Ted: Hey there! This is Babbel News - English Only, where we bring you news stories sourced from Reuters to help you improve your listening skills and stay on top of current events at the same time.

I’m Ted, English language expert here at Babbel. Before you hear each news clip, I’ll go through some of the more challenging words and their definitions with you. Make sure to listen carefully for them in the story, and if you still feel like you missed something, remember you can always play the episode again… Or if it helps you to see the words written out while listening, you’ll find the link to the transcript in the episode description.

So, we’ve got two stories for you today.  First, you’ll hear about some interesting developments in South Africa, where signing, the language deaf people use, has just been recognized as an official language.

And after that we’ll go to Spain, where the bodies of over 100 people who disappeared during Franco’s rule have been discovered, finally providing long-awaited answers and peace to their families.

Let’s start by taking a closer look at the vocabulary from the first story. First off, we have “legislation”, which, in the context of this story, is another word for “a law”. Next, “parity” and “equality” both mean pretty much the same thing: the state of having the same rights or opportunities. And to treat people “equitably” means to treat them fairly and the same as everyone else. Then there’s “tertiary institution”, a school you can go to after high school – a university, for example. The last word from the first clip is “accessible”, an adjective describing something that is easy to use. In the context of this story, it means that a deaf person is able to get the same information and services as a hearing person.

Reuters: South African President Cyril Ramaphosa signed legislation into law last month recognizing sign as the country's 12th official language.

“All official languages must enjoy parity, in other words equality of esteem, and must be treated equitably.”
 
For 19-year-old deaf student Bongumusa Manana, who studies in a township in Johannesburg, the move is a huge breakthrough. He said before it was an official language, it was really challenging to communicate with other people.
 
(Note: Female interpreter speaking for Bongumusa Manana)
“So, my hopes for next year, I really want to go to university. Because previously when it wasn’t an official language, I really didn’t think that I would be able to go to university. I used to have a lot of doubts, so now that it’s an official language I know that I can go to university and I can make my dreams come true, I can achieve anything."
 
South Africa only has about 40 deaf schools and one tertiary institution that is fully accessible to deaf people. There is still work to be done to improve that access. Wilma Newhoudt-Druchen, the country's only deaf member of parliament, signed that it has been a long journey for South Africa to get this far.

Only 41 countries recognize sign language as an official language, just four of them in Africa – Kenya, South Africa, Uganda and Zimbabwe.

Ted: Now, let’s go over some of the important words from the second story. The first one to listen out for is “to yearn”, which means to want something very much, especially when it’s hard to get. Next, a “grave” is a place where a person is buried after they die – and so a “mass grave” is where many bodies have been buried together, usually after a war or disaster. After that, there’s “remains”, another word for dead bodies. “To execute” someone means to kill them, usually as a legal punishment or political act. And the word “exhumation” describes the removal of a body from where it is buried, usually to identify or examine it. Finally, a political leader’s “legacy” is the long-lasting impact of their decisions and actions during their time in power. With that, let’s hear the story.

Reuters: Benita Navacerrada yearns to know where her father was buried more than 80 years ago.

The 91-year-old hopes two mass graves found outside Madrid will yield answers and peace of mind. They contain the remains of more than 100 people who were executed by forces of late dictator Francisco Franco in 1939.

“I want to know where he was because we never knew, and seeing that many bodies are coming out, I think that one of them could be my father. I'd feel joy, satisfaction, to be able to say he's resting in peace."

The exhumation of the first mass grave started last year with the financial support of Spain's leftist government and led to finding the remains of 12 people. Forensic scientists are now examining the second, located in a pathway at the cemetery.

A total of 108 civilians, many associated with leftist parties and unions, were executed and buried at the Colmenar Viejo cemetery between April and December 1939.
 
Spain transitioned to democracy following Franco's death in 1975. But his legacy still divides Spanish society and the exhumations were a hot topic in a national election in July.

Ted: Well, we’ve reached the end of another episode! How did it go? Remember, you can always listen to the episode again, slow down the speed of the audio, read along with the transcript, or even look up other unknown words in a dictionary. All of these strategies can help you to understand more of the episode. If you have any questions or feedback, feel free to send us an email at podcasting@babbel.com. Make sure you write Babbel News – English Only in the subject line! And, if you’re in the mood for more, you can always check out our previous episodes. Otherwise, be sure to tune in again next week for another selection of news in English.

See you then!