Topic Reading-Vol.5141-5/22/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

As the US starves it of oil, Cuba is pulling off one of the fastest solar revolutions on the planet — with China’s help

Ever since the 1959 revolution led by Fidel Castro, the USA has maintained economic sanctions against Cuba, whose main energy source is oil. The Soviet Union used to be the main oil supplier in the 1980s until its dissolution, and Venezuela had been taking the role until its president was abducted by the USA in early January. Since then, Cuba has experienced nationwide blackouts and severe gasoline shortages. In the meantime, Cuba has been importing more solar panels and batteries from China to reduce its dependence on fuel imports. Now, about 10% of Cuba’s electricity is generated by renewable energy, and the figure is projected to rise to over 24% in a few years. Cuba may soon start importing more solar panels, batteries, EVs, and E-bikes, and become China’s showcase for electrical products for the Central and South American markets. One economic sanction seems to open up new opportunities to others.

Read the article and learn how Cuba is managing the US’s economic sanctions through China’s renewable energy products.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/05/13/climate/cuba-solar-us-oil-blockade-trump-china

Topic Reading-Vol.5140-5/21/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Snack giant switches to black and white packaging as Iran war hits ink supplies

Once extracted, crude oil is transported to refineries, where it is processed to become fossil fuels (gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, heating oil), industrial materials (asphalt, lubricants, waxes), and naphtha. Naphtha is a crucial raw material used to produce plastics, synthetic rubbers, and also as an industrial solvent to make adhesives, coatings, paints, and printing inks. Due to ongoing tensions in the Middle East from the Iran War, the supply chain for oil-related products, including naphtha, has been severely affected in Asian countries. (Vol. 5139)

On May 25, a Japanese snack giant, Calbee, will change the colorful packaging of its 14 potato chip products to black and white as a naphtha-saving package. The move wasn’t merchandising-oriented but in response to the unstable supply of printing ink. It must have been a big decision to make because they will look very odd among the colorful packages of competitive products on the shelves. Also, the regular buyers who are used to picking up their favorite flavored chips by color have to read the package carefully. Will we see more black-and-white packaging as the tension in the Middle East continues?

Read the article and see the images of black-and-white potato chip packaging.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c78k405j8pdo

Topic Reading-Vol.5139-5/20/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Modi urges Indians to WFH and limit foreign travel as Iran war continues

The effects on economies caused by the war in Iran and the choking of the Strait of Hormuz have been significant, especially for Asian countries, whose over 80% of oil and gas imports come through the strait. Prices of oil products, such as gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel, skyrocketed and raised the cost of running businesses and traveling. Also, the shortage of oil products is so severe that some transportation services, including airlines, taxis, and deliveries, have been reduced or suspended. To cope with the prolonged shortage, Sri Lanka, for example, is rationing fuel and running public services like schools and government services on a four-day work week. Recently, the Prime Minister of India, the world’s most populous country, spoke to its people to conserve the use of oil products by austerity measures, including working from home, using public transportation instead of driving cars, and reducing foreign travel. He even called for “patriotism” by living daily lives responsibly to conserve fuel use because India imports 90% of its oil. When import bills rise, the currency exchange rate becomes weaker and the cost of living increases. Inflation or austerity?

Read the article and learn about Modi’s call for austerity measures to 1.4 billion people.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c8r8e2ne1v6o

Topic Reading-Vol.5138-5/19/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

AI isn’t actually ‘taking’ your job. Here’s what’s happening instead

Tens of thousands of jobs have been eliminated so far in the US due to, or in part due to, AI. Will there be further job cuts as AI is taking more human roles in workplaces? At this stage, AI is primarily taking over jobs that involve repetitive, data-driven, or predictable tasks, such as data entry, basic customer service, entry-level analysis or evaluation, proofreading, bookkeeping, and software coding. In the meantime, AI doesn’t always replace a whole human, but it automates certain parts of jobs. In fact, many companies are reallocating human staff or reassigning tasks among humans and AI. That’s why not all office workers are threatened to lose their jobs overnight. But as AI models evolve, they will take on more office tasks. Also, when more practical and dependable physical AI, like autonomous humanoid robots, are deployed in workplaces, they will not only help human laborers but also may replace them. New technologies have been freeing humans from physical, repetitive tasks and giving us the chance to do more brain-demanding or skill-requiring jobs. Which jobs will be more valued in the era of AI?

Read the article and learn about the influence of AI in workplaces.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/05/10/tech/ai-taking-jobs

Topic Reading-Vol.5137-5/18/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

The underground salt kingdom that became one of Europe’s strangest attractions

First excavated in the 13th century, the Wieliczka Salt Mine in the southeast of Krakow, Poland, is a historical salt mine. Though mining ceased in 1996, it still produces more than 10,000 tons of salt annually by evaporating underground salt water. It is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, drawing as many as two million visitors a year. They can descend 380 steps or ride an elevator to labyrinthine passageways to preserved chambers hollowed out from the rock by hand. Inside the mine, 99% of the rock is salt, and visitors are encouraged to lick it to taste it. There are many chambers, sculptures, and displays, all created by salt to allure visitors. Indeed, salt is essential to human life and the economy. In the 14^th century, revenue from extraction accounted for as much as a third of Poland’s royal income. Today, the mine still produces salt, employs nearly 400 miners for maintenance, and generates handsome tourism revenues.

Read the article and see the amazing world of the salt mine.  

https://edition.cnn.com/travel/wieliczka-salt-mine-tours-poland

Topic Reading-Vol.5136-5/17/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

'Think outside the bots': How to stop AI from turning your brain to mush

How often do you handwrite something or do calculations in your head? Typewriters and calculators made humans’ primary skills inessential more than half a century ago. When search engines appeared, we stopped turning the pages of books to look for information. Then with GPS and a map app on smartphones, we get the directions in the blink of an eye without consulting a map. All these technologies are so convenient that we use and rely on them without hesitation. Now, if we ask something, AI will do the mental labor. In other words, we can outsource cognitive tasks to AI without realizing how reliant we are becoming on the technology and lose the chance to exercise our brains. Studies suggest that those who rely heavily on AI tools might impair their memory, attention span, creativity, and critical thinking. Just like our muscles need to be developed and used, our brains also need to be regularly exercised to stay in shape. Indeed, AI seems to act as a double-edged sword.

Read the article and learn what AI could do to our brain power.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20260505-how-to-use-ai-without-turning-your-brain-to-mush

Topic Reading-Vol.5135-5/16/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Singapore says teachers can cane students as young as 9 in new anti-bullying strategy

Corporal punishment, such as hitting, spanking, or caning, is designed to cause physical pain to punish criminals or correct unruly behavior. While it is banned in many countries, corporal punishment is still practiced in some countries, including Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, and Nigeria, as a disciplinary measure for violent offenses, robbery, and vandalism. Singapore is a highly developed country and well known for its effective education system. It is governed by strict laws to keep the city-state competitive and orderly, including corporal punishment as a disciplinary tool for judicial penalties, in homes, and schools. Though it is a last resort for serious misconduct such as bullying, caning is officially allowed in schools. It must be approved by the school principal and conducted only by authorized personnel under strict guidelines. Only boys nine years old or older could be disciplined by corporal punishment in the hope of helping them learn from their mistakes. School girls who bully others may face serious disciplinary actions, including detention, suspension, lower conduct grades, and school-based sanctions, but not caning. Is corporal punishment effective only on boys, if at all?

