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☆ Amtrak CEO: Pandemic delayed profitability by years
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-06 | by ( Greg Wallace | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Instead, CEO Stephen Gardner asked a congressional subcommittee on Tuesday to tolerate losses for several more years for the federally funded rail system while the company and country invest billions into improving passenger rail service. “Financial performance is not Amtrak’s sole objective,” CEO Stephen Gardner said in his written testimony to a House Transportation subcommittee. Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner, left, accompanied by Northeast Corridor Commission Executive Director Mitch Warren, right, speaks during a House Transportation subcommittee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, June 6, 2023. Amtrak is also developing new lines of service to connect fast-growing regions and growing frequencies on existing routes. Subcommittee Chairman Troy Nehls, a Texas Republican, said Amtrak needed to prioritize its existing network over adding new routes.

Persons: Stephen Gardner, Gardner, Mitch Warren, Andrew Harnik, We’re, ” Gardner, Troy Nehls, ” Nehls Organizations: CNN, Amtrak, “, Transportation, Penn Central, Corridor Commission, Capitol, Long Distance, Texas Republican Locations: Washington, Texas

☆ Transfer of holy icon shows Russian Orthodoxy's new sway under Putin
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Emphasising its importance to the faithful, Putin last month ordered Andrei Rublev's "Trinity" be transferred to the Russian Orthodox Church from Moscow's Tretyakov Gallery for a year. For some, though, there is unease at the sway of the Church - and concern about possible damage to the fragile icon. She quipped that Russian leaders over the centuries have turned to icons in tough situations with the hope of victory. "Masterpieces of Russian icon painting and national shrines should not be exposed to unjustified risk," members of a cultural council within the Russian Academy of Sciences wrote in an open letter to Russian Minister of Culture Olga Lyubimova. "The only space suitable for placing the icon 'Trinity' by Andrei Rublev is in the halls of the Tretyakov Gallery, which is confirmed by almost a century of practice."

Persons: Vladimir Putin's, Putin, Andrei Rublev's, Moscow's Tretyakov, the, Josef Stalin, Abraham, Regina Elsner, Sergius –, Bolsheviks, Kirill of Moscow, Kirill, Putin's, Ksenia, Leonardo da Vinci's, Mona Lisa, Tretyakov, Korobeynikova, Olga Lyubimova, Andrei Rublev, Lucy Papachristou, Guy Faulconbridge, Mark Potter Organizations: Trinity Sunday, Soviet Union, Church, Eastern European, International Studies, Kremlin, Putin, Reuters, Russian Academy of Sciences, Thomson Locations: MOSCOW, Moscow, Ukraine, Moscow's, Soviet, Mamre, Russian, Berlin, Russia, Trinity, St, Moscow –, Gdansk

☆ A Toyota EV drove 1,200 miles without stopping to charge thanks to electric roads with wireless charging
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-01 | by ( Tim Levin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

An innovative wireless charging system embedded under the asphalt. To demonstrate the tech's potential, Electreon drove an electric Toyota for 1,206 miles straight on a test track that had its wireless charging coils embedded under the asphalt. The impressive feat shows how wireless charging can revolutionize EV ownership, Oren Ezer, Electreon's CEO and cofounder, told Insider. But Ezer thinks wireless electric roads could work wonders for personal EV ownership, too. The firm plans to open a mile-long stretch of electric road in Detroit.

Persons: Electreon, Oren Ezer, Rav4, Ezer, EVs Organizations: Toyota, EV, — Locations: Germany, Detroit

☆ Pacific islands, in spotlight, to push climate change in South Korea summit
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-27 | by ( Kirsty Needham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

read moreAustralia's Defence Minister Richard Marles will attend the first Korea-Pacific Islands Summit, his office said on Saturday, adding it would show cooperation between the 18 members of the Pacific Island Forum and South Korea for a secure region. The United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken signed a defence agreement with PNG after a Pacific summit there on the same day. The back-to-back meetings with major economies were a "massive boost for recognition of our priorities", said Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General Henry Puna in a statement. The island states, which are seeking greater funding for climate change mitigation, have taken a collective approach to dealing with major powers. In Seoul, climate change, investment and fisheries are expected to feature in talks.

☆ BMW's futuristic 'look': In new sedan, drivers can change lanes using just their eyes
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-24 | by ( Peter Valdes-Dapena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —In the new BMW 5-series sedan, unveiled Wednesday by the German luxury automaker, drivers will be able to change lanes on the highway just by looking to the side. The car’s optional Highway Assistant system allows drivers to go long distances on major highways without touching the steering wheel or pedals. This sort of feature is now offered by a number of major automakers, but BMW adds this novel capability: Drivers will be able to change lanes just by looking at one of the outside mirrors. Automated lane changes are possible in many similar systems but, ordinarily, the driver has to request it, or assent to the car’s suggestion for a lane change, by using the turn signal. If the car has not, itself, suggested a lane change, the driver can still request one by tapping the turn signal stalk to indicate which side.

