レアジョブ英会話 Daily News Article Podcast

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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。

  1. 9h ago

    Australian airline Jetstar will charge passengers to use the overhead lockers for their bags

    For passengers on the budget Australian airline Jetstar, the days of cramming your bag into an overhead locker already full of your seatmates' full-sized suitcases are coming to an end, but there's a catch. The carrier will charge passengers for stowing carry-on bags in the overhead compartments, beginning in February 2027. The move came after passengers and airline staff named "having bags weighed at the gate and struggling to find room in overhead lockers as the more stressful parts of the airport experience," the carrier said in a statement. It makes Jetstar the latest low-cost carrier to introduce a payment system for carry-on bags, with budget airlines in the United States and Europe commonly charging passengers to use the compartments. Passengers could stow a purse, laptop bag, or small backpack that fit within specified measurements under the seat in front of them for no charge, Jetstar said. The cost of using the overhead compartments in the cabin would start from 25 Australian dollars ($18) one way, with the price depending on the route. Bags stowed in the lockers can weigh up to 10 kilograms (22 pounds) and will no longer be weighed by airline staff as passengers line up to board, Jetstar said. The existing weight limit of 7 kilograms (15 pounds) will be scrapped for the small items placed under travelers' seats. Like many carriers worldwide, Australian and New Zealand airlines have already introduced charges for checked luggage, seat selection, and some dining and in-flight entertainment options. An industry analyst said, however, that Jetstar was the first to charge for use of the overhead lockers. "It will ruffle feathers because Australian travelers have got such high expectations," said Sharon Petersen, CEO of AirlineRatings.com. "For such a long time they lived in a bubble of full-service options only." Jetstar said the change would reduce frustrations at boarding gates. "By giving customers an underseat bag with the option to add Priority Carry-on, we can make better use of overhead locker space, streamline boarding, and help more flights depart on time," Jetstar CEO Stephanie Tully said in a statement. This article was provided by The Associated Press.

  2. 1d ago

    Gene-edited beagles may offer a future option for people with dog allergies

    Matt Walker couldn't pet a dog without sneezing—until he and other scientists used a gene-editing technique to produce a hypoallergenic beagle named Bailey. Now, he can feed Bailey spoons of peanut butter while she lies on his lap and can play fetch with her in Central Park. His allergies didn't go away: Bailey's saliva and hair no longer contain a key allergy-causing protein. "The feeling right now is sort of a mix of relief and awe and gratitude that it worked," said Walker, a geneticist. His company, Kindred Companion Sciences, created Bailey and her twin Alfie using a Nobel Prize-winning technique called CRISPR. It'll take years before the millions who suffer from dog-related allergies can walk into a pet store and buy a pooch like Alfie or Bailey. Scientists have to monitor the long-term health effects of the genetic tweak, and find ways to commercialize the approach to make it affordable. And experts not involved with the effort say it could hurt shelter and rescue animals waiting to be adopted. "It opens the door to a lot more people being able to own pets. On the negative side, it may discourage people from trying to use strays and unwanted animals that are not engineered to be allergy-free," said bioethicist Arthur Caplan with New York University's Grossman School of Medicine. Researchers have tried to create hypoallergenic pets before, mostly by using cloning. But this led to sicker pups that were too genetically similar. Two years ago, researchers used CRISPR to reduce levels of an allergy-causing protein in a cat named Alsik. But it's not yet clear whether this technique is safe to be tested on other cats. Dogs that shed less, like poodles, are often thought of as hypoallergenic. But these pups still produce allergy-causing proteins that end up in their saliva, hair, and dander, so they can still make people sniffly. This article was provided by The Associated Press.