Read the article and learn about corporal punishment in schools in Singapore.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/05/06/asia/singapore-schools-caning-scli-intl

Topic Reading-Vol.5134-5/15/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

What British people really mean when they say 'sorry'

When you interrupt someone speaking or remind someone of something, which word do you usually use, “Excuse me” or “Sorry”? Americans tend to use “Excuse me” to ask for permission preemptively, and say “Sorry” to ask for forgiveness or express compassion. On the other side of the pond, people in Britain use “Sorry” more often in various ways, sometimes proactively or non-apologetically, to avoid confrontations. These are some social situations where Brits use “Sorry”.

“Sorry” on the street is often used as an apology, like “Excuse me”.

“Sorry?” after hearing what someone said often means “Pardon?” or “Please say that again.”

“Sorry, can/may I …?” is used to soften a request, like asking if a seat is taken.

“Oh, sorry …”  could mean objection in a less confrontational manner.

“Sorry, but …” is said before objecting, denying, or rejecting something being said.

“Sorry …” in a queue is to remind someone of etiquette to be respected.

How versatile the British “sorry” is!

Read the article and learn how “sorry” is used by British people.

https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20260506-what-british-people-really-mean-when-they-say-sorry

Topic Reading-Vol.5133-5/14/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

One of the planet’s biggest cities is sinking so rapidly it's visible from space

Built in 1910 to commemorate the centennial of the War of Independence, El Ángel, The Angel of Independence, is the most popular monument in Mexico City. Originally, nine steps led to the base, but fourteen more steps have been added in later years due to the sinking of the ground. Indeed, Mexico City is one of the fastest-sinking capitals, at more than a centimeter a month. The metropolis of over 22 million residents sits atop an ancient aquifer, which has been so over-extracted that it’s no longer able to provide drinking water or sustain the weight of the city. The sinking is so fast that it is even visible from a space radar system. Indonesia is now relocating its capital, Jakarta, the world’s fastest-sinking capital at only several meters above sea level, due to sinking and flooding. Mexico City is safe from sea level rise because it sits at over 2,200 meters above sea level, but its water supply and ground foundation rely on the depleting aquifer. Groundwater extraction, heavy buildings and infrastructure, and rising sea levels are all human-caused problems that contribute to urban sinking. We can monitor what is happening on the ground, ice, and sea from space. Then, what should we do with the data?

Read the article and learn about the sinking capital of Mexico.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/05/05/climate/mexico-city-sinking-nasa-aquifer-water

Topic Reading-Vol.5132-5/13/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Food labels have far-reaching effects on our health

What is shown on most packaged foods are alluring images of the food, brand name, and catchy marketing copy, which are all designed to make you buy the product. On the side or back of the package, you can find a nutrition label in black, painstakingly small letters as required by the regulator. While cigarette packs now show large, graphic health warnings to illustrate health risks in many countries, food packages often show little or no such warnings, even on highly processed or sugary foods. In fact, ultra-processed foods (UPFs) in particular, such as soda, snacks, ready-to-eat noodles and soups, and sugary cereals, are linked to obesity or chronic diseases, but they are sold just like other packaged foods on the shelves. In some countries in Europe, however, a five-color nutrition label called Nutri-Score has been shown on the front of the package for several years. Though the label is not mandated by regulators, some food manufacturers redesigned their products by reducing sugar content or changing ingredients in a healthier way, while supermarkets started promoting healthier food options. Since more than half of adults in the world are predicted to weigh too much by the middle of the century, better labeling on processed and packaged foods seems essential to reducing weight-related health problems.

Read the article and learn about how food labeling could affect our health.

ihttps://www.bbc.com/future/article/20260501-food-labels-are-actually-affecting-your-health

Topic Reading-Vol.5131-5/12/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Nature vs nurture: How much of our personalities are determined at birth?

Was our personality set at birth or developed as we grew? While nature is influenced by genetic inheritance and other biological factors, nurture is the influence of external factors, such as exposure, experience, interactions, and learning. Identical twins share 100% of their DNA, but their key personality traits, such as openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and emotional instability or anxiety, aren’t exactly the same. To your surprise, all humans are roughly 99.9% identical in their genetic makeup, and the remaining 0.1% accounts for all individual differences, including appearance, susceptibility to diseases, and other traits. Also, studies found that the environment, social interactions, or even significant life events we’ve experienced have a limited influence on our personality traits. It seems that no one thing determines who we are or how we behave, but multiple genetic and environmental factors do.

Read the article and learn how nature and nurture influence our personality traits.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20260501-nature-vs-nurture-how-much-of-our-personalities-are-determined-at-birth

Topic Reading-Vol.5130-5/11/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

California to begin ticketing driverless cars that violate traffic laws

How reliable are autonomous vehicles (AVs)? In March, more than 100 self-driving robotaxis operated by Baidu in Wuhan, China, stalled in the middle of the road due to a system malfunction, causing hours of distressing congestion. Later, Chinese regulators suspended issuance of permits for new autonomous vehicles. Also, in the USA, driverless autonomous robotaxis like Waymo are becoming popular in major cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles, and they sometimes violate traffic laws, like illegal U-turns or blocking emergency vehicles. However, when an officer stops an autonomous car for a traffic violation, they find no driver responsible for such violations. To enhance accountability of traffic violations by AVs, starting from July, officers can issue traffic tickets directly to the autonomous vehicle’s operator when a robotaxi violates traffic laws. Also, autonomous vehicle operators are required to respond to law enforcement requests within 30 seconds to mitigate traffic incidents. Technical glitches, blackouts, Internet shutdowns, and cyber attacks. Autonomous vehicle operators seem to have to deal with many unexpected incidents quickly and responsibly.

Read the article and learn about California’s move to manage driverless vehicles.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/clypjx3rg2go

Topic Reading-Vol.5129-5/10/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Wild parrots copy their friends when deciding whether to try new foods, study finds

We often learn new behaviors, attitudes, and emotional reactions by observing and imitating others in a social context. For example, kids want to try a new toy when they see other kids playing with it. Also, if there is a long line before a food stand selling a novel food, more people tend to join the line to try it. Such social learning, where animals acquire information, behaviors, or skills by observing or interacting with others, is also common among primates, marine mammals, rats and mice, dogs, and birds. Recently, researchers left artificially dyed almonds to study the reactions of five distinct communities of sulphur-crested cockatoos in central Sydney, Australia. It took a few days for the parrots to try eating artificially dyed almonds they had never seen before. However, it took only a few minutes or less for other groups of parrots to start eating the novel food after they saw their peer parrots, which had eaten the colored almonds before, eating them. Social learning seems to be a practical skill for learning new things quickly while reducing potential risks.

Read the article and learn about how wild parrots learn what to eat from others.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/05/01/science/parrots-copy-friends-new-foods-study-intl-scli

Topic Reading-Vol.5128-5/9/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Five charts that show the rise of global militarisation

Who spends more on the military and how much? The total of the top five spenders, the USA, China, Russia, Germany, and India, represents nearly 60% of the world's military spending, and the US alone spent about one-third of the world's total. Because of the US dominance, global military spending spiked when the US was involved in military activities, such as the Korean War, Vietnam War, the Cold War, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Also, European NATO members have increased their military spending by over 40% in the last decade following the 2014 Russian annexation of Crimea. While most countries spent less than $100 or a few hundred dollars per capita on the military, Qatar, Israel, Norway, and Singapore spent over $3,000 per person in 2025. The big military budget spenders are also big arms exporters. Between 2016 and 2025, combined exports of the US, Russia, and France exceeded 60% of the world’s total. Then, how much of the nation’s economic output is allocated to military spending compared with health care or education?

