Podcasts about English

For all the centuries of slavery throughout human history, you might think one group came through mostly unscathed: white Europeans. But for more than a thousand years, Barbary pirates fro North Africa (funded by the Ottoman Empire) prowled European coastlines, snatching unsuspecting Christian folk and taking them to be slaves in the Islamic world.At their height, huge fleets of privateers were raiding coastal towns, sliding their ships silently up onto English beaches in the dead of night, and snatching people in their beds. Here's the ShortHand, on the forgotten history of the Barbary corsairs.--Patreon - Ad-free & Bonus EpisodesYouTube - Full-length Video EpisodesTikTok / InstagramSources and more available on redhandedpodcast.com

Want to know your English level? Take our free English-level quiz here to find out what your current English level is.  Do you love All Ears English?  Try our other podcasts here: Business English Podcast: Improve your Business English with 3 episodes per week, featuring Lindsay, Michelle, and Aubrey IELTS Energy Podcast: Learn IELTS from a former Examiner and achieve your Band 7 or higher, featuring Lindsay McMahon and Aubrey Carter with Jessica Beck in previous episodes Visit our website here or https://lnk.to/website-sn If you love this podcast, hit the follow button now so that you don't miss five fresh and fun episodes every single week.  Don't forget to leave us a review wherever you listen to the show. Send your English question or episode topic idea to support@allearsenglish.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for February 10, 2026 is: besmirch • bih-SMERCH • verb To besmirch the reputation, name, honor, etc. of someone or something is to cause harm or damage to it. // The allegations have besmirched the company's reputation. See the entry > Examples: "... in 1895, a ruthless public smear campaign hinging on [Oscar] Wilde's queerness led to the author's imprisonment, outing, and eventual exile. ... Famously, the British press conspired to draw the dramatist's name through the mud, besmirching his literary legacy for generations to follow." — Brittany Allen, LitHub.com, 20 Oct. 2025 Did you know? The prefix be- has several applications in English; in the case of besmirch, it means "to make or cause to be." But what does smirch itself mean? Since the 1400s, smirch has been used as a verb meaning "to make dirty, stained, or discolored." Besmirch joined English in the early 1600s, and today smirch and besmirch are both used when something—and especially something abstract, like a reputation—is being figuratively sullied, i.e., damaged or harmed. Besmirch isn't unique in its journey; English has a history of attaching be- to existing verbs to form synonyms. For example, befriend combines be- in its "to make or cause to be" sense with the verb friend, meaning "to act as the friend of." Befuddle combines be- in its "thoroughly" sense with fuddle, meaning "to stupefy with or as if with drink." And befog combines be- in its "to provide or cover with" sense with fog, meaning "to cover with or as if with fog."

Learning English use a limited vocabulary and are read at a slower pace than VOA's other English broadcasts. Previously known as Special English.

What score would you get if you took the IELTS tomorrow? Get your estimated IELTS Band Score now with our free 2-minute quiz. Want to get a guaranteed score increase on your next IELTS Exam? Check out our 3 Keys IELTS Online course. Check out our other podcasts: All Ears English Podcast: We focus on Connection NOT Perfection when it comes to learning English. This podcast is perfect for listeners at the intermediate or advanced level. This is an award-winning podcast with more than 4 million monthly downloads. Business English Podcast: Improve your Business English with 3 episodes per week, featuring Lindsay, Michelle, and Aubrey Visit our website here or https://lnk.to/website-sn Send your English question or episode topic idea to support@allearsenglish.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

At least three workers at a Vancouver-based mining company operating in Mexico who were kidnapped last month are confirmed dead. And our guest fears they are victims of cartel infighting. Months after making history as Japan's first female prime minister, Sanae Takaichi leads her party to a landslide victory. And a Tokyo reporter tells us her win could mean more pressure on foreigners living in the country. Previously thought to be extinct, the greater Bermuda snail is now thriving, after being bred and then released by keepers at an English zoo. Fearing he'd be the last doctor left at his community's clinic, our guest approached the municipality with an idea: help recruit new talent, but using local tax dollars to cover some of the clinic's costs.Friends and former students of Don Glickman recently got a surprise postcard from the longtime professor stating: "If you're reading this I'm dead, and I really liked you." As it Happens, the Monday edition. Radio that appreciates the desire to have the final word.

Join host Jed Doherty on the Reading With Your Kids podcast for a heartwarming, history‑meets‑home episode featuring two wonderful picture book creators: Patricia Newman and Pooja Makhijani. First, Patricia introduces Beatrice and the Nightingale, a nonfiction picture book about Beatrice Harrison, a renowned English cellist whose garden duet with a wild nightingale became one of the earliest global nature broadcasts on BBC radio. Patricia and Jed explore how this magical moment of music, nature, and early technology captivated millions of listeners and why Beatrice is such a powerful civic and environmental role model for kids today. They also talk about teaching hope, gratitude, and connection to nature in a world filled with gloomy headlines. Then, Jed welcomes Pooja Makhijani, author of Bread Is Love, a cozy picture book about a family that bakes bread together every week. Pooja explains how a simple sourdough starter and weekly loaf became a beloved family ritual, and how bread connects culture, memory, and love. She and Jed share stories about cooking with kids, intergenerational families, and why the kitchen is one of the best places to bond with children. If you're looking for children's books that spark meaningful family conversations, inspire kids to care about the environment, or invite your family into the kitchen, this episode is for you. Discover new picture books for kids, learn the true story behind a famous nightingale broadcast, and get inspired to start your own reading and baking traditions at home.

