International News
Keeping up with what’s going on in the world can be a great way to start a conversation with someone. If you really want to impress someone from a foreign country, ask them about current events going on in their country. I got asked out during the World Cup season when I was in France; I told him I was keeping up with the scores and the teams, then next thing I know, I was invited over to watch the game. So it works! I’ve made so many friends that way. It can also be more motivating for you to gain exposure to what’s going on outside the U.S., get an outside perspective of your country from another country’s lense while practicing your listening and reading skills. Watching the news in another language might be a little scary at first, but consistency is key! If you do it everyday then your brain will get used to seeing and hearing that new language. Reading information in another language can be even scarier if you’re not even sure what you’re reading. In cases like these, you can also check out Translation Tools to help with your comprehension.
France 24
I would say this is one of the most popular sources of current events from what I’ve heard from some of my international friends. They are live 24/7 on YouTube available in not only French, but English, Arabic, and they recently launched it in Spanish not too long ago. They have fun segments and reports covering topics about arts, culture, environmentalism, feminism, technology, politics, and much more around the globe. Many times, I feel inspired after watching some of the special reports.
EuroNews
Personally, I believe this a great source of news if you’re looking for headlines. I personally will watch this station if I don’t have a whole lot of time, but simply want straight-to-the-point facts about whatever is going on. Their site is available in multiple languages since it’s more specific to European languages. Their app also has podcasts if you also want to listen to something on the go.
Linguistica 360
If you enjoy listening to the news, this is a webpage (along with a podcast) allowing you to keep up with current events in 4 different languages. You can read along and they’ll highlight key words that you might not know so you can have a better understanding of what you’re hearing or reading. I highly recommend this source because it’s like reading with an automatic translator, and you’re learning useful information about what’s going on in the world.
Arte
This primarily is a French source of news, but they are available in 5 different languages (German, English, Spanish, Polish, and Italian). I believe this is a great source to get an objective perspective of the arts and culture presence around the world. They also have concerts you can watch, learn about history, travel, science, and more. You can even plug into their radio feature on their webpage.
Brut
I personally follow their YouTube channel, but they have so many interesting reports from around the world in a variety of topics. They talk about everything from sports, health, business, science and technology, ecology, and other topics. I will say that this a French-based source, but they are also available in English and Spanish.