Latest news with #RobertAllen
The Hill
14-07-2025
- Health
- The Hill
China's success in cleaning up air pollution may have accelerated global warming: Study
Efforts to clean up air pollution in China and across East Asia may have inadvertently contributed to a spike in global warming, a new study has found. The decline in aerosol emissions — which can cool the planet by absorbing sunlight — have added about 0.05 degrees Celsius in warming per decade since 2010, according to the study, published on Monday in Communications Earth & Environment. At that time, China began implementing aggressive air quality policies and was ultimately able to achieve a 75 percent reduction in emissions rate of toxic sulfur dioxide, the authors noted. Sulfur dioxide gas, harmful pollutants that result from fossil fuel combustion and volcanoes, are precursors of sulfate aerosols, which are the dominant aerosol species that cool the Earth today. Despite posing health threats to plants, humans and other animals, these particles are among the many types of aerosols that also cool the planet. When clouds form around aerosols, such particles can absorb solar energy from the atmosphere and thereby reduce sunlight at ground level. And if clouds are not present, aerosols can reflect sunlight back into outer space. Before China's air quality improvement policies took effect, pollution was a leading cause of premature death in the country, the study authors noted. However, with fewer cooling aerosols now present in the atmosphere, areas of East Asia and around the world have endured intensified warming — and are expected to face even more extreme heat, shifting monsoon patterns and potential disruptions to agriculture, according to the study. The plunge in sulfate levels 'partially unmasks greenhouse-gas driven warming and influences the spatial pattern of surface temperature change,' the researchers observed. 'Reducing air pollution has clear health benefits, but without also cutting CO₂, you're removing a layer of protection against climate change,' co-author Robert Allen, a climatology professor at the University of California, Riverside, said in statement. 'It highlights the need for parallel efforts to improve air quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions,' he said. Allen and his colleagues drew their conclusions based on simulations from major climate models for the years 2015 to 2049, using data from the Regional Aerosol Model Intercomparison Project, which includes contributions from the U.S., Europe and Asia. They projected a global, annual mean warming of about 0.07 degrees Celsius due to aerosol emissions reductions, with 0.05 degrees Celsius of warming per decade already occurring since 2010. Emissions reductions applied to their simulations corresponded closely with those realized over the 2010 to 2023 period in East Asia, the authors noted, adding that emissions from the region are expected to continue to decline — albeit at a slower rate. Although their work focused on sulfate aerosols, the researchers stressed that carbon dioxide and methane emissions remain the biggest drivers of long-term climate change. 'Our study focused on the recent, dramatic speedup in global warming, which is very concerning but still small compared to the overall, long-term amount of warming from increased CO2 and methane,' lead author Bjørn Samset, a senior researcher at the Center for International Climate and Environmental Research in Norway, said in a statement. Allen, meanwhile, also emphasized that because aerosols are short-lived in the atmosphere, the spike in global temperatures could subside in the near future. 'Sulfur dioxide and sulfate aerosols have lifetimes of about a week,' he said. 'Once they're removed, we'll eventually settle back into a warming rate that's more consistent with the long-term trend.' As other regions across the world, including South Asia, Africa and North America, begin to phase out aerosol emissions, the scientists said they plan to analyze how potential shifts could shape forthcoming climate trends. 'Air quality improvements are a no-brainer for public health,' Allen said. 'But if we want to prevent the worst impacts of climate change, we have to cut CO₂ and methane too. The two must go hand in hand.'