“Thoughts to Keep in Mind” are simple themes in Come, Follow Me that help make the scriptures clearer, more Christ-centered, and easier to apply to daily life. This year, Dr. Ross Baron is the guest on all eight episodes.YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/e4sxSX6rUVYSHOW NOTES/TRANSCRIPTSEnglish: https://tinyurl.com/podcastTTKIM2ENFrench: https://tinyurl.com/podcastTTKIM2FRGerman: https://tinyurl.com/podcastTTKIM2DEPortuguese: https://tinyurl.com/podcastTTKIM2PTSpanish: https://tinyurl.com/podcastTTKIM2ESFREE PDF DOWNLOADS OF followHIM QUOTE BOOKSOld Testament: https://tinyurl.com/PodcastOTBookNew Testament: https://tinyurl.com/PodcastNTBookBook of Mormon: https://tinyurl.com/PodcastBMBookWEEKLY NEWSLETTERhttps://tinyurl.com/followHIMnewsletterSOCIAL MEDIAInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/followHIMpodcastFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/followhimpodcastThanks to the followHIM team:Steve & Shannon Sorensen: Cofounder, Executive Producer, SponsorDavid & Verla Sorensen: SponsorsDr. Hank Smith: Co-hostJohn Bytheway: Co-hostDavid Perry: ProducerKyle Nelson: Marketing, SponsorLisa Spice: Client Relations, Editor, Show NotesWill Stoughton: Video EditorKrystal Roberts: Translation Team, English & French Transcripts, WebsiteAriel Cuadra: Spanish TranscriptsAmelia Kabwika : Portuguese TranscriptsHeather Barlow: Communications DirectorSydney Smith: Social Media, Graphic Design"Let Zion in Her Beauty Rise" by Marshall McDonaldhttps://www.marshallmcdonaldmusic.com

Rog and Rory are back after a wild weekend at Anfield saw everyone reaching for their rulebooks...are Manchester City back in the title race? Are Liverpool the odd team out in the Champions League hunt? Plus, Arsenal are suddenly staring at a very real chance for the first-ever quadruple in English history...can the Gunners achieve history? Plus, Michael Carrick has his team playing like the Manchester United of old, and the anomaly of a coach that is Chelsea's Liam Rosenior.Tickets now available for our live show in Houston, March 4th: https://mibcourage.co/467DD3yPre-order Rog's new book "We Are the World (Cup)" now!: https://mibcourage.co/4brQpgGSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Too many of us left high school thinking that a poem could be taken seriously only if it was difficult to understand, subdued in its use of rhyme and alliteration, and addressed lofty topics. Harryette Mullen's saucy, suggestive “LVTOFU” bulldozes through convention, all the while revelling in its own rhythms, references, and humor.   We invite you to subscribe to Pádraig's weekly Poetry Unbound Substack, read the Poetry Unbound books and his newest work, Kitchen Hymns, or listen to all our Poetry Unbound episodes.  Harryette Mullen is the author of eight books of poetry, including Urban Tumbleweed, Recyclopedia, and Sleeping with the Dictionary, which was a finalist for the National Book Award, the National Book Critics Circle Award, and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. She is Professor of English and African American Studies at the University of California-Los Angeles.Find the transcript for this show at onbeing.org. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Bad Bunny had viewers dancing during his highly anticipated Super Bowl Halftime performance. The show was a celebration of his Puerto Rican home and culture and did not include overt political statements. The show was immediately celebrated by some and called "terrible" by the President. Amy and T. J. go through their impressions, the symbolism you might have missed, their favorite parts, and how they ended up watching the halftime show in a Spanish-speaking country but with an English-speaking crowd.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Take a break from the downfall of democracy and instead get outraged at the deep injustice of a year-long feud over a bronze medal in women's gymnastics. This story's got everything: bravery, racism, the best and the worst of sportsmanship, bad blood that's been brewing since the Cold War, and, somehow, the Swedish Federal Court. Come for the weird gymnastics scoring rules, stay for the legal analysis of international arbitration rules. Rory Carroll (August 5, 2024). Gymnastics - Biles bows to Andrade in floor final at Paris games. Reuters. International Gymnastics Federation, Code of Points 2022-2024: https://www.gymnastics.sport/publicdir/rules/files/en_2022-2024%20WAG%20COP.pdf 2025-2028: https://www.gymnastics.sport/publicdir/rules/files/en_1.1%20-%20WAG%20COP%202025-2028.pdf International Gymnastics Federation, Technical Regulations 2024: https://www.gymnastics.sport/publicdir/rules/files/en_1.1%20-%20Technical%20Regulations%202024.pdf 2025: https://www.gymnastics.sport/publicdir/rules/files/en_1.1%20-%20Technical%20Regulations%202025.pdf English press release from Swiss Federal Court.   Further reading: Richard McLaren, The CAS Ad Hoc Division at the Athens Olympic Games, 15 Marq. Sports L. Rev. 175 (2004). Video of the relevant floor routines, plus a time stamp for when they all attempt the infamous Gogean leap: Rebeca Andrade: 0:55; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXKM8ThtYOE Simone Biles: 0:53; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2m2UL5bljw Jordan Chiles: 1:29; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kU0769SvbWE Ana Bărbosu: 1:06; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ik01tvmwV9c Sabrina Maneca-Voinea: 1:49; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WuF-smKa4Vo Check out the OA Linktree for all the places to go and things to do!  