  3. 2d ago

    France is banning unsolicited telemarketing calls

    France has banned unsolicited telemarketing calls under a new law aimed at protecting consumers from intrusive sales pitches and shielding vulnerable people from fraudulent commercial practices. The law, backed by President Emmanuel Macron's government, has been enforced since August 11. While several countries have tried opt-out systems, France is hoping more muscular obligatory opt-in rules will be more effective. Previously in France, people who wanted to avoid marketing calls had to register their number with a government-run service, but consumer groups said some call centers ignored the list. Now, “businesses are prohibited from contacting consumers without their prior consent,” said Alice Vilcot, chief of staff at the Directorate-General for Competition, Consumer Affairs, and Prevention of Fraud. “That consent can be withdrawn at any time.” The government says the law is a response to years of consumer complaints. Authorities estimate that about three-quarters of people in France receive at least one unsolicited sales call every week, and many receive more. In 2024, 11 consumer organizations issued a joint call for a ban, denouncing “relentless harassment of consumers through countless unwanted telemarketing calls to both landlines and mobile phones—an intrusion that has become a regular part of their daily lives.” Parliament approved the law last year. Individuals who make illegal calls can be fined up to 75,000 euros ($87,000) per call. Companies can face fines of up to 375,000 euros ($435,000) per call. There are exceptions. Consumers may consent to receive marketing calls, for example by checking a consent box on a form. Companies can contact customers with new commercial offers if they already have a contractual relationship. People can report unsolicited calls through a government website. Vilcot noted that an Ireland-based company was fined 6 million euros ($6.9 million) last year for violating France’s previous telemarketing rules by calling people on the no-call list. Neighboring Germany has had a similar ban since 2009. The Netherlands tightened rules on telemarketing calls in July. The country had already banned unsolicited sales calls, but now companies are no longer allowed to call their own customers with promotional offers without previous authorization. This article was provided by The Associated Press.

  4. 3d ago

    Americans work to adapt to largest food-price hike in decades

    Many Americans are changing their eating and shopping habits after the biggest jump in grocery prices in 50 years. According to government figures, the price of food purchased for home use rose 31% from 2019 through 2025. The war in Iran has made it uncertain if a slowdown expected this year will materialize. Some say they are hunting for deals at multiple stores and switching brands. Others are buying fewer of their favorite foods or less food overall. One reason consumers feel so pinched is that other costs have climbed rapidly, too, most recently for gasoline. Like a lot of San Francisco Bay Area residents, Jack Chang has felt surrounded by rising costs. The 33-year-old self-employed barber and father of three isn't just talking about grocery prices and gas. The landlord of his Mission District barbershop raised his rent by 10% this year. Meanwhile, Chang has lost clients who got laid off from their tech jobs. His home utility bill also remains high. With 6- and 4-year-old daughters and a 2-year-old son, he purchased a used 2024 Toyota Sienna hybrid minivan three months ago. So, he now has monthly car and auto insurance payments. It feels like cutting hair five to six days a week just isn't enough at times. Chang wants to spoil his kids. “But I just can't,” he said. “We have to live frugal, because it's hard to afford.” The reasons for the grocery price hikes are numerous, from pandemic-related supply chain disruptions, weather conditions, and diseases like bird flu to tariffs on foreign products like coffee, tomatoes, and chocolate. Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine disrupted oil and fertilizer supplies, making food more expensive to produce. A fresh conflict in the Middle East is creating similar price pressures this year. This article was provided by The Associated Press.

  5. 4d ago

    Costumed runners race to raise funds to support kids in foster care in Kansas

    Heroes dressed in their capes and costumes ran to help raise money for foster children in Kansas. The Totally Awesome CASA Costume 5K got underway in Lawrence, Kansas, with over 50 racers participating in the inaugural event, with many in costume. Loretta Severin, a runner and former board member with the Douglas County Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) for Children, said this event was to bring awareness of the needs of CASA to the community in a fun way. “We, a couple years before the pandemic, had a run for a few years that was superhero-themed, and one of our board members thought about bringing the run back kind of as a community engagement opportunity and a way to just get the name of CASA out in the community in a way that's fun and family-friendly,” Severin said. The Douglas County CASA works to provide volunteers who can mentor and be an advocate for a child throughout their time in the foster care program. “Children who are in the foster care system really benefit from having a long-standing relationship with a trusted adult who is there and there only to pay attention to what their emotional needs are and also to help them be successful as they navigate a really challenging system,” Severin said. Currently, CASA has over 60 kids on a waiting list to be assigned a volunteer in Douglas County. “Fundraisers like this help us to meet those needs and have more CASAs to support those kids on the waiting list,” Molly Morgison, a board member for Douglas County CASA, said. There are currently over 80 kids in the Douglas County CASA program, and the organization is hoping to raise funds to hire staff to train more volunteers and mentor more children in the foster care system. This article was provided by The Associated Press.

