Plain English
Episodes
Tiny semiconductor chips are causing big supply chain problems | Learn the English expression ‘cutting edge’
12 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
" The world is facing a semiconductor shortage. Semiconductor microchips are in everything nowadays: from laptops, to cars, and even some toothbrushes...
Law & Order adds a new spinoff series to the franchise | Learn the phrasal verb ‘land on’
08 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
" This spring, Law & Order introduced its latest installment in the franchise: “Law & Order: Organized Crime.” One of the Law & Order series is th...
Gen Z has spoken and skinny jeans are out | Learn the phrasal verb to ‘break out’
05 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
" After a year of pandemic life and working from home in comfortable pants, Gen Z has declared that skinny jeans should be gone for good. Some millenn...
The great gig economy debate | Learn the English expression ‘middle ground’
01 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
" The gig economy – the future of work – is here, and consumers love it. We can get a ride, order food, or even have our dogs walked with the tap ...
New giant dinosaur discovered in Australia | Learn the English expression ‘named after’
28 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
" A new dinosaur was discovered in Australia, named the “Australotitan cooperensis,” or “Cooper” for short. The dinosaur was enormous, even fo...
Swipe left on these dating app scams | Learn the English expression ‘raise a red flag’
24 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
" When we think of scams, we usually think of vulnerable elderly people falling for a classic email or phone scam. But recently, the fastest growing s...
Swipe left on these dating app scams | Learn the English expression ‘raise a red flag’
21 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
" Tourism was put on hold for 2020. As the world recovers from the pandemic-induced recession, cooped-up consumers are ready to spend money on travel ...
Long Covid: the lingering mystery after the disease | Learn the English expression ‘for a living’
17 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
" “Long Covid” refers to the approximately ten percent of Covid sufferers whose symptoms do not go away within a few weeks. For some, the lingerin...
Belarus hijacked plane to seize opposition journalist | Learn the phrasal verb ‘cover up’
14 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
" A Ryanair flight from Greece bound for Lithuania was hijacked by the government of Belarus. The flight received a message that there was a bomb thre...
Chile is hitting refresh on its 1980 constitution | Learn the English expression ‘hold out hope’
10 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
" The current Chilean constitution is a controversial document, and many people don’t consider it legitimate. The group in charge of drafting the ne...
Why does America still write checks? | Learn the English expression ‘reverse course’
07 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
" Check-writing is a low-tech, burdensome, and time-consuming form of payment. Some countries, like China, South Korea, and Japan, completely skipped ...
How ransomware hackers shut down a critical U.S. gasoline pipeline | Learn the phrasal verb ‘lock out’
03 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
"Every 11 seconds, a company is a victim of a ransomware attack. Often, companies discreetly pay the ransom to avoid embarrassment. But recently, a ra...
China’s recent census reveals slowing growth | Learn the phrasal verb ‘make up’
31 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
" China is the world’s most populous country, and according to the recent 2020 census, China now has 1.41 billion people. But over the last ten year...
The high cost of cognitive switching | Learn the phrasal verb ‘leave off’
27 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
" What is cognitive switching? It’s when you switch your attention from one task, or one type of task, to another. Cognitive switching could be robb...
A preventable tragedy in Mexico City | Learn the English expression ‘in charge of’
24 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
" A metro overpass collapsed in Mexico City as a train was traveling over it. Before the deadly accident, it was obvious there were structural problem...
Updates on justice for George Floyd, Tokyo Olympics, WeWork, and more | Learn the English expression ‘hold firm’
20 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
" This lesson reviews the latest news on previous Plain English topics: justice for George Floyd in the Derek Chauvin case; Volkswagen’s all-electri...
The rise of Brood X, the 17-year cicadas | Learn the phrasal verb to ‘live on’
17 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
" Cicadas are one of nature’s strangest mysteries. Trillions of insects live underground for 17 years and all emerge at the same time for a few week...
Inside the Super League’s quick demise | Learn the expression ‘at the mercy of’
13 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
" European soccer fans erupted in protests across the continent after the Super League announcement on April 12, and it didn’t take long for teams t...
European Super League ends up being a super flop | Learn the phrasal verb ‘shell out’
10 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
" On April 12, twelve of Europe’s most elite soccer clubs announced they would withdraw from the UEFA Champions League and form their own “Super L...
The work from home tech wish list | Learn the phrasal verb ‘filter out’
06 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
With more than a year of work from home experience under our belts, we have some specific ideas to upgrade work from home tools and technology. We’r...
