iGlobenews Pods iGlobenews

Professor Daniel Garcia discusses the four-day week and how employment models might look like moving forward. Are Fridays the new Saturdays or is this wishful thinking? Can a four-day week actually increase production and employment? Or, if something sounds too good to be true, beware, it just might be too good to be true.

While legislators are scrambling to regulate AI, Elon Musk is calling for a six-month moratorium. The cat is out of the bag. The public is torn between awe and apprehension. Will your job be safe or even exist in the future? And who will be the manager of tomorrow, if entry level jobs are occupied by AI chatbots?

In 2021, the Communist Party of China commemorated the 100-year anniversary of the party's founding. From its own perspective, the 100th anniversary provides the party an opportunity to look back at a history of unprecedented success. Yet a closer look at historical facts reveals massive failings as well as great achievements. Without a differentiated approach to the past, China’s leadership may lead and mislead its population and the world into a hazardous future.

Digital addiction, pandemic lockdowns, the glorification of the self, zooming, online shopping, remote learning and alternate realities of the metaverse are contributing to the isolation of more and more people worldwide. Although the causes of loneliness may differ, the reality and effects remain. One is never too young or too old to connect, or to be lonely. In the new conflict between social media and social connectedness, social media has won so far. When social connectedness is lost, so is the fabric that holds society together. The age of loneliness has arrived.

The German Federal Government’s recent decision to build a liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal on the picturesque island of Rügen has ignited a heated dispute. The planned construction in Sassnitz-Mukran has raised concerns among tourism companies, conservationists, and even economic experts who deem it unnecessary. Following widespread public outrage, including a petition signed by over 61 000 people, the government appeared to have listened to the opposition’s concerns but later reversed its position. This turn of events has deepened the divide between supporters and opponents of the controversial project.

Companies such as Uber Eats, Amazon, UPS and Deliveroo made record profits during the pandemic. Their workers were underpaid and overworked. The rights of these platform workers are now being strengthened by the EU’s proposed “Platform Work Directive”. This Directive will protect workers in the gig economy by regulating their employment status and providing protections and transparency.