Plain English

" The latest Australian wildfires are some of the most dangerous and destructive fires in recent history. The fires have already burned millions of acres, destroyed thousands of homes, and taken human lives. Humans are not the only victims – the fires have also wounded or killed thousands of animals, including rare species native to Australia. Plus, learn the English expression “in the face of.” R...

" Dr. Jeremiah Stamler is credited as the father of preventative medicine, and he is still working at 100 years old. Dr. Stamler spent his career researching how lifestyle adjustments and routine maintenance on your body can help you avoid chronic diseases. In part due to his research, death rates from chronic diseases have fallen drastically during his career. Plus, learn the English expression “...

" Carlos Ghosn, former Renault-Nissan CEO, was awaiting trial in Japan for a number of white-collar crimes. Japanese officials kept delaying his trial, so Ghosn secretly fled Japan for Lebanon by private plane. Ghosn is not completely free quite yet. His past business dealings in Israel could pose legal problems for him in Lebanon, too. Plus, learn what it means for someone to ‘take a hit.’ Read t...

" In between economy class (in the back) and business class (in the front), airlines have created a new class of service called ""premium economy."" This is aimed at travelers who will pay a little more for some extra space, but can't pay the sky-high prices of a full business class seat. In this episode, Jeff reviews his experience in premium economy: he finds that it's more ""economy"" than ""pr...

" Betelgeuse, the star that represents the hunter's shoulder in the constellation Orion, is dimmer than it has been in almost 100 years. Stars of that type tend to become dimmer just before they explode in a supernova. If that happens, the explosion would be visible from earth and Orion would lose his shoulder. But it's not clear whether the star's current level of brightness signals a supernova i...

" Caroll Spinney, the puppeteer who played Big Bird, Oscar the Grouch, and other characters on television's ""Sesame Street"" died at age 85. For almost half a century, Spinney played the over-sized, six-year-old yellow canary that enchanted generations of children. He maneuvered the eight-foot-tall costume from inside, with the help of cables and a monitor strapped to his chest. Plus, learn what...

" Cookies, the little bits of text that are stored in web browsers that tell sites things about ourselves and our behaviors, have long been a part of the Internet. But new data privacy regulations have brought cookies front and center--literally. Now most sites ask consumers if they agree to having cookies placed on their browsers. Is that a win for data privacy or a useless annoyance to web visit...

" Garmin, the company that once dominated GPS navigation in cars, has developed an automated landing system for small planes. The system is designed to land a small plane automatically in an emergency, such as when the pilot has a heart attack. The plane will find the nearest airport, locate an airstrip, alert air traffic control, land the plane and bring it to a stop. Plus, learn the English phra...

" Britain's historic election will upset the balance of power in Parliament, as the Tories will have an 80-seat majority to press their Brexit plans. The opposition Labour party ran on a laundry-list of proposals that confused and overwhelmed voters. The Scottish National Party won big, further isolating Scotland from the rest of the UK. And the Liberal Democrats, once a credible third party alter...

" The UK's Conservative Party, led by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, won a convincing victory in Parliamentary elections on December 12 on the strength of its campaign promise to ""get Brexit done."" The Tories will have an 80-seat majority, their best election result since 1987, while the opposition Labour had its worst night since the 1930s. The result almost guarantees Britain will officially ex...

" Over the course of 31 years and over 900 half-hour episodes, Fred Rogers was a friendly television neighbor and mentor to generations of American children, who knew him as simply ""Mr. Rogers."" A new movie, starring Tom Hanks as Mr. Rogers, explores the impact he had on children. He wasn't afraid to confront topics big and small and always spoke to children on their level. Plus, learn the Engli...

" A man wielding two knives attacked conferencegoers at a building near the famous landmark London Bridge. Bystanders used whatever they could - including a spear and a whale's tooth - to fight back while police responded. Police shot the attacker after they saw what appeared to be an explosive vest. Plus, learn the English expression ""hold off."" Read the full transcript of this episode at https...

" A French appeals court has found that Pierre Le Guennec, the former handyman to Pablo Picasso, was in possession of stolen work by the famous artist. Le Guennec said that the paintings had been a gift and were in his garage for decades, but the artist's estate believes the goods were stolen and that smugglers were using Le Guennec as cover to bring the work back into the legitimate market. For n...

