Topic Reading-Vol.4938-10/31/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Checking your urine plays a key role in your daily hydration habits

Water makes up about 60% of the adult body's weight. It is the main component of most cells, organs, and tissues, and is vital for functions like regulating body temperature, transporting nutrients, and lubricating joints. Water works in conjunction with electrolytes, such as sodium, calcium, and magnesium. Together, they help your body functions, your nerves fire, and your blood pressure stay regulated. When you are dehydrated or overhydrated without enough sodium, your body needs to work harder to keep these functions balanced. How much water you need to take depends on your body size, activity level, and the temperature and humidity you’re in. One easy way to check the hydration level is by checking your urine. The ideal color is pale yellow. If it's darker like the first pee of the morning, you need to take more water. If the color is lighter, you’re hydrated more than enough. Now, consult with your urine about how hydrated you are,

Read the article and learn how essential your hydration level is to your body and health. https://edition.cnn.com/2025/09/30/health/how-much-water-to-drink-wellness

Topic Reading-Vol.4937-10/30/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Life-changing eye implant helps blind patients read again

It is estimated that as many as five million people suffer from an advanced form of dry aga-related mascular degeneration (AMD), a slow-progressing condition where the macula breaks down, causing blurry or distorted central vision. Vision loss from dry AMD is often gradual, though it can progress quickly and lead to noticeable vision deterioration. Though there is currently no cure for the dry form of AMD, a new technology called the Prima implant gives hope for those sufferes to recover visions. The procedure involves inserting a 2mm-square photovoltaic microchip under the retina, special glasses with a built-in video camera, and a pocket processor, which enhances images and send them back to implant and on the brain. After months of training, the patients will learn how to interpret the images. A 70-year old British woman is so happy to be able to read again with the imlant and eye-glasses. Though it is uncertain when the implant is approved or how much it will cost, there is hope for those who lost their eyesight due to AMD.

Read the article and learn about this break-through vision recovery technology.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0qpz39jpj7o

Topic Reading-Vol.4936-10/29/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

People are using AI to talk to God

People have become more accustomed, dependent, and obsessed with using AI chatbots on their PCs and smartphones. Unlike human agents, AI chatbots not only respond to your questions but also give guidance according to the situation or provide a solution to a specific problem. Now, such technologies have created religious chatbots, AI programs designed to offer spiritual guidance and information across various faiths. For example, AI Jesus is used for biblical study and moral questioning. Quran Bot provides information about the Quran and its teachings. GitaGPT offers guidance from the Bhagavad Gita, a synthesis of various strands of Indian religious thought. Without consulting with priests, scholars, or spiritual leaders, followers of the religion can now connect with the scriptures in a contemporary and interactive way at any time from anywhere. Furthermore, in the southern Indian state of Kerala, a robotic elephant performs rituals, accepts offerings, and gives blessings. Artificial intelligence is now taking over the spiritual roles of human priests, monks, religious leaders, and religious texts.

Read the article and learn how interactive AI is playing religious roles in India.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20251016-people-are-using-ai-to-talk-to-god

Topic Reading-Vol.4935-10/28/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

How real-time translation could transform travel – and what we might lose

Nowadays, when you travel to a place where a different language is spoken, smartphones help you communicate with the locals almost instantly, including at the airport or hotel, in a restaurant or store, on the street, or with a driver or a flight attendant. With smartphones, non-English speakers no longer need to use a middle language like English, but they can communicate with each other directly in their own languages, which causes less frustration and misunderstanding. Now, Apple has introduced a live translation feature with its new AirPods Pro 3. It translates the language spoken to the user almost simultaneously while showing the transcripts on the iPhone. For now, only the latest AirPods users can enjoy hands-free conversation in different languages among themselves. Soon, other smartphones will be equipped with such real-time translation powered by AI. Also, AI may soon mimic the way the original speaker talks. Such technology will surely help people communicate in different languages more smoothly and effortlessly. If so, do we still need to learn other languages or use a middle language like English?

