Latest news with #Henk
Atlantic
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Atlantic
A man peers through a telescope at the moon, Arizona, 2023. Viewfinder Looking Up By Tyler Austin Harper Photographs by Bieke Depoorter June 7, 2025, 8 AM ET Share Save
Walking through her neighborhood in Ghent, Belgium, in 2020, Bieke Depoorter came across a man named Henk, bent over a telescope, gaze trained on the moon. 'I realized that I never really look up,' she told me, describing the chance encounter. She found herself intrigued by this man, who was 'comforted by the cosmos.' The Magnum photographer's new book, Blinked Myself Awake, combines memoir and image in a series of eclectic riffs on the history of astronomy, the practice of stargazing—both amateur and professional—and the relationship between photography and objectivity. But more than anything, Depoorter is interested in observing others observing, animated by the conviction that looking up is intimately related to the practice of looking inward and backward. In a diary entry written when she was 14, Depoorter mused on the moon, fascinated by the idea that people throughout history had all gazed at the same object. That evening, she took her first photograph of the moon. She reminded me that all of the stars we see in the sky are snapshots from the past: images of them not as they are, but as they were before their light traveled across the vacuum of space—memories played out in real time. