Topic Reading-Vol.4450-6/30/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers,  

Booking.com warns of up to 900% increase in travel scams

You “thought” you found a good deal at a hotel in your travel destination, booked a room for a few nights, and gave your credit card information. A few days before checking in the hotel, you tried to confirm the reservation and found no room was booked under your name even though a full amount of the booking had already been withdrawn from your credit card. It was a phishing, where internet users are deceived into handing over their financial information. As AI becomes more useful and reliable in creating authentic documents and realistic images, internet fraudsters are taking advantage of the technology. Their fake sites look more authentic and convincing than the pre-AI era. They can create realistic images and flawless texts that are hard to distinguish from real ones. Booking.com, one of the world's leading online travel platforms, said there had been a significant increase in travel scams in the last 18 months. It is advised that travelers check contact details including the phone number of the service provider. Also, two-factor authentification such as inputting a code that was sent to your phone will help you protect from phishing. As AI becomes handier, we ought to be more careful about fake images and texts on the Internet.

Read the article and learn about the increasing number of online travel scams.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c8003dd8jzeo

Topic Reading-Vol.4449-6/29/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers,  

Why an exam has sparked national outrage in India

The National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET),  formerly the All India Pre-Medical Test is an Indian nationwide entrance examination conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) for admission to undergraduate medical programs. Being a mandatory exam for admission to medical programs, it is the biggest exam in India in terms of the number of applicants. A total of 180 questions are asked in the 200-minute exams from Physics, Chemistry, Botany, and Zoology evenly, and the maximum mark is 720. Since colleges and universities aren’t allowed to conduct their own medical entrance exam, getting a high score on this national exam is the only way to be admitted to medical schools. A record-high 2.33 million candidates took the exam on May 5 this year, about 300,000 more than last year for just 110,000 admissions. Ever since the results were announced on June 4, the exam has come under scrutiny for reasons ranging from errors in the question paper, compensatory marks, paper leaks, and fraud because there were too many candidates who scored extremely high scores, including 67 who marked full scores. Usually, only a few or no exam takers achieve the perfect score of 720 marks. The issue was brought up to the Supreme Court and several suspects have been investigated by the police. Just like China’s Gaokao, India’s NEET is a once-a-year high-stakes exam that is taken by millions of candidates.

Read the article and learn about what India’s entrance exam for medical school is like.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cv22wl82yldo

Topic Reading-Vol.4448-6/28/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Inside India’s first emergency room to fight heat crisis

Delhi usually experiences the summer heat from May to July. During this season the temperatures rise to a maximum of 39°C or higher around the end of May. This year, the capital of India recorded the highest-ever temperature of over 50°C on May 26, and the prolonged heatwave has been pushing daily temperatures over 40C ever since. While many people still think a heatwave is just an enduring act of nature, the temperatures are way beyond the range that humans can live in, especially with high humidity and in a congested area. In Dehli, a third of the residents live in substandard and congested housing or slums where adequate cooling is rare. Also, so many workers spend most of the day outside, like construction workers, rickshaw drivers, and street vendors. As a result, so many people have suffered from heatstroke, which occurs when the body can no longer control its temperature and the body's temperature rises rapidly to over 40C, the sweating mechanism fails, and the body is unable to cool down. At that point, the body needs to be cooled ASAP and in an emergency, the patient might be put into icy water. This year, hospitals have accepted more heatstroke patients than ever before.

Read the article and learn about how severe Delhi’s heatwave has been this season.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn00nkzdvkjo