Read the article and learn about the new AirPods that translate other languages instantly.

https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20251001-how-real-time-translation-could-transform-travel

Topic Reading-Vol.4934-10/27/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

‘Japanese’ interval walking is an easy way to become fit, experts say

If you have half an hour for a physical exercise, Japanese walking might be an easy yet effective way to improve your health. It is an interval walking practice developed by Japanese researchers to boost physical fitness, improve cardiovascular health, and increase muscle strength in older adults, particularly to help prevent lifestyle-related diseases. Japanese walking involves a 3-minute brisk walk followed by a 3-minute slow walk, and repeat this cycle five times, or for 30 minutes. If you do it five times a week, you’ll get 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week, which is the total weekly exercise recommended by the American Heart Association. This interval walking also gives you the chance to go outside and enjoy the fresh air and environment to improve your well-being. As life expectancy increases (Vol. 4933), this easy-to-do exercise might help people live a healthier and happier life.

Read the article and learn about how interval waking might boost your health.

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/10/17/health/japanese-walking-interval-training-wellness

Topic Reading-Vol.4933-10/26/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers,　

Global life expectancy is back to pre-pandemic levels, but deaths among teens and young adults are rising

Human ingenuity seems to have been conquering infectious diseases. The number of deaths from measles, diarrheal diseases, and tuberculosis has declined since 1950 worldwide. Even Covid-19, which was the leading cause of death in 2021, was quickly contained to 20^th place only after two years, thanks to the quick development and distribution of Covid vaccines, global efforts to limit person-to-person contacts, extensive testing, and mask-wearing. In 2023, the world’s average life expectancy was 76.3 years for women and 71.5 years for men, though it still varies by region. It goes as high as 83 years in wealthy regions but stays as low as 62 years in sub-Saharan Africa. As humans live longer, noncommunicable diseases now account for around two-thirds of global mortality and morbidity, including diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and Alzheimer’s disease. It seems that longer life expectancy poses new challenges to living a healthy life.

Read the article and learn how our life expectancy has increased.

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/10/12/health/global-mortality-risk-factors-adolescents-young-adults

Topic Reading-Vol.4932-10/25/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

'Worse than starting from scratch': how big is the task of rebuilding Gaza?

The Gaza peace plan was finally signed on October 9, and Israel’s aggression against Gaza seems to have stopped, at least for the time being. Nearly 90% of Gaza was destroyed by Israel, leaving 60 million tons of debris, including unexploded bombs and human remains. They need to be sorted and removed or reused before restoring essential services like water, sewerage, and electricity. For example, most of the water wells, reservoirs, seawater desalination plants, and carrier lines have been destroyed or damaged, as well as over 280,000 houses and apartments, and 90% of roads. Also, most of Gaza’s power plants and lines are non-operational, farmland and farm trees are uncultivable, and most school facilities are ruined. So, where to start the rebuilding work? Since land access to Gaza is limited and controlled by Israel, the construction of a deep-water port is urgent to bring in daily essentials, supplies, goods, and materials. But where will the rubble be removed to? How much and how long will it take for the removal and reconstruction work? Who will fund the costs and pay the bills? Moreover, what role will Israel play after having destroyed the Palestinian territory and killed so many civilians?  ( Vol.4922 )

See photos of Gaza

https://www.aljazeera.com/gallery/2025/10/17/people-in-gaza-face-severe-shortages-despite-ceasefire-agreement

Read the article and learn about the significance of the damage in Gaza.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cr5e4ee9r13o

Topic Reading-Vol.4931-10/24/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Scientists create ‘Superwood’ that’s 10 times stronger than steel

Concrete is the most widely used construction material because of its high strength, durability, and versatility, combined with its low cost and widespread availability. However, making concrete generates as much as 7% of the world’s global carbon emissions. Though timber isn’t as strong as concrete or steel, it has more environmental benefits because its production processes are less intensive and its weight is much lighter, which makes the structure more resistant to earthquakes and easier for foundations. A US company has developed a new wood material that offers a much higher strength-to-weight ratio than steel. What it takes to make wood much stronger and durable is a chemical process and hot-pressing. The process seems to work for widely available wood species and bamboo. Furthermore, the carbon emissions to produce this “superwood” are 90% lower than manufacturing steel. The company is planning to produce superwood for external applications like decking and cladding to start with, then internal applications such as wall paneling and flooring, and eventually entire buildings. When will we see wooden skyscrapers?

