Topic Reading-Vol.3551-12/31/2021

Dear MEL Topic Readers,  

India: Hindu event calling for genocide of Muslims sparks outrage

It is estimated that of India’s 1.4 billion population, approximately 80% believe in Hinduism and 14% are followers of Islam. In fact, India has the third-largest Muslim population, which is the largest for a non-Muslim majority country. However, they are still a minority in the Hindu majority country. Many in the Muslim community claim they have been increasingly suffering from attacks and threats since Modi, a hardline leader of the BJP, a right-wing party whose policy has historically reflected Hindu nationalist positions, came to power in 2014.

Recently, Hindu religious leaders in the northern Uttarakhand state of India called for the mass killings and use of weapons against Muslims at a Hindu event. A speaker said that such killing wouldn’t face criminal charges and another called for a cleansing of Muslims. The videos of the gathering went viral on social media. The police chief of the state said Indian law prohibits promoting enmity among different groups on grounds of religion. The prime minister and his ruling party BJP haven’t made any comment yet. This article is created by Aljazeera, a Qatari government-funded international news channel, which is perceived to present Islamist perspectives.

Who made the video go viral, supporters or opponents?

Read the article and think about what secular politics and governance could mean in a democratic state.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/12/24/india-hindu-event-calling-for-genocide-of-muslims-sparks-outrage

Topic Reading-Vol.3550-12/30/2021

Dear MEL Topic Readers,  

Buy now, pay later is a huge hit with shoppers. Just how dangerous is it?

Credit cards let consumers pay over time, but the only required payment is the monthly minimum due. They charge relatively high interest, usually over 10% on the outstanding balance to the cardholder. Many of the credit cards offer rewards in the form of cashback, miles, or points on purchases to keep the cardholders and encourage them to spend more. Buy now, pay later, or BNPL, allows consumers to make purchases and pay for them in several installments. BNPL plans often charge no interest or fees unless the payment is missed. Although most Americans hold at least one credit card, over half of them seem to have used a BNPL service at least once in the last 12 months. While BNPL services say they are offering a safer and more accessible alternative to credit cards, consumer advocates are concerned that the service pushes people to spend more than they can afford. BNPL companies make money by charging retailers a percentage of purchases via their platforms. Retailers seem to agree with the fee because BNPL shoppers tend to buy higher-ticket items and more. Is this then really a win-win service to everyone?

Enjoy reading the article and learn about what Buy Now, Pay Later service is about.

https://edition.cnn.com/2021/12/22/business/buy-now-pay-later-christmas/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3549-12/29/2021

Dear MEL Topic Readers,  
Alleged 'koala massacre' prompts hundreds of animal cruelty charges
Koalas are a protected species in Australia. Causing pain or suffering to koalas is a crime, not to mention killing them. However, they are facing a number of threats to their survival. Recently, a landowner and two companies were charged for killing and fatally wounding dozens of koalas. Those accused will face over 120 charges. Animal cruelty could be fined up to $78,000 for a business and $32,000 for an individual in Australia. Also, if convicted, the individual could get a 12-month jail time. Sounds pretty strict. But the population of koalas is under threat recently. More than 60,000 koalas either died, lost their habitat, or suffered injury from the flames during the catastrophic bushfires in 2019. Also, koalas are suffering more from environmental pressures, such as hot weather, drought, and habitat loss, all of which seem to have been caused by human acts. In order to keep their population, the Australian government is recommended to change koalas’ status to endangered in some regions.
Read the article and learn about the recent status of Australia’s iconic animal.

https://edition.cnn.com/2021/12/22/australia/australia-koala-killing-intl-hnk/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3548-12/28/2021

Dear MEL Topic Readers,  

Perfectly preserved baby dinosaur discovered curled up inside its egg

Birds directly evolved from a group of two-legged dinosaurs. However, very little had been known about the inside of dinosaur eggs until recently. A remarkably well-preserved 70-million-year-old fossil of an oviraptorid’s egg shows the embryo lying in a bird-like posture. The egg is about 17 centimeter-long and the baby dinosaur is estimated to be around 27 centimeters long from head to tail. So, we now know that a baby dinosaur curls up in the egg just like a baby bird. Had the baby dinosaur grown to an adult, it would have been about two to three meters long, researchers estimate. The fossil was actually unearthed back in 2000 in Jiangxi province in China, but had been left in storage and forgotten until museum staff found it remarkable ten years later. Well, the egg had waited for 70 million years. No big deal.

