Topic Reading-Vol.5181-7/1/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Thousands of baby seals died on two remote sub-Antarctic islands. Scientists now think they know why

On remote sub-Antarctic islands about 4,000 kilometers southwest of Australia, thousands of carcasses of seal pups, penguins, and seabirds were left. In one area, nearly all seal pups were dead. It was found that the cause of the devastating deaths of the sea mammals and birds was H5 bird flu, which had likely been transferred through migratory birds from other sub-Antarctic islands 1,800 km away. The H5 bird flu, specifically the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain, is a contagious, deadly disease currently widespread among wild birds, commercial poultry, and dairy cattle. While the public health risk to humans remains low, infected birds and animals display severe symptoms and then die. When H5 bird flu is detected on a chicken farm, it is put under strict quarantine, its entire flock is culled, and the farm undergoes extensive cleaning and disinfection. Last month, a wild migratory brown skua was found positive for the H5 bird flu in Western Australia, the first case on the continent. People in Australia are now advised not to touch sick or dead birds or animals. Watch out not only for sharks but also for seabirds on Australian shores.

Read the article and learn about how contagious and deadly the bird flu is.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/06/19/australia/bird-flu-seal-pups-dead-heard-and-mcdonald-islands-intl-hnk

Topic Reading-Vol.5180-6/30/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

A Wimbledon etiquette guide for first-time visitors

The first round of the gentlemen’s and ladies' singles of the 139th Wimbledon Championships started on June 29 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. First held in 1877, this world’s oldest tournament is one of the four Grand Slam tennis events, and is the only tennis major still played on a traditional surface, grass. Of the 18 championship grass courts, the Centre Court has a retractable roof, the Royal Box, and nearly 15,000 seats for commoners. Tickets for such a prestigious event are hard to get, but at Wimbledon, 500 premium tickets are sold on the day of play. To get the tickets, you need to go to the site the day before the match to get a Queue Card, and if you prefer, you can camp overnight to be ready for the next day’s queue. There are a few other unique manners and tips you want to know to enjoy watching the tournament, including what to wear, where to go, and when to enter or leave, to avoid receiving a look of withering disapproval instead of approval nods by regulars.

Read the article and learn what it takes to watch the prestigious tennis match at Wimbledon. 

https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20260618-wimbledon-etiquette-for-first-time-visitors

Topic Reading-Vol.5179-6/29/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Satellite images show 10 places where water is disappearing globally

Caused primarily by human activities and climatic variations, desertification is the degradation of land in arid, semi-arid, and dry sub-humid areas. A drought is a prolonged period of unusually dry weather with very little or no rain over an extended period. Both slowly impact ecosystems, agriculture, and water supplies. To raise public awareness about desertification and drought and promote action to restore degraded land, the UN marked June 17 as the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought three decades ago. Over the period, however, the world has lost a significant amount of freshwater. The South Aral Sea in northwestern Uzbekistan and Lake Urmia in northwestern Iran have both shrunk by more than 90%, exposing the former lakebed. Lake Mead, the US’s largest reservoir on the Colorado River, has shown a dramatic decline due to prolonged drought, rising temperatures, and excess water usage. Also, lakes in Africa and South America, and South America’s second-longest river, have shown drastic shrinkage. As the world’s population increases and temperatures rise, more water is needed for drinking, farming, and industry. Will we then depend more on recycled or desalinated water instead of fresh water?

Read the article and learn how seriously desertification has shrunk the water supply and flow around the world.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/6/17/satellite-images-show-10-places-where-water-is-disappearing-globally

Topic Reading-Vol.5178-6/28/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Why moving about is key for children's health - and happiness

Gone are the days when children rushed to go out to climb a tree, run and jump around, or play tag in their free time. Nowadays, instead, they play online games, watch videos, or scroll screens indoors whenever they find time, moving only their fingers and eyeballs. Once children get used to a sedentary life, they tend to be less physically active in their future and visit the doctor more often in adulthood. Also, studies find that physically active children show better mental health, educational achievements, and cognitive performance. What parents and carers can do to help children is encourage them to do more physical activity, not just by words but by playing sports, running, or walking together, or enrolling them in sports clubs or events. Schools can dedicate some time daily to have students do physical activity during recess or lunch break instead of leaving them with their smartphones. As smartphones have become intimate with children’s lives, moving bodies is essential for children’s health, wellbeing, and future.

Read the article and learn why children should exercise more.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20260522-to-get-children-to-move-more-we-need-to-intervene

Topic Reading-Vol.5177-6/27/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Tricycle ambulances are saving lives in Ghana

In Ghana, there are only 356 ambulances for a population of 35 million, approximately one ambulance per 10,000 people. However, hundreds of thousands of people in rural areas do not have access to ambulance services. There, maternal mortality remains comparatively high, with 234 deaths per 100,000 live births, 14 times higher than in the US. Most of these deaths occur in rural areas, where access to hospitals is limited or none. Then a non-profit called Moving Health came up with a practical and economical vehicle for about-to-be mothers: a tricycle ambulance. It is powered by a motorcycle engine and equipped with a stretcher, a seat for a carer, basic life support, and emergency birthing kits. It costs only $7,000, much cheaper compared with a full-spec ambulance that usually costs at least $75,000. The organization has placed 31 tricycle ambulances in five districts so far, serving more than 230,000 people, who otherwise have no access to an ambulance. Tricycle ambulances can serve in rural areas as they are engineered to drive narrow, rough roads where four-wheel ambulances cannot. Just like three-wheel tuk-tuks are transporting many passengers in Asia, tricycle ambulances may become popular emergency vehicles in Africa.

Read the article and learn about a three-wheel solution to maternal mortality in Ghana.

https://edition.cnn.com/world/africa/moving-health-ambulance-tricycle-ghana-spc

Topic Reading-Vol.5176-6/26/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Instant noodles have a bad reputation — but the world still can’t get enough of them

Invented by a Japanese businessman in 1958 to fill hungry stomachs, instant noodles are precooked and dehydrated noodles that are quickly prepared just by adding hot water. Because of their palatability, convenience, long shelf life, and affordability, today about 120 billion servings are consumed worldwide. China consumes the most, with more than 40 billion servings annually, followed by Indonesia’s 15 billion and India’s 8 billion. On a per-person basis, Vietnamese and South Koreans eat the most, about 80 servings per year. Because instant noodles are affordable and satisfying for the tongue and stomach because of their alluring combination of salt, sugar, fat, and carbs, they make eaters addicted. They are also ultra-processed foods, such as snacks, sweets, and frozen ready-to-eat meals. Even though instant noodles are comfort food and readily available anywhere around the world, you want to avoid consuming such highly processed food too often for your health.

Read the article and learn about what instant noodles are and how they were invented.

https://edition.cnn.com/travel/instant-noodles-unhealthy-beloved-global-market-intl-hnk

Topic Reading-Vol.5175-6/25/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

AI is sparking a jobs boom — just not for newbies

As AI takes more human roles, thousands of jobs, such as repetitive, structured, predictable tasks, such as data entry, telemarketing, customer service, coding, and administrative positions, have been eliminated in the US. Accordingly, there are significantly fewer job openings for these entry-level jobs, which are suitable for new graduates to start their careers. As of March, over 5% of recent college graduates were unemployed, while the overall unemployment rate stood at 4.2%. Upskilling is one way for job seekers to qualify for remaining job opportunities, but AI is also upgrading while they are learning new skills. As for US employers, instead of growing talent through jobs, they are looking for senior-level talent who can manage AI and teams around the fast-moving world, and they are competing to hire people from the same small pool of talent. But this eliminates not only young people’s job opportunities but also their chance to bloom in the future. What seems essential for businesses might not be just replacing jobs with AI but improving and growing with AI.

