Topic Reading-Vol.5187-7/7/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Café Terrace at Night: Five details that unlock the genius of Van Gogh's original 'starry night'

Vincent van Gogh was a Dutch Post-Impressionist painter who created about 2,100 artworks before he took his own life in 1890 at the age of 37. To enjoy the sun and colors of Southeastern France, he arrived in Arles in February 1888 and stayed there for nearly 15 months. Seven months later, he created Café Terrace at Night with his first starry background. The iconic post-impressionist nocturnal art uses bold yellows, warm oranges, and deep cobalt blues but not black, evoking the vibrant, inviting energy of a bustling public gathering under the stars. The color contrast of the brilliant yellow light from the café and the dark blue sky appeals to viewers' eyes and impresses their minds. And there are other details that Van Gogh recreated an ordinary city square into a dreamlike mirage, including the colorful cobblestones, columns, chairs, the tower, and the stars.

Read the article and explore Van Gogh’s masterpiece.

https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20260618-five-details-that-unlock-the-genius-of-van-goghs-original-starry-night

Topic Reading-Vol.5186-7/6/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, E

uropean summers are getting brutally hot. So why is air conditioning so rare?

Under the searing and prolonged heat waves in June, temperatures reached or exceeded 40 degrees in many parts of Europe. France recorded its hottest day, with the highest temperature reaching 44 degrees, leaving dozens who sought relief in rivers and lakes drowned. While homes and buildings in southern European countries are heat-resistant with thick walls and small windows, those in northern Europe are built without heat in mind. Then why don’t they install air conditioners? Economically, ACs are expensive to run for Europeans whose electricity bills are relatively high. Also, while ACs make the rooms comfortable, their compressors outside make the building look ugly. Environmentally, ACs increase planet-heating pollution because they exhaust heated air to the outside. And if more fossil fuels are burned to run ACs, it will make it harder for Europe to reach the 2050 climate-neutral goal. However, as heatwaves become more frequent and prolonged, air conditioners may soon become a must-have home appliance in Europe, too.

Read the article and learn why air conditioning isn’t so popular in Europe.

https://edition.cnn.com/climate/europe-heat-air-conditioning

Topic Reading-Vol.5185-7/5/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

How to exercise safely in hot weather

A sweat-inducing heat dome over 40 degrees covered much of Western Europe last month, forcing France to ban public Alcohol consumption. FIFA introduced a mandatory three-minute hydration break into each half during the 2026 World Cup held in North America. As this summer in the Northern Hemisphere isn’t going to be much cooler than last year, how should you keep exercising outdoors? In hot conditions, your body tries to cool itself by sweating and diverting blood towards the skin, which puts extra strain on your heart and could lead to heat exhaustion, or, in the worst case, heat stroke. Since quitting exercise could put your long-term health at risk, you need to adopt practical methods to maintain physical activity, such as choosing the time and place to exercise, adjusting the menu depending on the temperature and humidity, pre-cooling or cooling down smartly, and consulting your body when to rest or stop. One thing you want to avoid is pushing yourself to the limit in the heat. After all, you’re exercising for your long-term health.

Read the article and learn how you should keep exercising in summer.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20260618-how-keep-exercising-when-its-really-hot

Topic Reading-Vol.5184-7/4/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Rivers set free: Why countries are tearing down hundreds of dams

Rivers naturally experience seasonal fluctuations, flooding during heavy rain or melting snow, and drying up during droughts. Dams are built to prevent floods, generate hydropower, and manage water flow and supply for farming, daily life, and navigation. In Europe, there are as many as 1.2 million water barriers, such as dams and weirs, but many of them have been removed recently to restore the environment and ecosystems. In fact, Sweden, Finland, and Spain each removed more than 100 barriers in 2025 alone. If a river is blocked, some fish species, such as salmon, face difficulty reaching upstream habitats for reproduction, and ecosystems are fragmented by barriers. Also, water in reservoirs can be lost faster through evaporation. But removing such barriers is no easy task, as it takes years of environmental assessments, engineering studies, and public consensus. In the meantime, are they prepared for more extreme rains, severe drought, and rising temperatures that will melt ice and snow faster without dams?

