UNESCO has added Italian cuisine to its Intangible Cultural Heritage list. The body reached the decision at an intergovernmental committee meeting in New Delhi, India, on Wednesday. It describes Italian cooking as "a cultural and social blend of culinary traditions." The statement points out that cooking methods have been passed down across generations, and that the practice is "a means of connecting with family and the community." Members of the Italian delegation at the venue rejoiced after the result came out. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said in a video message, "Italian cuisine is our most formidable ambassador." The art of pizza making in Naples has already been inscribed in the Intangible Cultural Heritage list. Japan's "washoku" traditional dietary cultures, France's gastronomic meal and the Mediterranean diet are also on the list. Quiz 1: Which country has recently had Italian cuisine added to its Intangible Cultural Heritage list? A. France B. India C. Japan D. Italy Quiz 2: In which city is the art of pizza making already inscribed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list? A. Rome B. Venice C. Naples D. Milan Quiz 3: According to the article, how does UNESCO describe Italian cooking? A. As a commercial blend of culinary traditions B. As a cultural and social blend of culinary traditions C. As a means of connecting with family and the community only D. As a means of economic growth and development

Policymakers at the US Federal Reserve have decided to cut their key interest rate by 0.25 percentage points. It is the third time in a row that they lowered the rate. They want to fix what they see as sluggish conditions in the labor market. Policymakers wrapped up their regular two-day meeting on Wednesday. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said: "Risks to inflation are tilted to the upside and risks to employment to the downside. A challenging situation. There is no risk-free path for policy as we navigate this tension between our employment and inflation goals." The Fed's target range is now between 3.5 to 3.75 percent. Policymakers believe "uncertainty about the economic outlook remains elevated." The Fed lowered rates at both its meetings in September and October. Policymakers were concerned about the weakening labor market, and they were unsure about the impact of President Donald Trump's policies on immigration and tariffs. The government shutdown complicated the decision this time around, delaying the release of key data about unemployment that policymakers use to help set rates. The figures for September show that the jobless rate ticked up. A Fed report known as the "Beige Book" had a similar finding. It showed that employment declined slightly, with policymakers seeing weaker labor demand in half of the districts they cover. Quiz 1: What action did the US Federal Reserve take for the third time in a row? A. Increased their key interest rate B. Cut their key interest rate C. Maintained their key interest rate D. Froze their key interest rate Quiz 2: What is the current target range of the Fed's key interest rate? A. Between 1.5 to 1.75 percent B. Between 2.0 to 2.25 percent C. Between 3.0 to 3.25 percent D. Between 3.5 to 3.75 percent Quiz 3: According to the Fed's report, what was the general finding on employment in September? A. Employment increased slightly B. Employment decreased slightly C. Employment remained stable D. No data about unemployment was available due to a government shutdown

Police in Japan believe so-called tokuryu -- anonymous, transient criminal groups -- are linked to international scams targeting Japanese people. Tokuryu are believed to recruit young people and others mainly online, sending them to overseas bases to take part in the scams and sharing in the illicit profits. Investigative sources say Chinese crime syndicates are also likely involved, operating from bases in Southeast Asia. They say Japanese and other recruits are instructed to make scam phone calls. In May, 29 Japanese nationals were detained in a single raid in Cambodia. From last year through October, 104 Japanese were identified overseas as suspects in scam cases -- 61 in Cambodia, 22 in the Philippines and eight in Thailand. Tokuryu keep their core members anonymous, and the people carrying out the crimes change constantly. Japanese police are working to crack down on higher-ranked members, including those involved in recruitment. They are stepping up investigations to identify the core figures. Quiz 1: Who or what are "tokuryu" as mentioned in the article? A. Local Japanese criminal groups B. Anonymous, transient criminal groups, mainly recruiting online and operating overseas C. Chinese crime syndicates D. Scams targeting Japanese people Quiz 2: Where are Japanese and other recruits instructed to make scam phone calls according to investigative sources? A. China B. Southeast Asia C. Japan D. Philippines Quiz 3: Which of the following countries has seen the highest number of Japanese suspects identified in scam cases as of October 2024, according to the article? A. Cambodia B. The Philippines C. Thailand D. Japan