Read the article and learn about how superwood is produced and used.

https://edition.cnn.com/science/superwood-10-times-stronger-than-steel-spc

Topic Reading-Vol.4930-10/23/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Inside Asia's best countries for expats

If you ask international expats where good places are to work and live, five of the top 10 countries on the list are in Asia, according to this year’s international survey, which asked over 10,000 expats around the world. Thailand, Vietnam, and China are ranked fourth, fifth, and sixth, followed by Indonesia and Malaysia in eighth and 10^th place. Interestingly, highly modernized Asian countries, Singapore, Japan, and South Korea, are not even in the top 30^th in the survey. What do those expats like or value when they work overseas? In the case of Vietnam, though the administrative processes are highly bureaucratic and inefficient, once you get used to them, it is a quite affordable and comfortable place to live and work in. As for China, travelers and expats can enjoy a vast network of public transportation, including air, high-speed railways, subways, and buses to move around. Also, delivery services for food and goods are very well established and affordable. Malaysia seems attractive for expats because of its diverse cultures, English acceptance, affordable living costs, and work-life balance. What people value differs widely, but economy and convenience seem essential to live and work comfortably.

Read the article and learn why these Asian countries are so highly appreciated by expats.

https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20251002-inside-asias-best-countries-for-expats

Topic Reading-Vol.4929-10/22/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

‘Finally, I did it!’: TikTok star Aurélien Fontenoy cycles up Eiffel Tower’s 686 steps in extraordinary world record time

The second floor of Paris' iconic Eiffel Tower is 115 meters high. There is an expansive observation deck with sweeping views of Paris landmarks like the Arc de Triomphe and the Louvre. If you take an elevator from the ground floor, it takes less than three minutes to get there, without counting the time for waiting in line. You can also choose to walk up 327 steps to the first floor and another 347 steps to the second floor, for a total of 674 steps. If you get a special permission, you can also cycle up. How long does it take? The previous record, set in 2002, was a little under 20 minutes. On the 3^rd of this month, a new world record of 12 minutes and 30 seconds was marked by a 35-year-old French cyclist and social media star. He did so not so much by pedaling but mostly by jumping. Now he is trying to cycle up even taller towers like the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest tower in Dubai.

Read the article and learn about a cycler who climbed the Eiffel Tower.

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/10/05/sport/cycling-aurelien-fontenoy-eiffel-tower-intl

Topic Reading-Vol.4928-10/21/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

'Their resilience is a lesson to us all': The maritime lions hunting seals on the beach

Desert lions are lions that have adapted to live in the harsh desert environments in Namibia, in the southwest of Africa. Desert lions are leaner with longer legs than other lions to help them travel vast distances and have slightly thicker coats to handle both hot days and cold nights. They feed on a variety of prey, such as antelopes, ostriches, and giraffes, and get most of their water from the blood and meat of their prey. There are only around 80-100 desert lions in Namibia, and about a dozen of them now live along the coast to hunt seals. They moved from the arid Namib Desert, searching for food, and adapted to the new habitat, the beach. Indeed, climate change has forced the lions to change their diet from animal meat to seafood and habitat from desert to the beach for survival. After reaching the end of the land, where else can these beach lions go?

Read the article and learn about how desert lions have adapted to their new life in Namibia.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20251009-the-photo-showing-namibias-desert-lions-living-on-the-beach

Topic Reading-Vol.4927-10/20/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

No Kings protests draw huge crowds as anti-Trump rallies sweep across US

Authoritarianism is a political system or practice that includes a concentration of power, a lack of political pluralism, suppressed civil liberties, and the use of state-controlled institutions and even armed force to maintain control and suppress opponents. The incumbent US administration led by Trump has been seen as authoritarian since he became President this year. For example, he deployed the National Guard in major cities, including the DC and Losangeles. Also, he suddenly levied excessive tariffs on trade partners and disrupted international trade and supply chains. In addition, the administration used judicial power to investigate and accuse political opponents. His disapproval rating has gone up to 58%, according to a recent poll. Enough is enough. On October 18^th, thousands of people rallied on the streets in many US cities, Canada, and even some European countries, protesting against the authoritarian administration at “No Kings” events. So far, the events have been peaceful, and the deployed National Guard has not interfered. But what will the authoritarian administration do in response to the civil resistance movement? History gives us lessons.

