Berlin’s smart transport: How Europe’s greenest city kicked out cars Berlin, Germany | RONALD MUSOKE | Berlin, Germany’s capital and also largest city does not have the most efficient public transport system in the country, partly because of the low incomes of residents compared to other cities around the world. In …
Read More »Pope urges police to show ‘mercy’ in traffic stops
Vatican City, Holy See | AFP | Pope Francis on Monday called on police to show “mercy” during traffic stops while standing firm against those who use the streets as their own Formula 1 race track. Meeting with representatives of the Italian traffic and railway police, the Argentine-born pontiff spoke …
Read More »Uber loses employment rights case in Britain
London, United Kingdom | AFP | US ride-hailing company Uber on Friday lost its appeal against a landmark court ruling in Britain that would give drivers the right to paid holidays and the national minimum wage. The London employment tribunal upheld an October 2016 judgment in a case that is …
Read More »Activists block roads, trains in Catalonia strike
Barcelona, Spain | AFP | Protesters blocked roads, highways and train tracks in Catalonia on Wednesday as part of a region-wide strike called by a pro-independence union. According to the Catalan Transit Service, people blocked roads in more than 50 places in the region, including major motorways like the AP-7 …
Read More »Paris wants to phase out diesel cars by 2024
Paris, France | AFP | Paris city authorities said Thursday they aimed to phase out the use of diesel cars by the time the French capital hosts the Olympics in 2024, and petrol cars by 2030. Mayor Anne Hidalgo’s office said the goals — which are more ambitious time-wise than a …
Read More »From flying taxis to robocops, Dubai as a tech pioneer
Dubai, United Arab Emirates | AFP | From flying taxis to Batman-style surveillance motorcycles, Dubai’s GITEX expo this week showcased innovations that were symbols of the city-state’s ambitions to be a metropolis of the future. Known for its futuristic skyline and artificial islands, Gulf emirate Dubai has carved out a …
Read More »Morocco prepares to test ‘fastest train in Africa’
Rabat, Morocco | AFP | Engineers in Morocco are preparing to test the Arab world’s first high-speed railway this week with trains reaching 320 kilometres (200 miles) per hour, the country’s rail office said Monday. One train reached 275 kph (170 mph) on Monday along a stretch of track between …
Read More »Paris experiments with ‘car-free day’ across the city
Paris, France | AFP | Parisians were encouraged to roller-blade, bike or stroll through the City of Light on Sunday for a “car-free” day intended to leave the streets vacant for slower, clean forms of transport. Sunday marks the third time the French capital has experimented with a car ban, but …
Read More »THIS WEEK: Uber’s operational license in London at stake
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | As Ugandans continue to use Uber as one means of transport, their counterparts in London, UK where the transport mode is popular are not sure of whether the service will be available in the near future. On Sept. 22, BBC reported that Uber would not …
Read More »Uber loses licence to operate in London: authorities
London, United Kingdom | AFP | London transport authorities announced Friday they would not renew Uber’s licence to operate in the city when it expires on September 30 over public safety concerns, although it has three weeks to appeal. Transport for London said the conduct of the ride-hailing app, which has …
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