Fake videos have been spreading on social media, along with baseless information, following a powerful earthquake that struck northern Japan. Fake videos generated by AI have become sophisticated and it is becoming increasingly difficult to tell whether the information is real or not. The magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck off the eastern coast of Aomori Prefecture on Monday. A video was posted on the popular video-sharing app TikTok that showed a woman reporting about a tsunami hitting a beach, which was not a correct account of the situation. It was viewed more than 20,000 times. A video containing unfounded information inciting fear was also posted on Instagram. It claimed that the earthquake was generated artificially. And a post on X that said a magnitude 6 earthquake could strike Japan through Monday was deemed as predicting the strong quake. It was shared by many on the platform and gained 2.6 million views. But the X account carried a number of groundless "predictions" and the recent post was a mere coincidence. The Japan Meteorological Agency says information that names a specific time and place of a potential earthquake is likely to be fake. A video on YouTube claimed that solar flares, or explosions on the sun's surface, which cause disturbances in the Earth's magnetic field, may trigger a mega quake. It was viewed more than 500,000 times and people left comments such as it came true. Many people feel insecure during a disaster, and fake information that may increase people's anxiety tend to spread quickly. Such information may obstruct disaster response operations. In July this year, when a tsunami warning was issued following the mega quake that struck off the Kamchatka Peninsula in the Russian Far East, AI generated fake images of giant waves were shown. It is recommended that people should make it a habit of checking the account to confirm what kind of posts the author normally makes to avoid sharing unreliable information. People are advised to take precautions such as referring to information released by public organizations. Quiz 1: What social media platform did a video appear on that showed a woman reporting about a tsunami hitting a beach, which was not accurate? A. Instagram B. TikTok C. YouTube D. Twitter Quiz 2: Where did the magnitude 7.5 earthquake strike on Monday? A. Eastern coast of Aomori Prefecture, Japan B. Western coast of Hokkaido, Japan C. Southern coast of Honshu Island, Japan D. Northern coast of Kyushu Island, Japan Quiz 3: Which of the following posts about potential earthquakes was deemed as a mere coincidence? A. A post on X saying a magnitude 6 earthquake could strike Japan through Monday B. A video on YouTube claiming that solar flares may trigger a mega quake C. Information released by public organizations about the potential earthquake D. AI generated fake images of giant waves during a tsunami warning

Two Japanese winners of this year's Nobel Prizes took part in the award ceremony in Sweden on Wednesday. The event was held in a concert hall in central Stockholm. Kitagawa Susumu, an executive vice-president of Kyoto University, is among the three winners of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. A member of the Nobel Committee for that award said in a speech: "You have made groundbreaking discoveries in chemistry that have led to the development of metal-organic frameworks. This is a truly great achievement for the benefit of humankind." To a fanfare, Kitagawa and the two other laureates, Richard Robson and Omar Yaghi, were presented with the medal by King Carl XVI Gustaf. Sakaguchi Shimon, a distinguished honorary professor of the University of Osaka, is one of the three winners of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. A member of the Nobel Committee for that award said the winners have revealed "how the immune system restrains itself to protect the very body it serves without attacking it." He added, "Their work opens up new avenues to treat autoimmune diseases, enhance cancer immunotherapy and promote transplant tolerance." Sakaguchi, along with the two other winners, Mary Brunkow and Fred Ramsdell, received the medal from the king. Quiz 1: Who won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry this year? A. Kitagawa Susumu B. Sakaguchi Shimon C. Richard Robson D. Omar Yaghi Quiz 2: In which city was the award ceremony for this year's Nobel Prizes held? A. Kyoto, Japan B. Stockholm, Sweden C. Osaka, Japan D. Gothenburg, Sweden Quiz 3: What did the winners of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry contribute to? A. Metal-organic frameworks development B. Discoveries in physics C. Autoimmune diseases treatment D. Enhancing cancer immunotherapy and promoting transplant tolerance