Read the article and learn about the No Kings protests that took place on October 18^th.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c93xgyp1zv4o

Topic Reading-Vol.4926-10/19/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Schools 'excited but wary' of AI as it cuts teacher workload

AI is already helping secondary school students and teachers at schools a lot, the government of Wales in the UK has found. Students are using AI when they are interested in something, need clarification or explanation of something they don’t understand, or review what they have learned during class. It is indeed faster and easier for students to ask AI questions than to bother their teachers or search for information on the Internet themselves. Teachers are also enjoying the benefits of using AI to draft letters and reports and summarize meeting notes, just like any other business does. They also use AI to plan classes, revise students' work, and customize tasks or texts for individual students. As AI has already become part of school life, teachers are now trying to guide students on how to use it responsibly and effectively, rather than policing or ignoring it. Indeed, who uses a paper dictionary to look for the meaning of AI? So, if you use it, use it properly. That is what Welsh school teachers are trying to teach while they are using AI productively. 

Read the article and learn how schools are using and teaching the use of AI.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0lkdxpz0dyo

Topic Reading-Vol.4925-10/18/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

'Do you want a player to die on court?' - tennis in the heat

In major tennis open events, like Wimbledon, the US Open, the French Open, and the Australian Open, men's singles matches are played as best-of-five sets, which could take two, three, or even longer in a close match, while women’s singles matches are played as best-of-three sets. In summer, tennis players have to endure hours running on the court under grueling heat and humidity. There are heat rules in major events that suspend the matches for a break, but tennis players are also humans. When their bodies get too hot, heat exhaustion or stroke could occur. Nowadays, as September is no cooler or less humid than in mid-summer, tennis players are struggling to play in the high heat and humidity. Imagine playing a competitive singles match, chasing and hitting a ball wth full strength, at a temperature as high as 34 degrees with a humidity of over 80% for hours. Just a short break won’t be enough for the players to cool their bodies and regain strength. It seems necessary to arrange the event venue and time for athletes to play without risking their health or life.

Read the article and learn about the heat stress that tennis players have to endure to play a match.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/articles/c1jz4xe3lpro

Topic Reading-Vol.4924-10/17/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Renewables overtake coal as world's biggest source of electricity

While the US administration is ignoring global warming and the world’s effort to cut back fossil fuel consumption, China is driving renewable energy generation in its homeland and abroad. Coal had been the largest source of energy generation until last year, but the growth in solar and wind power generation has outpaced the increasing need for electricity. For the first time, it has become the world’s leading source of electricity in the first half of this year. China is the leading country not only in adding renewable power generation but also in providing economical solar panels around the world. In fact, over half of solar generation is now happening in lower-income countries, thanks to the economically advantageous price of solar panels from China. In the meantime, developed countries like the US and EU are still relying more on fossil fuels to meet the growing demands for electricity, which is driven even further by AI and data centers. By the way, nearly half of the new cars sold in China are new energy vehicles, such as EVs and PHVs. It seems that consistent policies and continuous efforts are both needed to make a big transition happen.

Read the article and learn about what and who are driving renewable energy generation in the world.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx2rz08en2po

Topic Reading-Vol.4923-10/16/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

UN experts condemn 'staggering scale' of executions in Iran

With a population of a little over 90 million, Iran is the 17^th most populous country in the world. The last revolution occurred in 1979, and the current constitution was set in the year, amended only once a decade later. Now, Iran’s crime index is about the same as the USA or Belgium, and its major and ongoing criminal issue is drug trafficking, especially opium, which is brought in from neighboring Afghanistan. So far this year, Iran has hanged over 1,000 people, surpassing the annual total of 975 last year. Approximately half of those executed were convicted of drug-related charges, more than those who committed murder. According to international law, capital punishment for drug-related offences is considered inappropriate. Also, severe punishment alone doesn’t seem to have solved Iran’s drug crimes, as the number of drug-related convicts has been increasing. Iran may not be so dangerous to visit, but it is unwise to touch any drug there.