Want to know your English level? Take our free English-level quiz here to find out what your current English level is.  Do you love All Ears English?  Try our other podcasts here: Business English Podcast: Improve your Business English with 3 episodes per week, featuring Lindsay, Michelle, and Aubrey IELTS Energy Podcast: Learn IELTS from a former Examiner and achieve your Band 7 or higher, featuring Lindsay McMahon and Aubrey Carter with Jessica Beck in previous episodes Visit our website here or https://lnk.to/website-sn If you love this podcast, hit the follow button now so that you don't miss five fresh and fun episodes every single week.  Don't forget to leave us a review wherever you listen to the show. Send your English question or episode topic idea to support@allearsenglish.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Bad Bunny had viewers dancing during his highly anticipated Super Bowl Halftime performance. The show was a celebration of his Puerto Rican home and culture and did not include overt political statements. The show was immediately celebrated by some and called "terrible" by the President. Amy and T. J. go through their impressions, the symbolism you might have missed, their favorite parts, and how they ended up watching the halftime show in a Spanish-speaking country but with an English-speaking crowd.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our Chief LatAm Equity Strategist Nikolaj Lippmann discusses why Latin America may be approaching a rare “Spring” moment – where geopolitics, peaking rates, and elections set the scene for an investment-led growth cycle with meaningful market upside.Read more insights from Morgan Stanley.----- Transcript -----Nikolaj Lippmann: Welcome to Thoughts on the Market. I'm Nikolaj Lippmann, Morgan Stanley's Chief Latin America Equity Strategist. If you ever felt like Latin America is too complicated to follow, today's episode is for you. It's Monday, February 9th at 10am in New York. The big idea in our research is simple. Latin America is facing a trifecta of change that could set up a very different investment story from what investors have gotten used to. We could be moving towards an investment or CapEx cycle in the shadow of the global AI CapEx cycle, and this is a stark departure from prior consumer cycles in Latin America. Latin America's GDP today is about $6 trillion. Yet Latin American equities account for just about 80 basis points of the main global index MSCI All Country World Equity benchmark. In plain English, it's really easy for investors to overlook such a vast region. But the narrative seems to be changing thanks to three key factors. Number one, shifting geopolitics in this increasingly global multipolar world. We can see this with trade rules, security priorities, supply chains that are getting rewritten. Capital and investment will often move alongside with these changing rules. Clearly, as we can all see U.S. priorities in Latin America have shifted, and with them have local priorities and incentives. Second, interest rates may very well have been peaking and could decline into [20]26. When borrowing cost fall, it just becomes easier to fund factories, infrastructure, AI, and expansion into all kinds of different investment, which become more feasible. What is more, we see a big shift in the size and growth of domestic capital markets in almost every country in Latin America – something that happens courtesy of reform and is certainly new versus prior cycles. And finally, elections that could lead to an important policy shift across Latin America. We see signs of movement towards greater fiscal responsibility in many sites of the region, with upcoming elections in Colombia and Brazil. We have already seen new policy makers in Argentina, Chile, Mexico, depart from prior populism. So, when we put all this together -- geopolitics, rates and local election -- you get to the core of our thesis, a possible LatAm spring; meaning a decisive break from the status quo towards fiscal consolidation, monetary easing, and structural reform. And we think that that could be a potential move that restores some confidence and attracts private capital. In our spring scenario, we see interest rates coming down, not rising in a scenario of higher growth to 6 percent in Brazil and Mexico, 7 percent in Argentina, and just 4 percent in Chile. This helps the rerating of the region. There's another powerful factor that I think many investors overlook, and that is a key difference versus prior cycles, as already mentioned. And that's the domestic savings. Local portfolios today are much bigger, much deeper capital markets, and they're heavily skewed towards fixed income. 75 percent of Latin American portfolios are in fixed income versus 25 percent in equity. In Brazil, the number's even higher with 90 to 95 percent in fixed income. If this shifts even halfway towards equity, it can deepen and support local capital markets; it supports valuation. For the region as a whole, sectors most impacted by this transformation would be Financial Services, Energy, Utilities, IT and Healthcare. Up until now, I think Latin America has been viewed as a region where a lot could go wrong. We asked the reverse question. What could go right? If the trifecta lines up: geopolitics, peaking rates and elections that enable a more investment friendly policy and CapEx cycle, Latin America could shift from being seen mainly as a supply of commodities and labor to far more investment driven engine of growth. That's why investors should put Latin America on the radar now and not wait until spring is already in full bloom. Thanks for listening. If you enjoy the show, please leave us a review wherever you listen to the podcast and share Thoughts on the Market with a friend or colleague today.

