<![CDATA[Students often face difficulties in comprehending authentic Arabic news due to the interaction of linguistic and extralinguistic barriers, yet research specifically examining these challenges remains limited. This study aims to explore the linguistic and extralinguistic barriers experienced by students in understanding istimāʿ al-akhbār (Arabic news listening) and to identify the strategies they employ to overcome these difficulties. A qualitative approach with a descriptive-exploratory design was adopted, involving 37 students from the Arabic Language Education Program at UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta. Data were collected through an open-ended questionnaire administered via Google Forms and analyzed using qualitative content analysis through coding, categorization, and thematic identification. The findings indicate that linguistic barriers were dominant, particularly limited vocabulary mastery and broadcasters’ rapid speech rate, each occurring 23 times. Other linguistic barriers included unfamiliar news terminology and pronunciation difficulties. Extralinguistic barriers included lack of concentration, limited prior knowledge, fatigue, low interest, low motivation, and anxiety. Students addressed these challenges by replaying recordings, noting vocabulary, and translating unfamiliar expressions. This study contributes a comprehensive understanding of the interaction between linguistic and extralinguistic barriers and highlights the importance of thematic vocabulary development, prior-knowledge activation, and systematic listening-strategy training.]]>
