It's the City of Lights, the City of Love. But more recently Paris has become synonymous with some of the worst traffic congestion in Europe.
The city's mayor, Bertrand Delanoe, hopes to change that with an initiative called Autolib, which will add 4,000 electric vehicles to the streets in a car-sharing programme similar to that which the city already has with bicycles.
"This could revolutionise transport," he said on a local radio station.
Cities have toyed with the idea of car-sharing programmes in the past, especially places where high traffic volume has led to poor air quality and diminished its citizens' health and quality of life. If there are relatively inexpensive rates for cars - not even necessarily electric - available on a short-term basis, the convenience could potentially dissuade a significant number of drivers from buying one of their own. This would reduce cars on the roads and carbon dioxide emissions, the thinking goes.
But in spite of the lauded five-day trial of the electric car share programme that took place last week, a segment of French society has reacted in anger, denouncing the mayor for his plan and saying it is not enough.
Of course, these voices of dissent come from the ranks of the Green Party, whose members have gone on record as saying that any action that encourages private vehicles over other types of transportation is bad.
Perhaps it would be beneficial for the French to compare Delanoe's latest attempt at improving quality of life against other cities'.
Dubai, for example, became the first city in the Gulf to license electric cars in November 2008. The number of cars that have been licensed since then? Zero, according to Peyman Younes, a spokesman for the RTA. The city's taxi fleet includes 20 hybrid vehicles - a test, he calls it, which, if successful, will lead to more hybrids.
In its perpetual fight to become greener without having to change its lifestyle, Canada's largest city has been mulling over a plan for a typically Canadian length of time. If it materialises (no guarantee), a fleet of 300 electric cars would be introduced on Toronto roads by 2012. The fight over who is responsible for what - as much a part of Canadian identity as hockey and maple syrup - plays into this issue as well, bien sur.
Ben Marans, the manager of grants and special projects at the Toronto Atmospheric Fund, told The Toronto Star recently that the electric car campaign had morphed into a classic chicken-and-egg problem, where neither those manufacturing the cars nor those who would construct infrastructure wants to make the first move.
"People don't want to buy them if there's no recharging infrastructure and manufacturers won't make them until there's demand."
Well, at least no one is waiting for the Canadians to lead by example.
The French actually might; Delanoe has just pushed the Paris programme's launch forward to sometime before the end of this year. Autolib will introduce 2,000 electric cars to the city and another 2,000 to the suburbs; they will be serviceable at 700 stations in the city and 700 outside. Reservations for use won't be required, only a valid credit card and driver's licence. The cars will cost about $5-$10 (Dh18-37) for every 30 minutes and an additional monthly fee of $22-$29 (Dh80-106). Though the numbers aren't conclusive, the supporting infrastructure should cost around $14 million (Dh51m).
Authorities estimate that if this system becomes popular, the city could reduce its carbon dioxide emissions by about 22,000 tonnes a year.
Like all things environmental, there are inconveniences. A fully charged electric car can go about 160 kilometres before running out of juice, and batteries take about seven hours to recharge. Additionally, no car manufacturer mass produces electric vehicles. Nissan says it will have an all-electric model by 2010; Renault says it will by 2011.
Americans, however uninterested in considering similar programmes, are kicking themselves for not being the ones to manufacture such a vehicle, "if for no other reason than to cater to the niche markets like this French effort", one said in response to an ABC story on Autolib.
"Tesla should have been ready and waiting to fill an order for Paris."
Company%20profile
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How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Secret Nation: The Hidden Armenians of Turkey
Avedis Hadjian, (IB Tauris)
VEZEETA PROFILE
Date started: 2012
Founder: Amir Barsoum
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: HealthTech / MedTech
Size: 300 employees
Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)
Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC
Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
The biog
Simon Nadim has completed 7,000 dives.
The hardest dive in the UAE is the German U-boat 110m down off the Fujairah coast.
As a child, he loved the documentaries of Jacques Cousteau
He also led a team that discovered the long-lost portion of the Ines oil tanker.
If you are interested in diving, he runs the XR Hub Dive Centre in Fujairah
MORE ON CORONAVIRUS & THE ECONOMY
Cryopreservation: A timeline
- Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
- Ovarian tissue surgically removed
- Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
- Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
- Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
Other workplace saving schemes
- The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
- Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
- National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
- In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
- Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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SPAIN SQUAD
Goalkeepers Simon (Athletic Bilbao), De Gea (Manchester United), Sanchez (Brighton)
Defenders Gaya (Valencia), Alba (Barcelona), P Torres (Villarreal), Laporte (Manchester City), Garcia (Manchester City), D Llorente (Leeds), Azpilicueta (Chelsea)
Midfielders Busquets (Barcelona), Rodri (Manchester City), Pedri (Barcelona), Thiago (Liverpool), Koke (Atletico Madrid), Ruiz (Napoli), M Llorente (Atletico Madrid)
Forwards: Olmo (RB Leipzig), Oyarzabal (Real Sociedad), Morata (Juventus), Moreno (Villarreal), F Torres (Manchester City), Traore (Wolves), Sarabia (PSG)
Four tips to secure IoT networks
Mohammed Abukhater, vice president at FireEye in the Middle East, said:
- Keep device software up-to-date. Most come with basic operating system, so users should ensure that they always have the latest version
- Besides a strong password, use two-step authentication. There should be a second log-in step like adding a code sent to your mobile number
- Usually smart devices come with many unnecessary features. Users should lock those features that are not required or used frequently
- Always create a different guest network for visitors
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.