Topic Reading-Vol.3993-3/31/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,  
Beethoven: Tests on hair prove composer's genetic health woes
Born in Bonn, Germany in 1770, Ludwig van Beethoven is regarded as the greatest composer of all time. He revealed more vividly than any of his predecessors the power of music to convey a philosophy of life without the aid of a spoken text. Some of his compositions are to be found the strongest assertion of the human will in all music, if not in all art, broadening the scope of sonata, symphony, concerto, and string quartet. However, his life was full of hardship. He started suffering hearing problems from as early as his 20s when he started his music career in Vienna, became nearly deaf in his 30s, and heard no sound in his last 10 years when he composed some of his most beloved works, including the Ninth Symphony and late string quartets. Besides the hearing problems, he is said to have suffered gastrointestinal problems, especially in his later years. But what else? Why did he lose his hearing ability? Recently, a team of researchers analyzed five locks of Beethoven’s hair to examine what physical and/or genetic problems the great composer had. What and how much did they find?
Enjoy reading the article and learning about what Beethoven suffered.
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-65037387

Topic Reading-Vol.3992-3/30/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,  
Canada sees record population growth in 2022 from immigration
A half-century ago in 1983, the population of Canada was around 22.5 million, it added three million to 25.3 million in the next decade, another three million to 28.6 million by 1993, and again another three million to 31.6 million in the next decade to 2003. The population then added 3.4 million between 2004 and 2013 and a staggering 4.5 million in the last decade to reach 39.5 million as of January 2023. Canada has maintained a very consistent population growth over decades with a 75% increase in the last 50 years. It is remarkable for an economically developed country like Canada while other leading industrial countries are struggling to keep their population, like China or Japan. In 2022 alone, the nation added 1.05 million new residents, most of whom were immigrants. The government has been progressively accepting immigrants to ease labor shortages and cope with the aging population. Although there are challenges to accommodating housing, infrastructure, transportation, and services to the growing population, the population increase actually stimulates new businesses and grows the nation’s economy. Countries that have population, aging, or fertility problems might study this simple but effective solution.
Enjoy reading the article and learning what immigrants could bring about to an already developed country.
https://edition.cnn.com/2023/03/22/americas/canada-record-population-growth-intl/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3991-3/29/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,  
The world’s happiest countries for 2023
Commemorating the 10^th anniversary of the International Day of Happiness, the World Happiness Report 2020-2022 was released by the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network. It is based on worldwide survey data from people in over 150 countries about how they evaluated their lives over the last three years. Despite the high income and social security tax, people in Nordic and neighboring countries, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Iceland scored very high in healthy life expectancy, GDP per capita, social support, low corruption, generosity in a community, and freedom to make key life decisions. What factors contribute more to bringing better human well-being besides bread and peace? Will you feel happier as long as you have a job or get a good education while others are struggling to get basic necessities? After all, we are all part of some communities or societies that mutually complement each other.
Enjoy reading the article and thinking about how happy you and others are in your society.
https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/world-happiest-countries-2023-wellness/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3990-3/28/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,  
‘The climate time-bomb is ticking’: The world is running out of time to avoid catastrophe, new UN report warns
The good news is the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels is still possible, according to the UN’s comprehensive assessment report of how the climate crisis is unfolding released on Mar 20. The problem is that the global production of planet-heating fossil fuels is still increasing faster than ever in the planet’s history. In fact, over 80% of the world’s energy and 75% of human-caused planet heating pollution are generated by burning fossil fuels. And in order to meet the growing energy needs, a number of large-scale oil, gas, and coal mining projects are underway in various parts of the world, including the US and China, the world’s two biggest greenhouse gas emitters. As climate change impacts more on poorer, vulnerable countries which have done little to cause the problem, the world needs to take immediate and comprehensive action to stop global warming beyond elections, politics, shareholders, and the economy.
Read the article and learn about what this new UN report warns.
https://edition.cnn.com/2023/03/20/world/ipcc-synthesis-report-climate-intl/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3989-3/27/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,  
This country wanted a 69-hour workweek. Millennials and Generation Z had other ideas
With a population of 51 million, South Korea had been enjoying rapid and steady economic growth in the last few decades and is now the 13^th largest economy in the world. However, the growth came with the cost of overwork. Even after the reduction of weekly work hours to 52 from 68 in 2018, South Koreans worked an average of 1,915 hours, 200 hours longer than the OECD average. Then the government recently tried to increase the cap to 69 hours per week because of pressure from business groups. As the nation has been marking the world’s lowest fertility rate and started losing its population, working longer hours sounded like a make-sense solution for some people. However, millennials, who were born between 1981 and 1996, and Generation Z, born between 1997 and 2012, opposed such a backward move to workers’ well-being and health. In fact, long working hours and work pressure in South Korea are said to have been the main cause of the nation’s high suicide rate, the fourth only after small undeveloped countries. Will cutting back a national holiday like Denmark help increase the economic output more than working longer hours on weekdays?
Enjoy reading the article and learn about what longer work hours mean for people and the economy.
https://edition.cnn.com/2023/03/18/asia/south-korea-longer-work-week-debate-intl-hnk/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3988-3/26/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,  

