Topic Reading-Vol.4877-8/31/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

The surprising foods that lead to better sleep

If you want a good night's sleep, you do not want to eat a heavy meal or drink too much alcohol or caffeinated drinks before going to bed. Then what are foods that help you sleep better, a cup of warmed milk or some cookies? Melatonin, a hormone that helps regulate sleep-wake cycles, is released with darkness. It can be supplemented from foods, including eggs, fish, nuts, and seeds. Also, a plant-based diet, including leafy vegetables, beans, peas, and lentils, is rich in magnesium and helps you sleep better. But food itself isn’t enough to assure you a sound sleep. When your brain recognizes the distinctive separation between day and night, it tells your body to sleep or wake up. In addition, if you keep regular hours and eat at consistent times, your body will naturally go into sleeping or active mode. So, it’s not just one super food that helps you sleep better, but healthy eating and regular hours do. And no smartphone in the bed. 

Read the article and learn what could help you sleep better.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250822-the-best-foods-to-help-you-sleep-better

Topic Reading-Vol.4876-8/30/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

What happens when a device nearly every passenger carries onboard a plane erupts in smoke and flames

Most portable electronic devices, including mobile phones, tablets, and laptops, are powered by lithium-ion batteries. They offer high energy density, a long lifespan, fast charging, and a low self-discharge rate. However, they are sensitive to temperature extremes and pose safety risks like fire when overheated. Thermal runaway is a self-perpetuating chain reaction that starts when a battery overheats due to physical damage, overcharging, manufacturing defects, or extreme external temperatures. Nowadays, nearly every airplane passenger brings in or checks in lithium battery-powered devices, and occasionally, they cause a fire during the flight. The US aviation administration now prohibits passengers from packing lithium devices in their checked baggage. China bans passengers from carrying uncertified or over 160Wh power banks on their flights, and South Korea bans passengers from charging devices on board. As more airlines, especially low-cost carriers, are eliminating in-flight entertainment, and more passengers prefer to entertain themselves with their own portable devices, the chances of lithium battery fires on board are increasing. What should you do if a fire breaks out during the flight?

Read the article and learn about the risk of lithium-powered devices on board.

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/08/22/travel/battery-fire-risks-planes

Topic Reading-Vol.4875-8/29/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

New video reveals third strike in deadly ‘double-tap’ attack on Gaza hospital

On Monday, the 25^th of this month, a shell fired by an Israeli tank struck a balcony of the biggest hospital in southern Gaza, targeting a journalist’s camera. Nine minutes later, while first responders, including civil defense workers and other journalists, were attending to the victim, the second and third strikes hit the staircase. At least 22 people, including health workers, emergency response crews, and five journalists, were killed by the attacks. This practice of following a strike with a second strike several minutes later is called a  “double-tap” strike, intending to hit emergency responders and medical personnel rushing to the site. Targeting civilians, the wounded, and those who cannot keep fighting is prohibited by the Geneva Conventions of 1949. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it doesn’t intentionally target civilians.

Watch the images and read the article to learn how journalists and rescue workers were killed at the largest hospital in southern Gaza.

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/08/27/middleeast/gaza-nasser-hospital-israel-attack-three-strikes-intl

Topic Reading-Vol.4874-8/28/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Italy gives final approval for world's longest suspension bridge to Sicily

Lying just off the “toe” of Italy’s “boot”, Sicily is the largest Mediterranean island. It is rich in historical sites, including the Valley of the Temples, Doric-style Greek temples, and Byzantine mosaics. A ferry service across the Strait of Messina connects Messina, Sicily’s harbor city, and Reggio Calabria, the toe of the Italian Peninsula. Since the narrowest point of the strait is only around three kilometers, there have been discussions about building a bridge across the strait. Supporters claim the benefits of boosting tourism to the island and creating jobs, while opponents raise concerns over the mafia’s involvement and safety because the area has an intense seismic record. Earlier this month, Italy’s administration decided to build a 3.3km-span suspension bridge over the strait, the world’s longest, with two railway lines in the middle and three lanes of traffic on either side. Rome hopes to include the construction costs in its defence expenditures, which are expected to amount to 5% of the nation’s GDP. Connecting two distinct lands may spur the local economy, but it’ll also have an impact on local ecology, environment, and heritage.

