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The Hidden Giant of AI: Unprecedented Growth Revealed
Save big on lashes & brows: Black Friday Exclusive!The holidays have always been about more than gifts and gatherings; they’re about creating moments of comfort — a warm fire, a shared meal, the simple joy of togetherness. But as stress and uncertainty linger, this year’s holiday trend is all about dialing up the coziness and minimizing the chaos. Enter hygge, the Danish concept that’s as much about mindset as it is about ambiance. Pronounced hoo-gah, “hygge” is a Danish word that roughly translates to coziness, but it goes deeper than that. It’s about fostering a sense of warmth, safety and contentment, even in the midst of life’s darker moments. In Denmark, where long winters mean short days and endless nights, hygge is a cultural cornerstone – a way to embrace life’s simple pleasures and build resilience against the cold, both literal and figurative. This season, hygge isn’t just a fleeting Pinterest trend — it’s shaping how we celebrate. From hosting intimate dinners by candlelight to embracing soft, unhurried mornings in pajamas, hygge is more than a design aesthetic. It’s a way to reclaim the holidays from the frenzy, one cozy moment at a time. Over the past few years, people have been gravitating toward anything that promises a break from stress. Much like the rise of weighted blankets to soothe sleepless nights, hygge has become a lifeline for those craving calm in turbulent times. According to Harvard Health, weighted blankets — which mimic the comforting pressure of a hug — have surged in popularity for their ability to help ease anxiety and promote better sleep. Similarly, hygge focuses on small, intentional comforts like a flickering candle or a quiet moment wrapped in a chunky knit blanket, offering a sense of safety and serenity. For many, these are small but meaningful ways to find solace in an unpredictable world. Incorporating hygge into the holidays is a natural extension of this trend. The pressures of gift-giving, hosting and managing a packed social calendar can feel overwhelming, especially when combined with the ongoing uncertainty of the world. Hygge offers an antidote: Permission to let go of the hustle and focus on what truly matters, like connection, comfort and joy. So how do you bring a little hygge into your celebrations? The good news is, you don’t need to spend a fortune or overhaul your entire routine. Hygge is about simplicity, not extravagance. Here are a few ideas to get started. Hygge starts with ambiance, and nothing transforms a room quite like lighting. Soft, warm light from candles, string lights or even a crackling fireplace can create the ultimate cozy atmosphere. But there’s more to it than aesthetics — science backs up the mood-boosting power of holiday lighting. Psychologist Deborah Serani explained to Today that decorating with lights can “create a neurological shift that produces happiness,” thanks to bright colors and the nostalgia they evoke. Whether it’s chromotherapy or just the magic of the season, holiday lights have a way of lifting spirits — the perfect backdrop for a hygge-inspired holiday. Hygge isn’t about elaborate feasts; it’s about comfort food that warms the soul. A creamy broccoli casserole makes for an inviting centerpiece at a casual gathering. Pair it with freshly baked muffins or a simple cheese board, and let the emphasis be on the company, not the cooking. Whether it’s a morning coffee in your coziest sweater or an evening spent reading by the fire, hygge thrives on routine. This season, build intentional moments of rest into your schedule. Trade hours of online shopping for a slow evening spent making or wrapping gifts while listening to your favorite holiday playlist. Hygge draws heavily from the natural world. Incorporate evergreen branches, pinecones or fresh eucalyptus into your decor. Not only does this add a festive touch, but studies have shown that being around natural elements can lower cortisol levels and promote calm. At its core, hygge is about spending quality time with loved ones. This doesn’t mean hosting a huge party. Instead, invite a few close friends for an evening of board games, a holiday movie marathon or simply sitting around the table sharing stories over a steaming bowl of pumpkin soup. Hygge’s growing popularity isn’t just a holiday trend; it’s a reflection of what people are craving. After years of collective stress, there is a growing re-evaluation of what’s important. For many, that means less focus on material things and more on experiences that foster connection and comfort. There’s also a practical side to hygge. The holidays can be financially draining, but hygge celebrates affordability. A cozy evening at home costs far less than a lavish party, and homemade touches – like baking Danish butter cookies – become part of the experience. With their rich, buttery flavor and hint of nostalgia, these cookies are a perfect way to bring warmth to any gathering while keeping the focus on simplicity. As you navigate the holiday season, consider how hygge might fit into your traditions. Maybe it’s swapping a marathon shopping trip for a quiet afternoon baking with your kids. Or maybe it’s creating a new ritual, like lighting a candle and reflecting on what you’re grateful for before sitting down to dinner. Whatever hygge looks like for you, the goal is the same: Finding joy in the small, meaningful moments. Because at the end of the day, the holidays aren’t about how much you spend or how elaborate your celebrations are. They’re about how they make you feel. And if you ask the Danes, the happiest people in the world, that feeling should be warm, cozy and just a little bit magical.