North Korea claims almost 800,000 people have signed up for its military to fight US

The Korean People's Army (KPA) is the military force of North Korea and the armed wing of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK). It consists of the Ground Force, the Naval Force, the Air and Anti-Air Force, the Strategic Rocket Forces, and the Special Operation Force. It is the world’s second-largest military organization with nearly 30% of North Korea’s 25 million population, around 7.5 million, actively serving, in reserve, or in paramilitary personnel, who usually work for internal security such as guarding the residents and border patrols. Now, in order to show off the nation’s solidity and commitment to defend the country from the US, North Korea announced that as many as 800,000 citizens volunteered to join or reenlist in the military on Mar 17 alone. Are those volunteers already part of the massive five-million paramilitary force or the rest of the population whose age and fitness are uncertain? Can the economically weak state afford to keep firing long-range and intercontinental ballistic missiles and maintain already-massive military personnel and equipment?

Read the article and learn about how desperate North Korea is to encounter the unifying power between the US, South Korea, and Japan.

https://edition.cnn.com/2023/03/18/asia/north-korea-military-signups-to-fight-us-intl-hnk/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3987-3/25/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Is it possible to digital detox anymore?
Are we really toxified with digital devices and connections? Think about how frequently you check SNS or messages and how long you stare at your PC or smartphone each day. Are we obsessed with, or even toxified by digital devices? If that is the case, do you think we should detoxify ourselves with digital devices that give us numerous and enormous benefits, such as convenience, connections, information, and entertainment? Since smartphones have already become part of an essential interface for our daily lives, it might not be such a good idea to get rid of them entirely. Instead, we could manage our tech obsession and improve digital mindfulness to enjoy our lives without sacrificing the benefits digital devices offer to us. How?
Enjoy reading the article to improve your digital mindfulness.
https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20230313-is-it-possible-to-digital-detox-anymore

Topic Reading-Vol.3986-3/24/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
How war crimes prosecutions work
The International Criminal Court (ICC) is an intergovernmental organization and international tribunal seated in The Hague, Netherlands. It investigates and, where warranted, tries individuals charged with the gravest crimes of concern to the international community, such as genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and the crime of aggression. As a court of last resort, it seeks to complement, not replace, national Courts. There are 123 member states, including 19 from the Asia-Pacific region, but major countries such as the United States, China, India, Russia, and Indonesia, are not members. Though Ukraine is not a State Party to the Rome Statute, it has twice exercised its prerogatives to accept the Court's jurisdiction over alleged crimes under the Rome Statute occurring on its territory. On March 17, the ICC announced charges against Russian president Vladimir Putin for forcibly deporting thousands of Ukrainian children to Russia. He could be tried if he surrendered, was handed over by Russia, or was arrested outside of Russia, none of which seems likely to happen while he is in power. Will this ICC indictment bring peace in Ukraine any closer?
Read the article and learn about what the international court has done to the Russian leader.
https://edition.cnn.com/2023/03/17/politics/war-crime-prosecutions-what-matters/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3985-3/23/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Why sleeper trains are being revived across Europe
If you fly from Stockholm, Sweden to Hamburg, Germany, it takes only an hour and a half but creates 250kg of carbon dioxide emissions per passenger. If you take a sleeper train, it takes about 12 hours but leaves only 26kg of CO2 emissions. Launched September last year, the daily Stockholm - Hamburg night train service departs Stockholm at 17:34, stopping at several locations along the southern main line before continuing via Copenhagen and Odense, arriving at Hamburg at 6:30, which provides connections to other parts of northern and central Europe. The return service departs Hamburg at 21:55 and arrives in Stockholm at 9:55, a convenient time to start a new day. Moreover, you don’t have to go to the airport where everybody hates everyone and everything is jammed. You can also save a hotel room and transportation to the city center if you leave and arrive at the central station. Indeed, as more people prefer climate-friendly traveling, more sleeper train services are being resumed or launched across Europe where train service had been common since the Industrial Revolution until recently. Indeed, while sleeper train journeys are for fun, flying on a low-cost carrier is endurance. Which would you like to start your holiday, at the time you board the train or when you get off the plane?
Enjoy reading the article and learning about what sleeper train travel is like.
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-64950747