Read the article and learn about Rome’s attempt to connect Sicily to its mainland.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c80d74v0e4lo

Topic Reading-Vol.4873-8/27/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Watch out, Orlando, a new world theme park capital is rising in the Arabian desert

The Emirate of Abu Dhabi is one of seven emirates that constitute the United Arab Emirates. The city of Abu Dhabi is the capital of both the emirate and the UAE, with a population of a little over two million. As the home base of Etihad Airways, Abu Dhabi International Airport served nearly 30 million passengers last year. It is accessible from Europe, India, and Asian countries, and is known for its fast border processing and easy connections. The subtropical, arid desert city is famous for beautiful beaches, architectural wonders, rich cultural experiences, entertainment attractions, and modern city landscapes, including Louvre Abu Dhabi, Ferrari World, and the Harry Potter-themed land. Now, Disney has chosen Abu Dhabi to build its first new theme park in 15 years. It will be Disney’s most technologically advanced park when it opens in the early 2030s. With Disney’s theme park, Abu Dhabi may host more attractions, hotels, resorts, and entertainment facilities in a climate-controlled indoor environment. Which is more accessible, attractive, or welcoming, Orlando in Florida, or Abu Dhabi in the Arabian Peninsula?

Read the article and learn about how Abu Dhabi is being developed as a modern entertainment hub.

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/08/20/travel/abu-dhabi-world-theme-park-capital

Topic Reading-Vol.4872-8/26/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Why firms are merging HR and IT departments

Traditionally, the human resources department deals with people while the IT department handles information technologies. In general, HR people are good at talking and asking questions to people, but IT people usually aren’t. However, when information technologies further advance with AI and become essential resources to improve work efficiency, some companies are merging or collaborating these two once distinct functions. True. New technologies and methodologies are developed to complement human skills and tasks. When new technologies are introduced, people need to adapt and evolve to leverage them. So, if HR and IT work together, both resources can be used more efficiently and productively. And if certain repetitive tasks by humans are taken over by machines or AI tools, people can work on more complex or sensitive tasks that require human ingenuity. Indeed, people need to work more closely with technologies.

Read the article and learn about how HR and IT can work hand in hand.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy0w8gvq84xo

Topic Reading-Vol.4871-8/25/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Is it time to retire the all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet?

If you stay at a budget hotel in Western countries, you are likely to find simple breakfast offerings, such as cereals, fruit juices, cups of yogurt, breads, and coffee/tea, most of which are consumed in the morning or the next morning. Other hotels may serve a breakfast plate with an egg, ham, and cheese, along with a small basket of bread. But at a four or more-star hotel, you’ll probably find an all-you-can-eat American or full breakfast buffet that offers a variety of salads, cuts, fruits, hot meals, and desserts. At such an alluring buffet, people tend to grab much more food than they usually eat or finish. Also, a lot of food still remains on the counter when the last guest finishes their meal. Indeed, all-you-can-eat buffet has been a symbol in hospitality when abundance was considered luxury. However, as hotel guests have become more environmentally conscious, hotels are now trying to offer more thoughtful and sustainable breakfast offerings for their guests and the planet. Does it have to be a buffet? What is wrong with a made-to-order breakfast? How about a hybrid?

Read the article and think about what breakfast you expect at your next hotel you will stay at.

https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20250815-the-slow-death-of-the-breakfast-buffet

Topic Reading-Vol.4870-8/24/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Israel and the Palestinians: History of the conflict explained

Jerusalem is one of the oldest cities in the world and is also considered holy to three major Abrahamic religions, Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. Jerusalem is claimed as the capital city by Israel and Palestine. Palestine is a Middle Eastern nation-state including the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem, which is currently occupied by Israel. In the small land space, over five million, mostly Arabian Muslims, live. In 1947, the UN voted for Palestine to be split into separate Jewish and Arab states. A year later, Israel was established and was recognized by the UN. The newly formed Jewish country fought several wars against its neighbouring Arab states for its territory and security. In the meantime, Palestine declared independence in November 1988, and it is recognized by 147 UN member states. In October 2023, Hamas, a Palestinian nationalist Sunni Islamist political organisation with a military wing, launched armed incursions from the Gaza Strip into the surrounding area of Israel and abducted over 250 Israelis. As a response, Israel quickly attacked Gaza and restricted the flow of people and goods into and out of Gaza. The Gaza war still continues and worsens, having killed over 50,000 Palestinians and wounded more than 100,000. Want to learn more?

