TSA Shoe Policy, AI Education, and Airplane Toilets

Good morning. It's Wednesday, July 9, and we're covering an update to a decadeslong US travel policy, nationwide AI training for educators, and much more. First time reading? Join over 4.5 million intellectually curious readers. Sign up here.

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 Need To Know 

Infant Malaria Drug

A malaria treatment for newborns has received approval from Switzerland’s medical regulator, marking the world’s first specifically for infants battling the deadly mosquito-borne illness. Named Coartem Baby, the drug combines artemether and lumefantrine—the same ingredients used for older children and adults—and is authorized for infants weighing between 4.4 and 11 pounds.

Developed by Swiss drugmaker Novartis and the Medicines for Malaria Venture, the dissolvable, cherry-flavored medication can be mixed with breast milk to make it easier to administer. Eight African countries participated in clinical trials and are expected to approve the treatment within weeks. Novartis has said it will distribute the drug on a not-for-profit basis in malaria-risk regions.

In 2023, an estimated 597,000 people died from malaria worldwide, with 95% occurring in sub-Saharan Africa—and roughly three-quarters of those among children under age 5. About 30 million babies are born each year in high-risk regions, and infection rates in infants under 6 months can range from 3.4% to 18.4%. Malaria vaccines are typically administered starting around 5 months of age.

You Can Keep Your Shoes On

The Transportation Security Administration has begun to unwind its decadeslong policy of requiring passengers to take off their shoes at airport security lines. The update has been rolled out at several major US airports, including in Maryland, Florida, and Oregon (see map), with plans for expansion over the coming days. 

The TSA policy has been in place since 2006. Its origins trace back to December 2001, when al-Qaida-trained British citizen Richard Reid smuggled 10 ounces of nonmetallic explosives in his shoes (see photo) on an American Airlines flight from Paris to Miami. Reid failed to ignite the bomb, but the incident ultimately prompted the TSA to update its security protocols given the limitations of X-rays. Very few countries have adopted the US approach (see overview). 

The agency cites technological improvements in making the change but has not pointed to specific advancements. The decision is expected to devalue TSA’s PreCheck program, which had allowed passengers to pay to skip the shoe removal requirement, among other perks.

AI Training for Teachers

The nation's second-largest teachers' union announced yesterday that it's creating an AI training hub for K-12 educators with $23M from three leading AI developers: Microsoft, OpenAI, and Anthropic.

The American Federation of Teachers will open its National Academy for AI Instruction this fall in downtown Manhattan. The academy aims to offer hands-on workshops to 400,000 teachers—about 10% of the US teaching workforce—by 2030. All 1.8 million union members will also have access to free online training. A portion of Microsoft's five-year, $12.5M commitment and OpenAI's five-year, $10M pledge will fund the creation of additional hubs nationwide. Anthropic is contributing $500K to support the academy's first year.

The initiative follows an executive order issued by the White House in April encouraging private sector investment in K-12 AI education. And while many teachers worry about students using AI, a recent survey found that 60% of teachers polled use it themselves. Those who reported using AI weekly estimated saving as much as six weeks' worth of time each year.

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