リスドールを買って4回目のフランスパン焼き。
もう覚えた。200gの小麦粉に140ccの水。塩小さじ2/3．ドライイーストwithハチミツ。
今回は2つに分けた。明日ハムとレタスとかはさんで食べようっと。
もう覚えた。200gの小麦粉に140ccの水。塩小さじ2/3．ドライイーストwithハチミツ。
今回は2つに分けた。明日ハムとレタスとかはさんで食べようっと。
割れててもわびさびは感じない。
使用した白菜はオレンジ白菜。何が違うのかなあ。
滅多に買わないごぼうを牛肉と炒めて玉子とじ。
なばなのお浸しでもなく、
冷凍の蒸しシュウマイでもなく、
これです。美味しい。。。
冷凍の蒸しシュウマイでもなく、
これです。美味しい。。。
芸能人格付けを見ながら、番組の始まりに合わせて焼いたステーキ（半分）と取り置きビール。
おせちがないのでカレーもね。
記憶にございません！
記憶にございません！
Letters to Santa show children's pandemic fears (1st December, 2020)
An unlikely source has revealed the pandemic fears of thousands of children across the world - Santa's mailbag. A post office in France that answers mail it receives for Santa has described the concerns children have been expressing about COVID-19. The letters contain the usual requests for Christmas gifts, but many have emotional outpourings that provide an insight into how the coronavirus pandemic is troubling young minds. The post office has been responding to "Dear Santa" letters since 1962. A writer who replies to the notes said: "This year, we really feel their fears - for themselves, their grandparents or their parents. It's what really emerges from their letters. And in every country."
The post office has been inundated with around 12,000 letters per day. It has a team of 60 letter-writing "elves". They say that many children are confiding in Santa and expressing heartfelt fears that perhaps parents are in the dark about. One child wrote: "This year, more than the others, I need magic and to believe in you." Another child slipped a mask inside her envelope for Santa to not spread the virus. A "chief elf" explained the emotional toll on children. She said: "The letters to Santa are a sort of release for them. All this year they have been in lockdowns and have been deprived of school and their grandpas and grandmas....Children are putting into words everything they have felt during this period."
S.Korea, China clash on social media over kimchi (3rd December, 2020)
China and South Korea are arguing over a pickled food. The two countries are in a dispute over a savoury pickled cabbage dish. China is trying to win an international certificate for pao cai, a savoury vegetable dish from Sichuan province. However, South Korean officials are angry about this. They say this dish is too much like kimchi - perhaps the most famous food in South Korea. Kimchi is a staple in Korean cuisine. It is a traditional dish of salted and fermented vegetables, such as cabbage and Korean radish. It is made with a wide variety of seasonings, including chilli powder, spring onions, garlic, ginger, and salted seafood. Pao cai is a pickle, usually made using cabbage, mustard, peppers and ginger. South Korea is angry that China says it has won certification from the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) for its kimchi making process. South Korean officials say pao cai, "has nothing to do with kimchi". They added: "We need to understand that pao cai is different from kimchi." People in Korea are angry that China is trying to claim the standard for the kimchi-making process. A professor in Korea said: "China lacks efforts to understand the culture and history of surrounding nations." On social media in China, people said most kimchi eaten in South Korea is made in China. One person wrote: "Even the pronunciation of kimchi originated from Chinese."
Ecocide could become an international crime (5th December, 2020)
There could be a new law on the international statute books. Lawyers across the globe are drafting regulations to make ecocide a crime. Ecocide is the destruction of the world's ecosystems. Lawyers want to make it a legally enforceable crime, much like crimes against humanity, war crimes and genocide. The initiative is being led by a professor from University College London (UCL) and a former judge at the International Criminal Court. It has attracted support from several European countries, notably France and Belgium. Island nations at risk from rising sea levels, such as Vanuatu and the Maldives, have voiced their support. A politician in the UK has called for ecocide to be incorporated into law. Professor Philippe Sands of UCL spoke about why there is a need for ecocide to be made illegal. He said: "The time is right to harness the power of international criminal law to protect our global environment." He wants the law to hold governments and multi-national corporations accountable for the environmental damage they cause. The Stop Ecocide Foundation said: "In most cases ecocide is likely to be a corporate crime." It outlined the scale of destruction that would require an ecocide law being used. It said: "It would have to involve mass, systematic or widespread destruction. We are probably talking about Amazon deforestation on a huge scale, deep sea-bottom trawling or oil spills."
Dog three times heavier than normal goes on diet (7th December, 2020)
A dog in the USA had to go on a diet. He is a beagle called Wolfgang. He was three times heavier than a normal beagle. This was very dangerous for his health. He risked having many different canine diseases and problems. Poor Wolfgang was in an animal shelter. His owner abandoned him and left him at the shelter. The owner also overfed Wolfgang, so he ballooned in size. Many visitors came to the shelter for a dog, but no one took Wolfgang because he was so big. Then, dog lover Erin McManus came to the rescue. She saw Wolfgang at the shelter and it was love at first sight. She took the overweight dog home and decided to help him lose weight. She put him on a crash diet.
