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☆ China’s northeast hit by unseasonable blizzard as heavy snow causes mass disruption
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( Nectar Gan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

In Heilongjiang, China’s northernmost province, the railway operator halted 51 passenger trains on Tuesday due to the snowstorm. Heavy snow falls in Xiangfang district of Harbin, Heilongjiang province, on November 6, 2023. Harbin issued a red blizzard alert – the highest in China’s four-tier warning system – on Sunday and Monday. In the neighboring province of Jilin, more than 200 expressway entrances were closed on Monday due to heavy snowfall. China’s national weather forecaster issued an orange blizzard alert – the second highest level after red – on Saturday and renewed it on Monday for parts of Jilin, Heilongjiang and Inner Mongolia.

Persons: Hong Kong CNN —, Xie Jianfei Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, National Meteorological Center, CCTV, Xinhua Locations: China, Hong Kong, Heilongjiang, China’s, Harbin, Jiamusi, Xinhua, Xiangfang, Heilongjiang province, Qiqihar, Jilin, Inner Mongolia

☆ South Korea Metro Workers Launch Strike; Disruption Limited
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Hyonhee ShinSEOUL (Reuters) - More than 10,000 unionised South Korean metro workers launched a two-day strike on Thursday in protest against the subway operator's push for job cuts to stem snowballing debt, causing disruptions for some commuters in the greater Seoul area. The strike came hours after negotiations between Seoul Metro and its two major unions fell apart due to differences over the operator's plan to scale back its workforce by some 13%, or more than 2,200, by 2026. Seoul's metro operators have grappled for years with debt, partly from free rides for senior citizens, as Asia's fourth-largest economy faces a rapidly aging population and surging welfare costs. But city authorities warned of some delays in the evening, and pledged to mobilise emergency trains, buses and substitute workers. Lee called for efforts to curb the metro operator's debt, which topped 1.7 trillion won ($1.3 billion) last year.

Persons: Shin, Lee Jung, sik, Lee, 1,307.2600, Hyonhee Shin, Stephen Coates Organizations: Korean, Seoul Metro, Employment, Labour, Facebook Locations: Shin SEOUL, Seoul, Seoul's

☆ Protesting the Ukraine war is banned in Russia, so young people are sabotaging trains and railroad tracks instead: UK intel
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( Natalie Musumeci | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Activists against Russia's war with Ukraine have been sabotaging railways, UK intel said. As protesting is criminalized in Russia, sabotage is appealing for young people, UK intel said. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . "Russia's military logistics, including supplying the war in Ukraine, remain reliant" on the country's more than 20,000 miles of railway line, the UK intelligence group said. Some of the railroad sabotage cases involved damage to tracks and arson, according to Mediazona.

Persons: —, Vladimir Putin Organizations: intel, UK intel, Service, UK's Ministry of Defense, Russian Locations: Ukraine, Russia, UK

☆ IMF upgrades China's 2023, 2024 GDP growth forecasts
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

People wait to board trains at the Shanghai Hongqiao railway station ahead of the National Day holiday, in Shanghai, China September 28, 2023. GDP growth could slow to 4.6% in 2024 because of continued weakness in China's property sector and subdued external demand, the IMF said in a press release, albeit better than its October expectation of 4.2% in the IMF's World Economic Outlook (WEO). The combination of the downturn in the property sector and local government debt crunch could wipe out much of China's long-term growth potential, economists say. Local debt has reached 92 trillion yuan ($12.6 trillion), or 76% of China's economic output in 2022, up from 62.2% in 2019. China should also develop a comprehensive restructuring strategy to reduce the debt level of local government financing vehicles (LGFVs), she said.

