レアジョブ英会話 Daily News Article Podcast

A top Google scientist and 2024 Nobel laureate said that the most important skill for the next generation will be "learning how to learn" to keep pace with change as artificial intelligence transforms education and the workplace. Speaking at an ancient Roman theater at the foot of the Acropolis in Athens, Demis Hassabis, CEO of Google's DeepMind, said rapid technological change demands a new approach to learning and skill development. "It's very hard to predict the future, like 10 years from now, in normal cases. It's even harder today, given how fast AI is changing, even week by week," Hassabis told the audience. "The only thing you can say for certain is that huge change is coming." The neuroscientist and former chess prodigy said artificial general intelligence—a futuristic vision of machines that are as broadly smart as humans or at least can do many things as well as people can—could arrive within a decade. This, he said, will bring dramatic advances and a possible future of "radical abundance" despite acknowledged risks. Hassabis emphasized the need for "meta-skills," such as understanding how to learn and optimizing one's approach to new subjects, alongside traditional disciplines like math, science and humanities. "One thing we'll know for sure is you're going to have to continually learn ... throughout your career," he said. The DeepMind co-founder, who established the London-based research lab in 2010 before Google acquired it four years later, shared the 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for developing AI systems that accurately predict protein folding—a breakthrough for medicine and drug discovery. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis joined Hassabis at the Athens event after discussing ways to expand AI use in government services. Mitsotakis warned that the continued growth of huge tech companies could create great global financial inequality. "Unless people actually see benefits, personal benefits, to this (AI) revolution, they will tend to become very skeptical," he said. "And if they see ... obscene wealth being created within very few companies, this is a recipe for significant social unrest." This article was provided by The Associated Press.

Stephen Curry is going down memory lane, though he still has eyes on what’s next. Curry's book Shot Ready was released in September, and the immediate reviews are overwhelmingly positive. Amazon quickly had it ranked among its top 10 current best-sellers and atop its sports book charts. Over more than 400 pages and with more than 100 photographs, many of them of the behind-the-scenes variety, the Golden State Warriors star guard—a four-time NBA champion, an Olympic gold medalist and the league's career 3-point leader—said he's simply trying to give fans a new look inside his mind and at his process. “We wanted to have something tangible, not just from a sports perspective but from a life perspective and show all the different highs and lows that I’ve been through and what people have instilled in me,” Curry said. “It just made sense, especially while I’m still under the bright lights on the court playing. It’s a moment of reflection. But also for me, it's a moment to motivate me to keep going and get everything else I can out of this game.” The book is the latest part of Curry's burgeoning empire. He has his Curry Brand with Under Armour, has a multimedia company, is now in the bourbon business, recently announced plans for a restaurant, is trying to grow the game of golf by making it more accessible, and has a nonprofit with his wife, Ayesha Curry, dedicated largely to providing meals and educational opportunities to children in need. “I think I’m just going deeper into the things that are exciting and I’m passionate about,” Curry said. “I’m passionate about sharing all of that with anybody who'll listen. I feel like it’s going deeper and it’s a part of just being able to extend the platform and the opportunity to things that matter to me.” “Success may not always look the way you expect, but it’s attainable for all of us when the rigor of our preparation and the depth of our belief meet the urgency of the moment,” Curry wrote. “That’s what it means to be shot ready.” This article was provided by The Associated Press.

Albania's prime minister tapped an artificial intelligence-generated "minister" to tackle corruption and promote transparency and innovation in his new Cabinet. Officially named Diella—the female form of the word for sun in the Albanian language—the new AI minister is a virtual entity. Diella will be a "member of the Cabinet who is not present physically but has been created virtually," Prime Minister Edi Rama said in a post on Facebook. Rama said the AI-generated bot would help ensure that "public tenders will be 100% free of corruption" and would help the government work faster and with full transparency. Diella uses AI's up-to-date models and techniques to guarantee accuracy in offering the duties it is charged with, according to Albania's National Agency for Information Society's website. Diella, depicted as a figure in a traditional Albanian folk costume, was created earlier this year, in cooperation with Microsoft, as a virtual assistant on the e-Albania public service platform, where she has helped users navigate the site and get access to about 1 million digital inquiries and documents. Diella will also help local authorities to speed up and adapt to the bloc's working trend. Albanian President Bajram Begaj has mandated Rama with the formation of the new government. Analysts say that gives the prime minister authority "for the creation and functioning" of AI-generated Diella. Asked by journalists whether that violates the constitution, Begaj stopped short of describing Diella's role as a ministerial post. Lawmakers will vote on the new Cabinet, but it was unclear whether Rama will ask for a vote on Diella's virtual post. Legal experts say more work may be needed to establish Diella's official status. The Democrats' parliamentary group leader Gazmend Bardhi said he considered Diella's ministerial status unconstitutional. This article was provided by The Associated Press.