The National
09-07-2025
- Business
- The National
The UAE's history shows it has always dealt with global economic headwinds
For Robert Allen, a move to Abu Dhabi allowed him to connect the dots in his own history to the evolution of the Arab Gulf economy. The visiting global distinguished professor of economic history at NYU Abu Dhabi recently outlined some of the major themes that have shaped the local economy for centuries. Speaking to The Economic History Podcast last week, Prof Allen made the point that export-oriented growth has always been the focus of the major phases of development: date cultivation, pearl fishing and oil extraction. In other words, while the local economy has been shaped by its natural environment since the 17th century, it has always been linked to a market elsewhere. The professor is one of the most distinguished in the field of economic history. A loss for Nuffield College at the University of Oxford – when he had to accept mandatory retirement a decade ago – proved to be a gain for NYUAD. Podcasts have assumed a central role in the media landscape by becoming the go-to source for current affairs and political interviews. The superb Economic History Podcast is a personal favourite, and Prof Allen's appearance was an enlightening examination of his work since moving to the Gulf. He pointed out that his family had ties to Salem, Massachusetts, which was the port that the date trade used to access the US markets. Culturally, the town celebrated the first arrival of date shipments. There was even a race to get the first shipment to the US after the building of the Suez Canal compressed the journey time to North America in the 1800s. 'When you look at dates, the prices shoot up, they double when the Suez Canal is opened,' Prof Allen told the podcast. 'So there always had been an export trade of dates from Oman and Arabia to the US, and also I think to Western Europe, but it was fairly limited and they were very expensive. One thing that is important is that Salem, Massachusetts was an important American port for this.' Date syrup or 'dibs' became a big part of the American economy – so much so that the US Department of Agriculture sent a team of agents to Iraq and the Arabian Peninsula to bring back date plants. Once the date palms were cultivated in California, the trade suffered a grievous blow in the Gulf. In parallel, the pearl industry was also hit hard by a development in Japan. The invention of cultured pearls resulted in a dramatic drop in price and the wind-down of the industry. One element of transformation that is likely to come to the fore is the data economy, for which the UAE is particularly geared up What the date and the pearl industries had in common was the unleashing of natural resources, the sea and the underground aquifers to generate exports that went around the world. Prof Allen notes that many of the large oil deposits in the region overlap with the aquifers, too, and now generate revenue from the ground. Historical junctures are not new to the Gulf, which is poised to undergo another transformation as US President Donald Trump 's economic vision is set to reshape global trade. Mr Trump's tariff policies are due to move to the next phase within days. At the weekend, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent hinted that new trade deals could be announced soon, with a range of tariffs likely to be imposed on exports to America from August 1. He indicated there was progress with the EU, although he added that the 100 small countries with little or no trade with the US would get new tariff letters within days. Where the policy eventually ends up remains highly uncertain, but it seems inevitable that the global supply chain – of which the Gulf countries are something of a buckle in the belt – will be substantially different by the end of Mr Trump's second term. One element of transformation that is likely to come to the fore is the data economy, for which the UAE is particularly geared up. Not only is the country the first to appoint a cabinet minister for AI, but its infrastructure advantages are beginning to tell. The demise of former US president Joe Biden's Inflation Reduction Act, as a result of the recent passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, will have a substantial impact on the data industry's evolution. There is an opportunity for countries like the UAE – which can produce limitless and cheap energy – to provide the capacity for processing that this industry needs. Once again, the Arabian Peninsula's natural environment has an opportunity to shape the development of a new era. The outcome of the growth of processing power is the generation of new revenue streams, the unleashing of local talent and the creation of a firm base for the region in the global economic landscape. Future-proofing is a historical feature of the UAE and Gulf economies. This is why Prof Allen's insights into the three big industries that made the Emirates prosperous and globally interconnected could hardly be timelier.
Business Insider
01-07-2025
- Business Insider
How the US Air Force is keeping its decades-old stealth B-2 Spirit bomber lethal
The US Air Force's B-2 Spirit bomber is a highly effective strategic bomber built to penetrate tough battlespaces, but it's been flying for roughly three decades. Time takes a toll, meaning upgrades are needed to keep it lethal. The Air Force is working on making the B-2 harder to see and available more often as part of ongoing modernization efforts. Over the weekend, the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center Public Affairs released details on how they are tinkering with the bomber's software and hardware to keep at the top of its game. Key efforts are focused on improving maintenance speed, better stealth, and improved communications. "A lot of people talk about the B-2 as a legacy platform and that is incorrect: It is an operational platform conducting strikes today and if the flag goes up tomorrow, it will be one of the first platforms to conduct strikes," said Lt. Col Robert Allen, materiel leader for the B-2 Advanced Programs Branch. The B-2, made by Northrop Grumman, is an expensive $2 billion bomber that was controversial in its development, in part due to the high costs. It entered service with the Air Force in 1997 and first saw combat in the Kosovo War as part of Operation Allied Force. Most recently, seven B-2s dropped bombs