Topic Reading-Vol.1053-2/28/2015

Dear MEL School’s Topic Readers,

Report: China building new islands in disputed waters

China’s speed and scale are unbelievable. They’ve built as long as 20,000km of high speed railway systems within eight years. Their highway systems have already surpassed that of the US’s only in a couple of decades. Now they’ve built artificial lands around the Spratly Islands in disputed waters in the South China Sea, where Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam are also claiming their sovereignty.

On top of territorial boundary, rich fishing grounds and potential undersea natural resources seem to encourage China to build such sea fortress, even though the international law doesn’t recognize such artificial structure as part of territory. However, if you look at what Russia is doing in Ukraine, the UN Security Council doesn’t seem to function effectively against such territorial invasion or outlaw by force.

Enjoy reading and thinking what the Permanent UN Security Council members are trying to do.

http://edition.cnn.com/2015/02/17/asia/china-south-china-sea-reclamation/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.1052-2/27/2015

Dear MEL School’s Topic Readers,

Employees raid Afghan bank and flee with cash

Can you believe that a senior official at a branch of the central bank robbed his own branch? That’s what happened in a southern region of Afghanistan, near the border with Pakistan.

The senior official and his relatives are believed to have emptied the safe of the branch and crossed the border to Pakistan. The nation’s banking system has been warned by the international financial community of its fragility. This incident seems to prove the warning should have been heard and followed.

Also, if you think of the qualification, career path and future perspective of senior staff of the central bank, it is hardly believable that he abandoned everything and fled to another country. This could suggest how unhopeful the nation’s future looks to its citizens.

Enjoy reading and learning about the latest bombshell in the still struggling country.

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/02/employees-raid-afghan-bank-flee-cash-150221104520268.html

Topic Reading-Vol.1051-2/26/2015

Dear MEL School’s Topic Readers,

The Dalai Lama: Tibet's spiritual leader

He holds one of the longest living enthronements. A Tibetan boy was enthroned as the Dalai Lama in 1940 only at the age of five. He assumed full responsibility of Tibet when he was only 15 and had been negotiating with China for its autonomy until he exiled to India in 1959 when China decided to take full control over the region by force. There, he established the headquarters of Tibetan government in exile. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989 for his long term dedication to the nonviolent liberalization of Tibet. He has been actively engaging in talks with world political and religious leaders including the presidents of the U.S., Nelson Mandela and the Roman Catholic Pope.

Enjoy seeing the photos of his 75-year tenure as the Dalai Lama.

http://edition.cnn.com/2015/02/22/world/gallery/dalai-lama/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.1050-2/25/2015

Dear MEL School’s Topic Readers,

Japan Crown Prince urges WW2 past not be forgotten as memories fade

A word “correctly” can be taken very differently from one to another, especially when it comes to history. However, one thing common to all is the time when an incident occurred or ended. This year marks the 70^th anniversary of the end of the World War II. And Japan’s PM is going to make his interpretation and remarks on this occasion, which will be the key to future relationship with China and Korea as well as now its most important ally, the U.S.A.

In the meantime on February 23^rd, Japan’s crown prince answered a question about the war anniversary. He said, “I think that it is important today, when memories of the war are fading, to look back humbly on the past and correctly pass on the tragic experiences and history Japan pursued from the generation which experienced the war to those without direct knowledge.”

How his word “correctly” will be taken is unknown but there will be heated debates among many.

Enjoy reading and thinking what the next emperor wishes to say.

http://news.yahoo.com/japan-crown-prince-urges-ww2-past-not-forgotten-063953585.html

Topic Reading-Vol.1049-2/24/2015

Dear MEL School’s Topic Readers,

A decade of anti-wall struggle

Bilin is located about four kilometers east of the Green Line, an artificial line between Israel’s forces and the neighbors after the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. There is a wall constructed by Israel that split the village in two. The International Court of Justice issued an advisory opinion stating, "the wall is contrary to international law" in 2004. Also, weekly protests against the wall have been organized and conducted by the villagers, international and even Israeli activists for over a decade. However, the wall still stands there.

Enjoy reading and learning what has been going on in a tiny village in Palestine.

http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/inpictures/2015/02/decade-anti-wall-struggle-150216104252849.html

Topic Reading-Vol.1048-2/23/2015

Dear MEL School’s Topic Readers,

North Korea: We don’t need ‘flashy lights’

Which is more convincing to show prosperity, dark night or flashy lights?

This night view photo taken from the International Space Station, or I.S.S. in short, undoubtedly shows how dark, or how not-lit, North Korea is compared to its neighbors, China and South Korea. It appears that only in, not around, its capital city where the government elites live is somehow lit. The rest of the country seems to be in deep asleep or uninhabited.

However, the nation’s propaganda media claims that the brightness at night doesn’t show happiness or prosperity of the state, pointing the flashily and brightly lit U.S. seems to have countless problems such as safety on the streets and economic gap between the super rich and the rest.

Enjoy reading and seeing the satellite image.

http://news.yahoo.com/north-korea-not-bothered-nasa-flashy-lights-141412601.html

Topic Reading-Vol.1047-2/22/2015

Dear MEL School’s Topic Readers,

Why the elephant has long trunk?

Many know that the elephant’s large ears help it body temperature cooler. When it’s very hot, elephants move their large ears like fans. But have you ever thought about why the elephant has such a long trunk?

New studies found that the longer the trunk is, the more the elephant can eat and grow. The same is true for the giraffe for its long tongue. Those gigantic body animals need to eat substantial amount of food to grow and sustain their weight. The volume of food required to live seem to have evolved their trunk and tongue longer to grab more food in wider, higher or lower perimeter.

Enjoy reading and learning how these animals have evolved to survive.

http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20150217-why-the-elephant-has-a-long-trunk