The International Monetary Fund has upgraded its projection for China's economic growth this year to 5 percent. IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva spoke to reporters in Beijing on Wednesday after an annual mission to the country. She said China's economy is projected to grow by 5 percent in 2025 -- up 0.2 percentage points from October. The increase is attributed to the government's economic measures and lower-than-expected tariffs on exports. US President Donald Trump's administration lowered additional tariffs on the country last month. The Chinese government has set a growth target for this year at around 5 percent. The IMF projection suggests that the target will likely be achieved. As for 2026, the IMF expects growth of 4.5 percent -- up 0.3 percentage points from October. It also proposed that China transition to a consumption-led growth model away from an overreliance on exports and investment. Quiz 1: What is the projected economic growth for China in 2025, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF)? A. 4% B. 5% C. 6% D. 7% Quiz 2: Which of the following is NOT a factor contributing to China's economic growth upgrade by the IMF? A. Government's economic measures B. Lower-than-expected tariffs on exports C. Increase in US President Trump's administration tariffs D. Transition to a consumption-led growth model Quiz 3: The IMF expects China's economy to grow by what percentage in 2026? A. 4% B. 4.5% C. 5% D. 5.5% [Answer block] Answers: Quiz 1: B Quiz 2: C Quiz 3: B

Japan's Supreme Court has dismissed an appeal by major advertising firm Dentsu Group, which was fined 300 million yen, or about 1.9 million dollars, for rigging bids linked to the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics. Dentsu Group and a former executive, Henmi Koji, were charged with antimonopoly act violations for arranging in advance with other companies the winners of bids to plan the Games' test events and to run actual competitions. The projects were worth 43.7 billion yen, or about 280 million dollars, in total. The defendants denied rigging bids for most of the projects. But the Tokyo District Court found them guilty, and said Dentsu cannot avoid criticism for hampering fair competition despite being in a position to influence other firms as the largest in Japan's advertising industry. The court ordered Dentsu to pay 300 million yen in fines, and sentenced the former executive to two years in prison suspended for four years. The Tokyo High Court dismissed the defendants' appeal. They brought the case to the top court, but the presiding justice of the First Petty Bench had decided on the dismissal as of Wednesday. Dentsu is the first of six firms indicted for bid-rigging in connection with the Tokyo Games to have its conviction finalized. Quiz 1: Who was fined for rigging bids linked to the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics? A. Henmi Koji B. Dentsu Group C. Tokyo District Court D. The First Petty Bench Quiz 2: For which act were Dentsu Group and a former executive charged? A. Antimonopoly Act violations B. Fair Competition Act violations C. Olympics and Paralympics Organizing Committee violations D. Advertising Industry Act violations Quiz 3: What was the total value of the projects for which rigging bids occurred? A. 4.37 billion yen (about 280 million dollars) B. 300 million yen (about 1.9 million dollars) C. 280 million dollars D. 1.9 million dollars [Answer block] Answers: Quiz 1: B Quiz 2: A Quiz 3: A

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung has ordered a strict investigation into allegations of illegal ties between a religious group and politicians. South Korea's presidential office said on Wednesday that Lee instructed that the investigation should be conducted strictly, regardless of whether politicians are from the ruling or opposition parties. Han Hak-ja, the leader of the religious group formerly known as the Unification Church, went on trial last week. Han is accused of violating the political fund law. She allegedly conspired with a former senior official of the religious group to provide illegal funds to senior lawmakers of the opposition People Power Party ahead of the 2022 presidential race. South Korean media outlets last week reported a former Unification Church official disclosed that he gave funds to lawmakers of the ruling Democratic Party. The outlets said the president's instruction takes the reported allegation into account. The opposition People Power Party has been stepping up criticism, saying an investigation of ruling Democratic Party lawmakers is not being carried out. Quiz 1: Who is currently under trial in South Korea? A. Former Senior Official of the Unification Church B. Han Hak-ja, the leader of the religious group formerly known as the Unification Church C. South Korean President Lee Jae-myung D. Lawmaker from the ruling Democratic Party Quiz 2: Which political party is accused of receiving illegal funds according to a former Unification Church official? A. The opposition People Power Party B. The ruling Democratic Party C. South Korean President Lee Jae-myung's presidential office D. Han Hak-ja, the leader of the religious group formerly known as the Unification Church Quiz 3: Who has ordered a strict investigation into allegations of illegal ties between a religious group and politicians? A. The opposition People Power Party B. South Korean President Lee Jae-myung's presidential office C. Han Hak-ja, the leader of the religious group formerly known as the Unification Church D. The ruling Democratic Party lawmakers [Answer block] Answers: Quiz 1: B Quiz 2: B Quiz 3: B