on Iran's nuclear facilities in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. The strategic bombers carried 14 GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator bunker-buster bombs, powerful, heavy munitions designed to penetrate hardened bunkers and deeply buried underground facilities. Each bomb weighs 15 tons. B-2 bombers are also capable of carrying nuclear payloads and are an important element of the US nuclear triad, which also includes intercontinental ballistic missiles and submarine-launched missiles. This flexibility in payload type and capacity makes the B-2 instrumental to the larger US military's strike options — and prompts continual investments in keeping it ahead of the curve. Quicker maintenance A bomber is only useful if it's ready to fly. The Air Force is working to ensure that the aircraft is ready when it needs to be by reducing downtime and increasing availability for what has traditionally been a maintenance-intensive aircraft. The service currently has 20 B-2s in active service, having lost one in a crash back in 2008. The B-2's significant maintenance overhaul, called program depot maintenance or PDM, that's done every nine years typically takes 470 days. It is "an exhaustive inspection, overhaul, and repair of the bomber, with much of the work focused on restoration of the bomber's Low Observable (LO) or stealth materials," the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center Public Affairs said in a statement last fall. But last October, the work was done in 379 days. The improvements to the maintenance process included doing the fuel inspection earlier to avoid duplicate work and conducting pre-inspections to identify issues ahead of time. "As any aircraft continues to age, you're going to see more and more issues that need to be repaired on a PDM line," said Col. Francis Marino, the B-2 system program manager within the Bombers Directorate, in a statement. He said that "the pre-inspection is great because it reduces the number of surprises at PDM." Maintaining the B-2's equipment and repair line is also critical. In May 2024, Northrop Grumman was awarded a substantial $7 billion contract for sustainment and support work, as well as planned upgrades. Better stealth and communications In order to keep the bombers hidden from potential countermeasures and threats, the Air Force has been at work on several important upgrades to its stealth, as well as its comms. Allen said that as part of a new program, the service is providing the B-2 with upgraded beyond-line-of-sight satellite communications capability, which "significantly improves the transfer time for real time mission planning data" and "will allow the operator to simultaneously receive and transmit voice communications and data which is an upgrade from what the aircraft currently has." The B-2's stealth capabilities, including its low-observable, radar-absorbent materials, are also being enhanced, which is set to further reduce its radar cross section, which refers to how the bomber appears to radar operators. The B-2 features a unique flying-wing airframe, edge alignment, and other technologies that dramatically reduce its signature across multiple frequency bands, making it difficult for enemy air-defense radars to detect, track, and target the aircraft. "Upgrading its avionics, sensors and communication systems are essential so that we stay ahead of emerging threats and enhance our payload and versatility," Lt. Col. Benjamin Elton, material leader, B-2 Integrated Capabilities Branch, said. Keeping B-2s in the fight B-2s will continue to be upgraded into the 2030s, when the Air Force plans to replace the aircraft with the new B-21 Raider, which is currently in initial production and testing after the plane took its first flight in late 2023. The B-21, also made by Northrop Grumman, will also replace the B-1 Lancer. Developments on the new bomber began in 2015. Many of the details on the B-21's abilities are classified, but it's expected that the aircraft will boast better stealth, payload capacity, communications, and sensors than its predecessor. That includes carrying weapons that haven't been invented yet. The costs and delivery dates of the B-21 program have shifted over the years, but it's expected to enter service this decade, and the aim is to produce at least 100 of them.
NZ Herald
14-05-2025
- Business
- NZ Herald
Sliding bank impacting Whanganui's highland pipe band hall
The hall is at the bottom of Pukenamu Queen's Park, home to the Davis Library, Alexander Library and the Sarjeant Gallery. In his submission to the council, Gaskin said the band were subject to rates and lease fees levied by the council and 'the clear impression' was that the remaining retaining work would be completed during the redevelopment of a walkway adjacent to the hall, from Bell St to the Sarjeant. However, the walkway work was never carried out. In 2023, the council chose to landscape around the gallery only, with subsequent phases of the park's design plan put on hold because of cost. The Whanganui Highland Pipe Band was formed in 1918 as the City of Wanganui Highland Pipe Band, with its first known parade on Armistice Day in November that year. It owns the hall and has occupied the land at 1E Bell St since 1951. Gaskin told councillors that running the dehumidifier cost about $5 a day. 'Extending the retaining wall gives us a chance to dry out the room and protect our equipment, namely kilts and instruments the band owns,' he said. Band patron Robert Allen said the hall was the 'centrepiece of our existence'. 'The band has such a deep and long history with the city of Whanganui,' he said. 'We want to keep it going. 'Every Monday at 7pm, the band is at the hall and the doors are open.' On another side of the park, the Repertory Theatre has also battled a slipping bank. During last year's Long-Term Plan (LTP) process, the council agreed to sell that building to the current tenants (the theatre) for $1 and stabilise the bank around it. In the LTP, that work was estimated to cost $250,000. During hearings this week, Whanganui Mayor Andrew Tripe said a time would be organised for elected members to inspect the bank around the band hall. Mike Tweed is a multimedia journalist at the Whanganui Chronicle. Since starting in March 2020, he has dabbled in everything from sport to music. At present his focus is local government, primarily the Whanganui District Council.
