Discover the incredible story of The Great Canadian Maple Syrup Robbery, where cunning criminals stole $18 million worth of maple syrup. 

In this episode, we'll learn about the surprising details of this sticky crime and the unusual fight between the free market and government regulation in the world of Canadian maple syrup.

• Maple syrup: liquid gold from maple trees
• Quebec's maple syrup market dominance
• FPAQ's role in regulating syrup production
• Quotas and the strategic maple syrup reserve
• The emergence of a maple syrup black market
• Convicted fraudster Avik Caron and his plan
• Coordination among thieves to steal maple syrup
• The execution of the year-long theft operation
• Discovery and investigation of the $18 million theft

 Full interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/maple-syrup

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George Best is seen as one of the most naturally talented footballers ever, but off the pitch, he battled demons.

From his glittering career at Manchester United to his struggles with alcoholism, in this episode, we'll learn about the wild life of one of football's greats.

• Life and career of George Best
• Comparison with modern footballers
• George Best's early career
• His rise to fame in the 1960s
• Best's off-pitch controversies and lifestyle
• Struggles with alcoholism
• Decline in football career and final years
• Financial issues and generosity
• Legacy and what went wrong
• Final reflections on his life

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Robert Fortune, a Scottish botanist, pulled off one of history's greatest acts of corporate espionage: stealing the secrets of tea production from China.

In this episode we'll explore his daring adventure, the fascinating world of 19th-century tea trade, and how his actions forever changed the global tea industry.

• Robert Fortune's theft of tea from China
• Importance of tea to Britain
• Opium trade with China
• Impact of Opium Wars
• Restrictions on foreign travel in China
• Fortune's disguise and exploration
• Discovery of tea production methods
• Transportation of tea plants to India
• Success of the Indian tea industry
• Robert Fortune's legacy

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It has been 5 years since the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia.

In part three of this three-part mini-series, we look at what has happened since then and ask ourselves whether we are any closer to knowing the truth.

• Recap of the story so far
• Vince Muscat starts talking to the police
• Melvin Theuma: the middleman
• Yorgen Fenech & 17 Black
• The phantom job
• Melvin Theuma starts getting paranoid
• The arrest of Melvin Theuma
• The letter to be passed to Yorgen Fenech
• Keith Schembri's lost phone
• The public inquest
• Political changes since Daphne's death
• The corruption and scandal involved in Daphne's murder investigation
• Will the killers ever be brought to justice?

Full interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/daphne-caruana-galizia-part-3

A few months after Daphne's brutal assassination, the Maltese police raided a potato shed.

They would "find" three men who would later admit to being involved in the murder, but were they really any closer to the truth?

• The initial investigations of Daphne's murder
• The December raid on the potato shed
• Vince Muscat & The DeGiorgio Brothers
• How the police caught the hitmen
• November 2019: when everything changed
• The arrest of Yorgen Fenech
• The power goes out and Keith Schembri is arrested
• Yorgen Fenech promises to "spill the beans"
• Fenech's pardon request is refused
• The resignation of the Prime Minister, Joseph Muscat

Full interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/daphne-caruana-galizia-part-2

On October 16th, 2017, a 52-year-old journalist was blown up in a car bomb outside her home in Malta.

In part one of our three-part mini-series, we'll learn about who she was, and who might have wanted her dead.

• The assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia
• Introduction to Malta
• Why small island countries are more prone to corruption
• The early career of Daphne Caruana Galizia
• Why Daphne Caruana Galizia was so popular
• Economic growth in 21st-century Malta
• “Malta is 17 miles by nine and flooded with cocaine, corruption, and filthy money”
• Daphne's corruption allegations in Malta
• Why Daphne was very unpopular with some Maltese citizens
• The attacks and harassment she faced
• Claims against Konrad Mizzi, Keith Schembri & Joseph Muscat

Full interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/daphne-caruana-galizia-part-1

He was the 45th President of the USA and the most controversial in recent history.

In this episode, we look at the life of Donald J. Trump and examine how he went from real estate developer to the leader of the free world.

• The early life of Donald Trump
• His paternal and maternal influences
• Accusations of racism against Fred Trump
• Avoiding getting drafted in the Vietnam War ("bone spurs")
• Getting into business with The Trump Organization
• Early business controversies
• Going upmarket and entering the casino business
• A small loan of 1 million dollars
• Developing the family business and becoming a (self-reported) billionaire
• Business problems in the 1990s
• Becoming a TV celebrity after "The Apprentice"
• Donald Trump's business failures & controversies
• Trump's political alliances over the years
• His path to The White House
• A return to politics?

Full interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/donald-trump

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It's one of the most controversial topics in modern Spain; some say it's a cultural art form, and others say it's a brutal form of torture.

In this episode, we look at the history of bullfighting through the ages and ask ourselves what lies ahead.

• The matador looks up to the crowd
• What happens in a bullfight
• The early history of bullfighting
• Bullfighting in the Iberian peninsula
• The first "anti-bullfighting" legislation in the 16th Century
• The development of "modern" bullfighting
• The different styles of bullfighting
• General Franco & bullfighting
• The opposition to bullfighting
• Bullfighting today
• Will bullfighting ever be banned in Spain?