Read the article and learn about the history and conflicts between Israel and the Palestinians.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckgr71z0jp4o

Topic Reading-Vol.4869-8/23/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

What is AI, how does it work and why are some people concerned about it?

AI can create new content, including text, images, and videos, write code, or hold text conversations with users by learning from vast quantities of existing data. AI is also used for voice-controlled virtual assistants like Apple’s Siri and Amazon’s Alexa, and recommending features in social platforms like TikTok, YouTube, or Facebook. In addition, generative AI can produce music and artwork. In the meantime, while AI improves productivity, it has eliminated thousands of human jobs. Also, critics are concerned about AI reproducing biased information, discriminating against certain social groups, and creating biases when it learn information from inaccurate or inappropriate sources. Indeed, AI is so convenient and helpful that students and workers often use it inattentively or unconsciously in schools and workplaces, creating irresponsible outputs. In addition to generative AI, agentic AI is on the horizon, which autonomously takes actions, makes decisions, and adapts to new situations once specific goals are given. In order to provide AI services and solutions, a lot of new data centers are being built, and more are being planned. They house thousands of racks of computer servers that require an enormous amount of electricity to run and water to keep them cool. Another human-caused pressure on the environment. Does AI provide solutions to its own problems?

Read the article and learn about what and how AI works

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c2l799gxjjpo

Topic Reading-Vol.4868-8/22/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Nearly a million more deaths than births in Japan last year
It’s not just South Korea that is facing a population crisis. 50 years ago, Japan’s population was 112 million, and it increased to 127 million in the millennium year, including 840,000 and 1.3 million foreigners, respectively. Now, the total population has declined to 124 million this year, including 3.6 million foreigners, representing nearly 3% of the population. In the last three years, over 1.5 million Japanese died while only 810,000, 770,000, and 686,000 Japanese were born in the same years, meaning more than two people died for every newborn recently. In the meantime, around 30% of the population, or around 36 million, is 65 years or older. The declining birth rate and aging population are putting pressure on pension and health care systems. The government is encouraging senior citizens to work more and put off their state pension, while adding measures to help young people start their families. The good news is that the number of foreign residents has increased by around 300,000 in each of the last three years, many of whom take jobs that are unpopular with the Japanese, earn and spend money, and pay taxes. Many businesses are already relying on foreign workers, including healthcare, services, construction, and even manufacturing. In the near future, the number of new foreign residents may outnumber Japanese newborns.
Read the article and learn how seriously Japan is losing its population.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c74dnzr4jdvo

Topic Reading-Vol.4867-8/21/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

A heartbreaking economic indicator: More people are giving up their pets

During the COVID-19 pandemic, as in some other countries, pet adoption surged in the US as people suddenly had more time at home and sought companionship. Naturally, as the pandemic eased, the market for pets slowed down as well, largely due to the pulled-forward demand. Some pet owners then realized that owning and caring for canine and feline companions are more demanding and costly than they had expected. Daily walk, vet visits, food, treats, and pet sitters during absence all add up. Some pet owners gave up living with their once-beloved pets and surrendered or abandoned them. In addition, recent inflation has hit pet owners even more severely. For example, the price of dog food has increased by over 40% on average when compared to 2020 prices. In addition, inflation has pushed up housing costs and food prices. As a result, an animal care & control center in North Carolina has received 43% more owner surrenders so far this year over last year. With higher tariffs on commodities, deportation of undocumented workers (Vol. 4853), rising housing prices and home insurance premiums, and continuing layoffs by tech companies, more pet owners may have to make a hard decision. Will all those abandoned or surrendered pets be rescued and adopted? A deposit or insurance for new pet owners might ease the financial burden on animal shelters.

Read the article and learn about increasing pet surrenders in the US.

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/07/27/economy/us-pet-surrenders-shelters-economy

Topic Reading-Vol.4866-8/20/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Watch a cheetah up-close as it chases its prey
The cheetah is a large wild cat that has narrow shoulder blades and long limbs. Adult cheetahs reach 67 to 94 cm at the shoulder and weigh between 21 and 65 kg. Unlike other big cat species, cheetahs cannot roar. Instead, they chirp, purr, and make other noises. They mainly live in grasslands, mountains, and deserts in southern and eastern Africa, some in Iran, but their habitat has shrunk to one-tenth of their historic range. Because of the habitat loss, conflict with and poaching by humans, their population is estimated to be around 6,500, and the cheetah is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. They are active during the day, during dawn and dusk in particular, and hunt small mammals like hares and birds, to medium-sized mammals like gazelles and impalas, in deserts, savannas, or grasslands. The cheetah is the world’s fastest land animal, top speed reaching 100 km/h, to chase their prey. Can you imagine how it runs?
Watch the video to see how the fastest land animal runs in close range.
https://www.bbc.com/reel/video/p0lsb4qj/watch-a-cheetah-up-close-as-it-chases-its-prey

