Topic Reading-Vol.3732-6/30/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Transgender and non-binary players can choose men's or women's team, says German FA

Transgender people have a gender identity or gender expression that differs from the sex that they were assigned at birth, like a man to a woman or vice versa. Non-binary is an umbrella term for people whose gender identity doesn't sit comfortably with 'man' or 'woman'. In sports, there is no universal rule for these people who want to register to play among different sexual identities from the ones they were born with. Recently, The German Football Association, DFB: Deutscher FuBball-Bund, clarified the registration for amateurs, juniors, and futsal players. Those who are not comfortable with their personal identification data or changed their gender can now decide which team, men’s or women’s, to play in. This ruling affects its seven million registered members and over 24,000 football clubs in Germany. Will there be more sports organizations and associations that allow their players to register differently from their original gender status? Time will tell.

Enjoy reading the article and learning about the latest ruling on gender identification.

https://edition.cnn.com/2022/06/23/football/transgender-footballers-german-fa-spt-intl/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3731-6/29/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Nike latest brand to leave Russia permanently

When you walk along a busy street in any major city in the world, you’ll find Starbucks coffee shops and McDonald’s restaurants. Also, you’ll find many people walking in sportswear or shoes with a Swash logo, Nike. However, you no longer see those green-color coffee shops or yellow-orange hamburger shops in Russia as they pulled out of the country in a protest against the invasion of Ukraine. Now, you will not see official Nike businesses in Russia soon as the sportswear giant made a decision to leave the marketplace, having already halted online orders and closing over 50 stores. It will take some time for those officially-sold Nike wears and shoes to be taken place by parallel-imported goods or other brands. Indeed, some may hate the brand that abandoned the nation but others may find a premium as it is still a popular brand around the world. Time to develop business for trans-shippers and parallel importers? But what about Russian athletes? Will they be putting on Nike shoes or sportswear in competitions?

Read the article and think about how things are changing in Russia.

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-61914165

Topic Reading-Vol.3730-6/28/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Is remote work worse for wellbeing than people think?

Working from home or at the office? Before the pandemic, it wasn’t really a question for most office workers. But remote working became popular or standard for many office workers when human interactions had to be avoided or minimized at all costs. At first, there were immediate benefits and downsides but over time, people have gotten used to the new working style and found themselves enjoying lasting benefits or experiencing difficulties working only by themselves. Losing the chance for interaction, managing everything by themselves, and gazing at the computer screen too long, are common complaints, which could affect the well-being and productivity of the worker. In the meantime, there are workers who are benefited from being freed from commuting and fixed hours and enjoy flexible work hours to take care of others in the family or themselves. As the pandemic seems to become endemic, managers and workers are now having a decision point as to whether to work from home or at the office. As each job has different requirements and each worker has their own priorities, there may not be any one-size-fits-all solution to improve the well-being of all the employees.

Enjoy reading the article and think about what makes workers happier and more productive.

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20220616-is-remote-work-worse-for-wellbeing-than-people-think

Topic Reading-Vol.3729-6/27/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Hong Kong's Jumbo floating restaurant sinks at sea

If you’ve ever visited Hong Kong, you might have dined in or seen this floating restaurant. The Jumbo Kingdom was a floating seafood restaurant within Hong Kong’s Aberdeen Harbor. It was established in October 1976 four years after the predecessor Jumbo Floating Restaurant was burned down. It was decorated in the style of an ancient Chinese imperial palace and used not only to host prominent guests like Queen Elizabeth II but also to shoot films including 007. The major renovation in 2003 increased the capacity to 2,300 diners, who all had to come by dedicated ferry boats. Indeed, it had been one of the most iconic and popular tourist destinations of Hong Kong until March 2000 when the coronavirus pandemic left the restaurant owner no choice but to close the operation. The Jumbo Floating Restaurant was eventually towed away from the bay on June 14 bound for an unspecified shipyard but capsized near the Paracel Islands five days later. As it sank over 1,000 meters into the ocean, it seems extremely difficult to identify the cause of the incident.

