I'm a student who is interested in urban planning. Something that bugs me the most in this country is cost-prohibitiveness in transportation. Why does a few miles of rail for metros/lrt cost like a billion dollars while just several hundred million for other countries? I read several articles but either they're too long or politically biased. From what I read, most of the budget for rail systems is spent on stations and beautification. Does that mean that less focus on aesthetics and more on practicality cuts costs? Give me a TLDR, thanks.
Edit: the country I'm in is the US
Introduced: Sponsor: Sen. Thomas Carper [D-DE]
This bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works which will consider it before sending it to the Senate floor for consideration.
Sen. Thomas Carper [D-DE] is the ranking member of the committee.
Your 14-minute Monday briefing in 3620 words.
##High-Tech Minister was asked to comment on ongoing efforts to develop Armenia's military industry
Earlier, some experts complained that it's difficult for Armenian companies to produce military drones due to a lack of access to quality parts, especially engines. "Turkey has been receiving its part from NATO members."
Reporter: what's missing in Armenia to drastically develop the military industry?
High-Tech Minister: lack of the necessary military industry infrastructure. Even the companies that exist today have outdated technologies that require modernization. For years, this field was given a lesser priority. Our state institutes in the mil. industry are entirely outdated, from building conditions to the equipment type.
The second reason is the lack of experts. This is also a result of the field having been largely ignored because the state had preferred to purchase weapons instead of manufacturing them. What changes have been introduced recently?
First. Beginning this year, Pashinyan ordered us to prioritize local production over purchases if we have such option, if our product quality meets the standards. Even if [local production is more expensive], the MOD has been instructed to prioritize local purchases.
Second. in the past, the contracts were short-term, resulting in a lack of long-term investments by manufacturers. Recently the minimum contract length was set at 3 years. That means manufacturers know they will have a buyer, they can hire more, they can invest.
Third. The government is helping them to purchase new technologies. We're trying to find new partners, new platforms. We're building relations during international expos.
There are public and private organizations in the mil. industry. We expect private investors' share to increase as the interest rises due to a policy shift.
Currently, we're aware of 10-11 companies working on drones. Some of them have a working model that received a positive response.
https://factor.am/435719.html
Tags: #MilitaryIndustry
##335 natural sciences laboratories exist in 107 schools across Armenia
Education Ministry: high schools in Yerevan and provinces are studying natural sciences in new laboratories equipped with modern technologies. These labs can act as the link between education and business.
The availability of such modern equipment will contribute to the development o
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Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), who aren't on the panel, have signaled they are open to using reconciliation to pass a larger Democratic-only infrastructure bill in addition to the bipartisan package they are currently negotiating. But they haven't endorsed a specific price tag.
Manchin previously suggested to ABC News that he was interested in a smaller figure, saying that "if that’s $1 trillion or $1.5 trillion or $2 trillion, whatever that comes out to be over a 10-year period, that’s what I would be voting for."
Manchin also said: “I think everything should be paid for. We’ve put enough free money out,” Manchin said.
Democrats indicated on Tuesday night that they would be able to meet his red line after Schumer first told reporters on Tuesday afternoon that he believed it was possible.
"The plan we've put together, which is fully paid for, will make the investments in American families, will take on what Bernie and frankly led mostly by [Sen.] Sheldon Whitehouse [D-R.I.], the existential threat of climate change, in a way that will meet the needs of leading the world on this critical issue," Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), a member of the Budget Committee and a key negotiator, told reporters.
Biden will be meeting the Democratic Senators today to emphasis the importance of passing the bill before end of August.
Will any amongst the Democrats push to lower the 3.5 price tag further?