Wolfgang is now doing very well on his diet. He is limited to just 600 calories a day. He swims in the family pool every day, goes on walks, and exercises on a water treadmill. The kgs are now falling off him. Ms McManus is very happy with his progress. She said: "I make his food. It's lean turkey, lots of vegetables, and some supplements." She said he has lost over 12kgs. Beagles usually weigh around 13kgs, but Wolfgang weighed 40kgs. He now has his own Instagram account with over 37,000 followers. McManus said: "I think his personality shines through. He's just such a nice dog. It's so hard to say no to that face." One Instagram fan wrote: "I love following his journey. That boy touches my heart."
Lab-grown meat given green light in Singapore (9th December, 2020)
Singapore has approved the production, sale and consumption of meat manufactured in a lab. The lab-grown meat could be the start of a revolution in the way we eat. Despite the cultured meat coming from bioreactors in a laboratory, it is, scientifically, real meat. To be more precise, it is chicken. The "chicken bites" look and taste like real chicken. The chicken is made by the U.S. company Eat Just. The "just" in the company's name is the adjective "just" (meaning "fair") rather than the adverb that means "only". Josh Tetrick, the Eat Just CEO, said no animals are killed to make the meat. This has the potential to transform the meat industry. It could also have an adverse impact on poultry and livestock farming. Mr Tetrick believes Singapore's green light is just the start of a huge shake-up that will revolutionise meat manufacturing. He said: "I'm sure that our regulatory approval for cultured meat will be the first of many in...countries around the globe." He said lab-grown meat could lead to a huge reduction in the environmental impact of livestock production and thus change the world for the better. We could see disease-free meat, an end to the use of drugs in meat, and an end to animal cruelty. Tetrick added: "Cultured meat's role in creating a safer, more secure global food supply has...given rise to a steady increase in the application of animal cell culture technology...of food products."
Japan to use artificial intelligence to match couples (11th December, 2020)
Japan is trying to get more men and women to go on dates. It wants to increase its birth rate because there are fewer and fewer babies being born. Japan is going to use artificial intelligence (AI) to match couples and help residents find love. The government has decided to use $19 million next year to set the software up. There are already matchmaking services in half of Japan's 47 prefectures. These involve filling out forms and answering questions on hobbies and interests. A worker then matches people based on the answers. Some prefectures are now starting AI projects to automate the system. AI software can perform a more advanced analysis of data and get better matches.
The government hopes the project will increase the size of the population. Japan's fertility rate is one of the lowest in the world. The average number of children a Japanese woman is expected to have in her lifetime is 1.36. This figure is continuing to go down, which is why the government is trying the AI programme. A government spokesperson said: "We hope this support will help reverse the decline in the nation's birth rate." Japan's population is rapidly ageing because people are living longer. The longevity rate for women is the highest in the world. This is a problem for the economy. There are fewer and fewer younger workers to pay for the pension and welfare costs of retired people.
India sees the biggest protest in history (13th December, 2020)
A huge protest has taken place in India in what could be the largest demonstration in human history. Tens of thousands of farmers descended on the capital New Delhi to voice concerns about new farming legislation. This number is nothing out of the ordinary for a demo. However, history was made when up to 250 million people from a broad cross-section of the subcontinent joined in a 24-hour general strike. The protestors came from all walks of life to show solidarity with the farmers. The scale of the protest forced the government to meet the protesters face-to-face. The numbers made the government change its tactics somewhat, as marches are usually met with a show of force from the police. India's farmers are up in arms about the enactment of three laws to "reform" the country's agriculture industry. The laws represent a radical upheaval of India's agrarian society. Furious farmers are venting their anger on the streets. They are accusing the government of selling out millions of India's agricultural workers for the benefit of big agri-business. They have set up protest camps around Delhi in what looks like a blockade of the city. A farmers' union representative said: "We will block rail tracks if our demands are not met." He said agriculture was too important for governments to play party politics with. Agriculture Minister Narendra Tomar said he was optimistic about finding a compromise.
Metal detecting finds ancient treasure in U.K. (15th December, 2020)
The British Museum in the U.K. has reported record levels of historical discoveries this year. People have found more than 47,000 objects with metal detectors. Metal detecting is a big hobby in the U.K. Many people go out in the countryside to try and find old coins and other treasure. This year, more people have been metal detecting. This is because of the coronavirus. Metal detecting is a good hobby that means social distancing is very easy. People have been recording their finds on an app on the British Museum's website. The U.K. Culture Minister said: "It is brilliant to see the [app] growing from strength to strength during lockdown thanks to garden discoveries and digital reporting."
