Topic Reading-Vol.3824-9/30/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Photos: Sri Lankan police fire tear gas to disperse protesters
Formerly known as Ceylon, Sri Lanka is an island country that is separated from the Indian subcontinent by the Palk Strait. As the island nation is located as a point of connection among South Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, it has been playing important role in the hub of the Indian Ocean. However, the nation’s worst economic crisis has been driving millions of people into poverty, jeopardizing their rights to health, education, and an adequate standard of living. In July, tens of thousands of protesters stormed the then-president home and office in a display of anger over the country’s economic crisis. The president fled to Thailand but returned to the country seven weeks later. That hasn’t solved the economic crisis at all and protests demanding economic reform continued. When the incumbent president announced a tougher stance on protesters, hundreds of people protested on the streets in the capital, Colombo. The president took a tough line against activists and the police dispersed them by force with tear gas and water cannon. Who caused the economic crisis in the first place?
See the photos to learn how Sri Lankan police dealt with demonstrators.  
https://www.aljazeera.com/gallery/2022/9/25/photos-sri-lankan-police-fire-tear-gas-to-disperse-protesters

Topic Reading-Vol.3823-9/29/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
At least 24 people killed after boat sinks in Bangladesh: Police
Bangladesh is a low-lying country and has extensive inland waterways. In fact, nearly 30 percent of Bangladeshis commute on rivers, especially the lower class. Unfortunately, ferry accidents are common and hundreds of people die each year. Overcrowding and lax safety rules are to blame. For example, on 24 December 2021, a passenger ferry caught fire on the Sugandha River, near the town of Jhalokati, Bangladesh, and killed over 40 people and wounded more than 100 passengers. In May this year, a speedboat collided with a bulk carrier and sank on the Padma River. Then on September 25, an overcrowded boat carrying Hindu devotees capsized in a river on its way back from a popular Hindu temple. At least 24 passengers were killed and dozens more were missing. It was the first day of the biggest Hindu festival in the country and thousands more Hindus are visiting the temple. Gods protect the devotees.
Read the article and learn about frequent boat accidents in Bangladesh.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/9/25/dozens-killed-after-boat-sinks-in-bangladesh-police

Topic Reading-Vol.3822-9/28/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Japan to lift restrictions on foreign tourists
Japan hasn’t welcomed foreign visitors for the last two years and a half due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Now, the government has decided to welcome inbound travelers without any restrictions or requirements. This is good news for travelers who want to take advantage of the currency exchange rate. Indeed, the Japanese yen is now the cheapest against the US dollar in the last two decades. Also, hotel rooms, foods, and things in Japan are cheaper compared with other developed countries because of the long-lasting deflation. And Japan’s travel and hospitality industries are desperate to do business with foreign travelers.
As covered in Vol.3822, Hong Kong has also eased the quarantine requirements to make it easier to enter this popular business and tourist destination, but there still are restrictions and requirements for incoming travelers. If you’re interested in visiting an East Asian country, which country would you choose?
Enjoy reading the article about Japan’s 180-degree change in its travel policy.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-63003802

Topic Reading-Vol.3821-9/27/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Covid: Hong Kong to end controversial hotel quarantine policy
On 22 December 2020, the Hong Kong Government implemented the Designated Quarantine Hotel Scheme and the Designated Transportation Scheme, requiring all arrivals from specified places to undergo compulsory quarantine at designated quarantine hotels (DQHs) to further prevent the importation of COVID-19 cases and reduce contact between arrivals and the local community. There have been about 23,000 rooms in 62 hotels that are designated as DQH. Because of this and other strict measures, Hong Kong has been isolated from the international community for over two years. Now, the HK government announced that people arriving in Hong Kong will not be hotel-quarantined any longer. The long-awaited decision has sparked a rush for ticket sales for flights to Hong Kong even though the arriving passengers won’t be allowed to enter public places like restaurants or shopping malls for the first three days after arrival. Also, they are required to take a PCR test on the second, fourth, and sixth days. That still sounds like great news for those who have long been waiting to visit there for business or reunions. But for leisure travelers, it may still sound too restrictive.
Enjoy reading the article about how Hong Kong is relaxing its zero-covid policy.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-63004249