Enjoy reading the article and seeing the video of the final departure of this Hong Kong’s iconic floating restaurant.

https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/hong-kong-jumbo-restaurant-sink-intl-hnk/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3728-6/26/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Japan: Osaka court rules ban on same-sex marriage constitutional

The marriage of two people of the same sex or gender, same-sex marriage, is legally recognized in 30 countries, including liberal states like Finland and Sweden, catholic-majority states like Brazil, Mexico, and Spain, and G7 nations like Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the UK, and the US. However, Japan, with the world’s third-largest economy and respectable democracy, defines marriage as one between both sexes in its constitution. Though marriage and economy aren’t related to one another directly, economic growth is fundamentally sustained by liberal attitudes in democratic countries. Japan’s constitution was written after WWII and has rarely been revised partly because of people’s, or conservative politicians’, attitudes towards stability. Japan also doesn’t recognize different family names for married couples. So, in practice, almost all the newly-wed wives change their surname to their husbands’.

According to Wikipedia, “Marriage is a union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between them and their in-laws.” While Japan’s younger generations have more liberal attitudes toward LGBTQ, the majority of the voters, older people, are still conservative and aren’t in favor of any changes because they are happy now as they are now.

Enjoy reading the article about the conservative attitude of an economic giant, Japan.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-61670667

Topic Reading-Vol.3727-6/25/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

HK welcomes 25th anniversary of returning to motherland

Hong Kong became a colony of the British Empire in 1842 by force after the First Opium War. In 1898, Britain obtained a 99-year lease of Hong Kong including the Kowloon Peninsula. Hong Kong enjoyed economic and financial growth especially in the late 20^th century under British sovereignty. Before returning to China, the so-called “one country, two systems” principle was agreed upon between China and Britain to maintain independent governance and economy. On July 1, 1977, Hong Kong was finally returned to China after 156 years of British rule and became the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China. Before the handover, nearly one million people emigrated to Canada, the UK, Australia, the US, and other countries. Now, there are about 7.4 million residents in the tiny island and part of the peninsula, which makes it the 4^th most densely populated district/state after Macau, Monaco, and Singapore. Over the last course of 25 years, Hong Kong experienced the 1997 Asian financial crisis, the 2003 SARS epidemic, the 2014 Umbrella Revolution, and the 2019 mass protests in response to the extradition amendment bill. How are Hongkongers celebrating the 25^th anniversary of the handover to China compared with the people in the motherland?

Enjoy seeing the photos and learning about what Hong Kong’s 25^th anniversary means to the residents and government.

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202206/18/WS62adc880a310fd2b29e637bc.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3726-6/24/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Lightyear 0 solar-assisted car will go into production this year

At a price of a Ferrari, you could get a car whose acceleration is no faster than a pickup truck. Would you be interested in buying it? Lightyear 0 is a solar-assisted car that is scheduled to go into production later this year. The top surface of the car is covered by solar panels that generate electricity to add extra mileage, around 10 kilometers per hour. This means you can drive this car longer with fewer battery charges, as long as 600 kilometers without stopping to recharge (though the driver and passengers will certainly require a recharge and rest). Its aerodynamic design, four in-wheel motors, and smaller battery all contributed to achieving this power efficiency. It takes as long as 10 seconds to reach the top speed, 160 kilometers per hour, about the performance of a passenger car of the previous generation. If you live in a sunny place and park your car outside, you’ll enjoy the full benefits of this futuristic solar-assisted vehicle, provided that you’re willing to pay 10 times more money than an ordinary passenger car. And of course, you will enjoy a little greener drive.

