All posts tagged: capital

Leveraging private capital to realise Draghi’s vision for Europe

Leveraging private capital to realise Draghi’s vision for Europe

Dr Tobias Lechtenfeld, a key member of the Energy Resilience Leadership Group (ERLG), and Executive Director of Tech for Net Zero, discusses how Europe must respond to the Draghi report by leveraging private capital to achieve net zero. In this article, Lechtenfeld covers how Europe’s private capital can be mobilised to drive investment by de-risking large-scale projects and creating incentives for investors, as well as the need for financial organisations and governments to enable Europe’s market strengths to deliver on the vast potential of its green and digital economies. Mario Draghi’s comprehensive 400-page report is nothing short of an intellectual tour de force. It dissects the complex socio-economic challenges Europe faces while offering a bold vision for transformation. Central to his thesis is the need for an astounding €800 billion in annual investments to meet the EU’s 2030 targets for jobs, industrial modernisation, and climate goals. But here’s the fundamental question: where will the money come from? Let’s be clear on one point—public funding alone won’t suffice. Europe’s ambitions will require much more than simply …

Damascus Has Fallen: Assad Has Reportedly Left The Capital

Damascus Has Fallen: Assad Has Reportedly Left The Capital

Update(2200ET): Damascus has fallen. Unverified reports say President Assad and top officials have fled to Dubai or elsewhere but the situation overnight is fluid and anything but clear in terms of the location of top leadership. They may be in Latakia on the coast, or headed there. What is clear, however, is that the jihadists have entered the heart of the capital. This brings to an end the last secular and Baathist state in the Middle East, and 50+ years of Assad family rule. Journalist Danny Makki, who is currently in Damascus, observes: Literally Syrian military/security around Damascus just fled, ran away, changed into civilian clothes escaped, there was no battle for Damascus, it was abandoned and by tommorow it will be all under opposition control. Abassiyeen Square in Central Damascus, soldiers/military abandoning positions, changing into civilian clothes. pic.twitter.com/vJzvdaUeVb — Danny Makki (@danny_makki) December 8, 2024 And Al Jazeera reports: Videos from the Syrian capital, verified by Al Jazeera, appears to show soldiers leaving the city. The sound of gunfire could also be heard. The …

Capital cost-cutters save trusts £8m – but what next?

Capital cost-cutters save trusts £8m – but what next?

The future of the capital advisers’ programme looks in doubt The future of the capital advisers’ programme looks in doubt More from this theme Recent articles Academy trusts visited by government capital cost-cutters to advise on better estates management look set to save £8 million. But the future of the capital advisers’ programme looks in doubt after an evaluation report stated the current part of the scheme would be its “final phase of delivery”. Last year, an evaluation of the pilot and first phase found four in five trusts did not have sufficient data on the condition of their buildings. This was despite the government having conducted a survey of every school between 2017 and 2019, with reports shared with trusts. However, the evaluation also found 12 trusts reported savings of £600,000 between them. An evaluation of the second phase of the scheme, involving 64 trusts, found they believe they will make savings of more than £8.2 million over the next two years across energy (£2.5 million), project delivery (£3.6 million) and maintenance (£2.1 million) …

Ed Sheeran’s love-hate relationship with London after £8.25m office block purchase

Ed Sheeran’s love-hate relationship with London after £8.25m office block purchase

Ed Sheeran has had a whirlwind week, with an appearance on Sky Sports, addressing questions about his non-involvement in Band Aid, and making waves in the property market. The singer, 33, has reportedly expanded his property portfolio by purchasing a luxury office block in London’s bustling Soho for £8.25 million. This prime piece of real estate is set to bolster his growing investment business. The Sun reported that the star acquired the exquisitely refurbished building. It features open-plan office space for up to 50 desks, a fitted kitchenette, a breakfast bar, bespoke glass phone booths, and Crittall-style meeting rooms. The Suffolk singer said he would have “respectfully” declined to appear in the new version of the charity song, and referenced another post criticising foreign aid in Africa. The singer rushed to greet pundit Jamie Redknapp and quipped: “I don’t think [Amorim] wants to speak to me” before heading out of the shot. Sheeran has since apologised, writing on Instagram: “Apologies if I offended Amorim yesterday, didn’t actually realise he was being interviewed at the time, …

Thousands gather in Ethiopia’s capital to celebrate a religious festival. Many are thinking of peace

Thousands gather in Ethiopia’s capital to celebrate a religious festival. Many are thinking of peace

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) — Thousands of Ethiopians gathered in the capital Thursday to celebrate an annual religious festival distinguished by the lighting of bonfires according to the beliefs of the local Orthodox Christian faithful. National celebrations of the festival, known as Meskel, traditionally happen in a square by the same name in Addis Ababa. It is one of Ethiopia’s most celebrated religious holidays, marked with rituals and merriment across the country. Festivities will continue until Friday, a national holiday during which the faithful attend church services and share intimate moments with their families. In celebrations of Meskel — a word in the local Amharic language for “cross” — bonfires are burned across the country. In Meskel square Thursday, the patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church lit a large one in the presence of thousands of believers in white costumes. Across Ethiopia, many gather in public squares and by churches to light similar bonfires from piles of logs, dry leaves and grass. Prayers and religious ceremonies are followed by a feast of “kitfo,” a …