Topic Reading-Vol.3984-3/22/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Nepal bans solo trekkers throughout the country
Possessing eight of the 10 highest mountains in the world including Mount Everest, Nepal is a hotspot destination for mountaineers, rock climbers, trekkers, and people seeking adventures. Also, the Hindu, Buddhist, and other cultural heritage sites of Nepal, and around the year fair weather are alluring attractions. In fact, tourism is one of the mainstays of the Nepalese economy and also a major source of foreign exchange and revenue. As Nepal welcomes tourists, the Nepali government wants them to stay safe. So, the government banned solo climbing of Mount Everest five years ago because it’s extremely demanding and costly to search and rescue climbers on the mountain. Now, they also want solo trekkers to Nepali’s beautiful rural regions to be accompanied by a government-licensed guide or join a group to make sure they are properly guided and aided in case of emergency. Though it is a preventive measure for safety, those who are looking for solitude in beautiful nature may feel too restrictive, not to mention the cost to hire a guide for themselves.
Read the article and learn about the cost of traveling in Nepal for both travelers and the government.
https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/nepal-solo-trekking-ban-intl-hnk/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3983-3/21/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Why a wildlife photographer took 40,000 photos to capture these extraordinary birds
Tim Laman is an American wildlife photojournalist, filmmaker, and field biologist. He uses his cameras as tools to tell the stories of rare and endangered wildlife in some of the wildest places on the planet. He often spends many months a year on expeditions to study and shoot photos of biodiversity sometimes in extreme environments such as the rainforest canopy in Borneo to the coral reefs of Papua, and from mountain peaks in New Guinea to the seas of Antarctica. In one case, he spent a night in rising water just to get himself into the situation. In another case, he spent a whole night standing just to photograph some birds in the evening and morning light. And until 2012, he spent over 500 days in New Guinea on 18 trips and took nearly 40,000 photos to capture every known species of the bird paradise.
Enjoy some of those dramatic and colorful photos of beautiful birds in the natural environment.
https://edition.cnn.com/style/article/bird-planet-tim-laman-wildlife-photographer-hnk-spc-intl/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3982-3/20/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
US court rules Uber and Lyft workers are contractors
Freedom or welfare? Independence or security? Proposition 22 became law in November 2020 with nearly 60% of the votes in California. It grants app-based transportation and delivery companies like Uber and Lyft the right to hire their drivers as independent contractors rather than employees without providing employee benefits like overtime, paid sick leave, and employer-paid health care. A lawsuit was filed soon after it became law by the Service Employees International Union as it interferes with workers’ access to their compensation program. The court ruled that the proposition was unconstitutional and unenforceable. Now, the California Courts of Appeal found none of the arguments violated the state’s constitution and reversed the lower district court’s judgment. This is just one example of how the increasing number of gig workers are treated and protected. Though they can choose when, where, for whom, and how long they work, most of them aren’t covered by health insurance, given paid leaves, or protected employment. As gig working job opportunities become widely available, their work conditions need to be socially settled.
Enjoy reading the article and learning about another court ruling on gig workers’ status and rights.
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-64947695