Organizations: CNN, BMW, BMW i5

☆ Bats carry killer viruses. Scientists suggest ways to cope.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

“I have to think on a landscape scale.”Research in Australia also is deepening scientists’ understanding of bats. Flying foxes travel long distances in search of food, dispensing seeds and pollinating trees along the way. As deforestation destroyed habitats and further disrupted the food supply, the bats have increasingly formed year-round roosts near people, they noticed. Native gums flowering around Gympie lured the flying foxes away from horse paddocks and more urban areas. In fact, the most dangerous areas for spillover aren’t rare, pristine habitats absent of humans, scientists say.

☆ 6 essential tips for surviving long flights, from a former Air Force pilot who now flies one of the longest commercial flights in the world
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Claire Turrell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Emirates pilot Yusri Abu Bakar used to be in the Singapore Air Force before switching to commercial. He now flies an A380, piloting one of the longest flights in the world from Dubai to New Zealand. A former Republic of Singapore Air Force pilot, Yusri Abu Bakar pivoted from flying an F-16 fighter jet to an A380 as a commercial pilot for Emirates airline out of Dubai, where he is based. Yusri flies this long-haul flight two or three times a month, in line with regulations regarding how many hours a pilot can fly a month. Pack noise-canceling headphones and an eye maskPacking a well-thought-out carry-on can improve your long-haul flight experience, Yusri said.

☆ Recycling 'end-of-life' solar panels, wind turbines, is about to be climate tech's big waste business
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-13 | by ( Bob Woods | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +13 min

watch nowIndeed, the market for recycled solar panel materials is expected to grow exponentially over the next several years. One recipient of this federal funding is First Solar, the largest solar panel manufacturer in the U.S. Massive wind turbines, blades are almost all recyclableRetired wind turbines present another recycling challenge, as well as business opportunities. How the circular renewable energy economy worksPlayers in the circular economy are determined not to let all that waste go to waste. Vestas Wind Systems has committed to producing zero-waste wind turbines by 2040, though it has not yet introduced such a version.

☆ The agony and ecstasy of scoring last-minute face value Taylor Swift tickets
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-13 | by ( Samantha Murphy Kelly | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

“My family [last weekend] took the gamble to drive down the 5 hours to Nashville to see if we could get face value tickets,” she said. Another Twitter account called @ErasTourResell, which has 120,000 followers, has gained significant traction working with resellers who want to sell their tickets at face value. The trio of twenty-somethings aim to make Swift tickets as accessible to fans as possible without them overpaying or getting scammed. “So far we’ve posted somewhere between 2,700 and 3,000 tickets, all for face value,” the trio said in a DM conversation on Twitter. “It’s truly so rewarding seeing these tickets go to real fans for face value when the resale market has insane prices with people making three times the profit.

☆ Ford to test small UK fleet of hydrogen fuel cell E-Transit vans
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Nick Carey | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, May 9 (Reuters) - Ford Motor Co (F.N) said on Tuesday it will test a small fleet of prototype hydrogen fuel-cell versions of its electric E-Transit model to see if they are a workable zero-emission option for customers hauling heavy goods long distances. Ford will lead a consortium in the three-year project that includes BP (BP.L), which will focus on hydrogen and infrastructure, and British online supermarket and technology group Ocado (OCDO.L). Interest in using hydrogen fuel cells to power trucks and vans is getting a boost from fleet operators looking for a more practical alternative to electric vehicles and rising government aid, particularly the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Vehicles with hydrogen fuel cells, in which hydrogen mixes with oxygen to produce water and energy to power a battery, can refuel in minutes and have a much longer range than those with BEVs. But there are major challenges to be overcome for mass adoption of hydrogen fuel cells, including the lack of fueling stations and green hydrogen made using renewable energy to power them.