Read the article and learn how AI is affecting the US job market.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/06/11/business/ai-jobs-work

Topic Reading-Vol.5174-6/24/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Costs, careers and choice: Why Indians are having fewer children

The total fertility rate (TFR) is the average number of children a woman would have over her lifetime. Though it had been declining gradually over decades, India’s TFR was still above 3.0 births per woman in the 2000s. Recently, however, it has fallen below 2.1, the replacement level to keep the population stable. Even though the figure remains higher than in other developed countries, the downward trend of the fertility rate reflects fundamental changes in India’s society. The drop in TFR in developed communities such as Delhi and Bengaluru, and Southern states with good health and education systems like Kerala, is as significant as in another populous country, China. In the meantime, in poorer states like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, with lower education levels and higher infant mortality rates, fertility rates are twice as high as those in high-income states. Better education, career development, lower child mortality rates, changes in family values, along with inflation, seem to have led India’s women to choose to have fewer or no children. The world’s most populous country is now facing the same problem as other developed countries. 

Read the article and learn about the changes and factors behind the falling fertility rate in India.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/6/14/costs-careers-and-choice-why-indians-are-having-fewer-children

Topic Reading-Vol.5173-6/23/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Morocco’s answer to drought is in the ocean. Could more of Africa follow its lead?

The world is now using more water than nature provides by rain and snow, and as a result, rivers and lakes are shrinking, wetlands are drying up, and aquifers are declining. Morocco spans from the Atlantic Ocean to mountainous areas and the Sahara Desert. As drought occurs more frequently and for longer, the country can no longer rely on rainfall and dam inflows. So, the country with a population of 37 million launched a project to provide fresh water from the Atlantic to coastal cities while using dam water and rainfall for inland areas. The project includes building desalination plants, dams, wastewater reuse, and water pipelines. The energy-intensive desalination plants are powered by eco-friendly wind and solar power. Economically, desalinated water will boost agricultural outputs and secure farming jobs, which account for a third of the nation’s workforce. However, they also produce high-salt-concentration brine with chemical residues, which could damage marine ecosystems when discharged back into the ocean. Currently, over 20,000 desalination plants are in operation around the world, most of which are fossil-fuel-powered and in the Middle East. Morocco wants its water project to be shared by other water-stricken African countries.

Read the article and learn about how Morocco is managing the water crisis.

https://edition.cnn.com/world/morocco-desalination-ocean-africa-spc

Topic Reading-Vol.5172-6/22/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Swiss voters reject 10 million population cap

While Switzerland’s total fertility rate sits around 1.3, well below the 2.1 replacement rate, its population has grown by nearly 30% in the last three decades to 9.1 million. The driver of the population growth is foreign residents, who now account for as much as 27% of the nation’s population. They contribute significantly to the nation’s economy and society, particularly in tourism, hospitals, and care homes. For example, about half of hotel workers are now immigrants. While they become a much-needed workforce immediately, the rapid increase in the adult population has put strain on transport, housing, and the environment. Recently, a proposal was made by a right-wing party to cap the nation’s population at 10 million. At the direct vote on June 14, 55% of the voters rejected the proposal and 45% supported the population limit. Politicians and business leaders are particularly relieved by the result because they want to keep the country’s commitment to Europe’s free movement of people, a crucial requirement to be part of Europe’s single market. But the 5% gap in the vote might change to the other side depending on social stability, economic pressure, and living conditions.

Read the article and learn about the population increase and cap in Switzerland.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c20ygjem17zo

Topic Reading-Vol.5171-6/21/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Maasai women turn drought into income through fodder farming in Tanzania

Maasai people live in Kenya and northern Tanzania. They traditionally make their living by herding livestock, mainly cattle, goats, and sheep. When drought hit the region, they would lose their livestock. Traditionally, Maasai women are responsible not only for managing domestic duties and raising children but also for building homes and milking livestock. Recently, they came up with drought-resistant livestock fodder, which not only feeds their livestock but also generates money. It is part of the climate-adaptation initiatives that are coordinated by the Pastoral Women’s Council (PWC), a women-led membership organization that serves over 450,000 Maasai pastoralists, whose lives and wealth mostly rely on their animals. When climate change accelerates, people of all kinds and ages need to adapt their living to more severe extreme weather conditions.

Read the article and learn about Maasai women’s initiative to survive and thrive during droughts.

https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2026/6/11/maasai-women-turn-drought-into-income-through-fodder-farming-in-tanzania

Topic Reading-Vol.5170-6/20/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Why have World Cup hydration breaks attracted criticism? It's the ads.

While basketball and American football are divided into four 10-to-15-minute quarters, a soccer/football match is split into two 45-minute halves, excluding the stoppage time added by the referee for injuries or substitutions. Now, since the 2026 World Cup games are being hosted in Canada, the USA, and Mexico, game conditions vary widely. FIFA, then, introduced mandatory 3-minute hydration breaks taken 22 minutes into each half for all of the 2026 World Cup matches, to ensure equal conditions for all teams amid dangerous heat. While the additional mandatory breaks hydrate and recharge the players, they disrupt the natural flow and momentum of matches. Fans aren’t necessarily happy with the two disruptions in the middle of the game and the extended game time. In the meantime, the hydrogen breaks bring economic benefits. Since each of the 104 matches has two 3-minute extra ad times, there will be a total of 832 30-sec commercial slots, which will generate substantial revenue for the broadcasters and then for FIFA. Will all soccer games be divided into four quarters?

Read the article and learn about the extra breaks FIFA added to the World Cup games.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/soccer/worldcup/2026/06/18/world-cup-hydration-breaks-ads-chart/90600595007/

Topic Reading-Vol.5169-6/19/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

El Niño is here and rapidly strengthening. Here’s what it means for your weather

El Niño conditions are now underway in the tropical Pacific, with sea surface temperatures having risen sharply in recent months, according to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). El Niño involves the transfer of a large amount of heat energy from the ocean to the atmosphere, which boosts global average surface temperatures, leading to extreme weather conditions, such as heat waves, flooding, and droughts, depending on the location. It occurs every two to seven years and lasts for about a year, but this one is predicted to be stronger than previous super El Niño events in 2015-16, 1997-98, and 1982-83. Since global average surface temperatures have increased to a record high due to human-caused warming from fossil fuel burning, 2027 will likely be even hotter than the previous record in 2024. Humans have learned to predict climate change, like global warming and El Niño. Are we ready for a hotter, drier, or wetter climate?

Read the article and learn about what the underlying current could do to the climate.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/06/11/weather/super-el-nino-declared-global-impacts-climate

Topic Reading-Vol.5168-6/18/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

The Netherlands vs the sea: The race to hold back rising waters

About a quarter of the Netherlands lies below sea level, and major coastal cities  Rotterdam, the largest seaport in Europe, sits at -4 meters, and Amsterdam, the capital, at -2 meters. But unlike New Orleans (Vol.5166), the low-lying nation has long been protected by massive storm-surge barriers called the Delta Works for decades from the rising levels of the North Sea and overflowing rivers. Completed in 1997, the 1,000km long protective system consists of dams, dikes, levees, sluices, and pumps. However, as sea levels rise faster and storms become fiercer, the protective system is feared to become unsustainable. The country is already spending about 1% of its GDP annually on building new structures and maintenance and operation of the existing system. It took more than 1,800 lives in the 1853 North Sea Flood to initiate the Delta Works project. How will the Netherlands cope with the rising danger?