Bad Bunny had viewers dancing during his highly anticipated Super Bowl Halftime performance. The show was a celebration of his Puerto Rican home and culture and did not include overt political statements. The show was immediately celebrated by some and called "terrible" by the President. Amy and T. J. go through their impressions, the symbolism you might have missed, their favorite parts, and how they ended up watching the halftime show in a Spanish-speaking country but with an English-speaking crowdSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

EffortlessEnglishClub.com

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for February 9, 2026 is: fortuitous • for-TOO-uh-tus • adjective Fortuitous is a formal word that usually describes something that comes or happens by a lucky chance. It can also mean “happening by chance” and “fortunate, lucky.” // The fact that we were both there was a fortuitous coincidence. // You could not have arrived at a more fortuitous time. See the entry > Examples: “The timing of the hit's resurgence proved fortuitous: She had nearly wrapped the recording for 2025 full-length Pressure ... and the scorching hot single provided a push in the lead-up.” — Mackenzie Cummings-Grady, Billboard, 11 Nov. 2025 Did you know? Before its meaning expanded, fortuitous meant one thing only: “happening by chance.” This was no accident; its Latin forebear, fortuitus, shares the same ancient root as fors, the Latin word for “chance.” But the fact that fortuitous sounds like a blend of fortunate and felicitous (“happily suited to an occasion”) likely led to a second meaning of “fortunate, lucky,” with the seeds of the newer sense perhaps planted by writers applying overtones of good fortune to something that is a random occurrence. The “lucky” use has been disparaged by critics, but it is now well established. Irregardless (cough), employing this sense in sterner company may be considered chancy.

❖ Follow along with today's reading: www.esv.org/Exodus24–25;Psalm37:1–22;Mark16 ❖ The English Standard Version (ESV) is an 'essentially literal' translation of the Bible in contemporary English. Created by a team of more than 100 leading evangelical scholars and pastors, the ESV Bible emphasizes 'word-for-word' accuracy, literary excellence, and depth of meaning. ❖ To learn more about the ESV and other audio resources, please visit www.ESV.org

Learning English uses a limited vocabulary and are read at a slower pace than VOA's other English broadcasts. Previously known as Special English.

What skills are involved in being a good writer? What makes a good piece of writing? How is writing different to speaking? What are the challenges faced by learners of English who want to write well, and what are some solutions to these challenges? How can AI help develop writing skills? And, what does it take to write your own book in English? These are all questions which I talk about in this episode, with the help of professional writer and returning guest Fabio Cerpelloni.Get the PDF transcript & summary of main points

Rachelle goes over things from scripture that often aren't brought out in an English translation.

What if Mary I had listened to her people instead of her heart? When Mary Tudor took the throne in 1553, she was a survivor who had beaten the odds. But she was also a woman in a hurry. She needed an heir, she needed to secure the Catholic faith, and she needed a husband. In our timeline, she chose Philip of Spain, a decision that brought Wyatt's Rebellion, the loss of Calais, and the nickname "Bloody Mary." But it didn't have to be that way. In today's episode, we're diving into a fascinating "sliding doors" moment in Tudor history. We explore what would have happened if Mary had chosen the handsome, erratic, and purely English Edward Courtenay instead. We're breaking down the ramifications of that one choice: Why the Spanish match was so loathed by the English public. How the survival of Lady Jane Grey and the freedom of Princess Elizabeth hinged on this wedding. The economic "miracle" of a timeline where England never loses Calais. Whether a secure, "English" Mary would have ever become the "Bloody" queen we remember today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rob Smethurst bought a bankrupt football club while his life was unravelling – then they went on to make football history and save him in the process.Entrepreneur Rob Smethurst never planned to become the owner of a football club. In the grip of alcohol addiction, and on a four-day drinking binge, he bought Macclesfield FC – a bankrupt small-town club, way down in the rankings with a crumbling football stadium. When Rob arrived at the grounds he was given an enormous bunch of keys, it took him an hour just to work out how to get in. Rob focussed on building up the club and himself from a place of ruin, and what followed was one of English football's great modern fairy tales. Macclesfield's stunning FA Cup giant-killing of holders Crystal Palace, was a result that sent shockwaves through the competition and briefly put a small, struggling club at the centre of the football world.This is Rob's remarkable personal story behind the headlines: about addiction, self-destruction, and the moment he realised he was losing control of his life. But buying Macclesfield wasn't just a reckless act – it became a strange kind of lifeline, giving him purpose, responsibility, and a reason to start facing his demons and ultimately recover. This is a story about how a life was saved, football history was made and a little-town team was reborn.If you, or someone you know, have been affected by addiction, there is help available, speak to a health professional, or search online for an organisation that offers support.Presenter: Jo Fidgen Producers: Rachel Oakes and Edgar Maddicott Editor: Munazza KhanLives Less Ordinary is a podcast from the BBC World Service that brings you the most incredible true stories from around the world. Each episode a guest shares their most dramatic, moving, personal story. Listen for unbelievable twists, mysteries uncovered, and inspiring journeys – spanning the entire human experience. Step into someone else's life and expect the unexpected.   Got a story to tell? Send an email to liveslessordinary@bbc.co.uk or message us via WhatsApp: 0044 330 678 2784   You can read our privacy notice here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/5YD3hBqmw26B8WMHt6GkQxG/lives-less-ordinary-privacy-notice

