Topic Reading-Vol.5291-10/19/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Post-Assad Syria is facing its biggest stress test yet. Here’s why that matters

Surrounded by Turkey, Iraq, and Jordan, and also bordered by Israel and Lebanon, Syria is an Arab republic in West Asia. Most of its 26 million population are Arabs and Sunni muslims, and about 10% are Kurds. The republic was established in 1953 and was ruled by the notorious Assad family until its collapse in 2024, when the nation’s capital, Damascus, fell to its opposing coalition. The country is now ruled by a transitional government led by Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former rebel commander. After decades of international isolation and sanctions because of the former regime’s repression of civilians and support for terrorism, the interim government has been trying to bring the country back onto the global stage and invite foreign investment. Turkey, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and the EU have invested handsomely so far, which has helped Syria rebuild key infrastructure from a nearly bankrupt state. However, despite the government’s ambitious long-term plans, ordinary citizens' daily lives haven’t improved much, and people are struggling with a cost-of-living crisis. Economic strain, especially in food and fuel, leads to social unrest. How will Syria’s transitional government manage the nation until the next presidential election that is supposed to take place before December 2029?

Read the article and learn about Syria’s status.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/09/29/middleeast/syria-post-assad-what-comes-next-intl

Topic Reading-Vol.5290-10/18/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Inside the ‘Americanization’ of French dining

When people visit other places, their cultures tend to influence others, and vice versa. Each year, over 1.5 million French people visit the US, and around five million Americans visit France. With these exchanges and interactions, along with entertainment and technological influences, Americanized dining experiences are emerging in France, where gastronomy is regarded as a core of life. For example, various kinds of Americanized menus are appearing in some restaurants with American-flavored interiors. Also, some restaurants accommodate early-hour diners, like 6:30 pm, as opposed to traditional French dinner time that starts around 7:30 pm. Another American custom emerging in France is tipping. Tipping isn’t usually expected in France because a 15% service charge is already included in menu prices. Diners may leave the change or €1 to €2 as appreciation for good service. But as digital tipping options on card machines and QR codes have become more common in the last few years, a 5-15% tipping option is shown to diners in addition to the already-included service charge. More smiles and engaging service might become very expensive in some restaurants in France.

Read the article and learn about the American influence on French dining.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/10/04/travel/french-restaurants-american-influence

Topic Reading-Vol.5289-10/17/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Yoga bears to resting owl face: 10 of the funniest animal photos of 2026

Founded in 2015, the Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards is a fun, light-hearted photo competition. Entries for the competition have just closed, and the finalists and winners will be revealed soon. But for those who cannot wait for the final results, here are 10 amusing photos of the animal kingdom this year, including a bear performing yoga, a red squirrel trying to bite off too much grass, an eagle landing elegantly, a squirrel attacking an owl, and so on.

Check the article and enjoy seeing amazing photos of wild animals.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20261002-10-of-the-funniest-animal-photos-of-2026

Topic Reading-Vol.5288-10/16/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Why doesn’t high speed rail work in America?

China operates over 50,000 kilometers of high-speed rail (HSR) network, the world’s largest. The HSR network runs on newly built rail lines at a speed of over 200 km/h, some over 300 km/h. The network is almost entirely owned and operated by the state-owned rail transport company. Other major economies, such as Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan in Asia, and Spain, France, Germany, Italy, and the UK in Europe, all have HSR networks that connect major cities. However, the US has only two relatively high-speed railways: Acela between Boston and DC via New York, and Brightline, bankrupt yet still operating, between Miami and Orlando in Florida. While railways are more comfortable and environmentally friendly than driving or flying, why aren’t US cities connected by high-speed rail services like other countries? There are several factors that explain why there is no HSR network except for two in the USA, including lack of government support, politics, public need, geography, and user convenience.

Read the article and learn why most people fly or drive to travel in the USA.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/10/04/business/high-speed-rail-america

Topic Reading-Vol.5287-10/15/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Why billions spent on defense haven’t shielded Saudi Arabia from Houthi attacks

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia holds the world's second-largest proven crude oil reserves and is a leading global petroleum exporter. As the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques in Mecca and Medina, Saudi Arabia holds unique moral and spiritual authority across the global Muslim world, drawing millions of pilgrims annually for the Hajj. Under Saudi Vision 2030, the kingdom has expanded non-oil sectors such as tourism, logistics, digital infrastructure, and green energy. Saudi Arabia spends over $80 billion on its defense budget, the world’s 8th-largest spender, owns state-of-the-art aircraft, tanks, and air defense systems, and has around 250,000 active troops. Yet recently, its key infrastructure, including refineries, pipelines, and airports, has been attacked by missiles and drones fired by the Houthis, a Shia Islamist political and paramilitary organization in northern Yemen. In fact, the vast kingdom, about one-third the size of the US, has been threatened on three sides: Iran from the east, Iranian-backed militias in Iraq from the north, and other Iran-supported Houthi rebels from the south. But why are the Houthis attacking Saudi Arabia now? And why is the mighty Saudi struggling to defend its key facilities and people?

Read the article and learn what is causing problems in Saudi Arabia’s defense.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/10/13/middleeast/saudi-arabia-defenses-yemen-houthis-intl

Topic Reading-Vol.5286-10/14/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

'Every museum in the world is stressing': How brazen art heists are affecting visitors

A museum is a place where valuable objects, artifacts, or chronological items are conserved or displayed for the public. It offers visitors the opportunity to see, feel, and connect with the original piece made or used by another human or a masterpiece created by a genius long ago. However, museums’ visibility, accessibility, and connectivity create vulnerability to theft. Lately, the number of museum robbery cases has increased steeply in Europe, including the Napoleonic crown jewels from the Louvre Museum in Paris and Impressionist masterpieces by Renoir, Cezanne, and Matisse from the Fondazione Magnani Rocca in Parma, Italy. Museums are doing their best to protect their most prized pieces from theft while displaying them to visitors. They may protect their valued pieces better by keeping visitors farther away, using thicker glass, or showing replicas instead of originals, but such measures could change or diminish the visitor experience. Will AI and humanoids help museums protect valuable pieces from thieves while keeping a sense of connection with visitors?

Read the article and learn about recent challenges European museums are facing.

https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20260930-what-the-rise-in-museum-heists-means-for-visitors

Topic Reading-Vol.5285-10/13/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

New York has a food waste problem. South Korea has already solved it

When organic waste is buried in a landfill, it breaks down without oxygen and releases methane, a greenhouse gas that traps much more heat than CO2, and leachate, a noxious liquid that contaminates soil and groundwater. In a circular economy, organic waste should be separated, recycled, and reused as energy. In 1997, food waste separation became mandatory in South Korea. Now, over 95% of residential organic waste is collected and recycled, and over 340 bioenergy centers produce electricity from food waste across the country. They are funded by fees residents pay each time they dispose of food waste into smart bins and also by government subsidies.

Following South Korea’s food waste recycling initiative, New York mandated that residents separate food waste and put it into a designated bin in 2024. A year later, the city collected about 9% of household food waste. Not a bad start, but still a long way to go. The government and municipalities can collect designated trash bins, such as garbage, cans, bottles, PET bottles, and plastic waste. But it is the residents who sort their trash and put it out separately. Indeed, food waste recycling is a collective responsibility that might be cultivated over time.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20260916-new-york-has-a-food-waste-problem-south-korea-has-already-solved-it