Read the article and learn about how human ingenuity has been protecting the Netherlands’ low-lying land.

https://edition.cnn.com/climate/netherlands-vs-the-sea-hold-back-rising-waters-c2e-spc

Topic Reading-Vol.5167-6/17/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Iran’s lakes are vanishing: Satellite images show a deepening water crisis

Iran has hundreds of dams to generate electricity and store water, yet its 92 million residents are facing severe water shortages. More than 30,000 of the country’s 69,000 villages have been abandoned so far due to water shortages. Years of drought, declining rainfall, and unsustainable water use have depleted reservoirs, rivers, and groundwater reserves. For example, Lake Urmia, the largest saltwater lake in the Middle East, has shrunk to less than 10% of its former size since the 1990s. About 90% of the water is used for agriculture, but much of the extracted water doesn’t reach crops because of inefficient irrigation systems. Iran has plenty of oil to export to buy weapons, but not enough water to sustain its farming, industry, and population. It has been at war with the US and Israel for its nuclear weaponization effort, and is putting most of its resources and efforts into firing missiles and flying drones. But which might deplete first, weapons or water?

Read the article and learn how serious Iran’s water shortages are.

https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2026/6/9/irans-lakes-are-vanishing-satellite-images-show-a-deepening-water-crisis-2

Topic Reading-Vol.5166-6/16/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Rising seas will swallow New Orleans. People need to start relocating now, scientists say

Some coastal regions in the world have already started relocating due to sea level rise and sinking land. Tuvalu, a Pacific island nation, is organizing the world’s first planned migration of the entire country to Australia. Jakarta, Indonesia, is relocating the nation’s administrative capital functions to another island. The USA is no exception. New Orleans, famous for its lively jazz, vibrant Creole culture, and historic French Quarter, sits in a low-lying basin, mostly below sea level. It is surrounded by extensive, highly vulnerable wetlands that are crucial for buffering storm surges, but they are rapidly disappearing due to human activity, land subsidence, and rising sea levels. About 75% of its remaining wetlands are predicted to be lost, and the inland could retreat by as far as 100 km. New Orleans has already lost about a quarter of its population since the 2005 Hurricane Katrina, which submerged 80% of the city and killed nearly 1,400 people. As the city’s residents move out, tax revenues, public services, and home values decline, and as a result, empty or abandoned properties will increase. As protective wetlands disappear, land sinks further, and sea level rises, New Orleans is facing an existential challenge, as critical and urgent as that of the Pacific Islands.

Read the article and learn what is going on in the historic capital of Louisiana.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/05/25/climate/new-orleans-sea-level-rise-relocation

Topic Reading-Vol.5165-6/15/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Siesta then fiesta: Enjoy Europe like the locals

Seville, Athens, and Rome. One thing common about these European popular tourist destinations is scorching summer heat. This year, Europe’s heatwave season had already started in late May, marking an all-time May record in London and Budapest, knocking out tennis players at the French Open, and killing over 100 people in heat-related deaths in Spain. If you’re traveling to Europe this summer with an ordinary 9 am-6 pm outdoor itinerary, you’ll be baked just like other tourists. So, instead of going out during the heat hours, how about visiting outdoor tourist destinations early in the morning, staying indoors and taking a siesta in the afternoon, and going out again after sunset to enjoy nighttime tourism? Locals spend the summer days by this work-siesta-work and fiesta schedule to avoid the summer heat while working and enjoying just like in other seasons. In fact, people in Italy and Spain usually have dinner around 9 pm and enjoy after-dinner activities until after midnight. If your body clock is already confused by the jet lag, it may be easier to adjust it not to the local time but to the local customs.

Read the article and learn how to manage your summer travel to Europe.

https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20260605-siesta-then-fiesta-enjoy-europe-like-the-locals

Topic Reading-Vol.5164-6/14/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

AI is changing this job so fast the interview process can’t keep up

Recently, in the US, AI was the most frequently cited reason for job cuts. In fact, various knowledge-based, white-collar jobs have been affected by AI, including administrative support, customer service, writing, translation, and financial and legal analysis. Also, even in the technology industry, many jobs have been replaced or affected by AI, such as junior coders, programmers, technical writers, data analysts, customer support, and web developers. In fact, the landscape of tech jobs is changing so rapidly that hiring companies haven’t even come up with appropriate job qualifications, requirements, or assessments yet. When most tech workers use AI for writing and modifying code, analyzing data, and troubleshooting, the roles of software engineers have shifted from coding skills to designing, judging, and decision-making. That’s why young job seekers with tech majors have difficulty finding their first jobs. What qualifications are required for tech jobs if coding skills don’t qualify, and how should candidates be assessed?

Read the article and learn how AI is affecting the job market in the tech industry.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/05/28/tech/ai-software-engineering-job-interview

Topic Reading-Vol.5163-6/13/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

From butterflies to breast milk, Uber's list of lost items reveals wild backseat discoveries

Uber operates ride-sharing services in approximately 15,000 cities in 70 countries with over 200 million monthly active users. It is the most widely used rideshare app in the US, dominating more than two-thirds of the nation’s rideshare market. The rideshare giant recently announced its 10th lost-and-found index, an annual list of strange items left behind by riders in the US. It revealed that more items were left in New York than any other city, and Sunday was the day when people left things behind the most. Even though phones are the most essential item for using a rideshare service, more than a million phones were left in the cars. Some of the items that led last year’s lost items trend were vapes and e-cigarettes, Labubu dolls, and Croc sandals (open-toe footwear). Unusual things on the list include a pair of partial teeth in a tissue, pelvis implants, 20 pounds of duck sausage, and a child’s prosthetic eye. While some of the items were tiny or compact, others were bulky or heavy. Make sure to check the seat before leaving the car you rode.

Read the article and learn what items were left in Uber cars.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czr25k7g7d7o

Topic Reading-Vol.5162-6/12/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers,　

In the lowest place on Earth, a sea is rapidly dying — and no one can agree how to save it

Located on the border between Jordan and Israel, the Dead Sea is an inland salt lake sitting at about 430 meters below sea level, the lowest exposed point on Earth's surface. As the salinity of the lake is about 34%, roughly 10 times saltier than usual ocean water, your body floats easily in the water. However, as climate change has made droughts fiercer and rainfall rarer, the water level has dropped. Also, over the past decades, excess amount of water has been extracted from the Jordan River for increasing population, crops, and livestock, which has significantly reduced the water flow and shrunk the Dead Sea. As a result, the sea level has been dropping by about one meter annually, and as a result, the surface area has shrunk by approximately one-third. Also, the salt water has become too salty to dissolve salt anymore, causing the undissolved salt to form solid crystals and natural salt sculptures. It is an environmental disaster in slow motion, which requires immediate attention and action. Unfortunately, the surrounding countries, Israel and Jordan, are too busy dealing with regional conflicts and extracting minerals from the brine to deal with the clear and present environmental danger. How can we stop the Dead Sea from becoming a dead zone?

