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

Topic Reading-Vol.5128-5/9/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Five charts that show the rise of global militarisation

Who spends more on the military and how much? The total of the top five spenders, the USA, China, Russia, Germany, and India, represents nearly 60% of the world's military spending, and the US alone spent about one-third of the world's total. Because of the US dominance, global military spending spiked when the US was involved in military activities, such as the Korean War, Vietnam War, the Cold War, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Also, European NATO members have increased their military spending by over 40% in the last decade following the 2014 Russian annexation of Crimea. While most countries spent less than $100 or a few hundred dollars per capita on the military, Qatar, Israel, Norway, and Singapore spent over $3,000 per person in 2025. The big military budget spenders are also big arms exporters. Between 2016 and 2025, combined exports of the US, Russia, and France exceeded 60% of the world’s total. Then, how much of the nation’s economic output is allocated to military spending compared with health care or education?

Read the article and learn about the military spending, exports, and shares by country.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/4/29/five-charts-that-show-the-rise-of-global-militarisation

Topic Reading-Vol.5127-5/8/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers,  

In five charts - How UAE's exit could affect Opec's influence over the oil price

Formed in 1960 by Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela, the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is an oil-exporting cartel to coordinate oil policies. Until last month, there were 12 member states and 11 other oil-producing countries, including Russia, that made up OPEC+ to exercise influence on the global oil market. For example, when the oil price crashed during the coronavirus pandemic, OPEC+ cut production to raise prices. OPEC was more influential 50 years ago when it produced over half of the global crude oil, but last year its share dropped to 36.7% as the USA and Russia increased their production. Suddenly, the UAE decided to depart from OPEC at the end of last month. The emirates were the world's third biggest oil exporter, only behind Saudi Arabia and Iraq, before the Strait of Hormuz, where about one-fifth of the world’s oil supply travels through, was blocked by Iran. After departing from OPEC, the UAE is expected to boost production substantially without OPEC’s commitment. The block of the Hormuz Strait, declining OPEC’s market share, and continuing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Oil supply and price have become more fragile recently. Isn’t it time to accelerate the shift from fossil fuels to renewable energies?

Read the article and learn about the declining influence of the international oil cartel.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c70vjpny0dno

Topic Reading-Vol.5126-5/7/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Japan Airlines trials humanoid robots as ground handlers

While robots have been used in various workplaces, including factories, warehouses, restaurants, and hotels, humanoid robots are being deployed primarily in pilot programs, at least so far. But starting from this month, Japan Airlines begins using humanoid robots to help load and unload cargo containers at its major hub, Tokyo’s Haneda Airport. The airline has been facing serious labor shortages, especially for labor-intensive ground handling, as the working-age population declines. Among the ground handling tasks, loading and unloading cargo is a physically demanding task. Workers have to work outside in the rain or wind, and in summer when ground temperatures reach or exceed 40 degrees in humid air due to the asphalt and concrete ground, scorching sun shine, and jet engine exhaust. The airline has been working with a robotics partner for two years to bring humanoid robots into such a harsh environment. Humanoid robots can now not only run or dance, but also help humans do their jobs. It may not be too long before they start caring for humans in nursing homes and at home.

Read the article and see the video to learn how humanoid robots can help humans.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cpwp87j1llvo

Topic Reading-Vol.5125-5/6/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

The Chinese sports brand taking on Nike and Adidas

Adidas was founded by a shoemaker in 1949 in West Germany, and Nike was originally founded by a track athlete and his coach in 1964 in Oregon, USA. A high school dropout in Jinjiang, a southeastern province of Fujian, China, founded Anta Sports Products in 1991. Originally, the startup produced sports shoes for other brands, specialized in cost-effective manufacturing, and targeted the mass market with affordable athletic footwear, but it soon developed a domestic distribution network across China to sell Anta-branded sports equipment, textiles, and accessories. It is now the world’s third-largest sportswear company behind Nike and Adidas, managing 25 sports and apparel brands, including Salomon and Wilson, and operating over 12,000 shops across China. This year, it also acquired a 29% stake in Puma, a globally renowned German athletic brand.