Should AI be used to resurrect extinct species like the Neanderthal? | Mohammad HosseiniWhite House says at least 8 US telecom firms, dozens of nations impacted by China hacking campaignNE states strive for 100% tap water coverageKawhi Leonard hinted at his upcoming return in a cryptic social media post
NoneSome tech industry leaders are pushing the incoming Trump administration to increase visas for highly skilled workers from other nations. Related Articles National Politics | In states that ban abortion, social safety net programs often fail families National Politics | Court rules Georgia lawmakers can subpoena Fani Willis for information related to her Trump case National Politics | New 2025 laws hit hot topics from AI in movies to rapid-fire guns National Politics | Federal hostility could delay offshore wind projects, derailing state climate goals National Politics | Trump has pressed for voting changes. GOP majorities in Congress will try to make that happen The heart of the argument is, for America to remain competitive, the country needs to expand the number of skilled visas it gives out. The previous Trump administration did not increase the skilled visa program, instead clamping down on visas for students and educated workers, increasing denial rates. Not everyone in corporate America thinks the skilled worker program is great. Former workers at IT company Cognizant recently won a federal class-action lawsuit that said the company favored Indian employees over Americans from 2013 to 2022. A Bloomberg investigation found Cognizant, and other similar outsourcing companies, mainly used its skilled work visas for lower-level positions. Workers alleged Cognizant preferred Indian workers because they could be paid less and were more willing to accept inconvenient or less-favorable assignments. Question: Should the U.S. increase immigration levels for highly skilled workers? Caroline Freund, UC San Diego School of Global Policy and Strategy YES: Innovation is our superpower and it relies on people. Sourcing talent from 8 billion people in the world instead of 330 million here makes sense. Nearly half our Fortune 500 companies were founded by immigrants or their children. Growing them also relies on expanding our skilled workforce. The cap on skilled-worker visas has hardly changed since the computer age started. With AI on the horizon, attracting and building talent is more important than ever. Kelly Cunningham, San Diego Institute for Economic Research YES: After years of openly allowing millions of undocumented entrants into the country, why is there controversy over legally increasing somewhat the number having desirable skills? Undocumented immigration significantly impacts lower skill level jobs and wages competing with domestic workers at every skill level. Why should special cases be made against those having higher skills? Could they just not walk across the border anyway, why make it more inconvenient to those with desirable skills? James Hamilton, UC San Diego YES: Knowledge and technology are key drivers of the U.S. economy. Students come from all over the world to learn at U.S. universities, and their spending contributed $50 billion to U.S. exports last year. Technological advantage is what keeps us ahead of the rest of the world. Highly skilled immigrants contribute much more in taxes than they receive in public benefits. The skills immigrants bring to America can make us all better off. Norm Miller, University of San Diego YES: According to Forbes, the majority of billion-dollar startups were founded by foreigners. I’ve interviewed dozens of data analysts and programmers from Berkeley, UCSD, USD and a few other schools and 75% of them are foreign. There simply are not enough American graduates to fill the AI and data mining related jobs now exploding in the U.S. If we wish to remain a competitive economy, we need highly skilled and bright immigrants to come here and stay. David Ely, San Diego State University YES: Being able to employ highly skilled workers from a larger pool of candidates would strengthen the competitiveness of U.S. companies by increasing their capacity to perform research and innovate. This would boost the country’s economic output. Skilled workers from other nations that cannot remain in the U.S. will find jobs working for foreign rivals. The demand for H-1B visas far exceeds the current cap of 85,000, demonstrating a need to modify this program. Phil Blair, Manpower YES: Every country needs skilled workers, at all levels, to grow its economy. We should take advantage of the opportunity these workers provide our employers who need these skills. It should be blended into our immigration policies allowing for both short and long term visas. Gary London, London Moeder Advisors YES: San Diego is a premiere example of how highly skilled workers from around the globe enrich a community and its regional economy. Of course Visa levels need to be increased. But let’s go further. Tie visas and immigration with a provision that those who are admitted and educated at a U.S. university be incentivized, or even required, to be employed in the U.S. in exchange for