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