Volleyball, basketball, ping pong, dancing rehearsals or simple chats. Dozens of teens are rediscovering how to reconnect to the real world after a school in Santiago, Chile, implemented a pioneering program in the country that blocks cell phone signals. Now, instead of compulsively scrolling through their Instagram feeds or sharing choreographed TikTok dances, students spend time at the library, the café or along the several courts of Lo Barnechea Bicentenario school. “Breaks are very lively now,” the school’s principal, Humberto Garrido, told The Associated Press. In order to stimulate bonding among youngsters, the school also put in place a “comprehensive plan that also includes more games in the courtyard, board games in the library, soccer, tennis, basketball, and even championships,” he said. The program—the first ever put in place in Chile and one of the first in South America—was implemented in August, a bid by the Lo Barnechea mayor’s office to address student well-being in times of hyperconnectivity and help them rediscover real-world connections. For now, the initiative is being tested only at Lo Barnechea Bicentenario school and applies to eighth-grade students, ages 13 or 14. However, the measure will soon be extended to all grades and gradually implemented in other district schools over the next year. On a recent cold, sunny day at the end of winter in Chile, dozens of students patiently lined up before putting their smartphones inside a black case designed to jam signal detection through a blocking magnet that can only be deactivated by the school’s inspectors. They are still able to keep their devices, but are only allowed to text, call or scroll again after school is over. The first few days of the digital detox demanded some adaptation, but just a few weeks after its launch, the program has been well received by students, teachers and parents. “I feel freer, I spend more time at recess, I spend more time with my classmates. I play a lot, I play a lot more sports. Before, I used to spend time on my phone, watching TikTok and Instagram,” said 14-year-old José David. This article was provided by The Associated Press.

Used condominium prices in the Tokyo metropolitan area have hit an all-time high, a trend driven by a combination of factors, including a shortage of new properties and ongoing low interest rates. In this environment, real estate investment is gaining attention as a stable way to build wealth. Real estate investment is attractive because it could provide stable returns and capital gains with less volatility than the stock market. However, it also comes with its own unique risks. Potential owners face challenges such as vacancy risk, unexpected repair costs, and low liquidity, which means it can be difficult to sell a property quickly for cash. The market is also sensitive to changes in interest rates, and traditional real estate investing requires significant effort and expert knowledge. To ease these challenges, new technology-based services are making it easier for beginners to enter the market. One such platform, RENOSY, offers all-in-one support, from finding and buying a property to managing it. A key feature is its AI-powered tool that analyzes data to suggest properties that fit a user's criteria, which is expected to mitigate investment risk. The service's reliability is also backed by the company being publicly traded, which provides transparency and a proven track record. Of course, real estate is not the only path. For those seeking a different approach, financial products like stocks and mutual funds offer a compelling alternative. In direct contrast to the challenges of property investment, they provide high liquidity and a much lower barrier to entry. However, this flexibility often comes with greater day-to-day market volatility, a key difference from the tangible stability of real estate. Ultimately, the best way to build assets depends on a person's financial goals and their risk tolerance. Whether someone chooses the stability of property, now more accessible through technology, or the growth potential of other investments requires carefully weighing the pros and cons of each option. This article was created in collaboration with GA technologies.

