Topic Reading-Vol.4967-11/29/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

I'm the luckiest man alive, but also suffering, says Air India crash sole survivor

On June 12, London-bound Air India Flight 171 crashed 32 seconds after takeoff from the western Indian city of Ahmedabad, killing 229 passengers and 12 crew members onboard, and 19 people on the ground. Miraculously, one passenger who was seated on 11A, a window seat right next to an emergency exit, walked out of the burning aircraft. The sole survivor, 40-year-old British citizen Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, sustained multiple minor injuries but was discharged from the hospital only after five days. The next day, he attended the funeral of his brother, who had also been on board the flight. Over five months have passed since the crash, but he still suffers pain in his leg, shoulder, knee, and back. He can walk only slowly but cannot work or drive. Also, he suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and has been unable to speak to his family and son. How difficult life is after such a devastating incident, even though he was the luckiest man alive?

Read the article and learn about the sole survivor of the terrible airplane crash.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp85zvne1m3o

Topic Reading-Vol.4966-11/28/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Instagram owner Meta tells Australian teens accounts will close  

From December 10 in Australia, anyone under 16 won’t be able to keep or make accounts on social media apps, such as TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat, X, Facebook, and Reddit. This social media ban is introduced to protect the mental health and well-being of Australian children and teens from pressures and risks, including cyberbullying, harmful content, and online predators. Even parents will not be able to give consent for their children under 16 to use these platforms. Social media platforms are responsible for verifying the ages of users by using video selfies or government-issued identification, like a driver’s license. Meta, the owner of Instagram, Facebook, and Threads, has recently notified its under-16 users that their accounts will be deactivated on December 4. They will be contacted when they turn 16 to reactivate their accounts. Platforms that are regarded as less dangerous to children, such as Google Classroom, Roblox, Messenger, WhatsApp, and YouTube Kids, are not affected by the ban. What will those kids do when they are blocked from watching YouTube or TikTok? Will they play outdoors, watch TV, or read a book?

Read the article and learn about Australia’s social media ban on younger teenagers.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cz919xyx7weo

Topic Reading-Vol.4965-11/27/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Three easy ways to help you beat the winter blues

As winter approaches, people tend to feel more tired or sleepy. It is known as winter depression. But that is normal because our internal clock is affected by external cues like light and darkness. A circadian rhythm, or the body clock, is an internal clock in the brain that regulates physical, mental, and behavioral changes, and sleep-wake cycles. Then how should we adapt our daily lives and activities to the colder and darker period of the year? There are things you can enjoy, particularly in winter, such as seasonal cooking, movie watching, walking in cold air, and skiing and ice skating. Also, when you feel tired or less productive than in the summer time, rest more because it is natural. And try mingling or talking with those who make you feel better or happier. Indeed, there are still quite a few things that help you enjoy colder, darker days.

Read the article about a few tips to overcome winter depression.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c051mdgd1ddo

Topic Reading-Vol.4964-11/26/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

UN climate talks fail to secure new fossil fuel promises

Conference of the Parties (COP) is the annual United Nations meeting to discuss and, if possible, make decisions on climate change. The first conference, COP1, took place in Berlin in 1995, and COP21 in 2015 set the landmark Paris Agreement to limit global warming well below 2 degrees Celsius, preferably to 1.5, compared to pre-industrial levels. The 30^th COP was held in Belém, Brazil, the gateway town to the Amazon River, from November 10 to 22. It was attended by 194 delegations, but not the second-largest emitter of greenhouse gases, the USA. After the 12-hour overnight negotiation, a boosted financial package and acceleration in implementing the Paris Agreement were agreed at the conference, but no specific goal was set to move away from fossil fuels due to resistance from oil-producing nations. The hosting country, Brazil, was even criticized for its own projects to expand oil production near the mouth of the Amazon River. The next COP will be hosted by Turkey next year, and the pre-COP will be hosted in a Pacific island country supported by Australia. Globally, ice sheets and glaciers are melting faster, sea levels are rising, extreme weather events are increasing, yet more greenhouse gases are being emitted. Will there be a more serious climate at the next COP?

Read the article and learn about the climate summit that ended with no action plan or goal.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c75vn7yel73o

Topic Reading-Vol.4963-11/25/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Why India caps pollution reading at 500 when the air is far more toxic

Though there is no universal air quality index (AQI), a formula provided by a Swiss-based air quality technology company, IQAir, is most widely used. It is based on PM2.5 and other pollutants, using data from its monitoring stations to calculate a real-time AQI. Examples of the Air Quality Index (AQI) include different levels like Good (0-50), Moderate (51-100), Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (101-150), Unhealthy (151-200), Very Unhealthy (201-300), and Hazardous (301-500). In November, the air quality in northern India becomes so dusty and ashy that people can hardly go outside. In fact, apps backed by the government show 500, the upper limit of India’s air quality index scale, while other monitors like IQAir’s show much higher numbers. The 500-cap was set based on the assumption that showing higher figures wouldn’t make a significant difference in health impact. Also, the Ministry of Earth Sciences wanted to avoid causing panic by showing higher numbers. Anyway, if the index shows 500, you just want to stay inside and turn on air purifiers to minimize the impact on your health, and wear a face mask if you have to go outdoors.

Read the article about India’s air quality index.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ced6jgg0180o

Topic Reading-Vol.4962-11/24/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Ryanair scraps printed boarding passes to go fully digital

Established in 1984, Ryanair is an Irish low-cost airline that flies to 235 destinations in more than 40 countries in Europe, Morocco, and the Middle East. It’s a budget-friendly airline that offers cheap tickets with minimal service. For example, Ryanair’s fares include just one small personal bag that fits under the seat in front of you, and anything beyond that, you’ll pay extra fees. Also, all passengers are required to check in online at least two hours before the flight to get a free boarding pass; otherwise, an airport check-in fee is charged. Now, to save time, cost, and paper, Ryanair no longer prints boarding passes for those who have checked in online, except for the flight to Morocco, which still requires a paper boarding pass. But don’t panic. In case you checked in online but are unable to show your digital boarding pass on your smartphone, you’ll get a paper boarding pass for free as long as you show up at least 40 minutes before the scheduled departure time. You also want to be reminded that the airline only accepts payments by credit or debit cards, Apple Pay, and Google Pay for all transactions, including baggage fees. Nowadays, it seems that a smartphone is as essential as a passport to traveling abroad.

Read the article and learn about a budget airline’s recent move to dump paper boarding passes.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx2nkwlge8lo

Topic Reading-Vol.4961-11/23/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

At least 67 Palestinian children killed in Gaza since ‘ceasefire’ began: UN

After two years of deadly and devastating war between Israel and Hamas, a Palestinian Sunni Islamist political and militant movement, a ceasefire agreement was brokered by the US, Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey. The agreement went into effect on October 10, but it was so fragile that hundreds of Palestinians have been killed by Israel’s attacks since then, including no fewer than 67 Palestinian children in the Gaza Strip. Also, as Israel continues restrictions on deliveries of humanitarian aid, including medical supplies, tents, and food, many people in Gaza are untreated, unhoused, and starved. This is critical in the coming winter season, especially for vulnerable children who are shivering without blankets or shelter, let alone heating. A ceasefire agreement becomes effective not just upon signature but when it is monitored and implemented thoroughly.

Read the article and learn how devastating the situation of the people in Gaza is.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/11/21/at-least-67-palestinian-children-killed-in-gaza-since-ceasefire-began-un