The British Museum said people have dug up many exciting and interesting things this year. Perhaps the best find among the new discoveries are two hoards of coins. One of the hoards contained 50 South African solid gold coins found 50 miles northwest of London. The other coin hoard contained gold coins and one silver coin featuring the British kings Edward IV and Henry VIII. Experts believe they were buried in the 16th century. Another find was an ancient Roman furniture fitting made of copper. It featured the face of the god Oceanus and dates to AD 43-200. The British Museum said the app, "ensures finds, important for understanding Britain's past, are not lost but instead recorded".
Healthcare clowns help patients laugh and recover (17th December, 2020)
An English adage says, "laughter is the best medicine". In these troubling times, good humour is in need more than ever. Doctors and medical staff are taking heed of this and incorporating it into their care treatments. One product of this is the emergence of clown doctors and healthcare clowns in hospitals around the globe. There is even an organisation that sets standards. The European Federation of Healthcare Clowns Organisations was established in 2011. It says: "Healthcare clowns bring moments of happiness and distraction to children who are ill or who have special needs....Clowns also bring smiles to vulnerable adults, including seniors and people with dementia who are in hospital care." Healthcare clowns are becoming especially popular in Israel, which is considered a world leader in the field. The first university ever to offer a Bachelor's degree in medical clowning was Haifa University, in 2007. One healthcare clown in Jerusalem, Leah Weiss, decided to divert her inner clown to help patients after a COVID-19 ward opened in March. She said she knew the clown in her would have therapeutic benefits for her patients. She wants to reduce their anxiety and improve their wellbeing. She enjoys working alongside doctors and said: "Obviously, the doctors, they take care of the body. And we come in and take care of the soul. And it integrates together - the doctors understand this."
S. Korea lantern festival on UNESCO heritage list (19th December, 2020)
The United Nations has given a special award to a festival in South Korea. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) decided to add South Korea's Lotus Lantern Festival to its list of intangible cultural heritage of humanity. The festival was one of 25 things the UN decided to add to its heritage list this year. Some things that UNESCO adds to its heritage list are tangible - this means we can touch them. Examples are the Pyramids in Egypt or Machu Picchu in Peru. If something is intangible, we generally cannot touch it. Events like South Korea's Lotus Lantern Festival or a dance or a method for weaving baskets are examples of intangible heritage.
South Korea's Lotus Lantern Festival is a springtime event that is held to celebrate Buddha's birthday on April the 8th. It symbolizes lighting up the world to make things fair for everyone. The festival dates back two millennia. Historians say there was an ancient kingdom in 57BC where royals visited a temple to see lotus lanterns. Today, it is one of South Korea's biggest festivals. People make lanterns with paper and bamboo. They decorate temples with these. Many villages, towns and cities hold parades in which the lanterns are carried through the streets. A spokesperson said: "We will try to make the festival a cultural heritage that can be loved by people around the world regardless of their religion."
Botanists find world's ugliest orchid (21st December, 2020)
Many people believe orchids to be the epitome of beauty. The colourful, delicate and fragrant blooms of an orchid will be the centrepiece of any floral display. However, botanists have just decided on the world's ugliest orchid. The orchid family comprises more than 25,000 individual species, so there is every likelihood that one or two might not exude exquisiteness. A newly discovered variety has been awarded the label of the world's ugliest orchid by botanists at the Royal Botanic Gardens in the UK. It was found last year in a forest in Madagascar. One saving grace for the newly-unearthed plant is its smell. The scientists say the flower has a beautiful, musky, rose-like fragrance.
The 'ugly" orchid has been named "gastrodia agnicellus". Researcher Johan Hermans said: "It's not very attractive, I must say. It's fleshy looking, red inside and brown on the outside." However, scientists are excited at finding the plant because they believe there could be many more lurking in the undergrowth yet to be discovered. The bad news for the gastrodia is that even though it has just turned up, it is already considered to be an endangered species. Researcher Martin Cheek warned: "The bleak reality facing us cannot be underplayed. With two in five plants threatened with extinction, it is a race against time to find, identify, name, and conserve plants before they disappear."
World blocks UK over new mutant virus strain (23rd December, 2020)
Forty countries have blocked air, sea and land travel to and from the United Kingdom. Many European countries, Canada, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Russia, India, and Colombia are among the countries. The reason is because of a new strain of COVID-19 that is spreading around the UK. The new coronavirus is a mutant - this means it has changed from the original virus that started spreading at the beginning of the year. Some nations have blocked transport links to the UK for a few days; others for at least two weeks. Many countries say they are reviewing the situation. The biggest problems are being caused by a travel ban from France. A lot of the UK's food comes across the English Channel from France. The UK government says the mutant virus is 70 per cent more infectious than the original coronavirus. It said the mutant strain is so fast-spreading that it is "out of control". London and many other parts of the country are now in lockdown. The government has issued new rules about mixing with other people. This means most people will only be able to spend Christmas with the people they live with. They cannot travel to see any other family members or friends. An opposition leader said: "The news over the last 24 hours has been deeply disturbing. The number of coronavirus cases has nearly doubled in the last week." The UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson assured people that there would be enough food.