Read the article and learn how the world's saltiest water lake has been changing.

https://edition.cnn.com/climate/dead-sea-shrinking-sinkholes

Topic Reading-Vol.5161-6/11/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

People are flooding AI chatbots with health questions. Microsoft is teaming up with Mayo Clinic to help

AI chatbots like ChatGPT are generative pretrained transformers whose interface is designed for conversational interactions. Instead of just retrieving relevant information from cyberspace like search engines, it creates new content, such as writing essays or code, answering questions, and providing suggestions. Such AI is pretrained on massive datasets, including books, articles, and websites, to learn facts and reasoning patterns. If you ask a health question to an AI, it’ll answer your question and provide suggestions based on the health data you rendered. But how accurate and dependable is such health information from chatbots? Recently, Microsoft and Mayo Clinic, a nonprofit American academic medical center, announced that they will work together to build an AI tool trained specifically on medical data to help patients and medical service providers. They hope the medically pretrained AI will potentially power AI tools for clinicians and hospitals and improve AI healthcare assistance for patients via AI chatbots. Since it’ll take years to build and check such an AI tool, until then, use AI with caution when you ask health or medical questions.

Read the article and learn how AI might help improve our health and medical care.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/06/02/tech/ai-for-healthcare-microsoft-mayo-clinic

Topic Reading-Vol.5160-6/10/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

AI ‘voice cloning’ scams are on the rise. Here’s how to protect yourself

Voice cloning scams are AI-driven frauds where criminals use short audio samples to create an accurate replica of a person’s voice to trick the receiver into transferring money to an untraceable account or handing out cash. Scammers steal voice samples from SNS, YouTube, or voicemail greetings and feed them into AI software to replicate their speech. They use voice skinning to manipulate their voice or text-to-speech tools to make them sound like the person they are mimicking in real time. Also, fraudsters might make the call appear as if it is coming from a known number. Because such calls have become too hard to determine their authenticity, it is advised to look for signs of fraud, such as a sense of urgency or deadline, confidentiality, and the amount of money. Will AI technologies or our smartphones detect AI-generated scams and protect us from fraudsters?

Read the article and learn how technologically advanced scammers are.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/05/29/tech/ai-voice-cloning-scams-protect-yourself

Topic Reading-Vol.5159-6/9/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

'Mornings and nights no longer exist' at 47C: A day in the hottest place in India

Banda District in Uttar Pradesh, India, sits near the Tropic of Cancer, where the Sun appears directly overhead during the summer solstice. In late May, the hottest month of the region, temperatures of 47-49C continued for nearly 10 days there. Around two million live in the broader Banda, many of whom work outdoors, such as farming, construction, and transport. People start working before sunrise, take a break indoors between noon and around 4 pm, and then resume their work until 7 pm, working for the same hours while enduring the heat. Indeed, they have little or no option but to live with the heat. And the situation has become more intolerable in the last few years as the tree cover has fallen for farming and mining, and sand mining and groundwater depletion have weakened the cooling mechanism in the surrounding landscape. In fact, Banda is part of the Indo-Gangetic Plain, which is regarded as one of the world’s emerging hotspots for dangerous humid heat. It is becoming hotter for longer, and the landscape is losing more trees and water, unendurable conditions for residents, especially for children and elderly people who are vulnerable to extreme heat. Not air conditioning, but trees, shade, and water are more sustainable means for mitigating the heat in Banda.

Read the article and learn about one of the world’s hottest urban environments.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/crmp0krp98ro

Topic Reading-Vol.5158-6/8/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Brain freeze? Ice cream headaches can reveal a surprising amount about your health

When you sip, lick, or bite a cold substance, such as an ice cube, shaved ice, or ice cream, you might feel an acute ache in your forehead. This cold-stimulus headache occurs when the roof of the mouth or back of the throat is cooled so rapidly that it shrinks the blood vessels, and then the shrunk vessels are forced to swell back up again to restore blood flow. This rapid change in the blood flow activates pain receptors and sends signals to the brain, but the brain misinterprets them as coming from the forehead rather than the mouth. That’s why your forehead hurts but not your tongue. It is easily avoidable if you take a little more time to eat or drink cold food or drinks. But some people still experience a more severe headache than others. Researchers think this blood vessel shrinkage seems to run in families. Do your parents have ice cream headaches, too? Also, those who have migraine tend to experience this kind of headache when they eat cold stuff. So, if you feel pain in your brain or forehead when you eat ice cream even if you’ve eaten it slowly, you may want to try the same treatment as for migraine. An ice cream headache can be mostly prevented or eased if you take a little more time to enjoy the cold treat.

Read the article and learn why you may experience a headache when you eat ice cream.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20260529-what-causes-brain-freeze

Topic Reading-Vol.5157-6/7/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

The arteries of modern civilization: The US and allies take action to protect seabed cables

Where do you think the vast amount of data is being transmitted every day and every second? Most of the world’s intercontinental data, including payments, trade, and data flows, travels through 570 existing and 80 planned undersea internet cables, the arteries of modern civilization. However, just like underwater gas pipelines, they are so vulnerable to attacks because they have no defense mechanisms or forces. In fact, several incidents of damage to internet cables and gas pipelines have been reported in the Baltic Sea since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Just like the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz has created global oil shortages, disruptions to underwater pipelines and cables could cause regional and global nightmares. Recently, Australia, the UK, and the US (AUKUS) have reached a trilateral defense pact to improve reconnaissance and strike capabilities. Since data centers are being built around the world and are connected to each other, protecting the data arteries plays a vital role in ensuring smooth data transmissions and internet connections.

Read the article and learn the roles underwater cables play in modern life.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/05/31/world/aukus-seabed-cables-defense-intl

Topic Reading-Vol.5156-6/6/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Why America’s rich keep getting richer

In the “K-shaped economy”, the upper arm of the letter “K” represents the wealthy while the lower arm shows lower-to-middle-income families. In the last three years in the US, the top 1% earners increased their cumulative real net worth by 30%, the next 19% earners gained 20%, and the next 20%, classified as the upper middle group, enjoyed about an 18% increase (Vol 5152), while the middle 40% and bottom 20% had less than a 15% gain. What made the gap wider between those who gained wealth more and less is housing, stocks, and inflation. Even though the S&P 500, the benchmark market index, has gained 86% over the last three years, about three-quarters of America’s stocks are owned by the top 20% earners. As for housing, over half of mortgages belong to the top 20%, whose property values have seen steep increases in the last few years. In the meantime, recent inflation in food, energy, and gas prices, in particular, hit the middle 40% and bottom 20% of income groups harder because they spend a higher proportion of their income on those daily necessities. Once dreamed of by middle-income households were cars and houses, which are now getting out of their reach. How will AI affect the wealth gap for Americans?

Read the article and learn about the widening gap between the rich and others.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/05/29/business/why-americas-rich-keep-getting-richer

Topic Reading-Vol.5155-6/5/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Protect yourself from contagious viruses (and we don’t mean Ebola), with these expert tips

The FIFA World Cup kicks off next week in the US, Canada, and Mexico, and millions of fans will scream germs into the air of very crowded stadiums. Also, summer vacationers are traveling around and interacting with others in many ways. In the meantime, the hantavirus outbreak on a Dutch cruise ship in April infected 13 on board and killed three. Also, the Ebola outbreak in Central Africa has infected hundreds and killed more than 200, and is still active. Contagious diseases can be easily transmitted from one person (or animal) to another through various routes, including airborne/respiratory droplets, physical contact, or fecally or orally contaminated surfaces. One of the most worrisome contagious viruses is measles, whose particles can stay in the air for up to two hours. It is much more contagious than the flu or COVID-19, as a single infected individual could pass the virus to between 12 and 18 people. The problem is that even though it can be contained by a simple vaccine, vaccination rates for measles are falling in many countries, including the World Cup host countries. How can you better protect yourself from viruses besides vaccination?

