Topic Reading-Vol.4268-12/31/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Tech Trends 2024: AI and electric vehicle deals

When you wake up tomorrow morning, it’ll be 2024. What sorts of new technologies are coming next year? There have been a number of innovations, advancements, and applications appeared this year. One of the most significant game changers was generative AI, such as Chat GPT and Bard. Generative AI creates new and original content like a summary, chat responses, designs, synthetic data, or even deepfakes. It has already been used in various fields and become an essential part of business and academics. There will be more and better generative AI applications and services next year but they may be in different ways to mitigate the cost and computing power. In the automotive market, it is estimated that over 14 million electronic vehicles will have been sold in 2023, about 18% of the total market. More EVs are expected to be sold next year, especially in China and the UK where government subsidies and requirements are in place. As early adopters have already been driving EVs, next year’s growth will be more dependent on charging infrastructure than just prices. China will remain the world’s leader in the EV market and producer with over 10 million units. Also, humanoid robots are expected to be working like humans and with humans, in places like Tesla’s factories and Amazon’s fulfillment centers. Lastly, a tablet version of the weight-loss medication for obesity and overweight adults called Wegovy is expected to get approval in the EU. A great news for those who have been injected weekly in the clinic. Now, let us hope we’ll have more great tech innovations next year to make our lives safer and better.

Enjoy reading the year-end Topic Reading and have a good New Year’s Eve.

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-67273155

Topic Reading-Vol.4267-12/30/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Should AI write year-end summaries?

Only a day left to close this year. Are you required to write an annual summary or self-assessment for your job? Did you use AI to write it? As posted on Vol.4259, China has a generative AI called ERNIE which is more updated than Open AI’s GPT-4. This month, online searches for “year-end work summary” have surged in China. It would probably be convenient to use AI to write an annual summary or performance review, but is it appropriate or helpful for your career? Indeed, AI can create a nice-looking summary with appropriate vocabulary. But when it is reviewed by your appraiser, it might look nearly the same as the others who were also written or assisted by AI. Performance review is an important opportunity to develop one's career. Depending too much on a commodity tool might not bring about the best review or future opportunities. In fact, technology has long been the giver and taker of jobs. If you use AI wisely, you’ll have a better chance to take advantage of the technology, but if you don’t, your job and opportunities might be taken over.

Enjoy reading the article and think about how you’ve been using new technologies.

https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202312/23/WS65863064a31040ac301a92cc.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4266-12/29/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Why US drivers may be thinking about EVs all wrong

Electric vehicle sales surged nearly 50% in 2023 from the year before Of the 15.5 million new cars sold in the US, about one million, or 6.4%, were EVs. Compared with China or the EU, whose EV sales reached 25% and 22% of the new car sales respectively, EVs haven’t been sold so much in the US even though it is the home of the world EV leader, Tesla. Why American’s aren’t buying EVs compared with China or European countries? One reason is the type and size of the cars many Americans currently own and drive. In fact, half of the top ten best-selling vehicles in the US are large pickup trucks and SUVs. It’s part of their lifestyle. If you live in a large house in the countryside or suburban area, you want to have a large-screen TV and a large vehicle to match the size of the house and family. However, EVs aren’t suitable for large and heavy vehicles because of the battery size and weight, at least for now. Also, many American drivers expect their EVs to go 500 kilometers or longer per charge even though most drivers drive less than 20 or 30 kilometers a day. And then, concerns about public charging infrastructure. These barriers seem more common among baby boomers, who are now 56 or older and have been used to the bigger-the-better culture. However, those who have grown up with smartphones are used to small-size displays and living spaces. And they want to be connected and eco-friendly while driving like EVs. So, it is expected that things will gradually change as the profiles and preferences of car buyers shift to younger generations.

Read the article and learn about Americans’ expectations and preferences for their cars.

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20231204-why-us-drivers-may-be-thinking-about-evs-all-wrong

Topic Reading-Vol.4265-12/28/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Southwest Airlines’ ‘customer of size’ policy on TikTok

In October, Japan Airlines took the “very unusual” step of transferring a number of sumo wrestlers to a hastily arranged additional domestic flight over concerns that the two aircraft they had originally been due to fly would be unable to carry sufficient fuel due to weight restrictions. It occurred when ground staff learned that the passenger lists included sumo wrestlers whose average weight is estimated to be 120kg, well over the 70kg standard average. If the airline had known of such excessively overweight passengers earlier, it could have arranged the booking in advance so that the flight would have been boarded within the capacity.

In order to avoid such last-minute hassle, a US carrier Southwest Airlines has implemented a policy to allow over-sized passengers to additional seats in advance for decades. Upon completion of the flight, the passenger can claim a refund of the extra seat. Also, such passengers can ask for more space at the departure gate. Unless you pay for an upper-class seat, everyone gets a seat of the same size and the same legroom, except for the exit rows, even though some passengers are substantially larger or heavier than the average passengers. It’s not just the cost but the comfortable and safe accommodation that airlines are working on.

Read the article and learn about how airlines are trying to accommodate over-sized passengers.

https://edition.cnn.com/travel/southwest-airlines-customer-of-size-policy-on-tiktok/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4264-12/27/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Mercedes adds a new car light color: Blue for self-driving

Tesla’s autopilot driving systems drive the car almost autonomously in most conditions but still require active driver supervision. Mercedes’s new Drive Pilot system can take over, operating the gas, brakes, and steering to keep you moving along with the flow of traffic when you’re in highway traffic going under 40 miles, or 64 km an hour. You don’t have to pay attention while the system works and can play games or watch videos on the center touch screen while your car crawls along. If someone were to get in a crash while using this system, as long as they’re using it correctly and the car has been properly maintained, Mercedes will accept liability. The system has already been available in Germany for more than a year, and, so far, no one has had to take them up on that. Starting next year, the system will become available on Mercedes’ two most expensive sedan models, over a hundred thousand dollars, the gasoline-powered S-class and the electric EQS in the US states of California and Nevada. On top of that, you’ll need to pay $2,500 to use the system for the first year. It might not be so practical as you won’t drive under 40 miles per hour on freeways for so long. But it’s Mercedes after all. You wouldn’t buy a Mercedes S-class only for practical purposes.

Enjoy reading the article and learning about how luxurious Mercedes’s Drive Piot system is.

https://edition.cnn.com/2023/12/19/business/mercedes-adds-new-light-color-blue-for-self-driving/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4263-12/26/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Who are the Houthis and why are they attacking ships in the Red Sea?

After the formation of the Republic of Yemen in 1990, a Shia religious and cultural movement occurred in northern Yemen led by al-Houthi. Over time, it became an opposition movement to Yemen’s leadership backed by Saudi Arabia, Sunni, and the US. The movement gained power and influence over the governance of Yemen and took control of much of northern Yemen in late 2014. Their opponents have been Yemen itself backed by Saudi Arabia, UAE, the US and its allies, and Israel while being supported by Shia Iran and allying with Hamas and Hezbollah.  Recently, Houthis have been attacking passing commercial and merchant ships in the Red Sea, a narrow seawater inlet between the Suez Canal and the Indian Ocean where 12% of global trade flows, claiming as revenge against Israel’s war against Gaza. They use unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or drones, missiles, speedboats, and helicopters to strike or capture unarmed commercial ships. These attacks threatened the flow of goods, materials, and fuels during the holiday season, having made freight liners take a much longer route via South Africa. Even though the Houthis movement is still limited in the far west of Asia, it is affecting the world economy.