" November 9 marked thirty years since the fall of the Berlin Wall, the concrete and razor-wire barrier that sliced through the German capital, symbolizing the differences between the liberal West Germany and the communist East Germany. Chancellor Angela Merkel, who grew up in East Germany, said that the occasion reminds us that the values of a liberal democracy need to be continually defended. Pl...

" Beverage makers, restaurants and bars are working hard to attract a new demographic of drinkers: those who don't drink at all, or who want to cut down on their alcohol consumption. New cocktails, spirits, and even craft beer are helping people have an elevated cocktail or drinking experience without the alcohol. These drinks have the flavor and sophistication of an alcoholic beverage, but withou...

America's most popular sport is football, and the National Football League is preparing to turn 100 years old next year. Just a few years ago, it looked like the NFL was on the decline, after a series of controversies surrounding player injuries, domestic violence, and political protests took a toll on television ratings. But the sport bounced back and is now as strong as ever. Plus, learn the Eng...

" McKamey Manor will lock you in a coffin, bury you alive, attack you with spiders, pull out your fingernails: anything that perfectly matches up with your worst fears. One customer said he no longer gets an adrenaline rush from jumping out of airplanes, so he signed up to go through McKamey Manor. Not everyone in town thinks it should be allowed to operate, but the owner insists it's safe. Partic...

" In the second part of a two-part series, we introduce our fictional restaurant, ""Mariscos by JR"" and we talk about how off-site kitchens can help restauranteurs serve their customers better and experiment with new options. So-called ""virtual restaurants"" can test new concepts without the high investment necessary for an in-person location. Plus, learn the English phrasal verb ""keep up with....

" Demand for food delivery is booming around the world and restaurants are looking for new ways to satisfy customers who want to eat at home. Increasingly, they are turning to ""ghost kitchens,"" shared commercial kitchens not in a restaurant itself. Ghost kitchens also help restauranteurs experiment with new concepts, expand their hours, and get orders out the door faster. Plus, learn what it mea...

" Long, mellow song intros are a thing of the past in the age of streaming, as artists scramble to catch your attention in the first 30 seconds of every track. That's because streaming services pay artists royalties only after a customer has listened to 30 seconds. Pop artists are responding, dispensing with the longer instrumental intros of the past and bringing the hook and the refrain earlier i...

" Qatar, a tiny, oil-rich nation with a sweltering climate, few sports fans, and a dodgy record on human rights, is preparing to host the world's biggest sporting competition: the 2022 World Cup. Fans and athletes will enjoy the games in outdoor air-conditioned stadiums, which will counteract the suffocating heat. But will they enjoy their stay in a country that bans alcohol and has few tourist at...

" The jail at Rikers Island, which houses 7,000 short-term inmates per night, will close by 2026, following a vote in the New York City Council. The jail, once heralded as a model incarceration facility, has been rife with abuse and neglect in recent decades. The jail will be replaced by four smaller facilities that, among them, will have a much lower capacity than the 400-acre Rikers. New York fa...

" The latest social media app on the scene is TikTok, with over a billion downloads. TikTok features user-generated videos no longer than 15 seconds: the most popular videos show teenagers lip-synching and dancing in heavily-edited videos. Videos find popularity with challenges, where users all put their own spin on the same type of video. Plus, learn the English phrasal verb ""serve up."" Read th...

" In a story that will be studied in business school for ages, WeWork, the world's biggest co-working office company, lost 80 percent of its value and nearly ran out of money. It all started when WeWork disclosed its true financial situation ahead of a planned initial public offering. Japan's Softbank, which had invested in WeWork, provided emergency funding, fired the CEO, and took control of the...

" The latest trend to hit the silver screen is the musical biopic, a genre of film that traces the life of a singer or band members. Recent hits like ""Bohemian Rhapsody"" and ""Rocketman"" are popular with audiences, who get to see their favorite stars in a new way, and with artists, who appreciate the extra exposure. Other stars to get films include Bob Dylan, Bob Marley, Aretha Franklin, and Br...