Topic Reading-Vol.4447-6/27/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
New Zealand prime minister hitches ride on commercial plane after jet breaks down
The Boeing 757 is a two-engine narrow-body aircraft that went into service four decades ago. A little over a thousand were produced but the production of the aircraft ended two decades ago. One of them has been used by the Royal New Zealand Force for years to carry personnel and equipment, including the PM and other VIPs. Despite the intensive maintenance, the old aircraft left then-PM in Antarctica stranded in 2022 due to mechanical trouble. Earlier this month, after refueling in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea en route to Japan, the aircraft became unable to continue the journey because of a fuse problem. On board the aircraft were the Prime Minister and 50-some business leaders who were scheduled to have executive meetings in Tokyo. Fortunately, one of the business leaders was the CEO of Air New Zealand. He had his commercial flight to Tokyo to stop by and pick up some of the passengers, including the PM, who also had served as the CEO of the airline for seven years before he entered politics. It was an embarrassing event for New Zealand’s leaders and the Royal New Zealand Force. It was also a surprising experience for both the crew members and the passengers on board the Air New Zealand flight. What will New Zealand do with the old, troublesome aircraft?
Read the article and learn about how smartly New Zealand’s leaders and flag carrier dealt with the trouble during an executive air travel.
https://edition.cnn.com/2024/06/18/travel/christopher-luxon-air-new-zealand-plane-intl-hnk/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4446-6/26/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

New high-speed sleeper train service connects Hong Kong with Beijing and Shanghai

China is a nation of electric traveling. Around 8 million new electric cars were sold last year and is projected to grow to 10 million this year. It also has the world’s longest and most extensively covered high-speed rail network of over 45,000 km. For example, Hong Kong to Beijing bullet trains run for a travel time of about 8.5 hours for the 2,439 km distance, and the Hong Kong to Shanghai service takes around eight hours for the 1,649 km distance. If you fly, it takes 3.5 hours and 2 hours and 45 minutes respectively, plus the time to get to and from the airports, checking in, security clearance, and waiting time for boarding. All in all, train services are more convenient if you can bear the long hours, nearly all day long. Now, new high-speed sleeper train services began on June 15 between Hong Kong and the two major cities. Leaving in the evening, travelers arrive at Beijing or Shanghai station before 7 am the next morning. Return trips leave Beijing and Shanghai at around 8 pm and arrive in Hong Kong the next morning at 8:47 am and 7:29 am respectively. If you want to arrive in these three cities early in the morning, this new high-speed sleeper train service might be a good option. Indeed, the convenience of a sleeper train is not so much about how fast or how long it runs but what time to leave and arrive at your destination.

Read the article and learn about China’s brand-new high-speed railway service.

https://edition.cnn.com/2024/06/16/travel/high-speed-sleeper-train-hong-kong-beijing-shanghai-intl-hnk/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4445-6/25/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Africa's internet vulnerability and how to fix it

Underwater internet cables carry telecommunication signals across the ocean floor.  They are made of fiberoptic and are the backbone of the internet, carrying the vast majority of the world's internet traffic, including emails and social media posts to financial transactions and video calls. A disruption to a major submarine cable can cause a significant impact on internet traffic in the affected region. Last month, a serious internet outage occurred and severed internet connections in several African countries. It was the third disruption in just four months this year in Africa. Recently, damage to undersea internet cables has occurred more frequently. The only dedicated repair ship in Africa used to repair damaged cables a few times a year but did nine repairs last year. The most common cause of those cable damages is an anchor dragging from ships, which occurs when a ship drags its anchor across the seabed. Also, underwater rockfalls and seismic activities could damage undersea cables. Unlike Europe and North America where high-capacity cables are placed on land and underwater, internet connections in African countries rely heavily on a limited number of undersea cables. Africa seems to need more diverse internet connectivity to meet the growing use of the Internet.

Read the article and learn about how vulnerable Africa’s internet connectivity is.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cjr77zj8lj4o

Topic Reading-Vol.4444-6/24/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Taylor Swift grabs royal selfie at London gig

What selfies! Taylor Swift at her London venue, Prince William at his 42^nd birthday with his 10-year-old Prince George and nine-year-old Princess Charlotte! Also joined was Travis Kelce, her boyfriend and one of the most prominent American football players. The photos were taken by herself on June 21 in the backstage of the Wembley Stadium, which was packed with 90,000 fans for her gig. Everyone in the photos is smiling, very happily.