The work from home tech wish list | Learn the phrasal verb ‘filter out’
06 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
" With more than a year of work from home experience under our belts, we have some specific ideas to upgrade work from home tools and technology. We’...
The first green jacket for golf-crazy Japan | Learn the English expression ‘let loose’
03 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
" In an exciting final day of competition, Hideki Matsuyama held off last-minute comeback attempts from two challengers to win the 85th Masters golf t...
The great remote work debate of 2021 | Learn the English expression ‘hand-in-hand’
29 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
" 40 percent of Americans were able to work remotely during the worst parts of the pandemic. Some of those people are still fully working from home, s...
The significance of closed borders for US-Canada border towns | Learn the English expression ‘closely-knit’
26 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
" Many American and Canadian border towns operate as one big town. The border is simply an invisible boundary that residents cross several times each ...
Your COVID vaccine questions, answered | Learn the English expression ‘a feature, not a bug’
22 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
" Which vaccine should I get? How many doses do I need? Will there be side effects? Allergic reactions? What about protection from all of the new vari...
The rise of digital nomad visas to attract remote workers | Learn the English expression ‘get around’
19 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
" How would you like to work from the beaches of Barbados? Or perhaps you’d rather experience the shopping and architecture of Dubai? A growing list...
The last Blockbuster Video store | Learn the expression ‘at its peak’
15 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
" In the early 2000s, Blockbuster Video was a thriving business. It had 9000 locations in 14 countries around the world. But their dominance in the vi...
An epic traffic jam in the Suez Canal | Learn the English expression “back up”
12 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
" In March, a massive cargo ship called the Ever Given got stuck in the Suez Canal for six days. The canal is one of the most important routes in glob...
Volvo is going fully electric by 2030 | Learn the expression ‘stay on top of’
08 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
" Volvo’s recent announcement to be fully electric by 2030 and move sales online is a huge stray from the car dealership model, which has been aroun...
What in the (cyber) world are NFT’s? | Learn the English expression ‘bragging rights’
05 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
" Non-fungible tokens, or NFT’s, are the latest craze in the online world. NFT’s offer a way for digital artists to sell their artwork, and recent...
Why you should question vaccine passports | Learn the expression ‘weight on your shoulders’
01 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
" Vaccine passport: the idea that once you get a vaccine, you can use a smartphone app to prove you’re vaccinated and have access to some pre-COVID ...
Could more remote work opportunities benefit organizational neurodiversity? | Learn the English expression ‘catch-all’
29 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
" Before the pandemic, there were many companies that were resistant to offering employees flexibility to work from home. A lot has changed over the p...
Duty-free shops had a rough 2020 | Learn the English expression ‘add up’
25 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
" Duty-free shopping is a strange loophole in the retail industry. You can buy expensive, luxury items without paying the usual hefty taxes, but only ...
Sports betting is coming to America | Learn the expression ‘stay out of it’
22 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
" For years, sports betting was illegal in most of the United States. But in 2018, a Supreme Court ruling opened the door for individual states to leg...
‘Nomadland’ turned real people into unlikely movie stars | Learn the English expression ‘make ends meet’
19 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
" The ‘Nomadland’ cast only had two professional actors, and the rest were people that actually live the nomad life in America. The unconventional...
‘Nomadland’ explores a house-less life on the road | Learn the phrasal verb ‘run into’
15 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
" Chloé Zhao’s ‘Nomadland’ explores the reality of nomad life in America through the lens of a widow forced into life on the road. It takes you...
Snow reaching unlikely places this winter | Learn the English expression ‘resort to’
11 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
" This winter has brought snow to some unlikely places. Alongside the once-in-a-century pandemic, Madrid, Jerusalem, and parts of the American south a...
Serrana, Brazil is hoping to unravel a coronavirus mystery | Learn the expression ‘get in on the action’
08 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
" The sleepy town of Serrana, Brazil was selected as the site for an important vaccine experiment. We know that coronavirus vaccines are effective at ...
Bezos is retiring from Amazon, sort of | Learn the English expression ‘step back from’
05 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
" Jeff Bezos founded Amazon from his Seattle home in 1994. Since then, Bezos has built Amazon into the world’s largest online retailer. Twenty-seven...
TV shows are already weaving in COVID-19 storylines | Learn the expression ‘skirt the issue’
01 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It was only a matter of time before the pandemic made its way into pop culture, and some TV shows have already started airing COVID-19 inspired storyl...
