Current situation not conducive to reopening educational institutions: Minister
Education Minister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury said the current situation is not conducive to reopening educational institutions at the moment.
He said this at a meeting at the conference room of the Education Ministry on Monday (July 29) at 4:30 pm.
'We have to discuss with those who are in charge in this regard. That is not the situation at the moment.' the minister said.
Regarding the cabinet discussion, Mohibul Hasan said, 'What was discussed there cannot be discussed outside.'
Prime Minister's education and cultural affairs adviser Dr Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury, Chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on education ministry and former education minister Nurul Islam Nahid were present at the meeting.
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WhatsApp Update: / Exciting New Features on the Horizon
WhatsApp, a globally popular messaging app, is gearing up for some major updates. Known for its cross-platform, free-to-use instant messaging and voice-over-IP services, WhatsApp lets users send messages, make voice and video calls, and share media effortlessly. Now, exciting new features are on the horizon.
A significant change is coming to group calls. In the current setup, all members receive a ringing notification when a group call starts. With the new update, users will be able to join group calls via a link, allowing them to join at their convenience without the disruptive ringing.
WhatsApp is also making strides to enhance its video calling experience. The company is working on introducing augmented reality (AR) and artificial intelligence (AI) filters, similar to those on Snapchat. These filters will let users apply effects like AR overlays, skin smoothing, and even low-light mode during video calls.
Additionally, WhatsApp will roll out new background editing tools, giving users the ability to blur or customize their video call backgrounds. This set of features is aimed at making video calls more engaging and personalized.
Apple Unveils New AI-boosted iPhone 16
The new iPhone 16, unveiled on Monday, is the first Apple product to be built with artificial intelligence in mind. But the company faces challenges in the form of Huawei in China and regulation in Europe.
California tech giant Apple on Monday officially unveiled the iPhone 16, its first smartphone specially designed to incorporate artificial intelligence (AI).
"The next generation of iPhone has been designed for Apple Intelligence from the ground up," said chief executive Tim Cook at the product launch, referring to Apple's own in-house AI platform which was announced earlier this year.
"It marks the beginning of an exciting new era," he said, teasing "breakthrough capabilities" such as the ability for AI to conjure images and other content on command.
According to media reports, Apple Intelligence features are also expected to be rolled out to recent iPhone and iPad models in a software update in October, but with voice assistant Siri initially only available in US English.
Regionalized English is expected to follow in December before a full Siri upgrade with languages including French, Spanish, Chinese and Japanese is rolled out in early 2025.
Apple vs. Huawei
Apple's move into AI is a key pillar of its strategy to compete with Chinese rival Huawei, which made its own new triple-fold MATE XT smartphone available for pre-order hours before Apple's event.
By Monday night, its website showed it had already taken over three million pre-orders for the Z-shaped device, underlining Huawei's ability to navigate US sanctions ahead of its official launch on Tuesday.
"The Chinese market is hungrier for AI features than the US market," commented Ben Bajarin, CEO and principal analyst at the California-based Creative Strategies market research company.
But Beijing is yet to approve Apple Intelligence for release on the Chinese market, nor has Apple announced an AI partner for China.
For Apple, "it will be very difficult to bring [iPhone 16] to China immediately," said Bajarin. "So, they'll be going off the merits of the hardware."
iPhone 16: new features, new Watches, new AirPods
Those hardware features include the new A18 chip, an aluminum back and a new customizable camera button on the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus, while Apple also unveiled iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max, titanium models with a faster chip, the A18 Pro, and enhanced AI capability.
As part of the launch, Apple also unveiled new Watches and AirPods, emphasizing their use in sporting and health environments.
In addition to improved comfort, fit and acoustics, Apple have also fitted out their new AirPods with a professional hearing-aid feature, which it has submitted for US regulatory review.
Apple targeted by EU regulation and tax authorities
Apple has already said it expects the roll-out of Apple Intelligence in Europe to be delayed due to additional regulatory checks in accordance with the European Union's Digital Services Act.
Also in Europe, the European Court of Justice is expected on Tuesday to rule on a case which could see Apple forced to pay back up to €13 billion ($14.35bn) in tax benefits afforded to it by the Republic of Ireland, where it has its Europe HQ.
iPhone 16 Series: Prices and Features Revealed
Apple has launched its highly anticipated iPhone 16 series, featuring four models: iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max. These phones will be available in five colors—white, black, green, pink, and blue.
According to a Tech Pedia report on Tuesday, September 10, the iPhone 16 with a 6.1-inch screen starts at $799 (around 96,000 BDT), while the iPhone 16 Plus with a 6.7-inch screen begins at $899 (around 108,000 BDT).
The iPhone 16 Pro, with a 6.3-inch display, is priced at $999 (around 120,000 BDT), and the larger 6.9-inch iPhone 16 Pro Max starts at $1,199 (around 144,000 BDT).
Additionally, Apple introduced its new AirPods and Apple Watch series at the "Glotime" event on August 9.