New Zealand has announced steps toward banning social media for under-16s, with legislation now introduced to Parliament. 

And for parents, there’s a very practical question behind all of this. As children move into secondary school, many start asking for their first phone. So what are schools doing about phones and social media, and what advice are they giving parents? 

On our back-to-school special this week, we speak with the Roads and Transport Authority after it announced a package of measures ahead of the new academic year, including a 30-day inspection campaign of school buses, checking vehicles as well as permits for drivers and attendants. So how ready is Dubai for the return of the school run?  

We also ask: will school lunch boxes be expensive this year?

Hidden or retractable car door handles will soon be illegal on new vehicles sold in China.  

And Apple’s reported plans for camera-equipped AirPods raise questions about how the move fits with the company’s long-standing privacy-first image.