Read the article and learn about the military spending, exports, and shares by country.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/4/29/five-charts-that-show-the-rise-of-global-militarisation

Topic Reading-Vol.5127-5/8/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers,  

In five charts - How UAE's exit could affect Opec's influence over the oil price

Formed in 1960 by Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela, the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is an oil-exporting cartel to coordinate oil policies. Until last month, there were 12 member states and 11 other oil-producing countries, including Russia, that made up OPEC+ to exercise influence on the global oil market. For example, when the oil price crashed during the coronavirus pandemic, OPEC+ cut production to raise prices. OPEC was more influential 50 years ago when it produced over half of the global crude oil, but last year its share dropped to 36.7% as the USA and Russia increased their production. Suddenly, the UAE decided to depart from OPEC at the end of last month. The emirates were the world's third biggest oil exporter, only behind Saudi Arabia and Iraq, before the Strait of Hormuz, where about one-fifth of the world’s oil supply travels through, was blocked by Iran. After departing from OPEC, the UAE is expected to boost production substantially without OPEC’s commitment. The block of the Hormuz Strait, declining OPEC’s market share, and continuing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Oil supply and price have become more fragile recently. Isn’t it time to accelerate the shift from fossil fuels to renewable energies?

Read the article and learn about the declining influence of the international oil cartel.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c70vjpny0dno

Topic Reading-Vol.5126-5/7/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Japan Airlines trials humanoid robots as ground handlers

While robots have been used in various workplaces, including factories, warehouses, restaurants, and hotels, humanoid robots are being deployed primarily in pilot programs, at least so far. But starting from this month, Japan Airlines begins using humanoid robots to help load and unload cargo containers at its major hub, Tokyo’s Haneda Airport. The airline has been facing serious labor shortages, especially for labor-intensive ground handling, as the working-age population declines. Among the ground handling tasks, loading and unloading cargo is a physically demanding task. Workers have to work outside in the rain or wind, and in summer when ground temperatures reach or exceed 40 degrees in humid air due to the asphalt and concrete ground, scorching sun shine, and jet engine exhaust. The airline has been working with a robotics partner for two years to bring humanoid robots into such a harsh environment. Humanoid robots can now not only run or dance, but also help humans do their jobs. It may not be too long before they start caring for humans in nursing homes and at home.

Read the article and see the video to learn how humanoid robots can help humans.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cpwp87j1llvo

Topic Reading-Vol.5125-5/6/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

The Chinese sports brand taking on Nike and Adidas

Adidas was founded by a shoemaker in 1949 in West Germany, and Nike was originally founded by a track athlete and his coach in 1964 in Oregon, USA. A high school dropout in Jinjiang, a southeastern province of Fujian, China, founded Anta Sports Products in 1991. Originally, the startup produced sports shoes for other brands, specialized in cost-effective manufacturing, and targeted the mass market with affordable athletic footwear, but it soon developed a domestic distribution network across China to sell Anta-branded sports equipment, textiles, and accessories. It is now the world’s third-largest sportswear company behind Nike and Adidas, managing 25 sports and apparel brands, including Salomon and Wilson, and operating over 12,000 shops across China. This year, it also acquired a 29% stake in Puma, a globally renowned German athletic brand.

China’s manufacturing power and market scale have incubated and grown global giants. A technology firm, Xiaomi, was a software developer before making phones. Now, it produces and sells electronics and electric vehicles under its own brand. BYD, originally a battery manufacturer for consumer electronics, became the world’s largest EV battery manufacturer and is now the world’s top EV manufacturer. What will Anta be producing and selling in the coming years?

Read the article and learn about another Chinese giant ready to compete with global brands.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c87r2d850q4o

Topic Reading-Vol.5124-5/5/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

India has splurged billions on metro trains. But where are the commuters?

Ground transportation in India’s urban areas is quite stressful and unsafe due to heavy congestion, life-threatening air pollution, and overcrowded buses and trains. To provide sustainable mobility and decongest urban areas, India expanded the metro network from under 300 km to more than 1,000 km in the last decade. It is now the world’s third-longest metro operation, serving more than 11 million passengers daily. However, the estimated overall ridership is only around one-third of the projections. Why is the new public transportation unpopular in a country where other means of public transportation are over-congested or unavailable? First, just like any other government projections, the forecasts were too high because they were based on the capacity and services that were never realized. Also, people aren’t riding the metro because ticket prices are too high, transit times between lines are too long, or the network isn’t well-connected. In addition, congestion and safety concerns remain unsolved on the ground before and after a metro ride. No single means seems to solve urban transportation problems.

Read the article and learn about India’s metro systems.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4g833128vlo

Topic Reading-Vol.5123-5/4/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Surviving in a poisoned land: Chernobyl's wildlife is different, but not in the ways you might think

On April 26, 1986, a reactor of the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant, about 130 kilometers north of Kyiv, Ukraine, then the Soviet Union, exploded during a botched safety test. Steam explosions and a graphite fire released significant radioactive fallout across Europe, making it the world's worst nuclear disaster. Researchers have been studying the effects of radiation exposure on fauna and flora in the 2,600 square-kilometer Chornobyl exclusion zone, one of the most radioactively contaminated areas on the planet. They found that pine trees died but birch trees are growing, wild wolves, bears, and bison are roaming, and abandoned dogs are surviving. Also found are frogs with darkened color, which might have helped reduce the effects of radiation on them. Have these plants and creatures managed or evolved to survive in such a highly contaminated environment with radiation?

Read the article and learn about the changes in the radioactive environment in Chornobyl. 

Note: Chernobyl is the Russian spelling, Chornobyl is the Ukrainian spelling.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20260424-chernobyl-wildlife-forty-years-on

Topic Reading-Vol.5122-5/3/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers,　

Japan reveals new name for 40C-and-hotter days after blistering summer

Japan's summer is extremely humid, often 75%–90% humidity, due to warm, moist air masses from the Pacific Ocean and Southeast Asia, as well as a post-rainy season effect. Also, summer in cities is so intense because of concrete and air conditioning, which keeps temperatures high even during the night, the urban heat island effect. And it is becoming even hotter due to global warming. Last year, Japan experienced a record-breaking hot summer. Daytime temperatures exceeded 35 °C for 52 days in Kyoto and 25 days in Tokyo. The Japan Meteorological Agency, JMA, uses hot day terminologies, Extremely Hot Day for days of 35°C or above, Midsummer Day for 30°C or above, and Summer Day for 25°C or above. Now, to prepare for an even hotter summer, JMA added a new term, Cruelly Hot (Kokusho-bi), for days of 40°C or above. Though the new term won’t ease Japan’s already hot summer, it at least warns people how brutal the day is going to be. Japan’s weather news often advises people to turn on the air conditioning and stay indoors on Extremely Hot Days (35°C+). What will they say on Kokusho-bi?

