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China: World’s largest indoor ski resort opens in Shanghai

Published
8 months agoon
By
Ekwutos BlogThe massive facility using artificial snow and cooling machines is modeled like a glacier and opened fully to customers, after lengthy delays, on Friday. China’s northern natural pistes are shrinking amid climate change.

The facility has four separate slopes and an array of other rides, with a cable car, chairlifts and trains ferrying people to the summits
© Hector Retamal/AFP
Shanghai opened the world’s largest indoor ski resort on Friday amid searing temperatures outside as China reported its hottest August in 60 years.
Temperatures were already at 30 degrees Celsius (roughly 86 Fahrenheit) by 9 a.m. during Friday’s outdoor opening ceremony in a mock Alpine square, but were closer to freezing point inside the building.
The building has a skiing area of 90,000 square meters or 9 hectares. Incorporating other facilities likes shops, hotels, and a still-unopened water park the construction area extends to 350,000 square meters.

The vast resort is one of many large expensive projects developed in recent decades in Shanghai’s once sparsely-populated Pudong district
© CFOTO/picture alliance
The festivities marked the end of a difficult teething and test period for the facility. Chinese state media reported that safety procedures were being reviewed after an incident on Wednesday, when limited numbers of people were already allowed in, in which a patron’s finger was severed by another skier.
Industry expansion amid Winter Olympics
Years in the making, once scheduled to open in 2019 according to Chinese media, the vast resort is part of a state-supported winter sports investment drive rooted partly in the country hosting the last Winter Olympics in 2022 and also in a more general bid to cater to the recreational wishes of an expanding middle class.

The Guinness Book of Records certified the facility as the largest of its kind in the world on opening day, surpassing another giant Chinese facility in Harbin
© Hector Retamal/AFP
Located in Shanghai’s Pudong district, the L*SNOW Indoor Skiing Theme Resort was certified by Guinness World Records as the world’s largest on its opening day on Friday. It overtakes another Chinese facility in northern Harbin.
China has developed several such indoor resorts in recent years and boasts five of the 10 largest by skiing area in the world, according to Daxue Consulting. China’s CCTV reported that some 360 million people in the country do winter sports.
The construction coincides with retreating and less reliable snow slopes in the traditional skiing resorts in the north of the country amid climate change, a tale familiar to European skiiers visiting mountain ranges like the Alps.
“In China, it might have more of an effect in the north because of climate change, there are fewer people doing winter sports there,” 48-year-old skier Zhang Jin told the AFP news agency. “So some of the snow parks just aren’t operating well, they’re shrinking. Instead, it’s this kind of thing opening up right now, larger indoor ones, which I think is still pretty good.”
Solar panels on roof to offset ‘inevitably’ consuming ‘a lot’ of energy
The center uses artifical snow, rather than the oft-maligned dry ski slopes that may not provide as authentic an experience for enthusiasts but that can operate in any weather all year round.
Officials said that it uses 72 cooling machines to maitain an indoor temperature around freezing point, and 33 snow-making machines to feed the pistes.
A Shanghai government report in August acknowledged that such projects “will inevitably consume a lot of energy.” But it also said the resort was built to maximize energy reuse where possible, for instance via ice storage and waste-heat recovery systems.
Three-quarters of the building’s roof is covered with solar photovoltaic panels to help power it.
“We have taken a lot of energy-saving measures,” resort executive Yin Kang told AFP.