Persons: Aly, IMF's, Gita Gopinath, Gopinath, LGFVs, Joe Cash, Ryan Woo, Edmund Klamann, Christopher Cushing Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Monetary Fund, China's, Communist Party, Thomson Locations: Shanghai Hongqiao, Shanghai, China, Rights BEIJING, Gopinath

☆ Google researchers deal a major blow to the theory AI is about to outsmart humans
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( Hasan Chowdhury | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The race to build AI as smart as humans, or AGI, looks like it suffered a major blow. Google researchers found the transformer technology behind AI isn't very good at generalizing. AdvertisementAdvertisementGoogle researchers may have just given a major reality check to the ambitions of CEOs in chase of AI's holy grail. As it stands, AI is pretty good at specific tasks but less great at transferring skills across domains like humans do. AdvertisementAdvertisementTransformers' opacity and the scale of the data they're pretrained on gave some the illusion that they generalize beyond it.

Persons: —, Steve Yadlowsky, Nilesh Tripuraneni, they've, Pedro Domingos, AGI, Satya Nadella, Sam Altman, Arvind Narayanan, Jin Fan, G5mBuX6O36, Jim Fan, Domingos, it's, — Pedro Domingos, @pmddomingos, Sharon Zhou Organizations: Service, University of Washington, Microsoft, Nvidia, Google Locations: LLMs, Princeton, AGI

☆ Room-Temperature Superconductor Discovery Is Retracted
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( Kenneth Chang | More About Kenneth Chang | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

First discovered in 1911, superconductors can seem almost magical — they conduct electricity without resistance. Most require ultracold temperatures, and recent advances toward superconductors that function at higher temperatures require crushing pressures. A superconductor that works at everyday temperatures and pressures could find use in M.R.I. Superconductors unexpectedly became a viral topic on social networks over the summer when a different group of scientists, in South Korea, also claimed to have discovered a room-temperature superconductor, named LK-99. Even though it was published in a high-profile journal, Dr. Dias’s claim of a room-temperature superconductor did not set off euphoria like LK-99 did because many scientists in the field already regarded his work with doubt.

Persons: Dias’s, . Dias, Dias Locations: South Korea

☆ Does Anyone Know How to Behave on the Subway Anymore?
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( Ana Ley | More About Ana Ley | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

“Hearing feedback from New Yorkers, we sort of encapsulated a lot of the things that drive people crazy,” said Shanifah Rieara, who oversees rider satisfaction efforts for the authority. The authority has launched such marketing campaigns perennially. In 2017, the authority gave pregnant women blue-and-yellow buttons with a message asking fellow passengers to offer them a seat. is under pressure to improve service and win riders back, in part because the state has mandated that it do so as part of a budget deal. Transit advocates have said that the authority would need to focus on communicating effectively with riders to keep them happy, and its new marketing campaign aims to do that.

Persons: ”, Shanifah Rieara, Mr, Reyes Organizations: Transit

Selling more hybrid and electric trucks and improving the fuel efficiency of Ram combustion models is critical to Chrysler parent Stellantis. A Hemi V-8 will still be offered in Ram heavy-duty trucks. The company has not disclosed future production plans for light-duty Ram Classic trucks, which are based on previous generation Ram designs. Stellantis has previously said it will sell an all-electric Ram pickup called the Ram Rev starting in late 2024. The all-electric Ram REV has a 168 kWh battery pack in the base model that costs thousands more.

Persons: Steve Marcus, Ram, Ford, Stellantis, Tim Kuniskis, Joe White, Matthew Lewis Organizations: REUTERS, Rights DETROIT, American, Chrysler, Detroit, Silverado, General Motors, GM, Ford, GMC, Thomson Locations: Las Vegas , Nevada, U.S, Detroit, Sierras

☆ ‘Grok,’ Elon Musk’s AI chatbot with a ‘rebellious’ streak
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( Anna Cooban | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Elon Musk has announced the introduction of “Grok,” an artificially intelligent chatbot, for some users of X, which the billionaire suggests has a sarcastic sense of humor similar to his own. Musk’s AI startup, xAI, which developed the bot, said in a blogpost that it took inspiration from The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, a comedy sci-fi novel by British author Douglas Adams. Grok “loves sarcasm,” Musk posted on X. Grok is intended to rival ChatGPT, an AI chatbot released to the public by its maker OpenAI last November to much fanfare. Musk has previously expressed concerns about the speed of development of AI, and the technology’s potential to fundamentally change human society for the worse.