Topic Reading-Vol.3981-3/19/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
3-year-old girl fatally shoots 4-year-old sister with unsecured firearm, Texas sheriff says
Another tragic gun incident by a child in the US. This time, a 3-year-old girl unintentionally shot her four-year-old sister in an apartment bedroom in Texas. They were there unattended when a gunshot was heard by other family members. Even in Texas, where carrying a handgun openly in a holster is legal, the gun owner is likely to be responsible for failing to secure the loaded weapon. In fact, there were over 2,000 unintentional shootings like this by children under 18 between 2015 and 2020 in the US, and nearly 40% of the shooters were below 10 years old children. What are guns for Americans? Are they to protect themselves? From whom?
Read about another gun tragedy in the US and think if guns protect their lives or just rights.
https://edition.cnn.com/2023/03/13/us/girl-shoots-sister-texas/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3980-3/18/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Why East Antarctica is a 'sleeping giant' of sea level rise

Eastern Antarctica is the coldest place on the planet. The lowest temperature recorded there was nearly minus 90 degrees Celsius. Last summer, an inconceivably warm temperature of minus 10 degrees was recorded there. Recently in Eastern Antarctica, a substantial retreat of ice sheets has been observed along the coastline where the ice meets the seafloor, which is likely to continue as the climate over and around the cold continent warms. This worries many scientists as melting ice in the coldest region could raise sea levels even higher. For example, if Denman Glacier, a massive 15 kilometers wide and 110 kilometers long glacier, melts, it alone could raise global sea levels by 1.5 meters on top of the currently estimated sea level rise. In fact, sea ice around the continent fell to another record low. Have we already reached a tipping point?

Read the article and learn about what is happening in the coldest region on the coldest continent.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20230309-climate-change-the-sea-level-rise-locked-in-east-antarctica

