Topic Reading-Vol.4634-12/31/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Expelled from Aleppo as children, these fighters returned as its liberators

Aleppo is situated in northwestern Syria, only 50km south of the Turkish border. It is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. In the center of the city sits the Citadel of Aleppo, a five-millennium-old fortified palace. Before the establishment of modern Syria in 1944, Aleppo had been one of the most economically flourishing places in the Middle East, having been ruled by Hittites, Assyrians, Arabs, Mongols, Mamelukes, and Ottomans. As part of the Arab Spring, the Syrian civil war broke out in March 2011 against the rule of Ashar al-Assad. While rebel forces were aided by Turkey and the Gulf Cooperation Council states like Saudi Arabia and the UAE, the Assad regime got support from Russia and Iran. The Battle of Aleppo began in 2012 and ended in 2016 when government forces recaptured the entire city. On November 30 this year, Syrian opposition groups captured the government-held city amidst the collapse of pro-government forces, which led to the fall of Assad’s regime only eight days later. How did people live during and after the battle against the government forces? What do those young rebels who fought against the dictator now?

Read the article and learn about the lives and hopes of young rebel fighters in Aleppo, Syria.

https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2024/12/22/displaced-youth-liberate-aleppo

Topic Reading-Vol.4633-12/30/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

As South Korea draws visitors chasing beauty, dodgy practices pose risks

A beauty clinic, also known as an aesthetic or cosmetic clinic, is a place that offers cosmetic procedures and treatments to help people improve their appearance and self-confidence. Beauty clinics provide a variety of treatments, such as double eyelid surgery, facial contouring, rhinoplasty, liposuction, and breast augmentation. South Koreans are keen on such cosmetic enhancement or improvement. For example, it has the highest rate of plastic surgery procedures per capita. There are many beauty clinics and hospitals specializing in cosmetic procedures and surgery, especially in the affluent district of Gangnam, Seoul. Last year, over 600,000 foreign patients visited South Korea for medical services as they are much less expensive compared with those in other developed countries. But are their procedures safe and reliable? Do they provide sufficient information to their patients? Also, those clinics and hospitals use social media and influencers to attract eager patients. Are they trustworthy? 

Read the article and learn what some customers of South Korea’s beauty clinics say.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/12/23/as-south-korea-draws-visitors-chasing-beauty-dodgy-practices-pose-risks

Topic Reading-Vol.4632-12/29/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Why a nation of 1.45 billion wants more children

Last year, India became the world's most populous country, and now its population exceeds 1.45 billion. But the nation’s fertility rate has fallen substantially; from 5.7 births per woman in 1950 to the current rate of two. Fertility rates have fallen below the replacement level of two births per woman in 17 of the 29 states and territories. Five southern states have total fertility rates lower than those of many European countries, below 1.6. These states are concerned about a decline in electoral representation in the national parliament and a reduction of federal budget allocation as their populations decrease. But the problem isn’t limited only to the state level. In many developed countries, life expectancies increase and fertility rates decline over time as living and education standards improve and urbanization progress. The challenge for this populous country is the aging speed compared with other developed countries. India is aging fast before its social and economic systems adjust to aging societies. Indeed, in order to make a smooth shift to aging societies, gradual changes are needed in retirement age, social welfare, and care practices and systems, which take years and many elections.

Read the article and learn about the population concerns of the world’s most populous country.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce9088men9xo

Topic Reading-Vol.4631-12/28/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

What your peeing frequency can say about your health

How often do you pee during the day? Usually, healthy people urinate six to eight times if they aren’t sweating a lot or drinking too much coffee or alcoholic beverages. If you pee fewer times, you might need to be hydrated more. But if you need to go to the toilet more often regularly, you might have overactive bladder syndrome, diabetes, a urinary tract infection, or medications. Other factors for frequent peeing are pregnancy, stress, or anxiety. Another way to check your urination conditions is how often you wake up at night to pee. Usually, an ordinary person wakes up none of once during sleep. If you wake up more, you might consult with a medical expert. However, not peeing enough adds to the risk of holding bacteria in your urethra. Proper hydration, either from liquids or water-rich foods like fruits and vegetables, is essential to your healthy urination. 

Read the article and learn what urination tells you about your health conditions. 

https://edition.cnn.com/2024/12/21/health/how-often-you-should-pee-wellness/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4630-12/27/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

This food looks too good to be real — and it is

Model food dishes, or food samples, are replicas of a food item or dish made from plastic or wax. They are often displayed in showcases or shelves of restaurants in Japan. They present realistic, colorful, and three-dimensional images of the dishes the restaurants offer to their customers. Sushi, tempura, salad, and pasta are typical examples of model food dishes. Foods with liquids, such as ramen or soba noodles, soup dishes, and even drinks are tough ones to create realistic impressions. But once displayed, they sit there and lure customers without being reproduced or re-prepared. You can see these model dishes almost anywhere in Japan or you can also visit an exhibition, “Looks Delicious!” at Japan House in London until February 16. 

Read the article and see the images of food replicas made of plastic.

https://edition.cnn.com/2024/12/16/style/looks-delicious-japan-house-london-intl/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4629-12/26/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

The secret to long-lasting connection? Shared rituals

A ritual is a way of doing something in which the same actions are done in the same way every time. For example, small acts like a simple prayer or a word of appreciation before eating and a bow before the elderly or in prayer are common rituals for many people and cultures. Also, if a baseball player always does something before standing in the batter’s box like kissing his bat or making a cross, that’s a ritual. It doesn’t have to be some act before doing a particular thing. If you wash the car every Sunday morning even if it is clean, it’s also a ritual, not a task because you do it to make you feel satisfied. Indeed, there are many things that you do to feel the same and many acts that produce the emotion you want to feel in a certain situation. Such rituals are often established and maintained between couples and among families. When a partner changes, the ritual often changes, too. When someone forms a new family, new rituals emerge. Rituals seem to exist in our everyday lives.

Read the article and learn what rituals are and do to us.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20241218-michael-nortons-rituals-key-to-connection-family

Topic Reading-Vol.4628-12/25/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

The retreat from the world’s largest auto market has begun

The number of light vehicles sold in the US has been around 16 million in the last few decades except during the financial crisis and Covid pandemic. It had been the largest automotive market until China took the lead in the 2000s. Over 20-some million new vehicles have been sold in the last decade in China and more than 30 million last year. This year, of the 30 million plus new cars projected to be sold, over 10 million, or nearly 40%, are NEVs, electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles. Indeed, China’s market growth has been driven by NEVs, which are dominated by Chinese automakers like BYD, which had never produced vehicles until recently. Combined with gasoline vehicles, around 70% of passenger cars sold in China are now under Chinese brands, which represented no more than 40% five years ago. For General Motors (GM), one of the largest automakers in the world, China had been contributing substantial sales and profits until recently. However, having lost its competitiveness in the NEV market, it is now losing both market share and money. GM isn’t the only foreign brand that is losing its presence in China. German manufacturers like Volkswagen and BMW, and Japanese auto giants like Toyota are all in the same or similar situation. Will the world’s largest automotive market be dominated by its domestic brands? NEV sales are growing in China and so are the Hybrid Vehicles in the USA. Green technologies seem to drive the automotive market more than just wheels and brands.

Read the article and learn about how the world’s automakers are struggling in the biggest market.

https://edition.cnn.com/2024/12/17/cars/automakers-china-losses/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4627-12/24/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

The world’s busiest flight routes for 2024 revealed

If you’ve traveled by air this year, you might have found airports busier and airplanes more packed. Airline seat capacity this year has increased over pre-pandemic 2019, and so has the number of air travelers. Then which international routes are busier than others? The top three busiest routes are Hong Kong-Taipei, Cairo-Jeddah (Saudi Arabia), and Seoul Incheon-Tokyo Narita. The Cairo-Jeddah route has been growing swiftly, which was 14th in 2019 but has been number two last year and this year. While the top nine of the busiest routes are relatively short flights mostly within Asia, a trans-Atlantic NY-London route ranked number 10. As for domestic routes, Seoul-Jeju, South Korea’s popular tourist destination, has been the busiest one, followed by Tokyo-Sapporo and Tokyo-Fukuoka. As demands for air travel increase, airlines are trying to increase their seat capacity, which is good news for the travel industry but bad news for the planet as flying aircraft emit more planet-warming gasses than other cleaner transport like trains or EVs. 

Read the article and learn which flight routes are busier this year.

https://edition.cnn.com/2024/12/17/travel/worlds-busiest-flight-routes-2024/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4626-12/23/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Alcohol is not good for us. 5 tips to stay safe(r) if you drink

In some cultures, people tend to engage in festive occasions with friends, colleagues, relatives, or neighbors this time of year. Alcohol drinks are often perceived as a social lubricant in some cultures just like tea and special meals are in other cultures. Indeed, alcoholic drinks have pharmacological and physical effects on reaction time, motor coordination, and judgment. They also psychologically affect people’s mindset. When people consume or think they’ve drunk some alcoholic drinks, they tend to feel relaxed, become less guarded, and open up to others. But when you do drink, you may want to remember some tips to reduce the harm caused by alcohol, such as hangovers and accidents. For example, eat before or while drinking to slow the absorption of alcohol. Also, remember bubbly drinks like sparkling wine or carbonated beverages are more quickly absorbed. And there are some more tips to drink smartly if you do.

Read the article and learn the tips to enjoy the festive season. 

https://edition.cnn.com/2024/12/16/health/alcohol-harm-reduction-wellness/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4625-12/22/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

At Kenya’s ‘Maasai Olympics’, women run to bridge the gender gap

The Maasai people are an ethnic group inhabiting Kenya and northern Tanzania. They have traditionally viewed the killing of lions, Olamayio, as a rite of passage to prove their skills. Nowadays though, young people take part in the Massai Olympics instead, which include the 100-meter dash to 5k run. Women, who had been traditionally regarded and treated as nothing more than housewives, are now also participating in the 100 and 1,500-meter races. The participants of the competitions still run on the grass like they used to but with their shoes on. The event seems to be giving young women the chance to make a social appearance and prove their athletic competence. The altered Olamayio also has saved the lives of lions, and the population of roaming lions in the Amboseli ecosystem has increased over tenfold in the last two decades. Win-win for all. 

Read the article and learn how Maasai women enjoy participating in the Maasai Olympics.

https://www.aljazeera.com/gallery/2024/12/15/at-kenyas-maasai-olympics-women-run-to-bridge-the-gender-gap

Topic Reading-Vol.4624-12/21/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Want to know what’s flying overhead? There’s an app for that

You may see or hear aircraft ascending or descending when you’re near an airport. You may also see aircraft flying or contrails high in clear sky. You may wonder what kind of aircraft that is or where the aircraft is heading. Unless you’re familiar with aviation or flight schedules, you won’t have any clue what is flying overhead. But if you’re interested, you can find that out by apps on your smartphone. Apps or websites like Flightradar24, Plane Finder, and FlightAware give users real-time information about what aircraft or helicopters are flying around them, including their identity, altitude, speed, and destination. However, some military and high-profile aircraft, like the ones used to transport government officials or in a secret mission, aren’t shown on these platforms. Interested?

Read the article and learn about apps that show what is flying overhead. 

https://edition.cnn.com/2024/12/14/tech/aircraft-drone-identifier-apps/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4623-12/20/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Chatbot 'encouraged teen to kill parents over screen time limit'

Most of you probably have interacted with a chatbot, a computer program that simulates conversations, when help or an answer is needed online, such as FAQs and customer services. As AI becomes more embedded in online services, chatbots have become more realistic and personalized. Launched in November 2121, Character.ai is one such neural language model chatbot service that generates human-like text responses and participates in contextual conversation. It hears, understands, and remembers the user and gives them personalized responses instantly. Recently, the chatbot service provider was sued by some parents of its users for actively promoting violence. When the issue of the restrictions on the user’s screen time was asked, the chatbot responded that it wasn’t surprised to read the news and see stuff like ‘child kills parents after long physical and emotional abuse. When kids get responses like that here and there, they might be inclined to think that physical violence is an acceptable or even reasonable reaction to their parents. Since we still are in the early stages of AI development and adoption, we ought to be careful about how to incorporate AI into online communities and services.

Read the article and learn about how a chatbot could influence young users.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cd605e48q1vo

Topic Reading-Vol.4622-12/19/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Humans may not have survived without Neanderthals

Neanderthals are one of the extinct humans who lived in Eurasia from hundreds of thousands of years ago until about 40,000 years ago. They had more robust and stockier builds than typical modern humans, wider and barrel-shaped rib cages, wider pelvises, and proportionally shorter forearms and forelegs. They are thought to have used tools, controlled fire, had burial practices, and communicated with each other orally. Neanderthals are genetically distinct from modern humans but are more closely related to us than chimpanzees are. They coexisted and interbred with homo sapiens for some time in overlapping territories in Europe and Western Asia but went extinct about 40,000 years ago. It had been thought that our ancestors, homo sapiens, overwhelmed Neanderthals after leaving Africa. However, new DNA research suggests that humans went extinct multiple times before they started populating the world, and Neanderthal’s genes played a crucial role in humans’ survival. Then how?

Read the article and learn about a new theory of how humans evolved and survived. 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwydgyy8120o

Topic Reading-Vol.4621-12/18/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Could the airship be the answer to sustainable air travel – or is it all a load of hot air?

An airship is a self-propelled aircraft that uses lighter-than-air gas like helium to stay and fly in the sky. Since an airship can lift and land vertically, it could be used without infrastructure like a runway or railways. Also, airships are much more environmentally friendly than aircraft, which burn substantial fossil fuels. Airships had been popular in the early 20th century until the Hindenburg, a German commercial passenger-carrying airship with nearly 100 people onboard, caught fire and was destroyed during its landing. The German passenger airship was filled with lighter, more economical, and widely available hydrogen, which is more flammable than helium. Now, with lighter, tougher, and safer materials, new types of airships are being developed. Cargo can be transported from point to point as an airship doesn’t require special infrastructure, so it could transport cargo to disaster areas or remote islands. Also, airships can provide passengers with a sustainable and enjoyable flying experience. Since they fly at a much lower altitude than commercial jets, passengers can enjoy a slower travel experience over the landscape without increased air pressure. As air travel becomes more expensive and crowded, slow but environmentally sustainable airships might offer a good flying experience.

Read the article and learn what modern airships are like.

https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20241204-could-the-airship-be-the-answer-to-sustainable-air-travel

Topic Reading-Vol.4620-12/17/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

These animal photos won funniest of the year

The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards is one of the world’s most popular annual photography competitions. Since its modest birth in 2015, the photo competition has grown into a world-renowned entertainment and conservation brand experienced by millions of people annually, always with the protection of wildlife at its heart. The free competition is open to all wildlife photography novices, amateurs, and professionals, and celebrates the hilarity of our natural world. There are eight photo categories and one video clip category in the competition, including mammals, birds, reptiles, and insects. From the 44 finalists, the overall winner and each category winner of this year’s competition were announced. 

Enjoy seeing the winning photos of this year’s Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards.

https://www.bbc.com/reel/video/p0kb73d9/these-animal-photos-won-funniest-of-the-year

Topic Reading-Vol.4619-12/16/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Whale makes epic migration, astonishing scientists

Adult humpback whales are about 15 meters long and weigh 40 tons. They are found in every ocean. The humpback whale is known for its spectacular “surface active behavior, including breaching and flipper and tail slapping, and its occasional curiosity around tour boats. Also, they are known for their complex ‘song’, which is heard on the breeding grounds in the tropics. 