Will future technologies revive the baby dinosaur and hatch the egg?

Enjoy reading the article and seeing the images of a baby dinosaur in an egg.

https://edition.cnn.com/2021/12/21/asia/baby-dinosaur-inside-egg-scn/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3547-12/27/2021

Dear MEL Topic Readers,  

Why the mask mandate on planes is good for business

The cabin air is exchanged with outside air consistently throughout the flights. But even though the air on planes is safer than most any other indoor setting like offices or restaurants, passengers are packed together closer than in any other closed environment for hours at a time. Especially for domestic flights, where vaccination certificates or PCR test results are not required to get on board, passengers seem to feel safer if mask-wearing is required for all of them. Also, the mask mandate by the transportation authority makes the playing field even to all airlines. Indeed, airlines don’t have to worry about competitive disadvantage by enforcing the policy on their passengers. And it seems that the mask requirement stays in effect at least for a while. In fact, it doesn’t cost any for the airlines to enforce it while it costs a lot to have left the middle seats empty as they did during the early days of the pandemic. Will passengers wear masks even after the pandemic is contained or choose to pay extra money for social distancing? No one knows if the Covid-19 would be the last highly contagious disease or not.

Enjoy reading the article and learning about what the mask mandate does to the airlines.

https://edition.cnn.com/2021/12/19/business/airlines-mask-mandate/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3546-12/26/2021

Dear MEL Topic Readers,  

Malnutrition rate down, but obesity on rise

People in developed countries are getting more overweight and obese regardless of age. According to WHO, overweight is a Body mass index, BMI, greater than or equal to 25, and obesity is a BMI greater than or equal to 30 for adults. For children aged between 5-19 years, overweight is BMI-for-age greater than 1 standard deviation above the median, and obesity is greater than 2. For example, for a 12-year-old boy, the figures are about 20 and 24 respectively. In the last four decades until 2016, the number of overweight and obese children aged 5-19 rose to 18% from 4%. More food and less exercise are to blame. China is no exception. While the malnutrition rate among children dropped significantly, the rate of overweight and obese grew rapidly as urbanization and digitalization continued. In fact, the child obesity rate rose from 15.5% in 2000 to 24.2% in 2019 in China. Also, the percentage of primary and secondary school students with poor eyesight went up to over 67% in 2019 from 57% in 2010. Nowadays, children in urban cities are spending much more time gazing at their smartphones than doing exercises or playing with their friends. That’s why the Chinese government recently restricted the time for gaming and homework to have children engage in healthier activities. What about metaverse activities with a VR headset?

Enjoy reading the article and learning about the challenge of becoming wealthy and healthy at the same time.

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202112/20/WS61bfbcc9a310cdd39bc7c475.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3545-12/25/2021

Dear MEL Topic Readers,  

Meet India's lower-caste Hindu priest　

Approximately four in five people practice Hinduism in India.

The caste system in India has its origins in ancient India and was transformed by various ruling elites in medieval, early-modern, and modern India. The caste system divides Hindus into four main categories and they are further divided into about 3,000 castes and 25,000 sub-castes, each based on their specific occupation. A Brahmin is a member of the highest caste in Hinduism. Although India’s constitution prohibits discrimination by caste, the Brahmins are the caste from which Hindu priests are drawn. Although India’s constitution prohibits discrimination, it was in only 2006 when the government allowed priests from any caste. Since then, over 200 students from lower castes have completed the training course to be a priest, but only one has been appointed a priest so far because of the strong resistance from Brahmins and conservatism groups. Marichamy is the man who became the first Hindu priest from a lower caste. He performs prayers and rituals for worshippers just like any other priest does. He is grateful to have become a priest but doubtful about the chance of others being appointed. As also covered in Topic Reading-Vol.3533-12/13/2021, India’s constitution doesn’t seem to have broken the social and religious barriers of the caste system.

