Topic Reading-Vol.756-5/7/2014

Dear MEL School’s Topic Readers,

No longer just a factory, China is a mobile leader.

Where in the world do you think attracts, incubate and motivate IT talents and businesses the most? Most of you would probably think Silicon Valley.

Which market do you think has the toughest competition and keenest users for apps? Many of you might think Japan.

Then, which government do you think is the most supportive and active in promoting IT industry and its start-ups? Some of you might think Ireland or Finland.

Lastly, which country do you think have the richest source of most globally minded and highly educated IT engineers and developers? India?

As a matter of fact, it’s quite surprising to know that China seems to top the above lists. With over 700 million active smartphone users and more than seven million college graduates each year, they have the market and talents. Furthermore, the government that sensors their citizens the most in the world also support and stimulate IT innovation, incubation, and investment, especially in Beijing.

Enjoy reading and learning about the advancing entrepreneurship without fearing being copied or followed by others.

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/04/22/world/asia/china-mobile-innovation/index.html?hpt=hp_c5

Topic Reading-Vol.755-5/6/2014

Dear MEL School’s Topic Readers,

As nuclear power dies, solar rises

Tuesday, April 22 was Earth Day 2014. Over a billion people around the world celebrated the 44th anniversary of the annual day of action. It started in the U.S. in 1970 when 20 million people across the country rallied for increased protection of the environment.

To commemorate this long-sustained action day, an article about the rise of green energy was posted by CNN. One surprising fact is presented. The world most economically driven country has been shifting its energy supply investments from the most-economically-efficient nuclear to most-environmentally-efficient renewable powers.

Enjoy reading and learning about the rise and shift of energy generation today, which will soon become the past.

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/04/22/opinion/hayes-denman-solar-power/index.html?hpt=hp_c4

Topic Reading-Vol.754-5/5/2014

Dear MEL School’s Topic Readers,

New Year's Twin Babies Born in Separate Years

Twins have birthdays? That could happen when two babies are born on two different days, most likely before and after midnight when the date changes.

What about twins born in two different years? You can now imagine that could happen when one of the twins is born at the very end of the last day of a year and the other is born at the beginning of the following year. Isn’t that purely coincidental?

Two such incidents were reported between 2013 and 2014 in the State and Canada. There could be more in other places in the world. But one thing for sure is that every year-end, the families are going to have big New Year Eve parties!

Enjoy reading and learning about the two happy families on the Children’s day in Japan.

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blogs/39-twin-babies-born-separate-years-203835701--abc-news-topstories.html

Topic Reading-Vol.753-5/4/2014

Dear MEL School’s Topic Readers,

10 of the world's longest bridges

There are numbers of “World 10 something-s.” And there are also numbers of world longest bridges in various categories, though there is no standard way to measure the total length of a bridge. Some bridges are measured between the ramps and others are measured between the shorelines.

If you take a look at the list of the longest bridges, many of them are located in China. However, if you look at bridges by category such as suspension bridge span, overwater or even inhabitation, you’ll find ones in all over the places.

Enjoy reading and seeing the photos of uniquely identified longest bridges in the world.

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/04/15/travel/worlds-longest-bridges/index.html?hpt=hp_c5

Topic Reading-Vol.752-5/3/2014

Dear MEL School’s Topic Readers,

Saudi Arabia to build world's tallest tower that will reach one kilometer into the sky

Are humans still in a race to show off something bigger, taller or costlier than others, particularly to the neighbors? To have the tallest and the most expensive building seems attracting enough to spend over one billion dollars to a rich royal family in Arabia.

The construction of this a-kilometer-high sky scraper began in April in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and is expected to be completed in 2019. There will be 59 high-speed elevators, five of them are double-deckers, to connect 167 floors. The view from its observatory deck at 500 meters above ground will be spectacular, overlooking the Red Sea and desert.

Which view would you like to enjoy, the one from the world tallest building in Jeddah or the second tallest one in Dubai?

Enjoy reading and learning about the kingdom’s ambitious plan and race.

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/04/17/world/meast/saudi-arabia-to-build-tallest-building-ever/index.html?hpt=hp_c4

Topic Reading-Vol.751-5/2/2014

Dear MEL School’s Topic Readers,

Five endangered sites worth saving

The Global Heritage Fund There is a fund that tries to protect significant and endangered cultural heritage sites, especially the ones in developing world. On World Heritage Day, April 18^th this year, the fund issued an annual list of five most endangered cultural sites to mark the day and draw attention to its activity.

Aren’t those cultural heritage sites supposed to be preserved? Not always. Actually, once the value of those sites are recognized and known to outside of the sites, they draw attentions that could work positively and negatively. Modernization, tourism and looting are among the most threatening causes to endanger historical and cultural sites, especially in developing countries where people are striving to live daily.

Enjoy reading and learning about the historically and culturally significant sites that were once created by ancient people but now are endangered by their descendants.

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/04/17/travel/world-heritage-day-endangered-sites/index.html?hpt=hp_c4

Topic Reading-Vol.750-5/1/2014

Dear MEL School’s Topic Readers,

Iran execution stopped at the last minute

Which country to do you think have more executions? It seems to depend on the population and crime rate, how many of them are arrested and prosecuted, and how the laws are written, practiced and implemented. Although the actual number hasn’t been disclosed, China tops the list by a big margin. Iran follows at a rate of nearly a hanging a day with its Islamic law known as “eye for an eye.”

But even in Iran, a pardon could be given. Who could give a pardon to a convicted murderer? A judge, priest or the president? Nope. Only the family of the victim.

Here is a story of a very last minute, dramatic pardon given by the mother of the victim.

http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-27051346

There are photos of the sensational and emotional scenes.

http://isna.ir/fa/imageReport/93012610549/%D8%B1%D9%88%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%AA-%DB%8C%DA%A9-%D8%A8%D8%AE%D8%B4%D8%B4