Persons: London CNN — Brace, Elon Musk, “, Douglas Adams, Grok, ” Musk, ”, xAI, ChatGPT, Musk, Tommy Robinson Organizations: London CNN, Twitter, Galaxy Locations: British, United States

☆ Haaland a doubt as Man City seek to wrap up last 16 spot
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MANCHESTER, Nov 6 (Reuters) - Holders Manchester City will qualify for the Champions League knockout rounds with two games to spare with victory over Young Boys on Tuesday but they may have to do it without Erling Haaland. He could opt to spare Haaland though, especially with a trip to Chelsea in the Premier League on Sunday. We'll speak with the doctors," Guardiola told reporters. "I will listen to him, if he says I am ready and I don't have pain I will consider to let him play. City have a maximum nine points with their only serious rivals in the group being RB Leipzig on six.

Persons: Erling Haaland, Guardiola, tinker, Erling isn't, Julian, Alvarez, Martyn Herman, Pritha Sarkar Organizations: MANCHESTER, Manchester, Champions League, Young Boys, Premier League, Swiss, Chelsea, Barcelona, Manchester United, European, League, Leipzig, Red Star Belgrade, Thomson Locations: Norwegian, Bournemouth, City, Leipzig

President Biden, perhaps Amtrak’s most famous advocate, announced $16.4 billion in funding for rail projects on Monday, exhibiting a business-as-usual approach as polls show him trailing former President Donald J. Trump one year before Election Day. Speaking at a maintenance warehouse where Amtrak trains are serviced in Bear, Del., Mr. Biden made no mention of the polling from The New York Times and Siena College polls. Instead, he offered familiar anecdotes about his days as a senator, when a conductor named Angelo would call him “Joey, baby!” and squeeze his cheeks as he made the 90-minute ride between Washington and his home in Wilmington, Del. Mr. Biden also promoted the $1 trillion infrastructure law he signed into law two years ago, which included $66 billion for investments in rail systems.

Persons: Biden, Donald J, Trump, Angelo, “ Joey Organizations: Amtrak, The New York Times, Siena College Locations: Bear, Washington, Wilmington, Del

☆ Fact check: Biden twice repeats his false ‘Joey, baby’ story about a deceased Amtrak conductor
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( Manav Tanneeru | Daniel Dale | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Biden has publicly told the story at least 11 times as president, including twice on Monday at a rail-funding announcement in Delaware. Biden said in both recitations that when he was vice president, an article was published about how he had flown 1.2 million miles. In the speech, he specified that the milestone was 1.2 million miles traveled on Air Force planes as vice president. “I don’t [want to] hear any more about Air Force stuff,” Biden recalled Negri as saying. Negri’s stepdaughter, Olga Betz, told CNN in 2021 that Negri and Biden were indeed friends.

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, Angelo, –, ” –, “ Joey, Angelo Negri, ”, ” Biden, Negri, Negri’s, Olga Betz, Negri “, Karine Jean, Pierre, “ Organizations: Washington CNN, Amtrak, CNN, Air Force, Secret Service, White House Locations: Washington, Delaware, Boston, Milwaukee

☆ Biden is pouring $16 billion into making Amtrak trains faster, easier to get to, and more accessible
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( Juliana Kaplan | Eliza Relman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Biden is pouring $16.4 billion into passenger rail in the Northeast Regional corridor. AdvertisementAdvertisementPresident Joe Biden — a known proponent of Amtrak — wants trains to run faster and better. His administration is pouring $16.4 billion from the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law into the Northeast Regional corridor to do just that. Meanwhile, 80% of Amtrak trains were on time in 2020 — and that fell to 74% by 2022. "We're all on our way to creating world-class passenger rail that benefits communities nationwide by making our rail systems safer, more efficient, and more convenient," Landrieu said.

