レアジョブ英会話 Daily News Article Podcast

It might look like the inside of a Minecraft universe, but this is actually in a new immersive attraction in London’s Canada Water, where a glowing orb unlocks a new way to play the game. Visitors use it to mine, build and interact inside Minecraft Experience: Villager Rescue. It's the game’s first immersive attraction in the UK and Europe. Real-life models of Minecraft animals and props give the digital world physical shape including a pig, a giant bee, and a towering Iron Golem built to scale. Olivier Goulet is Managing Partner for Supply + Demand, the creative media agency invo...

New York City's "bodega cats" are beloved fixtures in the Big Apple—but they're on the wrong side of the law. The convenience store cats that live at many of the city's bodegas and delis look innocent enough, spending their days lounging in sun-soaked storefronts or slinking between shelves of snack foods as they collect friendly pets from customers. Officially, though, state law bars most animals from stores that sell food, with bodega owners potentially facing fines if their tabby is caught curling up near the tins of tuna and toilet paper. The pets' precarious legal position recently came into th...

Australia’s opposition party withdrew election promises to prevent public servants from working from home and to slash more than one in five federal public sector jobs. Opposition leader Peter Dutton announced his conservative Liberal Party had dropped its pledge that public servants would be required to work in their offices five days a week except in exceptional circumstances. “I think we made a mistake in relation to this policy,” Dutton told Nine Network television. “I think it’s important that we say that and recognize it and our intention was to make sure that where taxpayers are working hard and their...

During the workweek, time to exercise can quickly slip away. But meeting physical activity targets by cramming workouts into the weekend could actually buy back time in the long run. A new study reports that people whose physical activity fits a "weekend warrior" pattern might lower the risk of an early death from cardiovascular disease, cancer and other causes. The study defined weekend warriors as people who achieved 150 minutes or more a week of moderate to vigorous physical activity in just one or two days. Compared with less active people, the study's weekend warriors were 32% less likely to die from...

To raise adventurous, self-sufficient and health-conscious eaters, get kids in the kitchen. It may sound too simple, but those are just a few of the benefits when kids learn to cook. Cooking builds life skills, promotes healthy eating, boosts confidence and strengthens family bonds—all while making mealtime fun. “It helps to think of it as less of a chore and more of an opportunity to be together as a family,” said Jessica Battilana, staff editor at King Arthur Baking Company, which offers adult and children’s cooking classes. The food doesn’t need to be fancy, and it doesn’t all have t...

Fifty years after the founding of Microsoft, the CEO of its artificial intelligence division has a big task: develop a new product line that is as integral to daily life as the software giant's past innovations. “We’re really trying to land this idea that everybody is going to have their own personalized AI companion," said Mustafa Suleyman in an interview with The Associated Press. "It will, over time, have its own name, its own style. It will adapt to you. It may also have its own visual appearance and expressions.” Suleyman laid out that vision on Microsoft's 50th anniversary in Apr...

Data and tech are helping ski resorts operate more efficiently. A New Hampshire mountain destination is using technology to analyze everything from how many ski runs its customers complete to the busiest time for selling hot dogs. The Black Mountain resort is owned by businessman Erik Mogensen. He calls it a “quintessential independent mountain.” But behind the scenes, the experience is now propelled by a high-tech system designed to increase efficiency at the state’s oldest ski area. The company builds systems that put lift tickets sales, lesson reservations and equipment rentals online, while collecting detailed data to inform decisions like w...

They may belong to the TikTok generation, but a group of Australian high schoolers is reviving the classic tradition of the student magazine. The teens believe it’s more crucial than ever that their voices are heard away from the realm of social media. Student Spotlight is now up to its seventh issue and between student writers, editors and graphic designers, it can count on more than 20 volunteers to fill its pages. It is available online to all the schools of the Greater Darwin region. For these students of the social media era, going “old-school” was very appealing. “Someone has sat down...