Topic Reading-Vol.3820-9/26/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Three baby chimps were kidnapped from a sanctuary. Their abductors are demanding a ransom
Kidnappers broke into an animal sanctuary in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on September 9 trying to kidnap the owner’s children. Fortunately, they weren’t there. Unfortunately, there were five baby chimpanzees that had been rescued, and three of them were taken away.  The kidnappers sent messages and a video of the abducted chimps to the owner and demanded a ransom. It is the first of this kind of animal kidnapping from a sanctuary in DRC. The owner is determined not to pay the ransom to avoid further kidnapping in his and other sanctuaries. Indeed. In order to get a baby chimp, the entire family of eight-to-10 chimps might be killed in the jungle. In other words, a baby chimp is precious to kidnappers. And it is easier for kidnappers to steal baby chimps from a sanctuary than to hunt and kill many other chimps in the jungle. We now just hope the kidnapped chimps are kept and raised safely.
Read the article and learn about what people could do just to make money.
https://edition.cnn.com/2022/09/23/africa/chimp-kidnap-dr-congo-intl-scli/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3819-9/25/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Don’t shower during a thunderstorm. Here’s why
Where there is thunder there is lightning, and lightning can kill or maim in ways you would least expect it. You do not want to go out or even go near windows or doors. You also don’t want to use any device that is connected to an electrical outlet. You’d probably understand and agree with these suggestions. But you might be a little surprised that lightning can travel through plumbing. Therefore, you should avoid using plumbing or running water during a lightning storm if you do not want to be struck. How surprising!
Enjoy reading the article and learning about what you could do to avoid being hit by lightning.
https://edition.cnn.com/2022/09/22/health/shower-during-thunderstorm-safety-wellness-scn/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3818-9/24/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Ukraine war: Russians flee to border after military call-up
On September 21, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced to mobilize as many as 300,000 people to serve in the war in Ukraine. Immediately after the announcement, many eligible men tried to flee to countries where no visa is required for Russian citizens, including Georgia, Turkey, Serbia, and Dubai. Those who tried to cross the land border to Georgia by car have made long lines, waiting hours and hours just to get out of their homeland. One-way ticket prices soared but nearly no seat is available by now. Indeed, once called up, it is a criminal offense to dodge the draft in Russia. For now, at least officially, the mobilization is limited to those who have completed military service or have special skills. However, there seem to be cases where wider mobilization is taking place. Also, there is speculation that more people are going to be mobilized. Whichever the case might be, people don’t seem to be willing to take part in the unpopular war.
Read the article to learn about what Russia’s mobilization means to young Russians.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-62996212

Topic Reading-Vol.3817-9/23/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Opinion: Tips for picking a college major
Many US college students start accumulating debts as soon as they are enrolled. Student loans. As tuitions have been rising considerably and continuously, average tuitions and fees have reached nearly $40,000 for private colleges, almost $23,000 for public universities for out-of-state students, and a little over $10,000 for in-state students in the 2022-2023 academic year. Without financial aid like Princeton (Vol.3810), college students will have to start paying back their loans once they graduate from school. So, when it comes to deciding which major to take, many college sophomores tend to prioritize income potential over their interest or passion. But do finance or information technology always bring about higher salaries? What if you don’t perform as well as your colleagues because you aren’t that interested in the field? You might earn more if you do well in the field that you really like to learn, advance, and succeed in. Also, you might find what you really want to do after college if you major in what you’re interested in and get good grades. A senior academic adviser in the history department of the University of Minnesota writes an intriguing perspective on choosing a college major.
Enjoy reading the article and think about what field makes you earn more or feel happier.
https://edition.cnn.com/2022/09/08/opinions/picking-college-major-humanities-perry/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3816-9/22/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
The jobs employers just can't fill
If you drive along a street in any US town, you may find “Now Hiriging” or “Sign-on Bonus” signs outside fast-food restaurants, convenience stores, and even motels and hotels. In the hospitality and service-work industries, the labor shortage has been even more serious than the recent inflation. You could raise the prices to absorb the rising cost, but these businesses cannot fill their open positions even if they offer more-than-lucrative pay. Why? Lack of flexibility, respect, and future advancement opportunities along with demanding work schedules discourage people to take or return to jobs like dishwashers, truck drivers, retail workers, food servers, airport agents, and home health aides. In fact, the average employment attrition rate, the rate at which people leave, went up to over 60% in retail, and 80% in accommodation and food service industries. Indeed, during and after the pandemic, there are other more flexible, stable, rewarding, and safer jobs out there that people can choose from, such as online services, gig-working, and manufacturing. So, what will those employers do? Raise more or hire robots?
Enjoy reading the article to learn about what makes people work or leave.
https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20220908-the-jobs-employers-just-cant-fill