They perform long seasonal migrations, spending summers feeding in cold productive waters at high latitudes and winters on tropical breeding grounds where they mate, calve, and nurse their young. Some individuals travel as far as 8,000km between tropical breeding grounds and icy feeding grounds. Recently, a humpback whale was found in the Pacific Ocean off Columbia, 13,000 kilometers away from the site where it was last spotted in the Indian Ocean several years before. It is still unknown whether it made the long journey looking for a mate or breeding grounds, or chasing tiny shrimplike krill, their main food. One assumption is the influence of extreme environmental events, which are seen more frequently. Whichever the reason might be, humpback whales travel longer distances than any other mammal species.

Read the article and learn about the longest swimmer in oceans. 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp3zywxlqlxo

Topic Reading-Vol.4618-12/15/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Starbucks opens a cafe with a view of North Korea

Viewing one of the most secretive and protective countries from a Starbucks coffee shop? Last month, a Starbucks outpost opened on an observation tower at the Aegibong Peace Ecopark in Gimpo, 36 kilometers north of Seoul. Across the Jo River, customers can see North Korea while sipping coffee from the seat inside or on the observation deck. With a pair of binoculars or a high-zoom phone camera, visitors may have the chance to see North Korean people. The Korean Peninsula has been divided at the 38th parallel since 1945, known as the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), a two-kilometer-wide buffer zone on either side of the parallel. While people on the south side of the parallel enjoy democracy, free speech, the Internet, and the latest gadgets, those on the north side have to live with dictatorship, militarism, censorship, and rations. How many North Koreans have ever tasted or known coffee?

Read the article and see the photos of the newly opened American coffee shop near the Korean DMZ.

https://edition.cnn.com/travel/starbucks-gimpo-north-korea-intl-hnk/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4617-12/14/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

UK lawmakers vote in support of assisted dying

Assisted dying means prescribing life-ending drugs for terminally ill but mentally competent adults to administer themselves after meeting legal safeguards. It is legal and regulated in ten US jurisdictions, including California, Oregon, and Washington DC. Similarly, assisted suicide is legalized in Switzerland, and voluntary euthanasia is allowed authorized in Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands. In Canada, Medical Assisted in Dying became legal in 2016 along with assisted suicide. Last month, British members of parliament voted freely by their will (not bound by party lines) to legalize assisted dying by 330 to 275 votes. Supporters of the bill insisted that assisted dying would bring dignity to terminal patients, avert pain and suffering, and ease pressure on palliative services. Opponents were concerned that the patients might feel like becoming a burden on their families and pressured to choose the option. Though assisted dying, suicide, or euthanasia are all highly controversial issues, some people travel to countries or states where they can legally terminate their lives.

Read the article and learn the legal aspects of assisted dying.

https://edition.cnn.com/2024/11/29/uk/uk-assisted-dying-vote-gbr-intl/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4616-12/13/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

World's captive panda population hits 757

The giant panda is a large bear species native to China, known for its distinctive black-and-white fur. It primarily resides in mountainous regions, especially in Sichuan, Shaanxi, and Gansu provinces. Pandas mostly eat bamboo and grow to around 100 kilograms. The giant panda is a vulnerable species because of its habitat loss, low reproductive rate, isolated habitation, and climate change that affects bamboo growth. Giant pandas are among the world's most adored and protected rare animals. Thanks to China's continuing conservation efforts for decades, there are as many as 757 giant pandas in captivity in the world and around 1,900 in the wild in China, according to the announcement made at the Global Panda Partners 2024 conference, where representatives from Russia, Japan, and other countries met. Indeed, pandas are used as a form of diplomatic gift or gesture to strengthen political, cultural, and economic ties with other countries. Pandas are ambassadors for friendship.

Read the article and learn how adorable pandas are loved and cared for.

https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202411/27/WS6745ab08a310f1265a1cfb5c.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4615-12/12/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Tech companies put on notice as Australia passes world-first social media ban for under-16s

Social media is a way for people to communicate, share information, and create online communities using the internet or mobile phones. It has expanded over the years, evolving from a digital forum for connecting people to a news source for younger generations. Its near-ubiquitous presence has transformed the way we interact with each other, how we learn things, and how we perceive the world. Snapchat, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Reddit, and X are all powerful and influential social media. However, social media could be used for bullies, peer pressure, or scamming, which are harmful, especially to school children who are still vulnerable to explicit social interactions. Last month, Australia’s parliament passed a law that bans social media for children under 16 to protect them from bullies, pressure, scammers, and online predators. Before the law takes place, major social media platforms must deactivate the accounts of those whose ages are below 16. According to a poll, nearly 80% of Australians support the ban. Will you?

Read the article and think about how old is good enough to use social media. 

https://edition.cnn.com/2024/11/28/australia/australia-passes-social-media-law-intl-hnk/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4614-12/11/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

More single women and female couples having IVF

In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a fertility treatment that involves fertilizing a woman's egg with a man’s sperm in a laboratory dish, and then placing the fertilized egg, or embryo, in the woman's uterus. It is used to treat many causes of infertility, including the advanced age of the mother and damaged or blocked fallopian tubes. In the UK, about one in four IVF treatments resulted in a birth. Among 18-39 year-olds who had their first IVF treatment in the UK, female couples account for 16% and single women 18%. Combined, around one-third of IVF treatments were for non-heterosexual couples or females, representing the diversity of families and patients. Now, there are countries in eastern Asia like South Korea and China whose birth rates are falling below 1.0 and the number of unmarried couples is increasing. IVF might be one of the ways to form a family for those who choose not to have a heterosexual partner. 

Read the article and learn how IVF helps develop diverse families. 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5yxel9j6xeo

Topic Reading-Vol.4613-12/10/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Airlines make billions charging ‘junk fees,’ congressional report says

Junk fees are additional service charges for event tickets, such as service charges for event tickets, late payment fees for credit cards, and out-of-network ATM fees. Airlines also charge multiple service fees, such as advanced seat selection, family seating, checked baggage, or even paper boarding passes. They make money by charging once-included options to passengers who want more than their base fares. In some cases, airlines charge a hundred dollars or more just for an extra legroom seat. Since seat fees have become more expensive, some family members have no choice but to sit in the middle seats in different rows. Airlines say they try to keep airfares more affordable and treat the passengers fairly and equally. As air travel has become more crowded and expensive, passengers feel more stressed in many ways. Should such optional fees be regulated? Gone are the days when a passenger was asked for a window or aisle seat without a fee.

Read the article and learn what is not included in airfares nowadays.

https://edition.cnn.com/2024/11/26/business/airlines-junk-fees/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4612-12/9/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Popular weight-loss drug Wegovy goes on sale in China

Instead of riding bicycles like their parents or grandparents used to do, today’s Chinese people ride cars. Indeed, China is the world’s largest automotive market, and over 20 million new cars are sold each year. Also, there are many convenient and affordable ready-to-eat options, such as food delivery, fast food restaurants, takeouts, and prepared foods like TV dinners or instant noodles. As a result, over 50% of China’s population is either obese or overweight. 

Wegovy is a prescribed medicine used to help lose excess weight. It helps control blood sugar, lowers appetite, and makes the patient feel fuller. It comes as a pre-filled injector pen. The user injects the medicine weekly under the skin in the upper arms, stomach, thighs, or buttocks. Recently, the weight-loss drug was launched in China. Although the price is much cheaper than the one in the US, Chinese patients have to pay the full price because the drug hasn’t been included in the national health insurance. While there still are millions of people who have difficulty getting enough food in other Asian and African countries, some rich people are seeking a way not to eat so much food. 

Read the article and think about the newly introduced weight-loss drug in China. 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c7487y7x0vwo

Topic Reading-Vol.4611-12/8/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

They’re up to 70% of the American diet. But the US has no policy on ultraprocessed foods

Many foods we consume are somehow processed, such as unpackaged bread, canned fruits and vegetables, pickles, and cheese, which contain ingredients like salt, sugar, and oils. Ultra-processed foods typically have more than one ingredient that you never or rarely find in a kitchen, such as preservatives, emulsifiers, sweeteners, and artificial colors and flavors. Ice cream, ham, sausages, chips, packaged bread, some breakfast cereals, biscuits, carbonated drinks, fruit-flavored yogurts, and instant soups are typical examples of ultra-processed foods. They are appealing to your tastebuds and also convenient because of their longer shelf life and ready-to-eat packages. Studies found people tend to overeat ultra-processed foods by 500 or more calories than those who eat unprocessed or less processed foods. Also, since these foods are high in added sugar, salt, fats, and additives like artificial colors and flavors but low in dietary fiber and vitamins, those who eat more ultra-processed foods have a higher risk of obesity, cancer, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and even depression. It is estimated that such ultra-processed foods make up between 50% and 70% of the calories in the US’s food supply.