Scientist finds the 'right' way to cut Christmas cake (25th December, 2020)
Christmas cake is a tradition that dates back centuries, for people who celebrate the festive season. The vast majority of those who enjoy a slice of their favourite seasonal treat are unaware that there is a science behind its slicing. Dr Chris Budd, a professor of applied mathematics and geometry at two UK universities, tested several hypotheses on the optimal way to cut a Christmas cake into slices. He focused on how to dissect the cake while leaving the exposed insides as moist as possible. His solution was to cut the cake across the middle, leaving two semicircles, then cut slices and push the remaining halves together. He said: "It works." However, perhaps he would admit that it isn't exactly rocket science. According to Wikipedia, Christmas cake is an English tradition that began as plum porridge. The plums later gave way to raisins, sultanas, orange rind and other dried fruit. The fruit is often soaked in rum or brandy. It is quite common for the fruity loaf part of the cake to be covered in a layer of marzipan, and then the top and sides to be coated in icing. The icing is a hardened, white sugar coating that can be over a centimetre thick. The top of the cake is usually decorated with an array of Christmassy symbols like fir trees or snowmen and women. Christmas cakes vary around the world. In Sri Lanka, they are full of treacle and spices. In Japan, they are simple sponge cakes with whipped cream and strawberries.
Early humans may have hibernated in winter (27th December, 2020)
Many animals hibernate for the winter. They stock up on food and hide away in a hole or cave to escape the snow and cold. Scientists now believe early human beings may have hibernated too. The scientists looked at the fossils of bones from our early ancestors who lived around 430,000 years ago. The bones were found in a site in the north of Spain. The scientists are experts in studying fossils and ancient bones. They say that the cuts and other signs of damage on the bones they examined are similar to those on bones of animals who hibernate, like bears. They also say that early humans may have hibernated to escape the extreme cold. Winters were much colder hundreds of thousands of years ago. The scientists looked at the bones of several dozen humans. Scientist Antonis Bartsiokas said there is evidence that early humans slowed down their metabolism so they could survive longer in winter without food. However, humans could not slow their metabolism like a bear. Bears can wake up after months of hibernation and their body will be the same as when they went into hibernation. The bones of the early humans showed people suffered health problems because of hibernation. Many of the problems were caused by a lack of vitamin D, which we get from sunlight. This can make our bones weaker. The researchers said: "We have to emphasise that hibernations are not always healthy."
Giant Antarctic iceberg A68a splits into three (29th December, 2020)
An enormous iceberg that is heading toward the island of South Georgia in the southern Atlantic Ocean has broken up into three large chunks. Scientists from NASA have been tracking the berg - dubbed A68a - for several weeks. It actually calved from the Larsen C ice shelf in 2017 and has been floating northwards ever since. In recent weeks, a fast-moving stream of water known as the Southern Antarctic Circumpolar Current Front has put the chunks on a trajectory that means they could run aground off the coast of South Georgia. Scientists say the three fragments are roughly 2,600 square kilometres in size. The submerged part of one chunk is 106 metres at its thickest point.
The sheer bulk of the three iceberg chunks poses a serious threat to the wildlife of South Georgia. There could be an environmental catastrophe waiting to happen. If the three mini icebergs collide with the seabed, they could obstruct penguins and seals from foraging for fish. They could also block the route between penguin colonies and their feeding grounds during the breeding season. Scientists worry the underside of the fragments could grind the seabed near South Georgia and disrupt delicate underwater ecosystems. This could be exacerbated by the introduction of a mass of fresh water to the ecosystems as the stationary fragments melt over the summer months.
2020 - A year we will never forget (31st December, 2020)
For billions of people around the world, January the 1st, 2020 seemed like a great day. It was the start of a year that sounded like science fiction - 2020. Many people had great hopes for the year ahead. Few knew what a rollercoaster ride 2020 would be and how the world would change. The year has been dominated by the COVID-19 pandemic. This has brought hundreds of thousands of deaths, economic chaos, lockdowns and masked populations. Another huge event was the death of George Floyd at the hands of U.S. police in July. This sparked the Black Lives Matter movement and global protests. The year ended with Joe Biden being voted in as the President-elect of the USA.