Braxton Kimura dreads eating at restaurants. The California teenager is severely allergic to peanuts, shellfish and most tree nuts. Consuming even a tiny amount could send him to the emergency room. “Eating out is definitely really dangerous. It’s something that I try to avoid,” Kimura, 17, said at his home in San Jose. “When dining out, obviously, I always bring my EpiPens, and I’m really nervous all the time.” Restaurant dining in California could soon become less stressful for Braxton and the growing number of Americans with severe food allergies. State lawmakers are set to vote on legislation that would make California the first U.S. state to require restaurants to disclose whether a menu item contains any of the nine most common food allergens: milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, sesame and soybeans. Restaurants could post the allergen information on physical menus, an allergen chart, allergen-specific menus or other printed materials. They can also post a QR code to access a digital menu that lists allergens. In September, the Legislature is expected to vote on Senate Bill 68, known as the Allergen Disclosure for Dining Experiences Act (ADDE). If approved and signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, the new law would take effect on July 1, 2026. Sen. Caroline Menjivar (D-San Fernando Valley) introduced the bill earlier this year. Menjivar, who is severely allergic to most nuts and fruits, said she’s had to go to the hospital multiple times for anaphylaxis—a life-threatening allergic reaction—because she accidentally consumed an allergen. The Southern California lawmaker got the idea for the legislation last year while traveling in Europe, which has required restaurants to disclose food allergens since 2014. The bill has the backing of numerous groups representing medical practitioners and people who suffer from asthma and allergies. This article was provided by The Associated Press.

As an ominous storm approached Buddy Anthony’s one-story brick home, he took shelter in his new Ford F-250 pickup truck parked underneath a nearby carport. Seconds later, a tornado tore apart Anthony's home and damaged the truck while lifting it partly in the air. Anthony emerged unhurt. But he had to replace his vehicle with a used truck that became his home—the spot where he slept for weeks while waiting for President Donald Trump to issue a major disaster declaration so that federal money would be freed for individuals reeling from loss. Disaster survivors such as Anthony are having to wait longer to get aid from the federal government, according to a new Associated Press (AP) analysis of decades of data. On average, it took less than two weeks for a governor's request for a presidential disaster declaration to be granted in the 1990s and early 2000s. That rose to about three weeks during the past decade under presidents from both major parties. It's taking more than a month, on average, during Trump's current term, the AP found. The delays mean individuals must wait to receive federal aid for daily living expenses, temporary lodging and home repairs. Delays in disaster declarations can also hamper recovery efforts by local officials who are uncertain whether they will receive federal reimbursement for cleaning up debris and rebuilding infrastructure. Mississippi’s governor requested a federal disaster declaration on April 1. Trump granted that request 50 days later, on May 21, while approving aid for both individuals and public entities. On that same day, Trump also approved eight other major disaster declarations for storms, floods or fires in seven other states. In most cases, more than a month had passed since the requests and about two months since the date of those disasters. “We couldn’t figure out why the president took so long to help people in this country,” said Jayess resident Dana Grimes. This article was provided by The Associated Press.

Nothing makes Brad Lancaster happier than a monsoon downpour. The tall 58-year-old jumped like a kid in the puddles on the sidewalk one August afternoon after a half-inch (1.3 centimeters) of rain suddenly fell in Tucson, Arizona, during an especially dry summer. "Sweet!" Lancaster exclaimed, beaming when he saw how the water pooled in a basin he had dug earlier in dirt planted with native vegetation along the public walkway. "It's really important that you are ready to plant the rain when it comes, even if it is a small amount," he said, referring to a simple type of rainwater harvesting that involves digging a hole to allow rainwater to sink underground and be held like a sponge. "The key is to collect every drop of it." In the U.S. Southwest and beyond, home gardeners and landscapers are increasingly using collected rainwater to nourish their rose bushes and cactus gardens amid worsening drought and rising temperatures fueled by global warming. Lancaster and other rainwater harvesting specialists say home gardeners anywhere can benefit from collecting raindrops and runoff from buildings and other surfaces to irrigate plants, even in wetter regions where the practice is less common. Rainwater collecting is widespread in many of Earth's driest regions. In Australia, it's often used for drinking water, bathing and flushing toilets. And in Africa—where Lancaster said he learned more about the practice—it helps communities survive. Saving the rain is also useful in southern Arizona, which is under pressure from a long-running drought. It's drier than ever, with Tucson receiving less than half of the about seven inches (18 centimeters) of rain it usually sees by the first week of September. As much as two-thirds of residential water in the desert city is used outdoors, said Adriana Zuniga, an associate research professor in environmental policy programs at the University of Arizona. "The idea is to use less water from the tap to irrigate," she said. Zuniga, who has researched the water use of the Maya people who lived in what is now Central America and southeastern Mexico, noted that the ancient civilization captured rainwater to survive dry, hot summers. This article was provided by The Associated Press.

