'Future city' announced in Canada

Sidewalk Labs, owned by Google's parent company, Alphabet, announced on Tuesday it will build a digital city in Toronto. It aims to turn a waterfront area into a working laboratory to test a range of "smart" technology. It is likely to feature fast wi-fi availability, sustainable energy and autonomous cars. It will be built around information technology and use data – about traffic, noise, air quality and the performance of systems including trash bins and the electrical grid – to guide its operation. Technology companies are suggesting their hardware and software can help solve city problems, as urban planners tackle issues such as congestion, pollution and overcrowding. The project, which will be known as Sidewalk Toronto, was welcomed by Canada's Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau. Sidewalk Labs has already started smart projects in other cities. It plans to provide fast wi-fi across New York, using old payphones. But its goal has always been to build a smart city from the ground up. $50 million will be invested in the first phase of planning and project testing. The entire project could cost as much as $1 billion. To ensure Toronto residents have a say in how it is built, there will be a series of town hall meetings starting November 1st.

In Other News Over the past several days, The New York Times and The New Yorker reported that dozens of women had accused Harvey Weinstein, a prominent American film producer, of sexual harassment, sexual assault or rape. Many other women in the film industry subsequently reported similar experiences with Weinstein. Harvey Weinstein and his brother, Bob Weinstein, formed the film production company Miramax. France’s 187-year-old mansion Villa Les Cèdres has just hit the market for a cool $413 million, making it the priciest home on earth. Built in 1830, the mansion was bought in 1850 by the mayor of Villefranche-sur-Mer and the estate used as an olive tree farm. It was then sold in 1904 to Belgium’s King Leopold II. It has since been home to several other individuals. The home is 18,000 square feet with 14 bedrooms on a 35-acre estate. It also has extensive gardens and a 3,000-volume library.