See the photos and guess who the happiest of all was.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgee8qgey2eo

Topic Reading-Vol.4443-6/23/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Rare twin elephants born in Thailand 'miracle'

Elephants live together in herds. When a female elephant gets pregnant and the time to give birth approaches, the female will seek close contact with another female in the herd for protection during labor. Sometimes the entire herd circles around a female giving birth, protecting her from all sides. A female elephant gives birth while standing, which takes only a few minutes. A single calf is usually born with head and forelegs first. On average, newborn calves stand about 1 meter high and weigh 120 kg at birth. The newborn can stand on its own within minutes of birth and walk within one or two hours. Twins have been documented, but are quite rare. Recently, a 36-year-old Asian elephant in an elephant park in Ayutthaya, the ancient capital of Thailand, gave a surprising birth to twins of a male and a female, an extremely rare combination. The male calf, which weighed only 60kg, came out first, and both the mother elephant and caretakers were happy with the expected birth. Then the 55kg female unexpectedly came out, which surprised and panicked the mother. The also-surprised caretakers acted immediately to separate the newborn from the panicked mother for protection. The twins were smaller than average newborns but they are now in good shape. Elephants are regarded as sacred in Thailand, and park visitors are excited to see the rare twin elephants.

Read the article and learn about the extremely rare elephant twins.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c8445lyjndvo

Topic Reading-Vol.4442-6/22/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

A crocodile was terrorizing this Australian town. So residents cooked and ate it

The saltwater crocodile lives in saltwater habitats, wetlands, and even rivers in South Asia, Micronesia, and northern Australia. It is the largest living reptile, and males can grow over a ton and six meters long while females are about half of their weight and size. Seawater crocodiles are vicious predators. They eat living creatures in the water and on the land, including sharks, birds, pigs, dogs, and even humans. They had been hunted for their skins until the 1970s and have been listed on the IUCN Red List since 1996. Recently, a 3.6-meter saltwater crocodile was shot dead in Australia’s Northern Territory because it ate pet dogs and threatened children. The crocodile was then cooked and eaten by the residents according to the tradition, including tail soup, barbecue, and steamed dish wrapped in banana leaves. Hunting a crocodile to protect a human community and fill their stomach. Nothing was wasted. Sounds ecological, doesn't it?

Read the article and learn about what residents did to a threatening crocodile.

https://edition.cnn.com/2024/06/13/travel/australian-community-eats-crocodile-scli-intl/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4441-6/21/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Greece shuts Acropolis to protect tourists from blistering heat

The Acropolis of Athens is an ancient citadel that sits on a rocky hill in Athens, Greece. It was built in the 5^th century BCE following the victory against the Persians. The ancient monument was listed on the World Heritage Site list in 1987, and it now receives over 20,000 visitors each day. Athens has a Mediterranean climate, with mild and wet winters and hot, dry summers. Since the Acropolis stands on a steep, rocky hill, it is exposed to sunlight and heat. The popular tourist site has recently been closed to tourists and workers in mid-afternoons in summer to protect them from heat. This year, when the temperature reached around 40 degrees Celsius on June 12, it shut its doors to visitors. Because of global warming, Greece has experienced fierce heatwaves and wildfires more frequently than ever. Is summer still a good time to visit Greece?

Read the article and learn about how hot it could be to visit a world heritage site.

https://edition.cnn.com/2024/06/12/climate/greece-shuts-acropolis-heat-climate-intl/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4440-6/20/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Could AI put an end to animal testing?

Animal testing uses non-human animals in experiments that seek to control the variables that affect the behavior or biological system under study. Millions of fish and animals, such as rats, dogs, and primates are being used each year. For example, before testing a new medicine on humans, animals are used as test subjects to find if the medicine causes harmful or toxic effects on them. The practice is considered by researchers as a necessary evil since no other effective alternative methods have been developed. Now, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is coming to the aid of such medical research. AI can extract and synthesize available data that are relevant to specific research. Also, AI could produce virtual animals that are trained using the data from historical test results in place of real animal testing. AI helps not only develop new medicine but also reduce live-animal testing.