Read the article and learn how severe drug charges are in Iran.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvgn078zlgro

Topic Reading-Vol.4922-10/15/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Two years of Israel’s genocide in Gaza: By the numbers

On October 7, 2023, Hamas-led militants attacked Israel, killing approximately 1,200 people, and abducted around 250 others. Israel immediately began attacking and invading Gaza, killing thousands of civilians and destroying the Palestinian territory. Two years later, the Gaza War peace plan was signed, and about 1,700 Palestinian detainees from Gaza who had been held by Israel without charge were welcomed with tears when they were released in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. They were freed as part of an exchange in which 20 living Israeli hostages were released by Hamas after 738 days in captivity. According to Al Jazeera, a global media network headquartered in Doha, Qatar, over 67,000 Palestinians, including more than 20,000 children, were killed by Israeli forces. Thousands more bodies were still under the rubble, and 170,000 were injured during the two-year war, including medical staff and aid workers.

Wasn’t such use of force the only way to make Hamas disarm and release the living hostages? Who will now help the Palestinians clean up the mess and rebuild Gaza?

Read the article and learn how devastated Gaza has been in the last two years.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/10/7/two-years-of-israels-genocide-in-gaza-by-the-numbers

Topic Reading-Vol.4921-10/14/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Windows 10 users urged to prepare for Microsoft pulling support

If you’re “still” using the Windows 10 operating system on your PC, today is Doomsday. After October 14, 2025, Microsoft will no longer provide software and security updates or bug fixes for the 10-year-old OS. If you keep using your PC with Windows 10, it’ll become more vulnerable to viruses or malicious software. There are three options you can choose from. The easiest but most costly one is to buy a new PC with Windows 11. Then the least costly option is to upgrade the OS to Windows 11 for free, but only if your PC meets the minimum requirements, including a 1 GHz or faster 64-bit processor with 2 or more cores, 4 GB of RAM, and 64 GB of storage. The last option is to pay $30 to Microsoft to get the Extended Security Updates (ESU) program, but it expires after 12 months. Without the latest defense systems, your “windows” are open to malicious attack. Oh, another way to live with your now vulnerable PC. Disconnect it from the Internet. What would you do now, cost or risk?

Read the article and learn how vulnerable Windows 10 will be after today.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy0vzegkqweo

Topic Reading-Vol.4920-10/13/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Like no other commute on the planet: Inside Saudi Arabia’s dazzling $22-billion metro system

Located in the central region of the Arabian Peninsula, Riyadh is the capital and the most populous city of Saudi Arabia. Its central location makes it relatively accessible to the entire kingdom. To improve the accessibility of the metro area with nearly eight million dwellers, a new, extensive, and driverless metro system started its service last year. The Riyadh Metro features six lines covering over 170 kilometers with 85 stations. Each station is uniquely architecturally designed. For example, located in the historic area, Qasr Al Hokm station has become a landmark itself. It spreads across seven floors, connected by 17 elevators and 46 escalators, and blends the history and modernity of the capital city. Since Saudi Arabia is a strict Islamic society, the trains are divided into three types of carriages: singles for men, family for women or families, and first-class. Be warned. Consumption of food and drinks is prohibited on the train. Saudi Arabia has historic monuments and modern skyscrapers in the desert, and a state-of-the-art metro system underground.

Read the article and learn about the new metro system in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

https://edition.cnn.com/travel/saudi-arabia-riyadh-metro-railway

Topic Reading-Vol.4919-10/12/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Traveling to the European Union is about to get more complicated. Here’s what you need to know

Entry/Exit System (EES) is an automated IT system for non-EU nationals travelling for a short stay of up to 90 days out of every 180 days, each time they cross the external borders of 29 European countries using the system. The system will register the person’s name, passport information, biometric data (fingerprints and captured facial images), and the date and place of entry and exit. The rollout will take six months, and after April 10, 2026, EES will replace manual stamping of passports at all entry/exit points by air, sea, and land. Within three years, even if you have a renewed passport, the system will update your information based on the previous record. EES is expected to prevent irregular migration and help protect the security of those who live in or travel to Europe. Also, the automated border control and self-service systems will provide faster and easier entry to and exit from Europe. Such a system is nothing new in many countries, such as the USA, the UK, Singapore, China, and Japan. Now, next time you travel to Europe from a non-European country, be ready for the updated entry system. Please also be reminded that you’ll need to pay €20 for a travel authorization called the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) from late 2026.