Lori Matthias and her husband had tired of Atlanta traffic when they moved to St. Augustine, Florida, in 2023. For Mike Waldron and his wife, moving from the Boston area in 2020 to a place that bills itself as "the nation's oldest city" was motivated by a desire to be closer to their adult children. They were among thousands of white-collar remote workers who migrated to the St. Augustine area in recent years, transforming the touristy beach town into one of the top remote work hubs in the United States. Matthias fell in love with St. Augustine's small-town feeling, trading the hour-long...

For Allyson Howell, her hometown library is more than just a place to borrow a book; it's also a unique space where different cultures from the U.S. and Canada have mingled and developed ties for more than a century. Howell and others fear that could change under a new regulation implemented by President Donald Trump’s administration as tensions continue to rise between the two countries. The Haskell Free Library and Opera House straddles the line between Howell's town of Derby Line, Vermont, and Stanstead, Quebec. The entrance to the imposing Victorian-style brick and stone building is on the U...

After sending its most famous work to be featured in Amsterdam's blockbuster 2023 exhibition of nearly every work by Johannes Vermeer, the Mauritshuis museum found itself with a blank space where the iconic Girl with a Pearl Earring had been displayed. The Hague-based institution turned to more than 2,700 artists, from Texas to Ukraine, from age 7 to 70, who created their own interpretations of the 17th-century masterpiece. A selection of 60 works using materials ranging from orange peels to bottle caps to sweatshirts was exhibited in the museum while the painting was on loan 40 miles (64 kilometers) to the north. "The submissions continue to come...

Dollar Tree's decade-long effort to fold the Family Dollar chain into its business is ending after agreeing to sell the bargain store chain to a pair of private equity firms for $1 billion. Dollar Tree Inc. bought Family Dollar with its over 7,000 stores ten years ago for more than $8 billion. Neil Saunders, managing director of GlobalData, said that Dollar Tree struggled with supply chain issues, poor store locations and other operational difficulties ever since making the acquisition. Family Dollar carries a range of household staples, from food to laundry detergent. The stores are largely located in underserved, urban areas. Store closings...

Around the world, plastics are finding their way into farm fields—coated over the ground in fertilizer, wrapped around seeds, stretched as tarps to lock in moisture and as plastic waste from other industries. It's a problem that has long littered the landscape in Kampala, the capital of Uganda, where a plague of plastic bags, locally known as buveera, is woven into the fabric of daily life. They show up in layers of excavated dirt roads and clog waterways. But now, they can be found in remote areas of farmland, too. Some of the debris includes the thick plastic bags us...

Minimalism is out for 2025, and exuberance is in, according to top interior designers. People looking to improve their homes and gardens are increasingly wanting something "posher" and more high-tech according to style gurus at the Ideal Home Show in London. The Ideal Home Show is the UK's largest interior design show and has been setting trends since 1908. Each year, interior designers curate the Ideal Home at the show, packing this show home with the latest trends and technology to inspire visitors. The home features typical rooms found in every home—including a living room, kitchen, bedroom and bathroom—all packed with...

The phrase “hybrid athlete” is gaining popularity on social media, with thousands of followers embracing a multi-disciplinary approach to training and racing. While it’s considered a positive trend, experts warn that diving into an intense training routine can be risky if not executed properly. Hyrox is a fitness competition that blends running with functional exercises. It's rapidly becoming one of the fastest-growing fitness sports globally, with events held in more than 11 countries and 30 cities. Karla Maganto Parisotto started competing over a year ago. Since then, she's witnessed its popularity skyrocket. “It just went crazy, I just knew everyone doing it and t...

Hansen, a retired Danish police officer, loaded up his basket at the supermarket, carefully checking each product to avoid buying anything made in the United States. No more Coca-Cola, no more California Zinfandel wine or almonds. On his recent shopping trip, Hansen returned home with dates from Iran. It shocked him to realize that he now perceives the United States as a greater threat than Iran. "Trump really looks like a bully who tries in every way to intimidate, threaten others to get his way," he told The Associated Press. "I will fight against that kind of thing." Hansen is...

