Topic Reading-Vol.3916-12/31/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
What do your table manners say about you?
Do you say anything before eating? Do you put your elbows on the table? How do you use a spoon when you eat soup? Do you make noise when you eat soup or noodles? What is your most accustomed tool to eat, chopsticks, knife & fork, or your right hand? Eating manners and habits significantly vary by culture, occasion, family, and person. Some say table manners show respect for the food, cook, and fellow diners. Others say what matters the most is not how you eat but how you enjoy. After all, mealtime is when people enjoy the food, association, and occasion. You want to enjoy the meal not only for yourself but also with others and that is why there are manners and rules for dining.
Enjoy watching the video and think about what table manners mean to you and in your culture.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/ideas/videos/what-do-your-table-manners-say-about-you/p07gbkp3?playlist=festive-picks

Topic Reading-Vol.3915-12/30/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
The seven-day-a-week life of a maid for Qatar's royal and rich
Qatar hosted and celebrated the World Cup this year. The tiny emirate on the small peninsula has a population of around 2.8 million, most of whom are expatriates. Many of them come from South Asia like India and Bangladesh, and others from Egypt and the Philippines. Most men work in the labor force while women work for domestic services. It is estimated that there are 160,000 such domestic workers in the country. They come to work in this oil-and-gas-rich country to earn and send money to their families because the living wages in their homelands are too low to support them. Their working hours, daily breaks, a weekly day off, and paid holidays are all guaranteed by Qatari law. Also, a minimum wage and the right to change jobs or leave the country are legalized. But what is their real life like as domestic workers for super rich and royal families?
Enjoy reading the article and learn about what Qatar’s, and probably other rich Arab emirates’ domestic workers’ life is like.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-63851215

Topic Reading-Vol.3914-12/29/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Cambridge Dictionary’s definitions for ‘man’ and ‘woman’ now include trans people
“man” is usually defined as an adult male human being. It also could mean a human in general. Recently, one of the most authentic and popular English dictionaries, The Cambridge Dictionary, added another definition of “man”: an adult who lives and identifies as male though they may have been said to have a different sex at birth. You might also notice the pronounce “they” for a man in this definition. Indeed, “they” could also be used to refer to a single person whose gender is not simply male or female. Also, “woman” means an adult who lives and identifies as female though they may have been said to have a different sex at birth. The Cambridge Dictionary says the dictionary aims to have learners of English understand how the language is used in the present world. Their dictionaries are complied with by analysis of a large corpus of English texts from all areas of writing and publishing, or up-to-date usage of English. In the meantime, the definitions of "boy" or "girl" do not include such additions at least for now.

Now, teachers of the English language may have to take these recent additions to the definitions into consideration when they teach students and revise their English usage because even though those new meanings are lexically defined, they may not be socially accepted in some cultures yet.
Enjoy reading the article and think if you can adapt to today’s common English usage.
https://edition.cnn.com/2022/12/15/us/cambridge-dictionary-woman-definition-trans-cec/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3913-12/28/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Denmark's new government drops public holiday to boost defence budget
It seems like a quite progressive decision for a fragile coalition government to scrap a national holiday even in the name of defense while the country is not at war. Denmark’s Social Democrat-Liberal-Moderate coalition recently announced that it will scrap one of the 11 national holidays to boost productivity and the economy in a bit to increase the defense budget. As Denmark is a member state of NATO, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, it is required to spend 2% of the nation’s gross domestic product, GDP, and it is one of the government’s priorities to meet the target. A day in a year represents less than 0.3%. Will Denmark manage to improve productivity and increase outputs more than that? Also, some businesses will lose sales for holiday-related products and services. Even though no one likes losing a holiday, prevention is cheaper than treatment in general. Another option could be a higher tax, which no one likes. War in Ukraine might convince people to work an extra day.
Read the article and think about what is like to lose a holiday.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-63982819

Topic Reading-Vol.3912-12/27/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
El Salvador has arrested 2% of its adult population in its war on gangs.
El Salvador is a small country in Central America with a population of just around 6.5 million. The country has been experiencing very high crime rates caused by gang groups and members. Former government administrations made attempts to crack down on gang groups from time to time but they had never been so successful until this year. After a series of gang-related violence in March this year, President Bukele issued a state of emergency and ordered the police and army to initiate mass arrests against gangs. After eight months of the severe crackdown, around 100,000 people have been arrested, which represents nearly 2% of the adult population of the country. As a result, homicide rates dropped and the president’s approval rate skyrocketed. In the meantime, the country’s prisons are overcrowded, arrests were made without evidence, and streets are walked by heavily armed officers and soldiers. How long will the state of emergency last? Extreme measures like martial law, state of emergency, and suspension of constitutional rights often lead to an unconstitutional dictatorship. Also, if dominant players leave the market, other players will try to grab the share. Who will that be? Someone close to those in power?
Read the article and learn about this serious gang crackdown in El Salvador.
https://edition.cnn.com/2022/12/15/americas/el-salvador-war-on-gangs-bukele-intl-latam/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3911-12/26/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Hong Kong scraps some restrictions for travelers, ends contact tracing

After over two and half years of isolation, Hong Kong is now ready to welcome foreign visitors. The special administrative region of China had been under very strict Covid restrictions, having required visitors to be self-quarantined for three days under medical surveillance and take multiple PCR tests for the first seven days since September 26. But before then, the rules had been much stricter and the quarantine period was longer than a week, which severely affected businesses and the tourism industry. Now you can visit the once-popular travel destination and eat at restaurants without restrictions or a tracking app provided that you have a vaccine pass and tested negative on a PCR test upon arrival and the following day. Also, you need to take a quick antigen test yourself for the next five consecutive days. So, as long as you aren’t tested positive and keep wearing a mask even outside, you can travel around Hong Kong freely even though it still is not the same as the days before Covid. Hong Kong was desperate to restrict incoming travelers but now it is desperate to welcome visitors.

Enjoy reading the article and think about how attracted you are to visit Hong Kong.

https://edition.cnn.com/2022/12/13/business/hong-kong-covid-remove-travel-restriction-intl-hnk/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3910-12/25/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Breakthrough in nuclear fusion energy announced
The Sun shines by turning hydrogen into helium in its core. This process is called nuclear fusion. Fusion happens when lighter elements are forced together to become heavier elements. When this happens, a tremendous amount of energy is created. While nuclear fission, the technology that has been used in nuclear power plants and weapons, produces nuclear waste whose radiation lasts for a long time, nuclear fusion produces far more energy but leaves only small amounts of radioactive waste that lives for a short period of time. Nuclear fusion has been considered the dream energy creation method for decades because it produces more energy than the energy put in. Recently, a research institute in California succeeded in a breakthrough experiment to make the science real even though the amount of energy used was substantial while the energy created was very small in the experiment. It’ll take decades to physically and economically realize this environmentally friendlier power source to substitute fossil fuels and nuclear power plants. It seems like a silver lining when global warming is threatening the future.
Enjoy reading about this breakthrough experiment that could open to door to a cleaner and greener world.
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-63950962