Full interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/bullfighting

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We have been recycling for decades, yet only 9% of the world's plastic has ever been successfully recycled.

In this episode, we ask ourselves the heretical question, "is plastic recycling actually worth it?"

• A brief history of plastic usage
• How much plastic do we really use?
• The uses (and advantages) of plastic
• Plastic's advantages in food production
• Plastic's usage in medicine
• Plastic as a way to reduce energy usage?
• The durability of plastic
• The problem of what to do with plastic after we have finished using it
• What proportion of the world actually recycles?
• The environmental "cost" of recycling
• Plastic vs. cotton bags: the numbers
• Recycling + reducing + reusing
• Simple acts to reduce plastic usage
• Technological developments with recycling

Full interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/plastic-recycling

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For thousands of years, humans have had ideas about mankind's potential impact on the climate.

In this episode, we look at how these ideas have changed, the men and women who have contributed to them, and ask ourselves why it has taken so long to start paying attention.

• Ancient ideas about mankind's impact on the climate
• The North American "rain follows the plough" theory
• Joseph Fourier & The Greenhouse Effect
• Eunice Newton Foote's discovery about CO2
• The theory that burning coal might be causing temperatures to rise
• Svante Arrhenius & global heating
• Guy Callendar, the amateur meteorologist
• The fear of a return to the Ice Age
• The Great Smog of 1952 in London
• Charles David Keeling attributes human activity to climate change
• Were rising CO2 levels good or bad?
• The establishment of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
• Modern climate change theories
• The role of the oil & gas industry
• Climate change deniers in US politics

Full interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/history-climate-change

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He was put on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives" list in 1999, and he would only be removed after he was hunted down and killed by US operatives in 2011

In this episode, we will tell the story of how Osama bin Laden went from a shy, religious young boy to the world's most famous terrorist.

• The early life of Osama bin Laden
• His time at university
• Deciding not to join the family business
• The Iranian Revolution of 1979
• The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan
• Fighting in the Afghanistan War
• The invasion of Kuwait by Iraqi forces
• Why Osama bin Laden didn't want US forces in Saudi Arabia
• Losing his Saudi citizenship
• Launching Al Qaeda
• The 9/11 attacks
• Osama bin Laden's whereabouts after 9/11
• The killing of Osama bin Laden
• What was found in Osama bin Laden's compound
• Popular misconceptions about Osama bin Laden
• The legacy of Osama bin Laden

Full interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/osama-bin-laden

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He was the American civil-rights leader who was a prominent spokesman for the Nation of Islam. Yet he grew too powerful and was killed by the same organisation he had represented.

In this episode, we look at the amazing life, impact and legacy of Malcolm X.

• The assassination of Malcolm X
• The early family life of Malcolm X ("Little")
• The death of Malcolm's father
• The teenage years of Malcolm X
• Going to prison and finding religion
• Joining The Nation of Islam
• Becoming Malcolm "X"
• Converting Americans to the Nation of Islam (including Mohammed Ali)
• Clip of Malcolm X speaking
• The attack on Hinton Johnson
• Becoming known to the press (and the police)
• Going on a global tour
• Malcolm X vs. Martin Luther King
• Breaking with the Nation of Islam
• The murder of Malcolm X
• His legacy on the civil rights movement

Full interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/malcolm-x

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The game of chess played a vital role during the Cold War, allowing Russia and the United States to fight intellectual battles over a board game.

In this episode, we'll explore how the game of chess was used in a world where nuclear weapons could not.

• The modern-day political impact of Chess
• The life of Anatoly Karpov
• The start of the Cold War
• Why chess was the battleground for the Cold War
• History of chess & statesmanship
• The "Fried Chicken Tournament"
• Why the USSR had a head start on the USA
• The early popularity of Chess in the USSR
• The fighting of "proxy wars" in the 1960s
• The relationship between KGB & chess players
• The bizarre 1978 Chess Championship in Manilla
• The arrival of Garry Kasparov
• Chess in the modern day

Full interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/chess-cold-war

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Ayn Rand is one of the most controversial thinkers of the 20th century.

In this episode, we'll explore her philosophy of Objectivism, which champions rational self-interest and free-market capitalism, and discuss why her ideas remain divisive today.

• Ayn Rand's life and background
• Philosophy of Objectivism
• "The Fountainhead" and its themes
• Success and controversy of "Atlas Shrugged"
• Core beliefs of Objectivism
• Role of government in Objectivism
• Rational self-interest explained
• Controversies and criticisms of Objectivism
• Ayn Rand's impact and legacy
• Rand's personal life contradictions

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To some, he was a visionary who helped us understand our unconscious mind. To others, he was a sex-crazed maniac who made no contributions to psychiatry.

In this episode, we'll explore the fascinating life and works of Sigmund Freud.

