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Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing diagnostics in dentistry. With the power of AI algorithms, dental specialists can analyze complex data sets, such as X-rays and patient records, to identify patterns and detect abnormalities. This technology enables early detection of oral diseases, leading to more effective and timely treatments. AI-driven diagnostic tools not only enhance the accuracy of diagnoses but also streamline the decision-making process for dental professionals.

Experts warn that space debris is becoming a serious risk as more objects orbit Earth. The European Space Agency (ESA) says 1,200 pieces of rocket and satellite debris fell to Earth last year, and about 54,000 large objects are still in orbit. The ESA also warns of the Kessler Syndrome, where collisions between debris create even more dangerous fragments. This is why it is important to remove large, non-working objects from orbit. France is currently the European country with the highest space debris risk, with over 500 pieces of junk and more than 100 satellites in orbit. Although France follows UN rules to reduce debris, experts say a large debris cascade could stop us from accessing space in the future. The UK and ESA have fewer debris pieces, with the UK’s being very low despite a large satellite fleet. ESA is working on better debris removal, but the legal ownership of debris and the lack of funding remain big problems. Global cooperation will be needed to solve this issue.

Teaching English as a Global Language

With over 1.5 billion native and non-native speakers, English is the world’s most widely spoken language. Teaching English as a global language means acknowledging the reasons for its worldwide presence. It is important to provide context to help students understand how exactly English became a global language. Present a brief history lesson that traces English from its origins in England to the dozens of countries that use it as a dominant language today.

English is no longer linked to a particular country. Pull up a map and ask students to start naming the countries where English is spoken as a native language. Then, ask them to find the countries where it is spoken as a dominant language. Finally, ask them to find where it is spoken by the majority of the population. This will remind students that there are many ways that English is spoken around the world. This can help change one’s perspective from seeing English as having a single, correct form of usage to seeing it as a way to facilitate communication with people across the globe.

Students who are learning English as a global language must be reminded that statistically speaking, they are more likely to use English with non-native English speakers than natives. This is because English has more non-native speakers than native speakers! It’s estimated that 70-75 percent of the world’s English speakers are non-native. It’s highly likely that students will at some point encounter an unexpected accent or dialect of English.

It is the heavy task of the global English teacher to help students unlearn their fear of mistakes and embrace communication for the sake of comprehension. The idea that communication matters more than grammatical precision is also important to help students develop strategies for what to do when communication breaks down. This means giving them tools like asking for clarification, rephrasing their own statements, and confirming understanding. Role-playing these types of interactions helps students build confidence and prepares them for real-life situations – whether in meetings, travel, or casual conversations. By focusing on communication strategies rather than perfection, you help students become more effective, empathetic speakers.

One of the best ways to reinforce the global nature of English is by incorporating authentic materials into your lessons – materials created by English speakers from various countries and cultural backgrounds. This includes podcasts, YouTube videos, blog posts, news articles, or even social media content produced by non-native speakers or international communities. Using real-world examples allows students to encounter English in a variety of accents, formats, and contexts, far beyond the confines of standardized textbooks. It also helps them develop listening and reading skills that are more adaptable to the real-life situations they’ll encounter when using English with people from different backgrounds. It is a shared language used by billions, and it’s shaped by the voices of its global community.

Although it’s a global language, English is also uniquely personal. Whether it’s the cafe playing the latest hit song from a music artist, the name of the milkshake at their local fast food restaurant, or a new Instagram update from a celebrity, remind students to recognize the role English already plays in their lives. Invite them to interact with it by straining to understand the song lyrics or set their phones to English. Since it’s all around us, it can be easy to learn to ignore global English. Invite students to recognize it, embrace it, and engage with it in their own daily lives. Teaching English as a global language, you can help your students use this language to its full potential – to facilitate multicultural communication and collaboration and to express the full, authentic experience of humans around the globe.

Egypt, Azerbaijan to hold joint committee, business forum in October

Egypt and Azerbaijan are preparing to hold the sixth session of their joint committee for economic, scientific, and technical cooperation in Cairo next month, a meeting that will include a business forum aimed at strengthening ties between the private sectors of both countries.