Read the article and learn about how AI could save the lives of animals.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cd110l61r3go

Topic Reading-Vol.4439-6/19/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

African elephants use names to call each other, study suggests

While most animals aren’t capable of learning to produce new sounds, dolphins and parrots are known to produce specific sounds to call other individuals. Now, a new study suggests that African elephants also seem to address each other by individualized calls. Researchers used a machine-learning model to analyze 469 calls by female wild elephants and their calves that were recorded over decades. They then studied three types of rumbles elephants make, contact rumbles to call another elephant that is far away, greeting rumbles within touching distance, and caregiver rumbles by adult females to call their calf. Interestingly, the reactions of the receivers to those calls were stronger to a call that was originally addressed to them than to one that was addressed to others. Since elephants live nearly as long as humans in communities, they might have developed the cognitive ability to call one from others and understand different calls.

Read the article and learn about the surprising elephant's ability to call others.

https://edition.cnn.com/2024/06/10/science/african-elephants-name-like-calls-intl-scli-scn/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4438-6/18/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Scientists enlist AI to interpret meaning of barks

Dogs can bark, growl, and whimper in many situations: when somebody approaches or enters their territory, to greet, to receive attention, to threaten and to defend themselves, when playing, when they are alone or in pain, in conflict, frustration or excitement, and in answer to the barks of other dogs. These sounds do not have a meaning like the words of the human language, but they seem to represent a type of communication that reports the emotional state of the dog who is barking. Dog owners and trainers often know what their dogs are trying to communicate when they bark or whimper. Now, some scientists are trying to learn what dogs are trying to communicate better when they bark by using AI that has been used to analyze human speech. They collected the barks, growls, and whimpers of 74 dogs of various types in a variety of contexts and fed them into an algorithm that identified language patterns. AI will then identify common patterns dogs use and interpret them into human languages.

A famous Austrian philosopher said that if a lion spoke, we could never understand him. But since dogs have been domesticated for thousands of years and have been closely connected to human lives, we might understand what they want to communicate with the aid of AI.

Read the article and learn about how some scientists are trying to decode canines' sounds.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c8887lx1z3vo

Topic Reading-Vol.4437-6/17/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Muslim pilgrims converge on Mount Arafat for holiest day of Hajj

The Hajj is an Islamic pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia, about 70 km inland from Jeddah on the Red Sea. It is one of the Five Pillars of Islam, which every adult Muslim is required to undertake at least once in their lifetime if they are financially and physically able. The Haji is considered an act of worship and devotion and is a chance for pilgrims for spiritual rebirth and cleansing of sins. It brings together Muslims from around the world and fosters a sense of global Muslim brotherhood. This year, the Haji started on June 14 and brought over 1.8 million pilgrims, still fewer than in pre-pandemic years. During the Haji, the population of Mecca nearly doubles. The Pilgrims climbed the rocky hill known as the Mountain of Mercy, prayed around and touched the Kaaba, Islam’s holiest shrine, and shot photos and videos with their smartphones. Indeed, the Haji is a significant religious journey that emphasized devotion, community, and spiritual renewal for Islamic pilgrims.

Read the article and see the photos to learn the significance of the Haji for Muslims.

https://www.aljazeera.com/gallery/2024/6/15/muslim-pilgrims-converge-on-mount-arafat-for-holiest-day-of-hajj

Topic Reading-Vol.4436-6/16/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Eleven tonnes of rubbish taken off Himalayan peaks

Climbing permits for Mount Everest are primarily issued for the two main climbing seasons: the pre-monsoon (spring) and post-monsoon (autumn) periods. A total of 421 permits were issued for this year’s pre-monsoon season. During that time, the Nepalese army also conducted an annual clean-up campaign. This year, it removed 11 tons of garbage, four corpses, and one skeleton from Mount Everest and two other peaks. In the last five years, over 100 tons of garbage, 14 corpses, and some skeletons have been collected from the world’s highest peaks. The Nepalese government is trying to limit the number of permits which cost $11,000 this year and $15,000 next year to reduce traffic and keep the environment. Climbers also have to spend thousands of dollars on insurance, accommodation, equipment, and local guides. They are also required to wear tracking devices and bring back everything they brought in and produced, including their own poo to reduce rubbish in the mountain. Indeed, climbing the world’s highest peak requires not only physical strength but also financial resources and an ethical mindset.