Enjoy reading the article and seeing photos of this and other solar-assisted vehicles.

https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/lightyear-0-solar-assisted-car-spc-c2e-intl/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3725-6/23/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

She's visited every country in the world. Here's what she learned

Of the 195 UN-recognized countries, how many have you visited? There are about 400 or so serious travelers who visited all of them. Recently, a travel influencer made it as the first African American woman at the age of 36. She decided to take on the challenge in 2017, took more than 450 flights, and landed in the 195^th country on October 6, 2019, the Republic of Seychelles, an island country located in the Somali Sea segment of the Indian Ocean, northeast of Madagascar and about 1,600 km east of Kenya. She used her Ugandan passport to visit over 40 countries including North Korea and Iran where US citizens aren’t welcomed or restricted, and used her US passport to visit the rest. As a popular travel influencer, she was careful with what experiences and how to share them with her followers in order to preserve the particular nature and culture of the places. Just having enough time and money won’t make someone accomplish such tiring and demanding trips. Determination, encouragement, and timing (she couldn’t have done that after March 2000), not to mention physical and mental conditions, are all needed to make such a grand slam trip.

Enjoy reading the article and learning about what it’s like to visit all the countries in the world.

https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/jessica-nabongo-traveling-every-country/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3724-6/22/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

What’s behind the record number of displaced people?

According to the U.N. refugee agency UNHCR, over 100 million people have been driven from their homes around the world. The UN body cited violence, conflict, climate change, persecution, and human rights violations are to blame. Also, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine added over 12 million people to flee just in four months. The UNHCR data also includes a total of 60 million refugees, asylum-seekers, and those displaced within their own countries.

What happened to them? What are their lives like?

Watch the video to learn about the situation and prospects of those displaced people.

https://www.aljazeera.com/program/inside-story/2022/6/16/whats-behind-the-record-number-of-displaced-people

Topic Reading-Vol.3723-6/21/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Saudi authorities seize rainbow toys for promoting homosexuality

Each country, culture, or religion has its own standards for what its people can and shouldn’t do. While most western countries and their political allies like Japan, South Korea, and some South Asian nations, are accepting LGBTQ, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning, Islamic countries are prohibiting the practice and things that show or stimulate the practice. They claim such practice contradicts the Islamic faith and values. For example, movies that show a scene of such practice aren’t allowed in countries like Saudi Arabia or UAE. Recently, rainbow-colored children’s toys, goods like hair clips and pencil cases, and clothing have been seized by the authority in Saudi Arabia to keep the Islamic faith and public morals. A six-band rainbow flag is a symbol of LGBTQ social movements but certainly cannot be shown in the kingdom now.

Western countries and their allies value human rights and democracy more than anything, but for many Islamic nations, religious beliefs and values seem to be the most important.

Enjoy reading the article and learning about the different values in Islamic countries.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-61813390

Topic Reading-Vol.3722-6/20/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
A long-standing and fundamental question about dinosaurs may finally have an answer
Warm-blooded animals are animals that can regulate and maintain constant internal body temperature. They can survive in any livable temperature range as they can adapt to it easily. They have a high metabolic rate and take in lots of oxygen and need many calories to maintain their body temperature. Mammals and birds are warm-blooded. On the contrary, cold-blooded animals cannot regulate their internal body temperature with changes in the environment. They cannot survive in extreme temperature conditions as much as warm-blooded animals can. Reptiles, fish, amphibians, and insects are all cold-blooded animals.
What about dinosaurs? They had been thought cold-blooded because of their appearance and lifestyle until the 1990s when new discoveries indicated that birds were directly descended from dinosaurs. Recently, researchers analyzed the metabolism from the thigh bones of 55 different creatures, including 30 extinct and 25 living animals, and confirmed that dinosaurs were warm-blooded creatures. How did they find that out?
Enjoy reading the article and learn how the biological nature of dinosaurs was determined.