Topic Reading-Vol.3909-12/24/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
16 hilarious winners of this year's Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards
The annual Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards highlight hilarious photos of animals and creatures in the wild. Each contestant can enter as many as 10 images. There are several categories in the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards; funniest pictures of wildlife that lives on the land, creatures that fly like birds and bats, fish and marine mammals, short videos within 60 seconds, four-image portfolio, and junior photographers between 16 and 18 years old.
Though it is not financially rewarding, the category winners get the honor to say “Award Winning Photographer” and a certificate. Among the incredible images entered for this year’s competition, a falling lion cub was selected as the overall winner.
Enjoy seeing these amazingly funny photos of the wild for your Christmas Eve entertainment.
https://www.insider.com/funny-animal-photos-comedy-wildlife-photography-awards-winners-2022-12

Topic Reading-Vol.3908-12/23/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
TSA discovers dog in a carry-on bag at Wisconsin airport checkpoint
In most US airlines, some pets like dogs and cats can travel with the passenger as a carry-on or shipped as very special cargo, depending on their size. Each pet needs to be put in a carrier that is big enough to stand up and turn around. The carrier needs to fit under the seat in front of the passenger. Also, there usually is a fee of around $100 each way for traveling with a passenger, which could be as expensive as the airfare. To avoid all these necessary requirements, some passengers try to put their pets inside a check-in suitcase or carry-on bag. Recently at some US airports, a cat was found in a suitcase after check-in and a dog was X-rayed in a backpack at the security gate. More such cases might be found this week as people travel for holidays. Pets are live animals. They need to be carried and treated like living creatures.
Enjoy reading the article and learn about how recent passengers carry their pets on their flights.
https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/tsa-finds-dog-in-bag-wisconsin-airport/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3907-12/22/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
France makes condoms free for 18 to 25 year olds
While Muslim-majority Indonesia is going to ban all extramarital sex regardless of age, ethnicity, and nationality (Vol.3906), France will provide free condoms to young citizens aged between 18 and 25 regardless of their marital status from January. It is intended to curb the increasing cases of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), which have shown a 30% increase in the last two consecutive years. Since the majority of STIs are asymptomatic, they could be transmitted without being noticed. The country took other health initiatives to promote safe sex, including free contraception for all women below 26 years old.
France says to put on a condom before sex. Indonesia says to get married before sex.
Enjoy reading the article and think about how effective this free condom initiative will be to protect young people from STIs.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-63915467

Topic Reading-Vol.3906-12/21/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Indonesia passes criminal code banning sex outside marriage
Indonesia is a diverse country with over 1,000 distinct native ethnic and more than 700 linguistic groups. However, as the vast majority of the 275 million are Muslims, religious pluralism dominates politics. Recently, the parliament overwhelmingly approved a new law that strictly bans sex outside marriage throughout the country regardless of religion, ethnicity, nationality, or age. Expatriates and tourists aren’t excluded. LGBTQ couples and ethnic peoples who have different marital practices are also affected by the new law. Even though extramarital sex has been banned, the law has not been enforced much. Under the new law, if one of the family members reports such conduct to the police, the couple could be jailed for up to a year. So, what will happen to the visitors to popular tourist destinations like Bali? The governor of Bali said authorities would not check the marital status of tourists, at least for now. However, as the law takes effect in three years, there will be a lot of arguments and protests from people, groups, and businesses.

Read the article and think about the influence of religious pluralism.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-63869078

Topic Reading-Vol.3905-12/20/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
South Korea: Age system to be standardised from 2023
How old are you? If you ask this question to someone in or from South Korea, the answer may be different from your standard age calculation. The Korean age will always be at least one year older than your internationally recognized age. Koreans consider a year in the womb as counting towards their age, so every one is one year old at birth. Then the Korean age will add one year on New Year’s Day, not on the birthday. For example, if you were born December 31, you are one year old today and you’ll be two years tomorrow! More confusingly, there is another way to count the age in Korean culture, which is calculated from zero at birth and a year is added on 1 January. But recently, the South Korean congress passed a law to use only the internationally recognized age from June of next year to reduce socio-economic costs and confusion. This sounds like good news for the government and business administrators, as well as international students and travelers. But you want to be reminded that respect for others according to seniority is a pillar of Korea's Confucianist traditions. So whichever the age calculation method might be, you want to pay respect to seniors.
Enjoy reading the article about how age is and will be calculated in South Korea.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-63903771

Topic Reading-Vol.3904-12/19/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Schengen: No EU border-free zone for Romania and Bulgaria
Schengen Area signifies a zone where 26 European countries, abolished their internal borders for the free and unrestricted movement of people, in harmony with common rules for controlling external borders and fighting criminality by strengthening the common judicial system and police cooperation. Once you enter a Schengen nation, you can travel almost freely within the area, which covers most of the EU countries, except Ireland, Romania, Bulgaria, Cyprus, and Croatia. Although not members of the EU, countries like Norway, Iceland, Switzerland, and Lichtenstein are also part of the Schengen zone. Now, European Union agreed to accept Croatia, which became a member state in 2013, to be part of the Schengen zone from next year. Good news for Zagreb, the capital of Croatia, but bad news for Bulgaria and Romania, both of whose applications were declined by Austria and Netherlands’ vetoes. Unanimity, where all EU Member States have to agree, is one of the voting rules applicable to the Council. The Council has to vote unanimously on a number of policy areas that the Member States consider to be sensitive. Then why OK for Croatia but NG for Bulgaria and Romania even though the two nations have been EU member states longer than Croatia?
Enjoy reading the article and learning about the EU’s dilemma over the increasing number of illegal immigrants.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-63905113

Topic Reading-Vol.3903-12/18/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Wordle: The most Googled word globally and in the US in 2022
What was the most searched word this year? While Oxford presented a shortlist of the words that would represent the year for the public to choose the Word of the Year (Vol.3904), Google announced the most searched term globally and in the US in its annual Year in Search report. The top of the list was “Wordle”, a web-based word game published by The New York Times that became popular this year. Players of the game have six attempts to guess a five-letter word of the day. Other most searched-for word definitions were cacao, homer, canny, foray, trove, saute, and tacit. Google also revealed the most searched events and things, including the death of QEII, Johnny Depp’s defamation case, Will Smith at the Academy Awards ceremony, and Serena Williams’s retirement.
Enjoy reading the article and find which words and events interested the public the most this year.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-63895493

Topic Reading-Vol.3902-12/17/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Oxford word of the year 2022 revealed as 'goblin mode'
Oxford University Press, which publishes the Oxford English Dictionary and many other dictionaries, announces an Oxford Word of the Year each year. Asked to sum up 2022 in a word, the public has overwhelmingly chosen the phrase “goblin mode” as the word of the year. You may remember the ugly little creatures with long fingers and feet that coexisted with the wizarding world in the Harry Potter series. But the phrase “goblin mode” is a slang term that means a way of behaving that intentionally and shamelessly gives in to and indulges in base habits and activities without regard for adhering to social norms or expectations. In short, very lazy. Goblin mode became viral on platforms like TikTok as a response to other trends like self-improvement. Though it is not really a new phrase, the term seems to have become more popular when people feel reluctant to go back to the way of life as the pandemic eases. Indeed, there are severe labor shortages in some businesses such as hospitality, restaurants, and transportation. Are you in goblin mode? Do you want to go goblin mode now?
The previous words of the year were vax, climate emergency, toxic, youthquake, emoji, vape, and selfie. Do you recall what those past years were like with these words?
Enjoy reading the article and learning about what people agree to represent 2022.
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-63857329

