Weekly topical news lessons

Latest weekly news lessons

• Weekly news lesson 339: 23rd May 2013: Sir Alex Ferguson retires as Manchester United manager

  Author: Tim Bowen

  After 27 years in charge, Sir Alex Ferguson has retired as manager of Manchester United. Ferguson is the most successful manager in British football, having won 13 English Premier League titles, two Champions Leagues, the Cup Winners’ Cup, five FA Cups and four League Cups.

• Weekly news lesson 338: 16th May 2013: Facebook deserted by millions of users

  Author: Karen Richardson

  Facebook has been losing millions of users a month in its biggest markets, independent data suggests. The number of users accessing the site from desktops has also been declining as smartphone usage increases. Facebook has warned it may be losing users to new alternative social networks.

• Weekly news lesson 337: Life on Mars to become a reality in 2023

  Author: Karen Richardson

  Thousands of people have applied to become one of four astronauts selected to set up a human colony on the Red Planet. The Dutch company behind the vision, Mars One, has stated that the deal doesn’t include a return ticket.

• Weekly news lesson 336: 2nd May 2013: Damascus adjusts to the constant sound of war

  Author: Tim Bowen

  Two years into the Syrian crisis, the sound of shelling has become the new normal for Damascenes. However, citizens fear the long term effects of the war. What lies ahead for Syria’s capital?