Persons: Biden, —, Joe Biden —, Mitch Landrieu, Transportation Pete Buttigieg, Bill Flynn, Marc Molinaro, Landrieu Organizations: Service, Amtrak —, White, Penn, Transportation, Federal Railroad Administration, Amtrak, European Union, Northeast Corridor Commission, NEC, Infrastructure Investment, Jobs Act, Republicans, New, New York Republican, Republican Locations: Boston, Washington, Baltimore, New York's, Connecticut, Metro, New York, Bronx, Manhattan, —, Northeast, West, Hudson

Most Americans still have to commute every day. Jenn Ackerman for The New York TimesLike a majority of Americans, Ms. Hargreaves was unable to do her work at home. Source: American Community Survey Note: Average commute length for 2020 is not included. The average commute distance changed much less, an indication that commuters are driving faster — but also, more people are driving. “A lot of our choice riders, we're still working to influence them to re-choose transit,” Ms. Tucker said.

Persons: Torie Hargreaves, Jenn Ackerman, Hargreaves, Ms, That’s, Andrea Villanueva, Villanueva, The New York Times “, ” Christopher Wiese, Dr, Wiese, “ There’s, ”, Patricia Mokhtarian, John Goodwin, Rosalind Tucker, we're, Tucker, Aimee Lee, Lee Organizations: Atlanta Washington San, Mo . Chicago Minneapolis New, Mo . Chicago Minneapolis New York City Los Angeles Philadelphia Columbus Denver, The New York Times, Atlanta Austin Boston Charlotte Chicago Columbus Dallas Denver Detroit Houston Kansas City Los Angeles Miami, Atlanta Austin Boston Charlotte Chicago Columbus Dallas Denver Detroit Houston Kansas City Los Angeles Miami Minneapolis Nashville New York, Atlanta Austin Boston Charlotte Chicago Columbus Dallas Denver Detroit Houston Kansas City Los Angeles Miami Minneapolis Nashville New York City Philadelphia San, Atlanta Austin Boston Charlotte Chicago Columbus Dallas Denver Detroit Houston Kansas City Los Angeles Miami Minneapolis Nashville New York City Philadelphia San Francisco Seattle Washington Midnight, Georgia Institute of Technology, Census, New York City –, Philadelphia –, Angeles –, Francisco –, Boston –, Seattle –, Chicago –, Denver –, Kansas City –, Miami –, Houston –, Minneapolis –, Washington –, Austin –, Dallas –, Atlanta –, Charlotte –, Columbus –, Nashville –, Detroit –, BART, area’s Metropolitan Transportation Commission, Labor Department, Atlanta Regional Commission, Lifeline, Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, Regional Transit Authority, % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % Locations: Atlanta Washington San Francisco Boston Kansas City, Mo . Chicago Minneapolis, Mo . Chicago Minneapolis New York, Minneapolis, postpandemic, Atlanta, Atlanta Austin Boston Charlotte Chicago Columbus Dallas Denver Detroit Houston Kansas City Los Angeles Miami Minneapolis, Atlanta Austin Boston Charlotte Chicago Columbus Dallas Denver Detroit Houston Kansas City Los Angeles Miami Minneapolis Nashville New York City, Atlanta Austin Boston Charlotte Chicago Columbus Dallas Denver Detroit Houston Kansas City Los Angeles Miami Minneapolis Nashville New York City Philadelphia San Francisco Seattle, South Minneapolis, North Minneapolis, Boston, Chicago , Kansas City, San Francisco, Washington, New York, Francisco, area’s

☆ The nonstop sparring match between Justice Samuel Alito and Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( Joan Biskupic | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +16 min

CNN —Justice Samuel Alito is the tip of the spear for conservatives challenging the Biden administration during oral arguments at the Supreme Court. Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar is the Biden administration’s top lawyer at the court, defending the policies that are the source of much of Alito’s consternation. “I think our best example historically is the Customs Service,” Prelogar responded. The Biden administration was backing admissions practices that considered students’ race as a factor in admissions to achieve campus diversity. “No, Justice Alito,” Prelogar said.