Enjoy watching the video and learning about how difficult to live and work beyond the caste in India.

https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-asia-india-55307935

Topic Reading-Vol.3544-12/24/2021

Dear MEL Topic Readers,  

What's behind suicides by thousands of Indian housewives?

Indian women represent over one-third of women who committed suicides in the 15 to 39 years age group while Indian men make up about a quarter of global suicides. But these are figures from India seem to be way-under reported as suicide is regarded as shameful and often not disclosed in India. Among the women who took their lives in India, over half of them were housewives or nearly 15% of 150,000 recorded suicides in 2020. Even though women are expected to do most of the house chores, they are more resilient and patient than men, especially housewives who can do things mostly by themselves while their men are out for work. Then why do so many Indian housewives commit suicide? Domestic violence seems to be the major cause of women’s suicides. One study found that one-third of Indian women who killed themselves had suffered domestic violence. If you were beaten repeatedly by your husband, who is your likely-permanent partner and master, would you be worried the rest of your life? Resilience and patience might have been used up to prevent an impulsive act.

Read the article and learn about the situations and backgrounds of India’s high suicide rate among housewives.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-59634393

Topic Reading-Vol.3543-12/23/2021

Dear MEL Topic Readers,  

'Significant amounts of water found in Mars' massive version of the Grand Canyon

We know there is water on Mars but it had not been clear how much, where, and in what form water exists except in polar regions. Since Mar’s atmosphere is 100 times thinner than the one of the Earth, surface temperatures on Mars vary and change widely. Even though high temperatures around the equator could reach double digits in Celsius, the average temperatures are below zero. So, there is no water running in rivers or sitting in lakes on Mars. Water is somewhere below the surface and that is why detecting the sign, amount, and form of water on Mars had been difficult. But recently, with the help of Fine Resolution Epithermal Neutron Detector, which can detect hydrogen in the top meter of Mar’s soil, a large amount of water was discovered just south of the equator. It is good news for Mars explorers because they may not have to bring water from the Earth, which eats up space and payload of the spaceship. Indeed, with accessible abundant water, Mars could be stationed by researchers and inhabited by explorers. This discovery was made by a Mar’s orbiter launched and operated by a joint mission between the European and Russian space agencies. Even though there are conflicts of interest on the Earth between them, cooperation is essential when it comes to space missions.

Enjoy reading the article and learning about this milestone discovery for Mar’s exploration.

https://edition.cnn.com/2021/12/16/world/exomars-water-mars-grand-canyon-scn/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3542-12/22/2021

Dear MEL Topic Readers,  

'I have to live in a cage': See how this city copes with its monkey population

Lopburi is an ancient city 150km north of Thailand’s capital Bangkok with a population of just under 60,000. The city is famous for macaque monkeys. Unlike ordinary wild animals, those monkeys are used to living in the city with humans. In fact, they even attract tourists. As they are historically protected, their population has grown to around 4,500, many of those living in and around the historic temple called “Monkey Temple.” But they often invade stores and homes in the town to grab food. Some become even more aggressive and try to steal food from tourists and shops. The residents try to scare them off by showing a slingshot. For the monkeys’ sake, they have no choice but to live in the city as there are no trees or water sources around. In order to curb the monkey’s population increase, hundreds of monkeys have been sterilized each year. But why their population has increased so much in the city?

Enjoy watching the video and learn about how humans can live with their close relatives.

https://edition.cnn.com/videos/travel/2020/10/13/lopburi-monkeys-thailand-lon-orig-tp.cnn

Topic Reading-Vol.3541-12/21/2021

Dear MEL Topic Readers,  

Nike buys virtual sneaker maker to sell digital shoes in the metaverse

Created by three geeks in January 2000, RTFKT is a digital technology company that creates fashion and collectibles in Metaverse. The company ensures authenticity, ownership, and grand access to new experiences based on blockchain technology. It sold over three million worth of Metaverse-ready sneakers just in several minutes. In Metaverse, users can purchase virtual properties and goods, such as clothing, footwear, and accessories for their avatars. For those who have grown up in the digital age, spending money in the virtual world such as buying tools for their gaming characters is quite common. In fact, Facebook even changed its corporate name to Meta in an effort to recast the company’s public image to tech innovator for the next generation of online interaction, Metaverse. Now Nike wants to jump on the bandwagon by purchasing this virtual sneaker creator. Indeed, Nike’s assets and expertise in real sneakers may not be as attractive in the digital world where no one but avatars actually wears, walks, and runs with the sneakers they bought. However, they now have a chance to show the brand on digital shoes.

