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Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski resigns amid a corruption scandal. The ex-President left after having alienated his supporters and antagonized his opponents in Congress. His resignation comes after he pardoned another ex-president, Alberto Fujimori. In the second half of the episode, we talk about the English expression “the last straw.” Read the full transcript of this episode at http://www.plainenglish.com/36      Transcripts are always free and available now! ¿Hablas español? Você fala português? Parles-tu français? 你会说中文吗？ The episode transcripts include instant translations from English to Spanish, Portuguese, French and Chinese. Hover over or tap a highlighted word for the translation. Connect with Jeff on Twitter (@PlainEnglishPod) and Facebook (PlainEnglishPod). Or e-mail jeff@plainenglish.com If you like the program, please leave a review or rating wherever you listen. It will help others discover the program. Never miss an episode! Sign up to receive updates from Plain English at http://www

Facebook is suffering from a series of scandals related to data privacy. As a result, some people are trying to #DeleteFacebook. Do you know how much information Facebook knows about you? Some users were surprised at what the social network had collected about them. At the end of the episode, we’ll talk about the English phrase “to gather steam.” Read the full transcript of this episode at http://www.plainenglish.com/35      Transcripts are always free and available now! ¿Hablas español? Você fala português? Parles-tu français? 你会说中文吗？ The episode transcripts include instant translations from English to Spanish, Portuguese, French and Chinese. Hover over or tap a highlighted word for the translation. Connect with Jeff on Twitter (@PlainEnglishPod) and Facebook (PlainEnglishPod). Or e-mail jeff@plainenglish.com If you like the program, please leave a review or rating wherever you listen. It will help others discover the program. Never miss an episode! Sign up to receive updates from Plain English at http://www

Operation Car Wash—the massive investigation into corruption in Brazil that has stretched on for five years—will be the topic of a new series on Netflix directed by José Padilha. The eight-part series, called “The Mechanism,” centers on one criminal money-launderer and two investigators. The crux of the scandal is corruption—and we talk about how to use the word “crux” in English. Read the full transcript of this episode at http://www.plainenglish.com/34      Transcripts are always free and available now! ¿Hablas español? Você fala português? Parles-tu français? 你会说中文吗？ The episode transcripts include instant translations from English to Spanish, Portuguese, French and Chinese. Hover over or tap a highlighted word for the translation. Connect with Jeff on Twitter (@PlainEnglishPod) and Facebook (PlainEnglishPod). Or e-mail jeff@plainenglish.com If you like the program, please leave a review or rating wherever you listen. It will help others discover the program. Never miss an episode! Sign up to receive updat

A self-driving Uber car struck and killed a pedestrian in Arizona, raising questions about the safety of the entire industry of autonomous vehicles. The 49-year-old woman was walking her bike across the street when she was hit by the Volvo SUV. The human operator, whose job was to intervene in an emergency, wasn’t looking at the road at the time. Could this be a turning point for self-driving cars? We also review the English phrase “turning point.” Read the full transcript of this episode at http://www.plainenglish.com/33      Transcripts are always free and available now! ¿Hablas español? Você fala português? Parles-tu français? 你会说中文吗？ The episode transcripts include instant translations from English to Spanish, Portuguese, French and Chinese. Hover over or tap a highlighted word for the translation. Connect with Jeff on Twitter (@PlainEnglishPod) and Facebook (PlainEnglishPod). Or e-mail jeff@plainenglish.com If you like the program, please leave a review or rating wherever you listen. It will help others

eSports—competitive video-gaming—are gaining in popularity in the United States among males under age 25. As a result, new venues are being built to accommodate live video-game competitions. One venue took over NBC Studios in California; another is being built in Texas. eSports are starting to catch on in the United States; we’ll also review how to use the phrasal verb “catch on.” Read the full transcript of this episode at http://www.plainenglish.com/32      Transcripts are always free and available now! ¿Hablas español? Você fala português? Parles-tu français? 你会说中文吗？ The episode transcripts include instant translations from English to Spanish, Portuguese, French and Chinese. Hover over or tap a highlighted word for the translation. Connect with Jeff on Twitter (@PlainEnglishPod) and Facebook (PlainEnglishPod). Or e-mail jeff@plainenglish.com If you like the program, please leave a review or rating wherever you listen. It will help others discover the program. Never miss an episode! Sign up to receive updat