Read the article and learn what contagious diseases are and what you can do to protect yourself.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/05/29/health/contagious-virus-anxiety-wellness

Topic Reading-Vol.5154-6/4/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Is 'out of control' US tipping culture spreading overseas?

In the US, tipping is a standard practice for services such as restaurants, taxis and rideshares, doormen and bellboys, and delivery services. Among these, servers at restaurants depend most of their income on tips from their customers because their minimum hourly wage is set significantly lower than the federal minimum wage. The expected restaurant tip in the US was 10% to 15% of the bill in the mid to late 20th century, but it has risen to 18% or higher today, partly due to pre-programmed electronic payment machines that often suggest 18%, 20%, 22%, and 25%. In large cities like New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles, a 20% tip is mostly expected. Tipping/gratuity is a unique practice in the USA, and it is not expected in most other countries. However, when American travelers dine in restaurants abroad, they often leave tips for their servers. This has made serving staff expect tips from other customers, too, which makes locals annoyed. Another influencer of tipping practice is rideshare services, like Uber, which also show tipping options in other countries where they operate. If you travel abroad, you may want to ask AI if you should leave tips, where, to whom, and how much in advance.

Read the article and learn about how tipping is practiced in the USA and other countries.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cj6p0wrkpj8o

Topic Reading-Vol.5153-6/3/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Tourists can be refused tap water, Italy's top court rules

Yes, you can drink tap water in Italy, though it may taste differently from other places because it is often hard water with a high mineral content. However, you cannot expect free tap water at a restaurant there. Instead, you are expected to order bottled mineral water, choosing between sparkling or still. And a recent ruling by the Italian Supreme Court allowed hospitality venues in Italy to refuse requests for tap water and serve only sealed, bottled water at the table. The ruling was made in response to a claim by a woman who was refused to serve tap water at the restaurant of a five-star hotel in a ski resort. She was offered an eight-dollar bottle of mineral water when she asked for tap water. She argued that water is a natural resource and a universal human right. In Italy, however, laws and regulations do not mandate restaurants to provide free tap water to guests, and therefore, it is up to individual venues to serve tap water to their guests. When in Rome, do as the Romans do, a timeless proverb says, but the woman was visiting from Rome.

Read the article and learn how to order water in Italy.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4g4yd8q0j7o

Topic Reading-Vol.5152-6/2/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

We’re living in the ‘premium economy’ economy

Premium economy is an airline cabin class situated between economy and business class, offering upgraded comfort with wider seats, extra legroom, enhanced dining options, and priority airport services, at 30% to 60% higher prices than economy class tickets. Recently, airlines have been adding more premium economy seats for passengers who are willing to pay more for better, but not thrice or more for business class. This move reflects the increasing number of upper-middle-class consumers in the US economy, whose annual household income ranges from $133,000 to $400,000. They cannot afford to buy a house whose values soared after the pandemic and inflation, but they earn higher wages that they can use for more comfortable travel experiences and higher-quality groceries. Full-service carriers and retailers like United Airlines and Walmart are generating more profits from these valued customers, while budget airlines and discount retailers are struggling to run their businesses, including the recently bankrupted Spirit Airlines. McDonald’s or Starbucks may be an economical option for these upper-middle-class consumers, but they are premium food and drink options for many Americans who are struggling to make ends meet due to soaring commodity, gas, and energy prices.

Read the article and learn what premium economy is like in the USA.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/05/26/business/economy-retail-airlines

Topic Reading-Vol.5151-6/1/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Why did T. rex have tiny arms? A new study may finally have the answer

The Tyrannosaurus rex (T. rex) was one of the largest and most fearsome terrestrial carnivores that lived between 68 and 66 million years ago. An adult T. rex grew up to 12 meters in length, stood about 3.6 meters tall, and weighed six to nine tons. The unique, iconic feature of the carnivore was its massive, heavily reinforced skull, which was used as its primary weapon. As herbivorous dinosaurs grew larger to deter predators, predatory dinosaurs faced immense evolutionary pressure to grow larger and stronger to hunt them. So, T. rex and some other carnivores invested their most energy resources in growing a larger head, stronger skull, and sharper teeth. The trade-off was their forearms, which did not play any vital role in their survival. As a result, those non-essential parts of their body shrank over time. Researchers believe that was why the T. rex had disproportionately short forearms. Evolution seems to have grown T. rex’s skull stronger and larger while shrinking its forearms, and made the land carnivore like a giant land shark.

Read the article and learn how the T. rex evolved for survival.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/05/25/science/t-rex-tiny-arms-function

Topic Reading-Vol.5150-5/31/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

This paint could cool your home and harvest water from the air

Cities are becoming hotter and hotter as concrete and rooftops absorb the sun’s energy, causing the urban heat island effect. If the sun’s energy is reflected, urban temperatures might be reduced during the summer. Do paints help increase the reflection of the sun’s energy? Total Solar Reflectance (TSR) measures how much sunlight a paint reflects. For example, black paint typically reflects less than 10% of sunlight, or absorbs 90% or more of the sun’s energy, while white paint reflects around 70% to 80% of incoming sunlight. Naturally, a white-painted building is cooler than a black-painted one under the sizzling summer sun. Now, an Australian startup has developed a special coating that reflects up to 96% of incoming sunlight, which keeps the roof surfaces as much as 6 degrees Celsius cooler than the surrounding air. If more rooftops are painted with this nanoengineered special coating, the urban heat island effect will be eased without costing any environmental burden. Also, if the surface temperature is lower than the surrounding temperature, moisture in the air is condensed on the surface, like water is formed on the outside of a cold glass. Once the water is collected, it can be used as a supplemental water source for the toilet or shower. Passive radiative cooling, a technology that cools surfaces by reflecting sunlight and radiating trapped heat outward into the cold sink of deep space, is expected to play a vital role in cooling cities while reducing carbon emissions.

Read the article and learn how city temperatures can be cooled without running air conditioning.

https://edition.cnn.com/science/dewpoint-paint-cool-home-water-harvest-climate-c2e-spc

Topic Reading-Vol.5149-5/30/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

'Everest Man' and 'Mountain Queen' break own records scaling world's tallest peak

This season, as many as 500 alpinists were permitted to climb Mount Everest from Nepal. Unfortunately, a massive block of glacial ice hindered the route to the summit and kept alpinists waiting nearly two weeks at the base camp. On May 13, the climbing route to the summit was officially cleared, and they started climbing the mountain. Among them was a renowned Nepali mountain guide, Kami Rita Sherpa, who broke his own record for scaling the 8,849-meter summit for the 32nd time. The 56-year-old mountain guide, known as the “Everest Man”, first scaled the peak in 1994 and has reached the summit almost every year. On the same day, a 52-year-old Lhakpa Sherpa, known as “Mountain Queen”, scaled the summit for her 11th time, breaking her own record for the most ascents by a female climber. A few days later, on the 20th, a record 274 climbers scaled Mount Everest from the south side. The world’s highest summit granted three records to climbers this season.