Topic Reading-Vol.3901-12/16/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Five ways to spend and waste less this Christmas
The holiday season is coming up in many parts of the world regardless of religion. Christmas, year-end, and New Year when people celebrate and reunite. People buy and exchange gifts, prepare and eat festive feasts, and travel to meet loved ones. A lot of money is spent on gifts but they aren’t always liked, more than enough dishes are prepared but not all of them are eaten, and roads are jammed and trains and airplanes are packed. There must be some ways to enjoy greener holidays by reducing returns of merchandise, food waste, travel time, and fuel. For example, asking or finding what your loved one wants for a holiday gift is one way to avoid waste while making them happier. Also, designing a menu just enough for the diners can reduce food waste while making them feel un-guilty to eat dessert.
Enjoy reading the article and learning about the tips to enjoy the holidays better for you and the environment.
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-63796498

Topic Reading-Vol.3900-12/15/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Scientists say eight glasses of water a day may be too much
How much water should we drink a day? It is generally recommended that we should drink two liters of water each day. But does this one-size-fits-all recommendation really applies to all men and women, the young and old, and the big and small? Also, what about the humidity of the environment and the activity and metabolism of the individual? Furthermore, how much water intake are we getting from food? New research took all these factors into the calculation to figure out how much water should people drink each day. It found that it substantially varies by person, situation, and activity. There are people whose water turnover is higher or lower than others. For example, the daily water turnover of men aged 20-35 is around 4.2 liters while that of women of the same age group is about 3.3 liters. Then you can deduct water intake from food, which varies by person and the meals. All in all, the researchers recommend we should drink 1.5 to 1.8 liters of water a day. How many glasses of water and cups of coffee or tea do you usually drink each day? You may also check the color of urine to see if more fluids are needed for your body to hydrate more.
Enjoy reading the article to learn about our water turnover and requirement.
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-63755475

Topic Reading-Vol.3899-12/14/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

America’s gun epidemic is deadlier than ever,

In the US, during the difficult time of the Covid pandemic between 2019 and 2021, the gun homicide rate increased by 45% while homicide by other means grew by just 6%. In fact, gun homicides have been on the rise in the US in the last few decades. Rates of firearm homicide for both men and women nearly doubled between 2014 and 2021. Men are killed by guns five times more than women last year. There are also significant racial disparities in gun homicides as Black and Hispanic men have been killed much more than those of White. Another disparity lies in the context of the neighborhood. As you can imagine, there were more gun crimes in the neighborhood where there are vacancies and unused spaces, or poor or deserted neighborhoods where the Covid pandemic hit the hardest. Since guns are legally available and carriable, and economically affordable for most people in the US, they can be used as deadly weapons.

Read the article and learn about the increasing number of deaths by guns in the US.

https://edition.cnn.com/2022/11/29/health/gun-deaths-disparities/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3898-12/13/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Florida woman sues Kraft mac and cheese over preparation time
A woman sued the giant food company for an inaccurate ad on its macaroni and cheese product. She claims that it takes longer to prepare the food than the ad says if it includes the time to open the lid and sauce pouch. The lawsuit demands a five-million-dollar compensation. Why five million? Will she be paying the cost of the lawsuit including her lawyer’s fee? Nope. In the US, there are so many lawsuits demanding a huge amount of compensation from large companies for nothing. How is it possible?
A contingency fee is an arrangement in the UA that allows the client to avoid having to pay legal bills unless and until the lawsuit results in a recovery of money for the client. The client agrees to pay the lawyer a certain percentage of the amount of compensation received through legal claims after all agreed costs, such as court filing fees, expenses paid to witnesses, and travel costs, are deducted. Contingency fee agreements are often agreed upon for claims like personal injury, workers’ compensation, auto accident, medical malpractice, product liability, and construction defects, where a large amount of compensation can be expected. While it helps some people who really suffer from damage or accident to compensate for the damage or loss, this fee arrangement makes it easier to sue large companies and public organizations for little or nothing, which wastes court time and fees. In fact, it feeds the US lawsuit businesses. If you look up “contingency fee” on the web, you’ll find a lot of ads placed by US law firms.
Enjoy reading the article and learning about why there are so many lawsuits and lawyers in the US.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-63825860

Topic Reading-Vol.3897-12/12/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Thai monks fail drug tests leaving temple empty
Methamphetamine [meθ.æmˈfet.ə.miːn] is a powerful, highly addictive stimulant that affects the central nervous system. Crystal methamphetamine is a form of drug that looks like glass fragments or shiny, bluish-white rocks. Methamphetamine increases the amount of the natural chemical dopamine in the brain. The drug’s ability to rapidly release high levels of dopamine in reward areas of the brain strongly reinforces drug-taking behavior, making the user want to repeat the experience. People can take methamphetamine by smoking, swallowing (pill), snorting, or injection. Because the "high" from the drug both starts and fades quickly, people often take it repeatedly. In some cases, people take methamphetamine in a form of binging known as a "run," giving up food and sleep while continuing to take the drug every few hours for up to several days. Furthermore, long-term methamphetamine use could cause many other negative consequences, including weight loss, addiction, dental problems, itching, anxiety, memory loss, and even violent behavior. It is indeed a highly addictive and dangerous drug.

Recently, a small Buddhist temple in northern Thailand was left without any monks because its four monks all failed the drug test, including the abbot. Methamphetamine traffic has increased substantially from Myanmar via Laos and become a major problem in Thailand. In fact, the former police officer who murdered 37 people, mostly children, in a nursery in November possessed the drug. These monks and the ex-police officer just may be the tip of the iceberg of the country’s drug problem.
Read the article and learn about how Thailand is penetrated by this addictive and affordable drug.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-63792923