Read the article and learn about the recent threat occurring in the Red Sea.

https://edition.cnn.com/2023/12/19/middleeast/red-sea-crisis-explainer-houthi-yemen-israel-intl/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4262-12/25/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Apes recognize friends they haven’t seen for decades, new research finds

Do you remember a friend whom you haven’t seen for years or decades? Since our looks and shapes change over the years, it might not be so easy to recognize even a close friend with whom we spent a lot of time together, especially by a photo. However, recent research conducted on chimps and bonobos in zoos in Scotland, Belgium, and Japan found that they showed positive responses when they were shown photos of their mates who used to have lived together long ago but not the ones unassociated. Surprisingly, apes can recognize individuals only by a photo like humans. Elephants also have such social memories even after many years of separation but cannot recognize others by a photo.  Also, they seem to possess very long-term memory like humans or elephants. So, if they recognize and remember their friends, they might miss them, which could prove their cognitive mechanism that has been thought to be unique to humans. But will their memory decline as they age like humans?

Enjoy reading the article and learning about how smart our close cousins are.

https://edition.cnn.com/2023/12/18/world/apes-social-memory-study-scli-intl-scn/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4261-12/24/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

How to prevent a hangover, and 3 ways to treat one

It’s a holiday season. Christmas, New Year’s Eve, and New Year. It’s time for a feast and gathering where many people drink more alcohol than usual except for Muslims and Sikhists who are prohibited from alcohol consumption. Alcoholic drinks entice your taste buds, throat, and brain when they are taken in. But when alcohol is absorbed into your body from the intestinal tract, it tends to cause unpleasant symptoms to the body, such as headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and thirst. To prevent or ease such suffering and hangover, you’d better eat food before and while drinking. Also, you want to drink water or other non-alcoholic drinks while consuming alcohol. Interestingly, some alcoholic drinks, such as beer, white wine, or vodka seem to affect less than others compared with red wine or whisky. But when you take more alcoholic drinks than your body can handle, you are likely to get a hangover the next day. Then you should drink coffee or water because you’re dehydrated.

Read the article and learn about the mechanism of hangover and its countermeasures.

https://edition.cnn.com/2022/12/30/health/hangover-prevention-wellness/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4260-12/23/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

How Britain's taste for tea may have been a life saver

Tea holds a significant place in British culture, but its introduction and integration into the country's daily life were gradual. When tea was introduced to Britain in the 17th century by Dutch and Portuguese traders, it was initially a luxury enjoyed only by the elite due to its high cost and scarcity. The drink gained popularity among the aristocracy and wealthy merchants, who viewed it as a fashionable and exotic beverage. In the 18^th century, as trade with India and China increased, so did tea consumption. When the tax on tea was cut down to 12.5% from 119% in 1784, tea consumption surged and tea became an everyday drink to commoners and even peasants. Interestingly, the annual death rate in Britain decreased between 1761 and 1834 when living standards didn’t make a significant improvement or even declined in cities due to the rise the Industrial Revolution. According to a recent study, the decrease in the mortality rate during the period is attributed to the rapid increase in tea consumption. Why? Is there any health benefit of drinking tea?

Enjoy reading the article and learning about what tea did to British lives in the 18^th century.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20231215-how-britains-taste-for-tea-may-have-been-a-life-saver

Topic Reading-Vol.4259-12/22/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

We asked GPT-4 and Chinese rival ERNIE the same questions. Here’s how they answered

Generative AI is a type of artificial intelligence technology that can produce various types of content, including text, imagery, audio, and synthetic data. ChatGPT is a-year-old AI chatbot developed by the US’s OpenAI, which enables users to refine and steer a conversation towards a desired length, format, style, level of detail, and language. It is used by 150 million users worldwide. The current version is GPT-4 and its upgraded version, GPT-4 Turbo is now available with an updated knowledge cutoff of April 2023. Chat GPT’s Chinese rival is Ernie Bot by Baidu, a Chinese technology company, whose latest version ERNIE 4.0 became available just in November to paying subscribers. The developer claims there are already 70 million users (all paying?) Which bot provides more updated, practical, and unbiased responses? Since Ernie Bot is subject to the Chinese government's censorship regime, it didn’t respond to political questions in China, such as the Tiananmen Square protests or Xi Jinping. In the meantime, Eenie Bot seems to have more updated information than GPT-4, including the wealth of Taylor Swift.

Enjoy reading the article and learning about the world’s leading generative AI comparisons.

https://edition.cnn.com/2023/12/15/tech/gpt4-china-baidu-ernie-ai-comparison-intl-hnk/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4258-12/21/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

How China's buses shaped the world's EV revolution

Buses are important public transportation vehicles in, around, and between major cities. They help reduce the use of cars that emit more CO2 per passenger and congestion on the roads. However conventional diesel-powered buses are noisy and smoky, thus, still harmful to the environment. One solution is to use electricity to power buses like trolleybuses. Another is electronic vehicles (EVs) with batteries. In fact, transit buses used on predetermined bus routes are ideal for EVs as they travel relatively short distances, like 200km, each day and return to the charging station. Also, they are smoother when they start and stop compared with conventional buses. China is the world's leading EV market for both passenger vehicles and buses. After two decades of government support and initiatives, over three-quarters of all urban buses, or as many as 542,000, are new energy vehicles, most of which are electric, and the rest are plug-in hybrids and fuel cell vehicles. Accordingly, China is the world’s leading e-bus market and producer with a 95% global share. Along with the massive and extensive high-speed railway network, China is the dominant leader in e-powered public transportation in the world.

Read the article and learn about how China’s E-buses have become so popular in a relatively short time.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20231206-climate-change-how-chinas-electric-vehicle-revolution-began-with-buses

Topic Reading-Vol.4257-12/20/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

China, a nation of tea-drinkers, now has more branded coffee shops than the US

First opened in Seattle in 1971, Starbucks now has nearly 16,000 outlets in the US alone. It grew rapidly in overseas markets and entered the Japanese market in 1996. There had already been many local coffee chains but Starbucks managed to grow consistently. It has now over 1,400 outlets across the country. Then in 1999, it opened its first outlet in China, where tea had been the primary drink after and during meals. It has cultivated the experience with Chinese consumers and now operates over 6,800 stores in over 250 cities in the Chinese mainland. After the pandemic, the number of coffee shops has grown rapidly and there are now around 50,000 branded coffee shops across the country, having surpassed the US’s 38,400 and become the largest market in the world. The market leader now is Luckin Coffee with over 10,000 shops that serve Starbucks-style coffee and other drinks at more affordable prices. In a country where almost twice as many new cars are sold each year, there could be more branded coffee shops and their variations in the coming years as people look for drinks, places, and atmospheres they like.