Cookies or biscuits? Autumn or fall? Catherine and Doug discuss British and American English. Hear about differences and similarities in vocabulary from both sides of the Atlantic.Visit our website ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglishFollow us ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/followusDiscover Beating Speaking Anxiety: ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/beating_speaking_anxietyLearn more English for Work: ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/business-englishSubscribe to our newsletter: ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/newslettersLIKE PODCASTS? Try some of our other popular podcasts including: ✔️ 6 Minute English ✔️ Learning English for Work ✔️ Learning English ConversationsThey're all available by searching in your podcast app.

PRE-ORDER MY NEW BOOK (OUT MAY 5, 2026)!!! — ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/43BquPd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Teacher besties… this episode is a little heavier than usual, but it's one I felt I needed to record exactly as it is. Lately, the news cycle has been overwhelming, and as teachers, we don't get the luxury of tuning it out, because our students bring it straight into our classrooms. In this episode, I talk honestly about what it feels like to be asked to “say something,” why nuance disappears online, and how impossible it can feel to hold space for kids who are scared, angry, confused, or all three at once. I share why structure can be one of the most compassionate things we give students during chaotic times, how I've navigated these conversations in my own classroom, and why empathy has to come before ideology when kids are involved. Then, we pivot, because life doesn't stop. I respond to a first-year English teacher who is cheering out loud while grading student writing (yes, really), reflect on the power of what we say to kids, and explain why words from teachers can echo for decades. Takeaways: Why “just stay neutral” isn't as simple as people think for teachers. The classroom strategy that can ground students when the world feels unsafe. A grading moment so joyful it startled a janitor. The reminder of how deeply a teacher's words can shape a student's future. The grading policy hill I am fully prepared to die on. -- Teachers' night out? Yes, please! Come see comedian Educator Andrea…Get your tickets at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠teachersloungelive.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Educatorandrea.com/tickets⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for laugh out loud Education! — Don't Be Shy Come Say Hi: www.podcasterandrea.com Watch on YouTube: @educatorandrea A Human Content Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

//The Wire//2300Z February 6, 2026////ROUTINE////BLUF: IRANIAN FORCES HIJACK TWO VESSELS IN STRAIT OF HORMUZ. GRENADE ATTACK REPORTED IN FRANCE. RUSSIAN GENERAL TARGET OF ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT IN MOSCOW. DETAILS EMERGE REGARDING TERROR ATTACK IN GURNEE, ILLINOIS.// -----BEGIN TEARLINE----- -International Events-Middle East: Yesterday Iranian forces seized two tanker vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. These vessels have not officially been named yet, however the footage provided by the IRGC-N indicates these were smaller, more-regional tankers carrying fuel to other locations around the region. Otherwise, on the diplomatic front, the talks between Iranian and American officials concluded today without much note, other than mainstream media sources claiming that the Iranians have refused to halt the enrichment of Uranium.Analyst Comment: The Iranians say this quite literally every time, and today was only the first day of negotiations. The positive news is that neither side flipped the table and walked away; all parties have further talks planned after today's meetings in Oman.Russia: Overnight, a high-ranking General was the victim of an attempted assassination in Moscow. The Kremlin states that Vladimir Alekseyev was shot several times by an unidentified assailant, at his apartment near a pizza restaurant in northwest Moscow. LTG Alekseyev is serving as the deputy chief of Military Intelligence for the Kremlin.France: This morning an attack involving explosives was carried out in Grenoble, after two assailants threw a hand grenade into a beauty salon near the downtown area. The suspects recorded a video of the attack, and provided a video confession as well, which linked the attack to Fenec38, an Algerian gang/criminal group.Analyst Comment: Details on this exact criminal group are hard to come by, at least in English-speaking publications, so it's possible that this is a smaller group trying to improve their standing in the web of criminal groups that now completely dominate the city of Grenoble.This attack also bears striking resemblance to another attack, carried out in the same manner, on a similar target, in the same city, using the same weapon. Back in February of last year, a hand grenade was tossed into a bar/lounge in Grenoble, near the old Olympic village. Concerning today's target (the beauty salon), it's not entirely clear as to why this target was chosen. However, as per the Google Maps listing for the site, some sort of home health company is also registered at this address.While no direct causal link can be established between the two incidents beyond the similarities already observed, it must be noted that these individuals are ruthless killers. In both cases, soft targets were chosen to inflict as much violence on innocent people as possible, with the attacker today throwing the hand grenade quite literally at the feet of a child in the salon. It is only by sheer miracle that the six people inside the salon only suffered minor wounds, and were not immediately killed outright. Instead, the shrapnel from the grenade missed every person in the salon, and none of the victims even required hospitalization, at least according to local media reports. Nevertheless, the attackers attempted to carry out the mass murder of innocent people, continuing what has become a trend throughout France, as ordinary street gangs and organized crime groups alike continue to wage war on the nation.-----END TEARLINE-----Analyst Comments: In Illinois, more details have come to light regarding a vehicle ramming attack and stabbing incident that took place in Gurnee on Monday. At the time, local media initially reported that the incident was an accident involving two people struck by a car in the parking lot of Gurnee Mills Mall. However, after the details of the arrest that was made became public, t