☆ Elon Musk's Tesla tunnels are a 'fake alternative' to solve traffic but if he made them for subways we'd all be better off, expert says
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( Hannah Getahun | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

A journalist argues that Musk could use The Boring Company to make public transportation cheaper. This includes solving traffic by moving transportation underground through car tunnels or building a successful hyperloop. And Musk has often been explicit that traditional public transportation options, like subways, would not be a part of his vision. The Boring Company has also put its controversial hyperloop plans to the side. The Boring Company did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

“This is the second train, there was one like it just before.”The video, seemingly filmed in late March, shows old Soviet tanks being transported, somewhere in Russia. Moscow has been known to bring out older military equipment from storage to help it prosecute the war in Ukraine, but these are different. The tanks are T-55s, a model first commissioned by the Soviet Union’s Red Army in 1948, shortly after the end of World War II. Soviet T-54/T-55 tanks form a threatening ring round the Parliament buildings in Hungary on November 12, 1956. T-55 tanks drive through the streets of Prague, capital of what was then Czechoslovakia, in 1968.

☆ A man took his Tesla on a road trip for the first time and tells EV owners to beware of the 'charging curve'
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-06 | by ( Sam Tabahriti | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Last month, Ryan Shelton took his 2017 Tesla Model S on a road trip for the first time. Ryan Shelton bought his Tesla a year ago but hadn't taken it on a road trip until April. The terrain trapShelton's trip took so long because of the route's hilly terrain. "I was going through these canyons, so I'm going really, really high uphills and really up and down, up and down, up and down," he said. The terrain and camp mode forced Shelton to twice charge his Tesla, which took three hours each time.

☆ Drones over Kremlin likely launched from inside Russia, US experts say
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( Mike Stone | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Ostorozhno Novosti/Handout via REUTERSSummary Kremlin citadel has extensive anti-drone protections400-plus km journey from Ukraine unlikelyIf launched in Russia, multiple drone types possibleWASHINGTON, May 5 (Reuters) - The drones that crashed over the Kremlin earlier this week probably evaded an extensive number of defenses in and around Moscow, suggesting they might have been launched from inside Russia, U.S.-based drones experts said. "Spoofing" occurs when a counterfeit GPS signal is sent to replace a legitimate one, electronically fooling guidance systems on drones or other devices. "Of all the types of one-way attack drones, the aircraft used in this instance appears to have been a fixed-wing aircraft and among the larger one-way attack drones currently in use or development," said drone expert Dan Gettinger at the Vertical Flight Society, an engineering advocacy group. China, India, Taiwan and Ukraine are among a clutch of nations producing drones of this size and capability, Gettinger said. Gettinger, who published a paper on one-way attack drones on Thursday, said if the aircraft was launched from within Russia, there was a significantly greater number of aircraft capable of carrying out this attack.

☆ Why I'd buy the Tesla Model Y over Toyota's newest EV after driving both electric SUVs
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-29 | by ( Tim Levin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

It's so-so range and slow charging speeds can't compete with the popular Tesla Model Y. The Tesla has better rangeThe Tesla Model Y. Tim Levin/InsiderWhen it comes to range for your dollar, Tesla has Toyota beat. The Model Y Long Range earns a rating of 330 miles, while the base model gets 279. The Tesla wins out on cargo spaceThe Tesla Model Y. Tim Levin/InsiderOne of the Model Y's strengths is interior space. The Tesla Model Y. Tim Levin/InsiderThe quick Model Y is more exciting to drive, but its stiff suspension sometimes makes for a bumpy ride.

☆ I'm a Gen Zer who was unprepared for life after college. Here are 5 things I wish I knew before graduation.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-29 | by ( Rachel Bernstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

She had no idea what to expect from post-grad life other than what she saw in movies and heavily-edited Insta posts. Making older friends, traveling solo, and making the best of an "in between" job have helped her navigate the past year. These days, I don't think that I'm an expert on post-grad life. But as I talked to them more, I slowly found the value in making friends older than myself. A solo trip can be transformative.

☆ Two strangers met walking the Camino de Santiago. Two weeks later they were engaged
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( Francesca Street | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +21 min

CNN —When Loni Philbrick-Linzmeyer decided to walk the Camino de Santiago, she was adamant this was something she had to do alone. Courtesy Loni BergqvistIt was around two weeks into their respective trips that Kjartan and Loni first met. It was an amazing evening, but the next day Loni woke up feeling conflicted. Walking the CaminoKjartan and Loni grew close after walking the Camino de Santiago together. “Santiago didn’t really matter anymore,” says Kjartan.

North America has seen the largest increase in planned hydrogen projects in the past six months, according to the Oxford-based consulting firm. Clean hydrogen is a small but fast-growing area of the transition to lower-polluting energy sources. However, low-emission hydrogen production is currently small compared with where analysts believe it will need to be. Europe’s shrinking share of hydrogen projects is “a direct consequence of the bloc’s slow response to the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act and [its] delay in developing concrete regulation for renewable hydrogen,” said Dilara Caglayan, lead hydrogen researcher at Aurora. Only 1% of the one terawatt of planned hydrogen projects have begun construction, while 86% are in the early planning stages of development.

