2026 Elections Live Updates: Candidates Campaign in Battleground States on Final Weekend The New York TimesMidterm elections latest: Rift grows between Democrats Abdul El-Sayed and Haley Stevens in Michigan CNNEl-Sayed drops Stevens from campaign event YahooAbdul El-Sayed’s campaign disinvites Haley Stevens from events to limit ‘distractions’ The GuardianCentrist Democrats Would Rather Lose the Senate Than Win With El-Sayed The Intercept
On November 4 at Boston’s SoWa Power Station, get ready for a full day packed with meaningful networking opportunities, actionable insights, and connections that could change the trajectory of your idea and startup. Register before all prices go up at the door.
Flying across several time zones often causes jet lag, a feeling when the body insists it's the middle of the night while the clock says it's lunchtime. Now it turns out this nuisance is not exclusive to humans. A new Science study on Manx shearwaters, seabirds that can fly hundreds of kilometers a day over the North Atlantic, shows they jet-lag themselves during their excursions. And because these birds navigate by the Sun, that jet lag leaves a measurable mark—it skews their compass. Clockwork compass Patrick Lewin is a behavioral and sensory ecologist at the University of Oxford and lead author of the study. “Manx shearwaters are medium-sized birds, about the same size as a pigeon,” Lewin said. “They are white underneath and black on top, but they have very long wings, and they are closely related to albatross.” Manx shearwaters nest in burrows on coastal islands around the North Atlantic. Most breed around the UK and Ireland, with about half of their population living in Wales.Read full article Comments
In May 2021, the US Food and Drug Administration released a lengthy briefing document on an experimental medication for a rare autoimmune form of vasculitis that often damages the kidneys and lungs. The agency was on the fence about whether to approve the treatment, and it wanted an independent advisory committee to weigh in. Among the questions at hand: Was the drug meaningfully better than existing therapies? Participants in the study, which had been conducted by the California biotechnology company ChemoCentryx, did appear to have slightly higher rates of symptom remission after one year. But according to the FDA, it was hard to interpret the results because the study’s design had been less than optimal. Some advisory committee members expressed a similar view. The effect of the drug, said one, “is just not well verified by this study.” At the same time, many patients, and some physicians, saw in the data a potentially helpful medication, one that might lessen patients’ reliance on steroids, which are highly effective but often cause severe side effects.Read full article Comments
The Hubble Space Telescope still shines in the eyes of astronomers after 36 years in orbit, but it is not as nimble as it once was. Left alone, the observatory will plunge back into the atmosphere in the early-to-mid-2030s, closing the book on one of the most famous scientific instruments of the century. NASA last raised the orbit of Hubble in 2002, when the Space Shuttle Columbia visited the observatory for a servicing mission. The final shuttle servicing flight in 2009 did not reboost the telescope's orbit, and with the retirement of the shuttle fleet two years later, Hubble has steadily lost altitude with no way to stave off eventual destruction. The space agency released a Request For Information (RFI) on Thursday asking commercial companies for ideas on how to reboost, service, or a controlled disposal of Hubble. Responses are due November 30. Specifically, NASA is looking for information about companies' current and near-term capabilities for capturing Hubble and boosting it to an altitude of at least 373 miles (600 km), enhancing the telescope's performance, or guiding Hubble to a controlled reentry.Read full article Comments
