レアジョブ英会話 Daily News Article Podcast

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By: RareJob

レアジョブオリジナルの英会話ニュース教材です。世界の時事ネタを中心に、ビジネスから科学やスポーツまで、幅広いトピックのニュースを毎日更新しています。本教材を通して、ビジネスで使える実用的な英会話表現や英単語を身に付けることができます。

Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy’s TGL to feature 15-hole matches, overtime and lots of technology
Yesterday at 6:00 PM

Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy are bringing modern technology to the royal and ancient game with TGL, a team-based golf league played over 15 holes that combines an oversized simulator with actual shots to a tech-infused green that can change contours depending on the shot. TGL debuts on January 9 before the Masters at the newly constructed SoFi Center in Florida. “If you take the macro-view, we have a sport with 600 years of history and tradition that we're now combining with technology that exists and has never been deployed in this manner,” said Mike McCarley, founder and CEO of TMRW Sports, which deve...


Geneva International Motor Show comes to Qatar for the first time
Last Tuesday at 6:00 PM

The Geneva Motor Show was held outside of Switzerland for the first time in its history. Qatar hosted the event which brings together the biggest car brands in the world. It’s the Geneva International Motor Show (GIMS)—but with a Middle Eastern twist. The prestigious auto event was held in Doha, Qatar’s capital, this year. It’s the first time it’s been hosted outside of Switzerland since the show was established in 1905. “Going forward, GIMS Qatar will be hosted every two years in Doha, providing an unrivaled opportunity for brands to present their latest technologies, most innovative ideas and co...


Childcare centers just lost thousands of federal dollars. Families and providers scramble to cope
Last Monday at 6:00 PM

Last month was the first in two years that more than 200,000 childcare providers across the U.S. did not receive checks from the federal government—some for tens of thousands of dollars—as part of a pandemic-era program to help cover the cost of services. The monthly payments, considered the largest investment in childcare in the U.S. history, ranged from hundreds to tens of thousands of dollars and stabilized the industry during the COVID-19 pandemic. For years, providers had been raising alarm about an unsustainable business model that burdens families with high costs and leaves centers with razor-thin profit marg...


West Maui reopens to tourism on Nov. 1 after fire and workers are ready to return
Last Sunday at 6:00 PM

All of West Maui except for burned-out sections of historic Lahaina reopened to tourism on Nov. 1 following the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century, the mayor of Maui County said.  Mayor Richard Bissen said he made the move after talking about it with his Lahaina advisory team, the Red Cross and other partners. West Maui has about 11,000 hotel rooms, or about half of Maui’s total. Travelers evacuated those hotels after the Aug. 8 fire raged through Lahaina town, killing at least 99 people and destroying more than 2,000 buildings. Hawaii Gov. Josh Green last September declared West Maui would off...


Stargazers get full experience in Brazilian park as astro tourism gets popularity boost
Last Saturday at 6:00 PM

Far from the city’s light pollution, a Brazilian park is becoming a hub for stargazing enthusiasts. Astro tourism is proving popular, with packages including dinner and star observation led by an astronomer. “In the early 20th century, people could view the Milky Way and the Magellanic clouds from the center of Rio de Janeiro,” says astronomer Daniel Mello. This is now impossible because of light pollution, especially in the city center. Mello leads the “Astro-tourism in Brazilian Parks project,” a partnership between his university and the State Environmental Institute, which runs the state parks. It aims to make astronomy more acces...


Japan’s Prime Minister Kishida plans an income tax cut for households and corporate tax breaks
Last Friday at 6:00 PM

Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said he is preparing to take bold economic measures, including an income tax cut for households hit by inflation and tax breaks for companies to promote investment, in what’s seen as a move to lift his dwindling public support. In his speech to start a new Parliamentary session, Kishida said it was time to shift from an economy of low cost, low wages, and cost-cutting to one backed by growth led by sustainable wage hikes and active investment. “I'm determined to take unprecedentedly bold measures,” Kishida said, pledging an intensive effort to achieve stronger supply...