Cindy Eggleton has always believed in the power of a story. But the CEO and co-founder of Brilliant Cities, a Detroit-based early childhood development nonprofit that supports learning in underserved communities, never expected someone to tell hers. “It’s never been about me,” said Eggleton, adding that participating in the Nevertheless: The Women Changing the World documentary series on YouTube was her way of honoring her late mother, Geraldine, who inspired her to speak out and help others in their community. However, as they face an increasingly uncertain funding landscape, nonprofits are focusing more on storytelling in outreach to donors—both big and small—and raising production values for videos and podcasts. “Storytelling is how we’re able to draw people in and get them to connect to a deeper truth about themselves or about the world or a problem that needs to be solved,” said Elevate Prize Foundation CEO Carolina Garcia Jayaram. “It’s connecting those issues back to you as a human and not saying, ‘Well, that’s their problem. That’s all the way over there.’ The story allows it to be human.” “But storytelling is not only about reaching viewers, it’s also about having the right message for the right viewers,” said Lance Gould, whose firm works with nonprofits to help them produce their own story-driven content. A Council on Foundations report released last year found that people had positive attitudes toward foundations, but most didn’t really understand how foundations worked. Nicole Bronzan, from the Council on Foundations, said stories that provide more transparency about how donations are used and how those decisions are made help connect people to a nonprofit and its work. “If you’re telling those stories,” she said, “I can only imagine that people will be more inclined to open up their pocketbooks and say, ‘Oh, okay, these are causes that need my support.’” “This is the time that we really do need to figure out how we build empathy through stories and not necessarily saying, ‘You’re wrong or you’re right,” Eggleton said. “You just show the world what can be and what should be.” This article was provided by The Associated Press.

Global warming in the United States is amping up the country's sweet tooth, a new study found. When the temperature rises, Americans—especially those who are poor or have less education—drink lots more sugary beverages and a bit more frozen desserts. That amounts to more than 100 million pounds of added sugar (358 million kilograms) consumed in the nation a year, compared to the past, according to a team of researchers in the U.S. and the United Kingdom. “Climate change is shaping what you eat and how you eat, and that might have a bad effect on your health,” said study co-author Duo Chan, a climate scientist at the University of Southampton. “Obviously, under a warming climate, that would cause you to drink more or take in more sugar. And that is going to be a severe problem when it comes to health,” Chan said. Sugar consumption can vary with gender, income and education. University of California, San Francisco endocrinology professor Dr. Robert Lustig said sugary drinks are marketed and priced in a way to attract the poor. And in many disadvantaged communities, the water tastes funny because of chemicals in it. There's also less air conditioning for the poor, and they are more likely to work outside and need more hydration, Lustig and Pan He, an environmental scientist at Cardiff University, said. “It should concern us that the rate of the impact is larger in households where people make less money or are less educated,” said Dr. Courtney Howard, vice chair of the Global Climate and Health Alliance. “These groups tend to have lower baseline health status, so this is an area where climate-related changes appear to magnify existing health inequalities.” The amount of sugar consumed is likely to soar in the future with more warming, Chan said. But University of Washington health and climate scientist Kristie Ebi said, as temperatures increase with human-caused climate change, “there will be other issues of more importance than a small increase in sugary beverages.” This article was provided by The Associated Press.

