Topic Reading-Vol.5060-3/2/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Gender pay gap won't close for another 30 years, warns trade unions group
In the UK, the Equality Act 2010 entitles individuals to equal pay for "like work," work rated as equivalent, or work of equal value. The act protects against unfair treatment based on age, disability, marriage, race, religion, sexual orientation, and gender. However, according to a trade union, despite a slow, long-term downward trend, there is still a considerable pay gap between men and women in the UK. On average, men are paid 12.8% more than women by UK companies with more than 250 staff in the same industries. The gender pay gap is equivalent to a month and a half of the annual pay. Though the gap varies by industry, like 27% in finance and insurance, 17% in education, and 13% in health, it still exists across the board, both in full-time and part-time. Also, the widest pay gap is seen among workers in their 50s. The union attributes the cause to the long-term effects of women pausing or reducing their career opportunities for childbearing and caring responsibilities. In the meantime, the total fertility rate of the UK is now around 1.4, far below the reproduction level of 2.1. It seems essential to improve not only protections for expectant and new mothers, but also parental leave for both parents to reduce the gender pay gap while increasing the fertility rate.
Read the article and learn the inconvenient fact about the gender pay gap in the UK.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvg5l75yx6vo

Topic Reading-Vol.5059-3/1/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

China has another solution to its shrinking population: robots

Thanks to the massive workforce, gigantic market size, and the government’s initiatives, China’s economy grew rapidly in the last two decades and has become the world’s second-largest economy, only after the USA. Those who have contributed to the growth are now, or soon, retiring and aging. They will need care sooner or later. Traditionally, children took care of their parents in China, but things have changed as many of them work away from home for opportunities. Also, even after the removal of the decades-long one-child policy, China’s total fertility rate has fallen to around 1.0, well below the 2.1 reproduction level. As a result, its population declined by more than 3 million last year. How will China maintain economic growth and provide care to aging seniors with a smaller workforce and population? One solution is already there. Robots. In fact, China is the world’s largest market for industrial robots, with over half of all robots worldwide. Industrial robots are key to improving productivity and increasing production output. Also, China is keen on humanoid robots, which could help or replace humans in factories, distribution, stores, restaurants, and care services. As the capabilities and productivity of these robots and humanoids are further enhanced by AI, they are expected to mitigate China’s population and demographic issues, even though they may replace the existing workforce or reduce employment opportunities until humans re-skill or up-skill themselves to the new environment. So, it seems that the timing and speed of transition, replacement, and reinforcement are the key to coping with China’s demographic and social challenges.

Read the article and learn about China’s socio-demographic challenges and technological solutions.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/02/13/china/china-population-robots-intl-hnk-dst

Topic Reading-Vol.5058-2/28/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Now there’s a $2 charge to toss coins in the Trevi Fountain — and tourists are still ignoring the rules

The Trevi Fountain is an 18th-century Baroque landmark fountain in Rome. It is popular for its artistic beauty, its iconic appearance in films, and the tradition of throwing coins in the fountain. Last year, over 10 million visitors approached the fountain, around 70,000 during the peak periods. Visitors throw a coin with their right hand to guarantee a return trip to Rome, another for love with an Italian, and the third for marriage with an Italian. Around 1.5 million euros are thrown into or around the fountain a year, which are collected and donated to charity. Now, to manage crowds at this overwhelmed landmark, visitors have to buy a 2-euro ticket to approach the fountain and throw coins into its waters. Venice charges 5 to 10 euros for day-trippers to visit the historic city center to cope with overtourism, too. Visiting popular tourist hot spots seems to have become more expensive and restrictive nowadays.

Read the article and learn about the newly introduced charge to approach and throw coins at a historic landmark in Rome.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/02/02/travel/trevi-fountain-rome-fee-overtourism

Topic Reading-Vol.5057-2/27/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Kim Jong Un chooses teen daughter as heir, says Seoul

When the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, North Korea, was established in 1948, Kim Il Sung, a former revolutionary military commander, became the leader of the Soviet-backed country. Following his death in 1994, his heir-apparent, Kim Jong Il, succeeded to the role of Supreme Leader. 17 years later, in 2011, Kim Jong Un, the second of three children of Kim Jong Il and his first lady, succeeded his father’s position at the age of just 27 or 28. He was born in 1983 or 1984 and studied at an international school in Berne, Switzerland. Recently, Kim Jong Un has been seen taking his young daughter, Kim Ju Ae, with him to important events, including a military parade and a trip to China, as if she were his heir or second-in-command. Though he is still in his early 40s and looks quite energetic, he might have already decided who should be the next leader of the nuclear-armed, secretive, and authoritative country. South Korea’s intelligence agency thinks she is the one. However, Kim Ju Ae is believed to be only 13 or 14 years old. What would happen if Kim Jong Un became unable to rule the dynasty?  

Read the article and learn about the succession line of the Kim Dynasty.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn0e1g7kwglo

Topic Reading-Vol.5056-2/26/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

China is the clean energy superpower, but there’s another snapping at its heels — and it’s moving even faster

Superpowers of the economy are also the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. If you look at the top three countries of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), China emits about 30%, the USA 11%, and India 8% of the world's GHG. But if you compare China and India, whose populations are about 1.4 billion respectively, India emits much less GHG per capita than China. Will India emit as much GHG as China does now when its economy grows to the same level? Presently, India is burning a lot of coal to generate electricity to meet the growing demand, but it is also the world’s third-largest solar power producer. Also, the country is replacing more electric vehicles, three-wheel rickshaws, and motorcycles on the road with electric ones. Recently, because of Chinese companies' fierce competition and over-capacity, the costs of solar panels, wind turbines, and batteries have become economically advantageous over fossil fuels, and India is adding renewable energy faster now. Another incentive towards renewable energies is that domestically generated renewable power helps India become less reliant on other countries for fossil fuels. New economies are growing with renewable energies.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/02/11/climate/clean-energy-china-india-electrostates

Topic Reading-Vol.5055-2/25/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Macron urges Europe to start acting like world power

Even after the departure of the UK (Brexit) in 2020, the European Union (EU) is still an influential economic and political union. Combined, the EU is the world’s third-largest economy after the USA and China, representing around one-sixth of the global economy. EU’s top three economies are Germany, France, and Italy, generating 24%, 16%, and 12%, respectively, of the union’s total GDP. Emmanuel Macron has been serving as President of France since 2017. Facing mounting threats from Russia and growing tension with China and the USA, Macron recently urged Europe to start acting like a collective power. Considering the recent stand-off with the USA over Greenland, why not? The estimated population of the EU is around 450 million, 300 million more than Russia and 100 million more than the USA. Nearly the same number of new cars are being sold annually in Europe, including the UK, as in the USA. However, when it comes to elections, politicians tend to focus on the immediate domestic agenda, such as jobs, inflation, taxes, and social welfare. Make (country) Great Again is an attractive message to voters. Creating and maintaining collective power might be a slippery concept.