The Swiss town of Neuchâtel is offering its residents a novel medical option: Expose yourself to art and get a doctor’s note to do it for free. Under a new two-year pilot project, local and regional authorities are covering the costs of “museum prescriptions” issued by doctors who believe their patients could benefit from visits to any of the town’s four museums as part of their treatment. The project is based on a 2019 World Health Organization report that found the arts can boost mental health, reduce the impact of trauma, and lower the risk of cognitive decline, frailty...

Japan became the first team to qualify for the 2026 World Cup after beating Bahrain 2-0 at Saitama Stadium on March 20. Second-half goals from Daichi Kamada and Takefusa Kubo ensured the Samurai Blue secured a spot in Asia Group C's top two automatic qualification places. At its eighth straight World Cup, Japan joins co-hosts the United States, Canada and Mexico in the expanded 48-team tournament. "Thanks to the players for their efforts and the fans for their support," Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu said. "We knew that if we persevered that the goals would come. We will try and win our three...

More states are passing or considering laws that require employers to offer paid medical leave. Advocates say these laws can reduce financial stress and make workers more productive. But some measures also stress employers, and the patchwork nature of different state laws can create frustration. Paid family and medical leave allows workers time off to undergo treatment or care for a family member or a new child. Separately, more states and cities are also requiring paid sick time, which helps people deal with shorter-term illnesses like the flu. Many employers also offer paid sick time without a government mandate. Laws...

It's highly technical work in what looks more like a lab than a museum: a fragment of a glazed roof tile from Beijing's Forbidden City is analyzed in a state-of-the-art X-ray diffraction machine that produces images which are then projected onto computer screens. The fragment being examined has a dark area on its surface that restorers want to understand. Their objective is to better preserve the artifacts at the sprawling imperial palace, the former home of China's emperors and its seat of power for hundreds of years. "We want to learn what the black material is," said Kang Baoqiang, one...

A shortage of dialysis centers in Kenya means patients with kidney failure often have to travel long distances to be treated. Now, an organization is starting to ease that burden with an innovative mobile dialysis unit. The 12-wheeled truck hauls a modern clinic around Murang'a County, offering dialysis to patients who live far from traditional treatment centers. Eliud Mwangi is a 63-year-old farmer from Murang'a County who has been undergoing dialysis treatment since 2021. For much of that time, he faced the challenge of traveling long distances to access dialysis services. The journey, which he had to make twice a week...

A solar-powered oven is giving people in Kenya a cheap, healthy way to cook food. The simple contraption is an alternative to firewood and charcoal which are linked to harmful gases. The box is set up outside, food is placed inside, and the lid is closed. The sun's rays are reflected into the cavity, heating it up and cooking the meal. "I used to use firewood for a longer time. I also realized that firewood gives us some problems, like lung problems. When there is a lot of smoke, it interferes with the lungs, therefore the breathing system becomes in...

In New York City, spirited badge-holders and independent music fans wove in and out of 150-person capacity clubs filled with groups from around the globe during the New Colossus Festival, held a few weeks ago. Now in its sixth year, 196 artists were scheduled to perform, more than half from outside the United States. But New Colossus may be an exception, not the rule, for international artists hoping to perform in the U.S. In the last few years, the process of obtaining necessary visas has grown much more arduous and expensive. "It's already at the maximum level of difficulty that...

The Los Angeles Dodgers gave Shohei Ohtani an unprecedented $700 million contract hoping to drive interest—and the dollars that come with it—from fans across the Pacific. It seems to be working. He was the main attraction as the Dodgers and Chicago Cubs opened the MLB regular season in March at the Tokyo Dome. He also produced off the field, the marquee name at a sprawling souvenir store that filled an exhibition hall in the Tokyo Dome complex. MLB called the setup its “largest ever special-event store.” Let’s call it a “Merch Museum” dedicated to Ohtani, his two Japanese teammates, Yos...