Enjoy reading the article and learning about China’s growing coffee market.

https://edition.cnn.com/2023/12/14/food/china-coffee-shops-overtakes-us-intl-hnk/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4256-12/19/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Bear attacks in Japan are at a record high. Climate change and an aging population are making the problem worse
A record number of bear sightings, encounters, and attacks has been reported this year in Japan. Indeed, Japan is mountainous and rich in nature and there are quite a few bears that live in the mountains mostly in Hokkaido, the large northern island, and the Tohoku region, the northernmost part of the main island. Only in one day in October, four people were injured by bear attacks in Akita prefecture, a northern prefecture on Japan’s main island with a population of around 900,000. During the fall months, bears eat and drink heavily and continuously in order to put on weight to prepare for winter and hibernation. Japan’s bears usually find enough food, mainly mountain acorns in their habitats but when there isn’t enough like this year, they come closer to human habitats in search of food, such as fruits, nuts, and farm products. There are many human-bear encounters this year not only in the mountains but also around villages and even in towns. Bears are timid by nature and try not to encounter humans, but when they do, they can become aggressive because they are afraid and try to protect themselves or their cubs. Will they have enough food in their habitats when climate change is affecting fauna and flora more and in different ways? In the meantime, the governments in the bear-living regions encourage visitors and residents around the mountains to carry a bear bell or walk with a dog.
Read the article and learn about Japan’s record bear encounters.
https://edition.cnn.com/2023/12/09/asia/bear-attacks-japan-record-climate-intl-hnk/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4255-12/18/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Extra virgin olive oil is getting very expensive. And it might not even be real

Olive oil is a versatile oil derived from pressing olives. It’s a staple in Mediterranean cuisine and has gained popularity around the world due to its flavor, health benefits, and various applications, including cooking, dressing, and finishing. Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) is the top grade of olive oil extracted only by mechanical means without any chemical treatments or refining. Because of its flavor and color, it is popularly used for salads or finishing touch on dishes, thus, high-quality extra virgin olive oil is highly valued in the market. Spain, Italy, and Greece are the world's top producers of olive oil, but this year, their olive oil production fell by 40% due to extreme weather conditions. This, along with increasing demand, has increased the price of EVOO in the world market, creating fraudulent producers who mix olive oil with other oils and add chemicals to make it look and smell like EVOO. So, next time you shop EVOO, think twice if you find a super bargain unless it is bolled by a trusty producer.

Read the article and learn about what the extra virgin olive oil market is about these days.

https://edition.cnn.com/travel/olive-oil-fake-crime-expensive/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4254-12/17/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

This company wants to create ‘gas stations in space’

Of the over 15,000 satellites that have been sent to space to orbit the Earth since 1957, only about half of them are still functioning. The others have run out of fuel, ceased their missions, and gone out of control. They are like single-use satellites that were not designed to be repaired or refueled. Space satellites and stations primarily use rocket fuel to maneuver and maintain their positions in space. Commonly used propellants are liquid hydrogen, liquid oxygen, hydrazine, and various combinations of these and other chemicals. If those out-of-fuel satellites were refueled, they could function longer. A Colorado-based startup is developing refueling systems to increase the lifespans of satellites through a docking system using their self-developed port system. Satellites equipped with this port will be refueled in space by the company’s space tanker, like air-to-air refueling used by the Air Force. Though the technology won’t extend the lifespan of already-orbiting satellites, it could reduce the number of single-use satellites in space.

Enjoy reading the article and learn about how refueling in space could change the space environment.

https://edition.cnn.com/world/orbit-fab-gas-stations-in-space-scn-spc-intl/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4253-12/16/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Two-time AL MVP Shohei Ohtani agrees to historic deal with Los Angeles Dodgers

Born in a northern prefecture of Japan in 1994, Shohei Ohtani is a Japanese baseball pitcher and designated hitter. He played in a professional baseball team in Japan for four years before he joined Los Angels Angels in Major League Baseball in 2018. Since then, he has achieved remarkable feats both on the mound and at the plate, solidifying his status as a true two-way star, including the 2023 American League Home Run Champion, three-time Angel’s Most Valuable Play, and 2023 Best Major League Baseball Player ESPY Award. Recently, Ohtani has agreed to play in the Los Angeles Dodgers, one of the world’s highest-revenue baseball teams for the next 10 years with the most lucrative contract in North American sports history, $700 million. Apparently, the Dodgers financially valued Ohtani the most and can afford to pay that much to the 29-year-old player. The team’s financial success is built upon a foundation of strong gameday attendance, lucrative media deals, and diverse revenue streams. Their ability to consistently win on the field and effectively leverage their brand has solidified their position as one of the most valuable and profitable franchises in professional sports. The Dodgers must have figured out how much Ohtani will contribute to its bottom line even though he cannot pitch in the 2024 season due to the elbow surgery he underwent in October.

Enjoy reading the article and learning about the most lucrative baseball contract in history.

https://edition.cnn.com/2023/12/09/sport/shohei-ohtani-contract-mlb-spt-intl/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4252-12/15/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

COP28: Landmark summit takes direct aim at fossil fuels

The 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28), took place in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) from November 30 to December 12. Nearly 200 states discussed and negotiated ways to address the climate crisis. It concluded with a dramatic agreement to transition away from fossil fuels, like coal, oil, and gas, in a just, orderly, and equitable manner. While the US and European nations, along with small island states that face severe risks from rising waters pushed for a phase out from fossil fuels, oil-producing countries like Saudi Arabia and Iraq opposed stronger language. Also, many developing countries demanded financial support to transition their countries to greener energy. In general, all parties agreed to reduce the use of fossil fuels without committing how much or how soon. It seems like a compromise between today, tomorrow, and the future. In the meantime, 2023 is going to be the hottest year on record. The COP29 will be held next year in Azerbaijan, another oil and gas-producing country.

Read the article and learn about what was agreed at the COP28 climate summit.

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-67679734

Topic Reading-Vol.4251-12/14/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Uber-style private airplane trips are here – and flights cost from $111

If you want to fly in a private airplane, you’ll get an estimate from a broker to book an aircraft. You then pay in advance for the flight. Once you finish your trip, you might be billed if extra fuel was consumed during the flight. Even though the total cost of the flight can be divided by the number of passengers, you are most likely to be paying more than the first-class airfares of commercial airlines. In the meantime, you do not have to wait in a long line for check-in and boarding or wait for your baggage after arrival. Also, you can enjoy the luxury of flying by yourself or only with your company. Some websites are already making such on-demand private air travel available and affordable to the public. Also, a new service is being launched this month to offer a private aircraft bargain that could be about the same as or even cheaper than commercial flights. How could that be possible? The new app will show bargain seats on empty-leg flights, where the aircraft fly to pick up the next passengers with empty seats. Even though such deals are going to be short-noticed, some last-minute flyers might find a lucky deal, instead of paying a full fare to commercial airlines. Will airlines offer some empty seats on the app in the future?