Read the article and learn about Europe’s presence in the world’s economy.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce8n1zdnpd3o

Topic Reading-Vol.5054-2/24/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

The US slips to its lowest-ever rank in a global corruption index

CPI often refers to the Consumer Price Index, a key economic indicator, but there is another CPI, the Corruption Perceptions Index. Assessed by experts and business executives, this index ranks 182 countries and territories worldwide by their perceived levels of public sector corruption. The index aims to end the injustice of corruption by promoting transparency, accountability, and integrity. The results are given on a scale of 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean). Of the 182 countries ranked in the 2025 CPI, the top scorers were Denmark (89), Finland (88), Singapore (84), New Zealand (81), followed by five small European countries, and mighty Germany (77) in 10th place. The global average has fallen to a new low of 42, and more than two-thirds of countries score below 50. The worst three scorers were South Sudan (9), Somalia (9), and Venezuela (10). Under the Trump administration, the US scored its lowest CPI score at 64 and ranked 29th on the list, tying with the Bahamas, but below Germany, Canada, Japan, the UK, and France, the Western allies. What will the US’s score be during the second, third, and the last year of the Trump administration?

Read the article and learn the 2025 CPI result.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/02/10/business/corruption-index-transparency-international-united-states-intl

Topic Reading-Vol.5053-2/23/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

In the army now: Pictures that show how ordinary Ukrainians have been shaped by war

Four years have passed since Russia invaded Ukraine, and the war still continues. Over one hundred thousand soldiers have lost their lives, and many more have been wounded. The war changed the lives of those who were engaged in the war. Here are photos and thoughts of seven Ukrainians who have been serving to defend their homeland.

A 26-year-old woman who returned from Prague and became an army pilot to protect her country and future says, "Sometimes the hardest thing is the silence after the news of losses." A 37-year-old former NGO worker says, “Before, it was important for me to help others find their way, to become strong, self-confident. Now I understand that the technique of positive thinking does not save you from armed thugs." A 19-year-old ex-barista says she had learned about happiness, such as being close to her family and not being afraid of waking up the next day. A 42-year-old used to be a bioengineer specialized in creating 3D models for facial reconstruction surgeries. He has spent years as a combat medic in dugouts and says he wouldn’t rest after the war because there will be lots of reconstruction surgery to be done then. A 28-year-old who had served four years in the army returned from Poland and became a soldier again. He said almost all the friends he joined up with have died. A 42-year-old civilian who used to do a government job joined the army on the day of the Russian invasion. He was captured and held by Russia for over two years, the most harrowing experience of his life. A 35-year-old father of two was also in captivity in Russia for several weeks, saw his fellow soldiers abused, but couldn’t do anything to help them. He says, “While you're fighting, you're something, someone. As soon as you stop - then that's it, you're nobody."

Read the article and see the photos of Ukrainian soldiers who have been serving their country.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cddn2e11zm8o

Topic Reading-Vol.5052-2/22/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Warning of long airport queues under new EU border control system

Started to be operational in October last year, the new Entry/Exit System (EES) is an automated IT system for registering non-EU nationals traveling for up to 90 days, valid for three years, to 29 Schengen countries in Europe. It replaces manual passport stamping with biometric data collection (facial images and fingerprints) at border crossings to enhance security, prevent overstaying, and detect document fraud. The EES will be gradually introduced at border crossing points with full implementation by 10 April 2026. Unfortunately, the new system has already created long waiting lines at passport controls in many airports because most of the arriving passengers this year are required to register for the EES for the first time, which takes time and assistance. Also, not enough registration machines have been placed, and not all of them have been working properly. Even during this relatively slow travel season, when packed airplanes arrive at the same time, visitors have to wait for hours to clear passport controls. So, what will happen during the summer travel season? Do you want to schedule hours after arrival to wait for immigration on your vacation? Can you have your friends or driver wait for you for hours at the airport?

Read the article and learn about the new technology and process for passport control to Europe.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn0k699pxwzo

Topic Reading-Vol.5051-2/21/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers,　

Pakistan's famous kite festival cautiously returns after 19-year ban

Punjab is a geographical and ethnolinguistic region across modern-day Pakistan and northwestern India. The Punjabi people traditionally celebrate the start of spring with a kite-flying festival, called Basant, around the end of January and the beginning of February. Lahore, the largest city in the region and the second largest city in Pakistan, became a major center for Basant celebrations with rooftops and open spaces filled with kite flyers, music, and seasonal fairs. Kite flying is very competitive, and it involves battles to knock other kites out of the sky by cutting their strings with sharp, metallic threads with chemical materials, causing trouble to power cables and danger to motorcyclists. Also, because there were so many excited kite-flying watchers who fell from rooftops and shot guns into the air, the festival was banned in 2007. After almost two decades of absence, the long-wanted spring festival returned earlier this month. However, while people seemed to remember how to celebrate the festival, young people had to learn how to fly kites and fight others because they had never done it before. Now, kite-flying skills need to be redeveloped to preserve the tradition.

Read the article and learn about Basant in the Panjub region.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1dkd5ql91lo

Topic Reading-Vol.5050-2/20/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

You’re brushing all wrong. 5 tips for better oral hygiene from an expert

The mouth is one of the most important organs. It is the world of microbes, saliva, soft tissues, and bones. Improving dental health affects the overall health because the mouth is the opening to the body. Brushing teeth after each meal is essential for your oral health, but when and how you do it makes a difference to enamel, gum tissue, saliva chemistry, and a living microbiome. Also, what type of toothbrush you use and how clean it is affects to keep your teeth and gums in good shape. Brushing teeth harder and longer with an unclean brush could even damage enamel and gums. Do you remember the advice your dentist gave you in the last dental checkup?

Read the article to learn how to make your teeth finer and shinier.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/02/05/health/oral-hygiene-teeth-brushing-tips-wellness

Topic Reading-Vol.5049-2/19/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

This year’s Olympic medals are worth more than ever

The 2026 Winter Olympics, Milano Cortina 2026, is taking place at sites across Lombardy and Northeast Italy. When the event ends on the 22^nd, more than 700 medals will have been awarded to the winners of the winter sports events. These medals are more economically valuable than ever because of the skyrocketing price of gold and silver, which have doubled and tripled, respectively, since the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. The medals use quite a lot of these precious materials. For example, the gold medal weighs about 500 grams and is composed at 92.5% of silver and plated with six grams of gold. The silver medal weighs 420 grams and consists of 92.5% silver, and the rest is copper for durability. Even though the core value of the Olympic medals has been and will most likely be unchanged, the 2026 Olympic medals are financially the most valuable, at least so far.

Read the article and learn about how valuable Olympic medals are now.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/02/05/business/medals-winter-olympics-gold-silver-prices-intl

Topic Reading-Vol.5048-2/18/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Europe distrusts — but depends on — America. Can it afford to walk away?

Until recently, the USA and Europe had long enjoyed a close relationship, collectively called the West, sharing core values, such as individual liberty, the rule of law, and market capitalism. For example, their trade represents nearly 30% of the global total. The USA was one of the leading founding members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), which was created in 1949 to provide collective security against the Soviet Union. However, the recent Trump administration’s attempt to capture Greenland, a sovereign territory of Denmark, either by money or force, has made its European allies lose trust in the USA. For energy security, it’s a big blow to European countries because they have increased the import of Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) from the USA as an alternative to Russia since 2022. Also, Europe depends heavily on US tech enterprises for digital services, cloud infrastructure, and data centers. Even though it is unclear if the recent absurd US moves will continue under future administrations, the mindsets of Europeans seem to have changed considerably.