Large crowds, loud music, and time pressure aren't typically considered the best environments for artistic expression. But in Sydney, on-stage art battles are turning painting into competitive entertainment. Artists are taking part in a new type of competition where their painting skills will be tested to their limits. In just 20 minutes, they need to come up with a work of art and convince the live audience to vote for them. “It shows a lot of talent. You need a lot of skill,” an audience member said. For more than a year now, the Art Battle events have been taking place in w...

A study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences finds that even in the most optimistic scenarios, grass-fed beef produces no less planet-warming carbon emissions than industrial beef. The finding calls into question the frequent promotion of grass-fed beef as a more environmentally friendly option. Still, other scientists say grass-fed beef wins out on other factors like animal welfare or local environmental pollution, complicating the choice for conscientious consumers. “I think that there is a large portion of the population who really do wish their purchasing decisions will reflect their values,” said Gidon Eshel, a research professor of envi...

Oregon transportation officials say that without more funding, residents could see further declines in the quality of roads, highways and bridges starting this year. But revenues from gas taxes paid by drivers at the pump are projected to decrease as more people adopt electric and fuel-efficient cars, forcing officials to look for new ways to fund transportation infrastructure. States with aggressive climate goals like Oregon are facing a conundrum: EVs can help reduce emissions in the transportation sector, the nation's largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, but they also mean less gas tax revenue in government coffers. Motor fuel taxes...

At Fishtown Seafood, owner Bryan Szeliga is trying to navigate Trump’s on-again, and off-again tariffs on Canadian and Mexican goods. Szeliga, who operates three retail and wholesale locations in Philadelphia and Haddonfield, New Jersey, sells a range of seafood. He said a fair amount of shrimp comes from Mexico and briny, slurpable oysters are the biggest part of his overall business, with 60% to 70% coming from Canada. The Trump administration's on-again, off-again 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico—which went into effect on March 4, only to be suspended on some items for a month on March 6—are giving Szeliga whipla...

James Delaney wants his public art in South Africa's biggest city to be more than a magnet for selfies and a delight for children. He's determined to have the vibrant metal sculptures change the mood of its gritty and sometimes dangerous neighborhoods. Over the past decade, artist James Delaney has designed more than 100 sculptures for The Wilds Park in Johannesburg. Authorities in Johannesburg have encouraged public art to improve safety and environmental conditions in the city of some 6 million people whose downtown has a reputation for crime and degradation. The Wilds is in the midst of Johannesburg's contrasts. One side...

The New York Yankees dropped their ban on beards 49 years after it was imposed by owner George Steinbrenner, in a move aimed at improving player recruitment as the team tries to win its first World Series title since 2009. Current owner Hal Steinbrenner, son of The Boss, announced the change before the team's spring training opener. He called the ban "outdated" and "somewhat unreasonable." "This generation, the vast majority of 20, 30s-into-the-40s men in this country have beards," Steinbrenner said during a news conference, flanked by general manager Brian Cashman. "It is a part of who these younger men are. It's...

Until recently, most Americans had never heard the term “seed oils,” even though they’ve likely cooked with and consumed them for decades. It’s the catchy description coined by internet influencers, wellness gurus and some politicians to refer to common cooking oils—think canola, soybean and corn oil—that have long been staples in many home kitchens. Those fiery critics refer to the top refined vegetable oils as “the hateful eight” and claim that they’re fueling inflammation and high rates of chronic diseases like obesity and diabetes. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the new health secretary, has said Americans are being “unknowi...

Most of the world has dirty air, with just 17% of cities globally meeting air pollution guidelines, a report found. Switzerland-based air quality monitoring database IQAir analyzed data from 40,000 air quality monitoring stations in 138 countries and found that Chad, Congo, Bangladesh, Pakistan and India had the dirtiest air. India had six of the nine most polluted cities, with the industrial town of Byrnihat in northeastern India the worst. Experts said the real amount of air pollution might be far greater, as many parts of the world lack the monitoring needed for more accurate data. In Africa, for example, there is only...