Read the article about the studies to find the health effects of highly processed foods.

https://edition.cnn.com/2024/11/22/health/ultraprocessed-food-us-dietary-guidelines-wellness/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4610-12/7/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Burning old TVs to survive: The toxic trade in electrical waste

Electronic waste, or e-waste is discarded electric products like computers, mobile phones, home appliances, and medical equipment. Over 60 million tons of e-waste was generated in 2022, only 15% of which is estimated to have been recycled because of its complex composition, including toxic chemicals, metals, and plastics. The rest of the waste was stored in homes and warehouses, dumped, and illegally exported to developing countries in Southeast Asia and Africa. When trafficked e-waste is burnt or dumped, the plastic and metals that are contained in the e-waste become hazardous to human health and the environment. However, since e-waste streams contain valuable and finite resources that can be reused, poor people, especially women and children, try to extract valuable metals like copper and gold from e-waste in highly toxic and polluted dump sites. Customs authorities are trying to stop illegal e-waste shipments but traffickers make false customs declarations, conceal e-waste by blending it with other waste, or even dump it into the sea. 

Read the article and learn what e-waste does to humans, animals, and the environment.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4gvq1rd0geo

Topic Reading-Vol.4609-12/6/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Smuggler arrested with 300 tarantulas strapped to his body

The tarantula is a large, hairy spider species whose size is about the same as a teacup. There are hundreds of tarantula species found in most of the world’s tropical, subtropical, and arid regions. They are accomplished, nocturnal predators. They usually eat insects but they also target frogs, toads, and even mice. Though tarantulas have few natural enemies, they are being captured by humans as they become popular in the exotic pet trade. Now, tarantulas are threatened species. Last month, a man who tried to smuggle over 300 tarantulas was arrested at an international airport in Lima, Peru. He strapped hundreds of illegally extracted insects packaged inside ziplock bags to his abdomen. Though arachnids like spiders won’t even recognize humans because of their poor eyesight, more humans are interested in keeping them as pets. And as they become more valuable, illegal trafficking increases. 

Read the article and learn about the guy who strapped over 300 tarantulas around his body for trafficking.

https://edition.cnn.com/2024/11/20/americas/smuggler-tarantulas-peru-intl-scli/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4608-12/5/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

They’ve sailed across Southeast Asia for centuries. Now, these sea nomads are being forced to live on land

Semporna is a coastal town located near the top of the Coral Triangle in Malaysia, a 5.7 million square kilometer area of extraordinary marine biodiversity. There, Bajau Laut, indigenous seafaring people have lived a semi-nomadic lifestyle on the ocean for centuries. Their lifestyles have been so accustomed to the sea that they’re biologically adapted to it, allowing them to hold their breath longer in the water. However, the over-exploitation of fish stocks in the region,  rising sea surface temperatures, and ocean acidity have led to a loss of fish habitats and made the sea people’s lives unsustainable. Now more Bajau Laut are abandoning their traditional lifestyles and habitats and started living on the land. The problem is that many of those indigenous people are not registered properly with Malaysian administrations, so they have no access to public education, healthcare, utilities, or waste management. How will these people in coastal communities, who are highly vulnerable to rising sea levels, extreme weather events, and plastic pollution, survive in the region?

Read the article and learn about the challenges and difficulties that these sea people are facing.

https://edition.cnn.com/climate/malaysia-bajau-indigenous-sea-nomads-land-c2e-spc/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4607-12/4/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Tuvalu: The disappearing island nation recreating itself in the metaverse

Sitting about 5,000 km northeast of Australia, Tuvalu is a small island country in Polynesia in the Pacific Ocean. Most of the country’s population of 11,900, the second-fewest in the world, live on its three reef islands. Unfortunately, the total land area of 26 square kilometers has gradually been decreasing due to the rising sea level, and most of the land area, including the dwellings and critical infrastructures, is expected to sit below the level of the current high tide by the middle of the century. Australia agreed to accept 280 Tuvaluans each year as part of the relocation program. Also, the Tuvalu government is creating a virtual copy of the islands, people, and cultural heritage in the metaverse so that they will still be able to remain even after the islands disappear into the ocean. To prepare for the nation’s status and sovereignty without geological territory, Tuvalu is seeking to create passports, hold elections, and keep the administration running all digitally in the webspace. Tuvalu may exhibit what can be done for a disappearing state before the exodus. 

Read the article and learn what a disappearing Pacific island is doing to keep its legacy going.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20241121-tuvalu-the-pacific-islands-creating-a-digital-nation-in-the-metaverse-due-to-climate-change

Topic Reading-Vol.4606-12/3/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

These vascular risks are strongly associated with severe stroke, researchers say

Stroke is the third leading cause of death around the world and kills millions of people each year. A stroke occurs when a blood vessel, which carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain, is locked by a clot, bursts, or ruptures. When that happens, part of the brain cannot get the blood and oxygen it needs and brain cells die, which don’t usually regenerate. Then the person might become physically and cognitively impaired depending on the damage of the brain cells. According to a new study of over 13,000 patients who suffered a stroke, high blood pressure, smoking, and irregular heart rhythm are linked with a higher risk of severe compared to mild-moderate stroke. A healthy diet, regular exercise, enough sleep, and an active lifestyle all lower the risk of getting a stroke. Smoking, salty food, and high blood pressure are high-risk factors for a stroke. Stroke treatment is very time-sensitive. If you ever experience or notice difficulty smiling, speaking, or raising both arms, you’d better make an emergency call to get treatment. Hesitation won’t solve the problem but makes the brain more damaged.

Read the article and learn about stroke.

https://edition.cnn.com/2024/11/20/health/stroke-prevention-hypertension-smoking-wellness/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4605-12/2/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Cambridge Dictionary’s word of the year 2024 is all about thinking positive

The word of the year refers to the most important word or expression in the public sphere during the year. Various organizations announce their Word of the Year, including Collins English Dictionary, Dictionary.com, Merriam-Webster, Oxford University Press, and Cambridge Dictionary. Cambridge has been published one every year since 2015, including “austerity” in 2015, “populism” in 2017, and “quarantine” in 2020. This year, the university press chose “manifest” as the world of the year. According to the dictionary, the verb “manifest” means to show something clearly through signs or actions. For example, workers manifest their complaints in a strike, or, the illness manifested itself in severe pain. Its synonyms are demonstrate, reveal, or show. Manifest also refers to the practice of clarifying the goal in the belief that doing so will make it more likely to happen. Some people who succeeded in realizing their dreams attest to the effect of manifesting. The new president-elect might have had one since he lost his election in 2020.

Read the article and learn what “manifest” means to some people.

https://edition.cnn.com/2024/11/20/uk/cambridge-word-of-year-2024-scli-intl-gbr/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4604-12/1/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

AI cameras catch drivers on phone or without belts

In most countries, drivers and passengers are required to fasten seatbelts while on the road, and most people do at least in developed countries to protect themselves. Also, the use of hand-held phones while driving is banned in many countries, including Germany, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, the UK, and many states in the USA. Unlike talking with a fellow passenger who can regulate conversation based on the perceived level of danger, talking on the phone draws much more driver’s attention from the road. Furthermore, reading and texting messages is far more dangerous as it requires most of the driver’s visual and cognitive attention. Still, some drivers often use handheld phones to talk or text messages while driving on busy streets or highways. However, they could now be caught by AI cameras like speeding. Recently in Greater Manchester, England, a new AI camera system has captured over 812 drivers who were using their phones and nearly 2,400 drivers who weren’t wearing seat belts properly. AI may soon help motorists drive more safely for themselves and others on the road.

