Short English news stories with audio for learners

22 Jan 2026

Climate change increases conflict in Mali

Mali is highly vulnerable to climate change. Drought, soil decline and shrinking grazing land have increased clashes between farmers and herders and helped armed groups recruit, while local and international efforts try to build resilience.

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Photo by Bob Brewer, Unsplash

21 Jan 2026

Fairness and Property Shape First Impressions

A new study finds that treating people fairly and respecting others' property are the strongest drivers of quick moral judgments and trust. The research used three studies with hundreds of US adults and held up under distraction.

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21 Jan 2026

AI helps detect melanoma from skin images

Researchers at the University of Missouri tested artificial intelligence to help detect melanoma from images of skin. They trained models on many pictures and found combined models improved accuracy, aiming to support faster care.

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21 Jan 2026

Cancer survivors may age faster

A new study finds that adolescent and young adult cancer survivors show faster biological and brain aging than peers. The research links faster aging to memory and attention problems and tests ways to help survivors.

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21 Jan 2026

Warmer temperatures may make monarchs more vulnerable

New research finds that higher temperatures can make monarch butterflies less able to cope with a parasite. Infections have more than tripled since 2002, and warmer conditions reduced monarch tolerance to infection.

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21 Jan 2026

Low pesticide exposure speeds aging in fish

Researchers found that long-term exposure to low levels of a common agricultural insecticide caused faster physiological aging and shorter lifespans in wild and laboratory fish. The study links telomere shortening and lipofuscin buildup to chlorpyrifos exposure.

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21 Jan 2026

Family Makes Yanbian Water Tofu (tsodibi)

On December 28, 2025, a visitor joined the Lee family in Helan village, Yanbian, to make tsodibi, a local water tofu also called sundubu. The article describes the traditional, multi-step process and the family ritual around it.

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20 Jan 2026

Worry about police linked to heart risk in Black women

A US study of 422 Black women found that worry about police interactions—especially concern for their children—was associated with thicker carotid artery measurements, a marker of cardiovascular risk. The study shows correlation, not causation.

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20 Jan 2026

Stephen “Cat” Coore, Third World founder, dies

Stephen “Cat” Coore, founder and long-time musical director of the reggae band Third World, died on January 18, 2026. Musicians, political leaders and fans in Jamaica and abroad paid tribute.

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20 Jan 2026

Brain circuits for facial expressions

Researchers found a network of brain and facial muscle circuits that generate expressions. Using fMRI in macaque monkeys, they mapped brain areas and showed regions act together with different timing and possible clinical uses.

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20 Jan 2026

Why many people stop exercising

Researchers found an “all-or-nothing” mindset makes people abandon exercise plans. Focus groups with adults showed strict rules, excuses, and puzzlement about keeping active. Experts suggest small thinking changes to help.

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20 Jan 2026

UNU warns of a global 'water bankruptcy'

A United Nations University report on 20 January says the world has entered an era of "global water bankruptcy." It warns of falling groundwater and lakes, rising water scarcity, and risks to food and people.

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20 Jan 2026

Chef Filip Ondrušek: food, memory and tradition

Filip Ondrušek is an Austrian‑Slavic chef and ecologist based in São Paulo. He connects cooking with national history, works with biodynamic seasonal ingredients and has cooked in many top restaurants worldwide.

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