Plain English

A dam in Brazil collapsed, burying the town of Brumadinho under a deadly river of mud. The dam was meant to contain the byproducts of mining operations. The mine operator, Vale, was involved in a previous dam collapse just a few years ago. Over 115 people were confirmed dead and over 200 missing. Questions emerged about whether the dam was inspected properly or whether corners were cut in construc...

After several years in which big-name entertainers have been found to have mistreated others, viewers are left with a thorny question: can you still enjoy the work of a person who has done wrong? One viewpoint is that art and artist should be totally separate; you can enjoy the artwork and punish the artist separately. Another view is that the works of disgraced artists should be discarded. Is the...

Juan Guaidó, recently elected leader of Venezuela’s National Assembly, declared himself the legitimate president of his country, in one of the strongest challenges to date to Nicolas Maduro’s government. The United States, Canada, Brazil, and other countries in the Americas also recognized Guaidó, while European countries are pressuring Maduro to hold new elections. Learn the English phrase “gain...

In the first of an occasional series on destinations in the English-speaking world, we explore Toronto, Canada’s largest city and its financial center. Thanks to Canada’s welcoming immigration policy, Toronto is rich in diversity (which inevitably leads to delicious food). Visitors can explore museums, take a hike, enjoy the theater, or go out in the distillery district. Sports fans can see the St...

Drone delivery is already a reality in some parts of the world, but challenges remain before it can expand. For one thing, drones need to be able to avoid crashing into each other. Governments also need to set the rules for flights of drones. Even so, they hold the promise of reducing delivery costs and increasing availability in remote areas. Dinner by drone, anyone? Plus, learn the English phras...

We’ve all done it: instead of asking a real doctor about our symptoms when feeling sick, we pull out our smartphones and ask “Dr. Google.” While that’s not necessarily a bad thing, you should be careful before trusting what online search results tell you about your health. Plus, learn what it means to “go down a rabbit hole.” Read the full transcript of this episode at http://www.plainenglish.com/...

Each year, thousands of mothers travel to Canada just to have a baby. They leave a month later, with a passport for their newborn. Some companies in China offer full-service birth tourism services, just like a travel agency. It’s perfectly legal, but should it be? Some Canadians think so-called birth tourism is an abuse of the system. Plus, learn what it means to test someone’s patience. Read the...

The new Netflix film “Roma,” directed by Alfonso Cuarón, is an intimate black-and-white portrait of an upper-middle-class family in Mexico City in the 1970s—and the way the film’s hero, Cleo, is both part of the family and apart from it. The film is a triumph for Cuarón and also for Yalitza Aparicio, the actress who plays Cleo. It was her first role in a movie. Plus, learn the phrasal verb “kneel...

The far side of the moon, which has until now only been observed via photographs, is now being explored by a rover from China, scientists announced. The first-ever trip to the so-called “dark side of the moon” will help shed light on the moon’s geology and will take more detailed photographs than are possible from the moon’s more familiar side. Plus, learn the English phrase “at any given time.” R...

A mystery disease that causes hearing loss, vision loss, loss of balance, and brain damage has been affecting American and Canadian government workers in Havana. The symptoms are not consistent with any known condition, leading many to think it’s the work of the Cuban or Russian governments, but no proof has been found. The US has cut its diplomatic staff dramatically in Havana. Plus, learn Englis...

A New Year’s resolution is a promise you make to yourself to improve for the coming year. Many people say they will lose weight, sleep more, get a new job, or improve their relationships. The trouble is, more than 90% of people don’t keep their resolutions. Today we talk about why so many resolutions fail, and how to change habits so they stick (at any time of year). Plus, learn the English phrase...

Basketball in Mexico; American baseball in Japan; football in London: the American professional sports leagues are making a push to play a few showcase games in other markets each year. The leagues are trying to build international support for their brands, in part because their home markets are saturated. The NBA is openly speculating about putting a team in Mexico City. Learn the English phrase...

Japanese entrepreneurs have started crying clubs, where men and women get together to watch sad movies and listen to sad songs. The purpose is to induce tears, and to get all the emotional benefits of crying in the emotionally reserved country. One businessman even offers “handsome men” to dab the tears of crying ladies in his group. Plus, learn the phrasal verb “latch onto.” Read the full transcr...