https://edition.cnn.com/2022/05/25/world/dinosaur-blood-warm-cold-scn/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3721-6/19/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Have a look inside Russia's new 'Tasty' McDonald's replacement 
Opened on Pushkin Square in Moscow 32 years ago, the first McDonald’s restaurant gathered a huge crowd for its grand opening day, having had customers wait for three hours to be served the first American burgers and fries on the other side of the world. It was a symbol of western and American culture in the then-eastern bloc. Now, because of the invasion of Ukraine, McDonald’s pulled out of Russia and closed all 850 restaurants. It was a fortunate opportunity for a Russian businessman, Alexander Govor, who got a chance to purchase over 800 restaurants at a bargaining price. The iconic hamburger restaurant is now renamed "Vkusno i Tochka", which means "Tasty and that's it". How much do Russians like burgers and fries?
Enjoy watching the video to see the excitement in the rebranded burger shop in Moscow.

https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-europe-61774950

Topic Reading-Vol.3720-6/18/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Why America won't go metric

Meter and centimeter, and kilogram and gram are base units of the Metric system, which is used in almost all the countries in the world now. One meter was originally defined to be one ten-millionth of the distance between the North Pole and the Equator through Paris in the 1790s. The imperial system was developed from earlier English units. Inch, foot, yard, and mile for length and ounce, pint, gallon for volume, and pound for weight are typical examples. Only the UK and Canada use both metric and imperial systems. There is another country, whose economy is the largest in the world, that still uses the imperial system as its customary system. The US. If you visit America, you’ll find it inconvenient to convert the unit for distance, length, speed, weight, size, space, and even temperature to your accustomed measurement. Then why does only the US stick with the old system which is uncommon in other countries? Don’t Americans want to be part of the world? It’s a similar question as to why guns and assault rifles are openly and legally sold in the country. Indeed, the US is operated by 50 state governments with a single national government, and their politicians are all elected by the public.

Enjoy reading the article and learning about the background reasons why the US stands alone.

https://edition.cnn.com/2022/06/12/politics/america-metric-system/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3719-6/17/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Plastic-munching superworms offer hope for recycling

Polystyrene is a versatile plastic used to make a wide variety of consumer products, such as food packaging, laboratory ware, appliances, toys, electronics, and automobile parts. In short, it is plastic that needs to be recycled or reused. Recently, researchers in Australia found that the Zophobas morio, commonly known as superworm or kingworm, which is used to feed reptile pets, can eat and digest polystyrene. They think the plastic is digested through the species’ gut enzyme, proteins that help speed up metabolism, or chemical reactions. Some may think an army of superworms will help reduce plastic waste, but it is not the superworm that the researchers are interested in but its enzyme. Once they identify which enzyme digest more plastic than others, they can then reproduce it for recycling. Of course, there will be technical and economic challenges ahead in identifying and using the particular enzyme and using them, but the world desperately needs to reduce plastic waste.

Enjoy reading the article and learning about this plastic-eating superworm.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-61727942

Topic Reading-Vol.3718-6/16/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

'Napalm Girl' at 50: The story of the Vietnam War's defining photo

Napalm burns at temperatures around 1,000 degrees Celsius for a long time, and is easily dispersed and sticks to the object, which causes severe burns on the object’s skin or surface. It was used in incendiary bombs in the latter half of the 21^st century, especially during the Vietnam War. The use of napalm bombs against civilians was banned in 1980.

Born in 1963 in South Vietnam, Phan Thị Kim Phúc was a nine-year girl when her village, then occupied by North Vietnamese forces, was bombed by South Vietnamese planes by mistake in 1972. Four villagers, including two of her cousins, were killed by the napalm bombs. She suffered severe burns, panicked, and was running naked out of the bombed church when an AP photographer Nick Ut shot a photo of her and other children. After taking the sensational photo, the photographer carried her and the other children to the hospital for treatment. The photo shocked the world and won the Pulitzer Prize but fell short of stopping the war. The running and crying girl later moved to Canada, wrote a book about her experiences, and established an international foundation to provide aid to children of war. Now, 50 years after the incident, she is grateful to have the opportunity to work for peace. As for the photographer, he is retired but still believes in the power of conflict photography.

