| Hello from sunny Belfast, where I write this in the departure lounge of Belfast International Airport. My name is Olivia Hylton and I’m this week’s Schools Digest guest curator. I work as Project Lead for FT Schools and no two days are ever the same. One thing that I do regularly is deliver presentations about FT Schools, virtually and in-person, to students around the world. This week, I visited St Dominic’s Grammar School in Northern Ireland with Jude Webber, the FT’s Ireland correspondent. Jude has worked on many fascinating stories over her career. As a self-confessed true crime junkie, my favourite is a profile of Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch, an alleged Irish crime boss. Join our summer news reading challenge. The best entrants will earn a certificate and access to an exclusive webinar. Details/registration here We are looking for paid remote-working part-time (12 hours/month) mentors for the FT, based in New York or California, to support our student advocate programme. They should be college/university students, ideally with some existing work experience. Apply by August 4. Details here Last chance. Young economist of the year is open for blogs of up to 1,000 words until June 29. Finalists will visit HM Treasury and 10 Downing Street. Details here The implications of international trade policies Our competition with the Royal Geographical Society closes on October 31. Details here
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The death of the business card I get my nails done roughly every two weeks. This is essential if you’re partial to a gel manicure, IYKYK. Occasionally, I’ll select a slightly garish colour or add a shiny Chrome finish. Perhaps next time I’ll be bold and opt for a microchip manicure. That should make networking more fun. 
© CNN The business of Black hair: inside a $10bn global industry The Black hair industry is booming and I couldn’t be more excited. In recent years there’s been a surge in new products and experiences designed to satisfy Black consumers’ needs. The best is yet to come, and this article explores some of the challenges and opportunities ahead. Return of the American assassin I didn’t think that it was possible for guns to outnumber people in a country, but as Trump said in his inaugural address: “In America, impossible is what we do best”. This short, sobering opinion piece by Edward Luce offers a look at the state of gun violence afflicting the nation. Does the Singburi 2.0 recapture the magic? In past lives, I worked in hospitality. In my teens I was a waitress, and after university I joined a hospitality start-up as a community manager. A perk of both jobs? Free food, of course! Every week, the founder and I would visit his friends and clients who owned eateries of all kinds. Singburi was his favourite restaurant. This article reminds me to add a visit to Singburi 2.0 to my summer bucket list. Children reporting addictive online behaviour suffer worse mental health When I was 11, I had a ‘dumb phone’ (although we didn’t call it that then, it was just a ‘phone’). I could use it for calls, texts, as an alarm and to play a few basic games. It was hard to be addicted to something that didn’t do much. As you’ll know, life is very different for 11 year olds today who have the world at their fingertips and the knowhow to get around parental control apps like Google Family Link. The issue? An understanding that too much of anything is not good for anyone.
FT Film of the week: Northern Ireland — a legacy of division Northern Ireland has a rich and complex history which is evident as you walk through the city or strike up conversation with locals. There’s no escaping the effects of the conflict on all areas of life. This FT Film explores the legacy of division and the people working towards a shared future. How many people have signed up for the new $5mn golden Trump Card visa scheme? Test your knowledge of the news in 10 questions. Explore all our visual journalism here. How intense heat is affecting Britain
The spring of 2025 has been the UK’s sunniest and warmest on record Scorching temperatures call for a trip to the seaside. Working hard to look busy: why young employees are ‘task masking’ I hadn’t heard of ‘task masking’ before reading this article, but it sounds like more effort than it’s worth. I’m not part of Gen Z, but I often feel like they get a bad rap when we talk about them in the workplace. Judging by the reader comments, it seems as though they’re not the only ones slacking off. We welcome teachers selecting FT articles and adding questions. Please send them to schools@ft.com or fill in this form | | | | Articles selected by our teacher advisers with suggested questions |
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The FT’s Ireland correspondent Jude Webber at St Dominic’s Grammar School |
