レアジョブ英会話 Daily News Article Podcast

The largest solo exhibition of Valerio Berruti, an Italian artist renowned for his artworks depicting children, has opened in Milan. The exhibition uses the metaphor of childhood to suggest a more human approach to major current issues.

Don’t be fooled by appearances. The art of Valerio Berruti isn’t really about children.

At first glance, the ‘More Than Kids’ exhibition at the Palazzo Reale in Milan seems to place children at its center. Statues and paintings of children stare at each other, embrace, gaze at the sky, or kneel quietly. There’s even a carousel, a real one, the quintessential symbol of childhood. And yet, Italian artist Valerio Berruti insists: his works aren’t about children.

“My children are human beings in general, in the broadest and most universal sense possible,” he explains.

In Berruti’s work, childhood becomes a metaphor, a lens through which to explore complex, contemporary issues such as migration and climate change. It’s a space for reflection and questioning, both of ourselves and the world we inhabit.

Curator Nicolas Ballario calls it: “A very serious game.”

“But there’s a peculiarity to this game, which isn’t over. We must decide what color to give these children, what features, what ethnicity, if we want. Precisely to identify ourselves, we can be ourselves. It can be an unknown child from somewhere else in the world. It can even be our parents or grandparents when they were children. It’s a game to understand that childhood represents that moment in life when anything can still happen,” says Ballario.

Through his art, Berruti invites us to rediscover our own childhood, not as nostalgia, but as a call to ask ourselves the most essential questions.

“Each work has a theme, a macro theme, so I hope that when people leave here, they ask themselves more than just a simple question, but many questions,” he says.

'More Than Kids' is on view until November 2 at the Palazzo Reale in Milan.

This article was provided by The Associated Press.

Side by side on a sofa inside the National Comedy Center, Gail and Mario Cirasunda chuckled at a clip from the 1980s sitcom Family Ties that was playing on a TV screen. The show's oldest daughter, Mallory, was introducing her unconventional artist boyfriend Nick to her bewildered television family.

I think our daughter brought him home once. Maybe two of our daughters! Gail said with a laugh over coffee and donuts later.

Five daughters, two sons, her husband Mario, 85, chimed in. Sometimes I'd wonder, he smiled, shaking his head at the memories of the couple's own family antics over their 59-year marriage.

Moments like this are what brought the Cirasundas to the comedy museum in western New York and the memory café taking place inside. The monthly events invite people with Alzheimer's, dementia, or other memory loss, and their caregivers, to spend time at the interactive museum. For visitors like Mario, who has dementia, and his wife, the scenes and artifacts from funny shows and comedians have a way of triggering shared laughs and connection, and, as comedy center staff have found, memories.

Gail, 78, treasures the moments when Mario—who still vividly recalls his childhood route to school and the names of old friends—also recollects experiences from their shared life.

However, memories made over a lifetime together have become increasingly elusive over the past several years, since about the time Mario started to get lost while driving and forget whether he likes a particular food.

The Alzheimer's Association estimates 7.2 million Americans over the age of 65 are living with Alzheimer's dementia, and an even higher number of people care for an impacted friend or family member.

Memory cafés have emerged around the world in recent years as a way to connect and support individuals and caregivers, and provide information and resources. Many of the more than 600 cafés regularly running in the U.S.—often meeting in libraries and community centers—bring in speakers and engage participants with physical activity, music and art, all of which are good for the brain, experts say.

This article was provided by The Associated Press.

New research finds that more Americans are shifting their money from checking and savings accounts into financial vehicles that pay investment income—a trend that helps to explain the resilience of the U.S. economy after a bout of high inflation and recent uncertainty due to tariffs.

The analysis by JPMorganChase Institute examined the accounts of 4.7 million households and found that people’s total cash reserves are increasing when including new amounts going into brokerage accounts, money market funds and certificates of deposit to assess people’s well-being.

Inflation-adjusted cash balances in checking and savings accounts “remain low with a flat-growth trajectory,” but since the middle of 2024, total cash reserves have been increasing and approaching historical growth trends once the additional accounts are included, the analysis said.

“Families across many income bands are now seeing a turnaround in their total cash,” said Chris Wheat, president of the institute.