Topic Reading-Vol.3896-12/11/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Stunning images of nature shortlisted for Wildlife Photographer of the Year People's Choice Award
Founded in 1965, the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition is an annual international showcase of the best nature photography. From over 38,500 entries from 93 countries, 25 photographs are chosen by the Natural History Museum for the public to select the recipient of the People’s Choice Award. There are photos of lives, stories, and dangers in nature that connect us to issues across the planet. Enjoy seeing the stunning photos of wildlife.
If you’re interested in voting, visit The People’s Choice Award.
https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/peoples-choice-wildlife-photography-2022-scli-intl-scn/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3895-12/10/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Monkeypox given new name by global health experts
First identified in humans in 1970, monkeypox is a virus transmitted to humans from animals with symptoms similar to those seen in the past in smallpox patients, although it is clinically less severe. Monkeypox mainly occurs in central and west Africa, often in proximity to tropical rainforests, and has been increasingly appearing in urban areas. Animal-to-human transmission can occur from direct contact with the blood or bodily fluids, and human-to-human transmission can result from close contact with respiratory secretions, skin lesions of an infected person, or recently contaminated objects. People with monkeypox get a rash that may be located on or near the genitals or anus and could be on other areas like the hands, feet, chest, face, or mouth for weeks. Other symptoms can include fever, chills, exhaustion, muscle aches, and headache. Monkeypox was named after the disease caused by the virus discovered in captive monkeys, though the disease is not limited only to monkeys. To avoid causing a negative impact on trade, travel, animal welfare, and offense to cultural or social groups, the World Health Organization has renamed monkeypox as mpox, which is thought to be easily referred to and pronounced in any language. The world also should be aware that mpox cases have been spreading this year in many countries outside Africa.
Enjoy reading the article and learn about the newly renamed disease by WHO.
https://www.bbc.com/news/health-63782514

Topic Reading-Vol.3894-12/9/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
San Francisco to allow police 'killer robots'
In 2016, Dallas police used a bomb-disposal robot with an explosive device on its manipulator’s arm to kill a suspect after five police officers were murdered and seven others wounded by a sniper. The “bomb robot” used was a wheeled, remote-controlled, as opposed to autonomous, and with a manipulator which was designed to investigate an object or container that is suspected to be explosive. The robot was used to subdue the suspect with its own explosion but had not been designed to kill or harm humans. Now, San Francisco decided to allow the city’s police to use robots that can kill people. It would be used only in extreme situations where there are no other or better means. Will those robots be human-controlled or somehow autonomous? Whichever the technologies might be, if such technologies were available, killer robots could be produced and used by those who try to kill people, too.
Read the article and think of a world where robocops are patrolling the streets.
https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-63816454

Topic Reading-Vol.3893-12/8/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Bird flu: What is it and what's behind the outbreak?
Avian influenza or bird flu is caused by infection with avian (bird) influenza (flu) Type A viruses. These viruses naturally spread among wild aquatic birds worldwide and can infect domestic poultry and other bird species. This year, more bird flu cases have been reported and the outbreak seems to persist longer than usual. The H5N1 virus is the most prevalent strain this year and persisted for longer than before. In fact, as many as 160 million domestic birds have been killed by this virus or culled by farmers to stop it from spreading. The H5N1 strain is so deadly and contagious that it could infect entire flocks of domestic birds in a few days. It has not been found why this year’s virus is so persistent, but it might have been mutated to spread faster or stay longer in the environment. As so many domestic poultries have been killed or culled, supply shortages and price hikes for meat and eggs are occurring in some parts of the world. For the well-being of birds and the environment, the virus needs to be contained ASAP. And for humans, it is too much of a burden to bear in addition to the coronavirus pandemic and surging inflation. Fortunately, the risk seems to be low for humans to be infected by the current strain of H5N1 for now.
Read the article about another outbreak the world is facing.
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-63464065

Topic Reading-Vol.3892-12/7/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Here’s why the US has more tornadoes than any other country
A tornado is a narrow, violently rotating column of air that extends from a thunderstorm to the ground. It is one of the most violent phenomena of all atmospheric storms we experience. The US has more tornados and their victims than any country or region of the world. There are over 1,100 tornadoes each year in the US while there are only around 250 in Europe, whose land space is almost the same as the US. There are geographic and atmospheric conditions in the US that form more tornadoes than in other places, including moist air from the Gulf of Mexico near the ground, dry and cool air aloft, and horizontal winds. Higher fatalities are seen in some parts of the US like Alabama and Missouri where rolling hills and trees make it difficult to visually detect tornadoes. Also, tornadoes tend to travel faster in the Southeastern region because of the faster jet stream, which gives a shorter time to take shelter. Though tornadoes don’t occur as frequently as gun violence in the US, it does occur more often than in other parts of the world. Another travel warning (Vol.3891) to would-be visitors to the USA.
Enjoy reading the article and learn about how frequent and deadly tornadoes are in the USA.
https://edition.cnn.com/2022/11/28/weather/us-leads-tornado-numbers-tornado-alley-xpn/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3891-12/6/2022

Topic Reading-Vol.3891-12/6/2022
Dear MEL Topic Readers,
What travel warnings do other nations give their citizens about US violence?
As travel restrictions are being eased for international travelers, many people are planning to visit America despite the soaring inflation, fuel surcharges on air tickets, and stronger US dollar. Even though the threat of Covid-19 is becoming less severe, the world is well aware of frequent gun crimes and mass shootings in the US. So, how do the governments of friendly nations to the US warn their would-be travelers about the security concerns in the US? Do they tell their citizens to avoid visiting the US or just feel free to enjoy visiting wherever they want?
Read the article about how these governments warn their citizens if they are visiting the US; Australia, Canada, UK, Israel, France, Germany, Mexico, Japan, and New Zealand.
https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/travel-warnings-other-countries-us-violence/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3890-12/5/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Mercedes-Benz to introduce acceleration subscription fee
Toyota charges an $8 monthly fee to owners who wish to start their vehicles remotely in the USA. This service seems like a subscription fee to monitor and activate an emergency function. In July this year, BMW started offering an online subscription to heat the front seats in its cars in the UK for £15 per month and £10 for the steering wheel (Vol.3752). Since the hardware to heat the seats and steering wheel was already installed, customers felt ripped off by this “activation fee” in the name of a subscription for the cars they’ve already paid. In 2019, Tesla introduced an acceleration boost for its Model 3 vehicle for a one-time fee of $2,000 in the US. This seems like an upgrade feature that customers are used to paying for. Now, Mercedes-Benz is offering an online acceleration booster for an annual subscription fee of $1,200 for its EQ series electric vehicles. This sounds like an upgrade option only for the time the driver wishes to enjoy. Does it sound reasonable to you? But such a speed booster uses more battery power, doesn’t it? You may be paying more for a shorter driving range.
Enjoy reading the article and think about what can be a reasonable subscription for your next car.
https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-63743597