• The early life of Sigmund Freud
• Theories of the mind in 19th century Europe
• Meeting the love of his life, Martha Bernays
• Freud's first medical "treatment": cocaine
• Moving to Paris and studying with Jean-Martin Charcot
• The idea of the unconscious mind
• "The plunging of sexuality in theory and practice is not to my taste’"
• Opening his own "talking therapy" practice
• Coining the term "psychoanalysis"
• The publication of The Interpretation of Dreams
• Freud & The Oedipus Complex
• The publication of The Psychopathology of Everyday Life, and the idea of "Freudian slips"
• His friendship with Carl Jung
• The First World War breaks out
• Deteriorating health and final years
• The complicated legacy of Sigmund Freud

Full interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/freud

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He was Britain's most famous hangman and was responsible for the executions of up to 600 prisoners.

In this episode, we'll explore the curious life of a man who ended people's lives for a living.

• The unusual boyhood dream of Albert Pierrepoint
• Executions running in the family
• Capital punishment in the UK in the early 20th century
• Becoming an assistant executioner and working with his uncle
• Conducting his first execution
• The "long drop"
• Executing Nazi war criminals
• Becoming a pub landlord
• Why Albert Pierrepoint was so successful
• Controversial hangings in the 1950s
• Was he really a kind and gentle man?
• Retiring from his job as an executioner
• The beliefs of Albert Pierrepoint about capital punishment
• Legacy in books, films & TV

Full interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/albert-pierrepoint

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Part three of our three-part mini-series on The Atomic Bomb.

Ever since the atomic bomb was dropped, people have been asking whether it was actually necessary.

In this episode, we'll explore the arguments for and against the use of atomic weapons in World War II, and look at how this has changed the world we live in.

• Recap of the journey to dropping the bombs on Hiroshima & Nagasaki
• The American reasons for dropping the bomb
• “It seems to be the most terrible thing ever discovered, but it can be made the most useful…”
• Arguments against dropping the bomb on Hiroshima & Nagasaki
• #1: Drop a demonstration bomb somewhere else
• #2: Japan would have surrendered without a bomb
• #3: The use of atomic weapons is ethically unacceptable
• American counterarguments
• The scientists who were against dropping the atomic bomb
• Post-war theories about why the atomic bomb was used
• Was Japan really close to surrendering?
• Nuclear proliferation since 1945

Full interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/atomic-bomb-aftermath

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Part one of this three-part mini-series on The Atomic Bomb. 

In this episode, we explore the discovery of nuclear fission, the key scientists involved, The Manhattan Project and the race to develop a functioning atomic bomb.

• Early ideas about atomism
• Modern atomic theory in the 19th and 20th centuries
• The discovery of nuclear fission
• War breaks out in Europe
• Einstein and Szilárd's letter to President Roosevelt
• The Manhattan Project
• The first atomic test in Nevada
• “Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds”

Full interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/manhattan-project

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It has gone from luxury to necessity, and there are over 2 billion air conditioning units in the world today.

In this episode, we'll take a look at how air conditioning got started, why people didn't mind being hot in the past, and what the true cost of staying cool might be for future generations.

• Staying cool is nothing new: Romans & Egyptian methods
• Ding Huan & the rotating fan
• Why people were afraid of creating cold artificially
• How the Dutch magician Cornelis Drebbel tricked King James I in 1620
• Benjamin Franklin getting sweaty one July in Philadelphia
• Primitive air conditioning by pumping air over ice
• Did people actually mind that there was no air conditioning?
• Willis H. Carrier & the first air conditioning unit
• Convincing the US public that it was something they needed
• 1920s sweaty American cinemas
• Spending $600,000 on an air conditioning unit in 1932
• The boom of air conditioning in the US
• How many households around the world have air conditioning in 2021?
• The impact of air conditioning: the good, the bad & the unexpected
• Environmental impact of air conditioning
• Future of air conditioning in the developing world
• New air conditioning technologies: high & low tech 

Full interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/air-conditioning

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He is the world's highest-paid podcaster, and his podcast was acquired by Spotify for a reported $200 million in 2020.

But who actually is Joe Rogan, and what does this deal mean for independent podcasts?

• Introduction to Spotify
• A time when you couldn't listen to podcasts on Spotify
• How Spotify works (as a business)
• The business model of most podcasts
• The Joe Rogan Experience podcast
• Who is Joe Rogan?
• Why Spotify decided to buy the Joe Rogan Experience
• The commentator's opinion of the acquisition
• Controversies of the Joe Rogan Experience
• The Platform vs. Publisher debate
• The future of independent podcasters & Spotify

Full interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/joe-rogan-spotify

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It is one of London's most famous tourist attractions, and it has an amazing history that not all tourists are aware of.

In this episode, we'll explore the bloody but fascinating history of London's oldest standing building.

• The arrival of William The Conqueror in 1066
• How The Tower of London was built
• What The Tower of London was used for in the Middle Ages
• The country's most famous prison
• "Being sent to The Tower"
• Famous people who were executed at The Tower of London
• The Beefeaters of The Tower of London
• The Tower of London as a zoo
• The Royal Mint
• The first prisoner to escape from The Tower of London

Full interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/tower-of-london

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Since the collapse of the USSR, London has become the city of choice for Russian oligarchs.

