Topic Reading-Vol.3344-6/7/2021

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

North Korea says orphan children volunteering on mines and farms

The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) lies in the northern part of the Korean Peninsula, above the 38th parallel north Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). Ever since the establishment in 1948, the one-party republic has been ruled by sole dictators. The incumbent supreme leader is Kim Jong-un, a grandson of the nation’s founder Kim Il-sung. The country with a population of just 25 million, about a half of South Korea, is estimated to have over 1.2 million active military personnel, twice as many as its southern rival or nearly as many as the US whose population is 300 million more than North Korea. However, the country has been isolated diplomatically and economically, and its per-capita GDP and living standards are both the lowest level in the world. The secretive state has been known for its use of forced labor, men, women, and children to work in coal mining, factories, farms, and forests for long hours under unimaginably harsh conditions. In 2020, the administration shut its borders due to the coronavirus pandemic, including the one with China, its economic lifeline. Now, as the country seems to need more cheap labors to make up for the loss, the state media recently praised young volunteers, mostly teenage orphans, for their self-sacrifice to work voluntarily for coal mining. It seems like another propaganda to enlighten people to sacrifice more for the ruling party, nation, and supreme leader.

Read the article and watch the video to learn about this recent move by North Korea.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-57293167

Topic Reading-Vol.3343-6/6/2021

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Could humans really destroy all life on Earth?

Replacing fuel-engine vehicles with electric-motor cars or uploading photos instead of printing them won’t be enough to save the planet. These actions won’t solve the present and clear danger that humans and the environment are creating. Every human on Earth is producing more anthropogenic mass, human-made stuff, than their bodyweight every week. In fact, humans produce 300 million tons of plastics and use an unimaginable amount of concrete every year. Also, as we emit more carbon dioxide, it will increase ocean acidity. Because of the human activities to produce and consume more day by day, the oceans seem to be acidifying faster now than they did in the last 300 million years. Human activities are indeed depleting the Earth’s resources, stripping the emotional health of humans, and degrading the habitats. Setting goals for carbon neutrality, which many large companies are claiming, is neither enough nor effective to solve this deep-rooted problem because none of them wants to sell less. But that is what is exactly needed to avoid depleting the resources and killing ourselves. Yes. Produce, consume, and use less. Behavioral changes are needed such as reducing the number of photos uploading on Instagram, packing with less cardboard or plastic, and cooking just enough to fill the stomachs. Indeed, humans are the most influential force on the planet. We are the ones to change.

Enjoy reading the article and think about what you can reduce or stop doing.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20210520-could-humans-really-destroy-all-life-on-earth

Topic Reading-Vol.3342-6/5/2021

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

How overwork is literally killing us

How many hours do you usually work a week? The most typical work hour is eight hours a day, five days a week, so it’s 40 hours a week. If you work six days a week, the figure increases to 48 hours, and if you work nine hours for six days, it’ll be 54 hours. That seems to be as long as you should be working a week for a long time to avoid increasing pressure on your body, brain, and heart. Studies by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Labor Organization (ILO) point out that long working hours are killing three-quarters of a million people from coronary heart disease and stroke. In fact, the figure is higher than the number of people who are dying from the flu or Malaria each year. The problem is that while heart diseases are hard to recognize or detect, they are fatal to your career and life.

Read the article and review your work schedule to balance your work and wellness.

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20210518-how-overwork-is-literally-killing-us

Topic Reading-Vol.3341-6/4/2021

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Amazon offers 'wellness chamber' for stressed staff

Looks like a confinement room in the middle of a warehouse. However, it is not meant for punishment but for relaxation. There are hundreds of thousands of workers working 24/7 in Amazon’s fulfillment centers (FC). They work with machines, robots, and colleagues to receive, stock, pack, and ship boxes all over the places. Though they aren’t exposed to skin-burning sunlight or freezing outside temperatures like construction workers, they get stressed doing the same work every day. So, one of the most valued companies unveiled “Wellness Chambers” in their fulfillment centers to relieve or ease the stress their precious workers get from their work. Well, meditation facilities, equipment, and practice are becoming common among IT companies whose employees are working under constant stress and pressure. So, why not for their warehouse workers? Do the employees have to book in advance or wait in line to use the booth? Unfortunately, the details aren’t provided as the company deleted the post after being ridiculed by netizens.