Read the article and learn about what climbers left on Mount Everest.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cq5539lj1pqo

Topic Reading-Vol.4435-6/15/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

‘When can I have one?’: The world’s largest 3D printer is building cozy homes from wood

Three-dimensional-printed houses are life-size dwellings that use 3D printing as their primary means of construction. With minimal human oversight, these highly customizable structures can be built on-site or off-site within a matter of hours at a fraction of the cost. Typically, 3D-printed houses feature free-form, curvilinear shapes made out of a cement mix. However, printing a concrete house outside could be problematic when the weather is rough. Also, printed modules of the concrete house are very heavy to transport. Recently, the University of Maine’s Advanced Structures and Composites Center (ASCC) unveiled the world's largest 3D printer that can print a house with wood residuals. It can print a wooden house nearly 30 meters long, 10 meters wide, and 5.5 meters tall. The printer could print the walls, floor, and roof of a small house within 48 hours. The prefabricated house will then be transported to the construction site and be worked on wiring, plumbing, and other interior works. Will we soon witness more printed houses in our neighborhood?

Read the article and learn about what this world’s largest 3D printer can produce.

https://edition.cnn.com/style/worlds-largest-3d-printer-homes-maine-hnk-spc-intl/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4434-6/14/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

India’s division by prosperity and poverty

Of the 1.4 billion population, there are nearly a billion voters and as many as six hundred million workers in India. Mumbai is the financial capital and the most populous city of India with an estimated population of over 23 million in the metropolitan region. Like other metropolitan cities like Delhi and Bengaluru, Mumbai is a financially and socially diverse city. There are quite a few wealthy people who earn decent incomes and live in high-rise buildings. Also, there are many residents who are struggling just to make ends meet each day. In fact, over 80% of India’s workers work in the unorganized sector, where they have no formal work contracts, social security, or health benefits, such as farmers, rickshaw drivers, and housemaids. Before the individual’s ambition, education, and hard work, the family background still seems to matter a lot to the course of life in India.

Read the article about two women whose family backgrounds and lives are distinctively different and learn about the disparity in India.

https://edition.cnn.com/interactive/2024/06/india/india-election-inequality-economy-intl-hnk-dst-cnnphotos/

Topic Reading-Vol.4433-6/13/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

How air pollution is causing girls to get their first periods earlier

New research in the US has found that girls are entering puberty at a younger age than previous generations. Girls born in the early 2000s in the US experienced their first period when they were 11.9 years on average. It was 12.5 years only half a century ago. A similar trend has also been found in South Korea whose fertility rate is the lowest in the world. The causes of earlier puberty are still being investigated. Studies in South Korea suggest that air pollution might affect physical development. One concern about earlier puberty is that girls are likely to become sexually active earlier, which could lead to unwanted teen pregnancies. Also, it has been thought that early puberty could trigger higher risks of breast cancer, obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. While girls are becoming ready to become pregnant earlier, fewer babies are born in developed countries and metropolitan communities, including South Korea.

Read the article and learn about why girls are getting their first periods at younger ages.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20240605-how-air-pollution-is-impacting-girls-puberty

Topic Reading-Vol.4432-6/12/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

UN chief says world is on ‘highway to climate hell’ as planet endures 12 straight months of unprecedented heat