Read the article and learn why dams are removed in Europe.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/05/27/world/why-countries-are-tearing-down-hundreds-of-dams-spc-c2e

Topic Reading-Vol.5183-7/3/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Qantas locks in launch date for Sydney-London nonstop flights as it debuts the custom jet designed for the trip

Opened in 1920, Sydney Airport (SYD) is the busiest airport in Australia, serving more than 40 million passengers, and the main hub for Qantas, Australia’s flag carrier. Since Australia sits on an isolated continent in the southern hemisphere, flight distances from SYD to major cities in other continents are quite extensive: 6,300 km to Singapore, 10,400 km to Delhi, 16,000 km to New York, and 17,000 to London.  In 1947, Qantas's first direct flight service from Sydney to London, the Kangaroo route, carried 29 passengers with stops in Darwin, Singapore, Calcutta, Karachi, Cairo, Tripoli, and Rome, flying 55 hours in four days. Today, it takes more than 24 hours to reach London with a stopover in Singapore. Now, starting from October next year, the airline is set to start a non-stop service between the two cities, and also to New York. The Airbus A350-1000ULR (Ultra-Long-Range) will fly 22 hours with 238 passengers on board in 3 first-class suites, 52 business-class suites, 40 premium economy seats, and 140 economy seats. The flight will save a stopover and about two hours, but will probably cost more because it’s a non-stop service. Special seats, services, and amenities will be provided for the passengers to survive this day-long flight from gate to gate. Also, crew members will have to work and rest even longer on the aircraft. Since there are several one-stop flights between the two cities, the choice is yours.

Read the article and learn about the new day-long, non-stop service for the Kangaroo route.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/06/19/travel/qantas-project-sunrise-airbus-a350-1000ulr-date

Topic Reading-Vol.5182-7/2/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

'This could only exist in America': What are foreign football fans finding in the US?

Of the 104 FIFA World Cup matches, 60 are played in 11 cities in the USA, including all knockout matches from the quarter-finals onward. Though the hosting country hasn’t been so friendly to foreign visitors recently in terms of visa applications and entry procedures, many enthusiastic fans have come to America to watch and feel the exciting games. While staying, they also have a chance to experience America’s unique food, customs, and practices. Places like fast food and chain restaurants, gigantic supermarkets, and self-service gas stations, and the size of the portions and servings, plates and bowls, and cups and glasses are all eye-opening and stomach-filling. While tortilla chips and salsa at Mexican restaurants and refills of served drinks are mostly free, sales tax and tips aren’t included in the menu prices. For example, if you order a $100 meal at a restaurant in New York, you’ll be charged 9% sales tax and expected to leave a 20% tip, making the total $130. Also, football is the most popular team sport in the US, but it means American football. Another confusing thing in the US is the temperature scale, the Fahrenheit. Don’t be surprised by a 100° forecast because it’s approximately 38°C. 

Whatever differences you’ll find or encounter, they are part of your travel experiences. If you go to America, enjoy America!

Read the article and learn what foreign football fans are finding unique in the US.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvgj731r38xo

Topic Reading-Vol.5181-7/1/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Thousands of baby seals died on two remote sub-Antarctic islands. Scientists now think they know why

On remote sub-Antarctic islands about 4,000 kilometers southwest of Australia, thousands of carcasses of seal pups, penguins, and seabirds were left. In one area, nearly all seal pups were dead. It was found that the cause of the devastating deaths of the sea mammals and birds was H5 bird flu, which had likely been transferred through migratory birds from other sub-Antarctic islands 1,800 km away. The H5 bird flu, specifically the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain, is a contagious, deadly disease currently widespread among wild birds, commercial poultry, and dairy cattle. While the public health risk to humans remains low, infected birds and animals display severe symptoms and then die. When H5 bird flu is detected on a chicken farm, it is put under strict quarantine, its entire flock is culled, and the farm undergoes extensive cleaning and disinfection. Last month, a wild migratory brown skua was found positive for the H5 bird flu in Western Australia, the first case on the continent. People in Australia are now advised not to touch sick or dead birds or animals. Watch out not only for sharks but also for seabirds on Australian shores.

Read the article and learn about how contagious and deadly the bird flu is.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/06/19/australia/bird-flu-seal-pups-dead-heard-and-mcdonald-islands-intl-hnk