In this episode, we'll explore how the UK's capital welcomed Russian money and why London became nicknamed "Londongrad".

• Roman Abramovich buys Chelsea
• Definition of "oligarch"
• Why was London the destination of choice for Russian oligarchs?
• London's cultural appeal
• The English legal system
• The English libel laws
• London as a financial hub
• Company ownership in the UK
• The "Golden Visa" scheme
• Links between Russian oligarchs and British politics
• Evgeny Lebedev becomes "Baron Lebedev"
• London doesn't ask questions about the origin of money
• The Russian invasion of Ukraine
• The future of "Londongrad"

Full interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/londongrad

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Despite only educating 1% of the population Oxford and Cambridge University have a tight grip over everything from UK politics to business.

In this episode, we look at what life at Oxbridge is like, why graduates often go on to such powerful positions, and see what these two universities have been doing to improve access to disadvantaged children.

• Global rankings of Oxford & Cambridge university
• Influence and power of Oxbridge
• How Oxbridge is divided (the "college" system)
• How much students at Oxbridge need to work
• The most prestigious of the Oxbridge colleges
• Christ Church Oxford: the college that has produced 13 Prime Ministers
• Trinity College Cambridge: the college that has produced 34 Nobel prize winners
• Famous alumni of Oxbridge
• Why are graduates of Oxbridge so successful?
• Is access to Oxbridge fair?
• Private schools & Oxbridge
• Getting into Oxbridge vs. American universities
• The Varsity Blues scandal
• Curiosities of Oxbridge: Harry Potter, a library with 13 million books, the head of Oliver Cromwell and a tortoise race

Full interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/oxbridge

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The 20th century saw the creation of world-famous luxury fashion houses.

In this episode, we'll explore the stories of Chanel, Dior, Gucci and Versace, and look at how they changed what we wear.

• The first fashion designer: Charles Frederick Worth
• The concept of "off the peg" clothes
• Coco Chanel
• Chanel & The Duke of Westminster
• The founding of Gucci
• The role of sanctions on Italy
• The later life of the Gucci family
• Christian Dior - designing in post-war Paris
• "This is a new look"
• Gianni Versace
• Versace's approach to using celebrities
• "Quality is remembered long after the price is forgotten" - Aldo Gucci

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Meet Marcus Aurelius, the Roman Emperor who combined power with philosophy.

In this episode, we'll learn about his famous work, "Meditations", and explore five key ideas that still resonate today.

• Introduction to Marcus Aurelius
• Importance of his book "Meditations"
• Control what you can, ignore what you can't
• Live according to nature and rationality
• Continuous self-reflection and self-examination
• Embrace and welcome fate
• Awareness of impermanence and mortality
• Authenticity and practical advice
• Aurelius' personal struggles and resilience
• Modern resurgence of Stoicism and its relevance today

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It was meant to be a simple space mission to the moon, but 56 hours into the flight tragedy struck.

In this episode, we'll learn how three astronauts managed to use teamwork and quick thinking to escape death and return to Earth alive.

• Background to the Apollo programme
• The objective of the Apollo 13 mission
• The pilots of the Apollo 13 mission
• The three parts of the Apollo 13 spacecraft
• The importance of ground control at Houston
• The uneventful first 56 hours of the mission
• A piece of routine maintenance goes wrong
• "Houston, we've had a problem"
• What actually went wrong?
• Losing all power and being 330,000 km away from Earth
• How quick thinking turned this lunar mission into a rescue mission
• Figuring out the path back
• Conserving oxygen and water and going around the moon
• Fixing the spacecraft to avoid getting carbon dioxide poisoning
• Returning to Earth
• The legacy of Apollo 13

Full interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/apollo-13

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He was the Victorian era's most famous social writer, and his novels were loved by everyone from Queen Victoria to street children.

In this episode we'll learn about Charles Dickens shone a light on the injustices of 19th century Britain and invented the modern idea of Christmas.

• Definition of "inimitable"
• The early life of Charles Dickens
• His early experience with grinding poverty
• Becoming a legal clerk and then reporting on parliamentary debates
• His talent for writing sketches
• His first book: The Pickwick Papers
• The serial publication style of Charles Dickens
• The private life of Charles Dickens
• His vast literary output
• The social activism of Charles Dickens
• Going on tour in his later years
• The fame of Charles Dickens
• His universal appeal
• Charles Dickens & the modern idea of Christmas
• The legacy of Charles Dickens

Full interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/charles-dickens

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He was the peasant who went from a village in Siberia to the centre of the Russian imperial court, befriending the Tsar and Tsarina, and playing a role in the downfall of Russia’s longest-serving dynasty, The Romanovs. 

In this episode, we'll learn about the unlikely but fascinating life of Grigori Rasputin.