Please be reminded that Amazon fulfillment center workers have recently gotten or will get a pay raise beyond the federal minimum wage requirement levels in addition to the company-wide bonus.

Enjoy reading the article and learn about Amazon’s attempt to ease workers’ stress.

https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-57287151

Topic Reading-Vol.3340-6/3/2021

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Covid: Russia starts vaccinating animals

Humans aren’t alone to be infected by the coronavirus. In fact, Covid-19 is thought to have originally come from a wild animal, it was then transmitted to humans. In Denmark, the virus was then passed on to farmed mink last year, before jumping back to a small number of humans. That is why Denmark culled all its mink - up to 17 million animals - because of the spread of coronavirus last year after detecting mutations in strains of coronavirus found in mink. Danish authorities worried that a mutated form of coronavirus found in mink could potentially hamper the effectiveness of a future vaccine.

Now, Russia has started vaccinating animals, such as dogs, cats, apes, and mink. Since pet animals are family members, they of course want to have their pet animals vaccinated for both humans and animals’ sake. For mink farm owners, having their mink vaccinated is as essential as getting casualty insurance. While most people in the world haven’t gotten vaccinated yet, some people are traveling to the US for a vaccination vacation (Topic Reading-Vol.3338-6/1/2021) and others are having their pets vaccinated.

Human ingenuity, consciousness, wealth, and health are all questioned when it comes to who gets vaccination next.

Enjoy reading the article and learn about Russia’s animal welfare initiative.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-57259961

Topic Reading-Vol.3339-6/2/2021

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

It's getting more likely the world will reach a climate tipping point in the next five years

Though not as hot as the 2016 record year, 2020 was the second warmest year on record. The global average temperature of the year was 1.2 degrees above the pre-industrial baseline. Now, post-pandemic economic recoveries have already be seen in some countries, more greenhouse gasses are being emitted. The World Meteorological Organization, WMO, has recently warned that the world is going to have one or more warmest years in the next five years, one of which is likely to reach 1.5 degrees above the baseline. Will the Paris Climate goal, which is to limit the temperature increase within two degrees above pre-industrial temperatures met by 2050?

Since increasing temperatures cause more melting ice, higher sea levels, more heatwaves, and other extreme weather, there will be significant impacts on food security, health, the environment, and sustainable development. While the world is working on achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) committed at the United Nations, many countries are setting higher priorities to contain and recover from the coronavirus. The good news is that investments in renewable energies and greener transportation are being accelerated around the world. The balance between human consciousness and emotion affects other creatures and the environment of our planet.

Enjoy reading the article and learn about this historical challenge to human beings.

https://edition.cnn.com/2021/05/27/world/climate-temperatures-increase-wmo-intl/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3338-6/1/2021

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Vaccine tourists are coming to America

The USA seems to have made a 180-degree turn in terms of Covid vaccination. Half a year ago, the US marked more coronavirus cases than other countries each day. It was probably because of then administration's gross negligence of medical necessities caused by the coronavirus. But now, it is one of the most advanced nations in terms of broad-based vaccination implementation. Restaurants, schools, and theaters are about to back in business. Airplane seats are being filled and hotel rooms are being booked. People are ready for long-awaited parties, concerts, and summer vacation. Then they became very generous and welcoming to those who want to be vaccinated from abroad. Yes, they are giving foreign visitors coronavirus vaccine shots, no question asked! Recently, the US has been getting an increasing number of travelers from Latin American and Caribbean countries where vaccination has to wait for months if they get any. Of course, those vaccination travelers are rich people who can afford to pay for the air, accommodation, and other expenses. They say they could help their fellow citizens get vaccinated sooner if they get vaccinated somewhere else. Does it sound convincing to others who can’t afford such a trip?

Anyway, this vaccine tourism seems to last as long as the inequality on vaccine distribution continues in other parts of the world.

Enjoy reading the article and think if you want to book a flight for an early vaccination, if you haven’t gotten one.

https://edition.cnn.com/2021/05/26/americas/vaccine-tourism-usa-latam-intl/index.html