Enjoy reading the article and learn about what is coming in cyberspace.

https://edition.cnn.com/2021/12/14/tech/nike-rtfkt/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3540-12/20/2021

Dear MEL Topic Readers,  

Narendra Modi's Twitter account hacked with announcement India would adopt Bitcoin

Twitter or any other social network platform seems to provide equal service and security to its all users. Recently, the prime minister of India found that his account had tweeted a message that announced an acceptance of Bitcoin as legal tender in his country, which the nation doesn’t. Though the tweet was deleted shortly, how many of his 70 million-plus followers had been surprised by the message wasn’t clear. Indeed, even for a prime minister, it is just one of the hundreds of millions of Twitter accounts, each of which has the same level of security and opportunities. If the message had been a warning of a nuclear attack or a moratorium, what sort of confusion or reaction could have been created? You may wonder if world political or military leaders should use direct public communication means like SNSs, which could be hacked or manipulated by someone else at any time.

Read the article and think about what you would do if you read a message from the PM or president about an immediate nationwide lockdown to contain the novel virus.

https://edition.cnn.com/2021/12/12/india/modi-twitter-hack-intl/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3539-12/19/2021

Dear MEL Topic Readers,  

Upcoming Moon missions spur the search for new spacesuits

When NASA is sending humans to the Moon again after a half century’s absence, will those astronauts be wearing the same clumsy space suits as Neil Armstrong did? Extravehicular Mobility Units, or EMUs, are the suits that astronauts wear in space or on the ground of other planetary objects, like the moon and Mars. They are designed to protect the wearer and allow them to conduct the extravehicular activity or EVA. Such space suits include communication tools, nappies, and an in-suit drinking bag for an hours-long EVA. So far, only little has changed in spacesuit design in the last four decades. As private space missions and tours have become more popular, NASA is now asking private enterprises to design and propose new space suits designs. Since the private sector works under constant competition and pressure, they tend to be more innovative and aggressive than public agencies to develop new technologies and solutions. They may even come up with not only functional or economical but also more fashionable spacesuits.

Enjoy reading the article and learn about what astronauts wear in space.  

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-59231236

Topic Reading-Vol.3538-12/18/2021

Dear MEL Topic Readers,  

Hong Kong Covid: The Cathay pilots stuck in 'perpetual quarantine'

Hong Kong may be one of the strictest international aviation hubs when it comes to coronavirus regulations. And they work. It has much fewer cases of Covid-19 than any other busy city, and the residents can enjoy near-ordinary lives and activities in the city. However, arriving passengers and flight crew have to pay the price. A pilot of Cathay Pacific, Hong Kong’s flagship carrier whose routes are all international including mainland China, spent almost 150 days in isolation this year. Upon arrival, all arrival passengers and crew members are required to take Covid tests and wait hours to get the test results before proceeding to immigration. Even if your test result is negative, crew members aren’t allowed to go out of their homes or hotels freely for 18 days to avoid unnecessary social contact. And a daily Covid test! If some other crew member tests positive, other members are regarded as close contact and will be quarantined in a hospital or a special facility. Any luxury or comfort in the room to be confined? This is part of China’s zero-tolerance policy, which seems to have been working much more effectively to contain the novel virus than European or North American rivals.

Enjoy reading the article and seeing the photos of Hong Kong’s quarantine facility and think if you want to visit Hong Kong in the near future.

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-59370672

Topic Reading-Vol.3537-12/17/2021

Dear MEL Topic Readers,  

Maker of suicide pod plans to launch in Switzerland

This futuristic pod is designed to let the person inside die without harm. This 3D-printed pod is developed by an Australian humanist, former physician, and euthanasia advocate Dr. Philip Nitschke. He isn’t trying to make money from it. Instead, he intends to make the design and specifications available for anyone for free to help those who wish to terminate their lives without medical personnel’s assistance. The pod is controlled from the inside so that the suicide process could be stopped or aborted by the suicide volunteer. He hopes the suicide pod will be used in Switzerland where assisted suicide is legal. In 2020, as many as 1,300 people chose to die in the country with a population of 8.6 million. Whether the pod can actually be used without violating any law is still uncertain. Will there be a sale of this pod online in the near future?