Enjoy reading the article and learning about this new matching app for air travelers.

https://edition.cnn.com/travel/cheaper-private-airplanes-kinectair/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4250-12/13/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

The dirty truth about taking your shoes off at the door

Do you take off your shoes when entering a home? In some countries and cultures, it is a common practice to take shoes off at home. In Eastern Asia, it is customary to take shoes off in Japan, South Korea, and many parts of China. In snowing and icy Scandinavian countries and many parts of Canada, people take shoes off at home to maintain cleanliness, especially during winter months. Also, people remove their shoes before entering a house in many Indian households as a sign of respect and cleanliness. In many cases, guests are provided with slippers for warmth and comfort. In fact, this custom significantly reduces the chance of spreading germs and harmful substances in homes, such as bacteria, dust and dirt, lead and copper, pesticide residues, and other pollutants. Especially when you have babies, infants, and small children, you definitely want to keep them away from these dirty toxic substances as they crawl, lie, and play on the floor. So, what is a polite and welcoming way to ask your guests to remove their shoes?

Read the article and learn about how unclean to enter a house with shoes on.

https://edition.cnn.com/2023/12/07/health/remove-shoes-germs-wellness/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4249-12/12/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

The world’s most expensive cities in which to live in 2023

Only a few weeks left to close 2023. How was the year like for your wallets? The good news is the rate of inflation seems decelerating from 8.1% last year to 7.4% because of higher interest rates, slowing economic activity, and thus lower consumer demands. The bad news is prices are rising in most places in the world due to inflation, armed conflicts, and extreme weather conditions fueled by global warming and El Nino. Then if you compare the cost of living, which major cities are more expensive to live in this year? Among 173 major cities in the world, Zurich and Singapore are found to be the most expensive cities to live in, according to the annual Worldwide Cost of Living Index by the Economist Intelligence Unit. Genova, New York, Los Angles, and San Francisco are also among the top 10 list, partly due to strong Swiss Frac and US dollar. What about your place? Has your income increased more than inflation?

Read the article and learn about the places where the cost of living is more expensive than the rest of the world.

https://edition.cnn.com/2023/11/30/travel/the-worlds-most-expensive-cities-to-live-in-for-2023/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4248-12/11/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Forest City: Inside Malaysia's Chinese-built 'ghost city'

Located on four man-made islands off the coast of Johor Bahru, Malaysia, a border city to Singapore, Forest City is a planned city being developed by Country Garden Holdings, a Chinese property developer, under China’s Belt and Road Initiative. Forest City is designed to be an eco-friendly metropolis, with a focus on green spaces and sustainable development. The city was planned to be home to nearly one million people, but not targeted at local Malaysians but rather mainly at upper-middle-class citizens from China who were looking to park their wealth abroad, by offering relatively affordable seafront properties compared to already too expensive coastal cities like Shanghai. Some residential and commercial buildings are completed but they are scarcely occupied. Only a handful of rooms are lit at night. Those residents have nowhere to eat or shop. There also are many incomplete buildings, facilities, and objects, which make the city look abandoned. What is going on there? Will this man-made island in the middle of nowhere eventually be home to a million residents?

Read the article and learn about this incomplete and nearly abandoned ghost city in Malaysia.

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-67610677

Topic Reading-Vol.4247-12/10/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

One identical twin went vegan while the other didn’t. See what happened

There are various types of diets that people follow for health, ethical, personal, or medical reasons. A healthy omnivorous diet allows both plants and meat in a balanced and healthy way. While a vegetarian diet excludes meat but includes dairy and eggs, a vegan diet focuses on plant-based foods and excludes all animal products, including dairy, eggs, and even honey. A low-carb diet limits carbohydrate intake mainly to reduce weight and control the blood sugar level. Which diet style makes you healthier? A study was conducted in the US among 22 pairs of identical twins, who share the same genomes, having one twin follow a strict vegan and the other sibling enjoy a healthy omnivorous diet for eight weeks. It found that those who ate a vegan diet had lower bad cholesterol, better blood sugar levels, and greater weight loss compared with the other twins, even though they ate a healthily omnivorous diet. Should we all be a vegan or vegetarian? Do processed or non-processed foods make more differences in our health?

Read the article and learn about how a vegan diet affects one’s health.

https://edition.cnn.com/2023/11/30/health/vegan-twin-study-wellness/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4246-12/9/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

The South Korean woman who adopted her best friend

Today’s South Korea has family traditions that are both deeply rooted in Confucian values and influenced by modernization. Traditionally, South Korean families have been hierarchical, emphasizing respect for elders and obedience to parents. Also, gender roles and patriarchal family culture remain deeply ingrained in most families, and young South Koreans have been struggling with them. For example, even among double-income couples, wives are expected to do much more household chores and childcaring than their husbands. These traditional practices and expectations of women have made them back off from marriage or having children. Also, same-sex marriage is not allowed in South Korea, and pressure and prejudice about women living by themselves exist. So, one of the options for two single women to live together with legal rights, social welfare, and status is adoption, which is perfectly legal under South Korean law. That is what a 43-year-old and 38-year-old women did to live together with peace in their minds.

Read the article and learn about social practices and issues underlying South Korean society.

https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2023/12/2/the-south-korean-woman-who-adopted-her-best-friend

Topic Reading-Vol.4245-12/8/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Why doesn’t the US have more passenger trains?

There is one thing that China, Japan, and France have but the US doesn’t. Fast, punctual, and popular railroad network. It was nearly two centuries ago when the first common carrier line started operating in the Northeast of the US. Then in 1869, the first transcontinental railroad reached Sacramento, California from the east coast. Railroads played an important role in industrial growth and passenger transportation between the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries. But in the latter part of the 20^th century, as passengers started driving on newly built interstate highways and flying on commercial airlines, the number of train passengers declined. Today, Amtrak, a government-subsidized national passenger corporation, serves about 20 million passengers annually by 300 trains daily. Compared with Japan’s bullet train services, which are used by over one million passengers daily, Americans aren’t traveling much by train. Also, China has built a high-speed rail network of over 42,000 kilometers across the country just in the last 15 years. Why aren’t Americans using trains to travel or commute?

Read the article and learn about America’s dated and lagged train network.

https://edition.cnn.com/2023/11/25/business/why-doesnt-the-us-have-more-passenger-trains/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4244-12/7/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

AI-powered digital colleagues are here. Some 'safe' jobs could be vulnerable.

People have already been working with machines. Take a look at a factory assembling line, an Amazon fulfillment center, and a burger restaurant’s kitchen, you’ll find people working with robots as if they are skilled coworkers. Indeed, those robots are now performing the jobs that have been handled by human workers even faster, better, and more than veteran human workers. Furthermore, they can work 24-7 without a break, save time for maintenance. These machines and robots aren’t just part of automation but thanks to AI, they are also autonomous with the ability to perform and respond to the unexpected. How fast and how much do you think AI tools take over more tasks in knowledge-based, creative, or thinking jobs, like marketing, planning, tutoring, and creative jobs? In many workplaces, they are already there, helping human jobs like assistants or coworkers. However, as AI tools become more advanced and sophisticated, they will sooner or later replace jobs that once were thought and created by humans. The roles of humans in workplaces are changing rapidly as AI and robotics advance.