Topic Reading-Vol.4865-8/19/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Why Americans can’t chill out about ice-free European beverages

In Europe, it is uncommon to put ice into cold drinks. If you request ice for your drink in Europe, you may find an ice cube in your drink. However, in America, cold drinks are usually served with ice cubes, and they aren’t floating in cold drinks but the drink is poured into a mass of ice cubes. For example, if you order a glass of Coke or iced tea at a café or on a flight, you’ll find massive ice with little drink. If you stay at a hotel in America, you’ll likely find ice machines on each floor. Also, American refrigerators usually have huge freezers and ice dispensers. It is an American custom to enjoy cold drinks with ice, even though ice dilutes the drink and changes the taste. Why are Americans so obsessed with ice? Is that because of Americans’ love for soda, which tastes dull if you drink it lukewarm? Interestingly, you’ll also see ice in cold drinks in Eastern and South-Eastern Asia, whose modern cultures are somewhat more influenced by the US than Europe. One thing you might want to check before enjoying your drink with ice is if the tap water there is safe to drink.

Read the article and learn why Americans love ice in cold drinks but Europeans don’t.

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/07/25/travel/european-versus-us-ice-water-debate

Topic Reading-Vol.4864-8/18/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Make your daily walk do more for your body

We all know that walking offers a lot of benefits to our physical and mental health. Many of us also know that 30 minutes of brisk walking per day helps enhance fitness, improve cardiovascular health, reduce stress or anxiety, and even lower the risk of chronic diseases. However, some people walk like ducks, hips open and feet angled outward, or the opposite, hips internally rotated and feet angled inward, both of which could hinder glute activation and postural alignment. Also, carrying a bag or gazing at a smartphone with one hand would outbalance your walking posture. To improve your daily walking quality and benefits, there are several aspects you want to pay attention to, such as foot strike, balance, use of glutes, eyes, breathing, and arm movements. Do you want to do the wrong thing for your body for half an hour every day, or do the right thing?

Read the article and watch the video to learn how to walk better.

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/07/24/health/walking-full-body-exercise-wellness

Topic Reading-Vol.4863-8/17/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Turbulence is increasing.  Here's how the aviation industry is trying to smooth things out

Most air travelers, whether on commercial or private flights, have probably experienced bumps or shaking during flight. Turbulence is irregular air movements that are caused by various factors, including weather events, jet streams, and geographical features like mountains. Also, clear-air turbulence (CAT) sometimes occurs suddenly and violently in clear skies, which is invisible to satellites, radar, or human eyes. The number of CAT incidents reported has been increasing, and some of them have caused injuries and even deaths. Last year, when a London-Singapore flight encountered severe turbulence over Myanmar, the aircraft dropped over 50 meters in less than five seconds, killing one passenger and injuring dozens. Because of global warming, air turbulence is expected to increase by three times in the next 20 years and have impacts on busy routes across East Asia and the North Atlantic. One of the countermeasures is to use AI to predict turbulence, especially CAT, more accurately. Another approach is to use Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) to create a 3D map of the air around an airplane, just like self-driving vehicles on the road. Also, adding small flaplets to larger flaps on aircraft wings could counteract changes in airflow. In the meantime, always buckle up when you are seated on your flight.

Read the article and learn about increasing air turbulence.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250725-how-aircraft-designers-are-beating-rising-turbulence

Topic Reading-Vol.4862-8/16/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

India can't wish away coal - but can it be made cleaner?

India, the world’s most populous country with over 1.4 billion people, is situated in the tropical and subtropical temperate zones where summer temperatures often go well over 40 °C. Its economy is the fourth largest in the world and is growing rapidly, and also the third-largest greenhouse gas emitter after China and the US. India's greenhouse gas emissions have been increasing rapidly due to its growing population, expanding economy, and therefore, rising energy demand, which has grown nearly 10% in the last several years and is growing more rapidly. More than 40% of the carbon emissions are created by electricity generation, and over 70% of the nation’s electricity is generated by coal-fired power plants, emitting a significant amount of greenhouse gases. To clean the air on the road, drive EVs and E-motorcycles. To make the room temperature livable or workable in the heat, turn on the air conditioning. How should India deal with the rapidly growing demand for electricity while limiting greenhouse gas emissions?