Birkenstocks: They are ubiquitous in summer, comfy and very German. Sometimes they look chic and sometimes shabby. But can these sandals be considered art? That's the question Germany's Federal Court of Justice wrestled with in February, and it ruled they're just comfy footwear. Birkenstock, which is headquartered in Linz am Rhein, Germany, and says its tradition of shoemaking goes back to 1774, filed a lawsuit against three competitors who sold sandals that were very similar to its own. The shoe manufacturer claimed its sandals “are copyright-protected works of applied art" that may not be imitated. Under German law, works of art en...

A cybercrime crew stole and then resold more than 900 digital tickets to Taylor Swift concerts and other pricey events on StubHub, according to prosecutors in New York. The international scam involved people working in Jamaica for a firm contracted by the online ticket marketplace, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said. The contractors stole the URLs of tickets purchased on StubHub and emailed them to others in New York, who then downloaded and resold them on StubHub at exorbitant prices, she said. The crew raked in more than $600,000 in profits over roughly a year between June 2022 and July 2023, according to prosecutors...

Mobile technology is predicted to generate $11 trillion for the global economy by 2030, according to a new report. The analysis was released by the organizers of the Mobile World Congress (MWC), the tech show which opened in Barcelona on March 3. It’s the ‘who’s who’ of the mobile technology industry. MWC is billed as the biggest connectivity event in the world. It attracts everything from multinational tech giants to innovative new start-ups. This is a place to do business—and business is growing. Mobile technologies and their services accounted for 5.8% of global GDP last year, according to a new report by the GSM...

A device aimed at keeping teens safe and two more for football fans—these are the latest offerings from phone maker HMD. The Finnish manufacturer, famous for making Nokia phones, revealed the details on the opening day of the MWC tech show in Barcelona. HMD unveiled its first smartphone specifically designed to protect teens. Parents can control the Fusion X1 with a monthly Xplora subscription. They can manage internet and social media access, and even activate "school mode." The Xplora service also tracks location every 20 seconds. It includes safe zones, emergency SOS calling, low battery alerts, and remote device access. "It...

A device aimed at keeping teens safe and two more for football fans—these are the latest offerings from phone maker HMD. The Finnish manufacturer, famous for making Nokia phones, revealed the details on the opening day of the MWC tech show in Barcelona. HMD unveiled its first smartphone specifically designed to protect teens. Parents can control the Fusion X1 with a monthly Xplora subscription. They can manage internet and social media access, and even activate "school mode." The Xplora service also tracks location every 20 seconds. It includes safe zones, emergency SOS calling, low battery alerts, and remote device access. "It...

President Donald Trump's administration backed off its demand for an extra layer of federal scrutiny whenever states seek even minor changes to their transportation plans after the rescinded requirement sparked concern that some payments for roads, bridges and transit would be delayed or even halted due to policy differences. Most of the federal money used for transportation projects flows to states almost automatically through formulas established by Congress that consider population and other factors. For decades, states have enjoyed widespread autonomy to set their own priorities and spend the funds on projects they deem most worthy. But under the policy...

President Donald Trump's administration backed off its demand for an extra layer of federal scrutiny whenever states seek even minor changes to their transportation plans after the rescinded requirement sparked concern that some payments for roads, bridges and transit would be delayed or even halted due to policy differences. Most of the federal money used for transportation projects flows to states almost automatically through formulas established by Congress that consider population and other factors. For decades, states have enjoyed widespread autonomy to set their own priorities and spend the funds on projects they deem most worthy. But under the policy...

Microsoft is closing down Skype, the video-calling service it bought for $8.5 billion in 2011, which had helped spark a transformation in how people communicate online. The tech giant said it will retire Skype in May and shift some of its services to Microsoft Teams, its flagship videoconferencing and team applications platform. Skype users will be able to use their existing accounts to log into Teams. Microsoft has for years prioritized Teams over Skype, and the decision to fold the brand reflects the tech giant’s desire to streamline its main communications app as it faces a host of competitors. Founded in 2003 by...