America’s beloved regional chain restaurants | Learn the expression to ‘go well with’
25 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
" Everyone knows about the mega American fast-food chains like McDonald’s, Burger King, and Wendy’s. But America’s regional chain restaurants ar...
Australian cane toads evolving at rapid speed | Learn the phrasal verb ‘pick up’
22 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
" Normally, species evolve or thousands, or even millions, of generations. Evolution occurs far too slowly for humans to observe it happening in our r...
Tips for communicating while masking up | Learn the phrasal verb ‘get away with’
18 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
" Many people around the world are now accustomed to wearing face masks daily, but an unexpected side effect of this new norm is difficulty communicat...
The GameStop stock frenzy | Learn the expression ‘run for cover’
15 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
" To start off 2021, GameStop's stock was sitting at about $18 per share. Investors thought it was a dying business. But by the end of the month – a...
Tribute to TV legend Larry King | Learn the English expression ‘partial to’
11 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
" Larry King, who interviewed countless celebrities, politicians, and anyone else with a story to tell, passed away at the age of 87 last month. He ho...
Man lived at Chicago airport for 3 months | Learn the expression ‘rely on’
08 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
" A 36-year-old man lived in the Chicago-O’Hare airport for nearly three months before anyone noticed. Back in October, Mr. Singh was reportedly on ...
The ins and outs of left-handedness | Learn the English expression ‘cater to’
04 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
" Since just 10 percent of the human population is left-handed, the world is designed for the 90 percent right-handed majority. Everything from using ...
Tab: the rise and fall of Coca-Cola’s first diet soda | Learn the phrasal verb ‘turn to’
01 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
" Coca-Cola has officially retired Tab, its first diet soda, in an effort to trim its portfolio. Tab was originally intended for diabetics, but the so...
Boeing’s 737-MAX is flying the skies again | Learn the English expression ‘in the eyes of’
28 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
" After a couple deadly crashes grounded Boeing’s 737-MAX two years ago, the aircraft has finally been approved for takeoff again. All eyes have bee...
A rocky start for the vaccine rollout | Learn the expression ‘make arrangements’
25 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
" The biggest vaccination effort in world history is underway. But with that, of course, comes a host of problems, and vaccinations haven’t even beg...
Starbucks new expansion plans are brewing | Learn the phrasal verb ‘shake up’
21 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
" Starbucks is accelerating its plans to open more small format locations, adding more contactless ordering and pickup-only options. Fueled by changin...
Wikipedia turns 20 years old | Learn the English expression ‘over the years’
18 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
" Wikipedia’s first official edit was on January 15, 2001, and since then, the nonprofit has built the largest collection of crowdsourced knowledge ...
A new appreciation for the television show “The Office” | Learn the English expression ‘put on a brave face’
14 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
" Remember how we used to go to this place every weekday and spend the whole entire day with a roomful of people? Today, we’re taking a nostalgic lo...
Hollywood’s theatrical window is closing | Learn the English phrase ‘cash in on’
11 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
" Not surprisingly, theater revenue was down 70 percent in 2020, and the pandemic boosted an already-accelerating trend toward streaming movie release...
Cruisin’ in Kruger: A South African safari destination | Learn the phrasal verb ‘blend in’
07 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
" South Africa’s Kruger National Park is one of the world’s top safari destinations. Its vast area – nearly two million hectares – has extraor...
How secure are your passwords, really? | Learn the English expression ‘a breeze’
04 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
"You know what’s the worst? Remembering passwords. But you know what else is the worst? Getting your account hacked or a big security breach. 2021 s...
Five predictions for 2021 | Learn the English expression ‘for good’
31 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
" 2020 was a guessing game. We never knew what the next month was going to throw at us. Hopefully, 2021 will be a little more predictable. Today’s l...
What a wild ride: 2020 in review | Learn the English expression ‘arms race’
28 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
" It’s hard to believe that we started the year with Prince Harry and the Duchess of Sussex stepping back from their royal duties and mourning Kobe ...
2020’s latest curveball: mysterious monolith sculptures | Learn the English expression ‘without a trace’
24 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
" Just when you thought things were getting really weird… Mysterious monolith sculptures have been popping up in random locations around the globe. ...
The arduous journey of the COVID vaccine | Learn the English expression ‘known for’
21 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
" Less than a year after the first case of COVID-19, the vaccine rollout has officially begun. But distribution won’t be easy. From extreme temperat...