Persons: Samuel Alito, Biden, He’s, Elizabeth Prelogar, Alito, Prelogar, Ronald Reagan, George H.W, Bush, George W, Sandra Day O’Connor, ” Prelogar, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Elena Kagan, Robert Mueller, Joe Biden, –, ” Alito, “, ”, John Roberts, Roberts, I’m, It’s, ” Alito interjected, ’ Jeffrey Wall, Trump, …, Wall, We’re, Justice Alito, Juliet, Friar Laurence, Brett Kavanaugh, Ketanji Brown Jackson, Friar, Taylor Swift, Friar Lawrence, “ I’m Organizations: CNN, Supreme, Princeton, Yale Law School, Department of Justice, Emory University, Harvard Law School, Miss, ahs, Senate, Republicans, Democrats, Consumer Financial, Federal Reserve System, Customs Service, Biden, FDA, OSHA, Occupational Safety, Health Administration, Harvard, University of North, America, United States, Fair, Shakespeare Theatre Company, Verona Locations: Trenton , New Jersey, New Jersey, Boise , Idaho, Miss Idaho, University of North Carolina, America, ”, Verona, Washington

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden — perhaps the nation's biggest Amtrak fan — is set to promote new federal investments for trains on the heavily trafficked Northeast Corridor. The Democratic president is headed to Bear, Delaware, on Monday to announce more than $16 billion in new funding that will go toward 25 passenger rail projects between Boston and Washington, the White House says. His remarks will be held at the Amtrak Bear Maintenance Shops, where trains are maintained and repaired. The investments, the White House says, will help trains run faster, cut delays and create union jobs. From the law, Amtrak will get about $66 billion in new investments, according to the White House.

Persons: Joe Biden —, Biden, ” Biden, — Organizations: WASHINGTON, Amtrak, Democratic, Maintenance Locations: Bear , Delaware, Boston, Washington, Wilmington, U.S, Baltimore, United States

☆ Siemens loses London lawsuit over 2 bln stg HS2 contract
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] A HS2 high-speed rail logo is displayed on a fence surrounding a construction site at Euston in London, Britain, July 30, 2023. REUTERS/Hollie Adams/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Nov 6 (Reuters) - Siemens (SIEGn.DE) on Monday lost a legal challenge over a 2 billion pound ($2.48 billion) contract to build a fleet of new trains for Britain's beleaguered HS2 high-speed rail project. HS2 said the contract, which includes a 12-year maintenance and services deal, was worth around 2 billion pounds when it was awarded. But Judge Finola O'Farrell dismissed Siemens' case on Monday, saying in a written ruling that Siemens had not established the contract was awarded unlawfully and the company was therefore "not entitled to any damages". Monday's ruling is a rare piece of good news for the controversial HS2 project, which was originally planned to link London to the north of England from 2026.

Persons: Hollie Adams, HS2, Finola O'Farrell, Rishi Sunak, Sam Tobin, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: REUTERS, Siemens, Siemens Mobility, HS2, Bombardier Transportation, France's Alstom, Hitachi, Alstom, British, Thomson Locations: Euston, London, Britain, England, Manchester, Birmingham

☆ This $13,000 microcar is outselling Teslas in Japan. Here's what drivers love about it.
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-05 | by ( Tom Carter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Drivers told Insider the tiny car is a "blast" to drive and perfect for driving in busy cities. AdvertisementAdvertisementJapan's best-selling EV is a tiny car that sells for just $13,000 — and drivers have told Insider exactly what they like best about it. "A smaller electric car is more sustainable and suits a lot of people's actual driving needs. I think that's at least partly why bigger electric cars, like Teslas, are not so popular here," he added. "I think Japanese automakers underestimated the appeal of electric cars here for a long time," he said.