Read the article and learn about what happened at the top of the world this year.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3927ejpj4eo

Topic Reading-Vol.5148-5/29/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Why Canada is seeing its biggest military recruitment surge in 30 years

Despite its massive geographic size, Canada has a relatively small population of just around 41 million. While having the longest border and coastline in the world, Canada has only about 68,000 active and 32,000 reserve military personnel. Even though the Canada-US border is the world’s longest land border, neither country protects its border against the other because they are NATO allies. And Canada has been relying on the US military power against its other neighbor, Russia. However, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and Trump’s reference to Canada as the 51st state were wake-up calls for Canada’s national security. Last year, applications to the Canadian Armed Forces nearly doubled to 40,000 from the previous year. Also, Canada increased its military spending to 2% of its GDP last year, even though it is far short of NATO’s 5% target. Canada needs to raise pay for its military personnel, expand its troop size, and modernize weapons, equipment, and facilities to live up to the new reality.

Read the article and learn why Canada is building up larger military forces.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/crrpd1pvgkzo

Topic Reading-Vol.5147-5/28/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

From AI to interceptors, Ukraine is trying to drone-proof its skies

The US’s Patriot missile system was originally developed in the 1980s as an anti-aircraft defence system, and it has evolved into an anti-missile defence system. Though it costs a few million dollars per shot, it is a reliable, cost-effective air defense system against more expensive ballistic missiles or aircraft. But during the prolonged Russian invasion of Ukraine, the tools and cost of air attack and defense have changed quite significantly. As hundreds of drones fly hundreds of kilometers beyond borders and attack buildings and facilities, Ukraine is now operating a sophisticated, economical layered air defence system. Using radars, sensors, video feeds, and artificial intelligence, Ukrainian forces can now detect and intercept Russian drones with 3D-printed interceptor drones, each of which costs just a few hundred to one thousand dollars. Also, remote machine guns controlled by trained civilians are used to shoot down drones as the last line of defence. Indeed, since drones are economical, mass-producible, expendable, effective, and upgradable, Ukraine is now the frontrunner in modern air defence technologies.

Read the article and learn how Ukrainians have been thriving in the war since 2022.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1k2lmmjvzxo

Topic Reading-Vol.5146-5/27/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers,　

Japan is gripped by mass allergies. A 1950s project is to blame

When you visit Japan in early spring, you’ll find many people wearing masks, just like most people in the world did during the COVID pandemic. Are the Japanese still worrying about a contagious virus or the flu? You may also realize that many people show classic allergy symptoms, including watery eyes, frequent sneezing, and rubbing their itchy faces. Yes, pollen allergies have become a national health issue in Japan, and over 40% of the Japanese are estimated to suffer from hay fever symptoms. In fact, nearly 70% of Japan’s land is covered with forests, and around one-third of the forest area consists of sugi (cedar) and hinoki (cypress) plantations. They were planted to cover the barren mountains after World War II, under the massive afforestation project seven decades ago, in the hope that these fast-growing evergreen species would reforest landscapes quickly and provide wood for construction. The problem is that they also produce large amounts of lightweight pollen around the same time, especially after 30 years of plantation. ENT doctors and drug stores are very busy during the season. Also, wild monkeys in the mountain forests and even domesticated pets are seen suffering from hay fever symptoms. Reforestation projects with diverse or pollen-free cedar are underway while more people of all ages are sneezing and rubbing their itchy eyes during the high season.

Read the article and learn why so many Japanese people suffer from hay fever symptoms.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20260515-the-1950s-blunder-which-causes-mass-hay-fever-in-japan

Topic Reading-Vol.5145-5/26/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Why is being a mother so expensive in the United States?

Medical care and childcare are both expensive in the US, and the price tags vary widely by insurance coverage, hospital and doctors, and location. While over 90% of expectant mothers are covered by some form of insurance, including public programs, how much of the medical bills are paid by the insurer varies. Also, if you don’t use the hospital, physicians, or pharmacy that have agreed with your insurance plan, called “in network”, you are charged the full sticker price. For example, average insurance claims are over $20,000 for virginal and more than $25,000 for C-section birth in wealthy states like New York and California, and most or some of the claim is covered by the insurer. But the cost doubles if the medical services are provided by an “out-of-network” hospital or doctor. As for paid maternity leave, the US is the only high-income country that does not have a national paid leave program, though some “blue states” have their own programs. When it comes to childcare, US parents bear as much as 40% of their disposable household income on average, while couples in other developed countries pay less than half. If you take recent inflation into account, the cost of medical and child care in the US may be unbearably high for many mothers and parents. 

Read the article and learn how expensive to become a parent in the USA.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/5/10/why-is-being-a-mother-so-expensive-in-the-united-states

Topic Reading-Vol.5144-5/25/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

‘We don’t sell loneliness’: Solo dining is more popular than ever, much to the distaste of some restaurants

While hotels and airlines welcome and accommodate solo travelers happily, many restaurants are reluctant, or even reject, to serve solo diners, especially during busy hours. That’s because their revenue is structured mostly by per-room, per-seat, and per-table revenues. Also, in many cultures, as meals are meant to be shared, such as Chinese hot pot, Korean BBQ, and Spanish paella, restaurants arrange tables for parties. However, according to an online table-booking site, solo diners increased nearly 20% last year, and spent more money per person. Indeed, lone diners are no longer a puzzle piece to fill up empty space, but also growing business opportunities for restaurants. For example, a Korean version of Google Maps offers a filter to search for solo-diner-friendly restaurants. Also, more restaurants are rearranging seating space to accommodate single customers with counter tables, like fast-food restaurants in Japan. Maybe it’s time for restaurants to reconfigure their business models from per-table to per-seat and their menus to welcome and please more single customers.

Read the article and learn what lone diners could mean to restaurants.

https://edition.cnn.com/travel/solo-dining-global-popularity-rising

Topic Reading-Vol.5143-5/24/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

El Niño is coming faster than expected and chances are rising that it will be historically strong

Last summer was the hottest on record in many parts of the world, but this summer is likely to be one of the five-warmest on record, according to the US scientific and regulatory agency. It predicts that the sea-surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific may be the warmest on record. This natural climate phenomenon, called El Niño, occurs every two to seven years and lasts nine months to a year, and affects wind patterns throughout the atmosphere and, therefore, weather conditions. The agency also predicts that this year’s El Niño has a two-in-three chance to become very strong by this winter, and even become the first Super El Niño since the 2015-16 record. The impacts of El Niño cause warmer temperatures around the globe and extreme weather conditions in many parts of the world, including severe droughts and wildfires in Australia, Indonesia, and parts of Central America and northern South America, wetter, stormier weather and flooding in the southern United States, the Gulf Coast, and parts of eastern Africa, and super hurricanes, typhoons, and cyclones. On top of human-caused global warming, this naturally occurring weather phenomenon will heat the summer even further this year.

Read the article and learn why this summer is predicted to be even hotter than ever.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/05/14/weather/super-el-nino-climate

Topic Reading-Vol.5142-5/23/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Canvas hack: Company pays criminals to delete students' stolen data

Provided by Instructure, an educational tech company in Utah, USA, Canvas is a leading cloud-based Learning Management System (LMS). It facilitates online learning through assignment submission, gradebooks, and discussions, and is widely used by schools and universities to manage courses, grades, and communication. Earlier this month, Canvas LMS was hacked and suffered a data breach, including names, email addresses, student ID numbers, and messages among users, affecting thousands of educational institutions and millions of learners and educators. The impacts were significant, and some students were interrupted in their work or exams, for example. On May 11, the LMS provider announced that it reached an agreement and paid a ransom to the cyber criminal to save the stolen 3.6 terabytes of data. It is quite unusual for cybercrime victims to acknowledge ransom payments, but the company tried to be transparent about how it had dealt with the highly visible cyberattack. However, it is unclear if the data was actually destroyed or copied for resale.