  6. 5d ago

    Johnson & Johnson proposes $5.5 billion talc settlement to end marathon legal fight

    Johnson & Johnson has agreed to pay $5.5 billion to tie up remaining lawsuits that claim its talc products caused ovarian cancer. The drugmaker, which has been fighting talc-related lawsuits for more than a decade, said that the settlement is conditioned on at least 95% of remaining claimants participating. A U.S. bankruptcy court judge denied a $9 billion settlement proposed by company subsidiary Red River Talc last year that would have been one of the biggest mass tort settlements in history. Johnson & Johnson decided not to appeal that ruling and instead fight on in court. A federal judge ordered plaintiffs in the case against Johnson & Johnson to show why the remaining pending talc claims should not be dismissed after their witnesses could not provide a direct link between the company's product and cancer. “The Court’s order placed plaintiffs in an untenable position of having to present specific causation evidence to maintain their claims that does not exist,” Erik Haas, worldwide vice president of litigation, Johnson & Johnson, said in a prepared statement. As part of the settlement proposed, Johnson & Johnson will make an initial payment of no more than $3 billion next year. It has no additional payments due until 2028. “While we are confident the company would have ultimately prevailed with further litigation, as it has in the vast majority of cases tried to date, this resolution allows the company to put this matter behind it and remain focused on its mission to develop medicines and devices that save lives,” Haas said. Johnson & Johnson said that it previously settled about 95% of filed lawsuits for mesothelioma, a cancer in the tissue surrounding organs like the lungs and heart, all state consumer protection claims, and all talc-supplier disputes. Shares of the New Brunswick, New Jersey-based company rose more than 2% before the market open on July 28. This article was provided by The Associated Press.

  7. 6d ago

    This ethnic community in Estonia turns a village into a symbolic kingdom for a day

    Eighty-year-old Maime Kapten is a member of the Seto ethnic community, which once a year turns a village in southeastern Estonia into a symbolic kingdom for a day—complete with entry visas instead of tickets, made-up currency, and even a mock military parade. She's one of only a few thousand fluent speakers of Seto, which is closely related to the Estonian language. The idea was born in 1994 as the Setos, whose homeland was divided by the Estonian-Russian border after the collapse of the Soviet Union, created a special event called Kingdom Day to highlight their unique culture, preserve their language, and bring the community together. “This is an important cultural day for us,” Kapten said. “We get to meet people we know; we get to talk, exchange a few words, give each other a hug.” The Seto people have lived for centuries in the border region and never had a real kingdom. After the Soviet Union's collapse, many on the Russian side of the border eventually abandoned or sold their houses and moved to Estonia. Fewer than 200 stayed behind. According to Estonia's 2021 census, about 25,000 people reported being able to speak Seto, but linguists estimate only a few thousand use it in everyday life. Seto speakers are spread across Estonia, and the Setomaa parish in their traditional home region is home to fewer than 3,000 people. Seto traditions have survived largely by being passed on by word of mouth, and the annual Kingdom Day is one of the most important events for preserving the Seto language. Maria Grünberg, 23, learned Seto by listening to songs as a child and trying to sing along. Now she’s leading the youth choir and her dream is to help every generation embrace Seto. “We all together try to preserve the songs, the language, and show also other young people that Seto songs and Seto language is not only for old people,” said Grünberg, who sang wearing a traditional Seto dress she customized herself and her grandparents' jewelry. “We want to show that this is for everyone.” This article was provided by The Associated Press.

  8. Aug 28

    Some robotaxis approved to operate without steering wheels and losing the brake pedal could be next

    Federal regulators are clearing the way for robotaxis to operate without manual controls like steering wheels or, eventually, even brake pedals as the rules start to catch up to the evolving technology. Amazon's fully autonomous Zoox vehicles got approval to begin charging customers for rides in the specially designed cars that feature four inward-facing seats once they secure state and local approval. Zoox has already been offering free rides in Las Vegas and San Francisco since last year. At least a couple of people were waiting at most stops for rides up and down the Vegas strip aboard one of the distinctive boxy-shaped vehicles. "It's kind of scary at first, but when I just got used to it, it's really cool and chilling. I really liked the music and how you can adjust the temperature," Chloe Huu from Ann Arbor, Michigan, said after taking a ride in a Zoox. But the projected wait time for the ride kept changing, which made it hard to plan. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration also proposed a rule to allow robotaxis to operate without brake pedals, but that proposal is still pending. Administrator Jonathan Morrison said his agency wants to update the regulations to fit these fully autonomous vehicles while still acting as the "cop on the beat to make sure that this is being done right." Most vehicle safety regulations were written decades ago, always with the assumption that there would be a human driver behind the wheel. But Morrison said that things like steering wheels, windshield wipers, and side-view mirrors aren't really needed in an autonomous vehicle. The Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety group raised concerns about Zoox's plan to operate without a steering wheel or other standard controls because the company didn't provide detailed evidence to show that its vehicles could operate safely on public roads. "Lots of promises, lots of glossy language, lots of 'We believe, we think we'll do this.' Yet there really was no data behind the promises, and that's really concerning to us," said Peter Kurdock, who is general counsel for the Advocates group. This article was provided by The Associated Press.

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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。

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