Wheat said it had been “hard to square the circle” of consumer spending staying strong despite the lack of growth in checking and savings accounts, an issue that can now be explained by people in a higher-interest rate environment shifting more money into accounts that yield investment returns. He said people appear to be using the other accounts to manage their cash, rather than simply making long-term investments.

Wheat cautioned, however, that the trend might be short-term and that the institute doesn’t have a basis yet as to whether it will continue.

The analysis also found that households with incomes generally lower than $35,000 had their total cash balances increase at an annual rate of 5% to 6%. The lowest income quartile tends to have checking and savings account balances of just over $1,000, while the median balances of the highest income quartile are above $8,000.

This article was provided by The Associated Press.

Two milestones revealed a few weeks ago illustrate the diminishing power of broadcast television in the media world—one fueled by the habits of young people and the other by their elders.

During June, viewers spent more time watching streaming services than they did for broadcast and cable television combined. That happened for the first time ever in May, by a fraction of a percentage point, but the Nielsen company said that gap widened considerably in June.

For years, the mantra of media executives was that streaming represented the future for in-home entertainment. Now, that future has clearly arrived.

In June, 46 percent of Americans' TV time was spent on streaming services, led by YouTube and Netflix. Cable television networks represented 23.4 percent, and broadcast was 18.5 percent, for a total of just under 42 percent, Nielsen said. It was the first time broadcast TV had ever slipped below 20 percent of total TV viewing.

It kind of felt like the right time, said Brian Fuhrer, Nielsen's senior vice president for product strategy and thought leadership. A lot of people thought it would happen more quickly.

The driving force in June was school ending for young people, meaning they had more time to watch TV, where Netflix series like Ginny Georgia and Squid Game were big hits. Roughly two-thirds of people aged 6 to 17 watched streaming ahead of conventional TV, Nielsen said.

In June 2024, the numbers were roughly reversed—47.7 percent of people were watching conventional TV in an average minute, with 40.3 percent logged on to a streaming service.

While the direction is clear, it's not a death knell for conventional TV. June and July are fallow months, and their viewing will increase when football season begins and original episodes of comedies and dramas return, Fuhrer said.

It's also not a strict either-or situation; media companies are doing a better job spreading their content out on different platforms to give viewers a choice, he said. The growth of YouTube, which many consumers can access for free and is a portal for traditional TV, has also fueled streaming services.

This article was provided by The Associated Press.

Colossal announced an effort to genetically engineer birds resembling the extinct South Island Giant Moa—which once could stand 12 feet tall (3.6 meters)—in collaboration with the New Zealand-based Ngāi Tahu Research Centre and Peter Jackson. Together with his partner Fran Walsh, Jackson is investing $15 million.

“The movies are my day job, and the moas are my fun thing I do,” said Jackson, adding that he hopes he sees the project succeed in his lifetime. “Every New Zealand schoolchild has a fascination with the moa.”

Outside scientists say the idea of bringing back extinct species onto the modern landscape is likely impossible, although it may be possible to genetically engineer animals with similar physical traits.

The giant moa project started with a phone call about two years ago. After hearing about Colossal’s efforts to “de-extinct”—or create genetically similar animals to—species like the woolly mammoth and the dire wolf, Jackson asked Colossal’s team, including CEO Ben Lamm, “Are you doing the moa?”

Then Jackson put them in touch with experts he’d met through his own moa bone-collecting. At that point, he’d amassed between 300 and 400 bones, he said.

In New Zealand, it’s legal to buy and sell moa bones found on private lands, but not on public conservation areas—nor to export them.

Paul Scofield, an advisor on the project and senior curator of natural history at the Canterbury Museum in Christchurch, New Zealand, first met the filmmaker when he was summoned to Jackson’s house to help him identify which of the nine known species of moa the various bones represented.

“I thought he might have one or two bones, but not, you know, probably the largest private collection in New Zealand,” said Scofield.

The moa had roamed New Zealand on long legs with huge feet for 4,000 years, until they became extinct around 600 years ago, primarily due to overhunting. A large skeleton of a South Island Giant Moa was brought to England in the 19th century, now on display at the Yorkshire Museum, prompting international interest in the long-necked bird.