Read the article and learn how Japan describes an unbearably hot summer day.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/crr185nx0n9o

Topic Reading-Vol.5121-5/2/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

US special forces soldier arrested after allegedly winning $400,000 on Maduro raid

A US soldier who was involved in the planning and execution of the capture of Venezuelan President Maduro was recently arrested and charged with using classified information for his financial gain. He opened an account on Polymarket, an American cryptocurrency-based prediction market, in late December, bet $32,000 on the president’s removal, and earned more than $400,000 after the US military operation in January. A prediction market is a platform where individuals can bet on the outcomes of future events, such as sports matches, economic indicators, weather patterns, awards, political and legislative outcomes, and military conflicts. Users of the platform can buy and sell “yes” or “no” shares of events using a stablecoin pegged 1:1 to the US dollar. It is, like insider trading, absolutely illegal to use classified or unannounced information on prediction markets, but the return on betting in a prediction market could be much higher than the return on investment in the stock market. Anyone who has unreleased information could be a bidder in a prediction market in sports, business, or public service.

Read the article and learn how classified information was used in a prediction market.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/04/23/politics/us-special-forces-soldier-arrested-maduro-raid-trade

Topic Reading-Vol.5120-5/1/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers,　

How one disappointing order uncovered a massive ‘ghost cake’ delivery scandal in China

The competition among food delivery services has become overly intense in China. Recently, authorities found that thousands of ghost online food vendors, without business licenses or actual storefronts, were taking orders from consumers and reselling them to the lowest-bidding bakeries. In one case, out of 100, let's say yuan, the customer paid for a birthday cake, the ghost vendor took 50, the intermediary platform grabbed 20, and the actual baker earned only 30, which is way too low to guarantee the food quality and safety, not to mention the customer’s satisfaction. Such ghost vendors were born due to intense price competition, known as involution in China, and are now selling various products, including electric vehicles and solar panels, at the sacrifice of suppliers' diminishing returns. Though anti-involution campaigns have been implemented by various authorities to curb such unhealthy, unsustainable business practices, eager suppliers are bidding to take any order just to keep their businesses running.

Read the article and learn about fierce online business competition in China.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/04/21/business/china-ghost-food-delivery-fine-intl-hnk

Topic Reading-Vol.5119-4/30/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Africa’s biggest airport is being built in Ethiopia for $12.5 billion

Addis Ababa is Ethiopia’s capital with a population of around four million, the 10^th largest in Africa. Addis Ababa Bole International Airport (ADD) is the main hub of Ethiopian Airlines, the state-owned flag carrier and the largest airline in Africa, covering 150 destinations, but it has already reached capacity. So, the airline is now investing in building a new airport, Bishoftu International Airport (BIA), to boost the passenger capacity to 60 million by 2030 to become a leading airline to connect African skies, for both passengers and freight. The new airport is designed to serve mainly transit passengers to, from, and within African countries, and compete with the Middle Eastern hubs like Dubai, Doha, and Abu Dhabi, and African airports, such as Cairo, Nairobi, and Casablanca. To secure the land for the new airport, more than 15,000 people from 36 square kilometers of agricultural land have been displaced, who are said to be compensated and provided with 1,400 new homes in total. But how many of them will find jobs in their new land? Also, at an elevation of 1,900 meters above sea level, which requires extra power & thrust and reduced payload capacity for takeoff and landing compared with airports at sea level, how competitive will the new airport be?

Read the article and learn about Ethiopian Airlines' new bid for a new hub airport in Africa.

https://edition.cnn.com/travel/africas-biggest-airport-is-being-built-in-ethiopia-for-usd12-5-billion-spc

Topic Reading-Vol.5118-4/29/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Sawe smashes two-hour mark to 'move goalposts for marathon running'

Many marathon world records have been set in Chicago, Berlin, and London due to their fast, flat routes. On April 26 at the London Marathon, Kenyan runner Sabastian Sawe set a new men's marathon world record of 1:59:30, the first human to run a sub-two-hour marathon in official race conditions. Only 11 seconds later, another runner from Ethiopia, Kejelcha, reached the goal at 1:59:41 in his first full marathon race. Also set at the same event was the Women's Only Record of  2:15:41 by an Ethiopian runner, Assefa. It was quite amazing that three runners broke the world record at a single marathon event. Interestingly, all three runners were wearing recently released new adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3 shoes, the lightest shoe in the brand’s Adizero range, weighing less than 100 grams. The runners, conditions, shoes, and competition all might have contributed to the three world records at the recent marathon event.

FYI, the first world record of an international marathon race was 2:58:50 at the 1896 Athens Olympic Games. It took 130 years to shave one hour off the time to run 42.195 km.

Read the article and learn about this historic marathon event.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/athletics/articles/crm1m7e0zwzo

Topic Reading-Vol.5117-4/28/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

AI chatbots could be making you stupider

While the tools we use help us accomplish tasks, they seem to change how we think, too. As we’ve become more reliant on search engines, we seem to remember details less. Now, what will happen to our brains when we rely more on large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT on day-to-day, business, or academic tasks? The more we outsource cognitive tasks, the less cognitive effort we make, which might impair our mental skills, such as remembering and critical thinking. In essay-writing tasks on open-ended topics for college students, the brain activity of those who used ChatGPT was much less than that of those who didn’t use the LLM. Also, the LLM users seem to retain or remember less about their essays than those who wrote them by themselves. If you walk, you’ll feel the air around you. If you drive, you’ll see things on the way. If you fly, you’ll get there faster without effort or memory. Think, search, or ask. If we don’t use our brains, we might impair our cognitive abilities.

Read the article and learn what LLMs do to our brains.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20260417-ai-chatbots-could-be-making-you-stupider

Topic Reading-Vol.5116-4/27/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Why your recycled clothes could end up in this South American desert

Created in 1975 to boost economic and social development in northern Chile, the Iquique Free Trade Zone (ZOFRI) is a major duty-free commercial and industrial hub. It offers businesses 100% exemption from corporate tax, customs duties, and value-added tax (VAT) on first sales to boost regional development. Used clothes from all over the world are among the biggest imports in ZOFRI. Once landed, they are sorted and then sold locally or exported to other countries in Latin America, which creates considerable local businesses and employment. Unsold clothes are supposed to be sold to an authorised waste company, but not all are. Some are burnt illegally, and others are dumped in the surrounding Atacama Desert, the oldest and driest sand desert, whose surreal, Mars-like landscapes attract many tourists. It is estimated that nearly 40,000 tonnes of such unsold clothes are illegally dumped in the desert each year. But help is on the way. A new factory is being built to turn the clothes into fibers, and then into felt to be used for mattresses, furniture, and insulation. Also, the government is going to include textiles in the Extended Producer Responsibility Law, which makes the sellers responsible for the lifespan of their products. No one wants the Atacama Desert to become a dump site.  