At the UN Climate Change Conference (COP 21) in Pari in 2015, 196 parties agreed to combat climate change and to accelerate and intensify the actions and investments needed for a sustainable low-carbon future. It was agreed to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. The UN’s climate panel warns that crossing the 1.5°C threshold risks unleashing far more severe climate change impacts, including more frequent and severe droughts, heatwaves, and rainfall. However, the world seems to have made less effort to reduce planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions but burned more fossil fuels since then. As a result, the world experienced the hottest temperatures each month for the 12 consecutive months until May. Furthermore, it has been at least 1.5 degrees warmer than temperatures before industrialization each month since July last year. In fact, dozens have died in India in the last few weeks as temperatures exceeded 50C. In Mexico, howler monkeys dropped dead from trees because of heat. The UN chief warned that humans could be the meteor that extinguished dinosaurs 66 million years ago. Indeed, even though the recent temperature-warming El Niño cycle is nearing its end, greenhouse gas emissions aren’t decreasing. Will we make more efforts to keep the environment survivable or keep burning fossil fuels to destroy the planet?

Read the article and learn about how warm the last 12 months were.

https://edition.cnn.com/2024/06/05/climate/12-months-record-heat-un-speech/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4431-6/11/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Indian airline gives female travelers option to choose seats next to other women

Nowadays, airplane passengers are given the option to choose their seats with or without a fee. But until recently, you never know who will be sitting next to you until you sit in your assigned or chosen seat. For female passengers in India, where they are often harassed or even assaulted during flights, it is often worrisome to sit next to male passengers. So, one of India’s largest airlines came up with a new feature that allows female passengers to see if they are sitting next to male passengers online. They can then choose to change their seats to where other women are sitting next to them. The airline is trying to make the travel experience more comfortable for its female passengers. Usually, airplane seats are segmented by airfare. Then does seat segmentation by gender or group sound too segregating?

Read the article and learn about a new seat option offered by India’s leading low-cost carrier.

https://edition.cnn.com/2024/05/31/travel/indigo-indian-airline-female-travelers-seating-intl-hnk/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4430-6/10/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

New airplane business class seat design has huge 45-inch TV screen

Inflight entertainment has been changing in the last several years as more passengers prefer reading books or watching movies/dramas with their smartphones. Even though smartphone screens are tiny, their resolution is much better than the ones of the display in front of your seat. So, an airplane seat manufacturer and inflight entertainment provider came up with a new seat design with a gigantic, ultra-high-resolution, curved screen for business class. The 45-inch display not only shows typical inflight programs but also syncs up with the passenger’s mobile devices so that they can enjoy watching their favorite programs as if they were in a movie theater. The concept seemed to have been well received by airlines at a recent aircraft interior expo. Which airlines will put this super display on their aircraft first? Also, will there be a first-class version of this concept?

Read the article and learn about this new concept for business class seats.

https://edition.cnn.com/travel/maya-45-inch-screen-business-class-seat/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4429-6/9/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Record 13 million to sit ‘world’s toughest’ college entrance exam

The Nationwide Unified Examination for Admissions to General Universities and Colleges, usually mentioned as Gaokao (Higher Exam) is China’s annual national undergraduate admission exam, which is held in early June every year. The grueling test lasts nine hours in two days, including Chinese, math, English, and either science subjects like physics and chemistry or arts subjects like history and political science. The exam scores are used for university admissions. For example, top universities like Peking and Tsinghua require a minimum of around 680 out of the maximum score of 750. In 2000, there were 3.7 million Gaokao test takers, and nearly 60% of them were admitted to colleges. In the last five years, over 10 million students took Gaokao tests and more than 85% of them were accepted by colleges. This year, a record 13.4 million students took the two-day exams. Since most high school students are their parent’s only children, they are desperately expected to get better scores to enter good universities, even though over 20% of college graduates have been unable to find jobs in recent years. Chinese students seem to be studying under extremely heavy pressure and intense competition.

Read the article and learn about China’s national college entrance exams.

https://edition.cnn.com/2024/06/07/china/china-gaokao-2024-record-number-intl-hnk/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4428-6/8/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

North Korea sent trash balloons to South Korea. Activists are sending balloons back with K-pop and K-dramas

South Korean activists have been sending propaganda balloons to its northern neighbor for some time, containing USB sticks loaded with videos and TV shows, leaflets criticizing North’s leaders, and booklets about South’s prosperity. In return, the North recently sent quite a few balloons carrying trash of all kinds, and over a thousand of them arrived in South Korea. These balloons disrupted flights and business activities in areas near the border. Indeed, balloons are an economical, carbon-free way to send materials somewhere. However, once the balloons are released, they are controlled mainly by the wind, and they might arrive too far from the targeted areas. Also, you never know if the items you packed will be picked up by the target populations. In addition, it is threatening if explosive, hazardous, or contaminated materials are sent by balloons. Why are Koreans relying on balloons to send messages and trash to each other?