Stephen Hawking, the physicist who studied gravity, black holes and the origins of the universe, and who used a distinctive computerized voice after losing his ability to speak, died last week at age 76. He lived for 50 years with ALS after having been given just a few years to live after his diagnosis. The English phrase today is “do justice.” Read the full transcript of this episode at http://www.plainenglish.com/31    Transcripts are always free and available now! ¿Hablas español? Você fala português? Parles-tu français? 你会说中文吗？ The episode transcripts include instant translations from English to Spanish, Portuguese, French and Chinese. Hover over or tap a highlighted word for the translation. Connect with Jeff on Twitter (@PlainEnglishPod) and Facebook (PlainEnglishPod). Or e-mail jeff@plainenglish.com If you like the program, please leave a review or rating wherever you listen. It will help others discover the program. Never miss an episode! Sign up to receive updates from Plain English at http://www.pla

St. Patrick’s Day is a celebration of Irish culture around the world, featuring parades, Irish music and dance, whiskey, and beer. The holiday originally honored St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, who brought Catholicism to the island and taught the inhabitants about the Holy Trinity by using a three-leaf clover. Plus, we talk about how to use the phrasal verb “scale back.” Read the full transcript of this episode at http://www.plainenglish.com/30      Transcripts are always free and available now! ¿Hablas español? Você fala português? Parles-tu français? 你会说中文吗？ The episode transcripts include instant translations from English to Spanish, Portuguese, French and Chinese. Hover over or tap a highlighted word for the translation. Connect with Jeff on Twitter (@PlainEnglishPod) and Facebook (PlainEnglishPod). Or e-mail jeff@plainenglish.com If you like the program, please leave a review or rating wherever you listen. It will help others discover the program. Never miss an episode! Sign up to receive updat

Toymaker Mattel has released a Frida Kahlo Barbie Doll in honor of International Women’s Day—but some in Mexico think it’s not an accurate representation of the famous Mexican artists. Plus, one of Frida Kahlo’s descendants claims Mattel didn’t secure the rights to the artist’s image. Even so, Mattel seems to be on solid legal ground—and we also talk about what it means to be on solid ground. Link to Frida picture: http://www.PlainEnglish.com/Frida Read the full transcript of this episode at http://www.plainenglish.com/29      Transcripts are always free and available now! ¿Hablas español? Você fala português? Parles-tu français? 你会说中文吗？ The episode transcripts include instant translations from English to Spanish, Portuguese, French and Chinese. Hover over or tap a highlighted word for the translation. Connect with Jeff on Twitter (@PlainEnglishPod) and Facebook (PlainEnglishPod). Or e-mail jeff@plainenglish.com If you like the program, please leave a review or rating wherever you listen. It will help others

The hit music streaming service Spotify is preparing to go public—and in the process is revealing some information about its business for the first time, including its ambitions to change the entire music industry. Learn how many users it has, what major labels get payouts, and how people have tried to game the system—and what the English expression “game the system” means. Read the full transcript of this episode at http://www.plainenglish.com/28      Transcripts are always free and available now! ¿Hablas español? Você fala português? Parles-tu français? 你会说中文吗？ The episode transcripts include instant translations from English to Spanish, Portuguese, French and Chinese. Hover over or tap a highlighted word for the translation. Connect with Jeff on Twitter (@PlainEnglishPod) and Facebook (PlainEnglishPod). Or e-mail jeff@plainenglish.com If you like the program, please leave a review or rating wherever you listen. It will help others discover the program. Never miss an episode! Sign up to receive updates from

The Shape of Water won Best Picture at the Oscars on Sunday night, while Frances McDormand won Best Actress for her role in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri and Gary Oldman won Best Actor for his portrayal of Winston Churchill in Darkest Hour. Mexican director Guillermo del Toro won for his work on The Shape of Water. Learn how to use the English phrase “cut a deal.” Read the full transcript of this episode at http://www.plainenglish.com/27      Transcripts are always free and available now! ¿Hablas español? Você fala português? Parles-tu français? 你会说中文吗？ The episode transcripts include instant translations from English to Spanish, Portuguese, French and Chinese. Hover over or tap a highlighted word for the translation. Connect with Jeff on Twitter (@PlainEnglishPod) and Facebook (PlainEnglishPod). Or e-mail jeff@plainenglish.com If you like the program, please leave a review or rating wherever you listen. It will help others discover the program. Never miss an episode! Sign up to receive updates fr

