Prime Minister resigns.

This is news review from BBC Learning English where we help you understand news headlines in English.

I'm Neil and I'm Beth, make sure you watch to the end to learn the vocabulary.

You need to understand this news story in English.

Don't forget to subscribe to our channel so you can learn more English from news headlines.

Now the story after weeks of violence and demands from heavily armed gangs, the Prime Minister of Haiti has agreed to resign.

Ariel Henri will step down after many Haitians questioned why he was still in power despite being unelected.

The Caribbean country is under a month long state of emergency after attacks including on the airport, the prison and the national Palace.

You've been looking at the headlines, Beth, what's the vocabulary that people need to understand this story in English?

We have run rampant paralyze and tight and grip.

This is news review from BBC Learning English.

Let's have a look at our first headline.

This is from CNN Haiti's leader to resign as gangs run rampant through country engulfed in crisis.

So the headline says that gangs run rampant in Haiti that's the expression we're looking at and it contains run, which we all know.

But rampant, Beth, what does that mean?

Ok.

Well, Rampant is an adjective.

Let me tell you about my garden Neil.

It's full of weeds.

They are everywhere.

Now, rampant means spread out control.

And to make this a verb, we say, run rampant.

So I could say in my garden weeds, run rampant.

Ok.

So this expression run.

Rampant means spread out of control.

Gangs run rampant.

That means they can't be controlled and they're spreading across Haiti.

The authorities are trying to contain them but they can't.

It's not working.

What else can run rampant?

Well, it's not only used for big serious things.

Maybe Children at a birthday party might run rampant.

They're out of control after all that sugar.

Ok.

Let's look at that again.

Let's have a look at our next headline.

This is from the Herald Scotland state of emergency extended in Haiti as gang attacks paralyze capital.

So gang attacks paralyze the capital of Haiti.

Now this word paralyze is the one we're looking at and I recognize it, Beth because it means that someone can't move part of their body.

Usually after an accident, is there a connection between that?

Paralyze and the one in the headline there is now paralyze in the headline is a verb that means to cause something to stop moving or operating.

Now in Haiti, gangs have disrupted the capital.

So things aren't working or moving as they normally would.

Yes, that's right.

So for example, flights have stopped, medical care isn't coming in or going out.

Movement has stopped.

Basically.

Can we use paralyze in other ways?

Yeah.

So paralyze can also mean that you're unable to think or act in a normal way.

So maybe if you're really scared, you might be paralyzed with fear, you can't move.

Ok, let's look at that again.

Let's have our next headline.

This is from BBC news, Haiti spirals to collapse as gangs tighten grip.

So let's break this headline down, Haiti spirals to collapse.

Now, spirals means moves very quickly out of control.

It means the country's collapsing, it's falling apart.

We're looking at the expression Titan grip.

Now, Beth this mug here, I've got in my grip and I'm holding it very tight.

You can see maybe my knuckles turning white as I hold it really hard.

You're not gonna get this from me.

No, because you are literally tightening your grip.

Now, here in this headline, Titan grip is metaphorical.

These gangs are taking more control every day and in a violent way, it's like they have the country in their grip and they are tightening it.

So adding pressure to the country.

Yes.

And that's damaging the country and its people.

Now it's common with this expression, tighten grip to add the preposition on.

So what else can we tighten our grip on?

Well, a football team at the top of the league might tighten their grip on the title if they win three games in a row, for example, yes or a dictator could tighten their grip on power by for example, banning elections or making other parties illegal.

Let's have a look at that again.

We've had run rampant spread out of control, paralyze cause something to stop operating and tighten grip, take more control.

Now, if you're interested in other programs about leadership, click here and click here to subscribe to our channel.

So you never miss another video.

Thanks for joining us and goodbye.

Bye.