 |
|
|
|||||
For 20-year-old Mayank Yadav, riding a crowded bus in the summer months in this western Indian city can be like sitting in an oven. That makes it a treat when he steps off and into a bus stop outfitted with sprinklers that bathe overheated commuters in a cooling mist. Everyone is suffering from the heat, Yadav said. I hope they do more of this across the city. Rising heat is a problem for millions of people in India. In Ahmedabad, temperatures this year have already reached 42 degrees Celsius (107 Fahrenheit), a level usually not seen for several more weeks, prompting city officials to advise people to stay indoors and stay hydrated. And yet, coping with that heat is a familiar challenge in Ahmedabad. After a 2010 heat wave killed more than 1,300 people, city and health officials rushed to develop South Asia’s first heat action plan. The plan, rolled out in 2013 and now replicated across India and South Asia, includes strategies for hospitals, government officials and citizens to react immediately when temperatures rise beyond human tolerance. Public health officials said it’s helped save hundreds of lives every summer. City officials, with help from climate and health researchers, have implemented two simple yet effective solutions to help those affected most by heat: the poor and those who work outdoors. By painting tin-roofed households with reflective paint, they’ve reduced indoor temperatures, which otherwise might be up to 5 degrees Celsius (9 degrees Fahrenheit) hotter than outside. More recently, the city hung curtains woven of straw and water sprinklers at one bus stop so commuters can get relief from the sun and heat. Officials said they plan to expand the idea to other bus stops in the city. Residents said both measures have been a relief even as they brace for at least three more months of sweltering summer. A simple coat of paint makes all the difference Throughout the city’s low-income neighborhoods, hundreds of tin-roofed homes have been painted with reflective paint that helps keep the indoors cooler. Residents said their houses were so hot before the roofs were painted that they would spend most of their time outdoors under any shade they could find. Earlier, it was really difficult to sleep inside the house,” said Akashbhai Thakor, who works as a delivery van driver and lives with his wife and three-month-old child in Ahmedabad. Thakor’s roof was painted as part of a research project that is trying to measure the impact of the so-called cool roofs. Early results have been promising. After the roof was painted, the house is much cooler, especially at night, said Thakor. People like Thakor are much more vulnerable to extreme heat because their houses aren’t insulated and, since most of them depend on a daily wage, they must work regardless of the weather, said Priya Bhavsar of the Indian Institute of Public Health Gandhinagar, who is working on the project. Bhavsar said low-cost solutions could be the only respite for thousands of people in the city who can’t afford to buy an air conditioner. Veer Vanzara, who lives in the same area as Thakor and works in a nearby garment factory, said the heat makes his job much worse, especially since his factory has no ventilation. So his family is grateful for the cool roofs. The evenings and night are much cooler than before inside our house, he said. A bus stop that’s become an oasis from the heat In Ahmedabad’s city center, a 25-meter stretch of a bus stop has been draped with mats made of straw which, when sprinkled with water, immediately cool the hot wind. Sprinklers installed on the bus stop roof lightly spray cool water on the commuters below, providing instant relief from the blazing heat just a step away. When nothing like this was here, it was really hot. What they’ve done is really good. Senior citizens like me can get some cooling from the heat, said 77-year-old Ratilal Bhoire, who was waiting under the sprinklers with his daughter. Bhoire said when he was younger, Ahmedabad was hot, but it was still possible to walk many kilometers without feeling dizzy, even at the height of summer. Nowadays you can’t do that, he said. Heat is the city’s biggest problem and heat wavescontinuous days of extreme heatare increasing, said Dr. Tejas Shah of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, who oversees the city’s heat action plan. We are in the period of climate change, and it has already shown its effect, said Shah. Shah and other city officials said the onset of summer has become a testing time and efforts such as cool roofs and cool bus stops are reducing heat-related illness and deaths. As climate projections predict only hotter and longer summers for his city, Shah said being prepared is the only thing to do. It (the heat) needs to be addressed in the proper way,” he said. The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org. Sibi Arasu, Associated Press
Category:
E-Commerce
The cost of flying is becoming increasingly out of reach for the average American in 2025. The President of the United States, however, is gearing up to accept a $400 million super jet, complete with nine bathrooms and a master bedroom, as a gift from the Qatari government. News of the proposed gift broke this week, when ABC News reported that the royal family of Qatar plans to present President Trump with a luxury Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet next week during his trip to the region. ABC News also reported that Trump is preparing to accept the gift and retrofit it to use as Air Force One until shortly before he leaves office. At that point, ownership of the plane will be turned over to the Trump presidential library foundation. Overhauling the jet would be at taxpayer expense. This follows a stalled deal with Boeing to update two 747-8 jets for use as Air Force One planes in 2018. Trumps potential acceptance of the opulent gift comes as, for the average American, the price of a standard airline ticket has shot up by 25% in the past year. The news also comes mere weeks after Trump chastised critics for concerns over how his global trade war might impact prices of everyday goods, encouraging Americans to embrace a more frugal lifestyle by cutting down on purchases like dolls for their children. Aside from the dystopian optics of the situation, experts have warned that Trump accepting the colloquially named palace in the sky, which is believed to be worth $400 million, could present very real security consequencesand sparks concerns around foreign bribery. Heres what we know about the design of the super luxury plane so far. A photo provided by Boeing with the caption “Boeing Delivers First 747-8 Intercontinental VIP Airplane . . . taking off for its delivery flight from Paine Field on Feb. 28th [2012]” [Photo: Boeing] What kind of plane is it? The plane in question is a Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental jumbo jet. According to a design overview published by