Read the article and learn about Europe’s new entry/exit system.

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/10/10/travel/eu-entry-exit-system-explained

Topic Reading-Vol.4918-10/11/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Is it a cold, flu or Covid – and how to avoid the worst

Not the cooler temperature but the crowdedness that spreads germs and viruses among people. That’s why many people start to get sick in early autumn when they tend to spend more time indoors. If you feel symptoms like a running nose, pain in the throat, muscle aches, or coughing, you suspect you’ve caught a cold or something. It might just be a cold, but it could be the flu or Covid. Which of the symptoms is the sign of a cold, the flu, or Covid? In general, they overlap, but cold symptoms appear gradually while flu symptoms like fever and muscle aches hit you more suddenly. Also, Covid symptoms are generally similar to those of the flu, but may also include a loss of smell or taste. Whichever the symptoms might be, you want to stay home and rest to recover. There is no magical or overnight cure.

Read the article and learn about the symptoms of a cold, the flu, and Covid.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly1rryv2ryo

Topic Reading-Vol.4917-10/10/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Should I use olive oil for frying? How to choose the right cooking oil

Not all cooking oils are equal. Some are suitable for deep-frying, while others provide lower cholesterol when used unheated. Coconut oil, palm oil, and animal fats are high in cholesterol.  Too much cholesterol in the blood, particularly from high levels of LDL ("bad") cholesterol, can lead to plaque buildup in arteries and increase the risk of heart attack and stroke. In the meantime, unsaturated fats like avocado, olive oil, sunflower oil, and vegetable oils are considered healthy and are essential for brain and heart health. When it comes to cooking, some oils, like vegetable or sunflower oils, are high in smoke point and suitable for deep frying. Extra virgin oil adds flavor and health benefits, but unsuitable for cooking because of its low smoke point. It’s not just a choice between butter and margarine, or sunflower oil and olive oil, but also how the oil is used.

Read the article and learn which oil is more suitable for a particular use.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cj3y7j2dz44o

Topic Reading-Vol.4916-10/9/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

2-year-old girl chosen in Nepal as new living goddess worshipped by both Hindus and Buddhists

In Nepal, by tradition, Kumaris are virgin girls chosen as the Living Goddess. They are revered by both Hindus and Buddhists and are selected between the ages of two and four and serve their roles until they reach puberty. The best known is the Royal Kumari of Kathmandu, the capital city. Last month, a two-year-old girl was chosen as the new Royal Kumari. She will live a sequestered life with a few selected playmates and private tutors in her palace most of the time. Even her family is allowed to visit her rarely in a formal capacity. She is dressed in bright red clothes and a red blouse with gold and silver ornaments, and is carried or transported in her golden palanquin because her feet are sacred. When she is replaced by a new Kumari years later, she will leave the palace and start adjusting to normal life, including house chores and attending school.  She will receive a small monthly pension after retirement, but living a normal life after years of seclusion in an isolated environment seems quite challenging for a teenage girl.

Read the article and learn about sacred girls in Nepal.

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/09/30/asia/nepal-girl-new-living-goddess-intl-hnk

Topic Reading-Vol.4915-10/8/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

The perils of letting AI plan your next trip

When planning a trip, some people search for information about the place, climate, transportation, and accommodation, and others just ask questions to a generative AI tool like ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini, or travel AI sites like Layla. Such AI tools can provide the information you are looking for in a matter of seconds, with beautiful images, inspiring adjectives, and concrete travel plans and suggestions according to your schedule and budget. Just like daily lives, we’ve become used to just asking questions to AI and trusting the AI-generated responses without verifying them or searching for information by ourselves. But according to a recent survey, about one-third of the respondents found that their AI-generated travel recommendations included false information, not including those who didn’t realize some of the information was inaccurate or invalid. In fact, generative AI just knows words and tells the user without distinguishing travel advice, directions, or recipes. In some cases, it provides helpful information, but other times, it includes outdated, inappropriate, or unsafe information. For example, a couple enjoyed seeing a beautiful sunset at the top of a mountain in Japan but missed the last ropeway down and were stuck at the mountain top because of the inaccurate timetable on ChatGPT, probably on that particular day. So, be advised to use AI handsomely and verify the information provided, especially when you travel to unfamiliar places.