The Communist Party of China has proposed changing to constitution to remove term limits for Chinese president Xi Jinping in a break with the country's tradition of changing leaders every decade. The move caused a backlash on Chinese social media. In the second half of the podcast, we talk about the English expression “akin to.” Read the full transcript of this episode at http://www.plainenglish.com/26      Transcripts are always free and available now! ¿Hablas español? Você fala português? Parles-tu français? 你会说中文吗？ The episode transcripts include instant translations from English to Spanish, Portuguese, French and Chinese. Hover over or tap a highlighted word for the translation. Connect with Jeff on Twitter (@PlainEnglishPod) and Facebook (PlainEnglishPod). Or e-mail jeff@plainenglish.com If you like the program, please leave a review or rating wherever you listen. It will help others discover the program. Never miss an episode! Sign up to receive updates from Plain English at http://www.plainenglish.com/

Billy Graham, the American preacher whose crusades personally reached hundreds of millions of people, died at age 99. He became just the fourth private citizen to lie in honor at the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, DC. Through his remarkable career, he counseled 12 U.S. presidents, preached with Martin Luther King, Jr., and consoled the American people after tragedy. In the second half of the program, we review how to use the phrasal verb “carry out.” Read the full transcript of this episode at http://www.plainenglish.com/25      Transcripts are always free and available now! ¿Hablas español? Você fala português? Parles-tu français? 你会说中文吗？ The episode transcripts include instant translations from English to Spanish, Portuguese, French and Chinese. Hover over or tap a highlighted word for the translation. Connect with Jeff on Twitter (@PlainEnglishPod) and Facebook (PlainEnglishPod). Or e-mail jeff@plainenglish.com If you like the program, please leave a review or rating wherever you listen. It will help

A 17-year-old shot and killed 17 people at a school he once attended in Florida. Another 12 people were injured in the attack. Mass shootings at schools and in public places are an unfortunate exception to the improving overall safety in America. The English phrase “pour out” means to empty. Read the full transcript of this episode at http://www.plainenglish.com/24      Transcripts are always free and available now! ¿Hablas español? Você fala português? Parles-tu français? 你会说中文吗？ The episode transcripts include instant translations from English to Spanish, Portuguese, French and Chinese. Hover over or tap a highlighted word for the translation. Connect with Jeff on Twitter (@PlainEnglishPod) and Facebook (PlainEnglishPod). Or e-mail jeff@plainenglish.com If you like the program, please leave a review or rating wherever you listen. It will help others discover the program. Never miss an episode! Sign up to receive updates from Plain English at http://www.plainenglish.com/mail  Subscribers get exclusive links

The Lunar New Year began this week with celebrations across Asia. In China, families follow traditions associated with good luck, dressing in new clothes, eating long noodles to symbolize a long life, and giving gifts wrapped in red. Large cities around the world mark the New Year with fireworks and parades. In the second half of the program, we talk about the phrasal verb “sweep away.” Read the full transcript of this episode at http://www.plainenglish.com/23      Transcripts are always free and available now! ¿Hablas español? Você fala português? Parles-tu français? 你会说中文吗？ The episode transcripts include instant translations from English to Spanish, Portuguese, French and Chinese. Hover over or tap a highlighted word for the translation. Connect with Jeff on Twitter (@PlainEnglishPod) and Facebook (PlainEnglishPod). Or e-mail jeff@plainenglish.com If you like the program, please leave a review or rating wherever you listen. It will help others discover the program. Never miss an episode! Sign up to receive

A fan-produced movie called “Voldemort: Origins of the Heir” was released on YouTube last month, free of charge. The movie is an unofficial “prequel” that tells the story of how Tom Riddle became Voldemort. Warner Brothers, the Hollywood studio that owns the rights to Harry Potter films, allowed the movie to be produced as long as it was released without charge. Plus, learn English phrasal verb “come out” when talking about books and movies. Movie link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6SZa5U8sIg Read the full transcript of this episode at http://www.plainenglish.com/22     Transcripts are always free and available now! ¿Hablas español? Você fala português? Parles-tu français? 你会说中文吗？ The episode transcripts include instant translations from English to Spanish, Portuguese, French and Chinese. Hover over or tap a highlighted word for the translation. Connect with Jeff on Twitter (@PlainEnglishPod) and Facebook (PlainEnglishPod). Or e-mail jeff@plainenglish.com If you like the program, please leave a review or