Read the article and learn how much Europe depends on the USA.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/02/05/business/europe-economic-independence-united-states-intl

Topic Reading-Vol.5047-2/17/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Your phone edits all your photos with AI - is it changing your view of reality?

High-tech smartphones that are equipped with multiple lenses, high megapixel sensors, and versatile zoom capabilities offer superior low-light performance, cinematic video, and AI-powered editing tools. In many cases, you might have been surprised to see how beautiful the object looks and how “precisely” details emerge in the photo you took. But are they authentic? After all, they are all digital cameras, which capture images, convert the light into electrical signals, and then into digital data. During the process, the “real” image was digitally processed, and this is where AI plays a substantial role. Instead of you editing digital images, today’s smartphones are doing it autonomously to make them look more appealing. They not only reduce noise, correct color, or despise blurry, but also fill in details that were not captured by the phone. If you want to see more “realistic” photos, you can opt out of such AI processing tools that run in the background. Which way would you prefer, with or without AI editing/enhancement? After all, doctoring is a slippery concept, and photographic truth might be an illusion.

Read the article and learn about what is going on in your smartphone camera.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20260203-the-ai-that-quietly-edits-all-of-your-photos

Topic Reading-Vol.5046-2/16/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Have you got what it takes to go to the Moon?

It was 1972 when the last crewed mission, Apollo 17, sent men to the Moon. As early as next month, a lunar spaceflight mission, Artemis II, is planned to send four crew members to orbit the Moon. During the 10-day mission, the four crew members will live in a pressurized nine-cubic-meter capsule that houses a seating area, a hygiene compartment, and a small exercise space. There is no privacy whatsoever for 240 hours. In future lunar missions, humans will land on the Moon, about 384,000 km away from the Earth, construct a base, and live there for months, like astronauts have been doing in the International Space Station or Chinese taikonauts in their space station, Tiangong. They all need to be not only physically qualified but also mentally capable of coping with stress, isolation, and confinement. In addition, they all need to be good team members to accomplish the missions together, like members in research facilities in Antarctica. Cognitive abilities and psychological suitability are essential to live in extreme environments for months.

Read the article and learn about what it takes for space missions.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20260202-the-skills-that-could-take-you-to-the-moon

Topic Reading-Vol.5045-2/15/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Bangladesh Nationalist Party sweeps to victory in first election since Gen Z uprising

Bangladesh is a country of South Asia located in the delta of the Ganges river where the Indian subcontinent meets mainland Southeast Asia. The Muslim-majority country lies between Hindu-majority India and predominantly Buddhist Myanmar. It was the eastern province of Pakistan until 1971, when it became independent as the People’s Republic of Bangladesh. With a population exceeding 173 million in a 130,000 km² land area, similar in size to Greece, its population density is one of the highest in the world.

The unitary parliamentary republic was served by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from 1996 to 2001 and again from 2009 to 2024. Her second premiership was marked not only by significant economic development but also by authoritative ruling, corruption, and suppression. When the July Mass Uprising, or Gen Z Revolution, occurred last year, the government carried out the mass killing of protesters, which further escalated the movement. As a result, Hasina was ousted from the premiership and fled to India. Earlier this month, general elections were held, and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, led by Tarique Rahman, secured two-thirds of the parliament’s 299 seats. How will he govern the young, developing country, one of the world's most climate-vulnerable nations, particularly with rising sea levels, floods, and extreme weather conditions?

Read the article and learn about Myanmar’s general elections and new challenges.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgrzwn4yg7jo

Topic Reading-Vol.5044-2/14/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

These nets used to catch fish. Now they’re catching Russian drones

Last year, more than 2,000 Russian drones attacked the southern city of Kherson every week and killed over 100 people. While shooting down every drone is nearly impossible, there is an innovative and practical tool that helps protect people and infrastructures on the ground, nets. Tulip nets can thwart small drones, and fishing nets can protect tanks and electricity utilities from deadly kamikaze drones, which carry heavy explosives. These nets are donated by farmers and fishermen from many parts of Europe, and are being trucked to Ukraine by a variety of volunteer groups. They now protect hospital courtyards, power generators, shopping streets, and even open roads. Just like mosquito nets prevent mosquito bites and diseases such as malaria in tropical and subtropical regions, tulip nets and fishing nets are now protecting lives in Ukraine from Russian drones.

Read the article and learn how conventional nets are being used in Ukraine.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/02/01/europe/ukraine-fishing-farming-nets-drones-intl

Topic Reading-Vol.5043-2/13/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, Protein is so last year. 

Why fiber is the next big thing

Fiber is a carbohydrate in plant food, such as fruit, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes. It passes through the body undigested, promotes bowel regularity, helps control blood sugar, and lowers cholesterol. Also, because fiber-rich foods are filling, they help you control your appetite and thus reduce overeating. You should get enough fiber, say 25g to 30g+ daily, with a healthy diet. For example, eat whole grains instead of refined grains, keep the skin on potatoes, cucumbers, apples, and pears, or add berries and nuts to your breakfast cereal. These days, younger consumers in the USA are getting obsessed with their digestive health to improve their skin health and cognitive function. Food companies are then launching fiber-enriched food, snacks, and even drinks to capitalize on the trend. But why do they need highly processed, packaged products to get enough fiber, which is naturally included in real foods?

Read the article and learn what American consumers are keen on after protein.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/01/25/food/fiber-food-trends-2026

Topic Reading-Vol.5042-2/12/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

He calls me sweetheart and winks at me - but he's not my boyfriend, he's AI

AI companions are AI-powered chatbots or virtual avatars that provide human-like interactions, emotional support, friendship, or companionship. They adapt to user inputs to form deep, personalized, and even romantic relationships, and offer 24/7 emotional support and personalized interactions via text, voice, or visual. As they keep learning from what you’ve said, asked, shown, and searched, the more time you spend with them, the closer they become to you. Research in the UK found that over 60% of teens are using AI chatbots to get help for their studies, receive emotional advice, or companionship. Another study found that a third of teenagers under 19 said conversation with their AI companion was more satisfying than with a human friend. ChatGPT, Gemini, Grok, and My AI all offer such companionship, but age restrictions are tightening to protect young people and children from harmful attachments, sexual content, and emotional manipulation. 

Read the article and learn about how widely and deeply AI companions are used by young people.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c62njv82n0wo

Topic Reading-Vol.5041-2/11/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

UN risks 'imminent financial collapse', secretary general warns

Founded in 1945 after World War II, the United Nations (UN) is an international organization dedicated to maintaining international peace, security, and cooperation. The organization is primarily funded by its 193 member states through mandatory assessed contributions for its two main budgets, the regular budget and the peacekeeping budget. The US and China are charged over 20% respectively for these two main budgets, followed by Japan, Germany, the UK, and France, while 175 of the 193 member states were each responsible for less than 1% of these budgets. However, a substantial portion of members’ obligations have not been paid in full or on time, particularly by the largest contributors, including the USA, China, and Russia, all of which are permanent members (P5) of the UN Security Council. The USA alone owed 1.5 billion each in regular assessment and peacekeeping dues as of April last year. Without budgeted assessments and dues payments, the UN cannot maintain its operations or fulfill its financial obligations. Last month, the UN chief urged the member states to pay their unpaid dues ASAP, otherwise, the organization could financially collapse by July.