their admittance. Bob Rauch, R.A. Rauch & Associates NO: While attracting high-skilled immigrants can fill critical gaps in sectors like technology, health care and advanced manufacturing, increasing high-skilled immigration could displace American workers and drive down wages in certain industries. There are already many qualified American workers available for some of these jobs. We should balance the need for specialized skills with the impact on the domestic workforce. I believe we can begin to increase the number of visas after a careful review of abuse. Austin Neudecker, Weave Growth YES: We should expand skilled visas to drive innovation and economic growth. Individuals who perform high-skilled work in labor-restricted industries or graduate from respected colleges with relevant degrees should be prioritized for naturalization. We depend on immigration for GDP growth, tax revenue, research, and so much more. Despite the abhorrent rhetoric and curtailing of visas in the first term, I hope the incoming administration can be persuaded to enact positive changes to a clearly flawed system. Chris Van Gorder, Scripps Health YES: But it should be based upon need, not politics. There are several industries that have or could have skilled workforce shortages, especially if the next administration tightens immigration as promised and expected. Over the years, there have been nursing shortages that have been met partially by trained and skilled nurses from other countries. The physician shortage is expected to get worse in the years to come. So, this visa program may very well be needed. Jamie Moraga, Franklin Revere NO: While skilled immigration could boost our economy and competitiveness, the U.S. should prioritize developing our domestic workforce. Hiring foreign nationals in sensitive industries or government-related work, especially in advanced technology or defense, raises security concerns. A balanced approach could involve targeted increases in non-sensitive high-demand fields coupled with investment in domestic STEM education and training programs. This could address immediate needs while strengthening the long-term STEM capabilities of the American workforce. Not participating this week: Alan Gin, University of San DiegoHaney Hong, San Diego County Taxpayers AssociationRay Major, economist Have an idea for an Econometer question? Email me at phillip.molnar@sduniontribune.com . Follow me on Threads: @phillip020 Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Click to share on X (Opens in new window) Most Popular Get healthier in the new year with these resources in the Williamsburg area Get healthier in the new year with these resources in the Williamsburg area James City County officer, 17-year-old injured in Christmas Eve crash James City County officer, 17-year-old injured in Christmas Eve crash How to dispose of natural Christmas trees in Hampton Roads How to dispose of natural Christmas trees in Hampton Roads Longtime Phoebus Auction Gallery to close after New Year’s Day event Longtime Phoebus Auction Gallery to close after New Year’s Day event Williamsburg leaders to prioritize funding for regional Trail757 project Williamsburg leaders to prioritize funding for regional Trail757 project ‘We’re buddies now’: William & Mary students work with dementia patients as part of new program 'We're buddies now': William & Mary students work with dementia patients as part of new program New Kent administrator’s capital improvement plan has some big ticket items New Kent administrator's capital improvement plan has some big ticket items RUSSIANS, U.S. FLY SIDE-BY-SIDE RUSSIANS, U.S. FLY SIDE-BY-SIDE Hitman who killed Navy officer in Newport News among 37 death row inmates commuted by Biden Hitman who killed Navy officer in Newport News among 37 death row inmates commuted by Biden Juvenile humpback whale washes ashore on Outer Banks Juvenile humpback whale washes ashore on Outer Banks Trending Nationally Body found in wheel well of plane from Chicago to Maui How Diddy and Luigi Mangione spent Christmas in Brooklyn jail Massive invasive python is freed into the Palm Beach County wilderness. 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EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — Jonathan Greenard was gassed, gasping for breath and gulping some water late in the game on Minnesota's sideline, having chased around Arizona quarterback Kyler Murray to the point of sheer exhaustion after fighting through an illness all week. The Cardinals faced fourth down in those closing seconds on Sunday , trailing by one, and Greenard needed a break. Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell let defensive coordinator Brian Flores see the formation the Cardinals sent out and deftly called timeout. The Vikings badly wanted Greenard, who'd been battling an illness all week, back in the game. “'You ready to go? You ready to go? You ready to go?'” O'Connell asked, smiling later as he reflected on his eagerness and the rarity of using a timeout to give a defensive player a rest. “No doubt, he was going back on the field and going to have a really impactful snap.” Greenard and the rest of the pass rush put enough heat on Murray to force a hurried throw that Shaquill Griffin intercepted to seal a 23-22 comeback victory that stretched Minnesota's winning streak to five. “He’s playing some high-level football. I don’t know where we’re at with postseason accolades, but he should be in the conversation for a number of those,” Flores said. “I feel like I say this every week: We’re lucky to have him.” Greenard is tied for fourth in the NFL with 32 pressures, according to Sportradar tracking. He's also tied for fourth in the league with 10 sacks. “He’s always popping off the tape, no matter what week it is,” teammate Harrison Smith said. “Especially in crunch time.” Those basic statistics only begin to show the impact Greenard has made on the Vikings, who made him their top priority in free agency this year once it was clear Danielle Hunter priced himself out of the plan. Greenard has not only blossomed into one of the league's most effective edge rushers after four injury-limited seasons with Houston, but he has also been a major part of Minnesota's success against the ground attack to the tune of an NFL-leading average allowance of 81.3 rushing yards per game. “The underrated part is just the all-down aspect of the physicality, setting edges, playing blocks and making some plays at or behind the line of scrimmage that set up his chances to then rush the passer,” O'Connell said. “He’s played a ton. We’re trying to be aware of just how much he’s played and see if we can give him some spurts here and there where we can kind of keep his play count where we want it, but at the same time he’s one of our best players. As I like to call him, he’s the closer.” Never was that nickname more evident than against the Cardinals. Pushed wide on his rush by left tackle Paris Johnson Jr., Greenard stabbed at Murray with his left hand to graze just enough of the ball to poke it loose. Murray fell on it to maintain possession, but the sack put the Cardinals in an uphill third-and-13 play. This time, Greenard deftly slid to the inside to keep full vision on one of the NFL’s most elusive quarterbacks. Pressure by Patrick Jones prompted Murray to take off as he barely avoided another sack, and Greenard was in ideal position to minimize the scramble. Once Murray hesitated to try to juke him and approaching cornerback Byron Murphy for more yardage, Greenard caught up and corralled him — inbounds, forcing the Cardinals to burn another timeout — for a 3-yard gain. Afterward, Greenard drew a straight line from those plays back to his offseason training. “If your tongue ain’t on the ground after your workouts, I feel like you’re not doing enough, especially the guys on the quarterbacks,” Greenard said. With the U.S. Bank Stadium crowd roaring, Greenard doubled over and asked to be subbed out. “I just wanted to show that I’m running my tail off to that football. It just so happened that he cut back and I was like, ‘Oh, perfect,'” Greenard said. “That was tough.” AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
Jason LaCroix felt privileged to work from home, especially as a father to two young children. He needed flexibility when his son, then 6, suffered a brain injury and spent 35 days in intensive care. LaCroix, a senior systems engineer based in Atlanta, took time off and then worked from home while managing his son’s care and appointments. But LaCroix was laid off last February from that job, where he’d been working remotely for five years. His new role requires him to spend four days a week in a company office and commute for three hours a day. “I want to be around for my kids,” LaCroix, 44, said. “It’s very important for me to be around for my son, because we almost lost him.” Heading into 2025, thousands of workers face an unsettling reality: after years of working from the comfort of home, they must return to the office full-time for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic or look for new work. Employees at Amazon , AT&T and other companies have been called back to the office five days per week. President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to fire federal workers who don’t show up to do their jobs in-person. “People always want to have flexibility,” said Mark Ma, a University of Pittsburgh associate professor of business administration. “I have never heard anyone telling me that I thank my job because it’s so rigid in its schedule.” Ma researched what happened when technology and finance companies in the S&P 500 stopped allowing employees to work remotely in recent years. He found the companies experienced high turnover rates after implementing return-to-office mandates, especially among female employees — who often have childcare responsibilities — and senior-level executives. “Over the years, people have adjusted their lives. They’ve figured out, ‘Oh wow, I can pick my kids up for school. Wow. I can caretake for my aging parents while I am still working,’” said Shavon Terrell-Camper, a therapist and mental wellness coach. “Once you have tasted work-from-home ... it’s difficult to see your life going back to something that could’ve been unsustainable from