Enjoy reading the article and think about how you

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20231128-ai-powered-digital-colleagues-are-here-some-safe-jobs-could-be-vulnerable

Topic Reading-Vol.4243-12/6/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Best Buy’s simple strategy for beating shoplifting: More workers in stores
Most retailers stock their merchandise at their stores, and most of them are accessible to customers. Also, they tend to keep inventories in the backyard, where employees go in and out to move merchandise. Despite state-of-the-art surveillance cameras, there are chances that merchandise or inventory is stolen. In fact, retail shrink is a significant problem for retailers in the US. It is estimated that shoplifting cost $50 billion and employee theft cost over $26 billion to US retailers in 2022. As more retailers are trying to reduce manpower at their storefronts with automated services, kiosks, and self-checkouts, shrinkage increases. What are US retailers doing to cope with in-store theft? Headquartered in Minnesota, Best Buy is a consumer electronics retailer that runs 1,800 stores in the US, Canada, and Mexico with over 125,000 employees who help customers find the right electronics merchandizes for their needs. Their solution to reduce shrinkage is staffing. Indeed, people’s eyes seem as effective as or even more effective than cameras.
Read the article and learn about what shrink is like in US retailers.
https://edition.cnn.com/2023/11/24/business/best-buy-shoplifting-prevention/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4242-12/5/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

The People's Choice Award

This year’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year collected around 50,000 entries from 95 countries, and a French underwater photographer earned the award with his “The Golden Horseshoe” photo. The world photo contest also hosts the year’s People’s Choice Award, where people can vote from a selection of 25 outstanding images, including a polar bear sleeping on an iceberg and kissing hares. Besides those adoring photos, there are ones that highlight the negative impact of humans on the environment, such as a fox on a trash can and an elephant in a heap of garbage.  

If you’re interested in seeing these selected images (and voting for your favorite), visit

https://www.nhm.ac.uk/wpy/peoples-choice

Topic Reading-Vol.4241-12/4/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Authentic: Merriam-Webster's word of the year

First published by Noah Webster in 1828, An American Dictionary of the English Language was the first American unabridged dictionary and the source of all Merriam-Webster dictionaries. Since 2003, Merriam-Webster has been publishing the Words of the Year list each year that contains the ten most looked-up words in the Online Dictionary. Some examples of the most searched word of the year are, “democracy” in 2003, “bailout” in 2008 (financial crisis), “science” in 2013, “justice” in 2018, “pandemic” in 2020, and “vaccine in 2022. This year, “authentic” was the word most looked up in the dictionary. The word has a number of meanings, such as not false, real, actual, and true. The search seems to have been driven by AI, celebrity culture, and social media. Not surprisingly, “deepfake” (AI), “coronation” (Charles), and “indict” (Trump) were also on the top list.

Enjoy reading the learning about the words people were interested in this year.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-67543895

Topic Reading-Vol.4240-12/3/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

New Zealand smoking ban: Health experts criticise new government's shock reversal

In December 2022 under then-PM Jacinda Arden of the Labor Party, New Zealand passed a bill that prohibits the sale of cigarettes to anyone born on or after 1 January 2009 as part of an effort to become smoke-free by 2025. The bill was also supposed to impose major restrictions on availability and nicotine content. It aimed to reduce the leading cause of preventable deaths in the country where around 8% of the adult population smokes. The law has been praised as one of the most progressive moves to reduce smoking. However, the newly formed coalition government abruptly announced that it would scrap the smoking ban to fund tax cuts. Indeed, taxes on cigarettes and tobacco sellers' revenues would be saved if the smoking ban were to be scrapped. But how could a national health policy be revised only after one election? In the meantime, as many as 84,000 people quit smoking in 12 months after the smoking ban was approved. Should a government sacrifice people’s health for money?

Read the article and learn about how democracy works on public health matters in New Zealand.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-67540190

Topic Reading-Vol.4239-12/2/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Indo-Chinese cuisine makes a splash in US dining

Indo-Chinese cuisine is a fusion of Indian and Chinese culinary traditions. It emerged when Chinese immigrants, mainly Cantonese, to Kolkata, then Calcutta, India in the 19^th century adapted their cooking to suit Indian tastes, incorporating Indian spices and flavors into Chinese-style dishes. Soon, it became popular in India and among people who enjoy the blend of these two rich culinary heritages. When the war between India and China broke out in 1961, those Chinese immigrants and their descendants moved out to the US, UK, or Canada. There, some of them opened Indo-Chinese fusion restaurants. Gradually, their menus like Gobi Manchurian, Chili Chicken, and Hakka Noodles became popular with immigrants and visiting students from India and beyond, and they are now part of popular menus in many specialty or ordinary restaurants across the US. If you haven’t tried any Indo-Chinese dishes and like spicy food, you may want to try one.

Enjoy reading the article and learning about Indo-Chinese fusion food.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-67411824

Topic Reading-Vol.4238-12/1/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

In a remote corner of Asia, one of the world’s oldest cities continues to awe visitors

Samarkand is one of the world’s oldest inhabited cities in Uzbekistan, a landlocked central Asian country. It sits about 300 kilometers southwest of and is a two-hour fast train ride from Tashkent, the capital. Samarkand has been at the crossroads of world cultures for over two and a half millennia and is one of the most important sites on the Silk Road traversing Central Asia. It boasts renowned structures like the Registan Square’s three iconic colorful old Islamic schools and Shah-i-Zinda, a necropolis with a collection of beautiful and mysterious mausoleums. As part of the central Asian cultures, Plov, a rice dish like pilaf made with a variety of ingredients, and Obi Non, bread made in a clay oven, are most popular in Samarkand. Visiting bazaars and tea houses, you’ll experience the taste and atmosphere of Silk Road cultures. Along with Bukhara and Khiva, Samarkand is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Enjoy reading the article and seeing the photos of Samarkand, a crossroads of cultures, trading, and learning.

https://edition.cnn.com/travel/samarkand-uzbekistan-guide/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4237-11/30/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

You can get Covid-19 and flu vaccines at the same time, but should you?

As winter approaches in the northern hemisphere, people live and work in a more closed environment. Then the air is dryer inside and even outdoors. Yes, the flu season is coming. Also, COVID-19 is still out there with new variants like HV.1 and EG.5. So, if you’re getting those vaccines, should you get them on different days or on the same day? Studies have found there seems to be no significant difference in antibody levels between different-day shots and same-day shots. Also, after-shot temporary reactions, such as fatigue, headache, fever, and muscle pain are nearly the same. It rather depends on the person. Then the question is whether you go to the clinic once or twice. Would you risk exposing yourself to an environment where there could be other patients with cold, the flu, or COVID-19 twice? Would you experience after-shot reactions twice? Furthermore, would you like to make just one visit or two visits?

Read the article and learn about how two vaccines could be taken before the flu season.

https://edition.cnn.com/2023/11/24/health/covid-19-flu-vaccines-same-time/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4236-11/29/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

American consumers are experiencing sticker shock for domestic wines. How did US bottles get so expensive?

Wines in the US have become more expensive, but not just because of rising demands. During the Covid pandemic, alcohol sales spiked as many people were forced to stay home and needed comfort. They had an extra budget allowance to buy more expensive wines than they used to buy as they could not dine out or travel. This allowed winemakers to raise prices to offset the rising production costs, including bottles, labels, corks, capsules, and labor. None of these improved the quality, flavor, or taste of the wine, though. After the pandemic, the demand declined but the prices stayed high. Winemakers are afraid that consumers might perceive lower prices as having lower quality. Also, the cost to bottle wine is nearly the same for almost any wine. That’s why prices of wines in the US are staying high. But if there are no good affordable wines, consumers are likely to pick alternative drinks, such as craft beers or sparkling alcohol drinks. Winemakers seem to need sound strategies to manage today’s and future business.