Topic Reading-Vol.3815-9/21/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
‘Miracle baby’ giraffe born at Columbus Zoo
The Masai giraffe has distinctive, jagged, irregular spots on its body. Masai giraffes live in Kenya and Tanzania but their population declined by over 50% in recent decades because of poaching and habitat loss to just over 30,000 in the wild. They are now listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). In the US, over 100 Masai giraffes live in zoos, and some of the cows have given birth. Recently, a 12-year-old mother Masai giraffe gave birth to a healthy baby boy after a 15-month gestation. The mother giraffe is also in good condition. However, the newborn baby will never see his father because he was euthanized due to chronic health issues last year.
If you’re interested in seeing this newly born Masai giraffe, visit the Columbus Zoo in Ohio, home to more than 7,000 animals representing over 800 species and seeing over 2.3 million visitors annually.
Enjoy reading the article about a rare newborn baby giraffe.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-62899940

Topic Reading-Vol.3814-9/20/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Switching to renewable energy could save trillions – study
Renewable energy is energy that is collected from renewable resources that are naturally replenished on a human timescale. It includes biomass from wood or waste, hydropower, geothermal, wind, and solar. Renewable energy reduces greenhouse gas emissions and lowers our dependence on fossil fuels, such as coal, oil, and gas. Even though there is a clear and urgent need to switch from fossil fuels to green energies to curb global warming and save the environment, it has been thought renewable energy is more costly. However, recent research shows that continuous and swift transition to green technologies will reduce their costs more significantly than previously thought. In fact, for new power projects, solar and wind are already more economical than fossil fuels. The next hurdle is how to store power and balance the power grid as wind and solar are both affected by weather conditions.
Enjoy reading the article and learning about the economic advantage of renewable energy.
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-62892013

Topic Reading-Vol.3813-9/19/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Which countries will King Charles III reign over?
Queen Elizabeth, the longest-reigning British monarch in history peacefully passed away on September 8 at the age of 96. Today, a state funeral is taking place at Westminster Abbey. King Charles III of the United Kingdom is now also the head of the Commonwealth of Nations of 56 states, most of which are former British colonies. 14 of those member states honor King Charles as their monarch, including the UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, India, Pakistan, and the Bahamas while some other member states decided to throw off the monarchy when Queen Elizabeth II took the throne. Seven decades have passed and there is a change of throne. It is time for some countries to consider becoming a republic while most of them are going to keep their status.
Enjoy reading the article and learning about the Commonwealth nations.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/9/12/which-countries-will-uks-king-charles-iii-rule-over