Topic Reading-Vol.3889-12/4/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Flossie, the world’s oldest living cat, is nearly 27 years old
If you’re thinking about getting a pet cat, you might wonder how long a pet cat lives in human years. Just like humans and other animals, a cat’s life expectancy depends on many factors, such as health, diet, and environment, but on average, the average lifespan for a domestic cat is about 12-14 years. However, some pet cats can live to be around 20 years old. Now, the world’s oldest living cat, Flossie, is nearly 27 years old, the equivalent of 120-year human age. You might assume that the cat has been with her owner for a long time. But in fact, she was just recently adopted by a new owner who volunteered to adopt her at her last stage. The female cat was a stray kitten in England in 1995. She was adopted but the owner died after 10 years. Then she had been looked after by the previous owner’s sister for 14 years until the owner passed away. Subsequently, she had been taken care of by the last owner’s son for three years until she was taken to a cat welfare charity. What a life she has lived! The new owner hopes the longest-living cat’s story encourages people to look after older pets.
Enjoy reading the article and learning about the story of this longest-living cat.
https://edition.cnn.com/2022/11/24/uk/flossie-oldest-living-cat-intl-scli-gbr/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3888-12/3/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
The world's skinniest skyscraper is now complete — and its interiors are remarkable
111 West 57th Street, also known as Steinway Tower, is a residential skyscraper in Manhattan, New York. There are 14 residences in the 16-story Steinway Hall, a preserved former Steinway piano store, and 46 full-floor and duplex luxury condominiums in the newly constructed 91-story tower, whose height-to-width ratio is stunning 24:1, the world’s most slender skyscraper. The height of the tower is 435 meters, nearly as tall as One World Trade Center and Central Park Tower in New York. What is remarkable about this super residential tower is the gorgeous interior designs and amenities including dining rooms, a swimming pool with floor-to-ceiling windows, a golf simulator, and a landscaped terrace, not to mention the magnificent view overseeing Central Park and beyond. The 46 condominiums in the tower range from 360 to 662 square meters and the price tags are from $7.75 million to $66 million. What is the satisfaction-to-price ratio might be? The higher the floor is, the higher the satisfaction might be?
Enjoy reading the article and seeing the photos of this newly constructed slenderest tower in New York.
https://edition.cnn.com/style/article/steinway-skyscaper-interior-design/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3887-12/2/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
China claims youth gaming addiction resolved
Children’s screen time during the Covid lockdowns was a major concern in China. In order to improve children’s welfare, China banned the release of new game titles for nine months until April this year. It also limited the time children can play games to less than three hours a week. TikTok, called Douyin in China, voluntarily limited the daily viewing time to 40 minutes for children under 14. Did all these bans and restrictions help resolve gaming and screen addiction among children? The gaming industry believes so. Since the gaming and SNS industries have huge economic and technological benefits in China, those severe restrictions might be loosened soon, especially when another wave of Covid lockdowns is being imposed.
Enjoy reading the article and learning about how China has been dealing with children’s online and gaming addictions.
https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-63730316

Topic Reading-Vol.3886-12/1/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Chimpanzees share experiences with each other, a trait once thought to be only human
How close chimpanzees are to humans? Their maternal instinct seems so close to one of the humans (Vol.3884). What about their infants? Do they want to share their interest or experience with their caregiver just like human infants do? A study in a chimpanzee community in Uganda found that an infant was holding a leaf out to her mother until she paid attention to it. Then the infant chimp seemed satisfied. The infant chimp didn’t seem to intend to play with the leaf or give it to her mother but only to get the mother’s attention. This interests animal researchers because such behavior has only been thought unique to humans. There may be more such cognitive, emotional, or intelligent behaviors among our closest relatives that we simply haven’t realized yet.
Enjoy reading the article and think about how close apes are to us.
https://edition.cnn.com/2022/11/18/world/wild-chimpanzees-share-experience-humans-scn/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3885-11/30/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Vegan 'cheese' market booms as demand grows
Cheese is a dairy product produced in a wide range of flavors, textures, and tastes. Its history dated back to 8000 BCE and there are now over a thousand types of cheese produced in many cultures. Cheese is tasty by itself and adds a rich taste and flavor to many kinds of foods and dishes like sandwiches, pizzas, and tacos. But cheese is often salty and most of the fat in cheese is saturated fat, which raises cholesterol levels. Also, dairy products aren’t friendly to the environment. (Vol.3883) As more people move to a healthier, vegetarian, or vegan diet, demand for non-dairy cheese has been increasing. Recently, more palatable vegan cheese products are appearing on the shelves and online. The demand for such healthier cheese products has been increasing despite the inflation pressure on households. The shift from dairy to plant-based milk products indeed helps improve our health and the environment.
Enjoy reading the article about the rising demand for vegan cheese.
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-63633479

Topic Reading-Vol.3884-11/29/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Chimpanzee cheer: Video of reunion between endangered mother and baby goes viral
How do animals, say our close cousin chimpanzees, develop and feel maternal instinct? A video of an emotional reunion of a mother chimp and her newborn baby was taken at a zoo in Kansas, the USA. Even though a mother chimpanzee had been separated from her baby boy at birth because of a Cesarian operation, she immediately demonstrated a strong mothership when she met the baby boy for the first time two days after the C-section birth. She must have developed her maternal instinct while she was pregnant. But she wouldn’t have known if the baby chimp was indeed her baby. It seems that for an expecting mother, a baby is a baby. It doesn’t seem to matter whose baby it is to keep the species alive. Whatever the reason or motive was, her immediate attachment to the baby chimp shows how strong maternal instinct is.
Enjoy watching the video to find how instinctively a mother chimp is attached to her baby boy.
https://edition.cnn.com/videos/us/2022/11/19/chimpanzee-mom-and-baby-reunite-birth-zoo-cprog-orig-aw.cnn

Topic Reading-Vol.3883-11/28/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Drink this type of milk to keep you and the planet healthy
It has been believed that dairy milk is good for health and growth as it is rich in calcium and protein. But as the global population added a billion in just a decade and is still growing, should we keep producing milk to meet the increasing demand? Even though today’s dairy industry produces much more milk per cow than before, it uses 10 times as much land and water as plant-based milk, such as almonds, rice, soy, and oat. Also, as cows burp and poo, they generate methane, an 80 times more powerful greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide. Then the question is if we can substitute those plant-based milk products for dairy milk products nutritiously, environmentally, and economically. Well, if we can substitute chicken with lab-grown meat (Vol.3882), why can’t we?
Enjoy reading the article and learning about what milk is about.
https://edition.cnn.com/2022/11/15/health/best-milk-for-planet-and-people-wellness/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3882-11/27/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Lab-grown meat is OK for human consumption, FDA says
Laboratory-grown meat, or cultured meat, is meat produced by culturing animal cells in vitro. It is a form of cellular agriculture. Cultured meat has the potential to address the environmental impact of meat production, animal welfare, food security, and human health. It requires substantially less water and land to develop meat than growing and getting meat from animals. Also, since the food system, most of which is from animal agriculture, represents about a quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions, lab-grown meat is expected to help mitigate climate change. The question is how close we are to seeing cultured meat on store shelves. As for safety, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is getting close to approving the lab-grown chicken meat developed by a cultured-meat manufacturer. When it comes to the economy, time will tell when it’ll become affordable for consumers who are conscious of animal welfare and the environment.
Enjoy reading the article and think if you’re ready to eat lab-grown meat.
https://edition.cnn.com/2022/11/17/health/fda-lab-meat-cells-scn-wellness/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3881-11/26/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
What is behind the big tech companies' job cuts?
Until recently, the US online tech industry had been in top gear to hire and retain talented employees with lucrative pay, luring perks, and flexible workstyle. But as inflation put the economy into trouble, consumers cut their spending, and therefore, advertisers slashed their online ad budgets. Then those tech giants which only had been looking at a bright future suddenly realized that it wasn’t going to be the case. As their growth expectations faded and quarter earnings fell, they realized that they had hired and retained more employees than they could afford. Because of their investors’ pressure and intention, those tech giants are in a race to slash their spending and cut jobs, like Twitter, Amazon, and Meta only to name a few. This will hit hard for those who were recently hired by those tech firms as they also had expected a bright future and spent and loaned for housing and cars. Do those corporate executives only know to press the accelerator or brake so hard to drive a car?
Read the article and learn about the recent job cuts in the US tech industry.
https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-63635821