Read the article and learn about India’s high dependency on coal-fired power generation.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cpd184g6dj8o

Topic Reading-Vol.4861-8/15/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Denmark zoo asks people to donate unwanted pets to feed predators and imitate ‘natural food chain’

Carnivores, like lions, tigers, wolves, and sharks, are animals that primarily eat meat or other animals. They can be predators or scavengers and play a vital role in the food chain by regulating populations of other animals. In zoos in Denmark, when animals have died or been culled to avoid inbreeding or maintain a healthy population, they are fed to predators in the zoo. For example, when a young healthy giraffe named Marius was euthanized to avoid inbreeding in 2014 in the Copenhagen Zoo, it was fed to other zoo animals (Vol. 685). So, it was not new when a zoo in northwest Denmark posted on social media channels last month a call for unwanted animals, such as chickens, rabbits, guinea pigs, and small horses, to feed its carnivores. It said those donated animals would be gently euthanized by the zoo’s trained staff and then served as food for lions, lynxes, and Sumatran tigers. It is, indeed, the natural food chain that is essential for the survival of all animals in a given biosphere. When you have a domestic animal whose life is about to end, would you eat it yourself, bury it if you have the land, or donate it to feed predators?

Read the article and learn about how the food chain is maintained in zoos in Denmark.

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/08/04/europe/denmark-aalborg-zoo-pets-predators-intl-hnk

Topic Reading-Vol.4860-8/14/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers,  

Italy's undercover pizza detectives

Born as a street food in Naples, Italy, in the late 1800s, pizza has become one of the most popular dishes in many places around the world. There are diverse styles and regional variations, such as Pizza Napoletana, Pizza Romana, Sfincione (Sicilian pizza), pizza al taglio, and pinsa romana. Two traditional types of Neapolitan pizza represent the typical Neapolitan pizza: the Margherita, topped with tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, and fresh basil, and the Marinara with oregano, garlic, and tomatoes but without cheese. In 1984, the True Neapolitan Pizza Association (AVPN) was founded to promote and protect in Italy and worldwide the true Neapolitan pizza, which is inscribed on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list. After its rigorous nine-day training course at AVPN, trainees take exams to be certified pizzaiolo. There are about 1,000 accredited pizzerias in many parts of the world that employ an AVPN-trained pizzaiolo and maintain strict standards. Those restaurants and pizzerias are secretly inspected by pizza agents from AVPN, and if a problem is verified, the restaurant or pizzeria is removed from the list. While the organization is committed to preserving the tradition, it is also accepting new styles of cooking, including electric ovens and untraditional toppings. After all, the pizza of today isn’t the same as the one when the organization was established four decades ago.

Read the article and learn about what is so special about authentic Pizza Napoletana.

https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20250801-italys-undercover-pizza-detectives

Topic Reading-Vol.4859-8/13/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

North Korea sent me abroad to be a secret IT worker. My wages funded the regime

North Korea has been imposed economic and financial sanctions by many countries, including the US, the EU, India, Japan, and the UN for more than a dozen years to pressure it to give up its nuclear projects, cyberattacks, money laundering, and human rights violations. But the world’s most secretive and authoritative nation still needs to earn foreign currencies to purchase electric parts, equipment, machinery, oil, and luxury items for the elite from other countries. They send dancers and singers to state-run Korean restaurants abroad to earn money and send it back to North Korea. Also, they make their IT specialists disguise their identities to work for foreign employers and send back most of their earnings to the regime. Those IT workers abroad make little money for themselves, but most of them feel their lives are better than back home. In some cases, such workers are forced to engage in stealing data or hacking their employers to demand ransoms. How will North Korea use agentic AI to manage the international sanctions?