the beginning.” Workers and experts have advice to share about how to navigate the changes when an employer calls you back to the office . Seek flexibility Employers can compromise if their goal is to increase how much time staff members spend together. Ma suggests an “employee-choice” approach which gives teams the authority to decide how many days they will work in the office as a group. If that’s not an option, employees also can ask to adjust their hours. LaCroix leaves home at 5 a.m. and works in the office until 2 p.m. to reduce time in traffic and allow him to be home when his kids get off the bus after school. His employer requires eight hours in the workplace but is flexible on which hours. “A lot of people are pushing back, and they are trying to work out scenarios to see what type of flexibility does exist within the mandate,” Terrell-Camper said. Some are coming up with work-arounds that aren’t endorsed by upper management. “Coffee badging” is a technique that involves heading to the office, swiping a company ID, having a coffee and leaving to work from home. Desperate to hold onto valuable employees, supervisors have tried a “hushed hybrid” approach, where they take their subordinates’ ID badges and swipe them “in” and “out” to make it appear they’ve been in the office, Ma said. It’s best to have an honest conversation with a manager about any personal needs and to “ask for forgiveness ahead of time, because your family is the most important thing,” said Amy Dufrane, CEO of the Human Resource Certification Institute. Many companies have employee assistance programs that do more than most people realize, such as directing employees to resources that can help them care for parents or children, she said. Say what you need Medical conditions can make it especially challenging to work on-site. Kyle Anckney, a public relations strategist based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, has cerebral palsy and needs a nurse to help him change a catheter three times a day. His health insurance will only send a nurse to one location, so working in an office isn’t an option. “If that weren’t an issue, I could find my way into the office,” he said. Anckney, who ran his own PR firm for years, was seeking director-level roles, but a recruiter told him he should consider less-senior roles because of his need to work remotely. Instead, he applied to director-level jobs that were advertised as on-site or hybrid, and then reached out to explain his circumstances and ask if the hiring companies were open to him working from home. “While I would never normally, especially in a career setting, lead with, ‘I have cerebral palsy and I’m in a wheelchair,’ I’m finding that I’m almost having to make myself vulnerable in that way just to see if the opportunity is even there for me,” Anckney said. Weigh your options Landing a fully remote job can be competitive. “There are going to be many people that don’t have the luxury just to leave” their current jobs if they’re required to return to the office, ”especially in a volatile market such as we’re in right now,” Terrell-Camper said. Attorney Holly Keerikatte was recently working on-site five days a week at a hospital, commuting about three hours a day and looking for a role that allowed more time with her family. She received two job offers. One was fully remote. The other paid 50% more but required a long commute. She recalled reading the phrase, “The only people who remember you worked late are your children.” She chose the remote job. “My primary driver is what’s best for my family,” Keerikatte said. “My advice is to be up-front and transparent about what you want, what you’re looking for and why.” Find bright spots When faced with the inevitability of returning to an office, look for the positives. Friendships can blossom as colleagues take coffee breaks together or sample new lunch spots. In-person conversations can spark ideas that wouldn’t surface at home. Employers can ease the transition by organizing activities that create camaraderie. For example, managers can put together a series of talks about the transition and have groups share what works for them, Dufrane said. Face-to-face contact allows people to better understand what colleagues are thinking and doing, which helps prevent resentment and can provide helpful feedback. Video director Deborah Ann DeSnoo, who owns Plug-In Inc., a video production company in Chofu, Japan, says she has worked in many countries where the film industry was male-dominated and female directors like her were uncommon. She makes a point to connect with colleagues in person, giving her a chance to bond. “You can read the air in a different way, and you find a solution,” DeSnoo said. “When you’re on a Zoom and they ignore you, there’s nothing you can do.” -- Cathy Bussewitz, The Associated Press