Ballerina Cappuccina, an AI-generated cartoon ballerina with a cappuccino teacup for a head, is one of the most prominent characters in the internet phenomenon known as “Italian brain rot,” a series of memes that exploded in popularity this year, consisting of unrealistic AI-generated animal-object hybrids with absurdist, pseudo-Italian narration. The trend has baffled parents, to the delight of young people experiencing the thrill of a new, fleeting cultural signifier that is illegible to older generations. Experts and fans alike say the trend is worth paying attention to, and tells us something about the youngest generation of tweens. Fabian Mosele, 26, calls themselves an “Italian brain rot connoisseur.” An Italian animator who lives in Germany and works with AI by trade, Mosele created their first Italian brain-rot content in March. Shortly after, Mosele's video of Italian brain-rot characters at an underground rave garnered about a million views overnight, they said. It has since topped 70 million. In the non-virtual world, some have made physical toy replicas of the characters, while others have created real-life plays featuring them. Mosele said Italian brain rot consumers largely don’t care about how the images relate to what is being said or sung. They often don’t even care to translate the nonsensical Italian to English. “It’s funny because it’s nonsense,” Mosele said. “Seeing something so dark, in a way, and out of the ordinary, that breaks all the norms of what we would expect to see on TV—that’s just super appealing.” Emilie Owens, 33, a children's media researcher, agreed that endless scrolling poses dangers for young people. But she said that the concern about brain rot is misguided. It's normal to “view the thing the newest generation is doing with fear and suspicion," she said, pointing to how past generations have had similar concerns about the detrimental effects of comic books, television and even novels at one time. Concerns about brain rot—that it is unproductive and pointless—actually reveal a great deal about their appeal, Owens said. “It’s very normal for everyone to need to switch their brains off now and again,” she said. This article was provided by The Associated Press.

A ship likely cut cables in the Red Sea that disrupted internet access in Africa, Asia and the Middle East, experts said, showing the lines' vulnerability over a year after another incident severed them. The International Cable Protection Committee told The Associated Press (AP) that 15 submarine cables pass through the narrow Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the southern mouth of the Red Sea that separates East Africa from the Arabian Peninsula. Authorities in multiple countries identified the cables affected as the South East Asia–Middle East–Western Europe 4, the India–Middle East–Western Europe and the FALCON GCX cables. Then that list expanded to include the Europe India Gateway cable as well, said Doug Madory, director of internet analysis at the firm Kentik. Initial reporting suggested the cut happened off the coast of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, something authorities in the kingdom have not acknowledged, nor have the companies managing the cables. "Early independent analysis indicates that the probable cause of damage is commercial shipping activity in the region," John Wrottesley, the committee's operations manager, told the AP. "Damage to submarine cables from dragged anchors account for approximately 30% of incidents each year, representing around 60 faults." Madory also told the AP that the working assumption was that a commercial vessel dropped its anchor and dragged it across the four cables, severing the connections. Cabling in the Red Sea can be at a shallow depth, making it easier for an anchor drag to affect them. Undersea cables are among the backbones of the internet, along with satellite connections and land-based cables. Typically, internet service providers have multiple access points and reroute traffic if one fails. However, rerouting traffic can cause latency, or lag, for internet users. Madory said it appeared at least 10 nations in Africa, Asia and the Middle East had been affected by the cable cut. Among those nations were India, Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates. This article was provided by The Associated Press.

For more than 20 years, a self-proclaimed “Cycling Chef” has been giving two-wheeled gastronomic tours of the Danish capital, Copenhagen. He even cooks on the go, leading guests on a foodie adventure with his kitchen-bike. Pedaling through the streets of Copenhagen on his custom-built bicycle-turned-portable kitchen, chef Morten Kryger Wulff flips prawns in a frying pan while leading guests on a culinary tour with a twist. In a city famous for fine dining—including Michelin-starred restaurants Noma, Geranium and Alchemist—Kryger Wulff’s five-course tour may be the most unique dining experience of all. “We have, over the last 20 years, been working on this concept, bringing people on gastronomic rides, cooking for them along the way. And that is what it's all about,” smiles Kryger Wulff. The Danish chef, who’s worked in prestigious kitchens, including London’s Savoy, first became the “Cycling Chef” back in 2002, cooking outdoors at private events, such as garden parties, corporate functions and picnics. The idea was born when he and his friends were turfed out of a Copenhagen royal park by a park officer for illegally barbecuing. With no other option, they placed the cast-iron grill onto his old vintage cargo bike and kept cooking. “Right there, while I was biking, and my friend was running alongside turning the steaks, we were looking at each other. You need that, you need a bicycle kitchen,” he recalls. Kryger Wulff now gives several “Gastronomic Rides” each year, pedaling through city streets and parks, then stopping at hidden spots to prepare and share food. That wouldn’t be possible without his custom-built portable kitchen: an adapted cargo bike fitted with a stove, foldable work surface, fridges, cupboards, plus space for glasses, cutlery and more. Each tour includes five courses consumed at five different city stops. The experience lasts about four and a half hours, with guests cycling between three and five kilometers. It costs 1,695 Danish kroner (approximately $265) per person. Guests bring their own bikes or rent one if needed. Rain ponchos are even provided, though not always required. This article was provided by The Associated Press.