Read the article and learn about secretive North Korean IT workers working abroad.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c15wk77zxngo

Topic Reading-Vol.4858-8/12/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Why Filipinos keep getting married in flooded churches

Situated on the eastern shore of Manila Bay, Manila is the capital of the Philippines, where over 13 million people live in the Metro area, one of the most densely populated and flood-suffering areas in the world. Naturally, the area is a floodplain with four rivers that act as natural water channels. Also, as many as 10 typhoons hit the Philippines each year, making the island nation one of the most vulnerable countries to tropical cyclones. Furthermore, human factors, including overdevelopment, over-extraction of groundwater, insufficient drainage systems, and the buildup of silt and waste in waterways, make the metro area more vulnerable to flooding. For those who plan to have an event in a week or so in advance, they can take the weather forecast into consideration. But wedding ceremonies are usually scheduled months in advance. Also, funeral services cannot be planned earlier than a week. So, sometimes, the bride and groom have to wade through knee-deep water, and a casket can be placed on stilts above water for their services in church. Will the Philippines relocate its capital functions to a less crowded place like Indonesia did in its sinking capital city, Jakarta?

Read the article and learn how vulnerable the Philippines’ capital is to flooding.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn9y02rn7pzo

Topic Reading-Vol.4857-8/11/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

The new tourist fines sweeping Europe

Though it may be too hot in many places, summer is the time for many to have fun. But there are summer vacationers who enjoy just themselves doing what they want with little or no respect or consideration for the residents, local community, or environment. In addition to overtourism, many popular tourist destinations in Europe have come to the point of imposing penalties on unruly tourists who behave poorly, causing trouble or disruption to the local community. In Barcelona, Cannes, and Venice, those who wear only swimwear away from the beach will be fined up to €1,500. In Mallorca and the Canary Islands, drinking alcohol in public may cost €3,000. In Greece, if you take a shell or pebble from a beach, you may be fined as much as €1,000. Also, if you swim in a canal in Venice, you could get a €350 fine. These rules may sound too rigid or punitive, but they also protect the vacation experiences of responsible and considerate travelers. And again, your travel destinations are also the hometowns for the residents. Do you want to be welcomed or unwelcomed?

Read the article and learn about fines introduced for unruly tourists.

https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20250808-the-new-tourist-fines-sweeping-europe

Topic Reading-Vol.4856-8/10/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

YouTube to be included in Australia’s social media ban for children under 16

Children are vulnerable to cyberbullying and exposure to harmful content, especially on social media. Last November, Australian parliament passed a bill to ban children under 16 from using social media, the world’s strictest laws. Australian children below the age of 16 will be unable to have social media accounts under the ban, including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, X, and YouTube after December 10 this year. These social media companies will be required to take "reasonable steps" to ensure there are no workarounds before the restrictions take effect, or they could face fines of up to $50 million. Children will be able to access YouTube, the most popular video platform, but will not be allowed to have their own YouTube accounts. The decision was made after the nation’s online regulator found that nearly 40% of children surveyed reported seeing harmful content on YouTube, including sexist, misogynistic, or hateful ideas, dangerous online challenges, fights, or unhealthy eating or exercise habits videos. SNS platformers are trying to detect underage users by using AI to deactivate personalized ads while activating well-being tools. But most children spend hours each day on screens. What will they do? Will they watch Disney videos or read educational content?

Read the article and learn about Australia’s strict ban on social media for underage users.

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/07/30/tech/australia-youtube-social-media-ban-intl-hnk

Topic Reading-Vol.4855-8/9/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

The Caribbean islands that give you a passport if you buy a home

Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St Kitts and Nevis, and St Lucia are five island nations in the Eastern Caribbean, with each population ranging from 53,000 to 183,000. They not only attract tourists to their coastal resorts and communities but also welcome new citizens who invest or donate money to their countries. They offer a Citizenship by Investment (CBI) program, which allows individuals to gain citizenship in a country by making a significant financial contribution to its economy. They will issue a passport that allows the holder to enter 150 countries without a visa to those who purchase a property or make a donation of greater than USD200,000. Having a second citizenship in a country where capital gains or inheritance taxes is strong incentives to those who want to save taxes. Also, it could serve as a safety guard for those who are concerned about their nation’s status or future, including the USA. However, the program could be used by those who try to evade taxes or conduct criminal activities. Still, CBI has become an integral part of their GDP and infrastructure development for those Caribbean countries where sea levels are rising faster than the global average. 