Read the article and learn about the recent balloon attacks in the Korean Peninsula.

https://edition.cnn.com/2024/06/06/asia/north-korea-balloons-activists-kpop-intl-hnk/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4427-6/7/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Chinese online short dramas seek ever-growing success
Viewed mostly on smartphones or smart devices, micro-dramas or mini-series, typically played on mini-programs or social platforms. They are brief, lasting only between tens of seconds and a few minutes per episode and often ending with a cliffhanger or twist. The first few episodes are usually free to attract viewers and later episodes in which the storyline unfolds usually adopt a pay-per-view model. This new short drama category has become very popular in China, having created over 5 billion in revenues last year. Because of the relatively small production costs, these online micro-drams generate lucrative profits once they become popular. A flashy image, a catchy title, and a large number of online mentions on social media would attract the attention of first-time viewers. Then an intriguing, exciting, or enticing first few episodes would encourage the viewers to pay to view subsequent episodes. It seems like a very unique visual entertainment business model that has emerged and been growing online from China and beyond.

Read the article and learn about how Chinese online short dramas have been growing.

https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202406/01/WS665a8ae6a31082fc043ca5a1.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4426-6/6/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Why are South Korean babies and children suing their government?

Greta Thunberg, the world’s famous environmental activist, started her school strike and protested outside the Swedish parliament calling for stronger action on climate change when she was 15. Weekly student climate strikes took place around the world after she gave an address at the 2018 United Nations Climate Change Conference. In the 2015 Paris Agreement, participating governments committed to making an effort to prevent global temperatures from rising by more than 1.5 degrees Celsius, and South Korea was one of those countries that made a legally binding commitment, having set a target to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 40% compared with levels in 2018. However, more than 60 children in the country think the government is failing to protect its people from the harms of climate change and brought the case to court. And there are several other cases brought to court, too. Indeed, climate change is not just a global and inter-governmental but also an inter-generational issue. It might be one of the background for South Korea’s lowest birth rate in the world.

Read the article and learn about how unsatisfied Korean children are about plans and actions to curb climate change.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/6/1/why-are-south-korean-babies-and-children-suing-their-government

Topic Reading-Vol.4425-6/5/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Heat kills at least 15 in India as temperatures near 50C

May and June are the hottest months in New Delhi with the mean daily maximum temperatures reaching nearly 40C. Since the new millennium, India has seen a rise in deaths due to extreme heat. This year, temperatures have gone around mid-40s degrees in some parts of the country since May, with Delhi and surrounding regions experiencing nearly 50C. Many people have been admitted to hospitals due to heat-related ailments, and some of them died, including election officers. When temperatures rise, the demand for electricity surges, which could lead to power shortages, and the same goes for water consumption and supply.

As heatwaves are becoming longer, more intense, and more frequent due to global warming, the problems aren’t limited to India.

Read the article and learn about how hot India has been since May.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czddy30ezd5o

Topic Reading-Vol.4424-6/4/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Japan is determined to keep hunting whales. And now it has a brand new ‘mothership’

Norway, Iceland, and Japan are the only three countries that still hunt whales. While Iceland said it would end whaling this year, Norway, which hunts more whales than Iceland and Japan combined, has no intention to quit whaling. Despite criticisms by wildlife conservationists and environmentalists, Japan still hunts whales under scientific research. But it is in fact commercial whaling for meat, whose demand has been declining consistently over decades. Nowadays, whale meat is no longer ordinary food even but a delicacy like shark fins or caviar even in Japan. Surprisingly, a brand-new whale mother ship set out on her maiden voyage to Japan’s northern waters. on June 1. The 9,300-ton mother ship is capable of cruising 13,000 kilometers, enough range to travel to the Southern Ocean. It also has enough storage to freeze up to 2,000 tons of whale meat, enough to feed nearly all Japanese whale eaters. The ship owner claims that culling whaling is essential to keep the balance of the ocean ecosystem, which conservation groups and scientists strongly disagree with. Will the new whaling ship last 30 years like its predecessor?