Read the article and learn what happens to unsold clothes at the end.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c62kg63k8v6o

Topic Reading-Vol.5115-4/26/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

A Chinese android just ran a half-marathon faster than any human ever

China is winning one AI race, the US another (Vol.5114). Last year, it took a humanoid robot more than two hours to run a half-marathon race held in Beijing. This year, the fastest robot ran 21 kilometers in only 50 minutes and 26 seconds, faster than last year’s winner by two hours and also the human record by six minutes. Developed by a Chinese smartphone maker, Lightning, a 169cm-tall running humanoid won the race with its autonomous navigation and burst power. Over 100 teams, nearly five times more than last year, took part in this year’s half-marathon. Having been positioned as one of the 10 key industries for upgrading and identified as a new frontier by the government, China’s humanoid robotics industry is booming and has been drawing talent, resources, and investment. Last August in Beijing, more than 500 humanoid robots from 280 teams competed in 26 events at the World Humanoid Robot Games, including boxing, football, cleaning, and sorting medicine. How astonishing is this year’s event going to be?

Read the article and learn how China is advancing in the race to develop humanoid robots.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/04/19/china/china-robot-half-marathon-intl-hnk

Topic Reading-Vol.5114-4/25/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

China is winning one AI race, the US another - but either might pull ahead

During the Cold War, the US and the Soviet Union competed in space technologies and nuclear armament. Now, the US and China are in a nose-to-nose AI race. Which has advantages over the other, and which is winning?

The US has the world’s leading AI brains, such as chatbots and large language models (LLMs), which learn, recognize, interpret human language and data, and then generate text outputs. It also dominates microchips that run AI and LLMs produced by Nvidia, a premier microchip provider, whose chips are manufactured mainly by a Taiwanese chip giant, TSMC. Speaking of generative AI, only two years after ChatGPT debuted, a highly competitive AI-powered chatbot, DeepSeek, was launched by a Chinese AI startup. Since Chinese IT developers often publish their code online (open source approach), they are quick to catch up and advance. Another advantage China has is the world’s largest manufacturing industry. It dominates the world’s EVs, drones, and robots markets, all of which are powered by AI. In particular, China excels in humanoid robots, which are expected to fill the labor shortages, particularly in care work, in the fast-aging country. As the AI race is shifting to agentic AI, which autonomously makes decisions and takes actions to achieve the goal, either country has the chance to lead in the ongoing high-tech race.

Read the article and learn about the AI race competed by the US and China.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c145enxln0go

Topic Reading-Vol.5113-4/24/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

It’s time for students to start committing to colleges. The age of AI is making it complicated

For most U.S. colleges and universities, first-year applicants are required to decide where to enroll and submit a deposit to secure their spot by May 1, a day called College Decision Day. This is often the first decision students make for their future. Then by the end of the sophomore year, college students should be finishing with their general education requirements and are expected to decide on their major for their future career courses or expertise. Business, Health, and Social Sciences are the most popular majors, while Engineering and Computer and Information Sciences bring higher income than others in general. However, as AI is redrawring the landscape of business and career opportunities, students, and their parents, too,  are now rethinking which college to study at or what major to take. Also, since college tuition and fees have risen significantly in the last few years, the return on a four-year college education is now under serious scrutiny. Does a bachelor’s degree ensure higher lifetime earnings and employment endurance compared with two-year degrees, vocational training, or military service? Do blue-collar jobs earn more than desk jobs?

Read the article and learn why College Decision Day is becoming more significant to students and their parents in the USA.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/04/18/business/ai-college-debt-parents

Topic Reading-Vol.5112-4/23/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Afghan villagers turn to gold-panning to sustain livelihoods

Gold is a precious metal, and has been valued for thousands of years as currency, jewelry, and investment because of its beauty, durability, and rarity. Also, gold is used in electronics, such as smartphones and computers, for its conductivity. Even though the price of gold fluctuates due to inflation, currency exchange rates, and geopolitics, it is considered a safe-haven asset because it has a limited supply and stock. In fact, over the last decade, the price of gold has fluctuated significantly, ranging from as low as $36 up to as high as $176 per gram. Most of the gold production comes from gold mines, and some from recycling jewelry and electronics. The simplest, though most laborious, way to extract gold is panning from a placer deposit using a pan, as American miners did during gold rushes in the mid-19th century in California. As job opportunities are scarce, wages are low, opium poppy farming is strictly banned under the Taliban rule, more Afghan men are now working on gold-panning along the Kunar riverbed in northeastern Afghanistan. It is a time-consuming, laborious work, but finding a gram of gold in a week seems attractive enough to bring workers from Kabul, the capital city.

Read the article and see the photos to learn about gold panning along the Kunar riverbed.

https://www.aljazeera.com/gallery/2026/4/16/afghan-villagers-turn-to-gold-panning-to-sustain-livelihoods

Topic Reading-Vol.5111-4/22/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Fake damage and imaginary watches - how AI images are being used in insurance scams

Many digital photographers, including smartphone or digital camera users, often edit the photos they’ve captured by removing unwanted objects or enhancing images mainly for emotional satisfaction. Also, AI can now easily create unrealistic images based on the prompt the user inputs, like the ones the US President posted earlier this month with Jesus. However, when things are added, removed, or fundamentally altered in the image for benefit or fraud, it is regarded as photo manipulation. Recently, the number of falsified insurance claims using AI has been increasing, including AI-manipulated damage for car insurance, AI-created objects for property insurance, and AI-fabricated documents. The use of such fake proof or documents is fraud, so that such falsified claims are rejected, the insurance policy might be cancelled, or the claimer could be prosecuted. To cope with such AI fraud, the insurance industry is also using AI to detect AI-manipulated false claims. AI is now being used widely for both offense and defense.

Read the article and learn about AI-manipulated images used for insurance claims.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cm2rr9pg4jzo

Topic Reading-Vol.5110-4/21/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

How bad smells affect your health 

Aroma, smell, or odour? In the kitchen, you smell when food is being cooked. At the table, you enjoy the aroma from the dish. In the garbage, you sense the odour of the leftover food. The sense of smell, or olfaction, detects airborne odorant molecules, allowing us to identify odors, influence emotions, and trigger memories. Indeed, smell doesn’t just detect threats, but it also affects our lives in many ways. The aroma of wine, tea, or coffee provides a pleasant feeling and expectations before and during tasting. However, when you don’t smell well because of a stuffy or runny nose, you don’t enjoy the aroma or taste of the food you eat as much. Also, while the smell of fresh air, plants, and nature often refreshes your mind, odor pollution caused by industrial processes, sewage, waste disposal, and animal farms often affects health and well-being. Along with other senses like sight, hearing, taste, and touch, smell plays a vital role in our safety, health, and well-being. By the way, it is more influential for dogs as they distinguish almost everything by their hyper-sensitive olfactory system.

Read the article and learn about the effects of smell on our lives.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20260403-how-bad-odours-affect-your-health

Topic Reading-Vol.5109-4/20/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Fast food consumption is soaring in the cradle of haute cuisine. Quelle horreur!

French gastronomy is a culinary tradition that emphasizes seasonal, regional diversity, typically in a multi-course meal, from butter-based northern dishes to olive oil-forward southern cooking, with various kinds of bread, pastry, cheese, and wine. First opened in 1972 in a suburb of Paris, the fast-food giant McDonald’s has adapted to French tastes, as it does in other markets, and now operates over 1,500 locations across the country. Generation Z, born between 1996 and 2012, is the first true digital natives, who have grown up fully immersed in technology, social media, and the Internet. They are big fans of fast food and street food, and are feared to erode the fine French dining scene. It is estimated that the annual revenues of commercial chain restaurants in France have increased 30% from 2019 to 2023, and reached 24 billion dollars in 2024, showing an increase of one billion from the previous year. Sandwiches, burgers, and pizza are the most popular take-out foods, but the hottest one is Crousty, or Krousty. It is a viral French street food featuring crispy fried chicken tenders served over white rice with creamy sweet-and-sour sauce with additions like fried onions, chopped chives, and sesame seeds. It went viral on TikTok and Instagram and is praised for its affordable pricing, often less than 10 euros, generous volume, and convenience. Even in France, the traditional knife-and-fork dining culture seems to be shifting to a smartphone-and-fork/hand eating style. What is today’s main dish, Beef Bourguignon or TikTok?