Topic Reading-Vol.3880-11/25/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Study shows 1 billion young people are at risk for hearing loss. This is how to prevent it
One of the easiest and quickest ways to be isolated yourself from others and indulge in yourself is to listen to music with earphones. And the louder the sound is, the more enjoyable and exciting the music could be up to a certain level. Nowadays, many young kids and adults listen to music with earphones from their smartphones. No matter how loud the sound is, you won’t be told to turn the volume down like a TV or stereo set, which makes you listen to music too loudly to your ears. And if you listen too loud for too long, your hearing ability will be permanently impaired. Such unhealthy listening practice does accelerate age-related hearing loss even or cause tinnitus even from an early age. In fact, a new study predicts over one billion people could lose their hearing ability over time. Is watching TV on the couch healthier than listening to music with earphones?  
Enjoy reading the article and learn about the impact of loud music on our hearing ability.
https://edition.cnn.com/2022/11/15/health/hearing-loss-headphones-study-wellness/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3879-11/24/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
3D printed guns: Warnings over growing threat of 3D firearms
3D printing or additive manufacturing is a process of making three-dimensional solid objects from a digital file. The creation of a 3D-printed object is achieved using an additive process, where an object is created by laying down successive layers of material until the object is created. Each of these layers can be seen as a thinly sliced cross-section of the object. 3D printing can produce complex shapes using less material than traditional manufacturing methods. And this technology has become as reliable and affordable as making firearms. Using the software and designs that are found easily on the web, untraceable guns can be produced in a garage or bedroom. At the moment, 80 to 90% of the parts can be produced by a 3D printer, and some metal components need to be manufactured in conventional ways, including ammunition. Though such 3D weapon is still detected by ordinary security process, authorities and experts are concerned about the production and use of such weapons by extremists and terrorists.
Enjoy reading the article about a technology that could produce a harmful weapon for anyone.
https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-63495123

Topic Reading-Vol.3878-11/23/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
British Airways will let male staff wear makeup and piercings
An inclusive workplace is a work environment that makes every employee feel valued while also acknowledging their differences and how these differences contribute to the organization’s culture and business outcomes. In an inclusive workplace, any impact of bias, discrimination, or unequal opportunity is negated. Virgin Atlantic introduced a new gender-neutral uniform policy in September (Vol.3827), allowing male cabin and crew members to wear skirts and female crew to wear trousers to make them feel more comfortable. It is part of the recent move to let employees express their most authentic version of themselves. Now, British Airways, the 103-year-old flag carrier airline of the UK, followed the suit to create a competitive working environment and enhance employee motivation. Under their new uniform guidelines, any crew members can now freely show and express themselves regardless of their gender, including make-up, jewelry, and nail varnish. In the meantime, the airline scrapped the make-up requirement for female staff.
Enjoy reading the article and think if an all-inclusive policy will become standard in the hospitality industry.
https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/british-airways-males-staff-makeup-piercings-gbr-intl-scli/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3877-11/22/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Amazon: Robots spread but 'we still need humans'
The world’s population is just about eight billion now. Amazon handles about five billion packages a year, or over 13 million boxes a day. Though the company has over 1.6 million employees, that’s still too many packages to handle only by humans. So how is Amazon handling that many boxes and delivering them to the customers? In fact, there are over half a million mobile drive robots scooting the floors in their fulfillment centers. Also, around 1,000 robot arms are sorting packages in the US and Europe. As a result, about three in every four packages of Amazon are touched by some kind of robotic system. As hiring workers is increasingly getting difficult across the world, Amazon has been investing in robots and drones to get the merchandise packed and delivered. And this is not only at Amazon but at any other online retailer of any size. It seems that innovation is taking place in every corner of the retail industry.
Enjoy reading the article and learning about how essential robots are for online retailers.
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-63593335

Topic Reading-Vol.3876-11/21/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Chocolate is having a moment
During the Covid pandemic, people ate more chocolate than ever as they stayed home longer. That is probably because they wanted to relieve stress and entice themselves. Indeed, when you are at home working on a PC, studying, or doing nothing all day long, chocolate is something that surely makes feel happy, energized, and relieved. But surprisingly, despite the increased prices because of inflation, chocolate sales have still been robust even after people started to go back to the office and school in the USA. Why chocolate? It is no healthier than any other sweet as it contains no less sugar. Is chocolate more addictive than other snacks? It is at least more affordable than alcohol, cigarettes, or vapes.  Chocolate seems to remain an affordable treat for families and for consumers in America.
Enjoy reading the article and learning about how delightful chocolate is for Americans.
https://edition.cnn.com/2022/11/09/business/chocolate-sales-ctrp/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3875-11/20/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Afghanistan: Taliban ban women from Kabul parks
Ever since the Taliban took power in Afghanistan in August 2021, women have been segregated despite the promise the ruler made that it would respect women’s rights in line with Sharia law, which could be conveniently interpreted by the authority. For example, teenage girls have still not been allowed to attend school yet even though they were told to come to school once.  Also, under the Taliban’s segregating rule, women were allowed to visit public parks only on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. Now, women are entirely prohibited to go into public parks to spend time with friends or even their family. So, children cannot enjoy rides in an amusement park with their mothers. The Ministry of Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice reasoned that women have not been respecting Sharia laws in the park. Though this new restriction is forced only in Kabul, the capital, at the moment, it is likely to apply across the country.
Read the article about how segregated women and girls are in Afghanistan.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-63582047

Topic Reading-Vol.3874-11/19/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Supreme Court: India top court upholds quotas for poor
It is not uncommon to allocate quotas, though it is controversial, for government jobs or education opportunities to certain people, races, and gender. But it is a bit more complicated issue in India. India's caste system is among the world's oldest forms of surviving social stratification. The system which divides Hindus into hierarchical groups based on their work and duty is generally accepted to be more than 3,000 years old. From the top, the hierarchies were teachers and intellectuals, warriors and rulers, traders, laborers, and then outcastes who do all the menial jobs like street sweeping and latrine cleaning. For centuries, caste dictated almost every aspect of Hindu religious and social life, with each group occupying a specific place in the hierarchy until 1950 when Independent India's constitution banned discrimination on the basis of caste. In an attempt to correct historical injustices and provide a level playing field to the traditionally disadvantaged, the authorities then announced quotas in government jobs and educational institutions for scheduled castes and tribes. That was originally meant to be a temporary affirmative action to improve the opportunities for unprivileged groups of people but has been extended and amended by politicians to buy votes. Then if you put the economic scale to the quotas, things get complicated because not all the upper cast people are wealthier than those in the lower castes. India’s affirmation action seems to be a complex of social, economic, and political factors.
Read the article and learn about India’s complicated and disputed affirmative action.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-63538698