The plans were discussed during a meeting between Egyptian Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation, Rania Al-Mashat, and Azerbaijan's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yalchin Rafiyev, in Cairo.

Al-Mashat affirmed the depth of the historical relations between the two countries and highlighted the joint efforts to increase private sector investments and leverage the vital role of both economies within their regional environments.

The upcoming joint committee session will be co-chaired by Al-Mashat and Rashad Nabiyev, Azerbaijan's Minister of Digital Development and Transport. It aims to advance economic, trade, and tourism cooperation and will cover opportunities in fields including renewable energy, oil and gas, culture, health, and investment.

Al-Mashat stressed the importance of convening the Egyptian-Azerbaijani Business Forum during the committee meetings to showcase investment opportunities and attract more Azerbaijani investments to Egypt.

The minister also highlighted the successful visit of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to Egypt in June 2024, which witnessed the signing of seven documents in various fields, including economic development, digital transformation, and investment promotion.

The two sides are also looking to establish joint projects in pharmaceutical manufacturing in Azerbaijan's Alat Free Economic Zone, transfer Egyptian expertise in green hydrogen and ammonia, and cooperate in the rehabilitation and maintenance of power plants.

Al-Mashat also pointed to the recent launch of "Egypt's Narrative for Economic Development," a comprehensive framework aimed at transitioning towards an economic model that consolidates macroeconomic stability and focuses on the most productive, export-oriented sectors.

The meeting also reviewed the outcomes of the COP29 climate conference, hosted by Azerbaijan, and its conclusions supporting the efforts of developing countries to address climate change.

Does Gen Z Already Have a Retirement Problem?

By Elizabeth Gulino

Although they've only been in the professional sphere for less than a decade, Gen Z has already shaken up work as we know it. They're quiet quitting, overcoming imposter syndrome, taking adult gap years, and fully embracing being the personality hire. But they're also, apparently, not saving enough for retirement.

According to the Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association, a financial services company, only 20 percent of Gen Zers are currently saving for retirement. Surya Kolluri, head of the TIAA Institute, says there are a myriad of reasons as to why Gen Z may be behind on starting to save for this milestone: The cost of living is higher, financial pressures are abundant, student debt is climbing, and there's been more of a desire to achieve a healthy work-life balance and flexibility in careers instead of a six-figure salary. And of the 80 percent of respondents who haven't started saving, 35 percent of them admit they don't even know where to start.

A recent Bank of America study provided further confirmation: based on internal deposit account data, the banking institution found that Gen Z on average doesn't have enough saved to cover a month of expenses.

Kolluri says one of the biggest roadblocks in Gen Z's path to retirement is a lack of knowledge. Saving, investing, and the power of compounding aren't exactly taught in schools, and there are enough fin-fluencers and resources out there to make even the most dialed-in Gen Zers feel overwhelmed.

The most common — and easiest — path toward retirement is taking advantage of an employer's 401(k). Lauren, 24, does, but while her current company matches 4 percent of her contributions, she tells PS her former employer didn't match at all. "I didn't even realize that that was such a benefit I was missing," she says. "When I would tell people that they weren't matching it they were like, what? How are they getting away with that? And I had no idea." Now, of course, Lauren is taking full advantage of her employer's plan — but she would've been more ahead in her saving game if she knew what to look for before.

Of the 20 percent of the Gen Zers surveyed currently saving for retirement, 66 percent of them do so through their employer, according to the TIAA. But thanks to dwindling job security and the rise of the gig economy, a chunk of the workforce has been left behind on retirement planning.

Angelina, 27, comes from a family of restaurateurs and is currently partial owner of a restaurant. Currently, she has zero retirement savings. Her dad, however, opened his first restaurant at 36 and was able to retire at 60. "He was able to start something and retire in less than 25 years, which I think gave me a false perception of reality," she says. "I think I'm going to be able to achieve the same thing, but I haven't saved a dime.

"I pay into social security, but that's not necessarily enough to survive on, if that even exists by the time that I'm able to collect it," Angelina adds.