Different people will have different memories of 2020. Our reporters asked people around the world to tell us what they will remember 2020 for. Ahmed Hussein from Lebanon said he would never forget the massive explosion at a Beirut port in August that killed at least 190 people. He said he thanked God none of his family or friends were hurt, but was sad at the destruction of his city. Lucy Baxter, a nurse in the UK, said her happiest moment came with the news of the vaccines for COVID-19. She said she could see light at the end of a long and dark tunnel. Ayumi Miyamoto of Japan was saddened by the postponement of the Tokyo Olympics but is happy they will go ahead in 2021. She said 2021 would be a good year.
An unlikely source has revealed the pandemic fears of thousands of children across the world - Santa's mailbag. A post office in France that answers mail it receives for Santa has described the concerns children have been expressing about COVID-19. The letters contain the usual requests for Christmas gifts, but many have emotional outpourings that provide an insight into how the coronavirus pandemic is troubling young minds. The post office has been responding to "Dear Santa" letters since 1962. A writer who replies to the notes said: "This year, we really feel their fears - for themselves, their grandparents or their parents. It's what really emerges from their letters. And in every country."
The post office has been inundated with around 12,000 letters per day. It has a team of 60 letter-writing "elves". They say that many children are confiding in Santa and expressing heartfelt fears that perhaps parents are in the dark about. One child wrote: "This year, more than the others, I need magic and to believe in you." Another child slipped a mask inside her envelope for Santa to not spread the virus. A "chief elf" explained the emotional toll on children. She said: "The letters to Santa are a sort of release for them. All this year they have been in lockdowns and have been deprived of school and their grandpas and grandmas....Children are putting into words everything they have felt during this period."
S.Korea, China clash on social media over kimchi (3rd December, 2020)
China and South Korea are arguing over a pickled food. The two countries are in a dispute over a savoury pickled cabbage dish. China is trying to win an international certificate for pao cai, a savoury vegetable dish from Sichuan province. However, South Korean officials are angry about this. They say this dish is too much like kimchi - perhaps the most famous food in South Korea. Kimchi is a staple in Korean cuisine. It is a traditional dish of salted and fermented vegetables, such as cabbage and Korean radish. It is made with a wide variety of seasonings, including chilli powder, spring onions, garlic, ginger, and salted seafood. Pao cai is a pickle, usually made using cabbage, mustard, peppers and ginger. South Korea is angry that China says it has won certification from the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) for its kimchi making process. South Korean officials say pao cai, "has nothing to do with kimchi". They added: "We need to understand that pao cai is different from kimchi." People in Korea are angry that China is trying to claim the standard for the kimchi-making process. A professor in Korea said: "China lacks efforts to understand the culture and history of surrounding nations." On social media in China, people said most kimchi eaten in South Korea is made in China. One person wrote: "Even the pronunciation of kimchi originated from Chinese."
Ecocide could become an international crime (5th December, 2020)
There could be a new law on the international statute books. Lawyers across the globe are drafting regulations to make ecocide a crime. Ecocide is the destruction of the world's ecosystems. Lawyers want to make it a legally enforceable crime, much like crimes against humanity, war crimes and genocide. The initiative is being led by a professor from University College London (UCL) and a former judge at the International Criminal Court. It has attracted support from several European countries, notably France and Belgium. Island nations at risk from rising sea levels, such as Vanuatu and the Maldives, have voiced their support. A politician in the UK has called for ecocide to be incorporated into law. Professor Philippe Sands of UCL spoke about why there is a need for ecocide to be made illegal. He said: "The time is right to harness the power of international criminal law to protect our global environment." He wants the law to hold governments and multi-national corporations accountable for the environmental damage they cause. The Stop Ecocide Foundation said: "In most cases ecocide is likely to be a corporate crime." It outlined the scale of destruction that would require an ecocide law being used. It said: "It would have to involve mass, systematic or widespread destruction. We are probably talking about Amazon deforestation on a huge scale, deep sea-bottom trawling or oil spills."
Dog three times heavier than normal goes on diet (7th December, 2020)
A dog in the USA had to go on a diet. He is a beagle called Wolfgang. He was three times heavier than a normal beagle. This was very dangerous for his health. He risked having many different canine diseases and problems. Poor Wolfgang was in an animal shelter. His owner abandoned him and left him at the shelter. The owner also overfed Wolfgang, so he ballooned in size. Many visitors came to the shelter for a dog, but no one took Wolfgang because he was so big. Then, dog lover Erin McManus came to the rescue. She saw Wolfgang at the shelter and it was love at first sight. She took the overweight dog home and decided to help him lose weight. She put him on a crash diet.