Chinese state media reported that the steepest slope had a 26 degree gradient, and the longest s-bend course extended for 460 meters (around 500 yards)
© Hector Retamal/AFP
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Construct speed breakers to stop accidents on Apete-Akufo road – Residents to Makinde

Published
10 hours agoon
April 24, 2025By
Ekwutos Blog
Residents of communities along the Apete -Akufo road have appealed to Oyo State governor Seyi Makinde to construct speed breakers and bumps om the road.
The residents noted that this is necessary in order to avoid incessant road accidents on the road.
Our correspondent reports that the road serves over 50 communities within Ido local government area.
Ekwutosblog gathered that the 12.5 kilometers road – which is the first concrete road in the state – was executed by Governor Seyi Makinde.
Many road accidents have occurred along the road since its construction.
The residents of the communities appealed to Makinde to provide speed breakers and bumps to avoid future occurrences of accidents on the road.
The residents in a statement signed by the Deputy Provost, Comfort Estate, Araromi, Professor Onyekachi Ireanus Okoro, said that many accidents have occurred on the road.
Okoro, in the statement made available to Ekwutosblog on Thursday, said that reckless driving habits of commercial motorcyclists, tipper truck drivers and other vehicle operators pose a significant threat to the lives of residents and travellers in the affected communities.
Okoro in the statement titled ‘Urgent call for road safety measures’, insisted that the current situation puts the lives of residents, commuters and pedestrians at risk.
“We, the community, are concerned about the increasing number of accidents on the Apete-Akufo Highway. The reckless driving habits of commercial motorcyclists, tipper truck drivers, and other vehicle operators pose a significant threat to the lives of residents and travelers.
“We kindly request the installation of speed breakers or bumps along this highway to reduce speeding and prevent accidents. This measure will help save lives and prevent unnecessary pain and suffering in our communities.
“The current situation puts the lives of residents, commuters, and pedestrians at risk. Speed control measures can significantly reduce the likelihood of accidents.We are concerned about the impact of accidents on families and the community as a whole.
“We urge the relevant authorities to take immediate action to address this issue. The installation of speed breakers or bumps will be a significant step towards ensuring the safety of all road users.
“We believe that with the implementation of these safety measures, we can reduce the risk of accidents and create a safer environment for everyone. We look forward to a positive response to our request”.
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US indicts Nigerian man for $690,000 fraud, lying to obtain American citizenship

Published
14 hours agoon
April 24, 2025By
Ekwutos Blog
Oladapo Fadugba, a Nigerian-born United States citizen, risks 27 years imprisonment over his alleged involvement in a $690,000 wire fraud scheme and making false declarations to obtain US citizenship.
This was contained in a statement by the US Attorney for the District of Florida, Gregory Kehoe, on Tuesday.
Kehoe said Fadugba was indicted for multiple charges, including wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and making false statements during his naturalisation process.
He noted that between October 2020 and July 2023, the suspect allegedly diverted $690,000 in funds belonging to the US Department of Veterans Affairs, which was meant for reimbursement to a major local healthcare provider.
It was also alleged that Fadugba used another person’s identity to facilitate the transfers into different bank accounts under his control.
The statement read in part, “According to the indictment, beginning on October 30, 2020, and ending no later than July 11, 2023, Fadugba had more than $690,000 of Department of Veterans Affairs funds, intended for reimbursement to a large local healthcare provider, transferred to his personal bank accounts.
“Fadugba then wrote cheques to himself or to businesses associated with him, which were subsequently transferred to other bank accounts under his control. It is alleged that he used the identification of another individual to carry out these transfers.
“The indictment further alleges that Fadugba, a naturalized U.S. citizen from Nigeria, made a false statement under oath during his naturalization proceeding. Fadugba allegedly falsely stated he had not committed any crime or offense for which he had not been arrested.
“An indictment is merely a formal charge that the defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.”
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Jude Okoye released after 2 months in jail

Published
18 hours agoon
April 24, 2025By
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Jude Okoye, elder brother and former manager to the iconic P-square duo has finally regained his freedom after spending over two months behind bars.
The celebration of his release didn’t come quietly, especially from Paul Okoye, popularly known as Rudeboy, who took to Instagram with a fiery post.
“Jude is finally out after 2months + .. all their efforts to frustrate his bail has finally collapsed. Welcome home brother @judeengees. And happy birthday,”
Paul wrote in his Instagram story.
His words appeared to be more than just a welcome note, they carried an undertone of resentment, likely directed at his twin brother, Peter Okoye.

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