Read the article and learn about this 3D-printed suicide pod.

https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-59577

Topic Reading-Vol.3536-12/16/2021

Dear MEL Topic Readers,  

Ships navigate waters in Guizhou via lift system

Located in Southwest China's Guizhou province, the Goupitan Hydropower Station is the biggest power station in the cascade hydropower development on the Wujiang River. There stands a 200-meter-high ship lift, reportedly the tallest in the world. The images of ships passing by along the aqueduct suspended 100 meters above the ground look fascinating. This hydropower station's navigation project allows ships of up to 500 tons to pass through – running along an aqueduct suspended above it on one side, to a massive ship lift that carries them to the much lower levels of the river on the other side, which enables commercial shipping to continue to operate all the way down to the Yangtze River.

Are there any fish that accidentally, or even voluntarily ride the lift in the water to go upstream or downstream of the river as they used to do?

Enjoy seeing the photos and video of this magnificent lift in the upstream of China’s longest river.

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202112/09/WS61b1bb78a310cdd39bc7a63f_1.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3535-12/15/2021

Dear MEL Topic Readers,  

New Zealand to ban cigarettes for future generations

Many countries have a minimum age to buy or smoke cigarettes. As for New Zealand, the nation’s legal smoking age is 18, and only 13% of adults smoke now. But this health-conscious nation is moving a step further ahead to reduce smokers. It is going to ban the sale of cigarettes to those who were and will be born after 2008, or those who are 14 years old now or younger. Good news for parents but bad news for cigarettes sellers. It sounds like banning conventional gasoline engine vehicles to switch to more environmentally-friendly alternatives. Over time, the nation’s cigarettes market will disappear. The country is also going to reduce the number of shops that are authorized to sell cigarettes from 8,000 to fewer than 500. Quite progressive. Some people are concerned about the emergence of the black market, though. In the meantime, though it is still warned as harmful for health, vaping, or smoking e-cigarettes will still be permitted as it is regarded to help quit more harmful cigarette smoking. Will chewing gum become more popular in New Zealand?

Enjoy reading the article and think if a plurality of voters or representatives in your country will support this sort of progressive legislation for health or the environment?

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-59589775

Topic Reading-Vol.3534-12/14/2021

Dear MEL Topic Readers,  

Instagram will now tell users when to take a break from using the app

Pressing the accelerator and brake at the same time. While Internet platformers are shifting the gear towards Metaverse, a digital space represented by digital representations of people, places, and things, they are also trying to dodge criticism over their harmful nature to children and teenagers by limiting the time they spend on their app. Recently, Instagram announced a rollout of new features that will encourage users to get away from their platform. Users can choose to turn on the warning feature that alerts them after 10, 20, or 30 minutes of continuous usage. Yes, it is completely optional. When an annoying full-screen alert shows up on the screen, the user can take a break or simply ignore the warning and stay on the app until the next warning shows up. Though it doesn’t seem as sophisticated or engineered as their ad tools, which generate revenues for the platform, it is something visible to the users, their parents, and lawmakers. But when the Metaverse platform appears, how long will young children, teenagers, and even adults stay in the cyberspace universe? It’ll be also confusing and stressful for the users to go back and forth between the real world and cyberspace.

Enjoy reading the article and think about the well-being of digital tools.

https://edition.cnn.com/2021/12/07/tech/instagram-take-a-break/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3533-12/13/2021

