Notes
used items 中古品;
loyalty 公約・義務などへの）誠実，忠実;

***********************
Amazon was started by Jeff Bezos 30 years ago. It began as a small online bookstore but has now become a giant company that sells almost everything. Amazon is important in many people’s lives, offering a wide range of products and fast delivery.

In Japan, Amazon is very popular, competing with big local companies like Rakuten. Rakuten is famous for its loyalty program and many services. Other important Japanese online stores are Yahoo! Shopping Japan, which offers a marketplace for different sellers, and Zozo, which specializes in fashion. Mercari is another favorite, known for buying and selling used items.

Big online stores like Amazon and Rakuten will keep growing by using new technology, entering new countries, and offering more services. However, they will also face problems like stricter rules, new competitors, and the need to be more eco-friendly. How well they handle these issues will decide their future success.
***********************

Notes
vital 不可欠な;
enhance 高める, 向上させる;
orbit 軌道

*****************
A new satellite, Earthcare, created by Europe and Japan, has been launched to explore how clouds affect the Earth’s climate. It carries four advanced tools to closely examine clouds and their impact on global warming. The satellite took 20 years and €850 million to develop. It will help improve our understanding of climate and weather by observing how clouds reflect sunlight or keep heat on Earth. The project is vital for enhancing climate models and understanding changes in the atmosphere. Earthcare is expected to provide significant insights but has a limited operational life due to its low orbit. (Read the original article at https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cyddezqrlmvo)
*****************