China’s manufacturing power and market scale have incubated and grown global giants. A technology firm, Xiaomi, was a software developer before making phones. Now, it produces and sells electronics and electric vehicles under its own brand. BYD, originally a battery manufacturer for consumer electronics, became the world’s largest EV battery manufacturer and is now the world’s top EV manufacturer. What will Anta be producing and selling in the coming years?

Read the article and learn about another Chinese giant ready to compete with global brands.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c87r2d850q4o

Topic Reading-Vol.5124-5/5/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

India has splurged billions on metro trains. But where are the commuters?

Ground transportation in India’s urban areas is quite stressful and unsafe due to heavy congestion, life-threatening air pollution, and overcrowded buses and trains. To provide sustainable mobility and decongest urban areas, India expanded the metro network from under 300 km to more than 1,000 km in the last decade. It is now the world’s third-longest metro operation, serving more than 11 million passengers daily. However, the estimated overall ridership is only around one-third of the projections. Why is the new public transportation unpopular in a country where other means of public transportation are over-congested or unavailable? First, just like any other government projections, the forecasts were too high because they were based on the capacity and services that were never realized. Also, people aren’t riding the metro because ticket prices are too high, transit times between lines are too long, or the network isn’t well-connected. In addition, congestion and safety concerns remain unsolved on the ground before and after a metro ride. No single means seems to solve urban transportation problems.

Read the article and learn about India’s metro systems.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4g833128vlo

Topic Reading-Vol.5123-5/4/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Surviving in a poisoned land: Chernobyl's wildlife is different, but not in the ways you might think

On April 26, 1986, a reactor of the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant, about 130 kilometers north of Kyiv, Ukraine, then the Soviet Union, exploded during a botched safety test. Steam explosions and a graphite fire released significant radioactive fallout across Europe, making it the world's worst nuclear disaster. Researchers have been studying the effects of radiation exposure on fauna and flora in the 2,600 square-kilometer Chornobyl exclusion zone, one of the most radioactively contaminated areas on the planet. They found that pine trees died but birch trees are growing, wild wolves, bears, and bison are roaming, and abandoned dogs are surviving. Also found are frogs with darkened color, which might have helped reduce the effects of radiation on them. Have these plants and creatures managed or evolved to survive in such a highly contaminated environment with radiation?

Read the article and learn about the changes in the radioactive environment in Chornobyl. 

Note: Chernobyl is the Russian spelling, Chornobyl is the Ukrainian spelling.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20260424-chernobyl-wildlife-forty-years-on

Topic Reading-Vol.5122-5/3/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers,　

Japan reveals new name for 40C-and-hotter days after blistering summer

Japan's summer is extremely humid, often 75%–90% humidity, due to warm, moist air masses from the Pacific Ocean and Southeast Asia, as well as a post-rainy season effect. Also, summer in cities is so intense because of concrete and air conditioning, which keeps temperatures high even during the night, the urban heat island effect. And it is becoming even hotter due to global warming. Last year, Japan experienced a record-breaking hot summer. Daytime temperatures exceeded 35 °C for 52 days in Kyoto and 25 days in Tokyo. The Japan Meteorological Agency, JMA, uses hot day terminologies, Extremely Hot Day for days of 35°C or above, Midsummer Day for 30°C or above, and Summer Day for 25°C or above. Now, to prepare for an even hotter summer, JMA added a new term, Cruelly Hot (Kokusho-bi), for days of 40°C or above. Though the new term won’t ease Japan’s already hot summer, it at least warns people how brutal the day is going to be. Japan’s weather news often advises people to turn on the air conditioning and stay indoors on Extremely Hot Days (35°C+). What will they say on Kokusho-bi?