Boeing, the 747-8 Intercontinental (747-8I) has a wingspan of about 225 feet, which is double that of Boeings fastest-selling commercial plane, the Next-Generation 737. Boeing also claims that the 747-8 is the worlds fastest commercial jet, capable of traveling at 0.86 Mach or roughly 660 miles per hour. The double-decker plane is designed with luxury in mind, including a flowing grand staircase to connect the first and second floors, sculpted ceilings, and dynamic LED lighting throughout the cabin. What amenities does it have? Details about the specific plane that Trump is set to receive have not been officially revealed. However, based on images of the aircraft published by MSNBC, it appears likely that the $400 million jets interiors have been customized beyond Boeings specifications to suit the needs of a wealthy client. A page from an Amac Aerospace brochure. [Image: Amac Aerospace/Internet Archive] An aircraft specification summary of the Boeing 747-8I model published by the Swiss aviation company Amac Aerospace provides more insight into the amenities available on board this type of aircraft. According to the summary, the jumbo jet, which is the same model as the Qatari plane, is more like an airborne mansion. It comes with five galley kitchens, nine bathrooms (including several showers), and a master bedroom suite. Pages from an Amac Aerospace brochure. [Images: Amac Aerospace/Internet Archive] A few business class seating sections are sprinkled throughout the plane, but, for the most part, it’s divided into a series of swanky lounges and one private office. For entertainment, the plane is equipped with live TV and radio, 13 Blu-ray players, speakers, and subwoofers. When the aircraft specification summary was published back in 2020, the plane was decked out in a color scheme of red, tan, and gold. What are the security concerns? To meet security standards for carrying the President, the current Air Force One planes are equipped with radiation shielding, antimissile technology, and multiple communication systems that allow the President to communicate with the military from anywhere in the world. According to information provided to The Wall Street Journal, the defense contractor L3 Harris has already been contacted to retrofit the Qatari plane to serve as a presidential aircraft. L3 Harris declined to comment for this story. Further, a Trump administration official told the AP that it would be possible to quickly add some countermeasures and communications systems to the Qatari plane, but that it would be less capable that the existing Air Force One aircraft or the Boeing replacements. Now, many experts are raising the alarm that this gift could present major security risks and ethical concerns. One anonymous former government official told The Washington Post that Air Force One is a flying nuclear-hardened command post, and that the Qatari plane would need to be literally ripped open to bring it up to an acceptable security standard. Former Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall added that bugs on the plane would be a top concern, concluding that the only way Trump will be flying on the plane while hes in office is if he waives a lot of the security requirements needed to deem it safe. Meanwhile, several politicians have condemned the idea of accepting the plane. Even Trump allies have cast doubt on the idea, with Republican Senator Lindsey Graham telling reporters Monday that he wanted to make sure the gift was kosher, while the far-right conservative activist Lara Loomer said the plane would be a stain on Trumps legacy. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer condemned the concept in no uncertain terms in a string of tweets posted to his X account, calling the Qatari plane shameless self-enrichment and a national security betrayal. Nothing says America First like Air Force One, brought to you by Qatar, Schumer wrote. Its not just bribery, its premium foreign influence with extra legroom.
Category:
E-Commerce
Uber is on Wednesday launching its own version of a bus system along busy routes, calling it its most affordable ride option yet. The rideshare company has introduced Route Share, a new service offering pickups every 20 minutes along busy corridors during weekday commute hours. Available from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. local time, the service will launch in New York City, San Francisco, Chicago, Philadelphia, Dallas, Boston, and Baltimore Riders can select the Route Share option to see nearby routes and book a seat anywhere from seven days to 10 minutes before their intended pickup. They’ll then be prompted to walk to the set pickup area where the driver will wait for a maximum of two minutes. Customers will share those rides with up to two other passengers. Rides will be up to 50% less than an UberX, the company said. The new service was announced as part of Ubers annual GO-GET product event, where the company spotlighted more affordable options for cost-conscious consumers navigating todays economic pressures. Heres what else Uber unveiled at GO-GET 2025: [Image: Courtesy of Uber] RIDE PASSES Similar to how airlines have monetized the ability to lock-in prices while airfare is low, Uber is introducing a feature that allows riders to secure a fixed price for a one-hour window each day on select routes. For instance, someone commuting daily to the gym can lock in a fare to avoid price surges from weather or traffic. The pass costs $2.99 and will last for 30 days or until they hit $50 of savings, whichever comes first, the company said. Uber is also launching an option for users to prepay for 5, 10, 15, or 20 rides on regular routes in exchange for discounted fares. [Image: Courtesy of Uber] SHARED AUTONOMOUS RIDES In a major step toward autonomous mobility, Uber and Volkswagen announced in April a partnership to deploy thousands of all-electric, fully autonomous vehicles across the U.S. over the next decade. Uber said Wednesday that a shared autonomous ride option is expected to launch in Los Angeles early next year. [Image: Courtesy of Uber] OPENTABLE PARTNERSHIP Additionally, Uber is rolling out a new Dine Out feature, which lets users access in-person dining deals directly through the Uber Eats app. Its also partnering with OpenTable in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, the U.K., Ireland, and Australia to enable restaurant reservations within the app. [Image: Courtesy of Uber] UBER ONE MEMBER DAYS Uber is introducing a promotional savings event akin to Amazons Prime Week. The Uber One Member Days will run from May 16 to May 23, featuring tens of thousands of deals across the platform and its partners for subscribers paying the $10 monthly fee. Think 50% off shared rides, 20% off Uber Black, and 40% off Comfort Electric, with new deals each day of the week, Uber said in a press release.
Category:
E-Commerce
All news |
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||