Latest news with #GreatStink
Bangkok Post
21 hours ago
- Business
- Bangkok Post
Building infrastructure for the AI age
The London Underground, the world's oldest subway system, opened in 1863. Around the same time, London's modern sewage system was designed by civil engineer Joseph Bazalgette in response to the Great Stink of 1858, which brought parliament to a standstill. Planning far ahead, Bazalgette built the system to last 150 years. Only now, with the Thames Tideway project, is it being significantly expanded. Walk through any major city in the UK -- from London to Glasgow, Belfast to Bristol -- and you will find that much of the infrastructure from the late Victorian era is still in use. That is partly because the Victorians built early and planned decades ahead. Like in many other countries, the UK's infrastructure is akin to a palimpsest, with new layers constructed over the old. A similar dynamic is playing out today, as new technologies become integral to daily life and economic growth. Broadband, mobile networks, and data centres, which are now as vital as roads and power grids, are prime examples. At the same time, the concept of social infrastructure is gaining traction among policymakers around the world. The UK's new ten-year infrastructure strategy, for example, focuses on "opportunities for collaboration, productivity and efficiency gains, and the wider benefits of strategic and spatial planning" across the health, education, and justice systems. As the plan notes, this is the first time the British government has included social infrastructure in its national strategy. But even that view is too narrow. Consider the characteristics of the systems that keep our economies running: long lifespans, high fixed costs, low marginal costs, and broad accessibility. Importantly, their value is derived not from the physical assets themselves, but from the economic activities they enable. Our definition of infrastructure should be expanded to reflect the demands of the digital age. While governments often view AI infrastructure in terms of data centres and the energy and water they consume, a truly comprehensive view must also include intangible assets such as software and data. To be sure, this might seem like a conceptual leap. But the Covid-19 lockdowns of 2020-21 revealed just how essential digital platforms have become. Videoconferencing tools like Zoom, for example, are so critical to work, education, and public services that it is difficult to imagine life without them. As a result, a growing number of countries are developing what is often called digital public infrastructure, though in practice it typically involves a mix of public and private services. In 2020, Brazil's central bank launched the Pix real-time payment system, which has largely replaced cash transactions. Similarly, India's Aadhaar biometric identification system now serves as a platform for both public services and digital payments. Such digital systems have been adopted more quickly in countries with fewer entrenched legacy services. By contrast, countries like the US and the UK have long-established payment systems dominated by private providers, such as credit card companies, which can impede the adoption of public alternatives. Given their growing economic importance, governments must start thinking strategically about software and data -- the digital equivalents of roads and power grids. This is especially true of intangible assets. Cash-strapped governments tend to underinvest in resources like data and software, while private investors often view them as too risky. But the lack of a robust and well-maintained digital foundation can hinder economic growth. A second reason to invest in digital infrastructure is national sovereignty. Over the past few years, policymakers around the world have become increasingly concerned about the national security risks posed by US firms' dominance in cloud computing. The lesson for governments is that they must step back from immediate flashpoints and take a longer view. Infrastructure provides a useful lens for thinking strategically about what investments are needed, who should make them, and how they should be governed to sustain economic growth. Equally important is a foundation of high-quality data and interoperable software that facilitates user authentication, improves access to cloud services, and fuels the creation of new digital businesses. Victorian planners' foresight continues to benefit us more than a century later. We should approach today's infrastructure challenges with the same mindset. ©2025 Project Syndicate Diane Coyle, Professor of Public Policy at the University of Cambridge, is the author of 'Cogs and Monsters: What Economics Is, and What It Should Be' (Princeton University Press, 2021) and 'The Measure of Progress: Counting What Really Matters' (Princeton University Press, 2025).
Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Times
Let the great water clean-up begin
C all this a 'Great Stink' moment? Back in 1858, it proved the cue for Joseph Bazalgette's 1,100 miles of sewers and pumping stations that transformed the health of London. This time all we've got is a 464-page report, overflowing with 88 recommendations, that even its author likened to a 'Russian novel'. All the same, Sir Jon Cunliffe has done us a favour. Maybe no one really needed such a lengthy treatise to spot that when it comes to water regulation the nation has long been up the creek without a paddle — or that scrapping Ofwat is overdue. Yet it's useful to see it spelt out so forensically. And with no truck, either, for the old Labour politics of environment secretary Steve Reed: a chap far too focused on sideshow stuff, such as bans on directors' bonuses, rather than a systemic fix for the problem. Cunliffe, a former Bank of England deputy governor, was clear that, given the job ahead, bills will have to rise and companies be able to pay for 'the best people'.
New Straits Times
5 days ago
- New Straits Times
'Titanic' flood disrupts Old Bailey courtrooms in London
LONDON: The Central Criminal Court in London, commonly known as the Old Bailey, was likened to a scene from the "Titanic" movie as floodwater was heard cascading and dripping down walls, reported PA Media/dpa. Six courtrooms were affected by the floods on Thursday, causing ongoing trials to be disrupted and moved to other areas of the historic building. One witness said: "It was like the 'Titanic' – you could hear the water lapping in the corridor." Judges at the Grade II listed Central Criminal Court hear some of the most serious and complex cases in England and Wales, including murder and terrorism trials. With foundations dating back to the Roman era, the building is constructed atop the underground River Fleet, a tributary of the Thames. The Old Bailey, which houses 18 courtrooms, has been affected by floods in the past, as well as plumbing issues dubbed "the Great Stink". Last February, around 1,500 people were evacuated from the Old Bailey and surrounding offices after a fire broke out in an electrical substation at the rear of the building. Multiple explosions were heard and courtrooms were plunged into darkness before fire alarms sounded. – BERNAMA
South Wales Argus
5 days ago
- South Wales Argus
‘Titanic' flood disrupts Old Bailey courtrooms
Six courtrooms were affected by the floods on Thursday, causing ongoing trials to be disrupted and moved to other areas of the historic building. One witness said: 'It was like the Titanic – you could hear the water lapping in the corridor.' FW Pomeroy's Statue of Justice stands atop the Central Criminal Court building (Jonathan Brady/PA) Judges at the Grade II listed Central Criminal Court, in London, hear some of the most serious and complex cases in England and Wales, including murder and terrorism trials. With foundations dating back to the Roman era, the building is constructed atop the underground River Fleet, a tributary of the Thames. The Old Bailey, which houses 18 courtrooms, has been affected by floods in the past, as well as plumbing issues dubbed 'the Great Stink'. Last February, around 1,500 people were evacuated from the Old Bailey and surrounding offices after a fire broke out in an electrical substation at the rear of the building. Multiple explosions were heard and courtrooms were plunged into darkness before fire alarms sounded.
Rhyl Journal
5 days ago
- Rhyl Journal
‘Titanic' flood disrupts Old Bailey courtrooms
Six courtrooms were affected by the floods on Thursday, causing ongoing trials to be disrupted and moved to other areas of the historic building. One witness said: 'It was like the Titanic – you could hear the water lapping in the corridor.' Judges at the Grade II listed Central Criminal Court, in London, hear some of the most serious and complex cases in England and Wales, including murder and terrorism trials. With foundations dating back to the Roman era, the building is constructed atop the underground River Fleet, a tributary of the Thames. The Old Bailey, which houses 18 courtrooms, has been affected by floods in the past, as well as plumbing issues dubbed 'the Great Stink'. Last February, around 1,500 people were evacuated from the Old Bailey and surrounding offices after a fire broke out in an electrical substation at the rear of the building. Multiple explosions were heard and courtrooms were plunged into darkness before fire alarms sounded.
