1 . The ban (禁令) on petrol and diesel (柴油) cars due in 2030 may have to be scrapped because of a lack of charging points for electric vehicles, industry experts warn. The Government wants to outlaw the sale of new fuel models in order to go green and cut pollution. But industry figures suggest this may not be possible. Analysis highlights a lack of high-powered electric vehicle (EV) chargers at motorway service stations.

The Government has promised that every motorway service area has at least six rapid   chargers by the end of 2023. But only 27 out of 119 motorway services in England meet that target. This will fuel “charge point anxiety”, which experts warn is preventing drivers from   buying electric cars in case they cannot power them up while on journeys. Lisa Watson, director of sales at Close Brothers Motor Finance, said: “The UK is set to fall significantly short of its charging point targets.”

This could have a far-reaching effect on consumer uptake of alternative fuel vehicles. If more isn’t done to improve charging infrastructure (基础设施), the 2030 ban on new petrol and diesel vehicles will seem an increasingly tough task. Rapid charge points can add about 100 miles of range to an EV in 35 minutes and are seen as crucial to encouraging more motorists who use their cars for long journeys to make the switch to electric.

There are also concerns over the distribution of public charging points.While Westminster has 2,196, there are just 1,593 across Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle upon Tyne, Leeds, Sheffield and Birmingham. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders expects plug-in battery electric vehicles to account for 18.4% of car sales this year and 22.6% next year-down from previous forecasts of 19.7% and 23.3%.

A government spokesman said, “The importance of ensuring high-powered charging is readily available up and down our motorway network can’t be highlighted enough. A lack of charging facilities is becoming one of the most widely quoted reasons for drivers not going electric.”

2 . Favored by many internet influencers, the city of Zibo, once a sleepy industrial city, has gone viral on Chinese social media platforms. The topic Zibo “barbecue” on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, was played 4.96 billion times since the city stormed the Internet for over a month. On 29 April, Zibo Railway Station saw a record 87,000 train trips to and from the station, according to Chinese news website Caixin.

Local authorities in Zibo have been quick to respond to the sudden flow of visitors. A barbecue zone that can accommodate 10,000 people, featuring live band performances, was built overnight. Volunteers have been dispatched to the railway station to offer advice and recommendations to tourists. Designated (指定的) buses and trains bring tourists to and from the hottest barbecue spots. The government has even threatened to punish profiteering hotels who raise prices by more than 50% .

What makes Zibo barbecue so special is that it does offer a distinctive (独特的) dining experience. The skewers (烤串) are 70-80 percent cooked before they are brought to the table, where diners can finish cooking them on their own stoves, offering an immersive dining experience.

Zibo’s low prices are also appealing. Many college students in Shandong have made concrete plans to enjoy Zibo barbecue at the least cost, and traveling back and forth by train for only 200 yuan ($29.1). So what better way to attract adventurous, hungry college students with a tight budget other than “tasty barbecue that makes you full for only 50 yuan!”

The locals seem happy enough about the arrival of visitors and shy away from hot spots to make space for outsiders, saying they are proud that their hometown has gained nationwide fame.

5 . A career in comics (漫画) is a dream for many talented, creative artists. It’s an opportunity to express one’s imagination through powerful stories. Traditionally, it was difficult, and sometimes expensive, to make it in the comic world. However, webtoons, comic platforms for viewing on the web and mobile devices, are changing the situation for independent artists. Artists can gain a following on webtoons platforms without having to depend on large publishing agents (代理商). It’s a fantastic opportunity for comic book lovers to find exciting new stories.

WEBTOON is the largest and most well-known webtoons platform, and it offers creators the chance to gain deals with famous agents and publishers. Some creators who got their start on WEBTOON have seen their stories adapted (改编) for TV series or movies. American Netflix has published two live-action adaptations of webtoons. WEBTOON has also worked with brand-name comics. For example, DC Comics, one of America’s oldest and largest comic book producers, produced a comic book series Batman: Wayne Family Adventures with WEBTOON. The popular DC series got more than 76 million views on WEBTOON.

In addition to all that, webtoons have helped independent artists and writers make it in the comic world. Azumi was a webtoons follower, who even won a webtoons competition, but he had no means to continue comic book writing full-time. In 2021, a WEBTOON producer found his great work and employed him to write. This opportunity allowed Azumi to give up his job and focus on his art. Azumi explains, “Many groups and stories that have not been shown in traditional publishing can have a voice and space on WEBTOON.”

“WEBTOON creators are some of the most talented and creative people the history of comics. In a time when comics have never been more popular, we’re proud of the growing Creator Economy and the ecosystem we’ve built to celebrate and support WEBTOON creators,” said CEO, Ken Kim.

8 . Technology has undoubtedly opened up the world for me. Literally, in the case of my fully accessible home. My windows are automatic, and my front door is automatic too. There are also my wheelchairs. I guess that any wheelchair user will say the best invention is that of the wheel. It’s a tool bringing independence and comfort.

Last week, I took a well-deserved break from work and went on a staycation in my local area. On the first day, I was heading further out in my power wheelchair than I’ve ever been on my own. This chair is almost like a Transformer. I like the speed, the phone charger and the flexible feature. It’s a wonderful creation.

However, while there are many benefits that come with technology, I still live in a disabling world. For example, out in my power wheelchair that day, feeling free and easy, I headed straight to the shop not far away. I deserve to feel heard and included when innovation is concerned. But when I got there, I was confronted by self-service checkouts. While they are designed for easy and quick service, for me and many other disabled people, the lack of face-to-face services can put us at a disadvantage. Not only are the checkouts far too high, they are awkwardly designed so that you cannot approach them with a wheelchair. So, I waited for someone to assist me. In just a matter of a few hours, I had seen how technology and accessibility advancements have empowered me then, in the next breath, disabled me.

I still live in a disabling world with sub-standard accessibility. Therefore, disabled people by and large are more likely to rely on mechanical and technological devices such as lifts and communication aids. Unfortunately, these things are sometimes abused and mistreated, making the person relying on them dependent on others.

10 . We live in a town with three beaches. There are two parts less than 10 minutes’ walk from home where neighborhood children gather to play. However, what my children want to do after school is pick up a screen — any screen — and stare at it for hours. They are not alone. Today’s children spend an average of four and a half hours a day looking at screens, split between watching television and using the Internet.

In the past few years, an increasing number of people and organisations have begun coming up with plans to counter this trend. A couple of years ago film-maker David Bond realised that his children, then aged five and three, were attached to screens to the point where he was able to say “chocolate” into his three-year-old son’s ear without getting a response. He realised that something needed to change, and, being a London media type, appointed himself “marketing director from Nature”. He documented his journey as he set about treating nature as a brand to be marketed to young people. The result was Project Wild Thing, a film which charts the birth of the World Network, a group of organisations with the common goal of getting children out into nature.

“Just five more minutes outdoors can make a difference,” David Bond says. “There is a lot of really interesting evidence which seems to be suggesting that if children are inspired up to the age of seven, then being outdoors will be on habit for life.” His own children have got into the habit of playing outside now: “We just send them out into the garden and tell them not to come back in for a while.”

Summer is upon us. There is an amazing world out there, and it needs our children as much as they need it. Let us get them out and let them play.