School attendance rates in the Australian state of Victoria have declined and remain lower than they were before the COVID-19 pandemic. However, one school is thinking outside the box. It's reconnecting with its students via a food truck—bringing education beyond the classroom. Called the Bitter Sweet Café, this hands-on environment is delivering lessons in literacy and numeracy. It's an initiative set up by MacKillop Education—a school designed for children who are disengaged or at risk of disengaging from education. "I've learnt how to make coffees is one thing I do, I interact with people, so my people skills have improved," explains Daniel, a MacKillop Education student. Daniel didn’t believe he would ever graduate before enrolling at MacKillop Education in Year Eight. He was studying at a mainstream school where he said he felt isolated and lacked support for his learning needs after being diagnosed with autism. Now in Year 12, he’s feeling confident and gaining practical life skills through hands-on experience. The Bitter Sweet Café and food truck is just one initiative that’s helped reconnect dozens of students with their education. Since its launch in 2018, the program has grown and now serves the wider Geelong community. Students learn to design menus, conduct market research, collaborate with others, and build social and problem-solving abilities. "Attendance rose, we saw students' confidence in themselves and their sense of self-worth also improved," explains MacKillop Education Geelong Principal Skye Staude. School refusal continues to be a challenge in Australia, with attendance rates steadily declining over the past ten years. “We see social impacts of not finishing school, we see health, mental health outcomes,” says Deakin University psychology associate professor Glenn Melvin. It’s not just about having fun. These students are also earning accredited industry qualifications through the program. It’s a clear example of how schools can adopt more flexible approaches to better connect with disengaged students, a recommendation highlighted in the Victorian Government’s education inquiry. This article was provided by The Associated Press.

Rick Clough spent some four decades fishing for lobsters and sea urchins off the Maine coast before spotting one of the ocean's most recognized predators—a great white shark. The approximately 8-foot (2.4-meter) shark, seen off the beach town of Scarborough in July, surprised Clough, but didn't make him fear the ocean—though he admitted, "I'm not sure I'd want to go urchin diving now." Boaters, beachgoers and fishermen like Clough who spend time in the chilly waters of New England and Atlantic Canada are learning to live with great white sharks, the creatures made famous by the 1975 film Jaws. Sightings of the apex predators are up in places like Maine, where they were once very rarely spotted. Scientists link the white shark sightings to increased availability of the seals the sharks feast on, and say beachgoers are generally very safe from shark bites. The sharks can grow close to 20 feet (6 meters) long, though most don't get that big. Why are great whites going north? Sightings of great whites off Cape Cod, Massachusetts, have become increasingly frequent in recent years, and the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy has documented hundreds of the animals over more than a decade. But new data shows the sharks are heading even farther north into New Hampshire, Maine and beyond, said Greg Skomal, a senior fisheries biologist with the Massachusetts Department of Marine Fisheries and a veteran white shark researcher. Skomal said the average residency in these northern waters has also increased from 48 days to 70 days, suggesting that white sharks appear to be increasingly comfortable farther north. A key reason for the shift seems to be the successful conservation of seals off New England and Canada via laws such as the Marine Mammal Protection Act, which has allowed seals to thrive and provide a food source for the predatory sharks, Skomal said. Great white sharks also benefit from protections, including a ban on fishing for them in U.S. federal waters that has stood since 1997. They are still considered vulnerable by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. This article was provided by The Associated Press.