Read the article and learn about the financial crisis of the United Nations.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cr579mdv4m7o

Topic Reading-Vol.5040-2/10/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Doomsday Clock 2026: Scientists set new time

Maintained by scientists since 1947, the Doomsday Clock is a symbol that represents the estimated likelihood of a human-caused global catastrophe, such as nuclear threats, climate change, and disruptive technologies. The initial setting of the clock was seven minutes to midnight, where some sort of nuclear exchange or catastrophic climate change wipes out humanity. It was wound back to 17 minutes in 1991 when the first Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START I) was signed by the US and the Soviet Union. However, the clock has been wound forward continuously since then and was set at 85 seconds to midnight last month, due to ongoing wars and armed conflicts in many parts of the world, rising nuclear proliferation, and effects of climate change, as major countries have become more aggressive, adversarial, and nationalistic. Also feared is the rapid growth and use of AI, which could exacerbate misinformation and disinformation. Are only powerful or influential governments responsible for advancing the clock’s hand? In fact, personal actions can also make a difference to help mitigate the climate crisis. Water and energy conservation, proper recycling, and the reduction of food waste could all help slow, or even reverse, the clock’s movement.  

Read the article and learn how close the world has become to Doomsday.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/01/27/science/doomsday-clock-2026-time-wellness

Topic Reading-Vol.5039-2/9/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

The surprising benefits of standing on one leg

Standing on one leg is a more physically demanding exercise than you might think. It strengthens ankle stabilizers, calf muscles, quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes while improving stability. Also, how long you can stand on one leg is a good indicator of your ability to balance, neurological function, and how well you’re ageing. That’s because starting from our 30s, we lose muscle mass as much as 8% in each decade. Also, our brain’s ability to integrate information from the eyes, sense the body position and the ground, and balance our body, declines as we age. Single-leg training exercises help us improve balance control and joint stability, and reduce the risk of falls. This simple exercise of standing on one leg doesn’t take so much of your time. You can stand on one leg while you’re brushing your teeth, watching TV, or chatting on the phone. Just be careful not to fall during the exercise.

Read the article and learn about what standing on one leg does to you and your ageing.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20260114-the-surprising-benefits-of-standing-on-one-leg

Topic Reading-Vol.5038-2/8/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Spain plans to give half a million undocumented migrants legal status

In the last four decades, the total fertility rate in Spain has been well below the reproduction level of 2.1. However, its population has grown from 40 million to nearly 50 million in the last 25 years, mostly due to immigration. Now, a little over 80% of the Spanish population is White Europeans, about 8% are Latin Americans, and the rest came from other places. Since Spain’s population is aging and the fertility rate has been declining, the contribution of young immigrants is essential for its economy, social security system, and communities. Last month, Spain’s government announced that it would grant legal status to half a million or more undocumented immigrants living and working in the country for at least five months as of the end of last year. While the US is brutally cracking down, detaining, and deporting undocumented immigrants and revoking visas, Spain is trying to legalize immigrants for them and for the country.

Read the article and learn about Spain’s latest immigration policy.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c62n6gw1dp9o

Topic Reading-Vol.5037-2/7/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

When something goes wrong at 186 mph: Inside the fast-reaction world of high-speed train drivers

High-speed rail (HSR) is a rail transport network that runs trains at speeds of over 200 km/h on upgraded tracks and 250 km/h or faster on dedicated tracks. The first HSR, the Shinkansen, appeared in Japan in 1964. Now, China has the world’s longest operational network of 50,000 km, followed by Spain’s 4,000 km, France’s 3,500 km, Germany’s 3,300 km, and Japan's 3,000 km network, all at a top speed of 300 km/h or faster. Despite their punishingly fast speeds, HSEs are safer than any other mass transport. For example, Japan’s 62-year-old Shinkansen network has had no operational derailment accident but two, both of which were caused by major earthquakes. However, accidents will happen. Last month, a Madrid-bound high-speed train derailed in Spain, killing 45 and injuring nearly 300. Then what is it like to design, build, operate, maintain, and drive such high-speed mass transport trains? 

Read the article and learn about the world of HSR.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/01/26/travel/what-its-like-to-drive-high-speed-train

Topic Reading-Vol.5036-2/6/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

US officially leaves World Health Organization

Under the first Trump administration, the U.S. withdrew from the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in October 2017 and the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in June 2018. It also announced its intention to withdraw from the World Health Organization (WHO). After the next presidential election, these withdrawals were reversed by the new administration under Joe Biden. However, after his reelection, the second Trump administration initiated the withdrawal from the WHO, UNESCO, and dozens of other international organizations and institutions. After the one-year notice period, the USA formally exited from the WHO on January 22, leaving unpaid dues of $260 million for 2024-2025.

A UN research report shows that during the COVID-19 pandemic under the first Trump administration, the US response was so slow and mismanaged that the US recorded one of the highest death rates in the world. Now, the administration said it would work with other countries bilaterally for disease surveillance and information sharing without specifying which countries. Will the threat-and-deal tactic work to prevent, prepare for, and respond to health crises?

Read the article and learn about another isolating initiative by the US administration.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn9zznx8qdno

Topic Reading-Vol.5035-2/5/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Climber Alex Honnold scales 101-floor skyscraper without safety gear

Taipei 101 is an iconic 508-meter-tall, 101-story skyscraper in Taipei, Taiwan. It had been the world’s tallest building from 2004 until Burj Khalifa was built in 2009. On January 25, a 40-year-old American rock climber, Alex Honnold, climbed the skyscraper without ropes, safety nets, or other equipment. The 91-minute nail-biting climb was streamed live on Netflix with a few seconds' delay just in case of an accident. After completing the climb, Hannold said he hoped people watching could be inspired by his climb to pursue their own challenges or goals, and added, “It’s so great. What a nice day.”

Read the article and watch the video of his amazing climb in the heart of Taipei.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4gl0njzxjdo

Topic Reading-Vol.5034-2/4/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Why is Germany trying to build ‘Europe’s strongest conventional army’?

After Trump’s aggressive campaign to annex Greenland, Europeans seem to have lost confidence in the long-term ally. Those who value NATO and the EU are now seriously supporting the formation of a European NATO. Germany has already started reinforcing its military force, the Bundeswehr. It is going to spend over 100 billion euros on the defense budget, twice the 2021 spending, equivalent to 2.5% of gross domestic product (GDP) this year. Also, starting from this year, all German men turning 18 are required to fill out a digital survey about their personal details, physical fitness, education, and willingness to serve in the Bundeswehr, and also to attend a mandatory medical examination to check their fitness for military service. The country pledged to increase its active duty personnel to 260,000 within a decade from the 184,000 troops it has now. Germany is situated in the center of Europe, and was the hot spot in World War I, World War II, and the Cold War. It is now strengthening its armed forces to cope with a new threat from the east.