Think your drinking habits are a matter of discipline? Victoria English reveals they may actually be a result of sophisticated influence. Discover how Big Alcohol spends billions to frame a Class 1 carcinogen as a tool for "sophistication" and "wellness." Learn the science of the "neurochemical rebound", how alcohol doesn't relax you, but sedates you before triggering a spike in cortisol and glutamate. This episode breaks down the truth behind modern meta-analyses that debunk "heart-healthy" myths, inviting you to trade industry-backed ambiguity for the data-driven clarity of an alcohol-free lifestyle.   Download my FREE guide: The Alcohol Freedom Formula For Over 30s Entrepreneurs & High Performers: https://social.alcoholfreelifestyle.com/podcast ★ - Learn more about Project 90: www.alcoholfreelifestyle.com/Project90 ★ - (Accountability & Support) Speak verbally to a certified Alcohol-Free Lifestyle coach to see if, or how, we could support you having a better relationship with alcohol: https://www.alcoholfreelifestyle.com/schedule ★ - The wait is over – My new book "CLEAR" is now available. Get your copy here: https://www.alcoholfreelifestyle.com/clear

Every Christian holds a Bible, but few stop to ask why they trust the text in their hands. Questions about manuscripts, translators, editions, and revisions are often treated as technical matters best left to specialists. Yet they carry enormous implications: Is the Bible I hold the very word of God—truly infallible and inerrant?For the preservationist, the story of the English Bible is not one of constant loss and recovery, but of transmission, reception, and faithful use within the life of the church—giving believers confidence in what has been handed down.In this episode of the Postscript, I'm joined by Dr. Jim Alter, pastor of Grace Baptist Church in Sidney, Ohio, and co-founder of Ancient Baptist Press. Dr. Jim is also the founder, curator, and educator behind Purified Seven Times, a traveling exhibit that teaches the history of Bible translation into English with special attention to the preservation of God's word. Through pastoral ministry, publishing, and hands-on historical education, Dr. Jim helps Christians think carefully—and faithfully—about where their Bible came from and why that history still matters today.Visit https://www.gracebaptistsidney.com/exhibit to learn more about Purified Seven TimesVisit https://lfbi.org/learnmore

DOWNLOAD the【podcast transcript with Pinyin and English】at

❖ Follow along with today's reading: www.esv.org/Exodus37:1–40:38 ❖ The English Standard Version (ESV) is an 'essentially literal' translation of the Bible in contemporary English. Created by a team of more than 100 leading evangelical scholars and pastors, the ESV Bible emphasizes 'word-for-word' accuracy, literary excellence, and depth of meaning. ❖ To learn more about the ESV and other audio resources, please visit www.ESV.org

Sometimes, in the middle of a conversation, you need to change the topic. Maybe something that was said suddenly reminds you of something else that you want to say. Well, if that's happened to you, then you've come to the right podcast. In situations like these, we have a few short, natural phrases that gently guide the conversation in a new direction - and that's what this podcast English lesson is all about.Happy English Podcast – Speak English Naturally I'm Michael from Happy English, and I help people speak English more naturally, confidently, and clearly.

The laws of watchmen describe how different animal drives can cause a person to lose touch with their G-dly soul, with the sheep's pull toward social conformity emerging as the most subtle and dangerous challenge. Because Hashem lends each person their abilities out of essential love, no spiritual failure or lack of standing ever removes the obligation to learn Chassidus. A free loan reveals a glimpse of the infinite within the finite, since lending to another is considered lending to Hashem Himself, whose repayment is enduring and without limit. This class, taught by Rabbi Shais Taub, is based on Parshas Mishpatim in Likkutei Sichos Vol. 1.