Dear MEL Topic Readers,  

What the data tells us about love and marriage in India

The caste system in India has its origins in ancient India and was transformed by various ruling elites in medieval, early-modern, and modern India. The caste system divides Hindus into four main categories and they are further divided into about 3,000 castes and 25,000 sub-castes, each based on their specific occupation. Outside of this Hindu caste system are the Dalits or the untouchables. Although India’s constitution prohibits discrimination by caste and the practice of untouchability, inter-caste marriages are still very rare. Also, about 80% of the population in India practices Hinduism and 14% believes in Islam. Again, inter-religion marriage is even rarer even among urban residents who tend to be liberal than rural residents. Even though young people in India say they are open to inter-caste marriages, their preferences still remain within the same caste and religion. One reason is that most marriages are still made by parents’ arrangement. If parents are to choose a partner for their son or daughter, they are likely to try to find someone from their own community and acquaintances, the same caste and religion. Also, inter-religious marriage could pose safety concerns, especially to the bride in India. As you know, there are similar social barriers in other countries and cultures when it comes to marrying someone, such as race, class, and wealth. India’s caste system and religious barriers seem more influential than outsiders could think of.

Enjoy reading the article and learn about the gap in love and marriage in India.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-59530706

Topic Reading-Vol.3532-12/12/2021

Dear MEL Topic Readers,  

Mandatory vaccinations: Three reasons for and against

It’s been nearly two years since the first outbreak of the coronavirus was publicly reported. It is still under the threat of a new variant even vaccination rate has reached 70% or higher in some countries. Medical experts urge people and communities to increase vaccination rates while preparing and administrating booster shots. Some countries are imposing lockdowns while others are resuming travel and business restrictions to cope with the new Omicron variant. Also, some local governments, organizations, and businesses are mandating vaccination to their staff and workers, including hospital workers and school teachers. However, there still are people who resist vaccination for health, physical, or mental reasons, including religious beliefs and politics. Advocates for mandatory vaccinations say they will reduce health risks, other restrictive measures, and economic damage. Opponents argue that they are not convinced of the safety and efficacy of the vaccination. Also, while governments and some political parties want to contain the outbreak as soon as and as easily as possible, others initiate anti-vaccination campaigns to buy votes. Aren’t humans fighting against the novel virus and its variants?

Read the article and learn about how people support or oppose mandatory vaccination.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-59506339

Topic Reading-Vol.3531-12/11/2021

Dear MEL Topic Readers,  

Thomas Massie: US Congressman condemned for Christmas guns photo

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed, the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution states, which was ratified 230 years ago. It is legal to buy and bear arms, including military-grade assault rifles, in the US. Kentucky's Republican representative Thomas Massie is a die-hard gun advocate. He doesn’t believe gun control laws will stop gun violence, including school shootings. He even introduced a bill to lower the eligible age to purchase guns to 18 from 21. And on December 5, only a few days after the school shooting in Michigan that left four students dead, he posted a photo of his family around a Christmas tree on Twitter, each of whom was holding a military-grade rifle with a big smile. He wrote there, “Merry Christmas! Santa, please bring ammo.” Even the Taliban won’t post this kind of insensitive photo. Will Massie be reelected?

Nearly 20,000 people were killed by gun violence in America in 2020 alone.

Read the article, see the photo of the Twitter posting, and think if the US is any safer than Afghanistan or Ethiopia.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-59543735

Topic Reading-Vol.3530-12/10/2021

Dear MEL Topic Readers,  

These are the world's most expensive cities in 2021

As 2021 is coming to an end, those who live in major cities have different feelings about the cost of living. While the residents in Tel Aviv, Israel, and Buenos Ailes in Argentina might have felt a sharp increase in prices in commodity items, those who live in developing areas haven’t seen much change this year. Overall, many major cities have been experiencing price increases due to the supply of goods, which have led to shortages and higher prices. Since the coronavirus pandemic doesn’t seem to end in the near future, inflation seems inevitable in most large cities. In fact, this year's Worldwide Cost of Living index released by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) shows the index has risen by 3.5% this year in local currency bases, a sharp increase from last year’s 1.9%. As the coronavirus pandemic seems to keep affecting production and trade around the world and wages have been rising in many sectors, it is expected the cost of living further increase in major cities. Time for inflation. The question is how much.

Enjoy reading the article about which cities have become more expensive to live in this year.

https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/world-most-expensive-cities-2021/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3529-12/9/2021

Dear MEL Topic Readers,  

The Indian granny who became literate at 104

Never say it’s too late to start something new and challenging. Here is a 104-year-old woman in Kerala, India who mastered reading and writing her language just recently. She never had a chance to attend school because of her early marriage and household duties when she was young. She started learning how to read and write just a year ago. When she was sitting next to her grandchildren to observe what they were studying, a teacher offered her books if she wanted to study. That was when she finally started learning how to read and write Malayalam, the only language she understands and uses. Eventually, she scored 89 out of 100 marks on the official literacy test. Interest and passion seem to motivate people to challenge new things.