Topic Reading-Vol.3979-3/17/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Iran and Saudi Arabia signal the start of a new era, with China front and center
Saudi Arabia and Iran, two powerful neighbors in the Middle East, had been locked in a fierce struggle for regional dominance. The decades-old feud between them is exacerbated by religious differences. They each follow one of the two main branches of Islam - Iran is largely Shia Muslim, while Saudi Arabia sees itself as the leading Sunni Muslim power. Historically Saudi Arabia, a monarchy and home to the birthplace of Islam, regarded itself as the leader of the Muslim world. However, this was challenged in 1979 by the Islamic revolution in Iran which created a kind of revolutionary theocracy that had an explicit goal of exporting this model beyond its own borders. These two oil-rich countries support different factions in the region. In Yemen, Saudi backs a coalition military campaign against Iranian-backed rebels. In Syria, Saudi supports rebels against al-Assad registration that Iran assists. And Saudi had been, until recently, a close ally of the US while Iran and the US have been in a hostile relationship for decades. So, who could have mediated such complex, deep-rooted rivalries in the oil-rich region? Not a democratic superpower that always tries to give human rights lectures like the US to these historically autocratic kingdoms but another autocratic rising power that wants neither to intervene nor to be intervened in domestic affairs. Yes, China.
Read the article to learn about how China was able to play a role to mediate Saudi Arabia and Iran.
https://edition.cnn.com/2023/03/11/middleeast/iran-saudi-arabia-normalization-china-analysis-intl/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3978-3/16/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Sheep help archaeologists preserve ancient ruins at Pompeii
Pompeii is a preserved ancient Roman city southeast of Naples and near Mount Vesuvius. Around noon time in the summer of 79 CE, a huge eruption from Mount Vesuvius showered volcanic debris over the city, followed by clouds of blisteringly hot gases. Buildings were destroyed, residents were killed, and the city was buried beneath a blanket of ash and pumice. When the well-preserved ruins were unearthed in the 1700s, the sophisticated structures of the ancient city astonished the world, including a forum, amphitheater, villas, and houses. Also included were remains of people sheltering from the eruption and loaves of bread in the ovens. Pompeii and its nearby communities were collectively designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1997. Now, the archaeological park uses a conventional, yet environmentally sustainable method to preserve the ancient walls and houses by growing grass without using any resources or human labor. Sheep! They eat grass to fill their stomachs. Indeed, sheep and goats are often used to control invasive or noxious weeds.
Enjoy reading the article about how the ancient monument is preserved in an environmentally sustainable way.
https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/sheep-pompeii-ruins-conservation-intl-scli/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3977-3/15/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Opinion: The tide may be turning in the fight between democracy and autocracy
Democracy, literally, means rule by the people. It is a system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state, typically through elected representatives.
The term is derived from the Greek dēmos (“people”) and kratos (“rule”) in the middle of the 5th century BCE in some Greek city-states like Athens. In general, states with democratic governments guarantee fundamental individual rights and allow for a relatively high level of political equality. As compared with nondemocratic states, they also better foster human development, such as health and education, provide more prosperity for their citizens, and ensure a broader range of personal freedoms. On contrary, autocracy is a system of government by a single person or small group that has absolute authority. Autocracy comes from the Ancient Greek autos (“self”) and kratos (“rule”). Autocrats lead their countries with absolute authority, free from checks and balances, and operate above the law, which could be easily reshaped at will. As of 2022, the organization Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) classified approximately 88 of the world's countries as autocracies, representing almost 70% of the world's population. Nowadays, most of the autocratic states are electoral autocracies, where regular elections are held but they fail to reach democratic standards of freedom and fairness. Belarus, Cambodia, Iran, Pakistan, and Russia are a few examples of electoral autocracy while Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Cuba, Vietnam, and China are closed democracies where the power and authority are above law.
In the last two decades, more states have become electoral autocratic. Do more people prefer autocracy to democracy? Why has democracy been losing its ground and support? Which system brings peace and bread to most citizens?
Enjoy reading the article and think about political systems that are so different from each other.
https://edition.cnn.com/2023/03/09/opinions/democracy-vs-autocracy-protests-georgia-israel-mexico-ghitis/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3976-3/14/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Oceans littered with 171 trillion plastic pieces
Think of single-use plastic items you use daily: the toothbrush you grab first thing in the morning, the container your lunch comes in, or the bottle you drink water from after your workout. All these things get used and, eventually, thrown out. Many plastic products are single-use items that are designed to be thrown out, like water bottles or take-out containers. If this waste isn’t properly disposed of, collected, and recycled, it can end up in the ocean. These larger pieces of plastic break down into smaller and smaller pieces and are eventually reduced to microplastic particles due to sunlight or mechanical degradation. Then all marine creatures, whales and fish of any size, take this microplastic into their stomachs. Recently, a group of scientists has estimated that as many as 171 trillion pieces of plastic are floating in the world’s oceans, a significant increase from 16 trillion in 2005. They also estimate the number could triple within the next two decades if no effective action is taken. As more people shop at supermarkets and convenience stores and eat and drink at fast food restaurants, more single-use plastic is going to be used and discarded. That is where immediate action should be taken to save marine creatures and the oceanic environment.
Read the article and learn about how numerous plastic waste in the oceans is.
 https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-64889284

Topic Reading-Vol.3975-3/13/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Mexico kidnapping: Why a million Americans a year risk Mexico medical tourism
In early March, four Americans from South Carolina who drove to a Mexican border town Matamoros were kidnapped, and two of them were killed. The Americans are believed to have been targeted mistakenly by drug smugglers and were not the intended victims. They had traveled to the border city for medical procedures like many other Americans who seek low-cost medical services and medicines do. Cosmetic surgeries and dental implants are among the highly demanded services by Americans. In fact, there are medical facilities in border towns like Matamoros, Nuevo Laredo, and Tijuana that are dedicated to medical tourists from the US. Although these American medical tourists haven’t been targeted by Mexican drug cartels that have overwhelming influence and power in these border regions, it doesn’t seem safe to drive there with a US license plate. Also, even though the quality of such medical care in Mexico is compatible with the services in the US, infections from surgical procedures might be a concern.
Medical tourism has been growing rapidly around the world and Turkey, India, and Thailand are some of the most popular destinations. Will you be willing to travel abroad for medical surgery? It may depend on the quality and cost of the medical service and your health insurance.
Read the article and learn about risky medical tourism to Mexico.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-64832308