Disposable vapes can’t be reused, recycled, or trashed. So what happens to them?
11/23/2023

With the growing popularity of disposable e-cigarettes, communities across the U.S. are confronting a new vaping problem: how to safely get rid of millions of small, battery-powered devices that are considered hazardous waste. For years, the debate surrounding vaping largely centered on its risks for high school and middle school students enticed by flavors like gummy bear, lemonade, and watermelon. But the recent shift toward e-cigarettes that can’t be refilled has created a new environmental dilemma. These single-use devices containing nicotine, lithium, and other metals cannot be reused or recycled and, under federal environmental law, aren’t supposed to g...


New deadly bird flu cases reported in Iowa, joining 3 other states as disease resurfaces
11/22/2023

Two commercial turkey farms in Iowa have been hit by the reemerging highly pathogenic bird flu, causing about 100,000 birds to be killed to prevent the disease from spreading. The Iowa Department of Agriculture reported the infected commercial poultry flocks within weeks of a turkey farm in South Dakota and one in Utah reporting the first outbreaks in the U.S. since April, raising concerns that more would follow. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) shows 12 commercial flocks in South Dakota, Utah, and Minnesota have been affected in October, totaling more than 500,000 birds. Bird flu last year cost U.S...


Healthy aging essential as Europeans of retirement age will soon outstrip youth
11/21/2023

As the number of elderly people in Europe starts to outnumber the young, the World Health Organization is warning it’s time to introduce healthier lifestyles. The UN agency says countries can expect to be under greater pressure from chronic diseases if there are no changes. A new report from the World Health Organization is urging Europeans to take steps toward a healthier lifestyle. At the forefront of its campaign is the message to eat foods made from fresh products without added sugar, fat and salt. Also, it recommends exercise to prevent chronic diseases that come from obesity. It says th...


Stockholm to ban gasoline and diesel cars in downtown commercial area
11/20/2023

Stockholm city council has drawn up plans to ban diesel and gas cars from its downtown commercial area. The aim is to reduce pollution, but some opposition politicians think the strategy will make life difficult for residents. The Swedish capital plans to introduce a new ban on gasoline and diesel cars from the downtown commercial area in 2025. The measure will cover a 20-block section of the city, already adorned with parks, extensive bike lanes, and spacious sidewalks. This area comprises various shops, pedestrian walkways, and some residential buildings. The aim is to combat pollution, decrease noise, and promote the use...


In the Amazon, millions breathe hazardous air as drought and wildfires spread through the rainforest
11/19/2023

Thick smoke enveloped extensive areas of the Brazilian Amazon as the region grapples with a surge in wildfires and a historic drought. In Manaus, a city of 2 million, air quality ranked among the worst globally, leading to the suspension of college classes and the cancellation of various activities, including an international marathon. In the first 11 days of October, Amazonas state recorded over 2,700 fires. This is already the highest number for the month since official monitoring began in 1998. Virtually all fire is human-caused, primarily for deforestation or pasture clearance. Over the past weeks, Manaus and other cities of Amazonas state have...


Serena Williams has a 2-book deal, starting with an ‘intimate’ and ‘open-hearted’ memoir
11/18/2023

Now that she's stepped back from the sport she dominated like few others, Serena Williams is ready to reflect. The tennis great has a two-book deal with the Random House Publishing Group, starting with an “intimate” memoir in which she will open up about everything from her childhood and early tennis training, dramatized in the 2021 film “King Richard,” to her extraordinary career and the obstacles and setbacks she endured along the way. The book is not yet titled and does not have a release date. The second book, also untitled, will be an “inspirational” work, according to Random House, which announced th...


Amazon will start testing drones that will drop prescriptions on your doorstep, literally
11/17/2023

Amazon will soon make prescription drugs fall from the sky when the e-commerce giant becomes the latest company to test drone deliveries for medications. The company said that customers in College Station, Texas, can now get prescriptions delivered by a drone within an hour of placing their order. The drone, programmed to fly from a delivery center with a secure pharmacy, will travel to the customer’s address, descend to a height of about four meters — or 13 feet — and drop a padded package. Amazon says customers will be able to choose from more than 500 medications, a list that includes common treatm...