Alaska limits cruise ship passengers in capital city after 1.6m visitors last year | Travel and transport

Alaska limits cruise ship passengers in capital city after 1.6m visitors last year | Travel and transport

Alaska’s capital city is to limit the numbers of cruise ship passengers arriving at the port amid concerns over tourism’s growing impact, but a leading critic of the industry has said further measures to protect Alaskans’ quality of life are needed. Located on the Gastineau Channel in southern Alaska, Juneau has a population of 32,000 and last year received a record 1.65 million cruise ship passengers – a 23% increase from the previous high. While many businesses encourage the bonanza of tourist dollars, other people are bothered by buzzing helicopters, crowded streets and hiking trails, and damage to the local environment. Seeking to balance the economic benefits against the effects of high numbers of visitors, the city reached an agreement last week with the Cruise Lines International Association in Alaska that will limit daily cruise passenger arrivals to 16,000 from Sundays to Fridays and to 12,000 on Saturdays. Juneau’s tourism manager, Alexandra Pierce, said: “The city’s position is that we do not have room for cruise growth with our current infrastructure and we have negotiated …

Billie Eilish Struggles With British Slang And Customs During Capital Interview

Billie Eilish Struggles With British Slang And Customs During Capital Interview

In case you haven’t noticed, Billie Eilish is going heavy on the promo trail for her new album Hit Me Hard And Soft. After topping the UK chart with her latest release last month, Billie has recently sat down with a host of British shows to help spread the word about her new album far and wide. This is what brought her to Capital’s door, where she and breakfast show host Jordan North wasted no time in getting into their favourite British slang and customs. Jordan began by teaching the Bad Guy singer the joys of the term “gobshite”, before moving on to the majesty that is a chip butty. Unfortunately for him, his Northern tones left Billie struggling to get to grips with exactly what he was talking about, as you can see for yourself in the clip below: Since it was uploaded yesterday, we’ve replayed the video of Billie trying to wrap her head around the idea (and pronunciation) of a chip butty at least a dozen times – and clearly we’re not …

Famine Looms in Sudan as Civil War Pushes Capital Toward Abyss

Famine Looms in Sudan as Civil War Pushes Capital Toward Abyss

Families ate from a communal kitchen and fetched water from the Nile, he said, showing us around a mosque, a well-stocked pharmacy and apartments. His followers helped bury the dead, and at night they performed zikir, a devotional dance that is an expression of Sufi spirituality. “It soothed our souls,” he said. A soup kitchen still offered meals. Sheikh Elamin, a towering man in flowing green robes, said he paid for it all from his own pocket. Beyond running a Sufi Muslim order with branches in London, New York and Dubai, he was also a businessman who owned a gold mine and a meat export business, he said. Before the war, the sheikh was sometimes criticized for his lavish choices, like chartering a private jet to attend the World Cup in Qatar in 2022. But his charity now has brought praise. “In this time of war, he’s become the most popular figure in the country — period,” said Suliman Baldo, a veteran Sudan analyst. “People need something positive to hold onto.” Nearby, we passed a …

The Guardian view on the London press: the capital needs its own news | Editorial

The Guardian view on the London press: the capital needs its own news | Editorial

The decision by the Evening Standard to stop producing a daily edition, from Monday to Friday, leaves Londoners without their own general newspaper. Under its current owners, the Standard, which is 197 years old, has faded to a shadow of its former, showy self. But this is a dismaying move all the same. A city of London’s size and importance, with a mayoralty and 32 borough councils, ought to have a dedicated print news outlet aside from the business-focused City AM. This is not just a matter of holding politicians, local services and businesses to account. It is about the city as a place with its own civic identity, its own arts and food scenes and sporting events, as well as serious problems including a housing affordability crisis. The title has faced the same pressures as other print media, above all falling sales and advertising due to intense competition from digital rivals. It was given an injection of life when it went free in 2009 and pivoted to an advertising-led model. But the combination of …

Labour would make Britain ‘asylum capital of the world’

Labour would make Britain ‘asylum capital of the world’

Good evening. James Cleverly has claimed a Labour government would turn the UK into the “asylum capital of the world” – and an official has admitted that the Bank of England made “persistent and systematic” errors in its forecasts about inflation. Plus: Meet the hosts of our new podcast, The Daily T. Labour would make Britain ‘asylum capital of the world’ Speaking in Dover earlier today, Sir Keir Starmer announced that Labour would create a new Border Security Command unit which would treat people smugglers the same as terrorists. He also said a Labour government would scrap Rwanda migrant deportation flights “straight away”. But Mr Cleverly, the Home Secretary, hit back and claimed Labour would “create a haven for criminal gangs, not stop them”. Bank of England made ‘persistent and systematic’ errors Swati Dhingra was one of two officials to vote for a reduction in interest rates which were subsequently held at 5.25pc. Her comments came as the Bank of England’s chief economist warned about the risk of being “seduced” by data showing a slowdown …