Read the article and learn about the Caribbean countries that are effectively selling a passport.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly88xg5d9vo

Topic Reading-Vol.4854-8/8/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

What ‘starvation’ really means, for the human body and for Gaza

The Gaza Strip is the smaller of the two Palestinian territories in the Southern Levant region, surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea, Egypt, and Israel. An estimated two million people, mostly Muslims, live in the narrow 365 km² area. Immediately after the Hamas-led attack on Israel in October 2023, Israel started attacking and invading the Gaza Strip. It killed tens of thousands of civilians and destroyed most dwellings, buildings, roads, and infrastructure, and made the area nearly uninhabitable. There are only three crossings in and out of Gaza, all of which are now controlled by Israel. Far less than the daily essentials needed, including water, food, and medicine, have been brought into the strip for the two million residents, journalists, medical staff, and aid workers. This man-made starvation, malnutrition, and disease are driving a rise in hunger-related deaths, or famine, among everyone in Gaza. What does severe and prolonged starvation do to the body? What is starving to death like?

Read the article and learn how people in Gaza are suffering from man-made starvation.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/8/4/what-starvation-really-means-for-the-human-body-and-for-gaza

Topic Reading-Vol.4853-8/7/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

How Trump’s mass deportations could backfire on the American economy by shrinking paychecks

Under a deep, prolonged recession, people are content with any jobs they can get to bring food to the table. However, in peacetime in developed countries, people prefer doing skilled or white-collar jobs to unskilled labor, such as farming, construction, restaurants, and car washing. In fact, around 40% of crop farmers in the US are unauthorized workers, mainly illegal immigrants. For example, if you visit a strawberry farm or a car wash, you’ll find most of the workers are undocumented Latinos. The current administration is trying to deport illegal immigrants on a massive scale, saying they have caused violent crimes, raised housing costs, eroded social trust, and crowded emergency rooms. However, a new analysis suggests such mass deportations reduce paychecks for most workers, erode economic output, and increase the federal government budget deficit. Indeed, the fewer the bodies to produce, the smaller the economic outputs and consumption will be. And the longer the deportation continues, the more substantial the economic impacts will be. What is those illegal immigrants were legalized, at least economically, wouldn’t they pay taxes, contribute to social security, and eventually stimulate economic activity?

Read the article and learn about the illegal labor force in the US.

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/07/25/business/trump-jobs-immigration-economy

Topic Reading-Vol.4852-8/6/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki

80 years ago today at 8:15 am (Japan time), the first atomic bomb, nicknamed Little Boy, was dropped by a US B-29 bomber, Enola Gay, on Hiroshima. It exploded at 580 meters above the city, destroyed 12 square kilometers, and killed over 100,000 people, mostly civilians, by the end of the year. Three days later, on August 9, the second atomic bomb, nicknamed Fat Man, was dropped by Bockscar, another US B-29 bomber, at 11:02 am, killing more than 40,000 civilians instantly and an additional 30,000 by the year's end. In both sites, many survivors who were injured or appeared uninjured had to live torturous days until their death or throughout their lives because of the radiation. The nuclear weapons were said to be used to end the long-lasting war with Japan, avoid creating further US casualties, and demonstrate power to the Soviet Union. However, a recent survey of Americans shows mixed views about the use of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, among justified, not justified, and not sure. Now, eight decades after the bombings, fewer than 100,000 atomic-bomb survivors are alive. The inhumanity of nuclear weapons should never be forgotten.

Read the Wikipedia explanation about the atomic bombings eight decades ago.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomic_bombings_of_Hiroshima_and_Nagasaki

Topic Reading-Vol.4851-8/5/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

World’s top court says major polluters may need to pay reparations for climate harm

Established in 1945 in The Hague, the Netherlands, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations. The ICJ is the only international court that settles general disputes between countries, with its rulings and opinions serving as primary sources of international law. On July 23, the top UN court said polluting countries may be in breach of international law if they do not protect the planet from the “existential threat” posed by climate change. In addition, the court said countries that suffer from climate change can ask for compensation from countries that have burned the most fossil fuels. In addition, the court ruled that subsidizing the fossil fuel industry or approving fossil fuel exploration licenses could breach their obligations to the 2015 UN Paris Agreement. Though the ruling is not legally binding, climate-vulnerable states and frontline communities are delighted.

The US is the country that has cumulatively emitted the most greenhouse gases, and China is currently the largest annual emitter. The Trump administration withdrew from the World Health Organization in January. In June, it proposed opening the large national petroleum reserve in Alaska for oil and gas leasing. Last month, it announced that it would pull out of UNESCO for the second time. In China, nearly half of the new cars sold were EVs this year. How will the largest greenhouse gas-emitting countries react to this landmark ICJ ruling?