Enjoy reading the article and seeing the photos of what happened in Vietnam a half-century ago.

https://edition.cnn.com/style/article/napalm-girl-50-snap/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3717-6/15/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

NASA is assembling a team to gather data on unidentifiable events in the sky

An unidentified flying object, popularly known as UFO, is any perceived aerial phenomenon that cannot be immediately identified or explained. In fact, most UFOs are identified as either known objects or unidentified aerial phenomena. So far, no extraterrestrial flying object has been identified yet, at least officially or publicly. And there still are a number of cases still unexplained. Now, at last, NASA, the US space agency, is going to conduct a scientific study officially about unidentified aerial phenomena, or UAPs. Indeed, instead of just looking at the sky or a radar screen, NASA will observe the Earth from space. They are aiming to identify which UAPs are natural first so that they can focus on unnatural objects, which could be a concern for national security. The study is intended to propose a future research program if it finds things of interest. The research results are expected to be shared with the public. But what if it found a hint of an extraterrestrial object? Will that be shared, too?

Enjoy reading the article and learning about NASA’s latest project to study UAPs.

https://edition.cnn.com/2022/06/09/world/nasa-team-study-unidentified-aerial-phenomena-scn/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3716-6/14/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

How Islamophobia is hurting India's foreign policy

Islamophobia is the fear, hatred, or prejudice against the religion of Islam or Muslims. It has been fueled by incidents like the September 11 attacks, the rise of the Islamic State (IS), and other terror attacks by Islamic extremists. This anti-Muslim prejudice and hatred of Islam have been predominant in many parts of India where 80% of the population practices Hinduism. On the contrary, in India’s populous neighboring states like Bangladesh and Pakistan, Muslims are the majority. India also has close business relationships with Islamic nations such as Indonesia and the Gulf countries like Saudi Arabia and Qatar where Indians form the largest expatriate communities. Yet, the ruling Hindu nationalist party and Hindu hardliners have been very harsh and openly made allegations and hate speeches against Muslims, and in some cases, with violence. Though they are a minority, Muslims have a 200 million-strong community in India, the third-largest after Indonesia and Pakistan. What is it like to be a Muslim in India?

Enjoy reading the article and learning about India’s Islamophobia.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-61717423

Topic Reading-Vol.3715-6/13/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

A sponge may not be the most hygienic way to clean dishes, study suggests, but there is an alternative

A sponge is one of the most popular tools in the kitchen to wash dishes. It is inexpensive, easy to use, and handy. However, a recent study found that harmful bacteria survive better in sponges than in brushes. The main reason is that the sponge is wet after use, which is a favorable condition for bacteria to grow rapidly. Also, a sponge tends to accumulate food residues that feed bacteria. So, if you use a sponge, try drying it up after use. Another hygienic way is to use a dish brush instead, which easily dries up quite fast. Also, the handle of a dish brush allows you to avoid direct hand contact with harmful bacteria. But if you still prefer using a sponge, make sure to dry it after use or replace it frequently before it is contaminated.

Enjoy reading the article and learning about a more hygienic way to wash the dishes.

https://edition.cnn.com/2022/06/07/health/dish-washing-sponge-vs-brush-scn-wellness/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3714-6/12/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Just the facts about Shenzhou XIV mission

The Tiangong space station is a space station being constructed by China in a low Earth orbit around 400 km above the surface. Once completed, it’ll be about one-fifth the mass of the International Space Station. Since the first core module was launched in April 2021, multiple missions were sent and on June 5, the second team of three crew members arrived at the core module. The team will receive three more space lab modules and a replacement crew towards the end of the year to complete the assembly of the space station. The crew members, two men and a woman, all ex-air force pilots, will set up equipment, conduct scientific experiments, fulfill spacewalks, and even give science lectures to students on the ground. Can you imagine what it’s like to spend six months only with two other crew members without gravity in a tiny space station? In fact, their former team of three accomplished similar missions for six months and returned safely. You definitely don’t want to have a toothache or diarrhea in space.

Enjoy reading this graphical information about China’s ongoing space project.

