中国が世界初のAIニュースキャスターを公開【China unveils world’s first AI news anchors】
China’s state-run news agency on Wednesday unveiled the world’s first artificial intelligence news anchors to deliver the news 24 hours a day. The robots are designed to simulate the voice, facial expressions, and gestures of real-life broadcasters.
中間選挙でねじれ議会に【Midterm elections result in divided Congress】
The Democratic Party took control of the House of Representatives while the Republicans expanded their majority in the Senate in US midterm elections on Tuesday, which were seen as the first referendum on Donald Trump’s presidency since he was elected in 2016.
政府が外国人労働者の受け入れを拡大する法案を承認【Government approves bill to accept more foreign workers】
The Japanese government on Friday approved a bill that would accept more foreign workers from April 2019. The move is aimed at dealing with serious labor shortages in various sectors ranging from construction and farming to nursing care.
日本人ジャーナリストが3年の拘束の後に帰国【Japanese journalist returns home after 3 years in captivity】
Freelance journalist Jumpei Yasuda, who was released after being held captive in Syria for more than three years, returned to Japan on Thursday. Speaking to the media aboard a flight, he described the years in captivity as “hell”.
政府が消費税10％への引き上げを相殺する計画【Government to offset consumption tax hike to 10 %】
The government plans to keep the consumption tax rate at 8 percent for daily necessities such as food and beverages after the planned tax hike to 10 percent in October 2019. It is also considering offering 2 percent rebates for cashless payments at small and medium-sized operators for a limited period.
サウジ人記者死亡の対立する報道で深まる謎【Conflicting reports deepen mystery on Saudi journalist’s death】
Saudi Arabia announced on Friday evening that the missing Saudi journalist had died in a fistfight inside the country’s consulate in Istanbul earlier this month. Turkish officials claimed an audio recording proves that he was brutally murdered by a state-sponsored hit squad.