PyeongChang, South Korea, is host to the Winter Olympics. In the chilly opening ceremony, North and South Korea marched under one flag—and one athlete marched without a shirt on. A 17-year-old American won a gold medal in snowboarding. The third time was the charm for PyongChang because it lost two previous bids; we talk about how to use “the third time’s the charm” in English. Read the full transcript of this episode at http://www.plainenglish.com/21    Transcripts are always free and available now! ¿Hablas español? Você fala português? Parles-tu français? 你会说中文吗？ The episode transcripts include instant translations from English to Spanish, Portuguese, French and Chinese. Hover over or tap a highlighted word for the translation. Connect with Jeff on Twitter (@PlainEnglishPod) and Facebook (PlainEnglishPod). Or e-mail jeff@plainenglish.com If you like the program, please leave a review or rating wherever you listen. It will help others discover the program. Never miss an episode! Sign up to receive updates fr

Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny was arrested on his way to a rally in Moscow. Navalny is the leader of a movement to boycott the upcoming presidential election in March. He wanted to be a candidate, but was barred due to a conviction that was widely considered to be political. Will his supporters vote against Putin or boycott the election? Plus, we talk about how to use “turn out” to describe how many people attend an event or participate in an election. Read the full transcript of this episode at http://www.plainenglish.com/20     Transcripts are always free and available now! ¿Hablas español? Você fala português? Parles-tu français? 你会说中文吗？ The episode transcripts include instant translations from English to Spanish, Portuguese, French and Chinese. Hover over or tap a highlighted word for the translation. Connect with Jeff on Twitter (@PlainEnglishPod) and Facebook (PlainEnglishPod). Or e-mail jeff@plainenglish.com If you like the program, please leave a review or rating wherever you listen. It wil

In one of America’s strangest holidays, a groundhog predicts that winter will last six more weeks. The tradition inspired the 1993 movie “Groundhog Day” and draws large crowds to a small town in western Pennsylvania. The groundhog says we have to suffer through six more weeks of winter—his usual prediction—and we talk about what “suffer through” means. Read the full transcript of this episode at http://www.plainenglish.com/19     Transcripts are always free and available now! ¿Hablas español? Você fala português? Parles-tu français? 你会说中文吗？ The episode transcripts include instant translations from English to Spanish, Portuguese, French and Chinese. Hover over or tap a highlighted word for the translation. Connect with Jeff on Twitter (@PlainEnglishPod) and Facebook (PlainEnglishPod). Or e-mail jeff@plainenglish.com If you like the program, please leave a review or rating wherever you listen. It will help others discover the program. Never miss an episode! Sign up to receive updates from Plain English at http:

A Mexican government official suggested legalizing marijuana in tourist areas to reduce violence, but a majority of Mexicans appear to be against the idea. Canada and several US states have made the drug legal for recreational use. Would Mexico ever follow their lead in legalizing marijuana? Plus, we review what it means to “get your fix” of something—be it drugs or chocolate. Read the full transcript of this episode at http://www.plainenglish.com/18     Transcripts are always free and available now! ¿Hablas español? Você fala português? Parles-tu français? 你会说中文吗？ The episode transcripts include instant translations from English to Spanish, Portuguese, French and Chinese. Hover over or tap a highlighted word for the translation. Connect with Jeff on Twitter (@PlainEnglishPod) and Facebook (PlainEnglishPod). Or e-mail jeff@plainenglish.com If you like the program, please leave a review or rating wherever you listen. It helps others discover the program. Never miss an episode! Sign up to receive updates from P

One of the biggest dates on the American cultural calendar is the first weekend of February—Super Bowl Sunday. On this episode of Plain English, we talk about the American traditions for football’s biggest game, including the halftime show, the commercials, and the ways you can bet on the game. The game pits the Patriots against the Eagles, and we’ll explain what it means to pit one thing against another. Read the full transcript of this episode at http://www.plainenglish.com/17     Transcripts are always free and available now! ¿Hablas español? Você fala português? Parles-tu français? 你会说中文吗？ The episode transcripts include instant translations from English to Spanish, Portuguese, French and Chinese. Hover over or tap a highlighted word for the translation. Connect with Jeff on Twitter (@PlainEnglishPod) and Facebook (PlainEnglishPod). Or e-mail jeff@plainenglish.com If you like the program, please leave a review or rating wherever you listen. It will help others discover the program. Never miss an episode!