Read the article about the impact and settlement of a recent cybercrime that affected schools, students, and teachers.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdepzg83x87o

Topic Reading-Vol.5141-5/22/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

As the US starves it of oil, Cuba is pulling off one of the fastest solar revolutions on the planet — with China’s help

Ever since the 1959 revolution led by Fidel Castro, the USA has maintained economic sanctions against Cuba, whose main energy source is oil. The Soviet Union used to be the main oil supplier in the 1980s until its dissolution, and Venezuela had been taking the role until its president was abducted by the USA in early January. Since then, Cuba has experienced nationwide blackouts and severe gasoline shortages. In the meantime, Cuba has been importing more solar panels and batteries from China to reduce its dependence on fuel imports. Now, about 10% of Cuba’s electricity is generated by renewable energy, and the figure is projected to rise to over 24% in a few years. Cuba may soon start importing more solar panels, batteries, EVs, and E-bikes, and become China’s showcase for electrical products for the Central and South American markets. One economic sanction seems to open up new opportunities to others.

Read the article and learn how Cuba is managing the US’s economic sanctions through China’s renewable energy products.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/05/13/climate/cuba-solar-us-oil-blockade-trump-china

Topic Reading-Vol.5140-5/21/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Snack giant switches to black and white packaging as Iran war hits ink supplies

Once extracted, crude oil is transported to refineries, where it is processed to become fossil fuels (gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, heating oil), industrial materials (asphalt, lubricants, waxes), and naphtha. Naphtha is a crucial raw material used to produce plastics, synthetic rubbers, and also as an industrial solvent to make adhesives, coatings, paints, and printing inks. Due to ongoing tensions in the Middle East from the Iran War, the supply chain for oil-related products, including naphtha, has been severely affected in Asian countries. (Vol. 5139)

On May 25, a Japanese snack giant, Calbee, will change the colorful packaging of its 14 potato chip products to black and white as a naphtha-saving package. The move wasn’t merchandising-oriented but in response to the unstable supply of printing ink. It must have been a big decision to make because they will look very odd among the colorful packages of competitive products on the shelves. Also, the regular buyers who are used to picking up their favorite flavored chips by color have to read the package carefully. Will we see more black-and-white packaging as the tension in the Middle East continues?

Read the article and see the images of black-and-white potato chip packaging.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c78k405j8pdo

Topic Reading-Vol.5139-5/20/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Modi urges Indians to WFH and limit foreign travel as Iran war continues

The effects on economies caused by the war in Iran and the choking of the Strait of Hormuz have been significant, especially for Asian countries, whose over 80% of oil and gas imports come through the strait. Prices of oil products, such as gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel, skyrocketed and raised the cost of running businesses and traveling. Also, the shortage of oil products is so severe that some transportation services, including airlines, taxis, and deliveries, have been reduced or suspended. To cope with the prolonged shortage, Sri Lanka, for example, is rationing fuel and running public services like schools and government services on a four-day work week. Recently, the Prime Minister of India, the world’s most populous country, spoke to its people to conserve the use of oil products by austerity measures, including working from home, using public transportation instead of driving cars, and reducing foreign travel. He even called for “patriotism” by living daily lives responsibly to conserve fuel use because India imports 90% of its oil. When import bills rise, the currency exchange rate becomes weaker and the cost of living increases. Inflation or austerity?

Read the article and learn about Modi’s call for austerity measures to 1.4 billion people.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c8r8e2ne1v6o

Topic Reading-Vol.5138-5/19/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

AI isn’t actually ‘taking’ your job. Here’s what’s happening instead

Tens of thousands of jobs have been eliminated so far in the US due to, or in part due to, AI. Will there be further job cuts as AI is taking more human roles in workplaces? At this stage, AI is primarily taking over jobs that involve repetitive, data-driven, or predictable tasks, such as data entry, basic customer service, entry-level analysis or evaluation, proofreading, bookkeeping, and software coding. In the meantime, AI doesn’t always replace a whole human, but it automates certain parts of jobs. In fact, many companies are reallocating human staff or reassigning tasks among humans and AI. That’s why not all office workers are threatened to lose their jobs overnight. But as AI models evolve, they will take on more office tasks. Also, when more practical and dependable physical AI, like autonomous humanoid robots, are deployed in workplaces, they will not only help human laborers but also may replace them. New technologies have been freeing humans from physical, repetitive tasks and giving us the chance to do more brain-demanding or skill-requiring jobs. Which jobs will be more valued in the era of AI?

Read the article and learn about the influence of AI in workplaces.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/05/10/tech/ai-taking-jobs

Topic Reading-Vol.5137-5/18/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

The underground salt kingdom that became one of Europe’s strangest attractions

First excavated in the 13th century, the Wieliczka Salt Mine in the southeast of Krakow, Poland, is a historical salt mine. Though mining ceased in 1996, it still produces more than 10,000 tons of salt annually by evaporating underground salt water. It is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, drawing as many as two million visitors a year. They can descend 380 steps or ride an elevator to labyrinthine passageways to preserved chambers hollowed out from the rock by hand. Inside the mine, 99% of the rock is salt, and visitors are encouraged to lick it to taste it. There are many chambers, sculptures, and displays, all created by salt to allure visitors. Indeed, salt is essential to human life and the economy. In the 14^th century, revenue from extraction accounted for as much as a third of Poland’s royal income. Today, the mine still produces salt, employs nearly 400 miners for maintenance, and generates handsome tourism revenues.

Read the article and see the amazing world of the salt mine.  

https://edition.cnn.com/travel/wieliczka-salt-mine-tours-poland

Topic Reading-Vol.5136-5/17/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

'Think outside the bots': How to stop AI from turning your brain to mush

How often do you handwrite something or do calculations in your head? Typewriters and calculators made humans’ primary skills inessential more than half a century ago. When search engines appeared, we stopped turning the pages of books to look for information. Then with GPS and a map app on smartphones, we get the directions in the blink of an eye without consulting a map. All these technologies are so convenient that we use and rely on them without hesitation. Now, if we ask something, AI will do the mental labor. In other words, we can outsource cognitive tasks to AI without realizing how reliant we are becoming on the technology and lose the chance to exercise our brains. Studies suggest that those who rely heavily on AI tools might impair their memory, attention span, creativity, and critical thinking. Just like our muscles need to be developed and used, our brains also need to be regularly exercised to stay in shape. Indeed, AI seems to act as a double-edged sword.