☆ A year in Azerbaijan: From the Grand Prix to the ski slopes
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Words Cnn Staff | Photo Illustrations Woojin Lee | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +18 min

CNN —Anyone who has tuned in to the Azerbaijan Grand Prix has seen a tantalizing glimpse of what the capital Baku has to offer. This year’s Grand Prix comes at the height of spring, often said to be Azerbaijan’s most beautiful season. Juan Vilata/Alamy Stock Photo Explore Azerbaijan in spring Prev NextSummers in Azerbaijan are hot, so getting out of the city is a good idea. Alexander Melnikov/Alamy Stock Photo Explore Azerbaijan in fall Prev NextWrap up, because even at its coldest Azerbaijan still has plenty to offer. You’ll learn much more at the Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum in Baku.

☆ Taras Stepanenko and Ruslan Malinovskyi keep playing despite Russia's invasion
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Ben Church | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Amid all the chaos and confusion, Stepanenko decided that his family would be safer hiding in the basement of their home. Midfielder Taras Stepanenko leads Ukraine out against Brentford B on March 23. A career amid conflictIn addition to representing his country, Stepanenko is proud to play for Shakhtar Donetsk, which is one of Ukraine’s biggest clubs. Like Stepanenko, he sees playing football as his national duty and a way of repaying those fighting on the frontline. Both Malinovskyi and Stepanenko will be key members of the Ukrainian national team in its bid to qualify for the European Championships, hosted by Germany, in 2024.

☆ 34-year-old ditched the U.S. for Europe and now spends just $1906/month—raising 3 kids: 'I'm saving more money than ever'
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Dr. Alison Opalko-Berry | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

I'm an adjunct professor, content creator, and happy mother of three kids — a 13-year-old, 2-year-old and 18-month-old. Some semesters were so packed that I had to drop my son off at daycare at 5:30 a.m. Even with three kids and higher housing costs, I'm saving more money than ever. Any money that we have left goes into saving up for our first house. The benefits of raising kids in Germany

☆ Americans trying to flee Sudan are hiring private security companies to get out of the civil war zone after the US said no military evacuation is coming
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( Hannah Getahun | Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Private security contractors are being hired to evacuate Americans and other foreign nationals from Sudan. As a result, some citizens have taken it upon themselves to hire private security, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal. Private security for hireDale Buckner, CEO of private security firm Global Guardian, told WSJ the company's staff has escorted dozens of expatriates to neighboring countries — sometimes dodging gunfire, artillery, and mortar fire. "Our rescue teams have to navigate dozens of checkpoints in an active war zone," Buckner told WSJ. "It is not our standard procedure to evacuate American citizens living abroad," White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on Friday.

☆ A journey across Sudan's capital Khartoum, a city transformed by war
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-23 | by ( Khalid Abdelaziz | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

On the outskirts, people lug suitcases long distances by foot towards bus stops as they try to flee the city. The violence has cut water and power to much of the city, and damaged and closed hospitals. At the main market in Bahri, many buildings were badly damaged and burned by fighting and air strikes. People carrying small bags tried to hitch rides with passing cars or catch minibuses heading out of the city. Reporting by Khalid Abdelaziz in Khartoum; Writing by Aidan Lewis; Editing by Frank Jack DanielOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ London Marathon: Mo Farah prepares for 'last' race amid prospect of potential protests
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-21 | by ( Ben Church | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Four-time Olympic champion Mo Farah says this year’s London Marathon will be his last as the iconic event braces itself for potential protests. “It won’t be my last race but, in terms of marathon, I think the London Marathon will be my last,” he said. When asked what he thought of the potential protests, Farah said he trusted race organizers to put on a great event. “I think the key thing is it’s not about the elite athletes, the London Marathon is about the mass race,” he told BBC Sport. “It’s about people going out there, running for loved ones, running for charities and making a difference and changing people’s lives.”Farah running the London Marathon in 2019.

☆ Factbox: Lithium key element for electric vehicle ramp up
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

April 21 (Reuters) - Chile, the world's second largest lithium producer, said it plans to transfer control of the production of the mineral essential for electric vehicle (EV) batteries to a new state-owned company. Australia is the world's largest lithium producer, but Chile has by far the largest known reserves. Battery grade lithium prices touched record levels of $85,000 a tonne in December, but have slumped by nearly 50% since then. EV battery makers have developed multiple types of lithium battery products. Lithium demand is expected to balloon to 3 million tonnes a year by 2030 from only 300,000 tonnes in 2020, according to Bank of America analysts.

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