China's permanent mission to the United Nations criticized Japan by referencing historical events at a meeting to address the crime of genocide on Tuesday. A Chinese representative said, "The achievements of victory in World War Two and the outcomes of Nuremberg and Tokyo trials will never be altered." The remark was made at an event to mark the International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and the Prevention of this Crime. Japan's representative to the UN responded that "All nations must be humble about their history and Japan has squarely faced its history." The representative added that Japan has walked the path of a peace-loving nation in the past eight decades. The exchange took place amid strained ties between Japan and China following a remark about Taiwan last month by Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae. Takaichi said in the Diet that a possible emergency over Taiwan involving the use of force could be considered a situation that would threaten Japan's survival. Since then, China's mission to the UN has been criticizing Japan, repeatedly submitting written requests calling for the retraction of Takaichi's remark. Japan has responded with a rebuttal each time. Quiz 1: Who made a statement at an event to mark the International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide? A. China's representative B. Japan's representative C. A representative from Taiwan D. The United Nations representative Quiz 2: Which historical event did the Chinese representative refer to in their statement at the UN meeting? A. World War I B. World War II C. Nuremberg Trials D. Tokyo Trials Quiz 3: According to the article, what action has China been asking Japan to take regarding a remark about Taiwan made by the Japanese Prime Minister? A. Apologize for the remark B. Ignore the remark C. Retract the remark D. Support the remark

Australia's Communications Minister Anika Wells says a new law banning social media use by children under 16 is aimed at driving "cultural change." She spoke with NHK on December 1 in a suburb of Brisbane. The legislation, which took effect on Wednesday, requires major platforms to prevent users under 16 from holding or creating accounts. Ten services, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, are covered by the law. The measure is the first of its kind in the world. Questions have been raised about whether platforms can reliably verify users' ages. Wells acknowledged the challenges but said companies have a clear responsibility under the law. "Under the law, they must find accounts belonging to under-16-year-olds," she said. "They must deactivate accounts belonging to under-16-year-olds. They must find ways that people are circumventing the system or attempting to circumvent the system, and ward that off as well." Wells said the law is not a complete solution but an important step toward reducing online harm. "We don't think it's going to be a cure, but it will be a treatment plan for the harm that kids are suffering on social media," she said. She described the rollout as "world leading," adding that all major reforms can appear "untidy" at first, but the goal is to achieve "cultural change in Australia, where the norm switches from everybody being on social media." Wells also emphasized that the government is prepared to make improvements as needed. A legal review of the law is expected in about two years. Quiz 1: What country recently passed a law banning social media use by children under 16? A. United States B. United Kingdom C. Australia D. Canada [Answer block] Answers: Quiz 1: C Quiz 2: Which of the following platforms is NOT covered by the new Australian law? A. Facebook B. WhatsApp C. Snapchat D. YouTube [Answer block] Answers: Quiz 2: C Quiz 3: According to Australia's Communications Minister Anika Wells, what is the goal of the new social media law? A. To increase online engagement among children under 16 B. To promote cultural change in Australia regarding social media use C. To improve the reliability of age verification on social media platforms D. To extend the usage of social media to older demographics [Answer block] Answers: Quiz 3: B