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202206/06/WS629d30d2a310fd2b29e60c45.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3713-6/11/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Could China’s population start falling?

According to Worldometer elaboration of the latest United Nations data, the current population of China is about 1.45 billion as of June 4, which represents approximately 18.4% of the projected world population. It is still the world’s most populous country, but its population increased by fewer than 500,000 last year, the lowest increase in decades. China’s total fertility rate, or births per woman, has been declining, from 2.6 in the late 1980s, to 1.6 in 1994, and down to 1.15 in 2021. To maintain the population, a fertility rate of 2.1 is needed, provided that the sex ratio is in line with the average, 106 boys for every 100 girls. However, China has much fewer women of child-bearing age than the average because boys were preferred during the one-child policy period between 1980 and 2015, which was taken place to curb the rapidly increasing population. The declining fertility rate is quite common, especially in eastern Asian countries like China, South Korea, and Japan, where women get married later and are less motivated to have children as they are more educated and develop their own careers. So, China is expected to start losing its population earlier than projected. Also, as fewer children are born, the country will age more rapidly than previously thought. Will the nation be able to keep the economic growth and sustain the increasing pension cost? The fall of Japan’s economic status didn’t affect other countries so much even though it had been the second-largest economy until around 2009, but China’s impact is much larger because of the scale.

Enjoy reading the article and learning what China’s population decrease means to the world.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20220531-why-chinas-population-is-shrinking

Topic Reading-Vol.3712-6/10/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Best exercise time may differ for men and women, study suggests

We all know that regular exercise does improve one’s overall health, performance, and well-being. What exercise, how hard, how often, and for how long all matter in the end result. Recent research found that the time of day to exercise also affects the effectiveness of the exercise. Also, it found that differs between women and men. Of course. Women and men have a difference in hormones, biological clocks, sleep-wake cycles, and body structures like muscle-fat ratio and internal organs. So, if your goal for exercise is mainly to burn more fat, you may be very interested to find when of the day is better to take the hardship.

Enjoy reading the article and learning about the biological differences between women and men.

https://www.bbc.com/news/health-61636805

Topic Reading-Vol.3711-6/9/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Why Turkey changed its name: populism, polls and a bird

The Republic of Turkey is a transcontinental country located mainly on Anatolia in Western Asia with a population of 84 million. The turkey is a large bird in the genus Meleagris best known as a symbol of the North American Thanksgiving holiday or as a sandwich ingredient. If someone abruptly says, “I like turkey,” it is not clear if it is about the country or the bird (meat). Now, the country is no longer called Turkey officially but Türkiye [ˈtyɾcije] as the United Nations recognized the country’s request for rebranding. The nation seems to want to increase brand value while eliminating the association with the bird. It is also speculated that the nation’s president wants to gain support from nationalists and Islamists before next year’s election. Indeed, the country’s foreign trade deficit nearly doubled in April and annual inflation soared by over 70% in May, the worst in the last 20-some years. What’s next, the capital, national anthem, or flag?

Enjoy reading the article and learning about what is behind the nation’s rebranding.

https://edition.cnn.com/2022/06/03/middleeast/turkey-name-change-mime-intl/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3710-6/8/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

'Top Gun: Maverick' brings back the Taiwan flag after controversy

In China, there are about 14,000 cinemas with over 80,000 screens, nearly twice as many as in the USA. Apparently, it is a huge market for the movie industry both domestically and internationally. Furthermore, the Chinese government allows only 34 international movies to be released a year. It is then vital for foreign film producers to get one of those 34 tickets from the government to show their movies in the huge market. Accordingly, many movie producers have made various attempts to show friendliness to and respect for Chinese cultures by featuring Chinese actors, cultures, and technologies while excluding any hostile messages or scenes in their movies. In the original Top Gun movie in 1986, Tom Cruise’s iconic leather jacket had patches with Japanese and Taiwanese flags on the back. But when its long-awaited sequel Top Gun: Marveric’s trailer was shown in 2019, those two national flags had been replaced by two ambiguous symbols with similar color schemes. This act of friendliness had been widely criticized by critics and fans until the sequel was finally released last month. Yes, those flags are now back on Cruise’s jacket. Why? In the last two years, the tension in Eastern Asia has been rising sharply and the US is now more openly supporting Taiwan despite the criticism from the mainland. Is that all?