• Russia in 1900
• Overview of the fall of the Romanov Dynasty
• The early life of ​​Grigory Yefimovich Novykh ("Rasputin")
• Discovering the "Khylsts" and “sinning to drive out sin”
• Earning the nickname of "The Mad Monk"
• Rasputin's personal hygiene (or lack of)
• Curing the Tsar's son, Alexei
• Securing a place within the imperial family
• Rasputin's relationship with the Tsarina, Alexandra
• An assassination attempt by a noseless peasant
• The plot to kill Rasputin
• The (very long) murder of Rasputin
• Russia after Rasputin's death
• The legacy (and importance) of Grigori Rasputin on Russian history

Full interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/rasputin

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It is one of the most influential cities in the United States but has recently been accused of falling into disrepair, with rising homelessness and open drug dealing.

In this episode, we'll look at what is happening in San Francisco, what has caused this, who and what is thought to be responisble, and what is being done to change it.

• The mothers' billboards: “Unfortunately, we’re just as famous for our dirt-cheap fentanyl”
• A brief history of San Francisco
• The tech boom contributes to an increase in house prices
• San Francisco's growing homeless population
• Drug use and petty crime
• The election of Chesa Boudin
• Chesa Boudin's personal experience with imprisonment
• Proposition 47: The Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Act
• Theories about the causes of San Francisco's decline
• The San Francisco budget: more per capita than any other US city
• The use of fentanyl in San Francisco
• The recall Chesa Boudin campaign

Full interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/san-francisco

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An interview with Lindsay McMahon from All Ears English.

We discuss why learners should focus on "connection, not perfection", why this can be difficult for people, and Lindsay gives three practical tips on what you can do about this.

• What is All Ears English?
• What does "Connection Not Perfection" mean?
• Where does the idea of Connection Not Perfection come from?
• What is the problem with perfectionism?
• How does this apply to language learners?
• 3 practical tips that learners can use to better "connect" with English

Full interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/all-ears-english-interview

Listen to the All Ears English podcast: https://podfollow.com/all-ears-english-podcast

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He was a famous organised criminal known for his superior mathematical skills.

In this episode, we'll learn how Meyer Lansky took the American criminal underworld by storm, built an empire and managed to evade the authorities.

• The early life of Meyer Lansky
• Befriending Bugsy Siegel & Lucky Luciano
• The relationship between the Jewish & Italian mobs
• The mob & The Prohibition Era
• The Atlantic City Conference & the United Crime Syndicate
• The end of Prohibition & starting in the casino business
• Getting a reputation for "honesty"
• Moving to Florida and setting up casinos
• His relationship with Batista in Cuba
• Las Vegas & the Flamingo Hotel
• Returning to Cuba & The Havana Conference
• Fidel Castro takes power and Lansky loses everything
• His last years
• Where did all the money go?

Full interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/meyer-lansky

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On 26 June 1997, an unknown author published a book called Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. 

Harry Potter would go on to become the best-selling series in literary history, selling over 500 million copies worldwide.

The journey to get there, however, was far from simple.

• The early life of JK Rowling
• Her mother's illness
• Getting the idea for Harry Potter
• Losing her mother, moving to Porto and her unhappy first marriage
• Escaping to Edinburgh
• Writing Harry Potter in a cafe while her daughter slept
• Trying to find a publisher for Harry Potter
• Why Harry Potter was rejected by so many publishers
• The daughter of the boss of Bloomsbury Publishing reads one chapter
• Getting her first book deal
• The reception of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
• Seeing JK Rowling's personal story in Harry Potter
• Taking the book to the USA

Full interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/publishing-harry-potter

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In March of 2018, it was revealed that 50 million Facebook profiles had been "hacked" and used to target American voters. 

The story involved Donald Trump, a supposed Russian spy, a Cambridge researcher and a political consulting company.

The only problem was, how much of it was actually true?

• The breaking of the story on March 18th 2018
• A summary of the Cambridge Analytica report in The Guardian
• The academic: Aleksandr Kogan
• The role of Facebook in 2012
• Quiz apps on Facebook (and their real purpose)
• The role of Cambridge Analytica (the company)
• Building "This Is Your Digital Life"
• How many people took the quiz?
• Was there really a "data breach"?
• What was Aleksandr Kogan's involvement in the story?
• The results come in: was the Facebook data effective at guessing someone's personality?
• Cambridge Analytica's message to its clients: "5,000 data points on over 220 million Americans"
• Working for Ted Cruz
• Working for the Donald Trump Campaign
• The news breaking in 2018
• Was Cambridge Analytica involved in Brexit?
• Conclusion: Did Cambridge Analytica actually have any involvement in the US election?

Full interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/cambridge-analytica

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In the late 19th century there was fierce competition to provide electricity to the rapidly industrialising USA. The winner would be rewarded with huge wealth and fame.

But who would claim the prize, and how dirty would the fight get?