Read the article and learn about the changing dining culture in France.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/04/03/travel/fast-food-france-tasty-crousty

Topic Reading-Vol.5108-4/19/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Should’ve put a ring on it? Maybe! Marriage is linked to lower risk of cancer

In general, married people tend to live longer and healthier lives than those unmarried, divorced, or widowed. Indeed, they often encourage orderly lifestyles, eat healthier food, take regular health check-ups, and establish economic stability. Also, some studies suggest that husbands gain more benefits from marriage than wives because they are encouraged to live healthier, safer lives than they live alone. However, a recently published study in the USA finds cancer rates are 83% higher for women who have never married compared with 68% for men who have previously married or have been married. Indeed, endometrial or ovarian cancers are related to reproductive mechanisms, and women who have never given birth tend to have a higher risk of these cancers. We still do not have the answer, though, as to whether marriage makes people healthier or healthier people tend to get married.

Read the article and learn about the health benefits of heterosexual marriage.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/04/08/health/marriage-cancer-wellness

Topic Reading-Vol.5107-4/18/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

The record-breaking trip of the USS Gerald Ford, the aircraft carrier at the center of Trump’s military ambitions

Commissioned in 2017, the USS Gerald Ford is the lead ship of a new class of U.S. Navy nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, and the flagship of Carrier Strike Group 12. Loaded with more than 4,500 crew members and over 75 aircraft, the 100,000-ton vessel is the world’s largest warship ever constructed. Departing the Norfolk naval base last June, the USS Ford sailed to the Atlantic, Mediterranean, North Sea, and then to the Caribbean. After helping capture then-Venezuelan President Maduro in January, she was diverted to the Mediterranean and then to the Red Sea to launch waves of aircraft to attack Iran. The carrier has already been deployed for over 11 months, the longest for an aircraft carrier, and has experienced considerable wear and tear. Also, keeping the morale of sailors and officers is another challenge for such a long deployment. Captain Sage, a female Labrador retriever therapy dog, has been on board the Ford since 2023, helping reduce stress and interrupting detrimental behaviors of the crew. Even though the ship is the most advanced and powerful in the world, such a long, uncertain deployment seems to be causing crew members and their families significant mental stress and burden.

Read the article and learn about the behind-the-scenes of the long-deployed mighty US aircraft carrier.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/04/12/politics/uss-gerald-ford-iran-venezuela-navy-trump

Topic Reading-Vol.5106-4/17/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Djibouti's president wins unprecedented sixth term with 97.8% of vote

Surrounded by Somalia, Ethiopia, and the Red Sea, the Republic of Djibouti is a small country in the Horn of Africa with a population of around one million. It became independent from French rule in 1977. Since 1999, the Islamic country has been ruled by the same president, Ismail Omar Guelleh, who was just reelected this month after the previous reelections in 2005, 2011, 2016, and 2021. The election saw over 80% turnout, with 98% voting for the incumbent president, who scrapped term limits in the 2010 constitutional reform. Last year, the parliament passed a bill lifting age limits for the presidency, allowing Guelleh to run for his sixth term at the age of 78. He isn’t the only leader who was democratically elected with an overwhelming majority. Russian President Vladimir Putin received 87% ovtes in the 2024 election, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko won 80 percent of the vote in 2020, Syria’s Bashar al-Assad won 95% in his last election in 2021, and several other leaders in African and Central Asian countries won over 90% votes. Were their challengers so unpopular or removed?

Read the article and learn about another overwhelming victory of Djibouti’s 2nd president.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgj0wg423n6o

Topic Reading-Vol.5105-4/16/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

TV for dogs booms but are they watching?

Recently, videos for dogs have become popular among dog owners who worry about leaving their dogs home alone. Such videos show what humans assume is entertaining to dogs, such as puppies playing with other animals, humans, or toys. There are many such dog-friendly videos available, which are entirely created or partly assisted by AI. You may wonder if dogs are colorblind, but they see colors just differently from humans. They can distinguish between variations of blues and yellows quite well, but not so well between red and green like humans. Producers of dog-entertainment videos believe their color-enriched videos do entertain dogs when they are left unattended, but the question remains whether dogs actually like seeing non-interactive videos on a two-dimensional TV screen in the first place. However, some studies found that such videos indeed draw dogs’ attention and provide a meaningful experience to some extent. Since dogs and humans are emotionally more connected than ever before, we ought to learn more about how we can improve their well-being, especially when we leave them at home. Then what about smartphones?

Read the article and learn about dog-entertainment videos when they are home alone.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cq59leg3gp5o

Topic Reading-Vol.5104-4/15/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

These two iconic polar species have been driven to endangered status by a warming planet

Established in 1964, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species (IUCN Red List) is a critical indicator of the health of the world’s biodiversity. More than 170,000 species have been assessed for the list to inform and catalyze action for biodiversity conservation and policy change. Its new assessment has moved two iconic Antarctic species, the emperor penguin and the Antarctic fur seal, to “Endangered” (EN) status, a very high risk of extinction. The emperor penguin has lost its population mainly due to early breakup and losses of sea ice caused by global warming. Since emperor penguins live and breed on sea ice connected to the coastline, their habitat has been lost as sea ice decreases. The population of the Antarctic fur seal has decreased by more than 50% in the last 25 years as krill availability declines, their main food source. As surface water temperatures increase near Antarctica, krill have moved farther offshore and into deeper waters, which has made it harder for land-based seals to capture them. Since both species have no alternative place or food to live on, their future depends on the environment, which is heavily affected by humans.

Read the article and learn about two Antarctic species whose future is endangered.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/04/09/climate/emperor-penguins-fur-seals-antarctic-endangered

Topic Reading-Vol.5103-4/14/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Automatic military draft registration takes effect in December. Here’s how it would work

The USA has a draft system for emergency conscription. All male U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and immigrants are required to register in most states, but starting in December this year, men ages 18 to 25 in all states will be automatically registered for the military draft pool. Once approved by Congress and signed by the President, the military draft is activated, and a lottery is conducted to determine the order in which men are called based on birthdays. In the past, nearly three million in World War I, 10 million in World War II, 1.5 million in the Korean War, and almost two million young men in the Vietnam War were conscripted. Driven by Russian aggression and a deteriorating security environment, several countries in Europe have recently reintroduced or expanded military conscription, including Germany, Denmark, and the Baltic countries. While unmanned vehicles and autonomous weapons are taking major roles in battlefields, the need for manpower still seems prevalent in the military. Will housework robots also be recruited and converted to serve in the military?