Topic Reading-Vol.3974-3/12/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Tiny bones become thing of past for popular fish
Carp is considered to be a very important aquaculture species in many Asian and European countries. It affects the aerobic decomposition of organic matter and nutrient availability in the water column. With its tender meat, the carp is one of the 10 most aquacultured fish in the world. The crucian carp is a medium-sized common carp family that lives in lakes, ponds, and slow-moving rivers. However, it has many tiny bones that could easily get stuck in the eater’s throat. So, Chinese researchers have been cultivating crucian carp that don’t have intermuscular fish bones since 2009. They identified the key gene and successfully controlled the growth of the fish’s intermuscular spine, and created intermuscular-bone-free carp. They hope this genetically recreated carp will change the global fish diet and increase the production and consumption of an easy-to-prepare version of the crucian carp. Indeed, as the world population has surpassed eight billion and is further increasing, environmentally sustainable aquaculture is essential to provide quality protein to people around the world.
Enjoy reading the article about an innovative aquaculture technique developed in China.
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202303/06/WS6405f5bda31057c47ebb2953.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3973-3/11/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Women across the globe are falling victim to doxxing. Here's what to know

According to Cambridge Dictionary, dox/doxx (verb) is to publish private information about someone on the internet, without their permission and in a way that reveals their name, where they live, etc. Doxing is often intended to undermine or impair a targeted person’s privacy, identity, personality, and integrity. Such information could include the person’s name, postal and/or email address, phone number, financial information, photos, and even sexual orientation. Once a person is doxed, in many cases women, the victim could be overwhelmed by offensive comments, criticisms, or images that make the person so depressed that they could lose social connections. Reporting to the SNS platformer is one way to stop such offenses but it could take time and it could be too late. What is it like to be doxed?

Watch the video and learn what doxing is about.

https://edition.cnn.com/videos/business-videos/2023/03/01/doxxing-explained-women-victims-as-equals-lon-orig.cnn

Topic Reading-Vol.3972-3/10/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Half of world on track to be overweight by 2035
Body Mass Index, BMI,  is a person’s weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters. A high BMI can indicate high body fat. If your BMI is less than 18.5, you’re underweight, 25.0 to < 30, overweight, and 30.0 or higher, obesity. Obesity is linked to many serious health problems, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some types of cancer. Some racial/ethnic groups are more likely to have obesity, which increases their risk of chronic diseases. In fact, it is estimated that a little over 42% of American adults have obese and about 30% are overweight. Recently, the World Obesity Federation warns that over half of the world’s population, or over four billion people, are going to be obese or overweight by 2035. The greatest rises are likely to be seen in developing countries in Africa and Asia. It also predicts that obesity/overweight rates are rising rapidly among children and teenagers because of highly processed foods, sedentary behavior, and lack of food control. The problem is that once a child becomes overweight or obese, it is likely that the weight problem will stay for a long time, if not forever. Simply, with foods and drinks sold at convenience stores and a smartphone, children don’t seem so encouraged to play outside. One simple solution to give children healthier life might be to give them a soccer ball instead of a smartphone and milk instead of soda.
Read the article about this alarming weight problem around the world.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-64831848

Topic Reading-Vol.3971-3/9/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Robotaxi tech improves but can they make money?
Do you want to ride a driverless tobotaxi in a busy city like New York or San Francisco where there are numbers of pedestrians constantly crossing the street and cyclists riding along or passing cars? It is such a pressing traffic environment even for experienced local drivers. But some companies have been putting an enormous amount of money and resources to bring autonomous robotaxies on the road even though some of them have already closed their doors. Why do we need robotaxies when autonomous driving features still haven’t been commercially marketed yet? Will they be so economically advantageous than human-driven cars? Even if there is no driver in the car, it still needs to be cleaned, maintained, and troubleshot by humans. And even though robotaxies can be on the road as long as the batteries last, such human support is still needed. And what are the advantages for the passengers besides privacy? Will robotaxies be cheaper than conventional taxis, ride-hailing, or ride-share services like Uber?
Enjoy reading the article and learning about the economic potential for autonomous taxis.
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-64742934

 