Topic Reading-Vol.3873-11/18/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Billionaires emit a million times more greenhouse gases than the average person, study finds
A superrich individual emits substantially more carbon dioxide than an ordinary person does. For example, many rich people fly in private jets, sail luxurious yachts, and heat and cool spacious mansions. But these are just part of their massive CO2 emissions. A new study on 125 world’s richest people found that their investments produce an annual average of 3 million tons of CO2 per person, one million times more than an average person does. For example, an average of 14% of their investments are in polluting industries like energy and materials. On the other hand, only one of those 125 billionaires invested in a renewable energy company. Of course, everyone has a right to decide on their investment portfolio but the return on investment shouldn’t be limited only to money. In the meanwhile, green companies could show themselves as better investment options for billionaires.
Enjoy reading the text and learning about the impact of the superrich.
https://edition.cnn.com/2022/11/07/world/billionaires-greenhouse-gases-climate-intl/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3872-11/17/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
The truth about how often you should wash your hair
A hairdresser makes your hairstyle look good. Also, when you shampoo, dry, and set your hair, you’ll make yourself look nice and clean. But there is the scalp where your hair grows. You want to worry about how your hair looks but you should also care about how healthy your scalp is. Some people shampoo their hair once or even more a day mainly to keep their heads clean and make their hair look not too oily while others do only a few times a week or even less. How and how frequently you should wash your hair depend on multiple factors, including hair type, scalp, and activity levels. For example, since our scalps produce less oil as we age, older people may not need a daily hair wash. But those whose scalps are oily might need to wash their hair more frequently. What are your hair and scalp conditions like? That is why it is helpful to get advice from dermatologists who give you more comprehensive advice for your hair care.
Enjoy reading the article and learning about the health of your hair and scalp.
https://edition.cnn.com/2022/11/04/health/how-often-should-you-wash-your-hair-tips-wellness/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3871-11/16/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
What hotel star ratings actually mean today
When you book a hotel in an unfamiliar place, how do you find one that suits your need, taste, and budget? If there is your favorite or familiar hotel chain, you’ll probably get what you expect. But if there isn’t one in the place, say in a foreign country or remote destination, or you want to experience an extraordinary time, how would you find one? In general, the more you pay, the more you could enjoy. However, the price isn’t always a reliable indicator when it comes to lodgings as their prices vary by season, time, and demand. Then you may check online user ratings, which you may just find many extreme comments on either side. If you really want to get some idea from those comments, you may want to scrutinize a number of comments and find common mentioning in different wordings. What about a star rating? There are a wide variety of rating schemes used by different organizations around the world, some are authorized by the government or its agency, and others are rated by popular commercial services such as the Forbes Travel Guide and the AAA. The most popular public rating uses Tourist (★), Standard (★★), Comfort (★★★), First Class (★★★★), Luxury (★★★★★), and others describe Deluxe/Luxury, First Class/Superior, Tourist Class/Standard, and Budget Class/Economy.
More confused? You may want to refer to the brand, rating, guests’ comments, photos, google Maps if available in the place, and lastly but not least, the budget and deals.
Enjoy reading the article and learning the mechanism of hotel ratings.
https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/hotel-star-rating-meanings/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3870-11/15/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Wildlife Photographer of the Year: Frenzied bee ball wins top prize
Over 38,000 entries took part in the photo contest for the best of the best photos in nature,
Wildlife Photographer of the Year, or WPY. Born in 1964, this prestigious photo competition hosts 12 to 17 categories each year. The grand winning photo of the prize this year was given to an American woman who shot a manic moment as male cactus bees envelop a single female to mate. The photo also features other bees coming in from the side, which adds the feeling of a buzzing sound that makes the photo even livelier. There are other stunning images that show the dying moment of a sardine in the mouth of a whale, a mountain gorilla in the arm of her caregiver, and a cave bat just being snatched by a snake. If you want to enjoy seeing rather peaceful photos, there are photos of heavenly flamingos in a salt pan in the Andes and polar bears in an abandoned house on an island in the Arctic Sea.
Enjoy seeing some of the winners of Wildlife Photographer of 2022.
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-63209350

Topic Reading-Vol.3869-11/14/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Shyam Saran Negi: Man dubbed 'India's first voter' dies aged 105
India is the largest democratic country in the world with over 900 million eligible voters. In the last general election in 2019, over 600 million, or about two-thirds of the eligible voters cast their votes. When India’s first general election took place in 1951-1952, a little over 100 million votes, or 45% of the registered voters, were cast out of the170 million registered voters. Shyam Saran Negi was known as the first person to have cast a ballot in the first election after independence from Britain. Ever since the first vote, he had voted in every election until his last on November 2^nd, which was only three days before his death at the age of 105. The ex-teacher said, “Youth should come forward to participate in the democratic process as it is not only our right but also our duty to participate in the elections by exercising our franchise.” He was indeed a teacher who exercised his duty throughout his life.
Enjoy reading the article and learn about this dedicated voter in India.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-63527891

Topic Reading-Vol.3868-11/13/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

1 in 5 deaths of US adults 20 to 49 is from excessive drinking, study shows

What kills Americans the most? Guns, drugs, or driving? A new study found that excessive alcohol consumption attributes to one in every five deaths among people aged 20 to 49 years old in the US. These causes of death include not only alcohol poisoning and alcohol-related diseases like liver disease but also car accidents. The bad news is that the number has risen in the past decade. The good news is that these deaths are mostly preventable. If you enjoy alcoholic drinks casually and in a controlled fashion, say a drink or two a day or only a few times a week, the risk of such miserable death or disease can be lowered. It is also beneficial for your weight control as alcohol contains a lot of sugar. You may want to substitute beer or wine with mineral or sparkling water but not with sugary drinks like coke. (A can of coke contains 35mg of sugar, which is more than the recommended daily limit of 25 mg).