As science continues its evolution, discoveries and technologies can act like a master key that open doors leading to novel advancements. Artificial intelligence is one such key, making innovations possible by solving complex problems, automating tasks and enabling research that would have been impossible, or very time-consuming, without it. Mohammad Hosseini But do we want to do research on all topics, and shall we try the AI master key on every door? To explore this question, let’s consider the use of AI by genomics experts as an example. In recent years, genomics experts have added unbelievable depth to what we know about the world and ourselves. For example, genetics researchers have revealed facts about when certain animals and plants were domesticated. In another example, researchers used DNA from 30,000-year-old permafrost to create fertile samples of a plant called narrow-leafed campion. Importantly, genetic engineering has facilitated extraordinary advances in the treatment of complicated conditions, such as sickle-cell anemia. Thanks to AI, we are witnessing a dramatic increase in the pace and scalability of genomic exploration. But given the risks and possible consequences of AI use in science, should we rush headlong into using AI in all kinds of projects? One relevant example is research on Neanderthals, our closest relatives, who lived about 40,000 years ago. Neanderthals have been studied for several years now through genetic investigation of their fossils and their DNA. Genetic engineering can potentially use ancient DNA and genome editing methods to re-create a Neanderthal or aspects of a Neanderthal’s genetics and physiology. To do this, scientists could start by figuring out the DNA sequence of a Neanderthal by comparing it with the DNA of modern humans, because they are closely related. Then, scientists could use the gene-editing tool known as CRISPR to swap out parts of human DNA with Neanderthal DNA. This process would require a lot of trial and error and might not succeed soon. But based on what we know about genetics, if something is possible, AI can help make it happen faster, cheaper and with less effort. Scientists are excited about these developments because they could facilitate new discoveries and open up many research opportunities in genetic research. With or without AI, research on Neanderthals will proceed. But the extraordinary power of AI could give the final push to these discoveries and facilitate this kind of resurrection. At that point, the scientific community must develop norms and guidelines about how to treat these resurrected beings with dispositions very similar to humans. We would need to carefully consider their rights and well-being almost in the same way as when humans are involved and not as research subjects or artifacts of scientific curiosity. These ethical issues are discussed in more detail in a new paper published in the journal Nature Machine Intelligence. A more holistic question to consider is: Should we prioritize the use of resource-intensive AI, researchers’ time and public funds to resurrect extinct beings? Or should we invest these resources into conserving species that are critically endangered today to prevent biodiversity from more degradation? Hosseini is an assistant professor in the Department of Preventive Medicine at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. He wrote this for The Chicago Tribune . Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly!
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This article was originally published in Rest of World, which covers technology’s impact outside the West. Manvi Singh, a marketing executive in her early 20s, commutes over 20 kilometres to her office on the outskirts of Delhi every day. Until six months ago, this commute would take an hour and 15 minutes and include four switchovers: an auto rickshaw to the metro station, a train for half the distance, and a transfer to another line before catching another auto for the final stretch. “Where I live, the metro is almost nine to 10 kilometres away,” she explains. “Plus, the traffic is terrible on the entire route from my house to the office.” Lately, Singh has found a solution to this exhausting daily ordeal: Uber Shuttle, a shared bus service that allows users to book seats through the ride-hailing company’s app. Singh now travels in an air-conditioned bus that picks her up near her house and drops her off at the office. Although the bus is only marginally cheaper and faster than her earlier commute, Singh says, it’s significantly more comfortable, less crowded, and safer. Uber Shuttle was developed by the San Francisco-based company’s tech teams in Bengaluru and Hyderabad in 2019 as a service that complements public transportation and helps fill transit gaps. The offering was first piloted in Cairo. For the service, Uber partners with private fleet operators who run buses on set lines and schedules, operating in a manner somewhat similar to how Uber collaborates with individual drivers for its cab services. A “ passion project ” for Uber’s president of India and South Asia, Prabhjeet Singh, Shuttle is currently available in Delhi and Kolkata. The company is now looking to launch Uber Shuttle in new cities: It is currently running pilots in Hyderabad and Mumbai and has applied for regulatory approvals in India’s tech hub Bengaluru, Uber’s Singh told Rest of World. “There are so many large employers in Bengaluru who