Read the article and learn about Japan’s latest whaling vessel.

https://edition.cnn.com/2024/05/30/asia/japan-whaling-mothership-kangei-maru-intl-hnk/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4423-6/3/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

China’s military shows off rifle-toting robot dogs

A robot dog made by the Chinese army took part in the China-Cambodia “Golden Dragon 2024” military exercise last month. Robots and drones are nothing new in the world’s militaries nowadays, but the robo-dog shown in the drill was equipped with a machine gun. A video released by the Chinese army showed the robot battle dog firing the machine gun and leading human soldiers into a simulated building. If it is used to engage in a similar battle situation, the robot might save the lives of the soldiers or reduce the casualties while the enemy might be shot by the robot. Whether the robot is remote-controlled or autonomous, it has demonstrated another step toward the era of battle with robots like science fiction movies.

Read the article and learn about China’s robot battle dog.

https://edition.cnn.com/2024/05/28/china/china-military-rifle-toting-robot-dogs-intl-hnk-ml/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4422-6/2/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Bette Nash, world’s longest-serving flight attendant, dies at 88

A 16-year-old girl took her first flight in her life back in 1951. When she saw the pilot and flight attendant walk across the cabin of the TWA flight, then a mighty airliner, she found a lifetime dream. After graduating from college, she was hired by Eastern Air Lines in Miami in 1957. She mostly flew between Washington D.C., New York, and Boston so that she could take care of her son who suffered from Down syndrome. She kept flying and servicing passengers on various airlines as they dissolved or merged, including Eastern Air Lines, Trump Shuttle, USAir Shuttle, and finally American Airlines Shuttle. After working continuously for over six decades, she was named the longest-serving flight attendant by Guinness World Records in 2022. She had experienced many turbulences and technology changes in the airline industry over those years, including the September 11 attack in 2001, the paper-to-tablet transition, and the recent pandemic. She kept working until just a year before her death last month at the age of 88. Bette Burke Nash might have been one of the most frequently flown people in history and is now flying in heaven.

Read the article and learn about the passion that had kept this amazing woman flying and servicing passengers for over six decades.

https://edition.cnn.com/travel/bette-nash-longest-serving-flight-attendant-death-hnk-intl/index.html

Topic Reading-Vol.4421-6/1/2024

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Japanese town overrun with tourists puts up view-blocking barrier near Mount Fuji

Overtourism powered by social media seems to have disastrous effects on the lives of local residents and businesses. The snowy 3,776m peak of Japan’s iconic Mount Fuji is one of the most popular photo spots for tourists. It could be photographed from any angle because of its round shape, but somehow or the other, the mountain shot behind a convenience store near Lake Kawaguchi became a hot spot. There were just too many tourists around this small vantage point where locals walk or drive along. Some of the tourists trespass, smoke, litter, and shout in the usually calm and slow community. Finally, an ugly, giant black net was put up to block the iconic view of Mount Fuji in response to numerous complaints from locals, who say their lives have been disrupted by jaywalking and littering tourists. The ugly net will certainly discourage tourists who want photos of the particular spot to come to the particular convenience store. However, it will also take away the view from the residents who have been enjoying it. Not only in famous travel destinations like Venice or Barcelona but also in rural, usually-quite spots like the town of Fuji-Kawaguchiko, over-tourism is increasingly becoming a sensitive issue.

Read the article and see the photos to learn about over-tourism pollution.

https://edition.cnn.com/travel/fujikawaguchiko-japan-photo-blocking-barrier-intl-hnk/index.html