CBS News
07-05-2025
- Health
- CBS News
Euless woman pushes for stronger opioid warnings in Texas
After a family tragedy, a push for new opioid laws in Texas After a family tragedy, a push for new opioid laws in Texas After a family tragedy, a push for new opioid laws in Texas Debbie Allen visits her husband's grave each month to replace the flowers she keeps there. She also updates the man she calls "the love of her life" on what's happening with their family, and with her mission of more than four years. Robert Allen died just hours after celebrating his 71st birthday. He had gone to the hospital for back pain and was discharged, sent home with a prescription for morphine to manage back pain. Debbie Allen By 2 a.m. on Oct. 21, 2020, he was struggling to breathe. Debbie called 911. He was still responsive as paramedics loaded him into the ambulance, but by the time they arrived at the hospital, he was gone. Robert Allen had taken just two morphine pills. Debbie Allen would later learn what she said no one had told her: Opioids like morphine, when combined with her husband's sleep apnea, can lead to fatal respiratory depression, a breathing disorder characterized by slow, or depressed, breathing. "The bell went off just like that," she said, recalling the moment the prescribing doctor called her the morning after Robert's death. "He said, 'That's why you don't mix this opioid with sleep apnea.'" Now, more than 4 1/2 years later, she is channeling her grief into a public campaign that could change how opioids are labeled in Texas. A simple warning, too late In the days following his death, Debbie Allen began investigating. She found two medical journal studies - one from 2020 and another from 2017. They warned of the dangers of mixing opioids with sleep apnea, especially during sleep. One study described how patients with the condition are "at greater risk of harm from morphine." The other noted that many people on opioids are "found dead in bed." Despite these published warnings, Debbie Allen said no one gave her family any indication that morphine could be dangerous for someone with sleep apnea, a condition that forced Robert Allen to sleep with a CPAP machine every night. "There was not one warning. Not one," Debbie Allen said. She filed formal complaints with the Texas Medical Board, the Texas State Board of Pharmacy and the Joint Commission, a non-profit that accredits medical organizations and programs. Ultimately, the medical board required the doctor who wrote Robert Allen's prescription to complete 12 hours of education on risk management and controlled substances. Debbie Allen also filed a lawsuit, which she cannot publicly discuss due to a settlement agreement. She can, however, discuss what she wants moving forward. A bill inspired by loss Robert Allen's death is now at the center of proposed legislation in the Texas Senate. In March, Sen. Bob Hall, a Republican from Rockwall, introduced Senate Bill 1986, which would require that all opioid prescriptions include a clear warning about "addiction, respiratory depression, and overdose." Hall said Debbie Allen's story "got attention because it was so preventable … with a simple solution of just informing people." Her mission has taken her from her home office, where she continues to research opioid regulations across the country, to the Texas Capitol, where she recently testified before the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services. She has learned that states like Arizona require a red cap on opioid bottles, and others mandate varying forms of warnings. In Texas, similar bills have been proposed in the past but failed to become law. "The pharmaceutical companies' first concern is making money. Their concern is how many pills are selling," Hall said. Federal moves, state gaps In 2023, following a growing number of opioid-related deaths, the Food and Drug Administration began mandating a "boxed warning" about the risk of respiratory depression when opioids are used. The warnings are printed in bold and outlined in black at the top of the medication guide inserts. Debbie Allen is advocating for standardized, state-mandated labels on all opioid prescription bottles – simple, visible, unavoidable. On April 30, 2025, the day Debbie Allen testified at the Senate hearing, no one testified against the bill. The committee approved it unanimously. The bill now has a sponsor in the House, Hall's office told the I-Team. "So no one else gets hurt" Debbie and Robert Allen met when she was 13. They were married by the time she was 16. They built a life together. They have two children and four grandchildren. CBS News Texas "Robert loved life more than anyone I've ever met," she said. "He didn't deserve this. Everybody let him down." At the cemetery, Debbie Allen sits on a bench she painted herself. It bears the family name. It's a place where her children and grandchildren — and now great-grandchildren — can visit. Robert Allen has missed three graduations and two weddings since his death. "I would know that he wanted me to pursue this," she said. "So nobody else would get hurt like he did."