can make use of these shuttle services,” Ashish Verma, a professor of transportation systems engineering at the Indian Institute of Science in Bengaluru and convenor of the institute’s Sustainable Transportation Lab. “They are shared services, so all the benefits of a public transport system that we generally understand – whether it is space economy, reduction in emissions per passenger carried, or energy consumed per passenger carried – would also apply to these shuttle services.” Besides India, Uber Shuttle has been rolled out to more than 20 cities worldwide, including New York City, Miami, Mexico City, and Cairo. Since its launch, Uber Shuttle has completed nearly 30 million trips globally, according to the company. This year, the company partnered with the organisers of some sporting events and concerts in the US to provide bus shuttles for attendees. Uber did not share details on the commission it charges bus operators for this service. “We are not commenting on financial details related to the offering,” a company spokesperson told Rest of World. Much of Uber’s expansion and growth in India and South Asia is led by division president Singh, who has spearheaded operations since 2020 and moved from Delhi to Bengaluru in 2022. His leadership was particularly tested during the Covid-19 pandemic, which Singh described as “one of the toughest phases” of his career. “Suddenly, we had earners who couldn’t access their livelihood opportunities,” Singh told Rest of World . “There were certain riders, particularly in emergency services, who wanted to travel but didn’t have options available. Internally, it was a period where the business had to reset in a material way. Then, as the pandemic receded, [the question became] how do you win back the confidence of drivers and riders so that they start coming back and know that Uber is safe to use?” Singh sees Shuttle as a way to rebuild trust among drivers and commuters. Indian cities rank among the worst in terms of traffic congestion. Calling a service like Shuttle “very important”, Ashok Jhunjhunwala, a professor at the Indian Institute of Technology–Madras and an expert in sustainable mobility, told Rest of World that India’s traffic problem is a direct threat to India’s stated goal of becoming a developed nation by 2047. “Both in the morning and evening, home to office and office to home, it is taking two hours. Two hours of your time every day is spent on transport – this is not India’s future,” Jhunjhunwala said. “I think innovative India ... [would] require very innovative solutions for transport and mobility solutions, particularly for urban transport.” Uber Shuttle is operational on 300 routes in Delhi, the company said. The growth in Delhi is partially thanks to the company’s collaboration with the municipal government. In September, Uber became the first ride-hailing aggregator to receive a licence under the Delhi Motor Vehicles Licensing of Aggregator (Premium Buses) Scheme, 2023. As part of the announcement, former Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot drove a Shuttle bus himself. Uber hopes to get similar support from the Karnataka government as it eyes launch into the southern state’s capital, Bengaluru. “This requires a regulatory handshake,” Singh said. “So we are in constant dialogue. And I’m hoping that the Karnataka government is also open to ideas, taking inspiration from Delhi on this.” While the service is an improvement from her previous commute, Manvi Singh says it isn’t perfect. Sometimes buses bypass pickup points entirely. One time, she was stranded in Noida because a vehicle ran out of fuel. Singh rates her experience with Uber Shuttle as a “60-40” toss-up Anisha Sircar is an Indian journalist. This article was originally published in Rest of World , which covers technology’s impact outside the West.A Louth Councillor has slammed vandals of a Louth playground, which was graffitied less than one week after re-opening following refurbishments. Saint Helena’s Park in Dundalk had reopened just before Christmas with a new play area for children — with a number of parts in the playground spray painted, leading to the playground being closed early on December 21 so council workers could clean the graffiti. Taking to social media following the graffiti, Louth Councillor John Reilly slammed the ‘unacceptable’ vandalism, and urged anyone with information on the vandalism to come forward. ‘It’s disheartening to see that Saint Helena’s Park, which has only been open a week with exciting new updates, has already been vandalised,’ Cllr Reilly wrote on Facebook. ‘This park is a valuable space for the community, and such acts of vandalism are unacceptable. ‘We should all take pride in keeping our public spaces safe and enjoyable for everyone. ‘If anyone has any information regarding the vandalism, please come forward and report it.’ Louth County Council tweeted that the playground would be closed from 11am on December 21, writing ‘the playground in St Helena’s, Dundalk will be closed from 11am today to facilitate a clean up after it was vandalised last night. The newly refurbished play area had only been open a week.’