Read the article and learn about the recent ICJ ruling on global warming.

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/07/23/climate/icj-advisory-opinion-climate-un-court

Topic Reading-Vol.4850-8/4/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Will AI really wipe out white collar jobs? Tech insiders are split

Automation performs repetitive tasks that were done by humans in a more precise manner by robots or machines. It has been used in various fields, such as manufacturing, robotics, automotives, and service. Those robots and machines are costly because they require capital expenditures, hardware repair, upgrade, or replacement. On the other hand, AI is easily adopted to improve human tasks. Also, since AI is installed and upgraded by software, AI tools can be used without upfront capital expenditures, but with subscription fees. Tech companies say a quite significant part of their coding tasks has already been done by AI, and they expect more will be done by AI in the coming years. In addition, agentic AI is emerging, which can operate autonomously, making decisions and taking actions to achieve goals with minimal human intervention. With such an autonomous tool, humans can work on more creative or relational tasks. In the meantime, it may take over jobs that are done by human workers soon, if not tomorrow.

Read the article and learn about what AI does and will do to human jobs.

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/07/21/tech/ai-replace-human-workers-tech-insiders-split

Topic Reading-Vol.4849-8/3/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Solar and batteries could help Egypt beat its blackouts

Summer is hot in many parts of the world, especially in Egypt. Average high temperatures go well over 30 degrees, even though nighttime temperatures drop significantly. Indeed, except for the coastal regions on the Mediterranean Sea, most of the land in Egypt is desert, where there is a lot of sunshine but little or no rain. Recently, demand for electricity has surged in summer to combat the intense heat with air conditioning. For now, nearly 90% of the country’s electricity is generated by fossil fuels, mainly gas. The problem is that production from the nation’s major gas field is declining, and Egypt is struggling to supply enough electricity, especially in summer. In the meantime, there is more than enough sunshine in the desert, which could be turned into a mega solar power plant. However, since solar panels only work when there is sunshine, battery storage is also needed to supply electricity even when the sun isn’t shining. The good news is that costs for batteries, solar panels, and installation have been falling recently, which allows Egypt to develop a large-scale solar power plant. The Obelisk solar energy project is Egypt’s first gigawatt-scale solar and battery plant to make use of the abundant sunshine in the desert.

Read the article and learn about Egypt’s attempt to combat summer with solar power.

https://edition.cnn.com/world/africa/egypt-solar-battery-energy-obelisk-spc

Topic Reading-Vol.4848-8/2/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

English majors face uncertain future as AI replaces basic skills

Some students choose language majors for their interests, while others study foreign languages for their careers. However, AI tools aren’t limited to just one foreign language that students major in. They can now translate many languages almost accurately, quite fluently, and economically, 24/7 for most business and practical purposes. As a result, those who have majored in foreign languages are not as in demand as they were before in China. In the last few years, Chinese students with foreign language majors have had difficulty finding good jobs, if any. For example, international trade and business hires declined from 28 percent in 2010 to 18 percent in 2023, while translation and localization roles dropped from 15 percent to 8 percent during the period. Accordingly, Chinese students are now choosing more practical and skill-oriented majors, such as IT or engineering. Accordingly, some universities, including top-tier ones, have stopped enrollment for foreign language majors and master’s programs. Even though language learning isn’t limited to translation, more Chinese students now prefer studying more business-oriented academic fields or developing practical skills in college for their careers.

Read the article and learn how AI affects college majors in China.

https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202507/15/WS68759d64a31000e9a573bfc5.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4847-8/1/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Unique 1.5m year-old ice to be melted to unlock mystery

An ice core is a core sample removed from an ice sheet in Antarctica or a high mountain glacier. Analyzing an ice core is like riding on a time machine. It contains ice formed hundreds of thousands to over a million years ago. From deep inside Antarctica’s ice sheet, 2.8km of ice core was extracted, chopped into one-meter blocks, and transported to research facilities in Germany, Switzerland, and the UK. Researchers are now analyzing them to learn wind patterns, temperature, sea levels, and more, hoping to identify the cause of a mysterious change in climate that occurred 800,000 to 1.2 million years ago when the planet's glacial cycles suddenly changed. Very careful handling is required in order not to have the ice cores affected by today’s environment.

Read the article and learn about what ice cores from Antarctica could reveal about the climate of a million years ago.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5ygwd6yj28o