Topic Reading-Vol.3812-9/18/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
England football legend David Beckham queued for 13 hours to pay his respects to the Queen
David Beckham is a former English professional footballer known as one of the greatest and most recognizable midfielders of his generation. He played in Manchester United, Real Madrid, AC Milan as well as the national team of England. He is indeed a British cultural icon. He was given an OBE, Member of the Order of the British Empire, for services to football in 2003.
A few days before Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral, he was spotted in a long line outside Westminster Hall to pay his respects to the last queen, whom he had the honor to meet on several occasions. He had been waiting for over 12 hours in line before then. He ate snacks and sandwiches and drank coffee with other mourners. No matter how famous and rewarded he is, he is still one of the citizens.
Enjoy reading the article and video to see how he looks in a line with the public.
https://edition.cnn.com/2022/09/16/sport/david-beckham-the-queue-queen-elizabeth-spt-intl/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3811-9/17/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
TSA's 'cutest canine' retires after almost 10 years of service
Founded after the 9-11 attacks in 2001, The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is a federal agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security. Its primary focus is on airport security and the prevention of aircraft hijacking. TSA is responsible for screening passengers and baggage at over 450 US airports. It employs mobile teams of dog handlers and trained dogs to detect explosives, the biggest threat to air travel.
Eebber is an 11-year-old Vizsla-Labrador mix who worked as a passenger screening specialist for nearly 10 years. He worked in passenger screenings at the Minneapolis airport while occasionally being deployed at major events like Super Bowls, Special Olympics World Games, and national car races. At the end of August, he started his retirement simultaneously with his hander, who will live with him for the rest of his life. It surely is a well-deserved retirement for Eebber. Many TSA and airport staff will surely miss him, the TSA’s Cutest Canine award dog.
Enjoy reading the article about the commencement of retirement of an airport sniffing dog.
https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/tsa-cutest-canine-eebbers-retirement-trnd/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3810-9/16/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Princeton University is now free for families making under $100,000
Established in 1746, Princeton University is a research university in New Jersey. It is one of the eight Ivy League universities, which include Harvard and Yale, and is regarded as some of the world’s most prestigious universities. In fact, the university has produced 75 Nobel laureates, two US presidents, 12 US Supreme Court Justices, and many notable figures in US Congress, administrations, and businesses, including former First Lady Michelle Obama and Amazon’s founder Jeff Bezos. The university has recently announced that it will enhance its financial aid program for undergraduates whose parents earn less than $100,000 from $65,000 a year. Those students now don’t how to pay any tuition, room, or meals. Thanks to the generosity of the alumni and other benefactors, around 1,500 students of the 5,400 undergraduates now enjoy this generous financial aid program, which covers nearly $75,000 annually for each student.
Enjoy reading the article to learn about a new generous program at one of the most prestigious universities.
https://edition.cnn.com/2022/09/10/us/princeton-university-financial-aid-trnd/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3809-9/15/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Brazil bans sales of iPhones without USB power adapters
Do you expect your new smartphone comes with a power adaptor? If your smartphone or any other mobile device is charged with a conventional USB-C cable, you may already have a cable or two. So, you may accept the rationale to reduce carbon emissions by not including a power adaptor with the device. But to charge an Apple mobile product, you need an Apple power adapter, which is incompatible with any other cable or adapter. So, when Apple decided not to include a power adaptor in its new iPhones, those who purchased an Apple device for the first time had to purchase an adaptor. Then Brazil's Ministry of Justice and Public Security banned Apple to sell an incomplete product and fined the tech giant £2 million even though the issue is critical mostly for first-time buyers. In the meantime, the European Union is trying to enforce manufacturers of portable electronic devices to use only USB-C charging cables. Both moves seem like a quite forceful attack on one specific company. As Apple users are increasing around the world, their business practices have drawn more public and political attention.
Enjoy reading the article and learning about why a power adapter matters so much.
https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-62833037