The ‘kidult’ market is keeping the toy industry buoyant in Japan. At Tokyo Big Sight, a trade show in Tokyo, toys specifically aimed at adults grabbed people’s attention. More than 35,000 products were on display from 200 different companies. Japan’s toy market has expanded for five consecutive years and now tops 1 trillion yen ($6.8 billion) according to the Japan Toy Association. At the Tomica booth, some of the toys on display were produced with adults in mind. “The biggest factor is what we call ‘kidults.’ With this target in mind, more and more products have been introduced into the market, and the success they have received has been a very significant driver of this growth,” explains Akihiro Sato, Executive Director of the Japan Toy Association. The ‘kidult’ phenomenon—adults buying toys for themselves—is happening even as the number of children being born in Japan declines. The sprawling Plarail display at the Tomica booth made it one of the busiest booths at the event, combining nostalgia for parents who grew up with the brand and fresh appeal for a new generation of young fans. Toy manufacturers aren’t forgetting about kids—they are, after all, the adult customers of tomorrow. “The key is to consider what kind of impact we can have with today’s children, and what kind of value we can provide. The memories they make now, in a few decades, will lead them to return to these toys again as kidults, engaging with them again,” says Sato. At the Sega booth, there were still plenty of toys for children to enjoy. But the manufacturer also had to cater to the disposable income that adults wield. “The trend in the toy market is that it’s currently shrinking among children, but purchases from adults who are very fond of toys have contributed steadily to the overall expansion of the toy market. At our company as well, products that adults can enjoy—such as the acrylic dolls—have become extremely popular,” explains Mihashi Takenori, Chief of Promotion Department at Sega Fave Corporation. This article was provided by The Associated Press.

A driver was clocked going 27 kilometers per hour (17 mph) over the speed limit on a street in the Swiss city of Lausanne, and now he's facing up to 90,000 Swiss francs (over $110,000) in fines as a result. But he can afford it. Why the eye-popping penalty? Because the speedster, a repeat offender, is one of Switzerland's wealthiest people, and the Vaud region serves up fines based on factors like income, fortune or general family financial situation. The Swiss are not alone. Germany, France, Austria and the Nordic countries all issue punishments based on a person's wealth. The recent fine isn't even a record in Switzerland. In 2010, a millionaire Ferrari driver got a ticket equal to about $290,000 for speeding in the eastern canton of St. Gallen. Back then, the Swiss safety group Road Cross said rich drivers had been lightly punished until voters approved a penal law overhaul three years earlier that let judges hand down fines based on personal income and wealth for misdemeanors like speeding and drunk driving. Under today's rules, an indigent person might spend a night in jail instead of a fine, while the wealthiest in the rich Alpine country could be on the hook for tens of thousands. A court in the Swiss canton of Vaud recently ruled that the tycoon must pay 10,000 Swiss francs ($12,300) up front and could be forced to pay the rest—80,000 more—if he's caught for a similar roadway infraction over the next three years. Switzerland's 24 Heures newspaper first reported the case and said the man, who was not identified, was a French citizen listed by the Swiss economic weekly Bilan among the 300 richest people in Switzerland—with a fortune in the hundreds of millions of dollars. The newspaper reported that he had already been caught for a similar speeding infraction eight years ago, and also paid 10,000 Swiss francs in penalty and faced another 60,000 if another infraction had taken place within the following two years. This article was provided by The Associated Press.

Before New York Fashion Week kicked off in Manhattan, some of the incoming brands made an early first stop elsewhere—out in Queens, on the blue hard courts of the U.S. Open. In a sport where brands like Nike and Adidas were once the only players, the logos of Gucci and Miu Miu have started to weave their way in. Tennis fashion has been surging, and the luxury fashion industry doesn't want to feel left out. Luxury fashion partnerships in the tennis world have historically been somewhat sparse. They've been testing the waters in recent years, and lately, the deals have been flowing—Bottega Veneta with Lorenzo Musetti, Burberry with Jack Draper, Canali with Stefanos Tsitsipas and Dior with Zheng Qinwen have all come since January. Coco Gauff wore tennis dresses partially designed by Miu Miu for three tournaments this summer. “Fashion helps bring casual fans to the sport,” she said. And top-ranked Jannik Sinner often has carried a Gucci tennis bag onto the court since their partnership began in 2022. The collaborations are multiplying. And they’re causing a buzz. When Musetti debuted as a Bottega Veneta ambassador, the brand’s first athlete, by wearing their white jacket at Wimbledon this summer, both the sports and fashion worlds were taken. “It was really cool because every magazine, every fashion magazine was talking about it,” Musetti said with a smile, a few days before he started playing in New York. “I think the tennis courts can also be a stage.” Tennis’ increasing cultural capital has made the sport just that—a stage—for players and fans alike. But luxury fashion brands are flocking in for more than just its recent popularity. “Tennis is a marketer’s dream because it crosses so many demographics and still has prestige,” said Meeta Roy, an associate professor of fashion business at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York who previously worked in the luxury fashion industry. The sport's historical association with the wealthy, coupled with its skyrocketing general popularity, is making its courts the perfect marketing opportunity for the luxury space. This article was provided by The Associated Press.

