theSIGNAL NEWS
15 October 2026
"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."
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World

Zelenskyy Speaks as War Nears Year Five

Ukraine's president gives a major interview as the invasion approaches five years, while reports of a papal cancer diagnosis shake the Vatican.

Ukraine's president has spoken. Volodymyr Zelenskyy sat down with NPR as Russia's full-scale invasion approaches its fifth anniversary. The timing matters. Few people expected the war to last this long.

Five years ago, many analysts predicted Kyiv would fall within days. It did not. Ukrainians defended their capital, retook territory in the north and east, and then settled into a grinding war of drones, missiles and trenches. Cities from Kharkiv to Odesa have endured repeated strikes.

Millions of Ukrainians have fled to Poland, Germany and beyond. Others have stayed and rebuilt, again and again. Zelenskyy now leads a country that depends on foreign support while fighting for its survival. That support is never guaranteed.

Photo: Luca Bravo / Unsplash
Kyiv's skyline at dusk, as Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine approaches its fifth year.
🕰️
5 years
Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine nears this milestone
Discuss
  • Why might a leader choose a major international interview at the five-year mark of a war?
  • How does war fatigue in distant countries affect decisions made on the battlefield in Ukraine?
World

US Proposes $200,000 Fee on Spanish Ships

Washington has struck at Madrid's ports policy. The US Federal Maritime Commission proposed a $200,000 fee per voyage on every Spanish-flagged ship calling at American ports. It also wants to restrict Spanish imports, including perfumes, ceramics, olive-type oils, stonework and confectionery. The probe dates to 2024, when Spain barred US vessels carrying military cargo bound for Israel. Nothing takes effect yet.…
  • Can port fees punish a government's foreign policy without harming ordinary exporters and consumers on both sides?
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Pope Leo XIV has been diagnosed with lung cancer, according to NPR's report.
NPR News report
World

Restraint Between Rivals Fuels More Rivalry

Rivals keep surprising each other with restraint. In 1972, Washington and Moscow signed SALT I, capping missiles at the Cold War's height. After the deadly 2020 Galwan clash, India and China pulled back troops from some Himalayan points, yet kept building roads nearby. The paradox is plain. Restraint lowers the risk of war, and that calm frees rivals to compete elsewhere.…
  • Can rivals who agree to restraint ever truly stop competing for power?
AMERICAS · World
Donald Trump aligns with Vladimir Putin yet again, leaving Ukraine – and US relations with Europe – under pressure
AMERICAS · World
AI could self-replicate on home devices within ‘months’, Anthropic says
AFRICA · World
DR Congo’s former president Kabila to lead new movement with M23 rebels
ASIA · World
Riyadh airport strike kills 12, Saudi Arabia threatens 'decisive' response
theSIGNAL IN THE LAB
IVOCABULARY
grinding warwar fatigue
enduranceproberestraint
paradoxcaps
IIGRAMMAR FOCUS
Passive voice (simple, continuous, perfect and modal passive)
The passive is formed with a form of 'be' plus the past participle, and the form of 'be' changes to show tense and aspect: 'is/was done', 'is being done', 'has been done' and 'can/should be done'. We use it when the action or its result matters more than who performed it.
is · was · are being · has been · have been · will be · can be · must be
  1. Ukraine's capital defended successfully five years ago, despite predictions that Kyiv would fall within days.
  2. Cities from Kharkiv to Odesa repeatedly struck by drones and missiles in recent years.
  3. Millions of Ukrainians forced to leave their homes since the full-scale invasion began.
  4. Zelenskyy's remarks studied closely by donors, allies and enemies, because every interview carries a message.
  5. The Vatican's own account of the pope's illness awaited, since the details in the report were limited.
  6. The US proposal against Spanish ships discussed during a 60-day public comment period, so nothing takes effect yet.
IIIIDIOMS
Define each idiom in your own words. Then write one in a sentence of your own.
  1. a grinding war (of attrition)
  2. to fall by the wayside
  3. to strike a nerve (or to strike at something)
  4. the ball is in someone's court
  5. to walk a tightrope
IVCRITICAL THINKING
Both a wartime president and a gravely ill pope are judged partly by the image they project, not only by their actions. How far do leaders control their public narrative, and how far is it shaped by media, rivals and events beyond their control? Use examples from this week's stories to support your view.
VCREATIVE · HEADLINES
Write a headline for the top story in each of the following styles. One line each, no explanation:
  • TABLOID NEWSPAPER
  • LUXURY MAGAZINE
  • ACTIVIST BLOG
VIWRITING
Imagine you are a Spanish olive oil producer, a Ukrainian refugee in Poland, or a Catholic believer in Lagos. Write a short diary entry (120-150 words) describing how one of this week's headlines affects your daily life and your hopes for the future.
VIIDEGREES OF EXTREMITY
Complete each ladder from mild to strong.
  • tired→→
  • surprised→→
  • tough→→
  • worried→→
  • change→→
  • disagreement→→
VIIISPEAKING
  1. Is it ever right for a country to abandon an ally in need?
  2. How do you stay hopeful during years of exhausting, uncertain struggle?
  3. Should leaders speak more openly about their fears and weaknesses?
  4. Does trade between countries make conflict less likely or more likely?