Read the article and learn another use of artificial intelligence.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce8dpvxexz8o

Topic Reading-Vol.4603-11/30/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Stockpile nappies, medication, baby food: NATO members Sweden and Finland advise citizens on how to survive war

1,000 days have already passed since Russia invaded Ukraine. NATO member states in northern and eastern Europe are now more concerned about the possibility of war. In addition to mandatory military service to their citizens, Norway and Denmark distributed updated wartime guidance to their citizens to improve the readiness for potential military conflicts earlier this year. Recently, two newly joined NATO states, Finland and Sweden, updated and distributed booklets on how they better prepared for war, communication outages, blackouts, and extreme weather events. Sweden’s brochure, the fifth version since World War II, recommends stockpiling essential supplies like bottled water, sanitary products, medication, and baby food. Finland’s crisis guidance gives advice on how better prepared for long power cuts, water outages, telecommunications disruptions, and extreme weather events, in addition to military conflict. The better you’re prepared, the greater the chance of survival.

Read the article and learn how NATO states in Europe are preparing for potential military conflicts.

https://edition.cnn.com/2024/11/18/europe/nato-sweden-finland-wartime-guidance-intl/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4602-11/29/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Trump might nix America as a climate tech leader. 5 charts show China winning that

This year is going to be the hottest year on record. Humans need to reduce fossil fuel emissions more and faster to avoid catastrophic outcomes of climate change. China has been the world’s largest greenhouse gas emitter since 2005 and is now accounting for 31% of global carbon pollution. However, its emissions growth has been slowing recently not because China is using less energy but because it is rapidly adding wind and solar power to its grid. China is committed to peaking its planet-warming pollution before 2030 when it will generate more power from the sun than US’s total electricity consumption. While China is still the largest contributor to CO2 emissions, it is also the world's largest generator of solar and wind energy, supplier of solar panels, and manufacturer of clean energy vehicles like electric and plug-in hybrids. Also important is its consistent commitment, investment, and competition to a cleaner energy mix.

Read the article and graphs to learn the changes and status of China’s energy mix.

https://edition.cnn.com/2024/11/18/climate/climate-china-solar-wind-dg/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4601-11/28/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

‘Do not pet’: Why are robot dogs patrolling Mar-A-Lago?

Spot is a compact, nimble four-legged robot made by Boston Dynamics that can trot around the office, warehouse, home, or outdoors. It can map its environment, sense and avoid obstacles, climb stairs, and open doors. Spot is easy to use and intuitive to learn, making it quick to deploy for both manual operations and autonomous missions. With 360° perception and athletic intelligence along with 14kg of payload capacity, Spot can be used for surveillance, inspection, transporting, or more. 

Mar-a-Lago is a national historic landmark in Palm Beach, Florida. It has been owned and resided by Donald Trump since 1985. Sport has been deployed by the US Secret Service to provide extra security to the President-elect in a sixty-eight thousand square meter property. Though the robot is not armed, it is expected to detect and deter harmful attempts on Trump and his family. 

Read the article and watch the video of a robot that adds extra security to the President-elect.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c30p16gn3pvo

Topic Reading-Vol.4600-11/27/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

A 'crazy town looking to go fossil free': Sweden's wooden city that was green before Greta

Växjö is a small Swedish city that sits 450 km south-west of Stockholm. Ever since 1996 when the city adopted a policy for the elimination of the use of fossil fuels by 2030, Växjö has been committed to being fossil-free. After 20-some years of work, the city’s per capita carbon emissions were reduced by over 70% from 1990s levels even though the population has grown by a third and per capita GDP has increased by two-fold. Växjö uses a variety of strategies to make progress towards being fossil fuel-free. Waste from the local forest industry is burned to generate power, public and official vehicles run on biofuel made from domestic household organic waste, most energy is sourced from forestry by-products and other biomass, and at least half of new builds are made of wood sourced from nearby forests. Also, restaurants use local, seasonal, and organic dishes, and their food waste is turned into biofuel. Växjö has called itself the greenest city in Europe since 2007. The city’s residents must be very proud of their achievements and themselves.

Read the article and learn about what an ordinary city can do to reduce the use of fossil fuels.

https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20241114-swedens-wooden-city-that-was-green-before-greta

Topic Reading-Vol.4599-11/26/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

'Set-jetting': How on-screen locations are becoming travel destinations

Do you want to visit a place you saw in a movie or drama? Set-jetting is the trend of traveling to destinations that were filmed. That could be anything or any place, not only famous spots or monuments but also an ordinary street, building, or shop. For example, New York, London, and Paris are cities that often appear in movies and dramas. There are specific locations in those cities some tourists are eager to visit and take photos of, like a street cafe, busy road-crossing, or neon signs that were shown in the movie. For example, the railway crossing by Kamakura Kokomae station in Kamakura, Japan draws crowds every day because it was featured in the theme song of Slam Dunk and a scene in Tari Tari anime. But what such destinations are shown on screen might not always live up to your idealized portrayal. For example, rooms ordinary New Yorkers can rent might not be as spacious or luxurious as the one you saw in a drama. Also, streets and parks in Paris may be far from as clean or romantic as the one shown in the film. In any case, being on a spot where you saw on the screen might be as exciting as visiting a world heritage site. It sure is a more personal experience.

Read the article and learn about the booming set-jetting.

https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20241114-how-on-screen-locations-are-becoming-travel-destinations

Topic Reading-Vol.4598-11/25/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Stressed? Writing down a to-do list might help

If you’ve finished all the tasks needed to have been done during the week, you’ll be a happy person on the weekend. Then you have a better chance of getting to sleep easily on Sunday night because you aren’t worrying about the next day. But if you haven’t, you might be annoyed by the coming week that you have a lot to catch up on and therefore have difficulty falling asleep. You may think you’d better avoid thinking about those unfinished tasks, but an expert suggests you write down a to-do list before going to bed. That sounds awfully frustrating but it actually offloads your worries from your brain, called cognitive offloading. All you need is a sheet of paper and a pen, or a smartphone if you prefer typing or voicing to writing to download your tasks from your mind. And surprisingly, the longer the list is, the faster you’ll get to sleep. Of course, the to-do list will also help you organize the tasks for the new week!

Read the article and learn the benefits of creating a to-do list before going to bed.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20241111-stressed-writing-down-a-to-do-list-might-help

Topic Reading-Vol.4597-11/24/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Don’t sit on the toilet for more than 10 minutes, doctors warn

How long do you sit on the toilet when you try to poop? Do you bring your phone or magazine to the bathroom with you when you’re going number two? That’s not good for your health, according to experts. If you sit on the open oval-shaped toilet seat for a long time, your buttocks are compressed and the blood circulation is affected, which could increase the risk of hemorrhoids. Also, prolonged sitting on the toilet could increase the risk of rectal prolapse, a condition when part of the large intestine slips down inside the anus. So, avoid sitting too long on the toilet or forcing stools to come out. The keys to pooping smoothly are diet, exercise, hydration, and bowel movement, not prolonged time or pressure in the toilet.

Read the article and learn how unhealthy to sit too long on the toilet seat. 

https://edition.cnn.com/2024/11/12/health/phones-on-toilet-wellness/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4596-11/23/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

How climate change worsens heatwaves, droughts, wildfires and floods

Global warming is melting sea ice and glaciers, rising sea levels, and affecting the environment around the world. But how does global warming affect the climate and weather conditions? First, the higher the temperature is, the more moisture is created in the atmosphere. Then more clouds are formed to cause heavier rainfall events. Second, when the range of daily temperatures shifts to warmer levels, there will be hotter weather, like 40 degrees Celsius or higher even in the UK. Such heatwaves occur when heat domes are created, a high-pressure system way up in the atmosphere that helps build and encase heat, like a lid on a pot that holds in steam. Third, as climate change shifts global rainfall patterns and heatwaves worsen dry conditions, more regions suffer from longer and more severe droughts. The Amazon rainforest has recently seen the worst drought on record. Lastly, climate change is causing more wildfires and helping them spread. High temperatures, dry air, frequent lightning, and deforestation all fuel wildfires. We seem to know enough about the causes and influences of climate change. What should be done is clear but the question is how and how fast.