• Difference between AC & DC
• The Golden Age in America
• Early electrical inventions
• The race to invent indoor electric lighting
• Thomas Edison's incandescent electric light bulb
• Why Edison pushed for DC
• The problems with DC
• The opportunity for a monopoly
• Creating a challenge for Edison's employees
• Breaking with Tesla
• What was better: AC or DC?
• The arrival of George Westinghouse
• The battle gets dirty as Edison fears he is losing
• The creation of the first electric chair
• The execution of William Kemmler
• Westinghouse's AC system wins the contract for the 1893 World Fair
• The legacy of The War of Currents

Full interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/war-of-the-currents

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Worldwide we produce over 2 billion tonnes of rubbish every year.

In this episode, we explore the history of rubbish collection and look at what happens to our rubbish after the truck comes to take it away.

• How much rubbish does the average person throw away?
• Iceland vs. Lesotho
• How much is actually recycled
• A brief history of rubbish disposal
• Rubbish disposal in Ancient Greece
• Monte Testaccio & disposal of amphorae in Ancient Rome
• The four categories of rubbish disposal
• "Frank" & his rubbish disposal
• The incineration vs. landfill debate
• Recycling: how much actually ends up being recycled?
• Recycling throughout history
• Perverse incentives with recycling
• Developments in recycling

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The British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has called an early general election in the UK, surprising many.  

We'll explore why he made this decision, the main themes of the election, and who could be the next Prime Minister. 

• Rishi Sunak calls an early election for July 4th.
• History of Conservative leadership since 2010.
• British Prime Ministers’ unpopularity and challenges.
• Reasons behind Rishi Sunak's early election call.
• Overview of the UK’s “first past the post” system.
• Key candidates: Rishi Sunak vs. Keir Starmer.
• Keir Starmer’s political strategy and criticisms.
• Conservative Party’s campaign focus on trust and economy.
• Labour’s campaign focus on change and social issues.
• Embarrassing moments during Sunak's election announcement.

 Full interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/uk-general-election

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For much of human civilisation, people have fought each to the death as a way of resolving arguments.

In this episode, we'll explore the curious and bloody history of one-on-one combat, from ancient Rome to 20th century France.

• The most recent "modern" duel (1967, France)
• The ancient concept of "champion warfare"
• Trial by combat: a legal way to resolve a dispute
• How trial by combat worked: a practical perspective
• Why trial by combat died out
• Trial by combat in Scandinavia: "Holmgang"
• Renaissance duelling for honour
• The role of the "second"
• The two French officers who duelled against each other 30 times in 19 years
• Duelling in the USA
• Duelling goes all the way to The White House: Andrew Jackson & Alexander Hamilton
• Why (and when) duelling stopped being popular
• The legacy of duelling in books, poetry and film

Full interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/duelling

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In this episode, we'll explore the weird and fascinating origins of five foods that you know and (perhaps) love.

From the sandwich to tomato ketchup, chicken tikka masala, fish & chips and even the teabag, discover the weird and wonderful stories behind these well-known dishes.

• Weird origin story #1: The Sandwich
• Weird origin story #2: Tomato ketchup
• Weird origin story #3: Fish & chips
• Weird origin story #4: Chicken tikka masala
• Weird origin story #5: The tea bag

Full interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/unusual-food-origins

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There are over a billion smokers across the world, and over 7 trillion cigarettes are smoked every year.

In this episode, we'll look at the history of smoking, from the "discovery" of tobacco by Christopher Columbus to how tobacco companies keep us smoking, even when we know the dangers to our health.

• Tobacco in indigenous societies in the Americas
• 1492 - the year Christopher Columbus discovers tobacco
• The etymology of "tobacco"
• Jean Nicot finds a tobacco plant in Lisbon
• Catherine de Médici tries "snuff" for the first time
• Smoking sweeps across Europe
• The invention of the cigarette
• The invention of the cigarette rolling machine
• Smoking during World War I & II
• The 1964 headline: "Cigarettes Peril Health, U.S. Report Concludes."
• Smoking & society
• Cigarette advertising
• Legal cases against Big Tobacco
• The future of smoking - can it really be "smoke-free"?

Full interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/history-of-smoking

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It's an amazing piece of legislation that protects the Earth's most isolated continent.

In this episode, we'll learn all about the history of Antarctica, which countries tried to claim it as their territory, and how the situation was resolved to benefit all humankind.

• Background to Antarctica
• The early history of Antarctic exploration
• Antarctica and whaling
• The rush to discover the magnetic South Pole
• The Sixth International Geographical Congress
• Land claims on Antarctica
• The Cold War & Antarctica
• The International Geophysical Year
• The signing of the Antarctic Treaty
• What the Antarctic Treaty actually does
• The future of the Antarctic Treaty

Full interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/antarctic-treaty

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In the 18th century, a small region of southwest England was the national centre for the illegal importing of goods such as tea and rum.

In this episode, we'll discover how smuggling really worked, who was involved, and why it was so successful for such a long period of time.