Read the article and learn about what could go wrong if you just depend on generative AI.

https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20250926-the-perils-of-letting-ai-plan-your-next-trip

Topic Reading-Vol.4914-10/7/2025

 Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Where ‘day-zero droughts’ could happen as soon as this decade

So far this year, there have been severe droughts in many places around the world, including Algeria and Egypt in Northern Africa, the Mediterranean region in Europe, various parts of the USA, Brazil, even in the Amazon basin, and Panama, whose busy canal is restricting transit due to low water levels. When and where will we experience Day Zero drought, when a city or region completely runs out of drinking water available for distribution to its population? When there isn’t enough water supply, such as rain, groundwater, or melting snow or ice, rivers, lakes, and reservoirs dry up. Also, if we use more water than the supply or pump too much groundwater, we will deplete the water supply. In fact, populous cities like Tehran, Kabul, Mexico City, and Los Angeles are facing near-day-zero drought events. A new study predicts that many parts of the world will sooner or later experience periods of extreme water scarcity at unprecedented levels as the global water cycle loses its balance. Since extreme weather events occur more frequently and severely, floods and droughts seem to have become clear and present dangers to our survival.

Read the article and learn about what day-zero droughts could mean to our lives.

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/09/23/climate/day-zero-drought-water-scarcity

Topic Reading-Vol.4913-10/6/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Italian tourist town imposes a tax on visiting dogs

Bolzano is a city in the South Tyrol province of northern Italy. It’s set in a valley amid hilly vineyards and a gateway to the Dolomites mountain range in the Italian Alps. Bolzano is a popular tourist destination with forward thinking, yet deeply rooted in ancient traditions. To keep the city nice and clean, the city charges penalties of up to 600 euros to dog owners who fail to pick up their pets’ droppings. In addition, starting next year, dog owners will have to pay taxes: 1.50 euros daily for visitors and 100 euros per dog annually for residents to offset the cost of street cleaning and fund new dog parks. The city also requires the residents to have their dogs’ DNA registered so that uncollected droppings can be traced. Penalty is one way to help keep the streets poop-free. Civic education is another way to increase people's environmental consciousness. For owners, pets are an integral part of their families, but for residents and merchants on the street, they could be just a nuisance. Dogs can hardly manage their poops.

Read the article and think about how to make dog owners responsible for their dogs.

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/09/24/travel/italian-tourist-town-imposes-a-tax-on-visiting-dogs

Topic Reading-Vol.4912-10/5/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Keep calm and carry cash’: Keep banknotes at home to prepare for crises, researchers say

Nowadays, most stores, restaurants, hospitals, services, public transportation, and businesses close transactions without hard currency, or cash. Especially in developed countries, credit cards, debit cards, and QR codes are preferred or even standard methods of payment, even though non-cash transactions incur service fees to the sellers. In China, most transactions are made either by WeChat Pay or AliPay, and there is scarcely anything that requires cash payment. In Singapore and South Korea, credit card payment is the de facto standard. They are convenient and relatively safer than cash. However, when a power line or internet connection is disrupted by an event such as war, domestic conflict, earthquake, storm, blackout, or outbreak of a contagious disease, the last resort of payment is cash. Having faced catastrophic weather events and Russia’s aggression, several European governments advise their citizens to keep some cash along with a stock of food, water, and other essentials. In that sense, cash is like a spare tire, which is only used when necessary. Preparedness is the key to survival.

Read the article and learn about why cash might play a key role in an emergency.