Read the article and learn what AI could do to our brain power.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20260505-how-to-use-ai-without-turning-your-brain-to-mush

Topic Reading-Vol.5135-5/16/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Singapore says teachers can cane students as young as 9 in new anti-bullying strategy

Corporal punishment, such as hitting, spanking, or caning, is designed to cause physical pain to punish criminals or correct unruly behavior. While it is banned in many countries, corporal punishment is still practiced in some countries, including Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, and Nigeria, as a disciplinary measure for violent offenses, robbery, and vandalism. Singapore is a highly developed country and well known for its effective education system. It is governed by strict laws to keep the city-state competitive and orderly, including corporal punishment as a disciplinary tool for judicial penalties, in homes, and schools. Though it is a last resort for serious misconduct such as bullying, caning is officially allowed in schools. It must be approved by the school principal and conducted only by authorized personnel under strict guidelines. Only boys nine years old or older could be disciplined by corporal punishment in the hope of helping them learn from their mistakes. School girls who bully others may face serious disciplinary actions, including detention, suspension, lower conduct grades, and school-based sanctions, but not caning. Is corporal punishment effective only on boys, if at all?

Read the article and learn about corporal punishment in schools in Singapore.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/05/06/asia/singapore-schools-caning-scli-intl

Topic Reading-Vol.5134-5/15/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

What British people really mean when they say 'sorry'

When you interrupt someone speaking or remind someone of something, which word do you usually use, “Excuse me” or “Sorry”? Americans tend to use “Excuse me” to ask for permission preemptively, and say “Sorry” to ask for forgiveness or express compassion. On the other side of the pond, people in Britain use “Sorry” more often in various ways, sometimes proactively or non-apologetically, to avoid confrontations. These are some social situations where Brits use “Sorry”.

“Sorry” on the street is often used as an apology, like “Excuse me”.

“Sorry?” after hearing what someone said often means “Pardon?” or “Please say that again.”

“Sorry, can/may I …?” is used to soften a request, like asking if a seat is taken.

“Oh, sorry …”  could mean objection in a less confrontational manner.

“Sorry, but …” is said before objecting, denying, or rejecting something being said.

“Sorry …” in a queue is to remind someone of etiquette to be respected.

How versatile the British “sorry” is!

Read the article and learn how “sorry” is used by British people.

https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20260506-what-british-people-really-mean-when-they-say-sorry

Topic Reading-Vol.5133-5/14/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

One of the planet’s biggest cities is sinking so rapidly it's visible from space

Built in 1910 to commemorate the centennial of the War of Independence, El Ángel, The Angel of Independence, is the most popular monument in Mexico City. Originally, nine steps led to the base, but fourteen more steps have been added in later years due to the sinking of the ground. Indeed, Mexico City is one of the fastest-sinking capitals, at more than a centimeter a month. The metropolis of over 22 million residents sits atop an ancient aquifer, which has been so over-extracted that it’s no longer able to provide drinking water or sustain the weight of the city. The sinking is so fast that it is even visible from a space radar system. Indonesia is now relocating its capital, Jakarta, the world’s fastest-sinking capital at only several meters above sea level, due to sinking and flooding. Mexico City is safe from sea level rise because it sits at over 2,200 meters above sea level, but its water supply and ground foundation rely on the depleting aquifer. Groundwater extraction, heavy buildings and infrastructure, and rising sea levels are all human-caused problems that contribute to urban sinking. We can monitor what is happening on the ground, ice, and sea from space. Then, what should we do with the data?

Read the article and learn about the sinking capital of Mexico.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/05/05/climate/mexico-city-sinking-nasa-aquifer-water

Topic Reading-Vol.5132-5/13/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Food labels have far-reaching effects on our health

What is shown on most packaged foods are alluring images of the food, brand name, and catchy marketing copy, which are all designed to make you buy the product. On the side or back of the package, you can find a nutrition label in black, painstakingly small letters as required by the regulator. While cigarette packs now show large, graphic health warnings to illustrate health risks in many countries, food packages often show little or no such warnings, even on highly processed or sugary foods. In fact, ultra-processed foods (UPFs) in particular, such as soda, snacks, ready-to-eat noodles and soups, and sugary cereals, are linked to obesity or chronic diseases, but they are sold just like other packaged foods on the shelves. In some countries in Europe, however, a five-color nutrition label called Nutri-Score has been shown on the front of the package for several years. Though the label is not mandated by regulators, some food manufacturers redesigned their products by reducing sugar content or changing ingredients in a healthier way, while supermarkets started promoting healthier food options. Since more than half of adults in the world are predicted to weigh too much by the middle of the century, better labeling on processed and packaged foods seems essential to reducing weight-related health problems.

Read the article and learn about how food labeling could affect our health.

ihttps://www.bbc.com/future/article/20260501-food-labels-are-actually-affecting-your-health

Topic Reading-Vol.5131-5/12/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Nature vs nurture: How much of our personalities are determined at birth?

Was our personality set at birth or developed as we grew? While nature is influenced by genetic inheritance and other biological factors, nurture is the influence of external factors, such as exposure, experience, interactions, and learning. Identical twins share 100% of their DNA, but their key personality traits, such as openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and emotional instability or anxiety, aren’t exactly the same. To your surprise, all humans are roughly 99.9% identical in their genetic makeup, and the remaining 0.1% accounts for all individual differences, including appearance, susceptibility to diseases, and other traits. Also, studies found that the environment, social interactions, or even significant life events we’ve experienced have a limited influence on our personality traits. It seems that no one thing determines who we are or how we behave, but multiple genetic and environmental factors do.

Read the article and learn how nature and nurture influence our personality traits.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20260501-nature-vs-nurture-how-much-of-our-personalities-are-determined-at-birth

Topic Reading-Vol.5130-5/11/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

California to begin ticketing driverless cars that violate traffic laws

How reliable are autonomous vehicles (AVs)? In March, more than 100 self-driving robotaxis operated by Baidu in Wuhan, China, stalled in the middle of the road due to a system malfunction, causing hours of distressing congestion. Later, Chinese regulators suspended issuance of permits for new autonomous vehicles. Also, in the USA, driverless autonomous robotaxis like Waymo are becoming popular in major cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles, and they sometimes violate traffic laws, like illegal U-turns or blocking emergency vehicles. However, when an officer stops an autonomous car for a traffic violation, they find no driver responsible for such violations. To enhance accountability of traffic violations by AVs, starting from July, officers can issue traffic tickets directly to the autonomous vehicle’s operator when a robotaxi violates traffic laws. Also, autonomous vehicle operators are required to respond to law enforcement requests within 30 seconds to mitigate traffic incidents. Technical glitches, blackouts, Internet shutdowns, and cyber attacks. Autonomous vehicle operators seem to have to deal with many unexpected incidents quickly and responsibly.

Read the article and learn about California’s move to manage driverless vehicles.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/clypjx3rg2go

Topic Reading-Vol.5129-5/10/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Wild parrots copy their friends when deciding whether to try new foods, study finds

We often learn new behaviors, attitudes, and emotional reactions by observing and imitating others in a social context. For example, kids want to try a new toy when they see other kids playing with it. Also, if there is a long line before a food stand selling a novel food, more people tend to join the line to try it. Such social learning, where animals acquire information, behaviors, or skills by observing or interacting with others, is also common among primates, marine mammals, rats and mice, dogs, and birds. Recently, researchers left artificially dyed almonds to study the reactions of five distinct communities of sulphur-crested cockatoos in central Sydney, Australia. It took a few days for the parrots to try eating artificially dyed almonds they had never seen before. However, it took only a few minutes or less for other groups of parrots to start eating the novel food after they saw their peer parrots, which had eaten the colored almonds before, eating them. Social learning seems to be a practical skill for learning new things quickly while reducing potential risks.

Read the article and learn about how wild parrots learn what to eat from others.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/05/01/science/parrots-copy-friends-new-foods-study-intl-scli