Read the article and learn about the recent update of the US’s conscription service.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/04/09/politics/us-military-draft-registration-2026

Topic Reading-Vol.5102-4/13/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Businesses scramble to get noticed by AI search

Search behavior is rapidly changing. Instead of searching for information on search engines like Google, people are asking questions to AI like ChatGPT to get answers and recommendations. As smartphones have become the primary device for accessing the Internet, AI chatbots are more time-saving and convenient. While search engines are looking for keywords, AI engines are using large language models (LLMs) to understand, process, and generate human-like text by analyzing massive datasets. Accordingly, in addition to keywords that are caught by search engine optimization (SEO), businesses are now trying to improve answer engine optimization (AEO) to be ranked higher on such AI tools. For example, instead of eye-catching keywords or images to catch human eyes, summaries, lists of information, and frequently asked questions (FAQs) are shown on the top page to grab AI’s attention. This is critical for businesses that depend on web traffic because, unlike search engine visitors who may still be searching and comparing information, AI visitors have already been guided by AI, thus more prospective. Businesses must adapt to changes in devices and technologies to survive. 

Read the article and learn about the behavioral change from searching to asking.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c70n2rjgxeyo

Topic Reading-Vol.5101-4/12/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

How India plans to count 1.4 billion people

A census is an official count of a population conducted periodically by the government to record demographic, economic, and social data. It is essential to plan social infrastructure, allocate budget, and ensure political representation. This month, India, the world’s most populous country, started its 16^th census to enumerate more than 1.4 billion people. In the first six months, government officials and school teachers will visit each household to collect details of their living and economic conditions, such as homeownership, essential amenities like drinking water and sanitation, home appliances, and vehicles. In the second phase scheduled next year, they will gather data on demographics, income, education, migration, and fertility. Also, for the first time in nearly 100 years, caste will be counted to ensure representation in politics, allocation in government jobs, and admissions to schools from lower castes. A total of 33 questions will be asked by humans in nearly 640,000 villages and 10,000 towns across the country over a year-long period. How will the next census be conducted a decade later?

Read the article and learn about India’s massive census project.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/04/07/india/india-census-population-explainer-intl-hnk

Topic Reading-Vol.5100-4/11/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

You can hire house help in 15 minutes in India. But is the system fair?

Domestic workers perform a variety of household services, such as cleaning and household maintenance, cooking, laundry, and caring for children and elderly dependents. In India, domestic work is traditionally low-paid, insecure, and unregulated. Now, online, on-demand home services are becoming popular in large cities like Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru, where there are a lot of house owners who are often too busy doing other things (or just lazy) to perform household chores. These services are just like on-demand ride-hailing services like Uber, whose apps provide information about available workers with ratings, the time of arrival, and the price. Once the service is booked, the selected worker goes to the place at the expected time, performs the services, and leaves. If they arrive late or receive a poor review, penalties are deducted from their quoted payments. Such services certainly create gig-work opportunities and clearer pay schemes for individual workers, but they tend to put too much pressure on them. Should the performance quality be maintained by rewards or penalties? In any case, India’s online house-help platform is another on-demand service that engages users and service providers through smartphones.

Read the article and learn about this rising on-demand household service in India.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c98megy6r1mo

Topic Reading-Vol.5099-4/10/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

How filming your chores could train the android butlers of the future

AI is not limited to chatbots, in classrooms, or at workplaces. Physical AI enables autonomous machines to perceive, understand, and perform complex actions in the real, physical world, such as industrial automation, autonomous driving, drones, human caring, and household chores. Before generative AI like ChatGPT was introduced, it had been trained on billions of words, texts, and documents from the Internet to learn text patterns to generate human-like responses to user prompts, and it is still being trained. So, how will general-purpose robots be trained to work safely and effectively in various, interactive, dynamic environments, such as factories, warehouses, shops, hospitals, and homes? To learn how to perceive, judge, and make movements, a vast amount of visual data in various environments and tasks is now being collected by first-person view cameras from all over the world. Chatbots are being trained by texts and documents on the Internet. Map apps are collecting visual and physical data from the streets, and autonomous vehicles perceive real-time situations ahead and around the vehicle to drive. Now, physical AI is being trained by visual data to perceive, judge, and react to perform tasks in a real-world environment. There are a lot of things and activities going on behind the AI.

Read the article and learn about what it takes to develop humanoid robots.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/04/04/tech/humanoid-robot-training-jobs-intl-hnk-dst

Topic Reading-Vol.5098-4/9/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers,
‘Everyone now kind of sounds the same’: How AI is changing college classes
Having grown up with smartphones and social media as staples, today’s teenagers are digital natives who have no or little hesitation to ask AI chatbots questions. (Vol.5097-4/8/2026) But as they are learning with and being tutored by AI, their expressions, perspectives, and reasonings are becoming more homogenous. Since large language models (LLMs) are trained to predict the next most statistically likely word based on the previous input and context, they tend to provide similar responses to the same inquiries, which is called “WEIRED” viewpoints - Western, educated, industrialized, rich, and democratic, in the English context. This seems to have hampered, or even flattened, the diversity and creativity of classroom discussions and arguments in higher education as students use AI chatbots without hesitation. Then, when AI agents become available and pursue goals and complete tasks autonomously, will students become even more reliant on AI and engage less with fellow students in discussions? It seems quite challenging for faculty members to manage rapidly advancing technologies and a drastically changing learning environment in classrooms.
Read the article and learn how AI is affecting the learning environment.
https://edition.cnn.com/2026/04/04/health/ai-impact-college-student-thinking-wellness

Topic Reading-Vol.5097-4/8/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Gen Z is outsourcing hard conversations to AI. Why it matters

People called Millennials are in their 30s, often called digital adopters, who have adopted digital technologies as they grew up. Those in the next generation, Generation Z, are now in their teens and 20s and are called digital natives, who grew up with smartphones and social media as staples. They started using the silent, instant interactions and emojis on social media in their teens or even earlier. Also, many Gen Zs spent their school days during the COVID-19 pandemic, and their social engagement and interactive development were disrupted. Then ChatGPT became their friend in late 2022. They immediately became used to interacting with AI chatbots as if they were their tutors, advisors, friends, or even mentors, and now depend on them heavily. For example, as AI learns your behaviors, preferences, and style, it will come up with a personalized love letter according to the situations and your intentions you input. Experts are concerned that young people are so attached to AI that they might miss the chance to learn to develop, mediate, and reconcile personal relationships in their adolescence. Most people are now comfortably using AI tools to create meeting minutes, summaries, charts, research papers, and coding programs, and interact with chatbots more frequently and closely than their families or friends. And some people are emotionally dependent on AI. (Vol.4996: Woman marries ChatGPT character)

It seems that the world is now under a big transition of information, interaction, and emotion.

Read the article and learn what role AI is playing in social relationships.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/03/07/health/gen-z-ai-conversations-wellness

Topic Reading-Vol.5096-4/7/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

What you need to know before taking weight-loss drugs

Reducing weight cannot be achieved only by eating less, but it requires to establish healthier lifestyle, including diet, exercise, and behaviors. In case you’re chronically obese, you could use weight loss medications to ease, but not to solve, such health challenges. Some of these medications help you feel less hungry and fuller by mimicking hormones that suppress appetite, slow stomach emptying, and increase feelings of fullness, while others work by changing how you absorb fat or burn calories. As new weight-loss pills appear, more people are starting to take such medicine. However, once they stop taking such medication after a while, their weight tends to rebound quickly if they haven’t changed lifestyle behaviors. Also, those who are taking weight-loss medication might be more vulnerable to nutritional deficiencies because they eat less food and take less nutrition. After all, how you live your daily life is essential to managing your weight, and weight-loss drugs are there only to help you achieve your weight goal.

