ニュースで学ぶ「現代英語」
ニュースで学ぶ「現代英語」 英で14年ぶり政権交代
7月22日(月)
Today's news is about the Uniked Kingdom. Let's practice our British English while listening to the new prime minister.
STARMER TAKES OFFICE AS NEW BRITISH PM
We begin in the United Kingdom, where the leader of the Labour Party, Keir Starmer, has become the country's new prime minister following his party's landslide election victory.
(Keir Starmer / British Prime Minister) “I invite you all, to join this government of service, in the mission of national renewal. Our work is urgent. And we begin it today. Thank you very much.”
Starmer delivered an address after King Charles asked him to form a government at Buckingham Palace on Friday. Labour swept the Conservatives out of power for the first time in 14 years in Thursday's general election. The BBC said Labour won more than 410 of the 650 seats in the House of Commons. The party doubled its number of seats compared with the last election. Former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's Conservative Party lost more than 200 seats, leaving it with just over 120.
（2024年7月5日のニュース）
- form a governmentは「政府・内閣を樹立する、組閣する」
- sweep … out of powerは「～を権力の座から追いやる、引きずり下ろす」
- House of Commonsは「庶民院」で、イギリス議会の「下院」
・the Industrial Revolution「産業革命」
・the British Empire「大英帝国」
・overseas colonies「海外植民地」 はどんどん独立していきました。
今は、一部の国だけが
・Commonwealth realm「イギリス連邦王国」 を構成し、
イギリス国王を国家元首とする独立国家として残っています。
カナダ、オーストラリア、ニュージーランド、バハマなど、１５の国です。
・Brexit「ブレグジット」
現在のイギリスでは、国王に対する
・Parliament「議会」の優位が確立しています。
・Monarchs reign but they do not rule.「君主は君臨すれど統治せず」
In America, we learn about the UK in histry class especially the colonization of America. It's been a long time since I learned about it. So today was a great review.
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JAPAN SUPREME COURT: DEFUNCT EUGENICS LAW 'UNCONSTITUTIONAL'
Japan's top court has ruled the country's now-defunct Eugenic Protection Law was unconstitutional. The post-World War II law forced people with certain disabilities to undergo surgical sterilization. Now the government has been ordered to compensate some of those affected. People forced to undergo the procedures had filed lawsuits across Japan. They claimed they were subject to discrimination in violation of Japan's Constitution and were seeking damages. On Wednesday, Chief Justice Tokura Saburo said there was no legitimate reason for the sterilizations. He said the treatment violated people's constitutional rights to be treated equal under the law and respected as individuals. Japan's Eugenic Protection Law took effect in 1948 to combat a postwar surge in births. It was abolished in 1996 amid growing criticism both domestically and internationally. By then, about 25,000 people had been sterilized.
（2024年7月3日のニュース）
JAPANESE EEL CULTIVATION BREAKTHROUGH UNVEILED
Japan's Fisheries Agency has unveiled a breakthrough in the cultivation of Japanese eels, a popular staple in the country's food culture. The Japanese eel is designated an endangered species, as their numbers have declined sharply. Conservation of the prized marine resource has become an important issue. Researchers at a government institute have successfully artificially incubated eggs and reared young eels to maturity. Eggs from farmed eels were used to achieve full-cycle cultivation. Fry known as glass eels that were produced with the new method were on display on Thursday in Tokyo as the researchers reported the results of their study. The Fisheries Agency says the main obstacle to commercialization is the high cost of production, as it requires more than 11 dollars to produce one glass eel from an egg. That's triple the price of glass eels captured in the wild. The researchers aim to lower the cost and farm eels that will be affordable to consumers.
（2024年7月5日のニュース）
AI DATA CENTER OPERATORS SEEK WAYS TO CUT ELECTRICITY USE
The popularity of generative AI is driving up demand for facilities to handle the massive data processing and storage needs of the new technology. But these data centers use large amounts of electricity, raising concern about power shortages, so companies are trying to develop energy-saving solutions.
Japan's Fujitsu has come up with a system to more efficiently assign computing tasks to semiconductors known as graphics processing units, or GPUs. By using fewer of these chips in the data centers, the company says the system saves electricity.
In another initiative, Daiwa House Industry has joined hands with an Australian firm to build power-saving data centers. This includes installing more efficient air conditioning to cool servers and increasing the use of renewable energy.
（2024年7月3日のニュース）
JAPAN FIRMS AIM TO MOTIVATE STAFF, REDUCE TURNOVER
Retailers and restaurants in Japan are adopting new methods to motivate their workers and reduce turnover amid a severe labor shortage. Major convenience store chain Seven-Eleven Japan started an in-house contest on customer service skills in 2023. This year, selected workers from outlets across the country competed to show how well they can improvise to serve customers using appropriate language. The company evaluated their performance and gave awards. The aim is to make employees key to running the stores feel more motivated. It's also to train young staff better so they don't leave to go and work elsewhere. Meanwhile, noodle chain Marugame Udon is offering workers a chance to gain certification. Applicants take a written exam on what they know about noodle-making. They're also tested on a hundred practical skills. Company officials say the job turnover among certified staff is only about one-tenth the rate for those without certification.
（2024年7月9日のニュース）