Sales of non-alcoholic (NA) drinks are soaring as more people rethink their relationship with booze. But experts warn these alcohol-free alternatives may not be the right choice for everyone. Moderate drinking was once thought to be good for your heart, but recent research shows that drinking less, or nothing at all, is a much healthier way to go. Alcohol has been linked to cancers, injuries, cardiovascular disease and a host of other problems. So the low- or no- alcohol drinks are seen as an attractive alternative. "They have less than 0.5% alcohol by volume. So that's compared to a standard beer, that would be about 5%, or a standard wine, that would be about 12%. But they do contain a lot of the alcohol-related cues, so the same taste, smell, sipping experience, sometimes even the same brand as alcoholic products," explains Molly Bowdring from Stanford University. Retail sales of non-alcoholic wine, beer and spirits surged to $823 million last year. That's according to market research firm NielsenIQ, which says more than nine in 10 NA customers also buy alcohol. Retiree Ann Kopp Mitchell, who recently tasted various NA beverages at Monday Morning Bottle Shop in San Diego, says they're a positive addition to her life. “If I want a glass of wine with my dinner, I don’t feel guilty. I can enjoy that glass of wine. And if I want to have a spirit because we’re celebrating someone’s birthday, or champagne, I will do that. But I’ll only have one, and then let it go, and then maybe go to a non-alcoholic," she says. Still, health experts say non-alcoholic beverages aren’t for everyone, especially if they might trigger cravings for alcohol. These so-called NA drinks are meant to mimic alcohol in many ways, such as appearance, smell and taste. Some drinks, like mocktails made with soda and sweet syrups, have high levels of sugar. The American Heart Association recommends limiting added sugars to no more than about six teaspoons a day for women and nine teaspoons a day for men. A 12-ounce can of soda on its own contains 10 teaspoons. This article was provided by The Associated Press.

Honey bee researchers at Michigan State University (MSU) are enlisting a four-legged ally to sniff out a disease that threatens the vital insects. Maple, an English Springer Spaniel, used to work for law enforcement, but now she's doing her bit for the planet to help keep nature's prized pollinators in good health. In her latest role, she's the queen bee among researchers at Michigan State University—helping to sniff out danger to honey bees. The Pollinator Performance Center's wide range of projects includes developing a training program for dogs to use their sensitive noses to uncover a bacterial disease called American foulbrood that threatens honey bee larvae. “It's pretty much the same across the board, whether you're training a narcotics dog or explosives dog: You take the target odor, you present it to them, and through a series of kind of systematic and repetitive training, you start to—the dog starts to learn to correlate the odor, the target odor, with something good is going to happen,” Sue Stejskal, a Michigan State grad who has been training dogs says. A panting Maple stands patiently as Stejskal, her longtime owner/trainer/handler, slowly places the once-retired K-9 in a yellow protective suit, complete with a veil for her head and four booties that are slipped over her paws in case Maple steps on a bee. “Much like with humans, we recognize that if a dog is going to be in an active bee yard, they need to wear the same personal protective equipment as people do. And so, that is a bee suit. You can’t buy them on Amazon for dogs. So, there’s been some altering and testing,” says Stejskal. Meghan Milbrath, an MSU professor whose lab studies risk factors that affect honey bees’ health, was working to establish diagnostic and screening tools for honey bee diseases and to train honey bee veterinarians. One of the vets put her in touch with Stejskal. They met, and the dog detection plan was born. Stejskal then set about teaching an old dog a new trick. New to Maple, anyway. Maryland’s agriculture department previously used canine detection methods in beehives. This article was provided by The Associated Press.