Read the article and learn how Japan describes an unbearably hot summer day.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/crr185nx0n9o

Topic Reading-Vol.5121-5/2/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

US special forces soldier arrested after allegedly winning $400,000 on Maduro raid

A US soldier who was involved in the planning and execution of the capture of Venezuelan President Maduro was recently arrested and charged with using classified information for his financial gain. He opened an account on Polymarket, an American cryptocurrency-based prediction market, in late December, bet $32,000 on the president’s removal, and earned more than $400,000 after the US military operation in January. A prediction market is a platform where individuals can bet on the outcomes of future events, such as sports matches, economic indicators, weather patterns, awards, political and legislative outcomes, and military conflicts. Users of the platform can buy and sell “yes” or “no” shares of events using a stablecoin pegged 1:1 to the US dollar. It is, like insider trading, absolutely illegal to use classified or unannounced information on prediction markets, but the return on betting in a prediction market could be much higher than the return on investment in the stock market. Anyone who has unreleased information could be a bidder in a prediction market in sports, business, or public service.

Read the article and learn how classified information was used in a prediction market.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/04/23/politics/us-special-forces-soldier-arrested-maduro-raid-trade

Topic Reading-Vol.5152-5/2/2026

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, for typically 30% to 60% more than the cost of a regular ticket. 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.5120-5/1/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers,　

How one disappointing order uncovered a massive ‘ghost cake’ delivery scandal in China

The competition among food delivery services has become overly intense in China. Recently, authorities found that thousands of ghost online food vendors, without business licenses or actual storefronts, were taking orders from consumers and reselling them to the lowest-bidding bakeries. In one case, out of 100, let's say yuan, the customer paid for a birthday cake, the ghost vendor took 50, the intermediary platform grabbed 20, and the actual baker earned only 30, which is way too low to guarantee the food quality and safety, not to mention the customer’s satisfaction. Such ghost vendors were born due to intense price competition, known as involution in China, and are now selling various products, including electric vehicles and solar panels, at the sacrifice of suppliers' diminishing returns. Though anti-involution campaigns have been implemented by various authorities to curb such unhealthy, unsustainable business practices, eager suppliers are bidding to take any order just to keep their businesses running.

Read the article and learn about fierce online business competition in China.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/04/21/business/china-ghost-food-delivery-fine-intl-hnk

Topic Reading-Vol.5119-4/30/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Africa’s biggest airport is being built in Ethiopia for $12.5 billion

Addis Ababa is Ethiopia’s capital with a population of around four million, the 10^th largest in Africa. Addis Ababa Bole International Airport (ADD) is the main hub of Ethiopian Airlines, the state-owned flag carrier and the largest airline in Africa, covering 150 destinations, but it has already reached capacity. So, the airline is now investing in building a new airport, Bishoftu International Airport (BIA), to boost the passenger capacity to 60 million by 2030 to become a leading airline to connect African skies, for both passengers and freight. The new airport is designed to serve mainly transit passengers to, from, and within African countries, and compete with the Middle Eastern hubs like Dubai, Doha, and Abu Dhabi, and African airports, such as Cairo, Nairobi, and Casablanca. To secure the land for the new airport, more than 15,000 people from 36 square kilometers of agricultural land have been displaced, who are said to be compensated and provided with 1,400 new homes in total. But how many of them will find jobs in their new land? Also, at an elevation of 1,900 meters above sea level, which requires extra power & thrust and reduced payload capacity for takeoff and landing compared with airports at sea level, how competitive will the new airport be?

Read the article and learn about Ethiopian Airlines' new bid for a new hub airport in Africa.

https://edition.cnn.com/travel/africas-biggest-airport-is-being-built-in-ethiopia-for-usd12-5-billion-spc

Topic Reading-Vol.5118-4/29/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Sawe smashes two-hour mark to 'move goalposts for marathon running'

Many marathon world records have been set in Chicago, Berlin, and London due to their fast, flat routes. On April 26 at the London Marathon, Kenyan runner Sabastian Sawe set a new men's marathon world record of 1:59:30, the first human to run a sub-two-hour marathon in official race conditions. Only 11 seconds later, another runner from Ethiopia, Kejelcha, reached the goal at 1:59:41 in his first full marathon race. Also set at the same event was the Women's Only Record of  2:15:41 by an Ethiopian runner, Assefa. It was quite amazing that three runners broke the world record at a single marathon event. Interestingly, all three runners were wearing recently released new adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3 shoes, the lightest shoe in the brand’s Adizero range, weighing less than 100 grams. The runners, conditions, shoes, and competition all might have contributed to the three world records at the recent marathon event.