Enjoy reading the article and learning about the pricing mechanism of US wines.

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20231121-how-us-wine-became-so-expensive

Topic Reading-Vol.4235-11/28/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

From Sin City to Sports Central: How Las Vegas is betting big on a lucrative industry

Located in the Mojave Desert, Nevada, Las Vegas is a city famous for gambling, shopping, and entertainment. It is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the US, welcoming around 40 million visitors a year. It originally grew as a gambling city with casinos and hotels like Caesars Palac, earning the nickname “Sin City.” Then it added family attractions, including museums, theaters, halls, and amusement parks, and also developed business facilities for conventions, and became known as the Entertainment Capital of the World. Recently, the entertainment city has broadened its business scope to sports events, constructed stadiums and arenas, and hosted Formula 1 racing events, major league sports games, and national title events like the Super Bowl. Now, Las Vegas claims itself as the Sports and Entertainment Capital of the World. It seems that the city is also home to the construction, maintenance, and hospitality industries. What will happen to this desert city in the middle of nowhere in the future? Is this resource and energy-consuming city sustainable?

Enjoy reading and learning about what is going on in the Capital of Gambling, Entertainment, and Sports events.

https://edition.cnn.com/2023/11/18/business/las-vegas-sports-economy/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4234-11/27/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Newborn cloned cat is all Chinese

Animal cloning is the process of creating a genetically identical copy of an animal. The most popular technique of animal cloning is somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT), which involves removing the nucleus from a donor cell and placing it into an enucleated egg cell. The egg cell is then stimulated to develop into an embryo, which is then implanted into a surrogate mother. The first cloned animal was Dolly the sheep, which was born in 1996. Catarina the cat was the first cloned cat from a somatic cell in 2001. Research institutions in China have been working on cloning animals with all-Chinese technologies and machines and recently created its first cat cloned from somatic cells using domestically developed equipment and reagents. They’ve also cloned 20 pigs only with homegrown equipment and reagents this month. These are a few examples of all-Chinese scientific research like the Tiangong Space Station. As the number of newborn children has been declining drastically in China (Vol.4232), the news might remind you of the clone troopers in Star Wars movies.

Read the article and learn about China’s all-domestically cloned cat.

https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202311/22/WS655d6091a31090682a5ef70a.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4233-11/26/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Skiplagging: Why some flyers love it and why airlines hate it
"Skip-lagging" or "hidden-city ticketing" is a practice some travelers use to fly cheaply. It involves booking a flight with a layover at the desired destination and another leg to another airport to make the airfare cheaper. For example, if you want to fly from Los Angeles to Chicago, you might find a much cheaper airfare to Columbus, Ohio via Chicago. So, you buy a ticket to Columbus, fly to Chicago, and discard the Chicago to Columbus flight. The practice has been popular as airfares to major destinations are painfully expensive while the ones to another airport that is connected are much cheaper. On the other hand, it makes the airline fly with an empty seat for the leg and wait for the no-show passenger until the last minute. In fact, the practice is often against the airline's ticketing policies, and it could impose a penalty on the ticket holder. However, as airfares between popular destinations have become more expensive even before the pandemic, some flyers are trying to save as much airfare as they can despite the risk of penalties. Are there any ways for airlines to be more friendly to budget travelers?
Enjoy reading the article and learning about what skip-lagging ticketing is about.
https://edition.cnn.com/travel/skiplagging-hidden-city-explainer/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4232-11/25/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

After Years of Sharp Decline, Will China’s Birth Rate Rebound?

China’s population is around 1.4 billion, nearly the same as India. The nation recorded its first population drop in six decades last year. And its population is expected to fall to around 1.3 billion by 2050 while India’s will increase to 1.7 billion. Furthermore, China is rapidly aging, and the population aged 60 or older is expected to reach 400 million, making up about 28% of the population. That’s because the number of new births has been declining faster than any other country. Over the last several years, the number of newborns has been showing double-digit declines. In fact, there were 18.8 million newborns in 2016 but the number fell to 9.5 million in 2022, which is nearly half of six years before. And the number is expected to decline another 10% or so this year to around eight million. What is going on? As the number of women of childbearing age declines, so does the number of newborns. Also, fewer people are getting married and are not so motivated to have children. If there has been such a rapid decrease in the number of children, what is happening to schools and businesses for children?

Read the article and learn about China’s drastic decline in newborns.

https://www.caixinglobal.com/2023-09-26/blog-after-years-of-sharp-decline-will-chinas-birth-rate-rebound-102112610.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4231-11/24/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Why you see Black Friday sales in July

Americans celebrate a unified Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday of November every year. After a day of family gatherings and feasts, people are ready to shop, either for Christmas or their wish list on Black Friday, the start of the Christmas shopping season. Some stores open as early as midnight to fire up sales with heavy discounts. Indeed, Black Friday has been the busiest shopping day of the year in the US for decades. Nowadays though, the term is used not only on the day after Thanksgiving but also for other promotional events, such as Black Friday in July by Best Buy, an electronic retailer. There is also Cyber Monday, an online sales promotion day on the Monday after Thanksgiving, which now become popular in other markets. Then Amazon, the world’s largest online retailer by market cap, hosted a “Prime Day Sales” event in typical July and another in October this year. All these sales events are intended to stimulate consumers with heavy discounts on promotional items before their competitors do. How will American retailers do this weekend?

Enjoy reading the article and learning about what Black Friday meant and means now.

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20231116-why-you-see-black-friday-sales-in-july

Topic Reading-Vol.4230-11/23/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

How 'ESG' came to mean everything and nothing

Back in 2015, 196 nations pledged to take on climate change with the goal of net zero emissions by 2050 at the UN's annual Climate Change Conference (COP21) in Paris. This led many businesses to add a new perspective on business strategies and investments, called ESG (Environment, Social, and Governance) a framework used to assess an organization's business practices and performance on various sustainability and ethical issues. Some global companies like Axa, Apple, Pfizer, and Proctor & Gamble committed greener or fairer business commitments. However, ESG seems to consist of controversial elements. Environmental and social pledges are for outside of the company while governance is the way that organizations are managed at the highest level, and the systems for doing this. For example, environmentally, the sooner the better to shift from fossil fuel vehicles to new energy vehicles. However, what happens to the cars and gas stations on the roads? That’s a social issue. From the corporate governance aspects, a radical shift to new energy vehicles would affect the bottom line of existing car makers and their suppliers, which is a governance issue. Can corporations and financial institutions keep investing in businesses or projects whose expected returns are lower just under the name of ESG? After all, ESG seems to be a nice label to put on for environmentally and socially responsible corporations that maintain responsible governance.

Read the article and learn about what ESG has meant to the world.