Wolfgang is now doing very well on his diet. He is limited to just 600 calories a day. He swims in the family pool every day, goes on walks, and exercises on a water treadmill. The kgs are now falling off him. Ms McManus is very happy with his progress. She said: "I make his food. It's lean turkey, lots of vegetables, and some supplements." She said he has lost over 12kgs. Beagles usually weigh around 13kgs, but Wolfgang weighed 40kgs. He now has his own Instagram account with over 37,000 followers. McManus said: "I think his personality shines through. He's just such a nice dog. It's so hard to say no to that face." One Instagram fan wrote: "I love following his journey. That boy touches my heart."
Lab-grown meat given green light in Singapore (9th December, 2020)
Singapore has approved the production, sale and consumption of meat manufactured in a lab. The lab-grown meat could be the start of a revolution in the way we eat. Despite the cultured meat coming from bioreactors in a laboratory, it is, scientifically, real meat. To be more precise, it is chicken. The "chicken bites" look and taste like real chicken. The chicken is made by the U.S. company Eat Just. The "just" in the company's name is the adjective "just" (meaning "fair") rather than the adverb that means "only". Josh Tetrick, the Eat Just CEO, said no animals are killed to make the meat. This has the potential to transform the meat industry. It could also have an adverse impact on poultry and livestock farming. Mr Tetrick believes Singapore's green light is just the start of a huge shake-up that will revolutionise meat manufacturing. He said: "I'm sure that our regulatory approval for cultured meat will be the first of many in...countries around the globe." He said lab-grown meat could lead to a huge reduction in the environmental impact of livestock production and thus change the world for the better. We could see disease-free meat, an end to the use of drugs in meat, and an end to animal cruelty. Tetrick added: "Cultured meat's role in creating a safer, more secure global food supply has...given rise to a steady increase in the application of animal cell culture technology...of food products."
Japan to use artificial intelligence to match couples (11th December, 2020)
Japan is trying to get more men and women to go on dates. It wants to increase its birth rate because there are fewer and fewer babies being born. Japan is going to use artificial intelligence (AI) to match couples and help residents find love. The government has decided to use $19 million next year to set the software up. There are already matchmaking services in half of Japan's 47 prefectures. These involve filling out forms and answering questions on hobbies and interests. A worker then matches people based on the answers. Some prefectures are now starting AI projects to automate the system. AI software can perform a more advanced analysis of data and get better matches.
The government hopes the project will increase the size of the population. Japan's fertility rate is one of the lowest in the world. The average number of children a Japanese woman is expected to have in her lifetime is 1.36. This figure is continuing to go down, which is why the government is trying the AI programme. A government spokesperson said: "We hope this support will help reverse the decline in the nation's birth rate." Japan's population is rapidly ageing because people are living longer. The longevity rate for women is the highest in the world. This is a problem for the economy. There are fewer and fewer younger workers to pay for the pension and welfare costs of retired people.
India sees the biggest protest in history (13th December, 2020)
A huge protest has taken place in India in what could be the largest demonstration in human history. Tens of thousands of farmers descended on the capital New Delhi to voice concerns about new farming legislation. This number is nothing out of the ordinary for a demo. However, history was made when up to 250 million people from a broad cross-section of the subcontinent joined in a 24-hour general strike. The protestors came from all walks of life to show solidarity with the farmers. The scale of the protest forced the government to meet the protesters face-to-face. The numbers made the government change its tactics somewhat, as marches are usually met with a show of force from the police. India's farmers are up in arms about the enactment of three laws to "reform" the country's agriculture industry. The laws represent a radical upheaval of India's agrarian society. Furious farmers are venting their anger on the streets. They are accusing the government of selling out millions of India's agricultural workers for the benefit of big agri-business. They have set up protest camps around Delhi in what looks like a blockade of the city. A farmers' union representative said: "We will block rail tracks if our demands are not met." He said agriculture was too important for governments to play party politics with. Agriculture Minister Narendra Tomar said he was optimistic about finding a compromise.
Metal detecting finds ancient treasure in U.K. (15th December, 2020)
The British Museum in the U.K. has reported record levels of historical discoveries this year. People have found more than 47,000 objects with metal detectors. Metal detecting is a big hobby in the U.K. Many people go out in the countryside to try and find old coins and other treasure. This year, more people have been metal detecting. This is because of the coronavirus. Metal detecting is a good hobby that means social distancing is very easy. People have been recording their finds on an app on the British Museum's website. The U.K. Culture Minister said: "It is brilliant to see the [app] growing from strength to strength during lockdown thanks to garden discoveries and digital reporting."
The British Museum said people have dug up many exciting and interesting things this year. Perhaps the best find among the new discoveries are two hoards of coins. One of the hoards contained 50 South African solid gold coins found 50 miles northwest of London. The other coin hoard contained gold coins and one silver coin featuring the British kings Edward IV and Henry VIII. Experts believe they were buried in the 16th century. Another find was an ancient Roman furniture fitting made of copper. It featured the face of the god Oceanus and dates to AD 43-200. The British Museum said the app, "ensures finds, important for understanding Britain's past, are not lost but instead recorded".