• Cornwall today
• Cornwall's relationship with London
• The Cornish identity
• Britain in the 18th century
• The reason that import taxes were so high
• Why Cornwall was such a centre for smuggling
• How smuggling worked in practical terms
• Why smuggling was so tolerated by the local population
• Honest vs. dishonest smugglers
• The strange English law about what you could do to goods found on a shipwreck
• John Carter: the "King of Prussia"
• How big a problem was smuggling in Britain?
• The end of smuggling in Britain
• The legacy of Cornish smugglers today

Full interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/cornish-smugglers

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He was the Romantic poet famously described as "mad, bad, and dangerous to know".

In this episode, we'll learn about his scandalous life, how he shocked the nation so badly he had to leave, and how England's first "rock star poet" became a national hero in Greece.

• The early life of Lord Byron
• His time at Harrow school
• Going to Cambridge University, sleeping around, and keeping a bear as a pet
• His first poetic scandal
• Embarking on The Grand Tour and discovering Europe's more relaxed attitude
• Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage and returning to England a hero
• Returning to England and becoming a hero overnight
• His affairs and sexual exploits in England
• His relationship with Augusta, his half-sister
• Getting married and being a father to Ada (Lovelace)
• Running away to Europe
• A dark, moody summer writing Gothic horror with Percy and Mary Shelley
• His exploits in Venice
• Finding some order to life with Countess Teresa Guiccioli
• Moving to Greece and becoming caught up with Greek independence
• His early death aged 36
• The legacy of Lord Byron

Full interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/byron

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In September 1939, the British government embarked on the biggest civilian operation in British history when it moved over a million children out of British cities to live with strangers in the countryside.

In this episode, we'll learn about this amazing mission and the mark it left on the country.

• September 1st, 1939 - the start of Operation Pied Piper
• Why children were sent away before the first bomb had even fallen
• Which cities were affected by evacuation?
• Dividing the country into three separate zones for evacuation
• Why it was called Operation Pied Piper
• Who was actually evacuated?
• Sending gold to Canada and paintings to Wales
• How the children were chosen to stay with host families
• How urban children reacted to countryside life
• Why the children returned after a few months of "the phoney war"
• Government propaganda: "Don't Do It, Mother. Leave the Children Where They Are"
• The Blitz starts and the children return to the countryside
• The mixed reaction of the evacuated children
• Psychological effects on evacuated children
• The mark Operation Pied Piper left on the country

Full interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/operation-pied-piper

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Keywords: Learn English, vocabulary, lessons, idioms, aprende inglés, idiomas, aprender inglês, apprendre l'anglais, imparare l’inglese, ingilizce öğren,英語を習う, تعلم الإنجليزية

From a young age, he believed he was destined for greatness, and he became the UK's prime minister at the age of 55.

Discover how Boris Johnson's rise to power was unusual and full of contradictions, and how his fall was entirely predictable.

• Similarities between Donald Trump & Boris Johnson
• The early life of Boris Johnson
• A clever-but-lazy student
• His early career as a journalist
• Getting sacked for inventing quotes
• Breaking into politics
• Making lots of money (but never enough)
• His romantic life (what we know of it)
• Presenting TV programmes and being in the public eye
• Becoming Mayor of London
• Boris Johnson's attention to detail
• The decision to support Brexit
• Finally becoming Prime Minister of the UK
• Why Boris Johnson was so popular
• Boris Johnson's government during COVID
• "Partygate" and the ongoing fall of Boris Johnson
• “Nothing matters very much and most things don’t matter at all” 
• The character of Boris Johnson

Full interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/rise-and-fall-boris-johnson

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Keywords: Learn English, vocabulary, lessons, idioms, aprende inglés, idiomas, aprender inglês, apprendre l'anglais, imparare l’inglese, ingilizce öğren,英語を習う, تعلم الإنجليزية

It's the second most popular drink in the world after water, with 3.7 billion cups drunk every single day.

In this episode, we explore tea's fascinating history, how it changed global politics, caused countries to go to war with each other, and literally changed the world.

• How much tea do we really drink every year?
• Myths about the discovery of tea
• Early tea consumption in East Asia
• Tea first being brought to Northern Europe
• Catherine of Braganza: the woman who brought tea to Britain
• Tea and The East India Company
• The Brits adding sugar to tea
• Britain struggling to find a product to exchange with China for tea
• Flooding China with opium
• The Opium Wars
• Sending spies deep into China to discover how tea was made
• Tea cultivation in British colonies
• Curious tea fact #1: The three different word groups for "tea" (and what they tell us)
• Curious tea fact #2: The invention of the teabag 
• Curious tea fact #3: How to make the perfect cup of tea (advice from an expert)

Full interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/history-of-tea

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Keywords: Learn English, vocabulary, lessons, idioms, aprende inglés, idiomas, aprender inglês, apprendre l'anglais, imparare l’inglese, ingilizce öğren,英語を習う, تعلم الإنجليزية

Learn how to actually use podcasts to improve your English listening, vocabulary, speaking, and even writing.

This is a special episode packed full of tips & tricks to help you use podcasts in a more effective way.