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20231114-how-esg-came-to-mean-everything-and-nothing

Topic Reading-Vol.4229-11/22/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

It’s time to walk the dog (and yourself) for better fitness

If you have a pet dog, how often do you walk them, every day, a few times a week, or less? Just like most of us, dogs want to go out for mental refreshment and physical exercise, too. In fact, most dogs are bored to death at home unless they have frequent interactions with humans or other canine friends. In fact, most dogs need regular walks for their mental and physical health. And if you walk your dog, say for thirty minutes five times a week or 15 minutes 10 times a week, both you and your dog will be in good shape. Actually, you can develop good bonds with your pet dog as you walk or do any activity together. But don’t be too selfish. Not all the dogs are the same. Some are more active and others are not so in physical activities. Pay attention to your dog while walking and adjust the pace and distance according to the dog’s condition, especially when you run or bike. After all, you want your pet dog to enjoy the activity together. Walking shouldn’t be a hardship but fun for both of you.

Enjoy reading the article and learning about the benefits and tips of walking a dog.

https://edition.cnn.com/2023/11/18/health/working-out-with-your-dog-wellness/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4228-11/21/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
After WeWork's bankruptcy, what is the future of coworking?

Coworking spaces have become increasingly popular in recent years, as more people choose to work remotely or freelance. These shared workspaces offer a number of benefits, including flexibility, affordability, a sense of community, and productivity. For example, if you work from home, it is not so easy to draw a line between work and daily life. But in the structured environment of a coworking space, you’re surrounded only by other workers like your office. In fact, as more people started working as freelancers or remote workers, the demand for coworking space has been on the rise, especially since the millennium. Founded in 2010, WeWork was a shared workspace company and grew quickly to become one of the most valuable startups with over 700 locations in 39 countries. Unlike other shared-office operators, WeWork took on long-term leases with property owners and collected members’ fees directly to pay the rent. This would allow them to enjoy any extra revenues above the rent they pay. However, when the demand falls like during the Covid era, or property value falls and their long-term lease contract becomes too expensive, this business model collapses. This is what happened to WeWork and the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on November 6. In the meanwhile, other coworking space providers are enjoying their businesses as they have been. Another example of rapid growth and fall in business.

Read the article and learn about what has made once a shining star in the coworking business.

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20231115-after-weworks-bankruptcy-what-is-the-future-of-coworking

Topic Reading-Vol.4227-11/20/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Cutting 1 teaspoon of salt works as well as blood pressure meds, study finds

Sodium is an essential mineral that plays a vital role in many bodily functions, including nerve impulse transmission, muscle contraction, and fluid balance. In the meanwhile, consuming too much sodium can lead to a number of health problems, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. Even though it is recommended that adults take no more than 2,300 milligrams of salt a day, many people take more salt without putting any salt in their food. That’s because processed and prepared foods contain more sodium than you could imagine, which was added to make the foods tastier, not saltier. For example, if you eat a bowl of minestrone soup and a ham & cheese sandwich for lunch, you’ll get more than half of the daily sodium limit. A new study has found that reducing daily sodium intake helps lower the top blood pressure as much as a hypertension medication. Then how can we cut salt intake? Well, if you eat prepared meals, you hardly have any control over salt intake. So, you’d better prepare meals yourself. Also, if you continue eating low-salt meals, your taste buds will get used to it, and then ordinary foods will taste too salty in a matter of a week. Indeed, just a week of low-salt diet will make you healthier than taking medication.

Enjoy reading the article and learn about how to control daily sodium intake to be healthier.

https://edition.cnn.com/2023/11/11/health/low-salt-diet-or-medication-wellness/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4226-11/19/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Nepal bans TikTok because of ‘disruption’ to social harmony

Launched in China in 2016 as Douyin, TikTok is a video-sharing social networking service owned by Chinese company ByteDance. It is a global platform for creating and sharing short videos, usually 15 seconds to three minutes long, that can be anything from funny skits and dance challenges to educational tutorials and product reviews. It has over 1 billion active users worldwide and is one of the most popular social media platforms in the world. While TikTok has been praised for its creativity and its ability to connect people beyond borders, languages, and cultures, it has also been criticized for its addictive nature and potential to spread misinformation. In 2020, India banned the use of TikTok in 2020 because of the threat to sovereignty and integrity. There were over 120 million users then. The US, UK, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, the five intelligence alliance partners, restricted the use of TikTok on devices issued to government workers for security reasons early this year. Then, Nepal, situated in the Himalayas with a population of 30 million, has decided to ban TikTok because it has spread disharmony, disorder, and chaos in society. Now, those restricted users might be using TikTok rivals, such as Instagram Reeds. YouTube Shorts, Triller, Likee, or other rising apps. Will those countries maintain their integrity, security, and harmony with other short videos?

Enjoy reading the article and learning about another ban on the popular short video app.

https://edition.cnn.com/2023/11/14/tech/nepal-tiktok-ban-hnk-intl/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4225-11/18/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
No, you can’t just ask your wife to make a list. This is how to become equal household partners
Mental load is the cognitive effort involved in managing your work, relationships, family, and household. As it is often called invisible work, the mental load is cognitive and emotional labor to accomplish a task, including forethought, planning, and management, which are often invisible to and unnoticed by others or the partner. For example, if a couple has a baby that starts coughing, it is often the mother who starts thinking about what to do. But when the family car starts making noises, it is usually the man who takes the initiative to contact or visit a repair shop to solve the problem. In both cases, the mental load is involved that might not be equally shared by the partner. Indeed, women are taking most of the mental load of household chores that are often not shared by their partners. That is mainly because of how they grew up in their families and what social expectations usually are. So, just sharing household tasks like putting out trash bags or vacuuming the floor isn’t enough to really share the real workload. How should couples share the mental load? Read the article and learn about hidden workload.
https://edition.cnn.com/2023/11/13/health/mental-load-sharing-tasks-wellness/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4224-11/17/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Delhi AQI: Can artificial rain fix toxic air in India's capital?

As Delhi’s air pollution continues, the Indian capital has closed schools and offices, and restricted construction works and the number of cars on the roads. However, its Air Quality Index (AQI) is still at 10 times the acceptable level. So, the desperate government wants to try any measures that could improve the air quality like cloud seeding. Cloud seeding, or artificial rain, is a weather modification technique used to induce precipitation in areas experiencing water scarcity or drought conditions by introducing certain substances like silver iodide or chloride into clouds to stimulate the formation and development of raindrops. The government hopes that rainfall will wash away particulate matter in the atmosphere. However, the effectiveness of cloud seeding can vary depending on factors like cloud type, weather conditions, and the choice of seeding agents. Also, the environmental impact of artificially created rain remains unclear. All in all, rain isn’t a solution but just a band-aid for air pollution.

Read the article and learn about how artificial rain could work on severe air pollution in the capital of the most populous country.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-67364941 

Topic Reading-Vol.4223-11/16/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Michael Jackson jacket sells for £250,000 at auction

Michael Jackson was one of the most iconic and influential singers/dancers in the history of popular music. Born in 1958, he started his career with his brothers as Jackson 5, took off his solo career in the early 70s, and became King of Pop in the 1980s. Recently, the leather jacket he wore in a Pepsi commercial in 1984 was sold for $300,000 at an auction in London. Why do people buy clothing and items that once belonged to celebrities at inconceivably high prices? Some enthusiastic fans want to own a piece of memorabilia associated with their celebrities for their emotional attachment or nostalgia. Others buy for investment or their collections. Whatever the reasons might be, such clothing and items aren’t bought for a practical purpose. Do you think those who bid thousands of dollars for Michael Jackson’s tight-fit leather jacket are physically fit to wear it?