Read the article and learn how climate change affects weather conditions. 

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-58073295

Topic Reading-Vol.4595-11/22/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Planet-heating pollution to hit all-time high, dashing hopes it would start to drop in 2024

The 2024 United Nations Climate Conference, COP29, is the 29th United Nations Climate Change Conference. COP29 has been held in Baku, Azerbaijan from November 11 to 22. COP29 aims to limit global warming to 1.5°C, emphasizing the urgent need for investment in climate action. However, while over 100 heads of state and government pledged their attendance, leaders from the largest fossil fuel emitters, the USA, China, India, Japan, Germany, and the EU didn’t show up at the conference. Before the conference, a report revealed that fossil fuel pollution this year is going to increase by 0.8% from last year. Also, global temperatures are rising to the highest level this year and surpassing the 1.5 degrees above the preindustrial times, threshold countries pledged at the Paris climate agreement in 2015. Efforts and investments have been made but not enough to keep the environment sustainable for the lives and environment. 

Read the article and learn how much fossil fuels the world is still burning.

https://edition.cnn.com/2024/11/13/climate/planet-heating-pollution-record-high/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4594-11/21/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

AI means anyone can be a victim of deepfake porn. Here’s how to protect yourself

Deepfakes are images, videos, or audio that are edited or created by using artificial intelligence tools to depict real or non-existent persons. As AI becomes more capable and agentic, anyone could be a victim of a nonconsensual deepfake. Artificial intelligence tools can easily superimpose someone's face onto a nude body or manipulate a photo to a porn image or video. So, a deepfake photo or video of you, your child, or your friend might one day show up on the Internet without your consent or knowledge. Though you may not be able to prevent such a malicious act, you can still report it to platforms like Google or Meta and request the removal of such images. To do that, you need evidence like a screenshot even though you hate to see it. Also in some countries, there are government or non-profit institutions that help facilitate the removal of such images. How soon will AI prevent or remove such deepfakes from the Internet?

Read the article and learn about AI-created deepfake images.

https://edition.cnn.com/2024/11/12/tech/ai-deepfake-porn-advice-terms-of-service-wellness/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4593-11/20/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Whose döner kebab? Why the beloved late-night snack is at the centre of a meat-fuelled food fight

Doner kebab is a dish of Turkish origin made of meat, usually beef, cooked on a vertical rotisserie, a special kind of oven that keeps meat turning constantly as it cooks. The sliced meat may be served on a plate, stuffed into bread like pita as a sandwich, or wrapped in thin flatbread. In the Ottoman Empire, stacks of seasoned sliced meat were cooked on a horizontal rotisserie but in the mid-19th century, the vertical rotisserie became popular. In the 1970s, the modern sandwich variant of doner kebab was created by Turkish immigrants in Berlin. Today, it is one of the most popular sandwiches for Berliners, and over 1,000 doner kebab shops serve their appetites. Recently, the Turkish government demanded doner kebabs should be recognized as a Turkish specialty and Berlin’s portable version should not be called doner kebabs. Kebabs used to be sheep meat roasted on a horizontal rotisserie, but now it is beef on a vertical rotisserie. In Turkey, the width and thickness of the meat, the amount of animal fat, yogurt/milk, onion, salt, thyme, and types of peppers are all regulated to be called doner kebab. People enjoy not only the original or traditional food but also variations and ethnic foods. Will today’s authentic dish never evolve?

Read the article and learn what authentic doner kebab is about.

https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20241028-the-meat-fuelled-food-fight-between-turkey-and-germany

Topic Reading-Vol.4592-11/19/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Why luxury cheese is being targeted by black market criminals

When something becomes excessively valuable because of conflicts, shortages, sanctions, or inflation, criminal activities like thefts, counter-faking, and the black market increase. Recently, premium cheese is one such item that has been targeted. The whole process of stealing cheese in bulk, transporting, and selling it is a complicated procedure as it is bulky and must be kept at specific temperatures and conditions. One likely market for premium cheese stolen from the UK and EU countries is Russia, which bans imports of fresh produce from the countries that have imposed sanctions on Russia since it invaded Ukraine. Also for drug dealers, premium food is another item that they could make use of their trading network to generate handsome profits without as severe convictions as drugs. One thing consumers have to be careful about is counterfeited cheeses, which might contain dangerous ingredients to make them look and taste like genuine ones. Next time you consider buying premium cheese, you may want to check the authenticity of the label, description, and origin more carefully.

Read the article and learn about how premium cheese is valued in the black market nowadays.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/crmz42pjpnjo

Topic Reading-Vol.4591-11/18/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Pictures from space show mighty smog choking Lahore

With a population of 13 million, Lahore in Punjab province is the second largest city in Pakistan. It has been the historic capital and cultural center in the region and is now a major industrial, educational, and economic hub. But sadly, Lahore is known as the world’s most air-polluted city, especially in November and December. According to the Air Quality Index (AQI), a value above 300 signals hazardous air quality. Starting from earlier this month, the index of some locations in Lahore exceeded 1,000 repeatedly. The thick layer of smog and fires in Pakistan’s Punjab province and nearby India’s Dehli are seen in satellite images. One of the fundamental factors is industrial emissions from factories, power plants, and vehicles, especially outdated ones. Also this time of year, farmers in the region and in northern India burn crop residue after harvesting, which releases large amounts of pollutants into the air. Geographically, Lahore's location in a relatively enclosed geographic area can hinder the dispersal of pollutants. Along with the cold air flowing down from Tibet that traps pollutants near the ground, Lahore’s air quality has become so bad that offices and schools have been forced to close and hospitals have been crowded with people with breathing difficulties. This is not new to this year but the situation has become just worse in not only the Punjab region but also northern India, particularly in Delhi. Indeed, environmental problems must be tackled beyond national borders, religions, races, and politics because we all breathe the same air.

Read the article and learn about Lahore’s air pollution. 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cm20k76d5xno

Topic Reading-Vol.4590-11/17/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

What is the Paris climate agreement and why does 1.5C matter?

This year, global temperatures are going to be 1.5C warmer than pre-industrial times, the benchmark period of 1850-1900, the time before human-caused emissions of greenhouse gases significantly impacted global temperatures. (Vol.4589). Why is a 1.5C increase seen as crucial to avoid damaging impacts on our planet and our lives? For example, there will be longer and more severe heatwaves, more intense storms and wildfires, and more frequent floods and droughts. Also, as ice sheets and glaciers melt in polar regions, sea level will rise further. As a result, the natural environment and ecological systems will be severely affected. We’ve already witnessed and experienced extreme weather conditions in the last few years. What have we done and what should we do to avoid catastrophic damage to the lives and environment of the world?

Read the article and learn how seriously the world is becoming warmer.

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-35073297

Topic Reading-Vol.4589-11/16/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

This year set to be first to breach 1.5C global warming limit

2023 was the hottest year on record, about 1.48C warmer than pre-industrial times, the benchmark period of 1850-1900, the time before human-caused emissions of greenhouse gases significantly impacted global temperatures. The first 10 months of this year have been even hotter, and this calendar year is going to be 1.55C warmer than the benchmark. The warmer climate of this year is partly due to natural factors like the El Niño weather pattern, which raises sea surface temperatures over the tropical Pacific Ocean. World leaders pledged to limit long-term temperature rises to 1.5C at the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP21). Only less than a decade later, the goal was breached. Even though La Niña, cooler sea surface temperatures over the Pacific Ocean is expected to be developing now, it is uncertain how much it will impact the temperatures next year. China, the USA, and India are the top three greenhouse gas emitters, and combined, they represent nearly 40% of the world population and produce about half of global gas emissions. Their initiatives and actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are essential to curb global warming.