FYI, the first world record of an international marathon race was 2:58:50 at the 1896 Athens Olympic Games. It took 130 years to shave one hour off the time to run 42.195 km.

Read the article and learn about this historic marathon event.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/athletics/articles/crm1m7e0zwzo

Topic Reading-Vol.5117-4/28/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

AI chatbots could be making you stupider

While the tools we use help us accomplish tasks, they seem to change how we think, too. As we’ve become more reliant on search engines, we seem to remember details less. Now, what will happen to our brains when we rely more on large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT on day-to-day, business, or academic tasks? The more we outsource cognitive tasks, the less cognitive effort we make, which might impair our mental skills, such as remembering and critical thinking. In essay-writing tasks on open-ended topics for college students, the brain activity of those who used ChatGPT was much less than that of those who didn’t use the LLM. Also, the LLM users seem to retain or remember less about their essays than those who wrote them by themselves. If you walk, you’ll feel the air around you. If you drive, you’ll see things on the way. If you fly, you’ll get there faster without effort or memory. Think, search, or ask. If we don’t use our brains, we might impair our cognitive abilities.

Read the article and learn what LLMs do to our brains.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20260417-ai-chatbots-could-be-making-you-stupider

Topic Reading-Vol.5116-4/27/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Why your recycled clothes could end up in this South American desert

Created in 1975 to boost economic and social development in northern Chile, the Iquique Free Trade Zone (ZOFRI) is a major duty-free commercial and industrial hub. It offers businesses 100% exemption from corporate tax, customs duties, and value-added tax (VAT) on first sales to boost regional development. Used clothes from all over the world are among the biggest imports in ZOFRI. Once landed, they are sorted and then sold locally or exported to other countries in Latin America, which creates considerable local businesses and employment. Unsold clothes are supposed to be sold to an authorised waste company, but not all are. Some are burnt illegally, and others are dumped in the surrounding Atacama Desert, the oldest and driest sand desert, whose surreal, Mars-like landscapes attract many tourists. It is estimated that nearly 40,000 tonnes of such unsold clothes are illegally dumped in the desert each year. But help is on the way. A new factory is being built to turn the clothes into fibers, and then into felt to be used for mattresses, furniture, and insulation. Also, the government is going to include textiles in the Extended Producer Responsibility Law, which makes the sellers responsible for the lifespan of their products. No one wants the Atacama Desert to become a dump site.  

Read the article and learn what happens to unsold clothes at the end.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c62kg63k8v6o

Topic Reading-Vol.5115-4/26/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

A Chinese android just ran a half-marathon faster than any human ever

China is winning one AI race, the US another (Vol.5114). Last year, it took a humanoid robot more than two hours to run a half-marathon race held in Beijing. This year, the fastest robot ran 21 kilometers in only 50 minutes and 26 seconds, faster than last year’s winner by two hours and also the human record by six minutes. Developed by a Chinese smartphone maker, Lightning, a 169cm-tall running humanoid won the race with its autonomous navigation and burst power. Over 100 teams, nearly five times more than last year, took part in this year’s half-marathon. Having been positioned as one of the 10 key industries for upgrading and identified as a new frontier by the government, China’s humanoid robotics industry is booming and has been drawing talent, resources, and investment. Last August in Beijing, more than 500 humanoid robots from 280 teams competed in 26 events at the World Humanoid Robot Games, including boxing, football, cleaning, and sorting medicine. How astonishing is this year’s event going to be?

Read the article and learn how China is advancing in the race to develop humanoid robots.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/04/19/china/china-robot-half-marathon-intl-hnk

Topic Reading-Vol.5114-4/25/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

China is winning one AI race, the US another - but either might pull ahead

During the Cold War, the US and the Soviet Union competed in space technologies and nuclear armament. Now, the US and China are in a nose-to-nose AI race. Which has advantages over the other, and which is winning?