Healthcare clowns help patients laugh and recover (17th December, 2020)
An English adage says, "laughter is the best medicine". In these troubling times, good humour is in need more than ever. Doctors and medical staff are taking heed of this and incorporating it into their care treatments. One product of this is the emergence of clown doctors and healthcare clowns in hospitals around the globe. There is even an organisation that sets standards. The European Federation of Healthcare Clowns Organisations was established in 2011. It says: "Healthcare clowns bring moments of happiness and distraction to children who are ill or who have special needs....Clowns also bring smiles to vulnerable adults, including seniors and people with dementia who are in hospital care." Healthcare clowns are becoming especially popular in Israel, which is considered a world leader in the field. The first university ever to offer a Bachelor's degree in medical clowning was Haifa University, in 2007. One healthcare clown in Jerusalem, Leah Weiss, decided to divert her inner clown to help patients after a COVID-19 ward opened in March. She said she knew the clown in her would have therapeutic benefits for her patients. She wants to reduce their anxiety and improve their wellbeing. She enjoys working alongside doctors and said: "Obviously, the doctors, they take care of the body. And we come in and take care of the soul. And it integrates together - the doctors understand this."
S. Korea lantern festival on UNESCO heritage list (19th December, 2020)
The United Nations has given a special award to a festival in South Korea. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) decided to add South Korea's Lotus Lantern Festival to its list of intangible cultural heritage of humanity. The festival was one of 25 things the UN decided to add to its heritage list this year. Some things that UNESCO adds to its heritage list are tangible - this means we can touch them. Examples are the Pyramids in Egypt or Machu Picchu in Peru. If something is intangible, we generally cannot touch it. Events like South Korea's Lotus Lantern Festival or a dance or a method for weaving baskets are examples of intangible heritage.
South Korea's Lotus Lantern Festival is a springtime event that is held to celebrate Buddha's birthday on April the 8th. It symbolizes lighting up the world to make things fair for everyone. The festival dates back two millennia. Historians say there was an ancient kingdom in 57BC where royals visited a temple to see lotus lanterns. Today, it is one of South Korea's biggest festivals. People make lanterns with paper and bamboo. They decorate temples with these. Many villages, towns and cities hold parades in which the lanterns are carried through the streets. A spokesperson said: "We will try to make the festival a cultural heritage that can be loved by people around the world regardless of their religion."
Botanists find world's ugliest orchid (21st December, 2020)
Many people believe orchids to be the epitome of beauty. The colourful, delicate and fragrant blooms of an orchid will be the centrepiece of any floral display. However, botanists have just decided on the world's ugliest orchid. The orchid family comprises more than 25,000 individual species, so there is every likelihood that one or two might not exude exquisiteness. A newly discovered variety has been awarded the label of the world's ugliest orchid by botanists at the Royal Botanic Gardens in the UK. It was found last year in a forest in Madagascar. One saving grace for the newly-unearthed plant is its smell. The scientists say the flower has a beautiful, musky, rose-like fragrance.
The 'ugly" orchid has been named "gastrodia agnicellus". Researcher Johan Hermans said: "It's not very attractive, I must say. It's fleshy looking, red inside and brown on the outside." However, scientists are excited at finding the plant because they believe there could be many more lurking in the undergrowth yet to be discovered. The bad news for the gastrodia is that even though it has just turned up, it is already considered to be an endangered species. Researcher Martin Cheek warned: "The bleak reality facing us cannot be underplayed. With two in five plants threatened with extinction, it is a race against time to find, identify, name, and conserve plants before they disappear."
World blocks UK over new mutant virus strain (23rd December, 2020)
Forty countries have blocked air, sea and land travel to and from the United Kingdom. Many European countries, Canada, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Russia, India, and Colombia are among the countries. The reason is because of a new strain of COVID-19 that is spreading around the UK. The new coronavirus is a mutant - this means it has changed from the original virus that started spreading at the beginning of the year. Some nations have blocked transport links to the UK for a few days; others for at least two weeks. Many countries say they are reviewing the situation. The biggest problems are being caused by a travel ban from France. A lot of the UK's food comes across the English Channel from France. The UK government says the mutant virus is 70 per cent more infectious than the original coronavirus. It said the mutant strain is so fast-spreading that it is "out of control". London and many other parts of the country are now in lockdown. The government has issued new rules about mixing with other people. This means most people will only be able to spend Christmas with the people they live with. They cannot travel to see any other family members or friends. An opposition leader said: "The news over the last 24 hours has been deeply disturbing. The number of coronavirus cases has nearly doubled in the last week." The UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson assured people that there would be enough food.