Read the article and learn about what is behind the scenes of international films.

https://edition.cnn.com/2022/06/02/media/top-gun-maverick-taiwan-flag-reinstated-intl-hnk/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3709-6/7/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

The New Yorkers in crisis over skyrocketing rents

Good news seems to have brought very bad news for working-class renters in major cities like New York. The good news for New Yorkers is that business is back to normal after the pandemic. As schools, offices, restaurants and bars, and theaters opened their doors, many ex or new residents are coming back to the city. Also, because of the recent housing price increase, many homebuyers have decided to keep renting their places. Though it is natural that prices rise when demand increases, when the rent goes up by over 50% or even higher, what the renter can do? There are only a few choices for them besides earning more money, moving out to a cheaper place, sharing a room or two with someone, or bearing the increase. The problem is that there aren’t any affordable options in the city because everyone is in the same boat. Also, moving and initial costs to a new place may cost as much as or even higher than the rent hike in the short term. Having a roommate is possible only if there is another room to share. Such a situation is extremely hard for those whose incomes are moderate or aren’t increasing at the same pace as the soaring inflation or rent. Indeed, inflation hits the medium and low income earners the hardest. And this isn’t limited to New Yorkers. Dwellers of other major cities around the world are facing similar problems.

Read the article and learn about how New York renters are struggling with the recent rent hike.

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20220531-the-skyrocketing-rents-that-are-crippling-renters

Topic Reading-Vol.3708-6/6/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Biden: US will not send Ukraine rockets that can reach Russia

Even before the Russian invasion on Feb.24, Ukraine had been provided military aid of various forms from the USA and western countries, including intelligence, internet access, weapons, ammunition, and training. Over the course of the last three months, Ukraine has been pushing off Russian forces with these resources that seem to have prevented the invading troops from advancing. And the Western allies are committed to supplying more weapons and ammunition for Ukraine to keep resisting. However, the US declined the desperate request by Ukraine for long-range rocket systems that can hit Russia to turn the tide in the war. Russia warned the US seriously that such a provision of weapons would threaten Russia’s security and escalate tensions between them. No one wants a catastrophic use of a weapon of mass destruction, such as nuclear or chemical, both of which Russia owns. Indeed, the war beyond Ukraine could cause World War III. It is such a pity that people in Ukraine have to fight against the invader only by themselves even though they receive substantial aid.

Read the article and learn about the aid Ukraine can expect from the Western allies.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/5/30/biden-us-will-not-send-ukraine-rockets-that-can-reach-russia

Topic Reading-Vol.3707-6/5/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Nepal plane crash: Rescuers find 21 bodies from wreck

The Tara Airlines plane, which was on a 15-minute scheduled flight to the mountain town of Jomsom, took off from Pokhara, 200km east of Kathmandu, Nepal lost contact with the airport tower shortly after takeoff on May 29. Onboard the aircraft were 19 passengers and three crew members. The wreckage of the aircraft was found on a mountainside the day after. It is a popular route with foreign hikers who trek on the mountain trails, and also with Indian and Nepalese pilgrims who visit the revered Muktinath temple. In fact, two of the passengers onboard were Germans and four were Indians. The cause of the accident is being investigated but the visibility was so poor when the crash occurred. The popular route has a record of multiple air accidents.

In 2012, an Agni Air plane also flying from Pokhara to Jomsom crashed, killing 15 people. Six people survived.

In 2014, a Nepal Airlines plane flying from Pokhara to Jumla crashed, killing all 18 on board.

In 2016, a Tara Airlines Twin Otter flying the same route crashed after takeoff, killing all 23 people aboard.