The US has the world’s leading AI brains, such as chatbots and large language models (LLMs), which learn, recognize, interpret human language and data, and then generate text outputs. It also dominates microchips that run AI and LLMs produced by Nvidia, a premier microchip provider, whose chips are manufactured mainly by a Taiwanese chip giant, TSMC. Speaking of generative AI, only two years after ChatGPT debuted, a highly competitive AI-powered chatbot, DeepSeek, was launched by a Chinese AI startup. Since Chinese IT developers often publish their code online (open source approach), they are quick to catch up and advance. Another advantage China has is the world’s largest manufacturing industry. It dominates the world’s EVs, drones, and robots markets, all of which are powered by AI. In particular, China excels in humanoid robots, which are expected to fill the labor shortages, particularly in care work, in the fast-aging country. As the AI race is shifting to agentic AI, which autonomously makes decisions and takes actions to achieve the goal, either country has the chance to lead in the ongoing high-tech race.

Read the article and learn about the AI race competed by the US and China.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c145enxln0go

Topic Reading-Vol.5113-4/24/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

It’s time for students to start committing to colleges. The age of AI is making it complicated

For most U.S. colleges and universities, first-year applicants are required to decide where to enroll and submit a deposit to secure their spot by May 1, a day called College Decision Day. This is often the first decision students make for their future. Then by the end of the sophomore year, college students should be finishing with their general education requirements and are expected to decide on their major for their future career courses or expertise. Business, Health, and Social Sciences are the most popular majors, while Engineering and Computer and Information Sciences bring higher income than others in general. However, as AI is redrawring the landscape of business and career opportunities, students, and their parents, too,  are now rethinking which college to study at or what major to take. Also, since college tuition and fees have risen significantly in the last few years, the return on a four-year college education is now under serious scrutiny. Does a bachelor’s degree ensure higher lifetime earnings and employment endurance compared with two-year degrees, vocational training, or military service? Do blue-collar jobs earn more than desk jobs?

Read the article and learn why College Decision Day is becoming more significant to students and their parents in the USA.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/04/18/business/ai-college-debt-parents

Topic Reading-Vol.5112-4/23/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Afghan villagers turn to gold-panning to sustain livelihoods

Gold is a precious metal, and has been valued for thousands of years as currency, jewelry, and investment because of its beauty, durability, and rarity. Also, gold is used in electronics, such as smartphones and computers, for its conductivity. Even though the price of gold fluctuates due to inflation, currency exchange rates, and geopolitics, it is considered a safe-haven asset because it has a limited supply and stock. In fact, over the last decade, the price of gold has fluctuated significantly, ranging from as low as $36 up to as high as $176 per gram. Most of the gold production comes from gold mines, and some from recycling jewelry and electronics. The simplest, though most laborious, way to extract gold is panning from a placer deposit using a pan, as American miners did during gold rushes in the mid-19th century in California. As job opportunities are scarce, wages are low, opium poppy farming is strictly banned under the Taliban rule, more Afghan men are now working on gold-panning along the Kunar riverbed in northeastern Afghanistan. It is a time-consuming, laborious work, but finding a gram of gold in a week seems attractive enough to bring workers from Kabul, the capital city.

Read the article and see the photos to learn about gold panning along the Kunar riverbed.

https://www.aljazeera.com/gallery/2026/4/16/afghan-villagers-turn-to-gold-panning-to-sustain-livelihoods

Topic Reading-Vol.5111-4/22/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Fake damage and imaginary watches - how AI images are being used in insurance scams

Many digital photographers, including smartphone or digital camera users, often edit the photos they’ve captured by removing unwanted objects or enhancing images mainly for emotional satisfaction. Also, AI can now easily create unrealistic images based on the prompt the user inputs, like the ones the US President posted earlier this month with Jesus. However, when things are added, removed, or fundamentally altered in the image for benefit or fraud, it is regarded as photo manipulation. Recently, the number of falsified insurance claims using AI has been increasing, including AI-manipulated damage for car insurance, AI-created objects for property insurance, and AI-fabricated documents. The use of such fake proof or documents is fraud, so that such falsified claims are rejected, the insurance policy might be cancelled, or the claimer could be prosecuted. To cope with such AI fraud, the insurance industry is also using AI to detect AI-manipulated false claims. AI is now being used widely for both offense and defense.

Read the article and learn about AI-manipulated images used for insurance claims.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cm2rr9pg4jzo