Read the article and see the graphics to learn how fast the planet has been warming recently.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1dpnxnvv2go

Topic Reading-Vol.4588-11/15/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Why coffee could be good for your health

Is drinking coffee good for your health? How much is too much? Which type of coffee is better than others, decaffeinated, espresso, instant, or regular?  Is drinking coffee black better than adding milk, cream, or sugar?  Studies have found that those who drink coffee of any kind seem to have a lower risk of dying from heart disease, stroke, and cancer, provided that the individual is not engaged in unhealthy diets or smoking. There are too many factors to find which type of coffee or how to drink it has more positive effects on our health but in general, coffee doesn’t bring any health problems. However, coffee does affect our brain and nervous system because it is rich in caffeine. And if you put sugar into every cup of coffee you drink, it adds up. So, just like any other food or drink, take it moderately, you’ll enjoy more benefits of coffee for your health and mind.

Read the article and learn about the benefits of drinking coffee.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20201028-the-benefits-of-coffee-is-coffee-good-for-health

Topic Reading-Vol.4587-11/14/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

'Sin City could be called Solar City': How Las Vegas is going green

Las Vegas is a resort city in Nevada, USA. It is known as the Entertainment Capital of the World for its gambling, shopping, dining, entertainment, nightlife, and business conventions. It’s luxurious and large casino hotels attracted over 40 million visitors last year. Las Vegas sits in a basin on the floor of the Mojave Desert and is surrounded by mountain ranges. It has a subtropical hot desert climate and much of its landscape is rocky and arid. So, how can this city in the desert get water and power to accommodate this many people and light extensively at night? One advantage the energy-consuming city has is the 320 days of sunshine a year. Many of the large properties generate and purchase solar power to run rooms, casinos, and convention centers. Also, recycling and water conservation are becoming more essential for Vagas as the main water source, the Colorado River, is rapidly depleting. The city and properties have been working diligently on water conservation and recycling, and now, over 97% of the water used in Las Vegas is recycled. Las Vegas might be one of the most sustainable mega-cities in the USA.

Read the article and learn how the power and water-consuming entertainment city is transforming into a sustainable mega-city in the desert.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20241101-how-las-vegas-is-becoming-a-sustainable-city

Topic Reading-Vol.4586-11/13/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Cans of ‘fresh air’ from Lake Como on sale to tourists in Italy

A can of air for a souvenir? Lake Como is one of the most popular tourist attractions with its natural beauty, picturesque towns, and many artistic and cultural gems. There were over five million visitors to Lake Como last year, many enough to create special souvenirs. Recently, cans of freshly captured air from the lake were put on the shelves of souvenir shops. Each can contains 400 milliliters of 100% authentic air for €9.90. Someone who wants to recall the memorable experience in Lake Como might see the photos and smell the can of air. Though the idea sounds novel, some other places sell their fresh air in cans, including Naples, Scotland, and Iceland. How much can you smell out of a can of air? As the air would mix with the one in the room very fast, you need to absorb the contained air as soon as and as much as you can.

Read the article and think if a can of air is a good souvenir.

https://edition.cnn.com/2024/11/04/travel/lake-como-air-cans-on-sale-intl-scli/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4585-11/12/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

China on track to record its lowest number of new marriages, official data shows

Between 2008 and 2018, over 10 million couples married each year in China. Especially between 2011 and 2014, the number of registered marriages exceeded 13 million. However, the number has been consistently declining since 2013 from a record 13.47 million marriages in 2014 to 7.5 million, a four-year average between 2020 and 2023 during and after the pandemic. This year, there were only 4.74 million couples registered for marriage during the first nine months, which is on track to mark the lowest number of marriages for the year. The declining marriages clearly represent the impact of the one-child policy between 1980 and 2016 to curb the fast-growing population. Also, the trend seems to reflect the changing attitude toward marriage especially among women who are more educated and financially independent than their former generations. The same trend is seen in South Korea and Japan, whose birthrate, the number of marriages, and population have been sharply declining. What is common among these three East Asia countries are high education costs, patriarchal traditions, and still-existing inequality in job positions. The value and joy of forming a family might need to be reemphasized or redefined to the younger generation to change the downward trend.

Read the article and learn about China’s declining marriages.

https://edition.cnn.com/2024/11/04/china/china-marriages-on-track-low-intl-hnk/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4584-11/11/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 
Hello Kitty at 50: The mouthless face that launched an $80 billion empire
A fictional character Kitty White, often called Hello Kitty, was born on November 1, 1974, in the design house of Sanrio, a Japanese entertainment company that designs, licenses, and produces merchandise. She is a cheerful feline girl with a red bow on her left head and an oval yellow nose but without a visible mouth. She plays the piano and lives in London’s suburbs. The character was originally marketed towards pre-teenage girls, but as her popularity grew and the fans’ ages became older, its fans and customer base extended to teenage and adult consumers, too. For decades, Kitty White has been regarded as an icon of kawaii (cute) culture. She now appears not only in books, videos, animated TV series, and electronics and kitchen appliances but even on an airplane body. When young kitty lovers become parents, they buy Kitty White goods for their children, which naturally makes them become the second generation of Kitty’s fans. One desperate Kitty fan in Japan owns more than 10,000 Kitty items and still keeps buying more every month. 
Winnie-the-Pooh and Mickey Mouse are both nearly 100 years old but they are both still active. What will Kitty White be like 50 years from now?
Read the article and learn how this cute character has become a world icon.
https://edition.cnn.com/2024/10/31/style/hello-kitty-50th-anniversary-japan-hnk-intl/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4583-11/10/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

The changing face of Mongolia

Mongolia is a landlocked country in East Asia, bordered by Russia and China. It is the world’s 18th largest country with a population of only 3.5 million, the 131th in the world. Approximately half of the nation’s people live in the modernized capital city, Ulaanbaatar, which has experienced rapid urbanization and economic growth. In the meantime, around 40% of Mongolians still live nomadic lives on the Mobolian steppe, a vast area of land with grass. Most of them live in gers, or yurts, their traditional, portable, round dwellings. They move from one place to another a few times a year for their cattle. Even though their traditional lifestyle has been threatened recently by rapid urbanization and more frequent extreme weather conditions, visitors can still enjoy their traditional nomadic lifestyles, friendliness, and hospitality.

Read the article and watch the video to learn about Mongolia’s nomadic lifestyle. https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20241101-the-changing-face-of-mongolia

Topic Reading-Vol.4582-11/9/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Alien worlds might not have a night and day. How would that change evolution

There are over 100 billion stars in the Milky Way only, and there are quite a few planets that orbit each star in the habitable distance that could host liquid water. Many of those stars aren’t necessarily like our sun but cooler red dwarfs, called M-dwarfs, and around 40% of them are estimated to have one or more planets orbiting in the habitable zone, called M-Earths. They are different from our Earth because their suns are redder and cooler, which means M-Earths orbit their M-Dwarfs at a much closer distance than the Earth. This makes the gravitational pull of the M-Dwarf on the M-Earth much stronger than the one on the Earth, which means most M-Earths are locked so that one side of the planet faces the sun while the other always faces the other side, just like our Moon always faces one side to the Earth. In such an environment, what sorts of life forms could evolve and flourish? One idea is to look at deep creatures, which live under high water pressure with no or little light. Also, bacteria in our bodies live without light. Temperature, water, gravity, oxygen, and light all matter to the life forms. 