So-called toddler milks are unregulated and unnecessary, a major pediatrician group says
11/16/2023

Powdered drink mixes that are widely promoted as “toddler milks” for older babies and children up to age 3 are unregulated, unnecessary, and “nutritionally incomplete,” the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) warned October 20. The drinks, which are touted to parents on TikTok, in television ads, and on other sites, often contain added sugar and salt. The manufacturers make unproven claims that the drinks boost kids’ brains or immune systems, said Dr. George Fuchs, a member of the AAP’s nutrition committee, which released the new report. Formula industry officials said the toddler drinks could be useful for filling “nutrition gaps” in kids' diets. But...


Amazon, Tripadvisor, and other companies team up to battle fake reviews while FTC seeks to ban them
11/15/2023

Some of the most used platforms for travel and online shopping said on October 12 that they’re going to team up to battle fake reviews. Amazon, review sites Glassdoor and Trustpilot, as well as travel companies Expedia Group, Booking.com, and Tripadvisor said in an announcement that they’re launching a coalition that aims to protect access to “trustworthy consumer reviews" worldwide. The companies said the members of the group, which will be called Coalition for Trusted Reviews, will look for best practices for hosting online reviews and share methods on how to detect fake ones. That will include developing standa...


Natural wine uncorks back to basics movement in the U.S.
11/14/2023

Natural wine – wine produced with minimal chemical intervention – is growing increasingly popular in the United States. But critics say the lack of defined standards and certification means consumers don’t quite know what they’re getting when they uncork a bottle. It’s harvest time in California. Pickers are plucking grapes from the vines as quickly as they can. This vineyard is certified organic. Growers here say consumers want wines that reflect their lifestyle choices. “The farm-to-table movement in the United States really made people concerned about what they’re eating and what they’re putting into their bodies. And I think for a re...


Myths to Manga: Japan-themed exhibition celebrates opening of London’s newly branded museum
11/13/2023

A family-friendly museum in London presents an exhibition to introduce all things Japanese, from Hokusai’s nineteenth-century woodblock print to a kimono ensemble for a dog. It aims to show how stories passed from one generation to another have shaped art, design, and technology in Japan. Many have come across the name “Hokusai” and his iconic woodblock print, ‘The Great Wave.’ The image can be seen on T-shirts, mugs, and tea towels, but it is not widely known that the artist, Katsushika Hokusai, was one of the first to use the term “manga.” “Manga” is derived from two Japanese words— “man,” which means whim...


Reese’s $25,000 promotion may violate sweepstakes laws
11/12/2023

Reese's may be in violation of state and federal laws with its new sweepstakes offer currently advertised on packs of peanut butter cups. The promotion on two-cup packages reads "You could win $25,000" and, in smaller print, "See details inside." But only after consumers have bought and opened a package can they see the small print: no purchase is necessary to enter the sweepstakes. The Reese's contest was first reported by Edgar Dworsky, a consumer advocate and former assistant attorney general in Massachusetts, who runs the Consumer World website. Hershey Co., the Pennsylvania candymaker that owns the Reese's brand, didn't immediately...


Drug used in diabetes treatment Mounjaro helped dieters shed 60 pounds, study finds
11/11/2023

The medicine in the diabetes drug Mounjaro helped people with obesity or who are overweight lose at least a quarter of their body weight, or about 60 pounds on average, when combined with intensive diet and exercise, a new study shows. By comparison, a group of people who also dieted and exercised, but then received dummy shots, lost weight initially but then regained some, researchers reported in the journal Nature Medicine. “This study says that if you lose weight before you start the drug, you can then add a lot more weight loss after,” said Dr. Thomas Wadden, a University of Penn...


Ugandan leader’s plan to ban used Western clothing spreads panic among traders
11/10/2023

Downtown Kampala’s Owino Market has long been a go-to enclave for rich and poor people alike looking for affordable, but quality-made used clothes, underscoring perceptions that Western fashion is superior to what is made at home. These clothes have been discarded by Europeans and Americans, then shipped to African countries by middlemen. It's a multimillion-dollar business, with some two-thirds of people in seven countries in East Africa having “purchased at least a portion of their clothes from the secondhand clothing market,” according to a 2017 U.S. Agency for International Development study, the most recent with such details. Despite the popula...