The Seahawks take the Lombardi Trophy

The Decade Project is an ongoing One Heat Minute Productions Patreon exclusive podcast looking back at the films released ten years ago to reflect on what continues to resonate and what's ripe for rediscovery. The third year being released on the main podcast feed is the films of 2015. To hear a fantastic chorus of guests and I unpack the films of 2016 in 2026, subscribe to our Patreon here for as little as $1 a month. In the latest episode, the prolific and wise Nadine Whitney and I discuss the English-language supremacy of ‘mean Yorgos' in The Lobster.Nadine WhitneyNadine Whitney is a freelance critic writing from Melbourne, Australia. She is the co-chair of the Australian Film Critics Association. Her focus is on women-directed films.One Heat Minute ProductionsWEBSITE: oneheatminute.comTWITTER: @OneBlakeMinute & @OHMPodsMERCH: https://www.teepublic.com/en-au/stores/one-heat-minute-productionsSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/one-heat-minute-productions/exclusive-contentAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

This is the Monday evening liturgy during Epiphanytide for the Compline podcast from the Center for Worship and the Arts at Samford University. For more about the Center for Worship and the Arts, as well as the resources we provide, visit us at https://www.samford.edu/worship-arts/.CREDITS:© 2021 Center for Worship and the Arts, Samford University.Engineered and produced by Wen Reagan for the Center for Worship and the Arts at Samford University.SPOKEN WORD:Wen Reagan, Stacy Love, Tracy Hanrahan, Meagan Kennedy, Pierce Moffett, Eden Walker.MUSIC:“Compline #7 - Epiphany” by Wen Reagan, © 2020 Sursum Corda Music (BMI).“Glowing Gaze” by Emily Hanrahan, © 2020 Emily Hanrahan.“Star in the East” by Reginald Heber. English traditional tune arranged by William Walker in Southern Harmony (1820). Arrangement by Bruce Benedict, © 2009 Cardiphonia Music.TEXTS:The liturgical words for this podcast series include original phrasings, but were primarily curated and designed from several public domain sources, including “An Order for Compline” from the Anglican and Episcopal Book of Common Prayer and collects collected from Grace Cathedral and the University of Notre Dame.SOUNDS:The following sound effects were used in this podcast series and are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, PO Box 1866, Mountain View, CA 94042, USA."Door, Front, Opening, A.wav" by InspectorJ (www.jshaw.co.uk) of Freesound.org."Door, Front, Closing, A.wav" by InspectorJ (www.jshaw.co.uk) of Freesound.org.“06 – Crackling Candle.wav” by 14GPanskaLetko_Dominik of Freesound.org.“Lights a Candle Light with a Match” by straget of Freesound.org.The following sound effects were used in this podcast series and are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, PO Box 1866, Mountain View, CA 94042, USA.“Soft Shoes Walking on a Dirt Road” by Nagwense of Freesound.org.“Match Being Lit.wav” by Jeanet_Henning of

In the season premiere episode of THE STORY SONG PODCAST, your hosts review the 1959 jazz classic, “Mack the Knife,” performed by Bobby Darin and written by Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht (with English lyrics by Marc Blitzstein) for the musical, The Threepenny Opera. “Mack the Knife” by Bobby Darin (from the album That's All) is available on Apple Music, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, Tidal, Pandora, Spotify, or wherever you listen to music. Continue the conversation; follow THE STORY SONG PODCAST on social media. Follow us on Bluesky (@storysongpodcast.bsky.social), Instagram (storysongpodcast), Facebook (thestorysongpodcast), Threads (storysongpodcast), GoodPods, and Podchaser. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Megan Nollet and Colin Lowther talk about a favorite snack for people all around the world.https://spotlightenglish.com/food-drink/from-banh-ran-to-beignets-the-best-doughnuts-in-the-world/Download our app for Android at http://bit.ly/spotlight-androidDownload our app for iOS at http://bit.ly/spotlight-appleFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/spotlightradioAre you learning English? Are you looking for a way to practice your English? Listen to Spotlight to learn about people and places all around the world. You can learn English words, and even practice English by writing a comment.Visit our website to follow along with the script: http://spotlightenglish.com

❖ Follow along with today's reading: www.esv.org/Genesis42;Mark12;Job8;Romans12 ❖ The English Standard Version (ESV) is an 'essentially literal' translation of the Bible in contemporary English. Created by a team of more than 100 leading evangelical scholars and pastors, the ESV Bible emphasizes 'word-for-word' accuracy, literary excellence, and depth of meaning. ❖ To learn more about the ESV and other audio resources, please visit www.ESV.org

Today's story: The 2026 World Cup will be jointly hosted by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. FIFA says it has received over 500 million ticket requests. So what do fans need to know if they want to attend a game? It probably depends on the type of game they want to see—there might even be some last-minute bargains. Transcript & Exercises: https://plainenglish.com/837Get the full story and learning resources: https://plainenglish.com/837--Plain English helps you improve your English:Learn about the world and improve your EnglishClear, natural English at a speed you can understandNew stories every weekLearn even more at PlainEnglish.comMentioned in this episode:Hard words? No problemNever be confused by difficult words in Plain English again! See translations of the hardest words and phrases from English to your language. Each episode transcript includes built-in translations into Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, German, French, Italian, Japanese, Polish, and Turkish. Sign up for a free 14-day trial at PlainEnglish.com

https://newsongpeople.com/messages/the-call-and-the-costPrayer was central to the life of Jesus. He prayed at the most ordinary moments, and at the most critical ones. He prayed with Scripture, He prayed alone, He prayed with friends, He prayed for His enemies, and He surrendered Himself to the will of the Father in prayer.In this series, we're going to look at the prayer life of Jesus. We'll listen as He teaches us how to pray, and we'll follow His example in the way He prayed.As we pray like Jesus, we'll grow in our relationship with the Father, our dependence on the Spirit, and our alignment with His mission.