Persons: Nissan Sakura, —, Sakura, Nissan, Michael Brown, Brown, Michael, RICHARD A, BROOKS, Tesla Organizations: Nissan, Drivers, EV, Service, Bloomberg, Mitsubishi, Reddit, Toyota, Honda, Suzuki Locations: Japan, Higashimurayama City, Tokyo

Walk up to Lafayette Avenue between Fulton Street and Bedford Avenue for one of the best parties along the course. You can also catch runners at several points in Williamsburg and Greenpoint, along Bedford Avenue between Lafayette Avenue and Nassau Avenue. Take the L train to Bedford Avenue, the M or J train to Marcy Avenue or the G train to Nassau Avenue or Greenpoint Avenue. The Q subway line stops at several points along this stretch. North of 96th Street, use the 6 subway line to get to this part of the course.

Persons: It’s, Alexander, Duke Ellington, Charles A, Dana, Harlem Meer, “ Organizations: New York, Brooklyn, Barclays Center, Lafayette, Bedford, Queens, ., Dana Discovery Center, Park, Columbus, West Locations: Staten Island, Brooklyn, Staten, Bay Ridge, Sunset, Park, Flatbush, Fulton Street, Williamsburg, Greenpoint, Bedford, Lafayette Avenue, Nassau, Avenue, Vernon, Jackson, . Manhattan, Manhattan, Bronx, Harlem

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine’s newly appointed head of defense industry says he is working tirelessly to ramp up local arms production and wants to turn the country into a weapons production hub for the West. Kamyshyn said approximately 500 companies in Ukraine’s defense industry are contributing to the country’s efforts to increase weapons production in order to counter Russia’s attempts to seize more territory. Now he recalls that time as his “past life” and says he is completely focused on make the defense industry a successful enterprise like Ukrzaliznytsia. Most crucially, Kamyshin says that the increased local production of weapons has enhanced Ukraine’s capabilities to launch attacks on Russian territory. Kamyshin acknowledged that defense technology, particularly in the field of innovative warfare, is a game-changer and the fastest-growing sector in Ukraine’s defense industry.

Persons: — Ukraine’s, Oleksandr Kamysyhin, ” Kamyshin, Kamyshyn, “, Oleksandr Kamyshin, ”, Kamyshin Organizations: West, Associated Press, Artillery, Alliance of Defense Industries Locations: KYIV, Ukraine, Israel, Russia, Moscow, Sochi, Krasnodar, U.S, France, Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, Turkey, Ukraine’s, russia, ukraine

Cruise's board has hired law firm Quinn Emanuel to review Cruise management's responses to regulators investigating the Oct. 2 accident, and technology consultancy Exponent to review Cruise's technology. Our commitment to Cruise with the goal of commercialization remains steadfast.”Federal and state safety regulators are investigating a series of accidents involving driverless Cruise vehicles. California regulators suspended the company's license to operate driverless vehicles last month, saying the self-driving vehicles were a risk to the public. Federal regulators last month told Cruise they are investigating incidents in which Cruise driverless cars appeared to fail to yield to pedestrians in crosswalks. Cruise said last week it would pause all driverless operations "while we take time to examine our processes, systems, and tools."

Persons: Elijah Nouvelage, Cruise, Cruise's, Quinn Emanuel, Mary Barra, Barra, Joe White, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: GM Bolt, REUTERS, General Motors, DETROIT, New York Times, GM, driverless, Traffic, Administration, Honda, Cruise, Thomson Locations: San Francisco , California, U.S, Federal, California, crosswalks, Cruise, Japan

☆ Russia's armored trains are a valuable tool with some big vulnerabilities
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-03 | by ( Hope Seck | Sandboxx News | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Russia has used armored trains for military purposes for more than a century. Russia's use of armored trains for transport, mine-clearing, and resupply, however, has drawn particular scrutiny and criticism. Maksim Konstantinov/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty ImagesHowever, as details have emerged about these new armored transport trains used in Ukraine, observers have expressed bemusement. A video by the YouTube channel EngineerReact summarizes the primary problems with train warfare in the 21st century, calling Russia's armored trains "a terrible idea." "That was probably the best use of [military trains] in an offensive operation, in combat, in the recent wars," he said.