Remembering Argentinian soccer superstar Diego Maradona | Learn the phrasal verb ‘catch up with’
17 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
" Diego Maradona is widely considered one of soccer’s all-time greatest players. He broke many records and played a key role in Argentinian teams th...
Beethoven’s 250th birthday has gone virtual | Learn the phrasal verb ‘burn through’
14 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
" This week we are celebrating one of the greatest composers of all time. It’s Beethoven’s 250th birthday week, but it’s not at all how the clas...
Rewind: Cyber Monday circa the 2000s | Learn the phrasal verb ‘back up’
10 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
" Cyber Monday has become a worldwide phenomenon where people shop online deals from the end of October through the New Year. But Cyber Monday deals h...
The evolution of Black Friday | Learn the expression ‘for better or for worse’
07 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
" Black Friday used to be a fun family tradition for when families got together for the long Thanksgiving weekend. But over the years, American consum...
Water on the Moon | Learn the expression ‘cut down on’
04 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
" NASA scientists have discovered water on the dark side of the Moon. Until recently, researchers had only confirmed water in the sunlit portions. The...
The Trump presidency report card | Learn the phrasal verb ‘figure in’
30 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
" In 2016, Trump campaigned on radical slogans and ideas, like building a wall along the Mexican border and “draining the swamp.” But – tweets a...
A COVID vaccine breakthrough | Learn the English expression ‘in sight’
26 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
" Finally, some encouraging news in 2020. Pfizer, the global pharmaceutical company, announced that their COVID vaccine candidate was more than 90% ef...
Joe Biden’s winning strategy: opposites attract | Learn the expression ‘make or break’
23 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
" Just like everything else in 2020, the American presidential campaign season was far from normal. President Trump’s campaign tried to carry on wit...
The new way to buy a used car | Learn the expression ‘nook and cranny’
19 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
" Last week, we talked about how much of a hassle it is to buy a used car. In this lesson, several companies around the world are revolutionizing the ...
Biden topples Trump to become 46th American president | Learn the English expression ‘tread carefully’
16 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
" Election week in the United States was a bit messier than usual, but after several days of vote counting, Joe Biden was finally elected as the next ...
Why buying a used car is so unpleasant | Learn the English expression ‘peace of mind’
12 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
" Buying a car, especially a used car, is one of the worst consumer shopping experiences. The buyer is at a disadvantage, and the seller is in the dri...
The second wave of COVID-19 is officially here | Learn the expression ‘balancing act’
09 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
" The second wave of COVID-19 is officially here. Across Europe, new lockdown orders are being put in place as countries are seeing a sudden spike in ...
Pumpkin spice and everything nice: part 2 | Learn the English expression ‘look forward to’
05 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
" In part two on fall’s favorite fruit, we’re sharing how pumpkin is eaten, sipped, and one surprise use. From snacks to desserts to drinks, pumpk...
Five things you can do with fall’s favorite fruit: part 1 | Learn the phrasal verb ‘stick with’
02 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
" Pumpkins are a staple in American fall traditions, activities, and recipes. In the first of our two lesson on pumpkins, we’re talking about two th...
Foods you should never order for delivery | Learn the English expression ‘hit or miss’
29 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
" The pandemic has made food delivery more popular than ever. We’re sharing the inside scoop on the foods and factors that are ideal for delivery –...
Rafael Nadal is officially the King of Clay | Learn the English expression ‘wreak havoc’
26 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
" Rafael Nadal won the twentieth Grand Slam title of his career at the French Open, tying Roger Federer’s record. Like usual, the tennis tournament ...
The brilliant colors and business of fall foliage | Learn the phrasal verb ‘roll around’
22 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
" At this point, people are taking any excuse to pack their bags and head out of cities, and right now is prime time for fall foliage and “foliage t...
Uruguay is open for business (and new residents!) | Learn the English expression ‘fed up’
19 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
" Uruguay might be the only country in the world that is currently welcoming foreigners with open arms. The tiny country of 3.5 million is trying to a...
The multiplying danger of junk in space | Learn what a ‘close call’ is
15 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
" Did you know there are hundreds of thousands of man-made objects circling our planet? The objects are also multiplying: they collide into each other...
The world’s largest annual party has been canceled | Learn the expression ‘keep your options open’
12 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
" It’s all fun and games until all the fun and games are canceled. In the latest in pandemic-related cancelations, Rio’s carnival parade has been ...