Jane, 25, is at the opposite end of the spectrum: She's currently planning to retire in her 30s — at least, in a way. For most of her working life, she's held two full-time jobs and currently owns a townhouse in downtown Toronto that she rents out to tenants. She lives with her parents to save money and tells PS that 50 percent of her income goes to investments, including retirement.

Right now, she's using Financial Independence, Retire Early (FIRE) as a guide, which follows a formula of saving, investing, and frugal living to reach "financial independence" in a short time frame.

"It's a more flexible variation of retirement," Jane explains. "Retirement doesn't just take one form. There are a lot of different types of it. It's not never working — it's being work-optional, being flexible, being able to take really long breaks."

The first milestone under FIRE is called "barista fire," which Jane is currently working toward obtaining. "It gives you flexibility to be work-optional and gives you flexibility to have enough [saved] that you can be a barista, for example, or work part-time for the rest of your life so you're not dependent on a full 9-to-5 corporate job," she says. "My first FIRE milestone is hopefully saving $700,000. That would enable me to find alternative sources of income as opposed to a full 9-to-5."

Jane's not exactly the norm, however. Kolluri says that employers like Lauren's play a vital role in enabling their workers to get on a strong financial plan, meaning that freelancers or those who are self-employed, like Angelina, need to work that much harder to get themselves started. If you fall into that bucket, he says that looking into individual retirement accounts (IRAs) are a good place to start.

Haley Sacks, a financial influencer known as Mrs. Dow Jones, agrees that endless opportunities to buy and consume don't help very much when it comes to saving. "I think it's really hard when you're constantly bombarded with so much to buy and so much FOMO," she says. "It's very easy for people to spend everything that they make."

Jane, Lauren, and Angelina all cite similar reasons for their age group's lack of retirement funds: the rising cost of living, a shortage of knowledge, and endless opportunities to spend money under capitalism. "We live in a time where our FYPs and our Instagram feeds are perfectly tailored to things we want to purchase and overconsumption is so normalized," Angelina says. "I would say [Gen Z not saving] is more because of overconsumption and the need to shop that's ingrained in us versus not having things like a 401(k), or whatever the hell it's called."

Kolluri says education and instilling confidence among young people when it comes to their money is a must. Saving for retirement is vital — not only for living expenses to be covered with age, but medical expenses, too. "The average couple spends over $300,000 on healthcare in retirement in cash," Sacks says. "The funds that you're saving are not just to live in Boca and play golf all day they're also to take care of yourself as your health deteriorates."

Kolluri says that what's different about Gen Z is they value one thing above all else: freedom. "People in this demographic express interest in wanting to maintain the freedom to pursue their interests and being able to financially manage their lives," he says. "That is a new combination we have not seen in other generations."

Retirement is a long way off for Gen Zers. Angelina, though, is already looking forward to the future. "2025 is my year to get my shit together," she says.

Read the lyrics carefully and answer the following questions: The Times They Are A-Changin' (Bob Dylan)
Come gather 'round people
Wherever you roam
And admit that the waters
Around you have grown
And accept it that soon
You'll be drenched to the bone
If your time to you is worth savin'
And you better start swimmin'
Or you'll sink like a stone
For the times they are a-changin'
Come writers and critics
Who prophesize with your pen
And keep your eyes wide
The chance won't come again
And don't speak too soon
For the wheel's still in spin
And there's no tellin' who
That it's namin'
For the loser now
Will be later to win
For the times they are a-changin'
Come senators, congressmen
Please heed the call
Don't stand in the doorway
Don't block up the hall
For he that gets hurt
Will be he who has stalled
The battle outside ragin'
Will soon shake your windows
And rattle your walls
For the times they are a-changin'
Come mothers and fathers
Throughout the land
And don't criticize
What you can't understand
Your sons and your daughters
Are beyond your command
Your old road is rapidly agin'
Please get out of the new one
If you can't lend your hand
For the times they are a-changin'
The line it is drawn
The curse it is cast
The slow one now
Will later be fast
As the present now
Will later be past
The order is rapidly fadin'
And the first one now
Will later be last
For the times they are a-changin'