Maybe travel websites should show the safety record of the route when they sell tickets.

Read the article and learn about another air accident on this popular mountain route in Nepal.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-61560787

Topic Reading-Vol.3706-6/4/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Have scientists discovered how to read our thoughts?

Will science be able to figure out how and what we think in the future? A project was launched in 2013 involving more than 500 laboratories around the world to develop new tools for brain research and neurotechnology. One of the researchers used ultrafast lasers to record and alter the brain activity of mice. In other words, they read what the mice had in their minds and changed it. Such therapies using electronic devices for stimulating and recording activity in the nervous system are called electroceuticals. As research advances, it may become possible for wearables to read humans’ minds within a decade. Some scientists expect to come up with cures for brain disorders, like bringing back the memories of those who suffer from Alzheimer’s. Sound like a science fiction story, doesn’t it? But if such technology becomes available, will our privacy be protected? Also, what could happen if someone’s brain was given misleading or malicious alterations?

Enjoy watching the video to learn about this ongoing research on human brains.

https://www.bbc.com/reel/video/p0c9j6wm/have-scientists-discovered-how-to-read-our-thoughts-

Topic Reading-Vol.3705-6/3/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Smart gyms in Guiyang moved outdoors

A simple question. Does it have to be indoor to pedal an exercise bike? What if there are exercise bikes in a public park that anyone can pedal like sitting on a bench? Well, the bureau of sports of the capital of Southwest China’s Guizhou province believes so and has already set up 15 outdoor smart gyms in the city. Each smart gym consists of a physical examination area, a muscle training area, and a competition area. Just like any other service in China, a smartphone app gives users customized guidance. Well, it may be as simple as a swing or seesaw for kids. Anyone can just stop by and do some exercise without going into a facility or getting a membership. The city hopes it will improve public health and wellness and add more outdoor smart gyms.

Enjoy reading the article and think if you would use it if you find one in your neighborhood.

http://tyj.english.guiyang.gov.cn/2022-05/26/c_756993.htm

Topic Reading-Vol.3704-6/2/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

23 of the world's best sandwiches

The sandwich is named after the said-to-be inventor, the 4^th Earl of Sandwich in the 18^th century. It usually consists of ingredients, such as vegetables, sliced cheese, meat, or whatever, between slices of bread or any wrapper that hold the ingredients. Sandwiches are especially popular for lunch as they can be taken out to work, school, or outdoor. Some popular variations are hot dogs and open sandwiches. There are so many different types of sandwiches around the world, such as hamburgers, pita sandwiches, and baguette sandwiches only to name a few. Also, there seems to be a different focus on which the main part of the sandwich is, the thing outside (usually bread) or the thing inside (ingredient). Where the bread is main, the ingredients tend to be simpler, like premium ham or cheese. Good sandwiches usually have a good balance between the bread and the ingredients. One thing common for any sandwich is that it is eaten by hand.

Enjoy seeing 23 popular sandwiches around the world and their descriptions.

https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/worlds-best-sandwiches/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3703-6/1/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Female avatar sexually assaulted in Meta VR platform, campaigners say

The metaverse refers to a virtual world where people can live, work and play via an avatar. Tech companies are investing billions of dollars into developing the technology and creators, marketers, advertisers are jumping on the bandwagon to explore new business opportunities even though there still are only a few metaverse platforms available. In 3D virtual environments, users can experience the environment, engage in activities, and interact with others through their avatars. This virtual world allows users to enjoy activities they can’t actually or physically do in the real world. This could mean one can harass or intimidate others like an SNS but much more realistically. True. Though metaverse is virtual, it offers real-time engagement with others. Meta, former Facebook which offers a metaverse platform, has safeguards in its virtual worlds called Personal Boundary, which prevents avatars that are not on the friends’ list from coming within a set distance, currently 1.2 meters. But no safeguard is 100% safe. And what happened to a female researcher was …

Read the article and learn about what harassment in a virtual world is like.

https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-61573661