Topic Reading-Vol.3970-3/8/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Sake brewers toast big rise in global sales
Sake is an alcoholic beverage of Japanese origin often referred to as Japanese rice wine. It is made by fermenting rice that has been polished to remove the bran. Sake is served warm, at room temperature, or chilled, depending on the type and taste of sake or the drinker’s preference. As western foods have become more common in the Japanese daily diet and other alcoholic drinks, such as beer, wine, and flavored spirits have attracted Japanese drinkers,  sake consumption has been continuously declining for decades in the domestic market. In the meantime, as Japanese food becomes more popular in oversea markets, sake brewers have arranged sake to meet the demand and taste of foreigners. In fact, sake has become one of the categories in prestigious wine-tasting competitions around the world. Is sake going to join tofu and sushi which are enjoyed in many places of the world?
Enjoy reading the article and learning about Japanese rice wine that is now appreciated in oversea markets.
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-64797853

Topic Reading-Vol.3969-3/7/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Xi: Peace talks key to end crisis
The Republic of Belarus is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe bordered by Russia to the east and northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Unlike neighboring Ukraine, Belarus, with a population of just below 10 million,  has little significance in the European economy or agriculture. However, it has been playing a considerable role for Russia when it comes to supporting the war in Ukraine. Also, Belarus is one of the small number of countries that officially support China’s stance on Taiwan and the Xinjiang Uygur region. The ex-Soviet republic has been ruled under the authoritarian government by Lukashenko since the establishment of the office in 1994, the longest-sitting European president. Now, he has visited Beijing to strengthen their bilateral tie when the world is splitting into three, the US and its democratic allies, authoritative nations like China and Russia, and others. What have those two leaders agreed on at the meetings which were held right after the first year anniversary of the war in Ukraine?
Enjoy reading the article about the agreements that were announced by China.
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202303/01/WS63ff73afa31057c47ebb1936.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3968-3/6/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Hong Kong ends mask mandate after 945 days
A mask or a $640 fine. Until March 1, this had been the case in public places in Hong Kong for the last 945 days. The strict mask mandate was imposed in July 2020 to contain the coronavirus outbreak in the tiny but busy, heavily populated international city. In fact, Hong Kong followed the lead of mainland China’s zero-Covid policy to tackle the virus with strict quarantine rules, having restricted entries of international travelers and public gatherings, which severely impaired the city’s businesses. Now, the Hong Kong government, which is desperate to revive international business activities and bring back travelers, is planning to give away half a million free air tickets. Will such freebies attract descent travelers and businesses? It also has to face competition with South Korea and Japan where covid restrictions and mask mandates are also removed at the same time.
Enjoy reading the article about how relieved Hongkongers are after 31 months of the mask mandate.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-64806987

Topic Reading-Vol.3967-3/5/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Ukraine's Banksy stamps feature art of Putin in judo match
Judo is an unarmed modern Japanese martial art. The objective of competitive judo is to throw an opponent, immobilize them with a pin, or force an opponent to submit with a joint lock or a choke. A throw that places the opponent on their back with impetus and control scores an “ippon”, winning the contest. When a judo player has achieved a level of competence sufficient to be a “dan” grade, he or she is allowed to wear a black belt. Russian President is a prominent judo player who wears a black belt. To mark the war against Russia, Ukraine issued postage stamps that feature a mural by Bansky. The mural depicts a scene that a large man in a black belt, who looks like Putine, is flipped by a little kid with a white belt, which is worn by an amateur player. It surely depicts the situation that Ukrainians are hoping to happen, doesn’t it?
Read the article and see the stamp that Ukrainians are proud to put on cards and envelopes.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-64774717