Read the article and learn about the environment of exoplanets.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20241011-why-alien-worlds-might-not-have-days-and-nights

Topic Reading-Vol.4581-11/8/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Russia fines Google $20,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000

One million Russian rubles is about USD10,000. A Russian court ordered Google to pay a staggering amount of penalty for refusing to pay fines for blocking pro-Russian channels on YouTube, a subsidiary of Google. The amount is too vast and beyond comprehensive, two undecillion rubles, a 2 followed by 36 zeroes, or roughly USD20 undecillion, 20 x 10 raised to the power of 36. That is much larger than the sum of the global economy. The numbers most of us can literally grasp are as much as billion, 9 zeros, or trillion, 12 zeros. After that, quadrillion, quintillion, sextillion, septillion, octillion, nonillion, and decillion follow, which are Latin figures plus “-illion”, a suffix that represents the power of one thousand. Even though Russia desperately needs money to pay for the war with Ukraine, what could such an unrealistic amount of money possibly mean? 

Read the article and learn about the staggering amount of penalty Russia charges to Google.

https://edition.cnn.com/2024/10/31/tech/google-fines-russia/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4580-11/7/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Sugar in first 1,000 days linked to poor health later

Attention women in the stages of preconception, expected mothers, and parents of babies and toddlers. Reduce sugar intake and refrain from giving sugary food to your children if you want them to start the best lives. In the UK, between 1940 and 1953 sugar was rationed, not really for health benefits but because of World War II. Researchers analyzed 60,000 people who were born during the sugar rationing and those who were born shortly after and found that the risk of developing type 2 diabetes was 35% lower and high blood pressure was 20% lower than those who were born after them. A healthy maternal diet during pregnancy and breastfeeding seems to help prevent pregnancy complications and adverse child health outcomes. Also, early exposure to sugar could affect metabolism and how the body responds to food throughout life. A good start, a good life.

Read the article and learn how early sugar intake affects children’s lives.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c93qlyp42jyo

Topic Reading-Vol.4579-11/6/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

How the coldest place on Earth became one of the world’s hottest vacation spots

Expeditions used to be the way to travel to Antarctica until the last decade. Passengers had to endure days on a clumsy ship and bear small beds, shared bathrooms, limited food choices, if any, and no or few windows. In the 1990s, there were only around 7,000 visitors to Antarctica a year. But as tour operators offer more inviting and enticing tour packages with luxurious cruise ships, more people are attracted to visit the coldest continent. In fact, the number of visitors to Antarctica jumped to 122,000 this year, which was just below 44,000 in 2017. Those visitors enjoy walking on the ice, seeing majestic views and cute penguins, and breathing the dry and cold air. Another more affordable and physically less demanding option is to just cruise to Antarctica on a large ship without stepping on the ice. The passengers can still enjoy seeing the majestic views of icebergs and glaciers and feeling the icy air from the deck. Whichever the travel options might be, there are concerns about the lives and environment in Antarctica, including black soot from cruise ships, carbon dioxide from humans, and human-borne bacteria and viruses to the wildlife. Over-tourism is happening on all continents after the pandemic.

Read the article and learn about new tourism options for Antarctica.

https://edition.cnn.com/travel/antarctica-cruise-ships-tourism-boom/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4578-11/5/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Lost Chopin music unearthed nearly 200 years after composer’s death

Born in 1810, Frederic Francois Chopin was a Polish composer of piano works and virtuoso pianist. After finishing his musical education in Warsaw, he settled in Paris at the age of 21. His piano works include ballades, etudes, impromptus, mazurkas, nocturnes, polonaises, preludes, scherzos, sonatas, and variations. He also wrote eight waltzes between 1831 and 1847. Recently, a curator at a museum in New York discovered another waltz written by Chopin in the 1830s. Because of the size of the sheet of paper and the length of the work, it is believed to have been written for a gift but was not sent. It was the first discovery of Chopin’s work since the late 1930s. Indeed, there are famous musical works that had not been published or premiered until decades or even over a century after the composer's death, such as Bach’s Cello Suites and Schubert’s Last String Quartet. Though the newly-found Chopin’s waltz lasts only a minute, it is a new piece of work by the great piano music composer.

Read the article and learn about Chopin’s newly found pian work.

https://edition.cnn.com/2024/10/29/style/new-chopin-waltz-discovered-scli-intl/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4577-11/4/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

More than 1 in 3 tree species are at risk of going extinct, new analysis shows

Trees play a major role in the ecosystem by producing oxygen, absorbing heart-trapped carbon, providing food and habitat for wildlife, and sourcing medicine. However, a decade-long study has found that of the 47,000 tree species assessed, over 16,000 are at risk of going extinct. Global warming, pollution, deforestation for agriculture and urbanization, invasive species, and diseases are to blame. Because of trees’ vital role in the ecosystem, the extinction of tree species threatens thousands of other wild species. Also, our life without tree diversity is unthinkable. Only humans are responsible for and capable of conserving tree species, not other creatures that live around trees.

Read the article and learn about the threats to tree species.

https://edition.cnn.com/2024/10/28/climate/tree-species-threatened-extinction/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4576-11/3/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

'We are in danger' - Spanish anti-tourism spills into winter season

Spain lies in the Iberian Peninsula and includes the Canary Islands in the Mediterranean Sea. With the sunny Mediterranean climate, glistering beaches, historical monuments, and palatable foods and wines, the country receives nearly 100 million tourists this year, about twice the size of its population. Indeed, tourism in Spain contributes about 13% of its GDP. However, the tourism recovery after the coronavirus pandemic has been so drastic that residents of popular tourist destinations have staged protests against overtourism. For example, tens of thousands of people demonstrated in Madrid last month demanding more affordable housing amid rising rental prices as Airbnb and Booking.com dominate the short-term rental market. Also, thousands of protesters in popular tourist destinations like San Sebastian, Seville, and the Canary Islands are complaining that over-tourism has put too much pressure on their lives, including soaring rental prices, overcrowded public spaces and transportation, and distorted harmony of their communities. Balancing the harmony of businesses, cultures, and daily lives seems like another challenge after the pandemic. What will the new international airports do to the lives in Greenland? (Vol.4575)

Read the article and learn about Spain’s over tourism.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwy19egx47eo

Topic Reading-Vol.4575-11/2/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Holiday in Greenland? New airports aim to entice tourists

Greenland is an autonomous territory of Denmark and the world’s largest non-continental island. As it lies between latitudes 59° and 83°N, it is icy and cold. In Nuuk, the capital of the autonomous country, the average daily temperature varies over the seasons from - 5 to 10 °C. The population of the capital city is just around 20,000, about 35% of the total population of the island. There are no direct flights to Nuuk either from Europe or North America, but that will soon change. A new international airport is to open this month that is capable of handling a jet carrying over 300 passengers. Then in 2026, another international airport is set to open in a popular tourist destination, Ilulissat, where huge icebergs are floating off the coastline. Since Greenland can be flown just in four hours either from North America or Europe, it is expected to become a popular tourist destination in a few years. But how many tourists will be too many for an island with a population of just 56,000? While tourism will certainly stimulate the economy of Greenland, over-tourism and environmental impacts on the icy island, though it is becoming greener these days due to global warming, are concerns of many. 

Read the article and learn about the change Greenland is about to make.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy4dz7l181wo

Topic Reading-Vol.4574-11/1/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

A loneliness epidemic is spreading worldwide. Seoul is spending $327 million to stop it

When do you feel lonely? Dining alone in a restaurant where families, couples, and friends are chatting and laughing at other tables most likely makes the solo diner feel lonely. Also, unlocking the door to a dark and empty room reminds the occupant that there is no one to talk to even at home. However, the time someone may feel lonelier than ever might be when he or she is on a deathbed alone. Last year there were over 3,600 lonely deaths in South Korea, and the number has been increasing. Surprisingly, over 84% of the lonely deaths were male, and more than half of them were in their 50s and 60s, who still haven’t reached their senior years yet. Besides the factors now common in other developed countries like Japan such as rising single-person households and declining social interactions, South Korea’s competitive achievement-oriented culture might have made some men in their upper-middle ages feel unneeded or less valuable in society. Indeed, comparing oneself to others can generally lead to negative thoughts. While dying alone might be situational, dying with a lonely feeling can be avoided.

Read the article and learn about how someone feels lonely when they die.

https://edition.cnn.com/2024/10/24/asia/south-korea-loneliness-deaths-intl-hnk/index.html