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