Topic Reading-Vol.3966-3/4/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Three weapons that changed the course of Ukraine’s war with Russia
There are a number of factors to win a war, such as strategies, leaders, morals, size of the army, weapons, technologies, and logistics. When Russia invaded Ukraine a year ago, most people thought it would be a quick and easy win by Russia. But it is proved that Russia hasn’t been as mighty as it was thought would be. It faced the Ukrainians’ determination to defend the country and the US and NATO’s commitment to defeating the invader. Among the support provided to Ukraine, three weapons seem to have been very effective on the battlefield. The Javelin, or Advanced Anti-Tank Weapon System-Medium is an American-made portable anti-tank system that can be carried and shot by one soldier. Its fire-and-forget design allows the shooter to seek cover immediately after launch. Its warhead can defeat modern tanks by a top attack, hitting them from above, where their armor is thinnest. The M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, HIMARS, is a 5-ton truck carrying a pod that can launch six rockets almost simultaneously, sending their explosive warheads for a range of 70 to 80 kilometers, well beyond the battlefield’s front lines. Their GPS guidance systems make them extremely accurate, within about 10 meters of their intended target. The Bayraktar TB2 is a medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) unmanned combat aerial vehicle capable of remotely controlled or autonomous flight operations. The economical drone has been used to carry and launch missiles, laser-guided rockets, and smart bombs to attack Russian armor, artillery, and supply lines without any cost to Ukrainian soldiers or aircraft.
Read the article about three modern weapons that have been helping Ukraine to defend the country.
https://edition.cnn.com/2023/02/25/europe/ukraine-war-three-key-weapons-intl-hnk/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3965-3/3/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Why skipping inflight meals could be good for the planet
Most passengers on a mid or long-haul flight of a full-service airline expect meal services. In many cases, passengers have choices of their meal on board or select a special meal when they book a flight. But if you don’t feel like eating a meal on your flight, what will happen to the untouched meal? Some passengers don’t feel like eating then and others just want to sleep. And there are quite a few passengers who wouldn’t eat the particular meal anyway for health or schedule reasons, especially on an overnight or multi-time zone flight. Because of the strict safety and health regulations, uneaten or unopened inflight meals are thrown away. How wasteful! So, if you could choose a no-meal option prior to boarding, the untouched meal could be saved for the planet. In fact, a few airlines have a no-meal option on their flight but such an option doesn’t seem to be known widely yet. In the meanwhile, most low-cost airlines offer a pre-order meal at a charge. Which way is better for the planet, health, and budget?
Enjoy reading the article about this new inflight no-meal option.
https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/skipping-airplane-meals-sustainability-cmb/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.3964-3/2/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Ukraine war: India abstains from UN vote on Russian invasion
To mark the anniversary of the War in Ukraine on February 24, the U.N. General Assembly approved a nonbinding resolution that calls for Russia to end hostilities in Ukraine and withdraw its forces, calling for immediate peace and reaffirmed support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. The resolution, drafted by Ukraine in consultation with its allies, passed 141-7, with 32 abstentions. Since the UN Security Council is paralyzed by the veto of Russia, one of the five permanent members, the General Assembly’s resolution is the best the UN can do with Russia’s invasion. The seven countries voting against the resolution were Belarus, now Russia’s closest ally, Nicaragua, Russia, Syria, North Korea, Eritrea, and Mali. Among the countries that abstained from the vote, China, another permanent member of the Security Council, maintained a neutral policy in the conflict and calls for peace talks without criticizing the invasion. Also, India, becoming the world’s most populous country this year and seeking to become a permanent member of the Security Council, decided not to support Western allies by abstaining from the vote along with Iran, South Africa, and other 28 countries. Why India? Why the United Nations is so divided?
Read the article and learn about how politics play a role in the United Nations.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-64753820

Topic Reading-Vol.3963-3/1/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Flight from Auckland lands 16 hours later in … Auckland
The non-stop flight from Auckland, New Zealand to New York’s JFK airport takes 16 hours and 15 minutes to fly a little over 14,000 kilometers, one of the longest regular commercial services in the world. It surely is a gruesomely long flight but it brings you to the destination without the hassles of connections. But what if the destination airport became unfunctional to receive the flight? That was what happened to Air New Zealand flight #2 which was en route to JFK on February 16 when terminal 1 of the busy airport was closed due to an electrical outage. While most other flights to JFK were diverted to nearby airports in New Jersey, Washington DC, or Boston, Air New Zealand decided to have the flight return to Auckland from almost halfway to JFK because of schedule efficiency and logistics. So, after 16 hours flight, the passengers on board all landed at the airport where they departed 16 hours ago. If the airport problem had been found after the point of no return, the flight would have had to be diverted to one of the airports in the US, which would have allowed the passengers to get connecting flights to the destination. How unfortunate the passengers were!
Enjoy reading the article about the longest commercial flight that departed and landed at the same airport.
https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/air-new-zealand-flight-diverted-jfk/index.html