Read the article and learn why and how Germany is reinforcing its military forces.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/1/19/why-is-germany-trying-to-build-europes-strongest-conventional-army

Topic Reading-Vol.5033-2/3/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Like digging ‘your own professional grave’: The translators grappling with losing work to AI

Interpreters translate spoken language, such as speeches, phone calls, or conversations, in real-time. Their skills include public speaking, short-term memory, quick comprehension, and, of course, translation. They often work in conferences, hospitals, courtrooms, and business meetings, and are usually paid by the time. Translators work with written text, converting documents from one language to another. They need to be linguistically competent in writing and grammar, and also specialized in industry knowledge, terms, and situations. They can work anywhere and are usually paid per word or page, or sometimes by the hour.

In 2016, Google launched neural machine translation. It is now used by more than 500 million people daily across over 200 languages. Then in November 2022, the first generative AI for public use was released: ChatGPT. It added voice translation and a standalone translation tool in the following years. Now, if you travel abroad or encounter a foreign language speaker, you can simply speak to your smartphone for instant translation. As for meeting, Zoom and Microsoft Teams offer live translation and interpretation features to break language barriers in meetings.

So, what is the situation and future of interpreters and translators?

Read the article and learn how these language professionals are struggling to survive in the era of machine translation.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/01/23/tech/translation-language-jobs-ai-automation-intl

Topic Reading-Vol.5032-2/2/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Oldest cave painting of red claw hand could rewrite human creativity timeline

Homo sapiens, modern humans, moved from Africa into Europe and Asia, and overlapped and interbred with Neanderthals, extinct sister species, until 45,000 years ago. Early humans lived as nomadic hunter-gatherers until around 10,000 years ago, when they started domesticating plants, such as wheat, barley, or rice, and animals, like sheep, goats, cattle, or pigs.

Recently, on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, a stencilled outline of a hand made with red pigment was found on the wall of a cave. The painting is estimated to be as old as 67,800 years, about 1,100 years older than a stencil found in Spain. The faded hand stencil, along with other spectacular cave paintings, is believed to be the world’s oldest rock art that has been found so far. Also, the finding indicates that Homo sapiens had reached Australia and New Guinea about 15,000 years earlier than previously thought. Only recently, the earliest Homo sapiens was found to have been around 700,000 years ago, 300,000 years earlier than the previous estimate. The history of humans is being rewritten both backward and forward.

Read the article and learn about the recent discovery of the oldest art.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czx1pnlzer5o

Topic Reading-Vol.5031-2/1/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

How cocoa substitutes could tackle ‘chocflation’

If you like chocolate, you probably are aware that the same chocolate product has become much more expensive than it was a few years ago. That is because cocoa prices have experienced an unprecedented surge due to a massive global supply shortage caused by drier weather conditions, the spread of diseases, and higher production costs. Chocolate brands, producers, and patissiers are struggling to maintain the taste, flavor, and affordability of their products with the precious ingredient, but there is only so much that they can do. Now, help might be on the way. A Singapore-based startup has developed a new cocoa-free cocoa powder called PreferChoc. The powder is produced by fermenting and roasting seeds and grains, whose cost and carbon footprints are significantly lower than those of real cocoa. The company has also developed coffee bean-free coffee substitutes, another commodity in short supply. Just like margarine and soy milk, chocolate and coffee substitutes might become popular substitutes soon.

Read the article and learn about chocolate and coffee substitutes from Singapore.

https://edition.cnn.com/world/singapore-prefer-cocoa-free-spc

Topic Reading-Vol.5030-1/31/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

The world has entered a new era of ‘water bankruptcy’ with irreversible consequences

Whatever you spend more than you get, you’ll run out of it sooner or later, whether it’s money, food, or water. If we use more water than it is naturally replenished by rain and snow, we’ll face water scarcity, or in the worst case, water bankruptcy. According to a new report by the UN, the term water crisis can no longer describe how serious water scarcity is now around the world because we are extracting too much water from rivers, lakes, wetlands, and underground aquifers at a much faster rate than they are replenished. In addition, climate change has put some regions severely drier for longer, including the Southwest USA, South Asia, the Mediterranean region, and Southern Africa. As the world population increases, urbanization expands, and more data centers are being built for AI, the world needs to work more on conservation than consumption.

Read the article and learn how serious the global water crisis is.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/01/20/climate/water-bankruptcy-drought-united-nations

Topic Reading-Vol.5029-1/30/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

A hotline to report vapers and caning if you're caught: Singapore's e-cigarette crackdown

It is well known that the import or sale of chewing gum is prohibited in Singapore to keep the city-state clean and eliminate vandals by the sticky substance. Travellers are only allowed to bring in small amounts for personal consumption. As for smoking, it is still allowed, but only in designated smoking areas, on private property, or in private vehicles. However, just like drugs, importing, selling, or smoking of e-cigarettes (vapes) is completely banned in Singapore. Violators, including foreigners, are not only fined, but also could be jailed, mandated rehabilitation, or even caned. Recently, as K-pods, drug-laced vape pods that could cause hallucinations, seizures, or memory loss, have become popular on the black market, the authorities have been tightening their grip. But why are e-cigarettes banned while conventional cigarettes are allowed, which are proven to be harmful to health? In fact, the sale of e-cigarettes is banned in dozens of countries, including India, Thailand, and Mexico.

Read the article and learn why Singapore is tough on e-cigarettes.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3387lrz5g4o

Topic Reading-Vol.5028-1/29/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Here’s how AI data centers affect the electrical grid

A data center is a facility that houses IT infrastructure, such as servers, storage, and networking gear, to store, process, and distribute data and applications. Data centers are essential for cloud computing, AI, and the internet. They require massive amounts of both electricity to power servers and cool them. IT giants are now rushing to build more and larger data centers to meet the increasing need for immense computational power to train and run AI models. Accordingly, the demand for electricity is skyrocketing, which has set severe strains on the electricity market in the USA. In some areas around or near data centers, the electricity costs have doubled in recent years. To meet the increasing need for electricity, more fossil fuels are burned, and nuclear power is activated. In addition, data centers use a substantial amount of water for their cooling systems to absorb heat from equipment. This is going to add another strain on already scarce water resources in the USA. It seems that AI is an energy guzzler that places immense demands on power grids. And this problem isn’t limited to the USA.

Read the article and learn about the inconvenient truth of AI.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/01/18/business/ai-data-centers-electricity-prices

Topic Reading-Vol.5027-1/28/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Bonfires, dancing, pets: How Ukrainians are staying warm during the toughest winter in years

What is it like to live in sub-zero temperatures without heating or electricity? Even though most buildings are cold-resistant and people are used to enduring cold winters in Ukraine, life without heating and electricity is hardly bearable. This winter, Kyiv residents have been exposed to the harshest winter in two decades, with outside temperatures dropping as low as -19 degrees Celsius. As Russian strikes on civilian infrastructures intensify, Kyiv’s centralized district heating system and power supply have been interrupted or intermittent at best. When the room temperatures have gone down to 10 degrees, it’s just too cold to stay there, so many residents gather around bonfires or spend time in government-run help points to get warmed up, but just temporarily. To cope with such conditions, residents are now equipped with temporary relief tools, such as power banks, flameless electric candles, and electric blankets. It was March 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, and it was February 2022 when Russia started invading Ukraine. People in Ukraine haven’t enjoyed normal, peaceful lives for nearly six years, but they’ve become more resilient to difficulties, like during and after the last world war.