Enjoy reading the article and learning about how deadly excess alcohol consumption is.

https://edition.cnn.com/2022/11/01/health/drinking-deaths-us-study-wellness/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3867-11/12/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Why high temperatures can make planes too heavy to take off
As global warming heats airports, airplanes need longer runways or lighter payloads to take off. In some cases, some of the passengers were forced to give up their flights, or flights were canceled altogether when the temperature went too high for takeoff. In fact, a study found that the maximum takeoff weight at 10 airports in Greece has been reduced by 127 kilograms each year since the 1970s because of the rise in temperatures. That’s because aircraft get 1% less lift with every 3 degrees of temperature rise. For example, if an airplane needs a 2,000-meter runway for takeoff at 20 degrees Celsius, it’ll require 2,500 meters at 40 degrees. This difference in temperature is just like the one in the morning and the one in a sizzling afternoon at the same airport. Why does the temperature matter so much for aircraft to take off? How are airlines dealing with the rising temperatures?
Enjoy reading the article and learn about how aircraft take off a runway.
https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/climate-change-airplane-takeoff-scn/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3866-11/11/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Grocery prices are soaring. But this food favorite is getting cheaper
The avocado is a type of berry that grows in warm climates. Avocados provide a substantial amount of monounsaturated fatty acids and are rich in man vitamins and minerals. Incorporating them into a varied, healthy diet can provide a number of benefits, such as being rich in nutrients like vitamins C, E, K, and B6, healthy for the heart, and great for vision. Moreover, with their smooth, buttery, and golden-green flesh, avocados are becoming popular in many cultures and menus. Avocados are cultivated in the tropical and Mediterranean climates of many countries. Mexico is the world's leading producer of avocados, providing nearly 30% of the global harvest. Earlier this year, the price of avocados shot up mainly due to logistic restrictions from Mexico. But when the clogged pipelines were cleared, an oversupply of Avocados flushed into the US market, pushing the retail prices lower. That’s great news during a time of soaring inflation of everything from food to energy. Also, next year’s avocado supply is expected to be abundant. So, it may be a good time to add this healthy and budget-friendly fruit to your menu.
Enjoy reading the article and learning about the mystery of avocado prices.
https://edition.cnn.com/2022/11/02/business/avocados-surplus-inflation-price-relief/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3865-11/10/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
‘Planet killer’ asteroid spotted hiding in the sun’s glare
There are over 27,000 known near-earth asteroids that orbit within 48 million kilometers from Earth. Fortunately, none of them has been found to pose a threat to Earth, yet. But it is quite difficult to observe those space objects, especially the ones that orbit within the inner solar system, which includes Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, and the main asteroid belt, because of the harsh light of the sun. So, astronomers use ground-based telescopes during the brief period of twilight. Recently, they found two large near-Earth asteroids that are larger than 1 kilometer, which could cause a devastating impact on Earth should they hit our planet. The impact would create dust and pollutants to fill the atmosphere for many years and cool the planet significantly. One of them orbits within Earth’s path and could hit Earth in an unknown future, though not within centuries from now. That’s good news for the time being. But we still haven’t found all the asteroids that could pose a threat to our planet, yet. That’s why space agencies are trying to detect asteroids and alter their course to avoid a catastrophic impact that once made most of the species extinct, including dinosaurs.
Enjoy reading the article and learn about the threats that near-Earth objects pose.
https://edition.cnn.com/2022/10/31/world/potentially-hazardous-near-earth-asteroid-scn/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3864-11/9/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Are microcars the smaller, greener future of urban driving?
Cities are often congested and air-polluted. Conventional fossil-fuel-burning cars are too large, heavy, and air-polluting. Most of the time, people drive only by themselves or with another for a relatively short distance and time no faster than a bicycle-plus speed. Even a popular electric car still takes up the same space to drive and park as other cars. So, what about an electric minicar that can accommodate most of your needs without emitting CO? It’ll serve most of your transport needs while saving space and expenses. You may also be able to enjoy getting a tax break and a preferential driving lane or parking space. Also, as technologies and manufacturing techniques have recently improved, minicars are now more stylish and affordable than their predecessors. For example, some of them are tricycles that allow you to enjoy motorcycle-like corning. Others have classic or futuristic designs that make you feel proud when you get in and off the vehicle. Minicars seem greener and friendlier transporter to the environment.
Enjoy reading the article and seeing the photos of new city transporters.
https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/microcars-future-urban-driving-spc-intl/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3863-11/8/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Antarctica’s emperor penguins at risk of extinction due to the climate crisis
Emperor penguins are the largest penguin species. They weigh up to 40 kilograms and stand as tall as one meter. They live and breed on ice in Antarctica and forage seafood like squid and small fish around the ice sheet. If the ice on and around Antarctica melt, Emperor penguins lose their habitat and face their predators like seals and whales more openly.  There are about 270,000 to 280,000 breeding pairs of emperor penguins in 60 breeding colonies along the coastline of Antarctica. As parts of the Antarctic Peninsula’s sea ice have melted by over 60% in 30 years and the global temperatures continue to rise, research suggests that the penguin population could decrease by 26% up to 47% by the middle of the century. In order to stop the population decline, the US Fish and Wildlife Service has recently categorized the species as threatened just like it did for polar bears in 2008, which seems to have helped stabilize the bear’s population. What actions are going to be taken and how soon and fast?
Enjoy reading the article and learning about the danger emperor penguins are facing.
https://edition.cnn.com/2022/10/29/world/emperor-penguins-threatened-species-climate-scn/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3862-11/7/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
World's largest duty-free complex opens in Hainan
Haikou is the capital of Hainan (south of the sea), reflecting the island's position south of the Qiongzhou Strait. Haikou, also known as the “Coconut city”, is a popular tourist destination. Before the pandemic, the city received nearly 84 million tourists and generated over 360 million US dollars in 2019. Situated on the west coast of the city, the Haikou International Duty Free City Shopping Complex opened on October 28. The world's largest stand-alone duty-free complex boasts a cavernous area of 930,000sq meters comprised of six plots, including duty and tax-free shops, offices, and hotels. In fragrances alone, a dedicated single floor of 30,000sqm offers consumers virtual makeup applications, interactive experiences and customization, and fragrance tutorials. Chanel, Dior, Estée Lauder, La Mer, Clé de Peau Beauté, and other top beauty and skincare brands reside here, plus 10 duty-free CDFG-exclusive fragrance areas from the likes of Sulwhasoo, Laneige, and Hera. Duty-free sales account for approximately half of the province’s tourism revenue or about a quarter of the total retail sales of consumer goods in Hainan. With this new, gigantic DF complex, the city and province are expecting to boost the tourism and retail business after the pandemic. Of the 100,000-yuan annual quota per person for duty-free purchases, how much will consumers spend in this new shopping facility?
Enjoy reading the article and learning about the bold business initiative in Hainan.
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202210/29/WS635c6403a310fd2b29e7f2f9.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3861-11/6/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
India GST: The ‘cheesy’ row over pizza toppings tax in India
After a historic session of both of the houses of parliament until midnight, India’s Goods and Services Tax, GST, was launched on July 1, 2017. Even though the prime minister described it as a “good and simple tax”, it is practically complicated because of the multiple tax rates, zero, 5%, 12%, 18%, and 28% depending on the item. For example, unpacked food is not taxed. The rate of GST is 18% for soaps but 28% for washing detergents. For movie tickets, the GST is 18% but 28% on tickets over 1000 rupees. But what’s more complicated is the GST on foods. For instance, while there is no GST on conventional milk, 12% GST is taxed on flavored milk products even though most of the ingredient is milk. Also, in a recent court ruling, a pizza company’s mozzarella topping is taxed at 28% even though the GST on cheese is 18% just because the cheese topping contained vegetable oil to enhance the texture and flavor of the pizza. There are so many other cases like these in India. There seems to be a conflict between the logic and practice in India’s GST.
Enjoy reading the article and learning about India’s long-and-still disputed good and simple tax.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-63281037