Scientist finds the 'right' way to cut Christmas cake (25th December, 2020)
Christmas cake is a tradition that dates back centuries, for people who celebrate the festive season. The vast majority of those who enjoy a slice of their favourite seasonal treat are unaware that there is a science behind its slicing. Dr Chris Budd, a professor of applied mathematics and geometry at two UK universities, tested several hypotheses on the optimal way to cut a Christmas cake into slices. He focused on how to dissect the cake while leaving the exposed insides as moist as possible. His solution was to cut the cake across the middle, leaving two semicircles, then cut slices and push the remaining halves together. He said: "It works." However, perhaps he would admit that it isn't exactly rocket science. According to Wikipedia, Christmas cake is an English tradition that began as plum porridge. The plums later gave way to raisins, sultanas, orange rind and other dried fruit. The fruit is often soaked in rum or brandy. It is quite common for the fruity loaf part of the cake to be covered in a layer of marzipan, and then the top and sides to be coated in icing. The icing is a hardened, white sugar coating that can be over a centimetre thick. The top of the cake is usually decorated with an array of Christmassy symbols like fir trees or snowmen and women. Christmas cakes vary around the world. In Sri Lanka, they are full of treacle and spices. In Japan, they are simple sponge cakes with whipped cream and strawberries.
Early humans may have hibernated in winter (27th December, 2020)
Many animals hibernate for the winter. They stock up on food and hide away in a hole or cave to escape the snow and cold. Scientists now believe early human beings may have hibernated too. The scientists looked at the fossils of bones from our early ancestors who lived around 430,000 years ago. The bones were found in a site in the north of Spain. The scientists are experts in studying fossils and ancient bones. They say that the cuts and other signs of damage on the bones they examined are similar to those on bones of animals who hibernate, like bears. They also say that early humans may have hibernated to escape the extreme cold. Winters were much colder hundreds of thousands of years ago. The scientists looked at the bones of several dozen humans. Scientist Antonis Bartsiokas said there is evidence that early humans slowed down their metabolism so they could survive longer in winter without food. However, humans could not slow their metabolism like a bear. Bears can wake up after months of hibernation and their body will be the same as when they went into hibernation. The bones of the early humans showed people suffered health problems because of hibernation. Many of the problems were caused by a lack of vitamin D, which we get from sunlight. This can make our bones weaker. The researchers said: "We have to emphasise that hibernations are not always healthy."
Giant Antarctic iceberg A68a splits into three (29th December, 2020)
An enormous iceberg that is heading toward the island of South Georgia in the southern Atlantic Ocean has broken up into three large chunks. Scientists from NASA have been tracking the berg - dubbed A68a - for several weeks. It actually calved from the Larsen C ice shelf in 2017 and has been floating northwards ever since. In recent weeks, a fast-moving stream of water known as the Southern Antarctic Circumpolar Current Front has put the chunks on a trajectory that means they could run aground off the coast of South Georgia. Scientists say the three fragments are roughly 2,600 square kilometres in size. The submerged part of one chunk is 106 metres at its thickest point.
The sheer bulk of the three iceberg chunks poses a serious threat to the wildlife of South Georgia. There could be an environmental catastrophe waiting to happen. If the three mini icebergs collide with the seabed, they could obstruct penguins and seals from foraging for fish. They could also block the route between penguin colonies and their feeding grounds during the breeding season. Scientists worry the underside of the fragments could grind the seabed near South Georgia and disrupt delicate underwater ecosystems. This could be exacerbated by the introduction of a mass of fresh water to the ecosystems as the stationary fragments melt over the summer months.
2020 - A year we will never forget (31st December, 2020)
For billions of people around the world, January the 1st, 2020 seemed like a great day. It was the start of a year that sounded like science fiction - 2020. Many people had great hopes for the year ahead. Few knew what a rollercoaster ride 2020 would be and how the world would change. The year has been dominated by the COVID-19 pandemic. This has brought hundreds of thousands of deaths, economic chaos, lockdowns and masked populations. Another huge event was the death of George Floyd at the hands of U.S. police in July. This sparked the Black Lives Matter movement and global protests. The year ended with Joe Biden being voted in as the President-elect of the USA.
Different people will have different memories of 2020. Our reporters asked people around the world to tell us what they will remember 2020 for. Ahmed Hussein from Lebanon said he would never forget the massive explosion at a Beirut port in August that killed at least 190 people. He said he thanked God none of his family or friends were hurt, but was sad at the destruction of his city. Lucy Baxter, a nurse in the UK, said her happiest moment came with the news of the vaccines for COVID-19. She said she could see light at the end of a long and dark tunnel. Ayumi Miyamoto of Japan was saddened by the postponement of the Tokyo Olympics but is happy they will go ahead in 2021. She said 2021 would be a good year.