Persons: —, Vladimir Putin, luxuriously, trainspotter, Maksim Konstantinov, Richard Killblane, Scott Sturkol Killblane, Killblane, Taji, Jerome Bishop The, it's, there's Organizations: Service, Red Army, Russo, Museum of Russian Railways, Getty, YouTube, Ukraine's Territorial Defence Force, Army Special Forces, Army Transportation School, Army, US Army, Jerome Bishop The US Army, 757th Expeditionary Railway Center Locations: Russia, Ukraine, United States, Japanese, Germany, Soviet Union, Afghanistan, Russian, St . Petersburg, McCoy, Wisconsin, Iraq, Mosul, Taji, Sadr

☆ New routes, old coaches: Europe's night trains struggle to pick up speed
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-03 | by ( Rachel More | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

They travelled with European Sleeper, a Dutch-Belgian startup whose launch in May is part of a renaissance of night train travel. CHALLENGESYears of decline in Europe's night train network coincided with the rise of low-cost airlines. Supporters of night trains are pushing for more state help to compete against budget airlines, such as a value-added tax exemption on cross-border routes and lower track access charges. At night, trains compete with freight traffic and construction works, and during the busy morning hours they vie for arrival slots at stations with commuter services. Sarah and Sonia's train, European Sleeper's ES453 service, pulled in at 7.57 a.m., one hour and nine minutes late.

Persons: Bart Biesemans, Sarah, Sonia, Chris Engelsman, Engelsman, Alberto Mazzola, Sonia didn't, Victoria Klesty, Matthias Williams, Mark Potter Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Berlin Central Station, Reuters Graphics, Reuters, OBB, Siemens Mobility, European Union, Thomson Locations: Berlin, Brussels, Belgium, Dutch, Belgian, Europe, Paris, Zurich, Norwegian, Oslo, Copenhagen, Prague, Amsterdam, Barcelona, France

☆ New Phase of Gateway Tunnel Project in Hudson River to Begin
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-03 | by ( Patrick Mcgeehan | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Construction of the long-delayed rail tunnel under the Hudson River is about to speed up, as the project gets an additional injection of $3.8 billion in federal funding. Senator Chuck Schumer, Democrat of New York and the majority leader, will announce the latest grant from Washington on Friday, just before he and Pete Buttigieg, the transportation secretary, are scheduled to proclaim the start of work this month on the next phase of the $16.1 billion tunnel on Manhattan’s West Side, known as the Gateway project. This new, early phase of the project involves constructing a concrete casing for trains to pass through under the Hudson Yards section of Midtown Manhattan, between the river’s edge and Pennsylvania Station. On the New Jersey side of the river, work is scheduled to begin, also this month, on the realignment of a highway so that the digging of the tunnel can begin. Plans laid out by the project’s sponsor, the Gateway Development Commission, call for two giant boring machines to grind their way through the cliff, under the river and into the bedrock of Manhattan.

Persons: Chuck Schumer, Pete Buttigieg Organizations: Pennsylvania, Gateway Development Commission Locations: Hudson, New York, Washington, Midtown Manhattan, Jersey, Manhattan

No nation in the world is buying as many airplanes as India. Its largest airlines have ordered nearly 1,000 jets this year, committing tens of billions of dollars to a spending spree that is unparalleled in aviation. In New Delhi, Indira Gandhi International Airport will be ready for 109 million passengers next year, as it prepares to become the world’s second busiest, behind Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in the United States. The enormous aviation build-out, with a surge of investment behind it, has pride of place in India’s case for a greater standing on the world stage. As it moves up the ranks of the world’s biggest economies, India is scrambling to meet the expanding ambitions of its ascendant middle class.

Persons: yearn Organizations: Indira Gandhi, Hartsfield, Jackson Atlanta International Airport Locations: India, New Delhi, United States

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