Enjoy watching the video to learn about this amazing centenarian.

https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-asia-india-59503872

Topic Reading-Vol.3528-12/8/2021

Dear MEL Topic Readers,  

How do children choose a best friend?

Who is a friend? Is that a person who you like and enjoy being with or who helps or supports you? Then, what does a close friend mean to you? Is that the same as when you were a child or a student? As social occasions have been pretty much restricted for over 20 months because of the Covid-19 pandemic, our social connections also have been narrowed down to those who are closer to us. You may feel how valuable your friends are, especially the close ones with whom you can share your problems, stress, and joy. But how did you develop such an intimate relationship? While children seem to make friends easily, adults need to spend hours to go from acquaintance to a casual friend and even longer to become close friends. For children, having friends not only gives them a happier time but also develops coping skills to troubles and changes in their lives. Though the intimacy, intensity, and meaning of friendship seem to vary from culture to culture, friendship is valuable regardless of age.

Enjoy reading the article and learn about what friendship means to us.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20211117-how-do-children-choose-a-best-friend

Topic Reading-Vol.3527-12/7/2021

Dear MEL Topic Readers,  

Angkor: Asia's ancient 'Hydraulic City'

Located in the northwest of Cambodia, Angkor Wat is a large, massive religious structure. The Hindu temple was built in the early 12^th century in the capital of the Khmer Empire but was later converted to a Buddhist temple. The mighty empire was established in 802 CE and lasted until 1431. At its peak in the 12^th and 13^th centuries, it ruled most of mainland Southeast Asia. In fact, the ancient Angkor was designed, built, and maintained by an unprecedented scale of the hydraulic system, which brought water from Phnom Kulen, a mountain range in the north of Siem Reap, to the plains of Angkor. Indeed, water had been the vital source of prosperity and survival of the ancient capital. Then in the late 14th and early 15th centuries, dramatic shifts in climate caused extended monsoon rains followed by intense droughts, which caused substantial impacts on the capital city’s water management system and weaken the empire to fall. The abandoned ruins were rediscovered in 1860 by a French explorer, and restoration projects began. Recently, the scale and extent of the ancient hydraulic system were researched through airborne laser scanning technology, which allowed archeologists to reveal the true picture of Angkor.

Enjoy reading the article and learn about how Asia’s ancient capital and temples were created and managed.

https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20211201-angkor-asias-ancient-hydraulic-city

Topic Reading-Vol.3526-12/6/2021

Dear MEL Topic Readers,  

New Zealand politician Julie Anne Genter cycles to hospital to give birth

Julie Anne Genter, a US-born member of parliament of New Zealand, had been a mom of a three-year-old boy until November 28. In the very early morning on Sunday, she and her partner cycled to the hospital where she gave birth to a baby girl only an hour later. Though she is a well-known cycling advocate and the hospital was not that far from her house, it was quite a ride for a delivery. Surprisingly, it wasn’t the first time she did it. She actually cycled to the hospital to be induced her baby three years ago. You may not be surprised to learn that she is a member of the Green Party and served once as an Associate Minister of Transport in the previous administration.

Enjoy reading the article and learn about this enthusiastic cyclist in NZ.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-59450168

Topic Reading-Vol.3525-12/5/2021

Dear MEL Topic Readers,  

More than 1.4 million sit for civil service exam

Chinese civil service personnel has been selected by competitive examinations. It started as early as in the Tang dynasty (618–907) in the jinshi exams, which tested a candidate’s knowledge of the Confucian Classics. It gradually became the major method of recruitment into the bureaucracy and eventually took over the old aristocracy. Even though there are millions of jobs in private sectors in today’s China, civil service jobs are still highly demanded. On the last Sunday in November, the national civil service exams were held for recruitment next year in China. It attracted over 1.4 million test takers for 31,200 jobs. On average, only one in 46 test-takers can pass the exam. The number of test-takers increased by 40% from the previous year largely due to the promising prospects and job security of civil servants especially when the future is becoming more uncertain due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Unlike the ancient jinshi exams, which assessed mainly the knowledge of the test takers, today’s exams have different focus and requirements on different jobs. Indeed, exams are fair to everyone. But how reliable is a paper test to find qualified candidates for the job?