Huawei is one the world’s largest manufacturers of cell phones and the equipment that powers cell phone service around the world. However, some people suspect the company of using its equipment to spy on customers for the Chinese government. Now, it’s in even more trouble after its chief financial officer was arrested. The charge? Prosecutors say she tricked a bank into transferring payments from...

The deal British Prime Minister Theresa May negotiated for her country’s exit from the European Union did not find the support it needed to pass the British Parliament. Without passing a deal, Britain could risk a chaotic departure from the EU. Is this what the people wanted when they voted, by a slim majority, to leave the EU? The only way to know is to call a second vote. Plus, learn the English...

George Herbert Walker Bush, who served as a Navy pilot in World War II and later as a Congressman, CIA director, vice president, and president, died at the age of 94. Though he served just one term, his four years in the White House proved to be important, as he oversaw the collapse of the Soviet Union and a successful U.S. war in the Middle East. Still, the younger and more charismatic Bill Clint...

A spontaneous protest movement has broken out in France, disrupting daily traffic and shaking the government’s plans for additional fuel taxes. A group of citizens wearing reflective safety vests protested a planned rise in the fuel tax, but the movement has gathered steam and now represents anyone dissatisfied with the president, Emmanuel Macron, or with capitalism in general. Plus, learn what it...

Chinese scientist Hu Jinakui says that he edited the genes of an embryo during in vitro fertilization and that the embryo grew to be a girl who was born in November. If his claims are true, the girl is the world’s first genetically-modified human. Dr. Hu modified her genes to make her less likely to inherit the HIV virus from her father, who is HIV-positive. The techniques employed by Dr. Hu raise...

Cuba has ordered all 8,000 of its doctors working in Brazil to come home after a spat between Brazilian president-elect Jair Bolsonaro and the Cuban government. The doctors were working in rural areas of Brazil, but the Cuban government kept over 70% of their wages, a system Bolsonaro called “slave labor.” Brazil claims to have back-filled almost all the doctor positions. Cuba, on the other hand,...

The Leaning Tower of Pisa is leaning a little less. Scientists recently confirmed that the famous tower has straightened out by about four centimeters over the last 17 years. The news is the result of a ten-year effort to straighten the tower by softening the ground underneath the north side. The scientists believe the tower should be safe for another 200 years. Plus, learn the English phrase “str...

Thousands of migrants from Central America have passed through Mexico and have arrived at Tijuana, the last city before the US border. But they must go one-by-one through the American asylum process and are likely to have to wait in Mexico as their cases are heard in US courts. Meanwhile, the city of Tijuana is facing a “humanitarian crisis” as they try to accommodate the new visitors. Plus, learn...

For over a hundred years, the official definition of a kilogram was a metal cylinder held under three locks in France. But scientists have voted to change the kilo’s official definition to a mathematical equation based on unchanging laws of physics. For this reason, the prototype kilogram, called “Le Grand K” will no longer be the official definition of the kilogram. Plus, learn the English phrase...

Negotiators for Britain and the EU have reached a draft deal on the UK’s exit. The deal has left few people happy in the UK, as both those who wanted to leave and those who wanted to stay in the EU found something not to like in the deal. Several members of the cabinet resigned, leading Prime Minister Theresa May fighting for the deal and her political future. Plus, learn the English phrase “strik...

Lady Gaga, the pop star better known for provocative lyrics and outlandish outfits, turned in a transformative performance as Ally, a waitress-turned-pop star in the fourth version of the classic Hollywood story “A Star Is Born.” Bradley Cooper plays Jackson Maine, an established rock star toward the end of his career, who discovers Ally in a drag bar after one of his own shows. The two fall in lo...

In the first national elections since the controversial developer-turned-TV star took office, US voters gave President Donald Trump only a partial rebuke, as the opposition Democrats took control of the US House of Representatives, but Trump’s Republicans expanded their majority in the Senate. Democrats won on ballot initiatives and in state governorships. Plus, learn the English phrase “when the...