This article was provided by The Associated Press.

As much of the UK experiences its first official heatwave of the year, Vauxhall City Farm in central London is putting measures in place to help its animals stay cool.

The UK’s national weather agency, the Met Office, forecast that temperatures could have reached 32 degrees Celsius in southern England in June. That’s above the official heatwave threshold for London, and hotter than predicted conditions in cities such as Lisbon and Barcelona.

To manage the heat, animals are given ice blocks filled with fruit and vegetables. The frozen treats are prepared by young volunteers who help on weekends.

The same cooling method is offered to other animals, including pigs like Bonnie, who are also given access to wet, muddy areas known as wallows.

Jade Mortimer, Education Officer at Vauxhall City Farm, says, “In the hot weather, we make sure that we have stable doors open so that the animals can access shade. With our pigs just behind me, we create a wallow, so we make sure it’s nice and muddy and wet so they can get inside and cozy and soaked. We also make sure that they have suncream. Pigs have the same skin as us, so we sun-cream them in the morning, ready for the sunshine, and make sure that they have access to water all day.”

In the alpaca enclosure, frozen fruit is also offered, though the animals appear curious, they are reluctant to try the icy treat. Chickens also peck at fruit frozen in ice, as ducks take to the water in their pool.

Charlotte MacDonald, Head of Programmes at Vauxhall City Farm, says, “City farms in general have a lot of different challenges to rural farms. When we think about the heat, we’re thinking of less natural shading than from the trees, less access to air flow. We’re on quite a small little road here. We don’t have the lovely country air, so we definitely have to be a bit more inventive of ways to keep them cool and provide man-made shade and shelter as well.”

This article was provided by The Associated Press.

Ice cream makers representing about 90 percent of the U.S. supply of the frozen treat have pledged to remove artificial dyes from their products in less than three years, federal health officials said.

The move is the latest voluntary effort by food manufacturers to heed calls from the Trump administration to remove synthetic dyes over concerns about potential health effects. In recent weeks, companies including Nestlé, Kraft Heinz and General Mills said they would pull artificial colors from their foods, too.

This is a renaissance moment for health in America, U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary said at a news conference.

About 40 makers of ice cream and frozen dairy desserts said they would remove seven petroleum-based dyes from their products by 2028, according to Michael Dykes, president of the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA). The colors are Red 3, Red 40, Green 3, Blue 1, Blue 2, Yellow 5 and Yellow 6. The trade group wouldn't identify the firms, although Turkey Hill Dairy chief executive Andy Jacobs joined the gathering.

The national focus on artificial food dyes is a good step to take, but officials should not ignore larger known contributors to chronic disease, including the added sugars and saturated fat commonly found in ice cream, said Deanna Hoelscher, a University of Texas nutrition expert.

Just taking out or changing the food dye source is not necessarily going to make it a healthy option, she said. It still is a food that should be consumed in moderation.

However, Makary also hinted that new federal dietary guidelines, expected later this year, would challenge established links between saturated fat and heart disease, ending what he called a 70-year demonization of natural saturated fat.

The average American eats about 4 gallons of ice cream a year, the IDFA said.

Health advocates have long called for the removal of artificial dyes from foods, citing mixed studies showing that they may cause some neurobehavioral problems, such as hyperactivity and attention problems, in some children.

This article was provided by The Associated Press.

More than 20 states sued President Donald Trump’s administration over billions of dollars in frozen education funding for after-school care, summer programs and more.

Some of the withheld money funds after-school and summer programming at Boys Girls Clubs, the YMCA or public schools, attended by 1.4 million children and teenagers nationwide. Congress set aside money for the programs to provide academic support, enrichment and childcare to mostly low-income families. But Trump’s administration recently froze the funding, saying it wants to ensure programs align with the Republican president’s priorities.

Led by California, the lawsuit alleges withholding the money violates the Constitution and several federal laws. Many low-income families will lose access to after-school programs if the money isn’t released soon, according to the suit.

In North Carolina, about 40 schools are already in session, so the state is already trying to figure out ways to keep programs going, using state and local money, along with some federal money that has not expired.

