NHKニュースで学ぶ現代英語 2025年1月勉強分②

豪 16歳未満のSNS禁止法案可決

< 見出し>AUSTRALIA BANS SOCIAL MEDIA FOR UNDER-16s

Australian lawmakers have passed a bill banning the use of social media by children under 16.


Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called the legislation a “world-leading action” to prevent the psychological harm social media can cause minors.

legislation:法律
・minor:未成年者、年少者

“Platforms now have a social responsibility to ensure the safety of our kids is a priority for them. We’re making sure that mums and dads can have that different conversation today and in future days. ‘We’ve got your back' is our message to Australian parents.”
・get one’s back:後ろから支える、サポートする

The legislation is expected to go into effect in about a year.


The bill requires operators of social media platforms to take measures to stop children from setting up accounts.


Violators would face fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars, or about 32 million U.S. dollars.

・violator:違反者

But there would be no penalties for young rule-breakers or their parents.



ルーマニア憲法裁“大統領選挙は無効”

< 見出し>ROMANIA’S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION RESULTS ANNULLED
・Romania:[rouméiniə]
・annul:無効にする [ənʌ́l]

Romania’s constitutional court has annulled the results of the first round of the country’s presidential election, which was won by a pro-Moscow candidate.

pro-~:~寄り、親~

The move follows allegations that Russia interfered in the vote.

allegation:(十分な証拠のない)主張、申し立て

Calin Georgescu ran as an independent and campaigned heavily on TikTok.

・independent:無所属候補
・heavily:重点的に

His victory took many by surprise in Romania.

・take+人+by surprise:~(人)を驚かせる、~(人)に不意打ちを食らわす
・many:多くの人々

Georgescu responded on Friday to the court’s announcement, saying the decision is a betrayal of democracy.


A runoff vote had been scheduled for Sunday.

runoff:最終的に勝敗をつけるための投票、試合、戦いなど
 ※voteはなくても同じ意味

But authorities must now set a new date for the election.


The court says it will seek to ensure that the process is fair and legal.


People in the capital, Bucharest, say they feel uneasy over what comes next for Romania.

・uneasy:不安な
・over ~:~について、~に関して

On Wednesday, the Romanian government declassified documents that say Georgescu’s election campaign videos were systematically promoted on social media to spread pro-Russia sentiment.

declassify:(機密扱いを)解除する
 ※cf. classify:機密にする
・systematically:体系的に、組織的に
sentiment:気持ち、感情


※この放送回での学習ポイントは以下参照
豆知識:"God" と “god" の違い


クリスマス前に“おもちゃ病院”が活躍

< 見出し>BROKEN TOY? YOU BETTER NOT CRY
・you better not cry:クリスマスの曲 Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town「サンタが街にやってくる」の歌詞の一部
 ※略さずに言うとyou had better not cry「~しない方がいい」

Nobody likes to see a broken toy, especially at Christmas.


But help is at hand from a group of generous volunteers across Japan.

・(be) at hand:手近にある、すぐ手が届くところにある

They’re not elves, but they are skilled.


This workshop in Tokyo is known as a “toy hospital.” There are others nationwide.

・workshop:工房、作業場、工作室、研修会

And they’re especially busy at this time of year.


The volunteers breathe new life into gifts from Christmases past.

・breathe new life into~:~に新しい命(息吹)を吹き込む [bríːð]
・Christmas Past:過去のクリスマス
 ※古風な響きを持つ言い方。現代ではpast Christmasesという語順にすることが多い。例)Ghost of Christmas Past:ディケンズの「クリスマス・キャロル」に登場する幽霊(精霊)の名前

This man in his 70s brought a Santa Claus doll that belonged to his daughter, who died seven years ago.


“She loved it when he moved. This doll is filled with memories of my family.”

・be filled with ~:~で満たされている、~でいっぱいである

Japan’s “toy hospitals” have been running for decades.


Some gifts just keep on giving.

・gifts just keep on giving:「(ずっと愛されて喜びを)与え続ける贈り物」というニュアンス
 ※1920年代からアメリカでクリスマスの時期などに広告のスローガンとしてよく使われてきた「the gift that keeps on giving」というフレーズから。



韓国 ユン大統領の“弾劾”廃案に

< 見出し>MOTION TO IMPEACH S. KOREAN PRESIDENT YOON FAILS
motion:議案、動議
impeach:弾劾する

The National Assembly speaker has announced that the motion to impeach President Yoon Suk-yeol has failed due to a lack of voters.

・National Assembly:韓国の「国会」
speaker:(国会の)議長

The country has been in turmoil since his surprise declaration of martial law.

turmoil:騒動、混乱 [tə́ːrmɔil]
・in turmoil:混乱状態で
martial:軍の
・martial law:戒厳令
 ※cf. martial arts:武術、武道

The bill was submitted by six opposition parties.


They did not have the two-thirds majority required to pass the bill and needed the support of at least eight ruling party members.


But most members of the ruling People Power Party left the assembly hall ahead of the impeachment vote.

・People Power Party:韓国の与党「国民の力」の英語名称
・assembly hall:議場

Fewer than 200 of the assembly’s 300 lawmakers ended up voting.


The speaker said that due to a lack of voters, the bill was automatically scrapped.

・scrap:廃棄する、廃止する、解体する、スクラップする

The result means Yoon will continue his duties as president.


Local media report the opposition will try to file another impeachment motion.

file:提出する
・impeachment:弾劾

Yoon plunged South Korea into chaos late on Tuesday after declaring emergency martial law.

plunge:(悪い状態に)追い込む、突き落とす、陥れる [plʌ́ndʒ]
・late on Tuesday:火曜日遅くに

The measure was lifted after being overturned in parliament.

overturn:覆す


シリアのアサド政権“崩壊”

< 見出し>SYRIAN REBELS SAY THEY HAVE OUSTED ASSAD
oust:(人を)地位から降ろす、追い払う [áust]

Anti-government forces in Syria have announced on state television that they have freed Damascus and ousted President Bashar al-Assad.


The president has reportedly fled to a Russian military base in Syria.

fled:(fleeの過去形)逃げる、逃れる
 ※身に迫る危険や不都合な事態を察知して急いで去るというときに使う。

Rebel forces began to step up their offensive on November 27.

step up:強化する、拡充する、増強する
offensive:攻撃
 ※軍事関係で使われる。

Opposition forces also moved toward Damascus from the north and the south by taking control of key cities.

take control of ~:~の支配を握る、~を掌握する

The Assad government quickly weakened in the face of the offensive.


The conflicts in Lebanon and Ukraine have hampered efforts by the Lebanon-based Shia Muslim group Hezbollah and Russia to provide it with military support.

・hamper:妨げる、阻む [hǽmpər]

Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi Jalali posted a video on social media on Sunday.


He said the government was ready to “extend its hand to the opposition.”

・extend one’s hand to ~:~に手を差し伸べる、相手に対して協力

“We will leave this matter to any new leadership chosen by the Syrian people. We are ready to cooperate.”