Topic Reading-Vol.3808-9/14/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Inside a Maya village where locals live without power
Belize is a Caribbean country on the northeastern coast of Central America, bordering Mexico and Guatemala. It is a small country in both land space and population, which is just around 400,000. Among them are the Mopans, one of the 28 subethnic groups of the Maya people. There are only 10,000 of them today. They live in distant villages, which can be reached only on foot. Their lives haven’t changed much from centuries ago. In fact, there is no electricity there. They live in harmony with the Earth, the sun, and the rain. Their daily lives depend on what needs to be done at the point of the year. Indeed, electricity will make the villagers’ lives easier at a cost of losing their traditions. There are tourists who want to experience a very different time from their daily lives. They bring money but over-tourism might disrupt their peaceful life and harmony in the environment. Will they manage to retain their traditions and values while improving their living standards?
Enjoy reading the article and learning about life in an isolated village.
https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/belize-maya-village-santa-cruz/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3807-9/13/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Tesla's 'full self-driving' isn't worth $15,000, say many who bought it
Because of the rising material, parts, and labor costs, the 2022 Tesla Model 3 now costs over $47,000 and Model Y starts at $66,000. On top of the vehicle price, you could add a "full self-driving" feature, which not only automatically cruises, steers, pilots, changes lanes, and parks, but also identifies stop signs and traffic lights and automatically slows your car to a stop on approach. It is a popular feature as over 10,000 Tesla owners bought or are subscribing to the feature with a $199 monthly fee. Now, Tesla has recently raised the price of the FSD feature by $3,000 to $15,000, over 30% of Model Y’s sticker price. Not all the current users seem happy with the promising yet not-so-practical feature. In the meanwhile, it seems to give handicapped drivers the chance to drive by themselves.
Enjoy reading the article and think if the futuristic feature is worth the money.
https://edition.cnn.com/2022/09/07/business/tesla-fsd-price-increase/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3806-9/12/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Meet China's lost pet detectives
In China, while people are having fewer children, more people are owning pets. In fact, nearly 70 million people own a dog or cat as their pet. And many of those pet owners nowadays consider their furry friends as their family members, especially the younger generation. They not only feed their pets with healthy and pricy pet meals but also have them sleep together in their beds. But not all of them are good at looking after their pets. So, those pets sometimes go missing and the owner doesn’t know what to do or where to search for them. This is where a pet detective comes in. Though his work is greatly appreciated by the desperate pet owner, he hopes that such a job shouldn’t be in demand in the first place. And of course, the pet wouldn’t have wanted to be lost either.
Enjoy watching the video to see how a pet detective works in China.
https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-asia-62661308

Topic Reading-Vol.3805-9/11/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
US life expectancy falls to lowest level since 1996
While life expectancy in other Western countries like Switzerland, Australia, and Norway stays around 83, US’s life expectancy fell to 76.1 in 2021, a steep 2.7-year decline from 2020. A significant part of the drop came from Covid-19, which accounted for 50% of the decline in 2021 and 74% in 2020 from each previous year. There are distinct regional and racial differences in the US. For example, a drop of 6.6 years was recorded since 2019 among Native Americans, more than twice that of the total US population. Also, life expectancy in Hawaii, the highest in the country, is over 80 while the one in Mississippi is below 72 years old. Nutrition, lifestyle, health insurance, and health/covid consciousness all seem to matter how long a person lives.
Enjoy reading the article and learning about how long Americans live.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-62740249