Read the article and learn how harsh this winter is for Ukrainians.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/01/17/europe/russia-bombing-ukrainians-freezing-defiant-intl-cmd

Topic Reading-Vol.5026-1/27/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

ISS SOS: The plan to leave a doomed space station - quickly

Earlier this month, four crew members from the International Space Station (ISS) returned to Earth a month earlier than scheduled due to a medical emergency of one of the crew members. It was the first medical evacuation in the 25-year history of the ISS. The space mission always has a ferry ship ready to take all the crew members back to Earth, but just one. That is why if something goes wrong with the space station or someone is in a medical emergency, all crew members need to leave the station together. Then what if the return spacecraft itself had a problem? In November last year, the spacecraft docked with the Chinese Tiangong space station was found to have damage from a fragment of orbiting space debris. China’s space agency took quick action by launching an unmanned replacement spacecraft in just 16 days and docking it with the space station in less than four hours. For crewmembers in a space station, the returning spaceship is their last resort lifeline.

Read the article and learn how space missions are planned and prepared. 

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20260115-how-do-you-evacuate-a-space-station

Topic Reading-Vol.5025-1/26/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

How US politics is affecting international travel

This year, 11 US cities are hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup events, and the nation is celebrating its 250^th anniversary. In the meantime, federal agencies are cracking down on immigrants, and National Guard troops have been deployed in major cities like Los Angeles, Memphis, Portland, and even the nation’s capital, Washington DC, and potentially Chicago, New York, and San Francisco. Also, tensions between protesters and federal agencies in Minneapolis are rising over the fatal shooting by an ICE agent, and over 100,000 visas have been revoked since last year. Is the USA still on your travel list?

So far this year, the US conducted airstrikes in Caracas, Venezuela’s capital, and captured President Maduro, expressed its intention to acquire Greenland, and threatened Iran, Cuba, Colombia, and even Mexico. Is it still safe to visit these countries? You definitely want to check the foreign ministry’s travel advice and restrictions on these countries. If you’re still going, double-check your travel insurance coverage and updates to find if you’re still covered by the policy in the countries you’re visiting.

Read the article and find out how recent moves by the US government are affecting international travel. 

https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20260109-how-us-politics-is-affecting-international-travel

Topic Reading-Vol.5024-1/25/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Global temperatures dipped in 2025 but more heat records on way, scientists warn

Though 2025 was not the hottest year, the last three years were the hottest on record, having exceeded 1.4 °C above pre-industrial levels of the late 1800s. Extreme weather events linked to global warming continued, such as heatwaves in Europe and the Indian subcontinent, cyclones and pre-monsoon rains in South Asia, wildfires and floods in the USA, to name a few. Though sea surface temperatures in the equatorial Pacific were cooler due to La Niña conditions in 2025, it was nearly as warm as the previous two warmer El Niño years. As the world is experiencing rapid warming at the upper end of the long-term expectations, ice sheets in polar regions and glaciers are melting faster than ever. When we look back this year from 2050, we would most likely see that the 2020s were cooler years than then.

Read the article and learn about how warm 2025 was.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5y5p9rzd4ko

Topic Reading-Vol.5023-1/24/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

India asks e-commerce apps to stop '10-minute' delivery service

Q-commerce, or quick commerce, is a type of e-commerce where food and merchandise are delivered within hours or even less than an hour. It became very popular during the COVID-19 pandemic in many parts of the world, especially in cities in China, South Asian countries, and India, where small motorcycle riders navigate through traffic. Also, as gig workers and online platforms increase, Q-commerce has become an essential part of city life and the economy. In India, competition among both gig workers and Q-commerce platforms has intensified so much that deliveries are now expected within 10 minutes. However, this could put too much pressure on delivery riders whose performance is constantly monitored and rated by both customers and online platforms. Recently, the Indian government “asked” Q-commerce platforms to decline the 10-minute delivery promise to lessen the pressure on delivery riders for their safety. How much relief will be given to those riders who can earn more money if they deliver items faster?

Read the article and learn about India’s Q-commerce dilemma.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy8pkvl78pmo

Topic Reading-Vol.5022-1/23/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Last year was Ukraine's deadliest for civilians since 2022, UN says

The early phase of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 began in April 2014 in Donbas, Ukraine’s border region with Russia, when Russian-backed fighters seized several towns. The United Nations estimated that about 4,400 Ukrainian fighters and 3,400 civilians were killed before 2022. The number of Ukrainian casualties has surged since Russia’s full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022. It is estimated that over 100,000 Ukrainian forces were killed or missing, more than 14,000 civilians were killed, and nearly 40,000 were wounded. Last year alone, no fewer than 2,500 civilians lost their lives, the deadliest year since 2022. Also, many Ukrainians are now suffering from sub-zero cold as Russia continues to attack the energy infrastructure. Spring is still a month away, and peace is unforeseen anytime soon, yet the number of casualties is increasing each day in Ukraine.

Read the article and learn how deadly and cruel the war is.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4gv27517yxo

Topic Reading-Vol.5021-1/22/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Landmark Rohingya genocide case against Myanmar heard at top UN court

There are two international courts in The Hague, the Netherlands. One is the International Criminal Court (ICC), an international court to prosecute individuals for international crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes. The other is the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the principal judicial organ of the United Nations (UN), which settles legal disputes between states and gives advisory opinions on international law. Gambia, a muslim-majority African country, filed suit against Myanmar, a Buddhist South Asian country, for brutal and vicious violations committed against the Rohingya, a Muslim minority in Myanmar’s Rakhine province. Just during the 2017 military crackdown, thousands of Rohingya Muslims were killed in the province, and more than 750,000 fled their homeland for sprawling camps in neighboring Bangladesh. Now, more than one million Rohingya refugees live in overcrowded camps in the Cox’s Bazar district of Bangladesh, forming the world’s largest refugee settlement.

The incumbent regime of Myanmar is a military junta, which seized power in a coup in 2021, overthrowing the democratically elected government led by Aung San Suu Kyi. Who and what groups in Myanmar are responsible for this large-scale, prolonged persecution of the Rohingya people?

