Topic Reading-Vol.4275-1/7/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

More than a billion people will head to the polls across South Asia in 2024

Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan were ruled by the British Empire for 100 years until after the end of World War II. The combined population of these four democratic states exceeds 1.8 billion, accounting for over 22% of the world’s population. This year, these four South Asian countries have general elections.

Below is the year of independence and the first general elections, the population and the number of voters, and the % of the major religions of these democratic countries.

Bangladesh: ind. (1947->) 1971,  ele. 1973, pop. 171 mil, vot. 130 mil, 90% Muslims

Pakistan: ind. 1947, ele. 1947, pop. 234 mil, vot. 140 million, 96% Muslims

India: ind. 1947, ele. 1951, pop. 1.4 billion, vot. 1 billion, 80% Hindis

Sri Lanka: ind. 1948, ele. 1947, pop. 22 million, vot. 16 million, 70% Buddhists

Even though democracy has been in place, none of these countries has been free from undemocratic leadership displacement by military coups, assassinations, and forced resignations. Also, democracy is often ruled by the majority of interests and supporters. How do religions influence democracy in a country where a certain religion dominates the majority of the population?

Read the article and learn about what this year’s election means to four South Asian countries.

https://edition.cnn.com/2023/12/31/asia/india-pakistan-bangladesh-srilanka-elections-2024-intl-hnk/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4274-1/6/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

The worshippers caught between China and Taiwan

During elections, it is essential for Taiwanese politicians to visit local temples and participate in religious events because two-thirds of the population follow folk religions, Buddhism, and Taoism. For example, President Tsai Ing-wen visited as many as 43 temples in a month during the last presidential election. In Chinese mythology, Mazu is the goddess of the sea. She is the patron goddess of sailors, fishermen, and travelers and is especially popular in Southern Chinese coastal communities, like Fujian and Macau, as well as overseas Chinese communities, including Taiwan. It is estimated that around 60% of Taiwanese are followers of the Mazu, and many of them visit the mainland to worship the goddess. Interestingly, those Taiwanese visitors for religious purposes are welcomed by the Chinese government even though Mazu isn’t one of the five religions recognized by the government. In the meanwhile, the Taiwanese government is worried about the influence of China-oriented religions. Why?

Read the article and learn about what religions could influence the cross-strait issue.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-67779220

Topic Reading-Vol.4273-1/5/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Panic and possibility: What workers learned about AI in 2023

Are there any jobs that are vulnerable to AI replacement? Ever since AI became a common tool in workplaces, it has been assisting and augmenting many human jobs. Many workers are already utilizing ChatGPT as a personal assistant to find information, draft messages, estimate costs, and even create artwork. Also, AI is taking over some knowledge-based tasks, like computer programming and data analysis. As AI keeps evolving at the speed of light, it could replace jobs that have been occupied by experienced or skilled humans at any time, such as digital artists, sound engineers, and market researchers. Will there be any “safe” jobs? Well, it seems that those who have an attitude towards learning new skills, working with new intelligence, and coping with new environments have a better chance to live and work with AI. As AI keeps learning, we humans must keep learning, too. So, there seems to be no so-called safe job any longer if you simply try to do it in the way you’ve been accustomed to.

Enjoy reading the article and learn how to live and work with AI.

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20231219-panic-and-possibility-what-workers-learned-about-ai-in-2023

Topic Reading-Vol.4272-1/4/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

China to increase curbs on video gaming industry

China is the world’s largest market for online gaming. In 2021, the government ruled online gamers under 18 years old can play only an hour on Fridays, weekends, and holidays. Also, no gameplay is allowed after 10 pm, and violence, gambling, and other potentially harmful elements are prohibited on game content. It was a heavy blow to the game creators and providers. They had to manage their business model by incentivizing gamers to spend more money in shorter game time. Now, Beijing is going to make online game providers limit the amount of money people can spend while playing games. If the regulation is enforced, the whole industry must drastically change the game design and financial strategies. Will they charge people to play games or show advertisements? Will online game content become part of other online subscription services? Since online games are so addictive especially to the young, countries like Saudi Arabia and Iran also have strict regulations on online gaming.

Read the article and learn about another game restriction in China.

https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-67801091

Topic Reading-Vol.4271-1/3/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Afghan couples marry in mass ceremony in bid to cut costs

To arrange a marriage in Afghan culture, the first contact between a couple is typically made by the male’s family. The female’s family rarely approaches a male’s family to avoid being perceived as “too desperate”. Once the prospective wife’s family has agreed, the two households will then negotiate the finances of the couple and the dowry, money brought by the bride to her husband’s home. The groom's family pays for the wedding celebration. It frequently lasts a night, a day, or sometimes a few days. During this time, the marriage contract is signed. The bride will then move into her husband's place of residence (which is sometimes with his whole family). It is not only a traditional and religious event but also a financial contract and burden to both families. However, after decades of political and military conflicts, many Afghans can’t afford such costly traditional wedding expenses, especially the ceremony. So, some low-income Afghan couples chose to be part of a mass wedding ceremony with other 50 couples, which cost them just about half of a traditional ceremony. In any event, no dancing or music is allowed under the Taliban regime.

Read the article and learn about what marriage means and costs to Afghans.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-67821162

Topic Reading-Vol.4270-1/2/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Alabama mother with rare double womb gives birth to two babies in two days

Identical twins are formed when one fertilized egg splits and develops two babies with exactly the same genetic information. They are the same sex and look identical. Fraternal twins result from the fertilization of two separate eggs with two different sperm during the same pregnancy. They share half their genomes, just like any other siblings and could be of different sex or appearance. In both cases, babies are developed in the uterus, the organ of a woman in which a baby develops. However, 0.3% of women have two uteri, or wombs, and very rarely, such women become pregnant in both of the uteri, like developing two babies in two different compartments at the same time. This is what happened to a 32-year-old woman in Alabama, USA, who delivered twins from the two uteri over a 20-hour labor last December. The first baby girl was born vaginally and the second girl was taken out by a Cesarean section about 10 hours later. Having two wombs, developing two babies at the same time, and delivering them in one day. Now she has to raise her two children for years. What a miracle mother!

Enjoy reading the article and learning about a mother with double wombs.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-67810645

Topic Reading-Vol.4269-1/1/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Festive China: Spring Festival

Happy New Year to those who follow the Roman calendar. (Those who suffer from a hangover after the New Year’s Eve party, check Vol.4261) But not everyone is celebrating the new year today. For example, Chinese New Year, commonly referred to as the Spring Festival, is the festival that celebrates the beginning of a new year on the traditional lunisolar Chinese calendar. This year, Chinese New Year falls on February 10, the Year of the Dragon in the Chinese zodiac. It is one of the most important holidays in Chinese culture, and Chinese families gather for the annual reunion dinner. It is also a tradition for every family to thoroughly clean their house, to sweep away any ill fortune, and to make way for incoming good luck. Another custom is the decoration of windows and doors with red paper-cuts and couplets for good fortune, happiness, wealth, and longevity. Other activities include lighting firecrackers and giving money in red envelopes.

Enjoy watching the video and learning about what another kind of New Year is about.

https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202312/23/WS61f71878a310cdd39bc84521.html