• What most people do when listening to podcasts to learn a language
• Listening tip #1: How to become a more attentive listener
• Listening tip #2: Listening out for word/phrase use
• Listening tip #3: Listening out for sounds of English
• Podcast superpowers: how to use them as a learning exercise
• Vocabulary tip #1: How to go from passive to active vocabulary
• Speaking tip #1: Recording yourself, techniques to do so (and why this works)
• Speaking tip #2: Shadowing (and why this works)
• (Bonus) Speaking tip #3: Simultaneous translation (warning: advanced)
• Writing tip #1: Summaries & reflections
• The importance of writing in English as a way to clarify thoughts

Full interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/how-to-use-podcasts-improve-english

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Keywords: Learn English, vocabulary, lessons, idioms, aprende inglés, idiomas, aprender inglês, apprendre l'anglais, imparare l’inglese, ingilizce öğren,英語を習う, تعلم الإنجليزية

Ice cream vans can be a sweet memory for many, but for Glasgow in the 1980s, they were anything but.  

From selling drugs to inciting gang wars and even murder, we'll uncover the dark and shocking tale of the Glasgow Ice Cream Wars. 

• Background to The Glasgow Ice Cream Wars
• Ice cream vans in Glasgow
• Living conditions in Glasgow schemes
• Ice cream van territory fights 
• Criminals entering the ice cream trade
• Organised crime and drug dealing
• Andrew Doyle's resistance to intimidation
• Doyle family fire and deaths 
• Wrongful conviction of Campbell and Steele
• Campbell and Steele's exoneration after 20 years

 Full interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/glasgow-ice-cream-wars

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Keywords: Learn English, vocabulary, lessons, idioms, aprende inglés, idiomas, aprender inglês, apprendre l'anglais, imparare l’inglese, ingilizce öğren,英語を習う, تعلم الإنجليزية

On February 6th, the 95-year-old Queen Elizabeth will celebrate her 70th anniversary of being the queen of the United Kingdom.

In this episode, we’ll ask ourselves what happens next, how will the next king be different, and what the future holds for the British Royal Family.

• The British royal family as a family business
• Practical question: who will the next monarch be?
• The popularity of Queen Elizabeth II
• The problems ahead for Prince Charles
• The public perception of Prince Charles
• Why the British royal family will reduce in size
• The Prince Andrew scandal
• How might Prince ("King") Charles deal with Prince William?
• Prince William & Princess Kate: the future of the British monarchy?
• Allowing more access to the British royal family
• Relationship between the British monarchy and the British parliament
• The successes of Queen Elizabeth II
• Charles I vs. Charles II vs. Charles III

Full interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/future-british-monarchy

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Keywords: Learn English, vocabulary, lessons, idioms, aprende inglés, idiomas, aprender inglês, apprendre l'anglais, imparare l’inglese, ingilizce öğren,英語を習う, تعلم الإنجليزية

In the 17th century, Britain decided to kill its king and experiment with life without a monarch.

In this episode we'll learn about the English Civil War, the 11 years the country spent without a monarch, why the monarchy was eventually restored, and the impact this had on the country.

• The background to the English Civil Wars
• The Divine Right of Kings
• The errors of judgment of Charles I
• Dissolving Parliament in 1629
• Religious divisions in Great Britain
• Trust breaking down between the King and Parliament
• Civil War breaks out
• The nature of The First English Civil War
• The rise of Oliver Cromwell
• The trial and execution of King Charles I
• The second and third English Civil Wars
• The Interregnum
• The death of Oliver Cromwell and the return of Charles II to the throne
• What was life like when Britain didn't have a king
• The influence of "life without a king" on the country
• The legacy of Oliver Cromwell
• How to punish a man who had already died

Full interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/britain-killed-its-king

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Keywords: Learn English, vocabulary, lessons, idioms, aprende inglés, idiomas, aprender inglês, apprendre l'anglais, imparare l’inglese, ingilizce öğren,英語を習う, تعلم الإنجليزية

Over the past twenty years, over half a million Americans have died of opioid overdoses.

In this episode, we'll explore how this happened, who is responsible, and ask ourselves whether the USA will ever be able to kick its addiction to prescription opioids. 

• Origin of "opioid"
• Opioid overdoses in the US vs Western Europe
• What caused the boom in opioid use in the United States?
• Morphine & heroin during the American Civil War
• The arrival of OxyContin
• Purdue Pharma sales representatives' tactics to sell the drug to doctors
• Increasing the doses for patients
• The "less than 1% of patients become addicted" claim
• People start abusing the drug
• Senior executives are aware but do nothing
• The cycle of addiction that doctors saw
• Moving onto heroin & fentanyl
• Why fentanyl is so powerful and dangerous
• Who has been held responsible for the opioid crisis?
• The Sackler Family (and its quest for immunity)
• Opioid prescriptions are down, but overdoses are up
• Is a solution for the opioid crisis possible?

Full interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/opioid-crisis

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Keywords: Learn English, vocabulary, lessons, idioms, aprende inglés, idiomas, aprender inglês, apprendre l'anglais, imparare l’inglese, ingilizce öğren,英語を習う, تعلم الإنجليزية