Amid a mental health crisis, toy industry takes on a new role: building resilience
11/09/2023

As more children emerge from the pandemic grappling with mental health issues, their parents are seeking ways for them to build emotional resilience. And toy companies are paying close attention. While still in its early phase, a growing number of toy marketers are embracing MESH—or mental, emotional, and social health—as a designation for toys that teach kids skills, like how to adjust to new challenges, resolve conflict, advocate for themselves, or solve problems. The acronym was first used in child development circles and by the American Camp Association 10 years ago and gained new resonance after the pandemic. Rachele Harm...


More states are teaching financial literacy. It could pay off for students struggling with math
11/08/2023

The Washington, D.C., charter school may be a front-runner in providing financial education, but in recent years, many others have followed suit. Since 2020, nine U.S. states have adopted laws or policies requiring personal finance education before students graduate from high school, bringing the total number to 30 states, according to the Council for Economic Education. The surge comes as educators are scrambling to bolster students’ math skills, which plummeted during the pandemic and haven’t fully recovered. At the same time, a general dislike for math remains an obstacle among young people. But do topics like high-interest rates translate to h...


From Coke floats to Cronuts, going viral can have a lasting effect on small businesses
11/07/2023

The Lexington Candy Shop in New York City has served burgers, fries and shakes to hungry patrons for decades. Last remodeled in 1948, the diner is the definition of old-fashioned. But that hasn’t stopped it from getting a wave of new fans. In August 2022, this old-school business met the new world when Nicolas Heller, a TikToker and Instagrammer with 1.2 million followers known as New York Nico, popped in for a traditional Coke float – Coke syrup, soda water and ice cream. Naturally, he made a video. It went viral, garnering 4.8 million likes. “The next day (after the video was posted), the lines...


CERN inaugurates new Science Gateway, a bridge to the outside world
11/06/2023

The Geneva-area lab that houses the world’s largest atom smasher, known as CERN, has inaugurated a new “Science Gateway” that hopes to make its complex inner workings and the science that drives it comprehensible—and inspiring—to everyone aged 5 and above. Chiefs at the European Organization for Nuclear Research—CERN’s official name—say improvements were needed to better welcome the tens of thousands of tourists who flock to its entrance every year near the French-Swiss border. So, they called in famed architect Renzo Piano, a friend of and fellow Italian to CERN Director-General Fabiola Gianotti, to design the structure. “With...


Apple releases fix for issue causing the iPhone 15 to run ‘warmer than expected’
11/05/2023

Apple has released an iOS 17 system update that includes a fix to prevent the iPhone 15 lineup from becoming uncomfortably hot. According to the release's accompanying patch notes, iOS 17.0.3 “addresses an issue that may cause iPhone to run warmer than expected.” The Cupertino, California, company blamed a software bug and other issues tied to popular apps such as Instagram and Uber for causing its recently released iPhone 15 models to heat up and spark complaints about becoming too hot to handle. “We have identified a few conditions which can cause iPhone to run warmer than expected,” Apple said in a short statement provided...


Mori Building opens new development in Tokyo, part of push to revitalize the city
11/04/2023

Mori Building, one of the biggest players in multibillion-dollar redevelopment projects led mainly by private developers, is putting the finishing touches on two big projects. Toranomon Hills Station Tower, a skyscraper with office space that's part of the earlier Mori Toranomon Hills project, opened on October 6. Mori JP Tower, a 64-story, 325-meter (1,067-foot) -tall skyscraper that will be Japan’s tallest structure, is part of Mori Building's 600 billion yen ($6 billion) Azabudai Hills project, which is set to open this month. More projects are in the works. Shingo Tsuji, CEO of Mori Building, says he hopes to help Tokyo compete as a...