Read the article and learn about the severe suffering of the Rohingya people.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c7v07m3pr75o

Topic Reading-Vol.5020-1/21/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

'I feel free': Australia's social media ban, one month on

To protect the mental health and wellbeing of young teenagers from cyberbullying, harmful content, self harm, online predators, and addictive platform designs, Australia started requiring popular SNS platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, Kick, Reddit, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, Twitch, X, and YouTube, to take reasonable steps to prevent Australians under 16 from having accounts on their platforms on December 10 last year. They can still have access to non-age-restricted social media platforms, such as Discord, Google Classroom, LEGO Play, Messenger, Pinterest, Roblox, WhatsApp, and YouTube Kids. Like adults, many young people rely on social media as a tool to manage boredom, stress, and social anxiety, and to connect with their peers and loved ones. So, what happened to the young Australians who were disconnected from their familiar platforms? After the initial shock, are they now spending more time on non-screen activities like sports, reading, or talking with their friends or families more, or just alternatively using other accessible SNSs or games?

Read the article and find out what Australian teenagers have been doing since their favorite social media was banned.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0mpmgn3jv2o

Topic Reading-Vol.5019-1/20/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers,　

Five lifestyle tweaks to help you live well for longer

We all want to live well for longer, physically, mentally, emotionally, socially, spiritually, and perhaps economically to some extent. But as we age, both physical and cognitive functions decline, but not at the same pace for everyone. Like exercise keeps our muscles stronger, keeping our minds active helps maintain our brain connections, and therefore, functions. For example, learning something new, eating a variety of vegetables and fruits, doing a little more physical exercise, and being socially active all have positive effects on your well-being. You can enjoy these benefits and improve your physical and mental well-being by making small changes consistently without changing everything at once.

Read the article and learn how you can enjoy your life better and longer.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20260102-five-lifestyle-tweaks-to-help-you-live-well-for-longer

Topic Reading-Vol.5018-1/19/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Bottle-to-throttle: The precautions airlines take to make sure your pilot is sober

Commercial pilots should not sit in the cockpit under any influence of alcohol or drugs. They are mandated to take a breathalyzer test before a flight. But how sober do they need to be to fly an airplane? To your surprise, there is no universal law that applies to all airlines. Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) is widely used to measure how much alcohol remains in the bloodstream. In the USA, the BAC limit for driving is 0.08% for adults. To sit in the airplane cockpit, however, some countries require a BAC below 0.04%, others limit up to 0.02%, while India implements no tolerance. Also, some airlines enforce a minimum cool-off time between drinking alcohol and reporting for duty, called the bottle-to-throttle window, like 12 hours by Delta and United airlines and 24 hours by Japan Airlines. The airline also bans drinking during hotel layovers. Just like a surgeon, vet, or driver, flight crew members are expected to be alcohol free when they perform their duties.

Read the article and learn how sober commercial pilots need to be to fly.

https://edition.cnn.com/travel/bottle-to-throttle-sober-pilots-flying-alcohol

Topic Reading-Vol.5017-1/18/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

The Caribbean island where locals can't access the beach

With a tropical marine climate and beautiful beaches, Jamaica is a major tourism and resort destination in the Caribbean. The island, with a population of around 2.8 million, attracts more than four million visitors annually, generating over 10% of GDP and employing hundreds of thousands of locals. Of the island’s 1,000km of beautiful shoreline, less than 1% is freely accessible to local residents. In the last five years, as the number of gated resorts and developments has multiplied, locals have lost access to beaches freely. Gone are the days when fishermen sail off their boats and children play on the nearby public beaches. Accordingly, visitors are losing opportunities to visit local communities or interact with residents. Still, even after the devastating Hurricane Melissa last year, the beautiful island is welcoming tourists and visitors for its economy and employment.

Read the article and learn how the rapid privatization of public beaches is affecting locals in Jamaica.

https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20260107-the-caribbean-island-where-locals-cant-access-the-beach

Topic Reading-Vol.5016-1/17/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

The secrets to tackling fussy eating habits

Many young children tend to like or dislike certain foods. They may like most fruits and sweets, but dislike some vegetables or seafood. Should parents tell them to eat the food they don’t like, or eat it just for the sake of their health? Conversely, should children be allowed to decide what to eat or how much? Actually, many children don’t want to be told what to do or what not to do. They have different mindsets, priorities, and preferences from grown-ups. Also, as children do not always grow at the same pace, their appetite fluctuates. So, telling children what and how much they should eat might not solve their fussy eating habits. Instead, it seems to encourage them to eat more and better if they are given autonomy and involved in preparing or serving food. Autonomy encourages motivation and leads to satisfaction.

Read the article and get some tips to encourage children to eat better.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3e712j3gq5o

Topic Reading-Vol.5015-1/16/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

‘Autofocus’ glasses can change their lenses in real time

People who need both clearer distance and reading vision often wear eyeglasses with bifocal lenses. The top part of the lens is designed for distance vision, suitable for walking or driving, and the bottom part is prescribed for near vision, like reading. There is a distinct segment line between the two areas. Varifocal lenses offer a more continuous, gradual change in prescription from distance at the top to near at the bottom without segment lines. The former was invented in the late 18^th century, and the latter appeared in the 1950s. In the meantime, most cameras, including the ones in smartphones, automatically adjust focus. Autofocus (AF) works by using sensors to analyze incoming light and a processor to adjust the lens until the sharpest possible image is achieved. Now is the time for eyewear innovation. A Finnish eyewear company is preparing to launch smart glasses with lenses that automatically adjust focus for the wearer and the situation.

Read the article and learn about eyewear that adjusts focus automatically.

https://edition.cnn.com/science/autofocus-glasses-ixi-change-lenses-spc

Topic Reading-Vol.5014-1/15/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Why some Americans who make a lot of money feel so poor

Even though the wages of average Americans have increased further than inflation, they are facing difficulty in finding affordable housing units or childcare services, and in some cases, the availability. The low supply of homes and high mortgage rates, hovering above 6%, have made housing prices well beyond an affordable level in many places. Also, child care expenses, including daycare and preschool costs, have risen almost twice the pace of overall inflation or pay raises. In most places, child care for two children now costs more than a mortgage or rent. This makes some parents give up one of their jobs, often mothers, to stay home and care for their children themselves. Owning a house and raising children seems to have become a dream for many Americans.

Read the article and learn about the financial burdens of American families.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/01/06/economy/housing-childcare-availability-affordability-economy

Topic Reading-Vol.5013-1/14/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

‘Grab what you can:’ The global rush for second passports

Recently, an internationally recognized American actor was granted his second citizenship by France, where he and his family had lived for the last few years. As the world has become more volatile, unsafe, or extreme, more people are now seeking second citizenships for various reasons. Some people just want to relocate to another country, and others are forced to move out of their homeland. Also, there are people who want another passport for insurance, or who try to evade military conscription or heavy taxes. In fact, there has been a surge in demand for second citizenship among very wealthy Americans and Brits. However, citizenship can be granted for limited conditions, such as family descent, naturalization after years of residence, or substantial investment in the country. In the meantime, countries like China, India, and Japan do not recognize dual citizenship, and European countries have discouraged or tightened it.

