On April 27 at 12:30 PM, Sohu.com founder, chairman, and CEO Zhang Chaoyang hosted a bilingual session on the Sohu Video platform as part of his "English Class" series. He shared the latest international news, covering topics such as a shooting incident in Washington, Paramount's acquisition of Warner, and research on animal mutations in the Chernobyl radiation zone. The session aimed to help viewers learn English while staying informed about global events.
The broadcast began with a discussion of a recent shooting attempt in Washington. On the evening of April 25, a White House Correspondents' Association dinner was held at the Washington Hilton. A 31-year-old man, Cole Thomas Allen, traveled from California by long-distance train, carrying a long gun, a handgun, and multiple knives in an attempt to enter the venue. According to reports from CBS and BBC, the man exchanged fire with Secret Service agents, with at least 5 to 8 shots heard on site. He was subsequently subdued and arrested. The incident remains under investigation.
Meanwhile, significant political upheaval in Mali also drew attention. Zhang shared that Mali's Defense Minister, Sadio Kamara, was killed in a suicide truck bombing at his residence. Multiple media outlets, including the BBC, reported that the attack occurred at the minister's official residence near the capital, Bamako. A truck laden with explosives, driven by a suicide attacker, crashed into the building and detonated. The explosion caused severe injuries to Kamara, who died hours later in the hospital.
In the business sector, Zhang discussed a major Hollywood development based on U.S. media reports: shareholders of Warner Bros. Discovery have officially approved a $111 billion acquisition bid by Paramount Skydance. The deal includes all of Warner Bros. Discovery's operations, such as its news network CNN and the Discovery Channel. Netflix had previously participated in the bidding but withdrew after Paramount offered a higher price. Analysts noted that the transaction still requires approval from the U.S. Department of Justice and European antitrust regulators. However, given the close ties between the buyers, Larry Ellison and his son, and the Trump administration, along with the fact that the U.S. Justice Department is appointed by the president, significant obstacles are not anticipated.
Additionally, April 26 marked the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear accident. On April 26, 1986, the fourth reactor exploded, releasing radioactive materials that spread as far as the UK, Norway, and parts of North America. Citing a detailed BBC report, Zhang highlighted that the 37-mile exclusion zone around the destroyed power plant has become a "ghost town," evacuated by humans but still inhabited by wildlife. Spanish evolutionary biologist Pablo Baraco, who has repeatedly ventured into the zone, captured a 5-centimeter-long tree frog and observed that its coloration was darker than that of frogs outside the area. Research suggests the darker hue may be linked to increased melanin levels, which could provide a protective barrier against radiation.
Throughout the session, Zhang explained key English vocabulary related to the news, such as "perimeter," "gunman," "coordinate," "wound," and "mercenary." "Zhang Chaoyang's English Class," a flagship knowledge program on Sohu Video, airs live from Monday to Thursday at 12:30 PM. To aid review and retention, highlights and key vocabulary summaries are updated after each session. Chinese versions of the international news discussed are also shared via the "Zhi Shi Video" account.
At the end of the broadcast, Zhang mentioned that the Wuhan leg of the 2026 Dance Competition roadshow has concluded successfully, with the upcoming Beijing event highly anticipated.
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