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

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

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

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

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

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

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

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Kim Jong Un chooses teen daughter as heir, says Seoul

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

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

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

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

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

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

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

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

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

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Macron urges Europe to start acting like world power

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

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

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

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

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

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

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

Read the article and learn the 2025 CPI result.

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

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

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Warning of long airport queues under new EU border control system

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

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

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

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

Dear MEL Topic Readers,　

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

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

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

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

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

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

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

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

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

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

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

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

This year’s Olympic medals are worth more than ever

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

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

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

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

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

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

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

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

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

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

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

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

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

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

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

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

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

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

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

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

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

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

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

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

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

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

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

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

Dear MEL Topic Readers, Protein is so last year. 

Why fiber is the next big thing

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

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

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

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

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

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

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

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

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

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

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

UN risks 'imminent financial collapse', secretary general warns

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

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

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

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

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Doomsday Clock 2026: Scientists set new time

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

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

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

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

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

The surprising benefits of standing on one leg

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

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

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

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

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Spain plans to give half a million undocumented migrants legal status

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

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

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

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

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

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

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

Read the article and learn about the world of HSR.

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

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

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

US officially leaves World Health Organization

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

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

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

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

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

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Climber Alex Honnold scales 101-floor skyscraper without safety gear

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

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

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

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

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

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

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

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

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

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

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

How cocoa substitutes could tackle ‘chocflation’

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

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

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