Enjoy reading the article and learning about how much people spend on celebrity items.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-67388618

Topic Reading-Vol.4222-11/15/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Michelin-starred restaurant closes because it’s too expensive

Michelin stars are an annual restaurant rating system used by the red Michelin Guide to grade. According to the Guide, one star signifies "a very good restaurant using top quality ingredients", two stars are "refined and inspired food that is worth a detour", and three stars mean "superlative, exceptional cuisine like art that is worth a special journey". Once Michelin-starred, the restaurant becomes very popular among gourmet dinners and tourists and its tables are hard to book. However, recent inflation has hit the cost of operation too hard on a Michelin-starred restaurant that has been in business for 26 years in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and made the doors closed. The inflation rate in Northern Ireland has been on an upward trend in recent years. In 2021, the inflation rate was 3.3%. In 2022, it rose to 4.8%. And in 2023, it is expected to reach 6.7%. The rise in inflation has had a significant impact on the cost of living in Northern Ireland. The price of fuel, food, and other essential goods has risen sharply. This has put a strain on household budgets and has made it more difficult for people and businesses to make ends meet, including this prestigious Michelin-starred restaurant. A small yet high-profile victim of the rising prices and labor costs.

Read the article and learn about how inflation impacts

https://edition.cnn.com/travel/michelin-starred-restaurant-deanes-eipic-closes/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4221-11/14/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Can AI cut humans out of contract negotiations?

Large Language Model (LLM) is a type of artificial intelligence (AI) that is trained on a massive amount of text data. LLMs can be used for a variety of tasks, including, text generation, language translation, answering, and summarizing. This new tool is already used in Google Translate, ChatGPT, Grammarly, and Bard. So, LLM is like a large-scale collective knowledge of experts. A legal specialist or layer learns, develops, and uses the knowledge and intelligence to create, examine, and give advice to the client or management on legal documents like an agreement or contract. So, if an AI tool learns language data from a dedicated field of LLM, it could do legal jobs as properly as experienced an expert, and much faster. In fact, specialized AI tools for legal experts can not only examine legal documents like a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) but also make suggestions for changes. For example, it shows acceptable causes in green, unacceptable ones in red, and non-standard clauses in amber. Then, it re-drafts clauses based on the previous agreements from the LLM. The whole process takes only a few minutes, which could take hours even for experienced experts. What legal experts need to do then is to check the suggestions and give approval or changes that might be more suitable for the specific case. Another area AI is taking place over human intelligence.

Enjoy reading the article and learning about another rising power of AI.

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-67238386

Topic Reading-Vol.4220-11/13/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Three big reasons Americans haven't rapidly adopted EVs

While nearly 30% of new vehicle shoppers are likely to consider an EV in the US, they aren’t buying EVs as much as the car and EV industries hoped. Even though annual EV sales are expected to surpass the one million threshold this year in the US, it is a mere one-14th of the global EV sales. Why aren’t Americans buying and driving EVs? The first hurdle is the affordability. The median income for a family of four in the US is around $70,000 while the average electric car costs over $60,000. As inflation and interest rates rise, EVs are still too expensive for average consumers even with government and state subsidies. And remember, most households in the US need more than one car. The lack of reliable charging stations is another roadblock for EVs in the US. The increase in charger installations hasn’t kept up with the pace of EV sales. And not all the charging poles are functioning as properly as they are supposed to. Also, many Americans drive a long distance. When they travel, they neither want their driving range limited by the battery nor spend longer than a few minutes for charging. Indeed, gas stations are all over the place where drivers can also rest, eat, and buy things. In the meanwhile, China’s EV and PHV market is leading the world.

Read the article and learn why the US EV market looks so small in the rear-view mirror.

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20231108-three-big-reasons-americans-havent-rapidly-adopted-evs

Topic Reading-Vol.4219-11/12/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

The floating desalination machines powered by the waves

As the world’s population grows at an unprecedented speed, having added two billion since the millennium, the world needs more water. However, global warming and extreme weather conditions make it harder to provide stable water supply to many regions. The good news is that we have plenty of water in the oceans and seas. If we could desalinate the seawater in sustainable ways, we would be able to provide clean, fresh water for many people. In fact, over 300 million people today use desalinated water in the world, and the demand for desalination plants is increasing. However, most of the conventional thermal desalination plants are highly energy-intensive and use fossil fuels to heat seawater. Another desalination method is the membrane system, which pushes seawater through a semi-permeable membrane to remove the salt. This technology uses less energy than the thermal system but it still requires quite a lot of energy. So, a Canadian start-up came up with a new floating desalination technology that uses a membrane system powered only by the movement of the waves. Of course, water conservation should be the first priority and step to securing clean water for people, plants, and animals, new technologies are on their way for sustainable development.

Enjoy reading the article and learning about new, sustainable ways to produce fresh water.

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-67237006

Topic Reading-Vol.4218-11/11/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Developing countries owe China at least $1.1 trillion – and the debts are due

China is one of the world's largest providers of financial loans and aid to developing countries. As of 2022, the world’s second-largest economy has provided a total of $1.3 trillion in loans and aid to developing countries mainly on infrastructure projects, such as roads, railways, power plants, and telecommunications networks. These projects were expected to help boost economic growth and development in the recipient countries. One example is the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, a $62 billion development project that links the Chinese port city of Gwadar with Pakistan's northern provinces including the construction of roads, railways, power plants, and other infrastructure. Another is the Addis Ababa–Djibouti Railway, a 756-kilometer railway line that connects Ethiopia and Djibouti. China provided $4 billion in financing for the project, which was completed in 2016. Most of these loans had a five to seven years of grace period plus a two-year suspension due to the pandemic. Now, there are at least 57 countries that have outstanding debt to Chinese creditors. Have those heavy infrastructural investments brought out any economic returns to the recipients? Will those borrowers be able to repay the debts, or will those Chinese lenders bear the painful rescheduling or write-off of the loans?

Read the article and learn about the mounting debts in developing countries.

https://edition.cnn.com/2023/11/07/business/china-bri-developing-countries-overdue-debt-intl-hnk/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4217-11/10/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Plastic or paper? The truth about drinking straws

Each year, over 460 million tons of new plastic are produced, which produces about 380 million tons of plastic waste. Approximately, 43 million tons of plastic waste comes from consumer products, including single-use plastics like packages, containers, and straws from the food and beverage industry. In response to consumers’ awareness, many fast-food restaurants and coffee chains have switched from plastic straws to bio-degradable ones like paper. However, they aren’t as durable as plastic ones and become too wet to suck after a while. Also, paper straws are found to contain more lasting chemicals than plastic ones, which stay in the environment for decades and contaminate water and the environment. Also, the amount of gas emissions during the production of bioplastic straws is found to be higher than that of conventional plastic ones. Even though plastic straws are indeed harmful to the environment, no better alternative has been widely produced or used yet.

Enjoy reading the article and learning about the pros and cons of plastic straws.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20231103-plastic-or-paper-the-truth-about-drinking-straws