Topic Reading-Vol.3804-9/10/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Just 2 minutes of walking after eating can help blood sugar, study says
Insulin is a hormone that moves sugar from your blood into cells to be used for energy and storage. When your blood sugar level rises after you eat, the cells release insulin into your bloodstream. People with Type 2 diabetes have higher-than-normal insulin levels in the blood. So, keeping blood sugars from spiking is good for your health as large spikes, which can be caused after eating a lot of sweets or carbohydrates, and fast falls can raise the risk for diabetes and heart disease. But if you take a walk just for a few minutes before getting back to your desk or sofa after a meal, you could reduce your glucose level by as much as 17%, according to a new study.  Also, it is beneficial for glucose levels if you stand up from time to time. What do you usually do after each meal or sweets?
Enjoy reading the article and learning about what helps keep your blood sugar levels stable.
https://edition.cnn.com/2022/09/02/health/walking-blood-sugar-study-wellness/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3803-9/9/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
AI won an art contest, and artists are furious
Midjourney is an independent research lab exploring new mediums of thought and expanding the imaginative powers of the human species. Their artificial intelligence program creates images from textual descriptions. A 39-year-old game designer in Colorado wrote a prompt to lead Midjourney to create an image, printed it onto a canvas, and entered the digital arts/digitally-manipulated photography category at the Colorado State Fair Fine Arts Competition, and won the first prize. It surprised and even upset other digital artists even though the creator followed the competition’s rules. The judges weren’t aware that the image had been created by the AI program but said it wouldn’t have made any difference to the judgment even if they had been informed of the fact. The title of the winning artwork is "Théâtre D'opéra Spatial" (French: Space Opera Theater),
Enjoy seeing the AI-created artwork that won an art contest.
https://edition.cnn.com/2022/09/03/tech/ai-art-fair-winner-controversy/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3802-9/8/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
India's first homegrown aircraft carrier puts it among world's naval elites
An aircraft carrier is a warship equipped with a flight deck and facilities for carrying, arming, deploying, and recovering aircraft. It allows the naval force to conduct air operations away from its bases. The US navy has 11 nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, which lead the most powerful carrier strike groups in the world. Other P5, Permanent 5 nations of the UN security council, namely Russia, the UK, France, and China, all have at least one full-scale aircraft carrier. Other countries, like Brazil, Spain, and Japan have a smaller version, often for vertical takeoff and landing aircraft or helicopters. While the survivability of aircraft carriers is questioned in the missile age, some countries are still adding more to their fleet. In fact, India has just commissioned its first domestically built aircraft carrier, the INS Vikrant. The 45,000-ton carrier can carry as many as 30 fighter jets and cruise at 56 km/h. The estimated cost for the proud ship is USD 3 billion, not a small sum for India where many still defecate openly. National security seems to be the top priority, or rationale, for political leaders. Jobs and food are at the top of the list for most families.
Enjoy reading the article about a costly development by a developing country.
https://edition.cnn.com/2022/09/02/asia/india-indigenous-aircraft-carrier-vikrant-commissioned-intl-hnk-ml/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3801-9/7/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Extraordinary images from Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2022 competition
Wildlife Photographer of the Year is an annual international wildlife photography competition staged by the Natural History Museum in London, England. Contestants can submit as many as 25 images in 12 to 17 categories, and there usually are about 50,000 entries from around 100 countries each year. Prior to the announcement of this year’s winners, 14 selected pictures have been released to the public, each of which presents a distinct image and perspective.
One of them is a drone-captured photo of a polar bear looking outside from a window of a deserted house. It seems that climate change pushed the bear to look for food in a human habitat. Another is a picture of American mink kits in a desperately small cage on a Swedish fur farm. There is a trace of dead mink kits on top of the cage. Both photos show what humans have done to the animals, directly or indirectly.
Enjoy seeing these staggering images of wildlife.
https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/wildlife-photographer-2022-scli-scn-intl/index.html?gallery=-1

Topic Reading-Vol.3800-9/6/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Why some employers won’t give in to flexibility
How important or necessary for knowledge workers to work full-time in an in-person environment? Over the course of the last two-and-a-half years, many knowledge-work employees worked remotely full-time or part-time. And many of them found that they can accomplish the same or more while working more comfortably and flexibly. So, it’s not surprising to find that workplace flexibility is almost as motivating as their salary for them to keep or find their jobs. However, there are companies and bosses that still want their workers to come back to their offices to work in person. Some want to keep and solidify the team spirit and others simply try to keep a grip on their workers because that has been the way they’ve been working and managing their businesses. However, work flexibility seems to have become an important factor as a salary for workers to choose and stay in a workplace, and so does for employers to recruit and retain stronger players. The workstyle is surely changing.
Enjoy reading the article and thinking about how important work flexibility is to you.
https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20220831-why-some-employers-wont-give-in-to-flexibility