The freeze affects programs including mental health services, science and math education, and support for students learning English, North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson said, with the most severe effects in smaller, rural school districts. The freeze could also lead to approximately 1,000 teachers and staff being laid off, Jackson said.

Fernande Berard learned about the funding freeze and possible closure from a reporter after dropping off her three young boys for summer camp. “I would be really devastated if this goes away,” said the nurse. “I honestly don’t know what I would do.”

Her husband drives an Uber much of the day, and picking up the kids early would eat into his earnings. It’s money they need to pay the mortgage and everything else.

If her boss approves, she’d likely have to pick up her children from school and take them to the rehabilitation center where she oversees a team of nurses. The children would have to stay until her work day ends.

This article was provided by The Associated Press.

You may be seeing elaborate shower cleansing routines on social media: daily exfoliation, double cleansing, antibacterial soap, loads of scented body scrubs and shower oils. I'm kind of appalled by the shower routines, said Dr. Olga Bunimovich, a practicing dermatologist and assistant professor at the University of Pittsburgh.

The multistep processes that have inspired people to spend endless amounts of time sudsing up can harm your skin—and the environment. Dermatologists say it's all mostly unnecessary. Your skin is a barrier, said Dr. Nicole Negbenebor, a dermatologic surgeon at the University of Iowa Health Care. It's one of the biggest barriers you have. It's you in your natural elements. So you want to treat it right, and then sometimes there can be too much of a good thing.

A shower is a relatively simple routine that usually doesn't require 10 steps or a plethora of products. A daily shower with lukewarm water and a fragrance-free, hypoallergenic cleanser—followed by hydrating lotion or oil afterward—will do the trick.

Double cleansing is unnecessary. Some influencers suggest that a skincare routine isn't complete without exfoliation and what's called double cleansing. The latter is typically reserved for facial skincare routines, especially when you're wearing makeup, and involves using an oil-based cleanser to break down makeup and excess oil, followed by a water-based cleanser to remove any remaining residue.

Experts said you don't need to bring that practice to the full body. Not only do I not think that we need to double cleanse our skin … people overuse soap all the time, Bunimovich said. You should not be soaping up all of your skin, period.

Showers account for nearly 17 percent of Americans' indoor water use, the Environmental Protection Agency says. Multiple states in moderate to severe drought conditions have called for water conservation efforts this year—including taking shorter showers.

If you want to get clean and retain your natural oils, a lukewarm shower that gives you enough time to clean your body should do the trick in most cases.

This article was provided by The Associated Press.

India’s government is seeking to limit temperature settings on new air conditioners to save electricity in the country, which is considered the fastest-growing market for them.

The power minister proposed a rule in June requiring air conditioners sold in the country to have thermostats that can be set no lower than 20°C (68°F).

Officials hope the small change will create massive energy savings in the country of more than 1.4 billion people. About 10 million to 15 million air conditioners are sold annually as incomes and urbanization increase, along with the temperatures.

The current lowest setting is 17°C (62°F). Officials say each degree an air conditioner is turned up saves about 6% on energy.

Energy experts said the proposal is a positive step, but that requiring units to be more energy efficient would help more.

Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said the proposed rule would take effect soon, but he wasn’t specific about timing.

The proposal has gotten mixed reviews from people living in India’s sweltering cities.

“Overall, I think it’s good to try and save energy, but at the same time I hope the government makes sure people are not too inconvenienced,” said Vikram Kannan, a 37-year-old teacher who lives in the humid southern city of Chennai. “Sometimes there is no choice but to set a low air conditioner temperature in cities like Chennai because it’s just way too hot and humid.”

Energy demand is typically highest during the summer when temperatures can reach 51°C (124°F) in parts of the country. If changes are not made, India is expected to have power shortages by next year.

Some are supportive of the proposed change to air conditioner settings. Sunil Kumar, a 47-year-old from East Delhi, said the rule could prevent fire hazards and lower bills.

“People used to live without air conditioners. We can adjust,” said Kumar.

Nikit Abhyankar, a UC Berkeley professor, said that while changing temperature settings will help, requiring air conditioners to be energy efficient would do more.

This article was provided by The Associated Press.