Chart of the Week: Cass Freight Shipments Index, Cass Truckload Linehaul Index – USA SONAR: CFIS.USA, CTLI.USA The domestic freight market has been on a long-running rollercoaster since the start of the century. The Cass Freight Shipments Index (CFIS) and the Cass Truckload Linehaul Index (CTLI) show how each cycle has differed from the last, and why predicting when each one begins and ends is extremely difficult. The CFIS includes shipments across truckload, intermodal, LTL and several smaller modes, making it a good representation of total transportation demand over time. Because it is based on invoice data, it runs with a slight lag. The CTLI measures the base cost of a truckload move, excluding fuel and accessorial charges. That makes it a good gauge of truckload rates without the influence of fuel, and base rates are a better indicator of supply and demand in the truckload market. window.googletag = window.googletag || {cmd: []}; googletag.cmd.push(function() { var gptSlot = googletag.defineSlot('/21776187881/FW-Responsive-Main_Content-Slot1', [[300, 100], [320, 50], [728, 90], [468, 60]], 'div-gpt-ad-1709668545404-0').defineSizeMapping(gptSizeMaps.banner1).addService(googletag.pubads()); googletag.pubads().enableSingleRequest(); googletag.pubads().collapseEmptyDivs(); googletag.enableServices(); setInterval(function() { if (!document.hidden) { googletag.pubads().refresh([gptSlot]); } }, 60000); }); googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1709668545404-0'); }); Looking at demand (CFIS) and truckload rates (CTLI) over the past 25 years, we can identify several distinct cycles, with one large anomaly in the middle. Intra-recession era Starting in 2000, the CFIS captured the early effects of the dot-com collapse and the economic fallout from 9/11 as the economy slipped into recession. Goods demand stayed muted longer than the broader economy did. 2004 was one of the strongest economic years in modern times. Low interest rates following the weak start to the decade fueled a housing boom, helped along by the subprime mortgage market that would cause problems later. Fuel prices became volatile, and real GDP grew about 3.8%. Strong goods demand and limited capacity fueled the rise of freight brokerages as more than a backhaul play for carriers. Brokers adopted new technology that had become far more accessible as the internet matured. This growing connectivity let smaller carriers haul for larger shippers and fueled the growth of owner-operators over the next decade. In 2008, the housing market collapsed, triggering what became known as the Great Recession, with weakness lingering into 2010. By early 2011, the economy was recovering, and it grew at a slow but steady pace for the next five years. The great stabilization defines normal This post-recession period was the most stable of the past 26 years, and it set many people’s expectations of what “normal” looks like in the freight market. The CFIS followed a clear 12-month seasonal pattern, and base rates grew at about 3% a year until 2016. Energy markets collapsed in late 2015, leading to a mini freight recession through most of 2016 that many participants did not fully recognize until after the fact. Economic growth slowed from roughly 4% in early 2015 to 1.5% a year later, and the industrial economy struggled. Truckload base rates fell about 2% as demand faltered. By early 2017, capacity had tightened and demand was returning, and the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, signed that December, added further fuel heading into 2018. Rising demand against shrinking capacity produced one of the strongest and longest spot-rate upswings in modern history. Hurricane Harvey and the ELD mandate made conditions even tighter that fall and winter. Many dismissed the period as a “black swan” that would not be repeated. window.googletag = window.googletag || {cmd: []}; googletag.cmd.push(function() { var gptSlot = googletag.defineSlot('/21776187881/fw-responsive-main_content-slot3', [[728, 90], [468, 60], [320, 50], [300, 100]], 'div-gpt-ad-1665767553440-0').defineSizeMapping(gptSizeMaps.banner1).addService(googletag.pubads()); googletag.pubads().enableSingleRequest(); googletag.pubads().collapseEmptyDivs(); googletag.enableServices(); setInterval(function() { if (!document.hidden) { googletag.pubads().refresh([gptSlot]); } }, 60000); }); googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1665767553440-0'); }); As with every rapid expansion covered here, contraction followed. The tax cuts gave the economy a temporary “sugar high.” Meanwhile, capacity grew quickly as strong rates attracted new entrants: active trucking authorities rose about 15% from early 2017 to early 2019. The 2019 freight recession produced what were, at the time, the largest trucking failures of the century, as truckload carrier Celadon and LTL carrier New England Motor Freight shut down. That made the COVID era even more extreme, because capacity had been leaving the market just before demand boomed. COVID breaks everything COVID was the freight market’s second black-swan-type event in three years, which undercuts the idea that such events are rare. Government stimulus, enhanced unemployment benefits and the shift to working from home drove an unprecedented goods-demand boom and supply chain shocks. Once again, the overstimulated environment gave way to a downturn: the longest freight recession of the 2000s, lasting from early 2022 through the 2025 holiday season. We are now approaching a year into a new cycle. The data suggests that putting a timeline on any cycle is a fool’s errand, and this one, like most, is full of nuance. Higher barriers to entry from regulatory pressure, diesel prices and interest rates are just a few of the factors at play. Demand remains relatively weak, which is hard to reconcile with an inflationary market. According to the CTLI, rates were up 10% in September, while volumes rose only 2%. There are many lessons. The freight market does not operate on an island; it is shaped by outside forces and by every part of the economy. Expecting the 2010–2015 environment to return may be the worst assumption a business can make when planning ahead. window.googletag = window.googletag || {cmd: []}; googletag.cmd.push(function() { var gptSlot = googletag.defineSlot('/21776187881/fw-responsive-main_content-slot4', [[300, 100], [320, 50], [728, 90], [468, 60]], 'div-gpt-ad-1709668086344-0').defineSizeMapping(gptSizeMaps.banner1).addService(googletag.pubads()); googletag.pubads().enableSingleRequest(); googletag.pubads().collapseEmptyDivs(); googletag.enableServices(); setInterval(function() { if (!document.hidden) { googletag.pubads().refresh([gptSlot]); } }, 60000); }); googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1709668086344-0'); }); Timing is not the takeaway History suggests that 12 months is the low end for how long this cycle will last. With demand still near the bottom of its range, any upside economic surprise could extend it by several months. Anyone betting on rates easing quickly in the coming months is also betting on a broader economic slowdown, and the hit to business revenue that comes with it. CFOs, take note. About the Chart of the Week The FreightWaves Chart of the Week is a chart selection from SONAR that provides an interesting data point to describe the state of the freight markets. A chart is chosen from thousands of potential charts on SONAR to help participants visualize the freight market in real time. Each week a Market Expert will post a chart, along with commentary, live on the front page. After that, the Chart of the Week will be archived on FreightWaves.com for future reference. SONAR aggregates data from hundreds of sources, presenting the data in charts and maps and providing commentary on what freight market experts want to know about the industry in real time. The FreightWaves data science and product teams are releasing new datasets each week and enhancing the client experience. To request a SONAR demo, click here. window.googletag = window.googletag || {cmd: []}; googletag.cmd.push(function() { var gptSlot = googletag.defineSlot('/21776187881/fw-responsive-main_content-slot5', [[728, 90], [468, 60], [320, 50], [300, 100]], 'div-gpt-ad-1665767778941-0').defineSizeMapping(gptSizeMaps.banner1).addService(googletag.pubads()); googletag.pubads().enableSingleRequest(); googletag.pubads().collapseEmptyDivs(); googletag.enableServices(); setInterval(function() { if (!document.hidden) { googletag.pubads().refresh([gptSlot]); } }, 60000); }); googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1665767778941-0'); }); The post Freight cycles are anything but regular appeared first on FreightWaves.