Enjoy reading the article and learning about China’s massive national exam.

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202111/29/WS61a3858ba310cdd39bc77f49.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3524-12/4/2021

Dear MEL Topic Readers,  

Activists worked to end pregnant schoolgirl ban. They succeeded

Tanzania is a country in East Africa with a population of just over 60 million. Over 100 languages are spoken but most of the Tanzanians speak Swahili, the de facto national language. Primary and secondary education is compulsory and approximately three-quarters of children age five and 14 years attend school. Until recently, Tanzania was one of two countries in Africa that prohibit pregnant schoolgirls to study at school. It was estimated that over 5,000 pregnant girls had been barred from continuing their studies every year because of the ban. In fact, there were forced pregnancy testing and expulsion for girls who were found pregnant under the last administration. Now, the new Tanzania’s first female president decided to remove all barriers for schoolgirls to return to school after dropping out, pregnancy, or a delivery. The country is now expected to give proper sexual education especially to schoolgirls, especially the poor, who are exploited by adults.

Read the article and learn about Tanzania’s advance in educational opportunities.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/11/27/activists-hail-tanzania-move-to-lift-ban-on-pregnant-schoolgirls

Topic Reading-Vol.3523-12/3/2021

Dear MEL Topic Readers,  

Pigs go hog wild on golf course, injure two and force club closure

While pigs in Amsterdam are helping the airport to run safely by eating leftover harvest (yesterday’s Vol.3522), two wild pigs stormed into a golf course in northern England and injured golfers recently. They also dug up the 18^th green and the first tee. The golf course had no idea where those wild pigs came from but had no choice but to close the course for safety for a few days. Finally, when those destructive pigs appeared on the side road outside the gold club, they were captured and taken away. The golf club has already reopened and is now trying to woo online booking with a free bacon sandwich! It’s not clear where the bacon came from.

Enjoy reading the article about how wild pigs went wild on an England golf course.

https://edition.cnn.com/2021/11/26/golf/pig-golf-course-yorkshire-uk-spt-intl/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3522-12/2/2021

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Are pigs the answer to bird strikes? One airport is trying to find out

Schiphol international airport is the gateway to the Netherlands’s capital, Amsterdam. It is the busiest airport in Europe in terms of aircraft movements. Though there was no serious incident, about 150 bird strikes were reported around the airport in 2020. When birds are sucked into the engines of aircraft, it could cause serious danger, especially during landing or takeoff. For safety, the busy airport has 20 bird controllers who work 24-7 to keep birds away. Recently, they tested a pig pilot project for six weeks. Of course, pigs don’t fly airplanes but they could keep birds away from runways. They were deployed in the plot between two runways where sugar beets had been harvested. They ate the crop leftovers which would have attracted large birds like geese. Also, their presence discouraged birds to come close as pigs try to eat them, even though they can’t move fast enough to catch any. The effect of this pig pilot project is being reviewed by the airport authority. Did pigs enjoy working in the noisy airport?

Enjoy reading the article about how pigs could contribute to the aviation industry.

https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/schipol-airport-amsterdam-pigs-scli-intl/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3521-12/1/2021

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Pentagon to study UFO sightings in restricted US airspace

An Unidentified Flying Object doesn’t necessarily mean it is an extra-terrestrial object. It could be a natural phenomenon like ice crystals or advanced military surveillance machines from hostile countries. In fact, there have been 144 such UFO reports made in the US since 2004, and only one of them was confirmed publicly. It was just a deflating balloon. Recently, weapons of advanced technology by other countries have been detected recently, including China’s supersonic missile. So, the US defense ministry thought such UFOs might be a threat to national security and decided to investigate UFO sightings in restricted airspace. Will there be unexpected flying objects in the sky?

Enjoy reading the article and learn about what threats UFOs could pose to national security.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-59405585