting Donald Trump.

Despite a federal judge’s order mandating their removal, the promotional spots have remained on the air.

Roughly $10 million was disbursed after Trump pledged on October 5th that his super PAC would fund the campaign privately.

A legal challenge contends these unauthorized expenditures violate statutory restrictions on taxpayer-funded publicity and propaganda.

📈 JPMorgan misses profit expectations as bank boss warns of ‘large fiscal deficits’ and ‘sticky inflation’ - business live

British housebuilder Bellway expects the government’s new “Your First Home” initiative to boost annual output by roughly 10%.

Chief executive Jason Honeyman welcomed the targeted scheme.

He noted that it could pave the way back to producing at least 10,000 homes a year.

Additionally, the policy could help Bellway achieve a 15% return on equity alongside a broader market rebound.

The initiative incorporates household income and property price caps to assist buyers of modest means.

Chancellor John Healey is slated to unveil full details of the policy in his October 28 budget.

🖥️ Micron, SoftBank and ASML slide as Wall Street chip rout spreads

Technology shares extended a broad retreat on Tuesday as intensifying competition rattled investor sentiment.

Memory giant Micron slid roughly 5% in U.S. premarket trading, following Monday's declines on Wall Street.

Sector peers faced comparable headwinds.

SanDisk shed 5%, while Seagate and Western Digital both tumbled 7%.

The sell-off gathered momentum after China’s ChangXin Memory Technologies announced major progress on a new high-density chip architecture.

That technical advancement adds fresh competitive pressure to established market leaders.

📰 IMF raises UK growth forecast as economist says Healey should ‘stay the course’

The International Monetary Fund has upgraded its 2026 economic growth projection for the United Kingdom to 1.3 percent.

Alongside the revision, IMF economic counsellor Silvana Tenreyro urged John Healey to "stay the course."

She emphasized the need to repair public finances ahead of Healey’s upcoming budget.

Tenreyro noted that Britain stands out among G7 peers for pursuing a clear deficit-reduction plan.

Even with this upgrade, the Fund cautions that growth will likely edge downward next year.

📰 James Webb reveals a massive cosmic structure that challenges our understanding of the Universe

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has captured a massive galaxy cluster that defies current cosmological models.

Named XLSSC 122, this behemoth sits roughly 10.4 billion light-years from Earth.

Researchers from Caltech’s IPAC presented the findings at the American Astronomical Society’s 248th meeting on June 17, 2026.

Despite existing in the early universe, the cluster displays an unexpectedly mature, dense structure.

It is now the most distant known cluster to produce strong gravitational lensing.

These observations suggest that large cosmic structures assembled far more rapidly than scientists once assumed.

📰 DNA recording system reveals how a single cell becomes a body

Using a novel DNA recording technology, scientists have mapped a remarkably detailed cellular lineage within a developing mouse embryo.

Researchers tracked cells from the initial two-cell stage through the first 13.5 days of gestation.

Led by Dr. Jay Shendure and Dr. Chengxiang Qiu, the study charted how these precursors multiplied and specialized into complex tissues.

Published in Science, the breakthrough sheds light on mammalian body patterning.

It could also help researchers decode congenital malformations and genetic disorders.

🚀 SpaceX agrees to testify to NYC Council about AI safety after receiving subpoena

SpaceX has agreed to testify before the New York City Council regarding artificial intelligence safety risks this Friday at 10 a.m.

ET.

The aerospace firm initially failed to attend an October 5 hearing alongside peers Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, and Meta.

Council Speaker Julie Menin and General Counsel Nwamaka Ejebe previously issued a subpoena to compel Elon Musk’s participation.

SpaceX agreed to comply only after the council threatened judicial enforcement of the summons.

🎬 Breaking Bad actor RJ Mitte dies aged 34

Actor and disability rights advocate RJ Mitte has died at the age of 34.

Mitte was best known for portraying Walter White Jr. in the acclaimed drama series Breaking Bad.

His publicist confirmed that he took his own life on Monday in Brownsville, Texas.

The actor, who had cerebral palsy, drew on his lived experience for the role.

Co-star Bryan Cranston led the tributes, expressing deep despair over his colleague's tragic passing.

🎬 Ian McKellen to star in UK premiere of ‘mixed reality’ play – but not in person

Ian McKellen is set to headline the UK premiere of An Ark, a pioneering mixed-reality production.

Staged by Factory International, the play runs at Manchester’s Aviva Studios from 27 March to 10 April.

However, the veteran actor will not appear on stage in person.

Instead, attendees will don smart glasses that project his virtual performance directly into the auditorium.

This format overlays digital figures onto the physical room rather than blocking out the surrounding real world.

📺 BBC FM radio transmissions suspended in Afghanistan

Taliban authorities have suspended the BBC’s FM radio broadcasts across Afghanistan, citing unspecified "repeated violations."

Ministry of Information and Culture spokesman Khubaib Ghufran announced the interim ban to local media.

The move curtails on-the-ground access for the sole remaining international broadcaster operating in the country.

The BBC’s weekly programming reaches over 20% of Afghan adults.

The broadcaster stated it is engaging with authorities to resolve the impasse.

Meanwhile, it continues to deliver news via satellite, online platforms, and shortwave and medium-wave frequencies in Pashto, Dari, and English.