English Listening Practice — October 16, 2026

⚔️ Trump says US may need to strike Iran's Pickaxe Mountain

President Donald Trump signaled that the United States may launch strikes against Pickaxe Mountain, a heavily fortified Iranian nuclear site.

Speaking in a Newsmax interview, Trump reiterated his firm commitment to preventing Tehran from developing a nuclear weapon.

The key facility is buried deep beneath mountainous terrain.

Nevertheless, Trump asserted that American forces could swiftly neutralize the installation.

He also explicitly ruled out deploying nuclear arms, maintaining that conventional military capabilities remain entirely sufficient to achieve that objective.

🏛️ EU summit: European leaders pledge support for Ukraine's Zelenskyy

European leadership has reaffirmed its steadfast commitment to Kyiv amidst mounting adversity.

Speaking alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, European Council President António Costa insisted this is no time to scale back support or grant Moscow sanctions relief.

Instead, he urged allies to ramp up pressure.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen echoed that stance.

She pledged that the EU will not ease penalties until Russia halts the war.

These joint declarations follow Washington’s abrupt, unilateral move to lift sanctions on Russian oil and purchase diesel directly from the Kremlin.

🏛️ Thousands march in Albanian capital as anti-government protests spread

Thousands of young Albanians marched through Tirana on Friday, marking the fourth straight day of intensifying anti-government protests.

Demonstrators smashed windows and vandalized traffic lights as they demanded the immediate resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama.

The student-led unrest is rapidly spreading nationwide after escalating into violent riots the previous day.

Protesters raided a bank and clashed directly with police forces.

Masked youths also faced off against lines of riot police outside the Education Ministry.

The demonstrators accuse the government of persistent corruption and neglecting the national education system.

🇨🇳 China to add AI, biopharma and solar tech to export control list

On Friday, Chinese authorities unveiled a formal proposal to expand the nation’s export control list.

The proposed regulatory framework targets three key sectors: artificial intelligence, biopharmaceuticals, and photovoltaic technologies.

Under these newly drafted measures, China plans to restrict outbound transfers and exports of these advanced capabilities.

This strategic policy shift comes as broader trade and technological tensions with Western counterparts continue to simmer.

Moving forward, cross-border commerce across artificial intelligence, biopharma, and solar tech will face direct oversight.

📈 Indonesia stocks post largest drop in 28 years after MSCI warns of downgrade

Indonesian equities suffered a historic rout on Friday, registering their steepest single-day collapse in twenty-eight years.

The aggressive sell-off followed a critical warning from global financial services firm MSCI.

The company announced it is actively considering a downgrade of the MSCI Indonesia Index.

Under this prospective revision, the country would drop from emerging market to standalone market status.

This potential reclassification represents a profound setback for Indonesia’s recent efforts to preserve its emerging market standing.

📰 Elon Musk cash infusion helps GOP Senate super PAC raise record $273 million

The Senate Leadership Fund, the GOP’s marquee Senate super PAC, posted an unprecedented quarterly haul of nearly $273 million.

A massive capital injection from Elon Musk drove the record-breaking total.

Musk channeled $158 million to the committee in September through an affiliated Texas PAC.

He delivered the funds in two historic tranches of $75 million and $83 million.

The SLF closed the third quarter with over $155 million in cash reserves heading into the midterm elections.

Musk’s personal outlay alone eclipsed the total third-quarter fundraising of the rival Democratic super PAC.

🚗 Tesla unveils long-delayed Roadster, showing off its flying-car ambitions

Tesla has formally unveiled its long-delayed, next-generation Roadster during a livestreamed event in McGregor, Texas.

Nearly a decade after opening customer reservations, Elon Musk showcased the high-end, low-volume electric supercar alongside design chief Franz von Holzhausen and engineering VP Lars Moravy.

Musk touted the vehicle as a direct collaboration between Tesla and SpaceX.

Notably, the sports car leverages rocket technology to achieve hover capabilities.

Despite intense enthusiasm from brand loyalists, analysts note the niche halo vehicle is unlikely to yield a material financial windfall for the company.

📰 Astronomers discover a strange universal rule behind black hole eruptions

Astronomers have uncovered a universal rule governing when black holes unleash powerful jets of material into space.

Published in Nature Astronomy, the study reveals that these cosmic outflows follow the exact same pattern regardless of scale.

Black holes activate their jets at a critical juncture in their feeding cycle.

This holds true whether an object weighs ten times the Sun's mass or millions of times more.

The breakthrough was led by Curtin University’s Dr. Adelle Goodwin alongside Dr. Andrew Mummery from the Institute for Advanced Study.

🚀 Rocket Report: FAA eyes more Starbase traffic; India's Skyroot snares US customer

Stoke Space has dispatched the reusable upper stage of its Nova rocket for testing.

This pioneering component is now en route to undergo rigorous validation.

Achieving a fully reusable upper stage remains a formidable milestone in aerospace engineering.

This delivery marks significant operational progress for the Nova vehicle.

Across the wider industry, commercial launch cadence is accelerating.

The FAA is currently evaluating increased flight activity at Starbase.

Simultaneously, India-based Skyroot has secured a notable client in the United States.

📺 Milwaukee Brewers reach the World Series for the first time in over 40 years

The Milwaukee Brewers have officially clinched a berth in the World Series, marking their first appearance since 1982.

This milestone snaps a championship-round drought spanning more than four decades for the franchise.

Milwaukee secured their historic advancement by executing a clean sweep against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The commanding victory effectively dethroned a powerhouse opponent.

The Dodgers had entered the contest as the two-time defending World Series champions.

With this sweep, the Brewers return to the World Series stage for the first time in over forty years.

📰 Spain handed partial stadium closure after discriminatory chants v Egypt

Spain must enforce a partial stadium closure during their next international friendly.

FIFA levied the sanction following discriminatory conduct at Barcelona’s RCDE Stadium on March 31.

A contingent of home supporters directed Islamophobic chants against Egypt in the tenth minute and early in the second half.

FIFA subsequently launched disciplinary proceedings for xenophobic abuse.

The disciplinary committee formally rejected the Spanish Football Association’s claim that the chants were not discriminatory.

📰 Add to playlist: the buzzy bildungsromans of boy wonder Superfan and the week’s best new tracks

Twenty-one-year-old musician Kali Flanagan, performing as Superfan, has released his new album, My Piledriver Heart.

Flanagan first gained traction online as an early teen before relocating to New York.

At age 18, Julian Casablancas scouted him at an open mic, tapping him to open solo for the Strokes.

Flanagan’s new record features drop-tuned acoustic guitars, distorted textures, and understated vocals.

Songs like "In the Gold Room" pair intimate songwriting with gritty percussion.

He kicks off his UK tour on November 4.