Shenzhen Metro Group has emerged over recent years as an increasingly active player in the development of metro, light rail and suburban projects across a swathe of emerging markets, from Algeria to Vietnam, as Benjámin Zelki explains. Embracing the expansionist ideals of China’s Belt & Road initiative, Shenzhen Metro Group Co and its partners in the Chinese urban rail supply chain are becoming increasingly active in the delivery of urban rail projects globally. Owned by the Shenzhen municipality, Shenzhen Metro Group was established in 1998. The group embarked on its first international projects in 2014, when it stated that its aim was for Shenzhen’s metro standards to be exported to more cities around the world. To date, SZMC has been involved in seven projects in six countries covering a total length of no less than 208.4 km. Examples of its work can be found in cities including Addis Ababa, Abuja, two projects in Hanoi, Tel Aviv, Cairo and the nearby New Administrative Capital, and Alger. Two projects in Hanoi Its most recent contract was announced in December 2025, and it covers the commissioning of Hanoi’s 39.6 km long, fully automated metro Line 5, where civil works started in July. The engineering, procurement, and construction contract was awarded to a consortium led by Pacific Construction Group, accompanied by Truong Son Construction Corp, Shenzhen Urban Design and Research Institute, Shenzhen Building Materials Trading Group, Shenzhen Metro International Investment Consulting, and Vietnam state railway DSVN. The three companies from Shenzhen will carry out design works and provide technical support, as well as undertaking testing and commissioning and providing operational training. They are to transfer technology and train staff for the management, operation and maintenance of the line. Route clearance work starts on Chinese-backed Hanoi metro Line 5 SZMC was also involved in the delivery of Vietnam’s first metro. The 13.1 km Line 2A in Hanoi opened in November 2021, linking Cát Linh to the Hà Đông business district. The company provided consultancy for training, preparation and commissioning tasks, as well as operations-related documentation and technical support. Operating in Tel Aviv With its November 2017 contract to operate Tel Aviv’s Red Line light rail, SZMC achieved a high-profile entry into a market that has had relatively little exposure to Chinese suppliers. As part of the Tevel Metro joint venture with bus operator Egged and China Civil Engineering Construction Corp, SZMC has been operating and maintaining the city’s 24 km Red Line light rail since it opened in August 2023. The 10-year contract is extendable for another six years. Civil works and railway systems for the Red Line, 12 km of which runs underground, were led by Chinese companies including China Railway Tunnel Group, China Civil Engineering Construction Corp, and China Railway Electrification Bureau, with DB Engineering & Consulting managing systems integration. Alstom supplied signalling and control systems, and CRRC Changchun built 90 five-section light rail vehicles. Capital Train Under three contracts signed between December 2019 and July 2022, SZMC has been increasingly involved in commissioning and shadow operation of the Capital Train suburban rail project taking shape in the area east of Cairo. Its scope covered 18 months of operational support prior to the line’s July 2022 opening, plus a further two years of operational supervision for the initial 68.8 km segment. This first section links Adly Mansour on Cairo Metro Line 3 and serves two branches, one running northeast to 10th Ramadan City and the other southeast to the New Administrative Capital. A second phase will extend the NAC branch by 18.5 km and four stations, and the third phase will add 16 km and three stations to serve the centre of 10th Ramadan City. SZMC is again supporting testing and commissioning, providing system integration, operational and staff training, and maintenance technical support for phases 2 and 3. Its role subsequently expanded to include construction management for Phase 3. The line is being built by a consortium of China Railway Engineering Corp and AVIC International Holding Corp under a US$1.24bn contract signed in August 2017, using Chinese finance. RATP Dev Mobility Cairo operates the line and is maintaining it for 15 years, with an optional five-year extension. CRRC Qingdao Sifang supplied 22 six-car EMUs and also has a maintenance contract lasting 12 years. Making use of MTR’s expertise In its home city, Shenzhen Metro Group says it has made use of its proximity to Hong Kong to benefit from MTR Corp’s expertise, and as a result it has begun developing properties along metro lines in Shenzhen, drawing on MTR’s experience on Line 4. MTR’s wholly-owned subsidiary MTR Corp (Shenzhen) Ltd financed and built the first section of Line 4, and took over operation in 2010 under a concession that could run until 2041 if all options