Rabbi Gordon studies one chapter a day from Maimonides' classic legal work of Mishneh Torah. The original Hebrew text is read and then translated and clearly explained in English.

In Part 1 of our discussion on Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, we welcome editor Justine Murison to discuss Hawthorne's life and views, the iconic symbolism in the text and how to analyze it, and the lasting relevance of The Scarlet Letter in the twenty-first century. Justine S. Murison is Associate Professor of English at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Her research and teaching examine nineteenth-century American literature with special attention to its relation to the intertwined histories of health and religion. She is the author of The Politics of Anxiety in Nineteenth-Century American Literature (2011) and Faith in Exposure: Privacy and Secularism in the Nineteenth-Century United States (2023).To learn more or purchase a copy of the Norton Library edition of The Scarlet Letter, go to https://wwnorton.com/books/9780393871616.Learn more about the Norton Library series at https://wwnorton.com/norton-library.Have questions or suggestions for the podcast? Email us at nortonlibrary@wwnorton.com or find us on Twitter at @TNL_WWN and Bluesky at @nortonlibrary.bsky.social. 

Bad Bunny had viewers dancing during his highly anticipated Super Bowl Halftime performance. The show was a celebration of his Puerto Rican home and culture and did not include overt political statements. The show was immediately celebrated by some and called "terrible" by the President. Amy and T. J. go through their impressions, the symbolism you might have missed, their favorite parts, and how they ended up watching the halftime show in a Spanish-speaking country but with an English-speaking crowd.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jon Herold opens the week with a blunt breakdown of the Super Bowl as pure bread-and-circus, questioning the cultural obsession with halftime spectacles, corporate patriotism, and distraction politics. He digs into the backlash surrounding Bad Bunny, TPUSA's alternative broadcast, and why performative culture wars fail to move the needle. From there, Jon addresses President Trump's executive order designating English as the national language and contrasts it with everyday reality. The episode also tackles a major correction to a Guardian story involving DNI Tulsi Gabbard, reframing it as a “pop-up smear” built on misrepresentation. Jon walks through renewed Epstein narratives, calls for resignations by association, and why the story continues to be weaponized. He covers looming DHS funding issues, midterm maneuvering, speculation around Iran following unusual betting activity, and the growing fatigue inside the information war. A wide-ranging, candid Monday stream focused on distraction, narrative control, and where attention is being intentionally misdirected.

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This week Alicia gets to the bottom of the basket in this episode about Jane Birkin, English actress, singer, and designer - also, namesake of the very famous Birkin Bag. Jane's story is truly incredible, and is the stickiest spiderweb from our Brigitte Bardot arc that we had to explore. Jane will have a long term love affair with Serge Gainsborough once Brigitte dumps him, but that is only one part of her incredible story. Want early, ad-free episodes, regular Dumpster Dives, bonus divorces, limited series, Zoom hangouts, and more? Join us at patreon.com/trashydivorces! Want a personalized message for someone in your life? Check us out on Cameo! To advertise on our podcast, please reach out to info@amplitudemediapartners.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for February 8, 2026 is: meme • MEEM • noun Meme is used popularly to refer to an amusing or interesting picture, video, etc. that is spread widely online. It can also refer to an idea, behavior, style, or usage that spreads from person to person within a culture. // Though the two friends now live on opposite coasts, they still keep in touch constantly, texting and sending their favorite funny cat memes back and forth. See the entry > Examples: “Shane Hinton, a meteorologist for CBS News Miami, posted a Facebook meme earlier this week that showed a 70-degree spread between Miami's near record 85 and Minneapolis' 15.” — Howard Cohen, The Miami Herald, 5 Dec. 2025 Did you know? In his 1976 book The Selfish Gene, British scientist Richard Dawkins defended his newly coined word meme, which he defined as “a unit of cultural transmission.” Having first considered, then rejected, mimeme, he wrote: “Mimeme comes from a suitable Greek root, but I want a monosyllable that sounds a bit like gene.” (The suitable Greek root was mim-, meaning “mime” or “mimic.” The English suffix -eme indicates a distinctive unit of language structure, as in grapheme, lexeme, and phoneme.) Like any good meme, meme caught on and evolved, eventually developing the meaning known to anyone who spends time online, where it's most often used to refer to any one of those silly captioned photos that the Internet can't seem to get enough of.

❖ Follow along with today's reading: www.esv.org/Exodus22–23;Psalm36;Mark15 ❖ The English Standard Version (ESV) is an 'essentially literal' translation of the Bible in contemporary English. Created by a team of more than 100 leading evangelical scholars and pastors, the ESV Bible emphasizes 'word-for-word' accuracy, literary excellence, and depth of meaning. ❖ To learn more about the ESV and other audio resources, please visit www.ESV.org

Learning English use a limited vocabulary and are read at a slower pace than VOA's other English broadcasts. Previously known as Special English.