Update: Alexei Navalny, scooters, sports, drinks, and the vaccine | Learn the phrasal verb to ‘break down’
08 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
" Today, we are revisiting five previous episode topics: Alexei Navalny was poisoned; e-scooters and micromobility are making a comeback in the pandem...
Live music as we know it could be over | Learn the English expression ‘weather the storm’
05 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
" The live music industry is in trouble. Their business model isn’t exactly pandemic-friendly: they rely on packing as many people into a small indo...
A new era of pet ownership | Learn the English expression ‘stepping stone’
01 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
" Pets are known to provide emotional support and reduce anxiety in times of stress – like during a pandemic – so it’s no wonder pet ownership i...
What is fueling Trump’s re-election campaign | Learn the English expression ‘take credit for’
28 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
" It might seem puzzling to people outside of the US – who have astonishingly low approval ratings for Trump – that so many Americans will still v...
Four companies winning the pandemic | Learn the English expression ‘come to the rescue’
24 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
" COVID-19 has undoubtedly taken a huge economic hit on businesses across the world. But even in the bleak economy, new pandemic spending patterns hav...
Joe Biden leading polls as American election heats up | Learn the expression ‘off the cuff’
21 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
" The United States is six weeks out from its presidential election, and polls show Biden with a comfortable, but slimming lead over the sitting presi...
The current state of hotels during the pandemic era | Learn the English expression ‘go by’
17 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
" To the hospitality industry’s delight, many Americans are slowly returning to travel. But people are discovering that travel isn’t the same in t...
Yellowstone National Park is alive with wildlife, geysers, and tourists | Learn the English phrase ‘pull over’
14 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
" Yellowstone National Park draws in millions of tourists every year with its beautiful landscapes, boiling mud, and the many animals that roam there....
5 expert tips for better sleep | Learn the English phrase ‘swing it’
10 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
" In episode 292, we discussed why sleep boosts brain function. Today, we’re discussing five expert tips for improving your sleep habits based off s...
Why sleep is the best performance enhancer for your brain | Learn the English expression ‘treat yourself’
07 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
" We all know that sleep helps us beat the feeling of fatigue, but there’s so much more to sleep than just that. It is one of the most powerful – ...
Remembering television’s great Regis Philbin | Learn the phrasal verb ‘go on to’
03 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
" After a life in front of the cameras, the iconic TV show personality and talk show host, Regis Philbin, died at age 88. He will forever be remembere...
Japan’s new public restrooms with see-through walls | Learn the phrasal verb ‘make out’
31 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
" Tokyo just unveiled the latest innovation in public restrooms: toilets with transparent walls. To be clear: the walls are transparent when empty, bu...
Where in the world is Spain’s ex-king Juan Carlos? | Learn the English expression ‘come to light’
27 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
" Spain’s ex-king Juan Carlos has fled Spain, adding to his string of scandals that have surfaced since 2012. Very few people know where he fled to....
Can UV light kill COVID-19? | Learn the English expression ‘at once’
24 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
" Ultraviolet light has been used to disinfect hospitals for about 10 years. Scientists are now testing whether this “disinfecting light” can help...
Mysterious seeds appearing in mailboxes around the world | Learn the phrasal verb ‘turn in’
20 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
" In 2020’s latest curveball, mysterious seed packages are showing up in mailboxes around the world. The US Department of Agriculture has been inves...
Beirut blasts and the unexplained explosive material | Learn the phrasal verb ‘pass through’
17 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
" Two explosions erupted at the Port of Beirut on August 4: one small, followed by a much larger one that shook the city with the force of a 3.3-magni...
Discovery in Mexico challenges theory of first humans in Americas | Learn the English expression ‘piece together’
13 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
" Mexico is rich with archaeological gems, but one recent discovery in a cave in central Mexico is challenging the history of humans in the Americas. ...
COVID-19 vaccine race is heating up | Learn the phrasal verb ‘line up’
10 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
" There are currently 165 COVID-19 vaccines being tested around the world. Testing new vaccines is usually a long, multi-phase process, but six vaccin...
Seven Panama students killed on hike | Learn the phrasal verb ‘rule out’
06 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
" On July 17, 13 Panamanian students went for a hike together, but only six returned alive. The six survivors confirmed that two gunmen attacked the g...
Hong Kong security law is worse than anyone imagined | Learn the English expression ‘safe haven’
03 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
" People are getting arrested. Books are being removed from libraries. Residents and shop owners are tearing down posters and artwork. And internation...