are exercised. Shenzhen’s Line 13 Phase II northern extension opens Meanwhile, Shenzhen Line 13 is operated under a 30-year PPP by the MTR CREC Metro joint venture of MTR Corp, China Railway Electrification Bureau and the Shenzhen municipal authority. The consortium was also involved in the financing and construction of the first section as part of a PPP, and the line opened for use progressively from December 2024. Subsequent extensions were delivered by the municipality, and Shenzhen Metro joined MTR and its partners in operating the most recent section when it opened in June. African involvement SZMC’s inaugural international contract came in Ethiopia in 2014, when it was appointed to manage the operations and maintenance of Addis Ababa’s 31 km two-line light rail network for three years and five months. Having trained local personnel, SZMC handed over operations in 2018 to Addis Ababa Light Rail Transit Service Enterprise, which is owned by the local municipality. The two-line network serving 39 stops opened to traffic in September and November 2015. The infrastructure was built by China Railway Engineering Corp, and services are operated by a fleet of 41 three-section trams supplied by CNR (now CRRC) Changchun. Staying in Africa, SZMC provided operations and technical support for Abuja’s two-line diesel commuter rail network for a year and four months after it opened in July 2018. At the time, the line in the Nigerian capital was operated by China Civil Engineering Construction Corp, which led the civil works. The service was suspended in 2020 because of the Covid-19 pandemic, and operations resumed in June 2024, managed by the Federal Capital Territory Administration. The 42.5 km two-line network links Abuja main station to the airport and Idu to Gbazango. In the Algerian capital, SZMC is providing consultancy services for systems integration, design and construction for the 9.6 km airport extension of Alger metro Line 1. Work on the section started in July 2025. The project is being led by China Railway Construction Corp through a joint venture with various local state-owned contractors. This article first appeared in the October 2026 issue of Railway Gazette International Read the issue See also Japan: Part-privatised Tokyo Metro looks to grow internationally
In the Electrek Podcast, we discuss the most popular news in the world of sustainable transport and energy. In this week’s episode, we’ll discuss Rivian’s earnings, Waymo partnering with Toyota, Ford betting on V2H for the Fathom electric pickup truck, and more. more…
#fwtv_Rj9isPUg2qg .fwtv-panel{border:1px solid #d0d0d0;padding:18px;border-radius:6px;line-height:1.6}#fwtv_Rj9isPUg2qg .fwtv-panel p{margin:0 0 12px}#fwtv_Rj9isPUg2qg .fwtv-note{font-style:italic;color:#666;margin-top:16px;padding-top:12px;border-top:1px solid #e0e0e0}Schneider is making a monumental shift in its intermodal operations, moving all eastern rail business from CSX to Norfolk Southern. This strategic partnership aims to unlock significant growth, enhance capacity flexibility, and drive more freight off the roads and onto rail. Discover the full implications of this major move and what it means for the future of intermodal logistics.Schneider National is transferring its eastern intermodal operations to Norfolk Southern, ending its prior relationship with CSX in what both companies describe as a growth-driven realignment. The deal, announced the same day Schneider reported its third-quarter earnings, positions Norfolk Southern as Schneider’s exclusive eastern rail partner alongside Union Pacific in the West. Michael Baumgardt, Schneider’s EVP of Intermodal and Logistics, said the decision followed a lengthy evaluation focused on network reach, train frequency, and proximity to population centers. “It starts with growth and it’s really about, okay, how can we get closer to our customers? How can we make sure that we get more truck freight off of the road and into intermodal where it makes sense?” Baumgardt said. Customer response in the first 24 hours after the announcement was positive, he added, particularly around Schneider’s asset-based model featuring company drivers, company chassis, and company containers. Norfolk Southern’s Vice President Shawn Tureman said the railroad has been building toward this moment for years, growing from the third- to the second-largest intermodal franchise in the United States by 2018. In 2022, the railroad set a new target to double its intermodal franchise again and has been directing discretionary capital toward that goal ever since. “It’s not a question of if, but when. And the way we’re going to get there is by partnering with powerful partners like Schneider,” Tureman said. The current rate environment adds urgency to the move. Truckload rates carry a 30%-plus premium over intermodal rates, making intermodal an increasingly attractive option for shippers. Baumgardt said the primary capacity constraint is not equipment — boxes