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/09/24/business/cash-war-crisis-prepare-intl

Topic Reading-Vol.4911-10/4/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Million-year-old skull rewrites human evolution, scientists claim

Emerged originally in Africa and migrated to other continents over a million years ago, homo erectus was the oldest known homo species. It is widely accepted that it evolved and started to diverge into Homo longi, or “Dragon Man”, Neanderthals, and our ancestor, Homo sapiens, around 600,000 years ago. Also, Homo sapiens is thought to have emerged in Africa over 300,000 years ago and started migrating across Eurasia 100,000 years ago. It is assumed that Homo sapiens and Neandertals not only coexisted but also interacted and even interbred with each other. Recently, researchers digitally reconstructed a badly crushed million-year-old cranium of a Homo erectus that was unearthed from a riverbank in central China. To their surprise, it was not the skull of a Homo erectus but a Homo sapiens. If that is the case, these human species, Homo longi, Neanderthals, and Homo sapiens co-existed for hundreds of thousands of years, much longer than previously thought. There must be many more human remains waiting to be unearthed around the world.

Read the article and learn about a revolutionary finding about human evolution.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdx01ve5151o

Topic Reading-Vol.4910-10/3/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

The Gen Z uprising in Asia shows social media is a double-edged sword

In recent years, there has been a wave of youth-led uprisings in South and Southeast Asia, Sri Lanka in 2022, Bangladesh in 2024, and Nepal, Indonesia, and the Philippines this year. They are driven by frustration over corruption, nepotism (unfair use of power to grant an advantage, privilege, or position to relatives of power elites), and bleak economic prospects. These movements weren’t led by political ideologies or social movements, but were digitally fueled by social media. Indeed, short video clips or messages go viral at lightning speed around the country and spark anger among frustrated young people to mass demonstrations and even violence. For example, in Nepal, large-scale anti-corruption and anti-nepotism protests by Generation Z students last month caused 70 deaths, destruction of government buildings, and the resignation of the Prime Minister. It seems unwise for those in power to underestimate the power of digitally armed young people.

Read the article and learn what angered young people in Asia so fiercely.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn4ljv39em7o

Topic Reading-Vol.4909-10/2/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Afghanistan telecom blackout as Taliban shuts off internet

Since their takeover in August 2021, the Taliban have systematically suppressed human rights, especially those of women and girls, while facing a crippled economy and ongoing security challenges. Women’s public life and gender equality are erased, girls are banned from attending school beyond the sixth grade, women are required to wear a head-to-toe covering, and are prohibited from working for civil service or NGOs. Also, most forms of public entertainment are banned, including non-religious music, movies, video games, and even kite flying, a highly popular pastime in Afghanistan. In addition, since last month, the Taliban has disrupted fiber-optic internet connections to prevent immorality, which resulted in a connectivity blackout across the country. Not only people have lost connections, but also business activities, including airports and banks, have been severely disrupted. Without internet connections, people now feel more isolated and lonely than ever, which might have a greater impact on people than other restrictive measures that have already been in place.

Update: The Internet connections resumed 48 hours after the sudden blackout. 

Read the article and learn about the Internet blackout by the Taliban in Afghanistan.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdxqdy5nrlqo

Topic Reading-Vol.4908-10/1/2025

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

CNS Fujian achieves milestone with electromagnetic launch of advanced Naval aircraft

Formed in 1927, the People’s Liberation Army of China is about to celebrate its first centennial anniversary. Technologically, it has advanced rapidly in the last few decades in space, in the air, and also in the sea. For example, Fujian is China’s third aircraft carrier, and its first indigenously designed carrier. It is regarded as the largest and most advanced aircraft carrier outside the US. Though the carrier uses a conventional propulsion system, it is equipped with the most advanced Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS), which is used only by the US’s Gerard R. Ford. The electromagnetic launch system uses a linear induction motor to accelerate aircraft instead of the conventional steam-powered launch system, providing smoother acceleration and faster recharge while requiring less maintenance and less fresh water. Because of its linear acceleration, the launch system puts less stress on the airframe, which allows a wider range of aircraft weights. Recently, Fujian successfully launched and recovered two types of modern naval fighter jets and a twin-propeller early warning and control aircraft, equivalent to the US Navy’s E-2 Hawkeye. China’s proud super carrier is nearly ready to be commissioned. In the meantime, various navies are modifying or developing vessels that can launch drones, which don’t require a high-tech electromagnetic launch system. 

Read the article and learn about China’s highly advanced aircraft launch system.

https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202509/22/WS68d11b43a3108622abca230b_1.html