EU countries ban phones in schools A small cultural revolution is happening at a German school where a mobile phone ban is being considered for both teachers and students. This idea has caused controversy, as some people believe a complete ban is not practical. Students addicted to phones often see their grades drop. Banning phones in schools has been debated for years, not only in Germany. France, Italy, Britain, and the Netherlands have banned cell phones from the classroom. Since 2022, calls for a ban have been getting louder in Germany. Some schools limit phone use during classes, but this school in Nortorf tried banning phones entirely for two days a week. At first, teachers and parents opposed the idea, especially in rural areas where communication is necessary. However, the ban led to students playing more games and socializing during breaks, which improved their concentration and learning abilities. Integrating digital devices, including smartphones, into the curriculum can enhance learning. Some innovative approaches include using games like Minecraft for educational purposes. While the full ban in Nortof has ended, the experiment changed how students use their phones. Kenya and plastics Kenya’s Dandora is Nairobi’s main dumping ground and one of the world’s largest landfills. It’s filled with single-use plastics despite Kenya’s efforts to reduce its environmental impact. The country advocates for a binding international agreement on plastics as delegates gather to discuss the first-ever treaty on plastic pollution. In 2017, Kenya imposed stringent laws against plastic bags, risking imprisonment or hefty fines. The recent Waste Management law places responsibility on producers rather than consumers. Biof Foods, a Kenyan dairy company, adapted by replacing white PET milk bottles with clear ones, receiving positive feedback from recyclers. The shift in mindset, influenced by recent legislation, reflects a growing environmental consciousness among Kenyans. Europe’s waste goes to other countries Every year, Europe exports millions of tonnes of waste to developing countries; however, a significant portion of these shipments are illegal. This illegal trade can damage local environments and involve criminal organizations that make profits. The European Union is working to reduce waste exports and improve recycling within Europe. One notable case involved 300 containers of waste shipped from Italy to Tunisia in 2020, which were eventually sent back due to activists’ efforts. New EU rules now require non-OECD countries to prove they can manage waste properly and ban plastic waste exports outside the EU. Italian customs officers use a new alert system to catch illegal waste shipments. Recycled materials, like copper from electronic cables, are now being processed within Europe to support the circular economy. Despite these efforts, less than 12% of materials consumed in the EU are recycled. More policies and incentives are needed to improve this. Chinese baby companies have problems Chinese companies that produce children’s products are diversifying their offerings to include adult and pet clothing, as the country faces a record-low birth rate that is expected to continue declining. The demographic decline can be traced back to China’s one-child policy, which lasted from 1980 to 2015. While the limit has been raised to three children in 2021, couples are still reluctant to have babies. Yan Zhang, founder and CEO of Shanghai children’s clothing brand NATUNAKIDS, said the company’s sales have not been significantly impacted by the low birth rate yet but he expects sales to decrease over the next three to five years. The shift in the industry has left some consumers worried about their favorite brands going bankrupt. Market analyst Shaun Rein warns that companies in the baby industry will face declining margins, bad revenues, and falling stock prices. iPhone sales go down Apple CEO Tim Cook worries about the tech giant’s future. There has been a significant drop in sales, the largest in over a year. Sales reached 90.8 billion dollars, which is a drop of 4% compared to the same period last year, primarily due to decreased demand for iPhones. Apple’s executives said the decline was caused by COVID-related supply disruptions, and they expect sales to rebound soon. They announced upcoming product launches and investments in AI. Although there have been problems such as increased competition and dropping sales in China, Apple is optimistic about its future. The company’s stock rose after announcing a share buyback and dividend increase. Will AI take people’s jobs? For decades, people have worried about the rise of robots coming for jobs but rarely did the reality match the concern. Then came ChatGPT, an AI chatbot that has gone viral, and it became the fastest-growing app with 100 million active users just two months after launching. Experts started to worry that the latest chatbots could jeopardize the careers of anyone who interprets information and generates written reports or commands. Chatbots can do very creative things that we previously thought were innately human, and an increasing number of users see this as a business opportunity. They will start using a chatbot as an additional staff member that may be compared to a newly hired graduate in terms of its ability to research and think. AI is much quicker and reliable, without needing a break or pension, and for business people, it’s vital. Some UK law firms are already using chatbots to draft legal letters or to come up with arguments in court cases. They are using chatbots as a kind of outsourced brain to reduce the workload on themselves. A painting robot FRIDA the robot is a robotic arm with a brush taped to it, and it uses AI to collaborate with humans on works of art. The robot can make mistakes and it works with artistic imprecision. It uses AI models similar to those that power tools like open AI chat. An operator specifies a concept for a painting, and the robot uses machine learning to create a simulation and develop a plan. It displays a color palette on a computer screen for a human to mix. Once FRIDA starts, it uses an overhead camera to take an image of the painting and check its progress. If it makes a mistake, it incorporates the misplaced splotch into the painting, just like an artist would. FRIDA stands for Framework and Robotics Initiative for Developing Arts. It explores the intersection of human and robot creativity, and the way it plans and works is imprecise. Canarians protest against tourism In Spain’s Canary Islands, thousands of people have protested against mass tourism. Protesters claim it’s overwhelming the islands. They’re calling for limits on tourist numbers and controls on what they see as harmful development. Despite this, they emphasize they’re not against tourism altogether, which is a significant part of the islands’ economy. Last year, 13.9 million tourists visited, six times more than the local population. The UK and Germany are the main markets. Protesters in the capital, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, held signs demanding respect for their land and limits on tourism. They’re frustrated that politicians prioritize building tourist complexes over residents’ needs. Similar protests occurred in mainland Spain. Activists are advocating for a sustainable tourism model considering environmental impacts and social issues like poverty.
