Today's story: Jimmy Carter, who died at the end of 2024, was America's 39th president. His term in office was marked by challenges, and he suffered a lopsided loss in the 1980 election. But after he left office, he founded one of the most influential global nonprofits. The Carter Center has had an extraordinary positive impact on humanity in areas ranging from peace to health to democracy. Transcript & Exercises: https://plainenglish.com/742 -- Upgrade all your skills in English: Plain English is the best current-events podcast for learning English. You might be learning English to improv ..read more

Today's story: Australia’s new law bans children under 16 from social media, but two key questions remain: how will platforms verify user ages, and what exactly counts as a social media platform? So much of the online world has at least some social component: will teen book nerds be kicked off Goodreads? Transcript & Exercises: https://plainenglish.com/741 Full lesson: https://plainenglish.com/741 -- Upgrade all your skills in English: Plain English is the best current-events podcast for learning English. You might be learning English to improve your career, enjoy music and movies, connect ..read more

Today's story: Australia has passed a law that will prohibit children under 16 from accessing social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram. The law aims to protect kids from cyberbullying and mental health issues, but critics say it's an unfair restriction on kids' freedom to connect online. Transcript & Exercises: https://plainenglish.com/740 -- Upgrade all your skills in English: Plain English is the best current-events podcast for learning English. You might be learning English to improve your career, enjoy music and movies, connect with family abroad, or even prepare for an interna ..read more

Today's story: Processed foods are widely considered unhealthy and are associated with obesity and cardiovascular disease. But what, exactly, is unhealthy about them? New research attempts to tease out which processed foods are most associated with bad health. Transcript & Exercises: https://plainenglish.com/739 Full lesson: https://plainenglish.com/739 -- Upgrade all your skills in English: Plain English is the best current-events podcast for learning English. You might be learning English to improve your career, enjoy music and movies, connect with family abroad, or even prepare for an i ..read more

Today's story: Here are three major stories to follow in 2025: Donald Trump’s return and its impact on global trade, the potential endgame for the Ukraine-Russia war, and the evolving role of artificial intelligence in business and society. Transcript & Exercises: https://plainenglish.com/738 Full lesson: https://plainenglish.com/738 -- Upgrade all your skills in English: Plain English is the best current-events podcast for learning English. You might be learning English to improve your career, enjoy music and movies, connect with family abroad, or even prepare for an international move. W ..read more

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 English phrase "get down to business." Full lesson: https://plainenglish.com/216 -- Upgrade all your skills in English: Plain English is the best current-events podcast for learning English. You might be learn ..read more

Today's story: Giving gifts is a waste of money. That's the conclusion of economic studies that show the ""deadweight loss"" that occurs when givers buy gifts the receivers don't want very much. But even with this loss, a good gift can still be worth it...if done right. Full lesson: https://plainenglish.com/737 -- Upgrade all your skills in English: Plain English is the best current-events podcast for learning English. You might be learning English to improve your career, enjoy music and movies, connect with family abroad, or even prepare for an international move. Whatever your reason, we'll ..read more

Today's story: Romance novels are the bestselling genre in publishing, outselling thrillers, mysteries, and self-help books. This story explores what makes a book a romance, the genre’s rich history, its subgenres, and how e-readers and self-publishing have fueled its success. Full lesson: https://plainenglish.com/736 -- Upgrade all your skills in English: Plain English is the best current-events podcast for learning English. You might be learning English to improve your career, enjoy music and movies, connect with family abroad, or even prepare for an international move. Whatever your reason ..read more

Today's story: Colm Tóibín's novel ""Brooklyn"" introduced readers to Eilis Lacey, a young woman from Ireland who emigrated to America in the 1950's. The story won wide praise and found commercial success; it was adapted into a movie in 2015. Now, the Irish author is back with a sequel, titled ""Long Island"" and set in the 1970s. Transcript & Exercises: https://plainenglish.com/735 Full lesson: https://plainenglish.com/735 -- Upgrade all your skills in English: Plain English is the best current-events podcast for learning English. You might be learning English to improve your career, enjo ..read more

Today's story: Plasma is a light-yellow liquid that makes up about half the volume of our blood. It plays an important role carrying substances from one part of the body to another. It's also a critical ingredient in life-saving treatments. It's easy and safe to donate plasma, but the world still faces a shortage. Is it time for more countries to allow patients to be paid to donate plasma? Transcript & Exercises: https://plainenglish.com/734 Full lesson: https://plainenglish.com/734 -- Upgrade all your skills in English: Plain English is the best current-events podcast for learning English ..read more