Read that article and learn how weight-loss drugs work for your weight and health.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20260401-why-weight-loss-drugs-arent-a-quick-fix

Topic Reading-Vol.5095-4/6/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

What do Trump's latest comments on leaving Nato mean for the alliance?

The aftermath of World War II saw much of Europe devastated, while the Soviet Union-backed communists were threatening elected governments across Europe. To safeguard the freedom, democracy, and security of Western allies through collective defense, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was proposed by the US and established in 1949 with 12 member states from Europe and North America. NATO is a defensive alliance that ensures the security of all member countries, stating that an armed attack against one member is considered an attack against all members in Article 5 of the treaty. Of the current 32 members, the US’s military assets, intelligence, and budget surpass the total of the other member countries. For example, the US’s military budget makes up over 60% of NATO’s total defense spending, which seems to frustrate the deal-conscious incumbent US president. Another thing that irritates him is that while the US and most NATO countries have been supporting Ukraine in its defense war against Russia, even though Ukraine is not a NATO member state, Europeans have not been supporting the US and Israel’s war against Iran. Recently, he said NATO is a paper tiger, and he was reconsidering the US membership in NATO. This not only makes its allies reevaluate their security alliance with the USA but also stimulates other regional powers to redraw their respective regional maps. What will come next?

Read the article and learn about the US’s influence on the 77-year-old defense treaty.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c79je4vldq5o

Topic Reading-Vol.5094-4/5/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

The happiest day of an Indian bride’s life can lead to years of debt

Nowadays in India, even educated graduates have difficulty finding jobs, and middle-class families are struggling to make ends meet and often fall into a debt trap. (Vol.5093) Another financial burden the parents of a daughter have to bear is the wedding. While marrying off a daughter carries both joy and relief for her parents, they are expected to offer a substantial dowry, prepare and manage the lavish wedding ceremony, and pay the expenses, which, altogether, could cost years of their income. Even though dowry is prohibited in India, it still persists widely because it is still expected by the groom’s family, with whom the bride is going to live once married. It could include not just money but also furniture, a car, or even a house if the couple lives by themselves. Also, because weddings serve as a bond in the families, the community, and social relationships, hundreds of guests are invited and served at the extravagant wedding events that last a few days or even a week. All of these preparations are made and expenses paid by the bride’s family, and many of them have no choice but to borrow money at a high interest rate for years. Education raises expectations, inflation increases the costs of living, and a wedding could add years of debt. Even years of hard work might not be enough to live a comfortable life for many in India.

Read the article and learn about another financial burden that a girl’s family has to bear.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/03/31/india/india-weddings-cost-intl-hnk-dst

Topic Reading-Vol.5093-4/4/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Educated and employed but still struggling: India's middle class under strain

Education and the middle class sound like key drivers of economic growth, but not quite so nowadays in India. Over eight million college students graduate each year, only a few million shy of China, and nearly 30% of them are unemployed. Even among the graduates of 23 Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), India’s world-famous premier IT and engineering institutions, almost 40% are unemployed, while uneducated people can find jobs much more easily, even though the pay is much lower than the national average. Thus, the number of middle-class workers and families isn’t increasing so much any longer. Also, inflation has been outpacing income growth, including rent, food, healthcare, and education. In order to fill the gap between earnings and spending, nearly half of all Indian families are taking personal loans. But borrowing money creates debts and an extra burden, the interest, which is higher than the inflation and often the income growth. Unless income growth outpaces inflation and interest rates, borrowers fall into a debt trap, taking new loans to pay off old ones. It seems that AI and inflation are eroding the illusion of creating a middle-class economy with education.

Read the article and learn about what hampers India’s economic growth.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvg5g3pjy06o

Topic Reading-Vol.5092-4/3/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Frosting, sprinkles and layers of fun: Giant cake picnic hits Sydney

Initiated by a Google employee who works deep in the world of AI, Cake Picnic is a social gathering where people bring and exhibit their homemade cakes and enjoy seeing and eating others’ cakes, like a potluck party. It is now organized by the branches of CAKE PICNIC in many cities beyond San Francisco, including Los Angeles, Mexico City, Melbourne, and Sydney, and many other places in the coming year. At the Melbourne event in March, 1,600 cakes were exhibited and eaten. Once entered, the participant needs to bring one whole uncut cake of a minimum 20cm in width and 7.5cm in height, a label for the cake, including the cake’s name, list of ingredients, and any major allergens it contains, if any, and a cake server. On the site, cakes of all kinds, colors, shapes, and tastes are laid out, pictures are taken, recipes are shared, and compliments are exchanged before they are sliced to be eaten. The events are inclusive, and the participants are diverse, but they all want to share the sweet experience. Indeed, cakes are designed to be sliced and shared.

Read the article and learn about the sweet picnic where all participants enjoy the taste of.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1w40dy58vwo

Topic Reading-Vol.5091-4/2/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

Arctic sea ice just dropped to an alarming new low

Sea ice has a significant influence on the global climate. Its bright surface reflects as much as 80% of sunlight back into space, keeping polar regions cold. When it melts, it exposes the dark ocean surface, which absorbs sunlight, leading to higher ocean temperatures and accelerating further melting. The Arctic sea ice reaches its peak in March each year, covering around 14 to 15 million square kilometers. This March, the Arctic sea ice peaked at 14.29 million square kilometers, marking the lowest maximum extent in the 48-year satellite record. This year’s peak was approximately 1.36 million square kilometers below the 1981-2010 average, about twice the size of Texas. Ongoing buildup of heat-trapping gases from burning fossil fuels has been warming the oceans, heating the air, melting the ice, and causing extreme weather events. Even if climate pollution is stopped, the Arctic will have no ice during the summer season within a decade or two. Where will polar bears live?

Read the article and learn about the impacts of global warming on the Arctic sea ice.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/03/26/climate/arctic-sea-ice-record-low

Topic Reading-Vol.5090-4/1/2026

Dear MEL Topic Readers, 

UN votes to recognise slavery as gravest crime against humanity

The African coastal slave trade was established by Europeans in the 15th century, and trade to the Americas began in the 16th century, lasting until the 19th century. The vast majority of the slaves were captured in Central and West Africa, transported, and sold to European traders, who then shipped them to the Americas as part of the triangular trade. It is estimated that around 12 to 15 million Africans were captured, traded, and forced to work as slaves. On March 25, a resolution to designate the Transatlantic Trafficking of Enslaved Africans and the enslavement system as the gravest crime against humanity was adopted at the UN General Assembly with an overwhelming majority of 123 member states. Three members, Argentina, Israel, and the United States, voted against the resolution, and 52, including many European countries, abstained. The resolution, which was spearheaded by Ghana and strongly supported by the African Union, is meant to safeguard against forgetting the inhumane practice. African countries also call for financial repartition, including educational, endowment, and skills training funds. The US said it does not recognize a legal right to reparations for historical wrongs that were not illegal under international law at the time they occurred, and refused to use modern resources for reparations.

Read the article and learn what recognition and reparation of slavery mean to African countries.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvg06q36052o