An app shows how ancient Greek sites looked thousands of years ago. It’s a glimpse of future tech
11/03/2023

Visitors can now pinch and zoom their way around the ancient Greek site, with a digital overlay showing how it once looked. That includes a collection of marble sculptures removed from the Parthenon more than 200 years ago that are now on display at the British Museum in London. Greece has demanded they be returned. For now, an app supported by Greece's Culture Ministry allows visitors to point their phones at the Parthenon temple, and the sculptures housed in London appear back on the monument as archaeologists believe they looked 2,500 years ago. Other, less widely known features also appear: Many of...


Schools’ pandemic spending boosted tech companies. Did it help US students?
11/02/2023

An Associated Press (AP) analysis of public records found many of the largest school systems spent tens of millions of dollars in pandemic money on software and services from tech companies, including licenses for apps, games, and tutoring websites. Schools, however, have little or no evidence the programs helped students. Some of the new software was rarely used. The AP asked the nation’s 30 largest school districts for contracts funded by federal pandemic aid. About half provided records illuminating an array of software and technology, collectively called “edtech.” Clark County schools in the Las Vegas area, for one, signed contracts worth...


Amazon launches test satellites for its planned internet service to compete with SpaceX
11/01/2023

Amazon launched the first test satellites for its planned internet service on October 6 as a rival to SpaceX’s broadband network. United Launch Alliance’s (ULA) Atlas V rocket blasted off with the pair of test satellites, kicking off a program that aims to improve global internet coverage with an eventual 3,236 satellites around Earth. Amazon plans to begin offering service by the end of next year. Elon Musk’s SpaceX has a huge head start over Amazon and its founder Jeff Bezos, who has his own rocket company, Blue Origin. SpaceX flew its first test Starlink satellites in 2018 and the first...


David Beckham goes on an emotional rollercoaster for new documentary “Beckham”
10/31/2023

In the new Netflix documentary "Beckham," former soccer star David Beckham looks back at the hateful treatment he received following his infamous 1998 FIFA World Cup red card. The four-part series explores Beckham’s upbringing and his triumphs on the field, but perhaps the most difficult part was revisiting his painful sending-off during England’s World Cup match against Argentina. Beckham was red-carded after being pushed to the ground and lashing out after kicking the back of Diego Simeone’s leg. England’s World Cup hopes were crushed, and Beckham went from hero to villain. "Beckham" lays bare the condemnation from both the...


How smart tech is transforming beekeeping
10/30/2023

An Israeli tech start-up is hoping to help beekeepers maintain their bee colonies with a smart touch. Using sensors and real-time data analysis, the tech allows keepers to track the health of their hives and prevent die-offs that are blamed on a combination of parasites, pesticides, starvation and climate change. Beekeeping is an age-old occupation that relies on tried and tested techniques and the expertise of the beekeeper for success. Honeybees around the world are dying off in large numbers, a phenomenon that could have ripple effects on the food supply chain and the entire ecosystem. So even this ancient...


Are robot waiters the future? A restaurant in Kuwait thinks so
10/29/2023

Are robot waiters the future? It’s a question the restaurant industry is increasingly trying to answer. Many people think robot waiters are the solution to the industry’s labor shortages. Sales of them have been growing rapidly in recent years, with tens of thousands now gliding through dining rooms worldwide. Waiters in this restaurant in Kuwait have a new assistant, a robot called CAN. CAN can't take orders or even place a tray on the table, but the waiter robot can carry it across the room to the correct destination. A waiter then places the tray of food on the...


From clay to vibrant tiles: Fez’s Zellige gains global traction
10/28/2023

Fez, a historic Moroccan city founded in 789 AD, is renowned for its Zellige tiles. The vibrant tilework adorns the city's palaces, courtyard houses and mosques. The Zellige Craftsmen Village, 13 kilometers (8 miles) from Fez's center, is dedicated to the tilework industry. There, more than 200 workshops buzz with thousands of craftsmen and workers who make Zellige. Fez’s clay, a raw material fundamental to Zellige production, goes through a long process before it is turned into tiles. At one workshop in the village, workers soak eight tons of clay every day. They mold them into various shapes then dry them using both th...