are available — but rather dray capacity and driver supply. He argued Schneider’s company-driver model gives it a structural advantage in managing that bottleneck. Both executives said the pending Norfolk Southern-CSX merger, a topic that surfaces weekly in industry discussions, was not the driver of this agreement, though they acknowledged it could improve the product. “The merger would be icing on the cake in terms of enhancing service, reliability, and speed,” Baumgardt said. Tureman echoed that view, pointing to single-line service, shorter routes, and reduced interchange friction as potential merger benefits for Schneider’s customers. On the transition itself, both sides said planning began immediately after the agreement and that the goal is a seamless handoff. Tureman said Norfolk Southern pulled forward some infrastructure investments specifically to prepare. “What I hope, 3 months from now, for our customers not to have noticed anything,” he said, adding that a smooth transition would set the stage for joint sales efforts heading into what he called a strong intermodal market in 2026 and 2027. Schneider reported earnings growth in its intermodal segment in Q3, consistent with the company’s stated growth pillars of logistics, dedicated, and intermodal. Dedicated revenue per truck rose 3.1% in the quarter, though Baumgardt emphasized that disciplined freight selection and appropriate driver allocation remain priorities as the company manages through the current freight cycle.Schneider is moving its eastern intermodal rail partnership to Norfolk Southern, complementing its existing western alliance with Union Pacific.Norfolk Southern grew from the 3rd to 2nd largest U.S. intermodal franchise by 2018 and launched a second doubling initiative at its 2022 Investor Day.Truckload rates currently run more than 30% above intermodal rates, with dray and driver availability — not box count — cited as the primary capacity constraint.This Summary is generated thanks to a transcription of the interview, for the full interview please enjoy the video above. The post Rail Rivalry: Schneider’s Bold Move to Norfolk Southern from CSX appeared first on FreightWaves.
Among Kepler and TESS's many surprising exoplanet discoveries are the ultra-short-period (USP) planets. These planets move very quickly and complete an orbit in less than 24 hours. Ancient astronomers thought that Mercury was so fast—it goes around the sun every 88 days—that they named it after the Roman god Mercury, who was the fast-traveling messenger of the gods. They couldn't have known how sluggish Mercury is compared to the USPs.
What's that chirping sound coming through the detector? Did you feel something whiz past? Those are just some ways people react when they encounter microbats for the first time. Microbats are small, mostly nocturnal mammals that use ultrasonic sounds to navigate and hunt at night. They do this through echolocation, producing calls and listening to the echoes that bounce back from objects and prey.
Researchers have discovered a gene for a tandem potassium channel in an algal virus. The finding supports the view that giant viruses may have contributed significantly to the evolution of complex proteins. The study is published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Many have voiced concerns that artificial intelligence will take jobs away from humans. But assistant professor of chemistry Zhongyue (John) Yang, along with his former doctoral student Qianzhen Shao (now a postdoc at Stanford) and other team members, has created an AI tool that aims to elevate the work that scientists do—not replace them.
South Africa beat Australia by 176 runs to win series: third Test, day five – as it happened The GuardianSouth Africa all out and set Australia 288 to win decider: third men’s cricket Test, day four – as it happened The GuardianAussies fold on final day as Proteas take series, No.1 ranking cricket.com.au
Nauhaus appointed UAE women’s cricket head coach Staff Reporter NAMIBIAN cricket coach Oscar Nauhaus has been appointed head coach of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Women’s National Cricket Team, bringing more than 10 years of coaching exper Instagram
Australia strike late to restrict South Africa to 140-4, just 40 runs ahead, on day three of men’s third Test – as it happened The GuardianAustralia gain edge in Test decider after late Bavuma blow hurts South Africa The GuardianCareless dismissals give Australia route to series win BBC
Starc strikes back as Australia dismiss South Africa for 329 on day one of third Test – as it happened The GuardianCricket world erupts over sad reveal about Scott Boland before third Test in South Africa Yahoo News AustraliaAustralia vs South Africa: Pat Cummins' tourists fight back to edge first day BBC
Enterprise Mobility is rapidly expanding opportunities for companies to enhance clients’ engagement levels and simplify and improve their interactions. Unfortunately,…