Topic Reading-Vol.3799-9/5/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
American Airlines agrees to purchase 20 supersonic jets
Concorde was a supersonic aircraft that ceased its service in 2003. There were only 14 supersonic aircraft that carried commercial passengers by British Airways and Air France. It could cruise at Mach 2, or over 2,100 km/h, nearly twice faster than conventional commercial jets, at an altitude of 18 km. But the supersonic flight was limited only to transoceanic flights because of the sonic booms, which generate an enormous amount of sound energy like an explosion or a thunderclap. After Air France’s fatal crash in 2000 that killed over 100 on board and four on the ground, the service was suspended and the supersonic aircraft were retired two years later. Economically, the aircraft was too expensive to build and operate even for the premium airfare.
Now, America’s mega carriers, American Airlines and United Airlines are both betting on a new supersonic aircraft which is still at an early stage of development. The aircraft is designed to fly twice as fast as the speed of sound over the ocean but only 20% faster over land with only 65 to 80 passengers onboard. What are the economic and environmental aspects of this gas guzzler? Which sounds more luxurious to fly on, a space and private fast class booth or a faster but clumsy seat if you are paying $10,000 for a one-way ticket?
Enjoy reading the article and think about the business plan
https://edition.cnn.com/2022/08/16/tech/american-airlines-boom-supersonic-jets/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3798-9/4/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Pakistan floods: One third of country is under water – minister
Another evidence of global warming. An unprecedented monsoon season in South Asia. For Pakistan, it is going to be as deadly as the one in 2010 when over 2,000 people were killed by devastating floods. By the end of August, one in seven people, or over 33 million people, had been affected and at least 1,100 people had died. Nearly half of the cotton crop had been washed away and significant damage had been caused to farmlands and rice fields. And this record monsoon has been affecting neighboring countries like Bangladesh and India.
Indeed, global warming is already affecting many places around the world with extreme weather conditions, droughts, wildfires, and floods. The world is now experiencing water and food crises.
Read the article about another piece of evidence of global warming.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-62712301

Topic Reading-Vol.3797-9/3/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Undeclared pools in France uncovered by AI technology
In France, housing upgrades like a veranda or swimming pool are subject to the property tax because they raise the property value. But there are so many upgrades that have never been claimed to the tax authority. Now, aerial images of properties can spot outdoor swimming pools with the help of AI software. In fact, an experiment in some regions has already discovered over 20,000 hidden swimming pools, which brought €10 million to tax revenue. The program is going to be introduced nationwide at a time when France is facing the worst drought since 1961. Indeed, not only the swimming pool but also the water in it is essential for residents in France. There may be time to use those outdoor pools as water reservoirs.
Enjoy reading the article and learning about what aerial images and AI can do to properties.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-62717599

Topic Reading-Vol.3796-9/2/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
US to appoint its first Arctic Ambassador
Will there be a US embassy somewhere in the Arctic soon? At least, there will be an ambassador from the US soon to engage with other Arctic countries including Canada, Finland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Iceland, and Russia. Recently, Russia and China have become more active in the region as climate change has been melting ice and making the Arctic Sea more accessible. Their military presence in the North poses a strategic challenge for the NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) alliance, including the US. So, the US wants to have a higher-level representation in the region. Will there be ambassadors on the Moon and Mars soon?
Enjoy reading the article and learning about the strategic importance of the Arctic region.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-62699129

Topic Reading-Vol.3795-9/1/2022

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Doggie dementia risk rises each year after age 10, study finds. Here's what to look for
Most healthy dogs live longer than 10 years. But dogs tend to show signs of dementia as they age, called canine cognitive decline, or CCD, especially after age 10. A new study found that the risk of developing cognitive problems rises significantly after their 10^th birthday, just like humans. Indeed, while a small dog’s 10^th birthday is like 53^rd for humans, it’s like 70^th for big dogs. How should dog owners deal with it? It’s the same as humans. A healthy diet, regular exercise, and mental activity like food puzzles seem to slow the decline of CCD.
We all age, and so do dogs.
Enjoy reading the article and learning about what canine cognitive decline is about.
https://edition.cnn.com/2022/08/26/health/doggie-dementia-wellness/index.html