Why bird-like drones can help with saving energy
10/27/2023

Humans may have been able to create technology to realize their age-old dream of flying long ago. But there is still a lot to learn from the avian masters of the skies. At a university in the Netherlands, researchers are exploring ways for drones to mimic how birds "hover" in the wind to reduce the energy needed to stay aloft. It might look unassuming, like a basic small model plane. But the drone hovering in the wind tunnel at Delft University in the Netherlands is mimicking energy-saving behavior that can be observed in birds when they soar using thermals which...


Fueling up with waste: Kenyan company makes petrol from plastic
10/26/2023

What if plastic waste could power your car? In Kenya, one entrepreneur is turning plastic waste into fuel to power cars and all kinds of engines. The complex chemical structures that make plastic so tough and durable also make plastics difficult to break down–that's why they can take hundreds of years to decompose, if at all. Progreen Innovations Limited in Kenya is one of a growing number of companies that are converting plastic into liquid fuel. "We take it through a pyrolysis process and we end up with usable fuel, which is an alternative fuel for petrol and diesel en...


Novelist Murakami hosts Japanese ghost story reading ahead of Nobel Prize announcements
10/25/2023

Japanese novelist Haruki Murakami hosted a ghost story reading event in Tokyo amid growing attention before the announcement of this year's Nobel Prize in Literature, an award he is a perennial favorite to win. Murakami said at the September 28 reading that he enjoys scary stories and wants to write more of them. The event featured one from the 18th-century collection “Tales of Moonlight and Rain,” which intrigued Murakami since his childhood and is known to have inspired his work. The classic collection written by Akinari Ueda called “Ugetsu Monogatari” in Japanese explores a blurry borderline between the real and surreal, which Mu...


‘Lift’ – the ballet program uplifting young people living in homelessness
10/24/2023

Academy Award-nominated director David Petersen’s latest documentary “Lift” shines a spotlight on New York Theatre Ballet’s ‘LIFT’ program, in which classical ballet training is used to improve the lives of young people, particularly those who are living in homeless shelters in the city. The youngsters in the movie are guided by the Ballet’s Principal Artist and Artistic Director, Steven Melendez. This documentary leads him back to his own childhood shelter, in order to uncover past trauma and celebrate the joys that people experience through dancing in the face of adversity. “It’s just kind of obvious to say. But they’re l...


Meet the hominins brought back from the ancient past
10/23/2023

John Gurche helps people understand how ancient humans looked by creating lifelike models based on archaeological finds. The work requires a mix of artistic skill and scientific knowledge. Gurche is a paleo artist, who creates lifelike models of our ancient human cousins at his studio in upstate New York. He studies fossils from around the world. He bases his work as much as possible on the available evidence.  Gurche is trying to reshape the perception of ancient humans like the Neanderthals. They’ve often been shown as primitive cavemen, who died out because we were better versions, but a growing bod...


Why being car-free is a distant future in Berlin
10/22/2023

Across Europe, several cities are taking steps to remove cars from their city centers, but one capital is going in the other direction—Berlin’s new government wants to protect drivers' rights. While many European cities, such as Copenhagen, Amsterdam, and Paris are drastically reducing car traffic in their city centers in favor of cycle paths, Berlin is lagging behind, according to many critics. At Potsdamer Platz, cyclists are not impressed with the city’s infrastructure. “There have been a lot of plans, but not much actual building. I think the discussion is happening, but much more needs to be done,” s...


Amazon Prime Video will soon come with ads, or a $2.99 monthly charge to dodge them
10/21/2023

Amazon Prime Video will include advertising during shows and movies starting early next year, joining other streaming services that have added different tiers of subscriptions. Members of Amazon Prime can pay $2.99 per month in the U.S. to keep their service ad-free, the company said. Streaming services are in a heated tug-of-war over viewers and users are growing more adept at jumping in and out of those services, often depending on price. The platforms risk losing customers with price hikes, but they could lose them if they don't generate new content that wins over users. Disney will begin charging $13.99 a...