Read the article and think about whether you want to apply for another citizenship.

https://edition.cnn.com/travel/us-dual-citizenship-facts-explained

Topic Reading-Vol.5012-1/13/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

China’s robot sports craze could eventually put humanoids in homes

Robots are no longer just devices to perform simple tasks repeatedly, but are now becoming more autonomous and athletic. Powered by AI, robots have become intelligent agents to work or interact with humans. They can now play sports and games to entertain people. Last year in China, dozens of robots danced together on stage, humanoids ran a half-marathon, and played soccer, boxing, and martial arts games in robot sporting events. Showcasing robotic capabilities at sports events not only entertains the public but also fuels competition, advances technologies, and draws attention from investors and potential users of humanoids. Robots and humanoids are expected to help improve the nation’s productivity and sustain the rapidly aging society. What will our world be like with humanoids 25 years from now? (Vol.5011)

Read the article and learn how and why China’s robots are playing sports.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/01/02/china/china-humanoid-robot-sports-intl-hnk-dst

Topic Reading-Vol.5011-1/12/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

AI teachers and cybernetics - what could the world look like in 2050?

50 years ago, people started watching movies with VHS and Beta videos, and listened to music on cassettes or vinyl records. 25 years later, analog videos were replaced by digital media, DVDs, and music was sold on CDs. Now, we can watch movies or listen to music at any time, anywhere on our smartphones, thanks to streaming technology and faster Internet connections. As for communication, we spoke on cellular phones and sent text messages. Now, we use smartphones and SNS for nearly everything, including shopping, reservations, tickets, photos and videos, and sharing. Indeed, as technologies advance, our lifestyles change, too. So, what will our lives be 20 years from now? Will there be drugs that are customized to individuals? Will we travel on a driverless car or in a pilotless airplane? Will robots do most of the physical tasks that humans are doing now?

Read the article and think about what the world will be like 25 years from now.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c865n800d5jo

Topic Reading-Vol.5010-1/11/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

The foods that make you smell more attractive

We smell badly after drinking many alcoholic drinks or eating a lot of garlicy food. Indeed, what we eat makes a distinct difference in how our breath and body smell. To digest the food, bacteria metabolize it inside the gut, and these interactions release gases, causing bad breath. Additionally, once food is metabolized inside the gut, the chemical components from the food travel through the bloodstream and the body’s tissues, some of which are then perspired through the skin, and interact with the skin’s bacteria, creating a distinct smell. Interestingly, smells that are caused by certain foods are more pleasant or attractive than others. Do vegetables or fruits make you smell any better than meat or fish?

Read the article and learn how you can make yourself smell better or worse.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20251031-the-foods-that-make-you-smell-more-attractive

Topic Reading-Vol.5009-1/10/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Why scientists want ice from 600 meters below the surface

Researchers stay on Axel Heiberg Island, an uninhabited island in the Arctic Ocean, for months to extract ice samples from as deep as 600 meters below the surface. These ancient layers are like a frozen history book, containing trapped air bubbles and water isotopes. They reveal Earth's past climate, temperatures, atmospheric composition, such as CO2 and methane, volcanic activity, and wind patterns, which offer crucial data to understand past climate cycles. Deeper ice is older ice. Drilling several hundred meters down offers access to layers from hundreds of thousands of years ago, which provides a long-term view of Earth's climate history. They drill through ice sheets and extract ice core samples. Each one-meter section of the sample is cut into five pieces for gradual analysis in a research facility in Edmonton, Alberta. Researchers always have to wear heavy down jackets to work in extremely low temperatures to extract ice samples and analyze them. Their efforts might be rewarded by new scientific discoveries from the old ice cores.

Watch the video and learn how researchers are trying to learn history

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/12/23/world/video/arctic-climate-science-canada-c2e-spc

Topic Reading-Vol.5008-1/9/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Do saunas really boost your health?

Our bodies try to keep core temperature stable, usually between 36.5 °C and 37 °C, and most of us feel comfortable in an indoor temperature range between 20 °C and 24 °C.  Yet some people love to take a dry sauna, whose temperature goes over 70°C, or a steam sauna at over 40°C with 100% humidity to feel looser or more relaxed. Conversely, others jump into icy water in winter to feel the painful cold, which boosts heart rate and blood pressure and surges stress hormones like adrenaline. While both extreme temperature pressures seem to enhance mental health and wellness, do they actually improve physical health, such as the immune system, metabolism, or cardiovascular functions?

Read the article and learn what hot sauna and cold swimming do to your health.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5yj3g0p26ro

Topic Reading-Vol.5007-1/8/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Mercury: The planet that shouldn't exist

Mercury is the nearest planet to the Sun, only 0.4 astronomical units (AU) away, 40% of the distance from the Sun to Earth. It is the fastest planet to orbit the Sun, taking only 88 days to orbit the Sun at a speed of nearly 47 kilometers per second. Mercury’s surface temperatures are both extremely hot and cold, between 430°C and -180°C, because it’s too close to the Sun and it spins so slowly, taking 59 Earth days for one rotation. Mercury formed about 4.6 billion years ago, like others, when gravity pulled swirling gas and dust together. It is the smallest planet in our solar system, only slightly larger than our moon, and the second densest planet after Earth, because Mercury’s core makes up about 85% of its radius while Earth, Venus, and Mars all have iron-rich cores that make up about half of their radius. Yet it is still uncertain why Mercury orbits so close to the Sun and how its dense structure was formed. This November, a joint European and Japanese space mission is due to enter orbit and is expected to reveal where Mercury came from.

Read the article and learn about the smallest planet in our solar system.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20251223-mercury-the-planet-that-shouldnt-exist

Topic Reading-Vol.5006-1/7/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Digital age brings Denmark’s postal service to a historic end 

If your business has shrunk to one-tenth and sees no chance of recovery, what would you do? That was the situation that PostNord, a Nordic mail and parcel delivery company jointly owned by the Swedish and Danish governments, faced in Denmark, as correspondence and message deliveries have shifted from paper to online in the last two decades. The postal company removed 1,500 mailboxes last year and delivered its last letters on December 30, closing over 400 years of conventional mail service. The company now focuses on delivering parcels as online shopping keeps increasing. Even though almost all Danes are digitally proficient, there are people, mainly older citizens, who still rely on postal services. They may either use a collection service by a private company at home or drop their letters off at kiosks in stores. If you travel to Denmark and want to send a postcard, you need to look for a kiosk, not a mailbox. Which country will follow suit?

Read the article and learn about the end of the postal service in Denmark.

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/12/30/europe/denmark-postal-service-letters-intl-scli

Topic Reading-Vol.5005-1/6/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Sit-to-stand: The simple test that reveals how you're ageing

Can you stand up from the chair or sofa easily? The sit-to-stand test (STS) is a simple, common assessment of leg strength, balance, and endurance. Just count how many times you can fully stand up from a seated position in 30 seconds. It measures leg strength and endurance, balance and mobility, fall risk, and aging. If you are in your 60s and can perform a dozen times, you’re on average in the age group. If you can stand up around 10 times in your 70s or 80s, you’re still in good shape. But if your score is lower, you may have weak muscles, excess weight, heart or lung problems, or other functional problems. Older people with lower scores tend to fall more easily, which could cause injuries, including muscle tears and hip fractures. To avoid such significant damage, you may want to stand up more often, go up and down stairs, and walk around when possible. Small things add up for healthier aging.

Read the article and learn about what the sit-to-stand test reveals.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250404-sit-to-stand-the-simple-test-that-reveals-how-youre-ageing