Topic Reading-Vol.5221-8/10/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

‘Marathon’ shines light on Gaza’s orphaned children and humanitarian crisis

Since October 2023, more than 70,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza during Israel’s genocidal attack in the Gaza Strip. According to UNICEF, more than 58,000 children have lost either or both parents, and about 17,000 children are either unaccompanied or separated from their families. They have been repeatedly displaced and deprived not only of food, water, shelter, and clothing but also healthcare, education, and protection. Children who lost their parents also need to feel protected, cared for, and recognized. To raise awareness of the plight of these children in Gaza and also give them the chance to feel part of public activity and supported by their community, a running event was held earlier this month in Gaza. Despite the destruction along the course, the young runners were cheered and honored by their relatives and friends, including the children who were physically unable to participate. Children who are experiencing such an ordeal need not just daily essentials but also a feeling of being loved, cared for, recognized, and part of society.

Read the article and learn about an event that made young children in Gaza enjoy participating.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/8/1/marathon-shines-light-on-gazas-orphaned-children-and-humanitarian-crisis

Topic Reading-Vol.5220-8/9/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Satellite killers: What a war in space might look like

Missiles and drones are flying all over Ukraine, Western Russia, Iran, and the Gulf States. How are they guided to reach their targets? Most of them use satellite coordinates to fly autonomously along with inertial navigation systems. Then, how does military intelligence locate enemy ships at sea or tanks and aircraft on the ground? They detect and analyze movements of enemy assets from space. Indeed, space intelligence, navigation, and guidance all play significant roles in modern warfare. Today, jamming and cyberattacks against satellite systems have become an invisible part of war. Also, space is not free from kinetic attacks, such as missiles from Earth and killer satellites in space. That is problematic because such physical destruction in space would not only disrupt communication and intelligence but also create space debris that could collide with other debris and create more debris, which could hit other satellites. In fact, the USA, China, Russia, and India all have dedicated space military branches. The more we depend on space assets, the greater the risk of space warfare will be.

Read the article and learn why and how space could become a warzone.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20260730-satellite-killers-what-a-war-in-space-might-look-like

Topic Reading-Vol.5219-8/8/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

4 out of 5 toddler foods are ultraprocessed. Nearly half fail to meet nutrition standards

Macaroni and cheese, chicken nuggets, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, flavored yogurt, crackers, and snack bars are some of the popular toddler foods in the USA. They are widely chosen by American parents for their convenience, palatability, and economy. These are highly processed foods, which are made from refined ingredients and chemical additives to make them palatable, or even addictive. Also, they tend to be high in sugar, sodium, and other chemical ingredients for enrichment. However, a healthy diet in the first few years is essential for children’s growth and the development of their brains, taste, and health. Parents and carers should avoid feeding young children such artificially processed and flavored foods from the shelves in the early stage of life, even though it takes time and effort to prepare and have them eat naturally nutritious foods like whole grains, beans, and vegetables. Would you like your children to grow up only with sugary drinks, snacks, pizzas, and smartphones?

Read the article and learn how highly processed toddler foods are and how they could affect their future.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/07/28/health/toddler-foods-ultraprocessed-wellness

Topic Reading-Vol.5218-8/7/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

There is freedom: Why Asian women are leaving their husbands in their 50s and 60s

Grey divorce, or late-life divorce, is a term associated with couples who separate or divorce after 50 years old or later. Whereas younger couples often divorce because of infidelity, mismatch, financial issues, or lack of experience with long-term relationships, older couples tend to divorce for a wide variety of issues that add up or pile on over the years. The number of such divorces has been increasing each year as women become more independent financially and socially, particularly in Asian countries like Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and China, where women are expected to do more household chores and care for children than men. Also, in these fast-aging societies, more women find that they have another phase in their lives after they have finished raising children or their husbands have retired. Since women usually outlive men by at least a few years or even a decade if they have an age gap, they see separating from their long-lived partners as an opportunity to become free from patience and take on a new life in their 50s or 60s. How shocking it could be for their male partners!

Read the article and learn about increasing grey divorces in Asia.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/07/26/asia/asia-gray-divorces-longevity-women-intl-hnk-dst

Topic Reading-Vol.5217-8/6/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

BTS say they won’t submit music for next year’s Grammys

Debuted in 2013, BTS is a seven-member K-pop band known globally for their music, energetic performances, and massive fanbase. Because of South Korea’s mandatory 18-month military service, they suspended their group activities between October 2022 and March 2026, when the reunion event drew a quarter-million fans at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul and kicked off their massive 82-show world tour. While fans of other languages can look up translated lyrics, they enjoy the group's vocal emotion and the Korean language’s phonetic appeal more. BTS has been nominated for Grammys before but has never been awarded yet. In June, the Grammy Awards added Best Asian Pop Music Performance for its 2027 awards and expected BTS to submit music for consideration. However, the group recently declined to send their music for consideration, citing that the music can be heard and loved for what it is, rather than being divided by region or language. BTS stands for Bulletproof Boy Scout and also Beyond the Scene. The name seems to tell what it is. Then, what will other Asian musicians and bands do?

Read the article and learn about the seven bulletproof Korean boys.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/07/29/entertainment/bts-grammys-music-boycott-intl-scli

Topic Reading-Vol.5216-8/5/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Less booze, more moves: Inside Gen Z’s new social scene

The modern pub appeared in the early 19th century in Britain, where anyone is welcome for drinks and/or food. With drinks, people enjoy conversation and social interaction at ease. There were around 60,000 pubs in the UK in 2000, but the number decreased to below 45,000 in 2025, with one closure in every four pubs in the last 25 years. During this time, there were significant social and technological changes that affected young people, especially Gen Z, those born between 1997 and 2012. They have grown up with smartphones, SNS, and short videos. Many of them don’t think drinking is essential for social life, and they have other places, such as coffee shops, where they can spend time comfortably by themselves or with others. For example, the number of Starbucks outlets increased from 150 in 2000 to over 1,400 in 2025 in the UK. Also, they have other things to spend their time on, including sports and smartphoning. Indeed, the COVID pandemic in 2020 considerably affected how they enjoy their personal time. As technological, economic, and sociological environments change further, we may find it difficult to find pubs in the UK in the future.

Read the article and learn about the changes in young people’s behaviors and attitudes in the UK.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/07/25/travel/uk-pubs-closing-genz-running-scli-intl

Topic Reading-Vol.5215-8/4/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

A weeks-old Gen-Z protest group managed to get India’s Modi to blink. What’s next?

In India, Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been the ruling party since 2014. Though it lost the majority in parliament in the last election, it still holds a strong grip on India’s politics and governance. The day after the Chief Justice of India referred to certain activists and unemployed youth as “cockroaches” and “parasites of society” on May 15, the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) was formed by young people and began protesting over leaked national medical entrance exams and systemic unemployment. Thousands of young Indians took to the streets of New Delhi and demanded the resignation of the education minister. Protesters filmed and shared videos and memes of their enthusiastic protests and the government's fierce crackdowns. Since the CJP’s movement was to correct the administrative failure, the administration had no choice but to accept the blame, and the education minister resigned on July 25. The number of candidates for the medical school examination was about two million, only a fraction of the 360 million people between the ages of 15 and 29. However, according to a recent report, nearly 40% of graduates aged 25 and under are unemployed. The lesson was learned by India’s and other countries' administrations about the swiftness and influence of social media used by young people.

Read the article and learn how India’s recent exam turmoil was resolved.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/07/27/india/india-cockroach-protests-what-next-intl-hnk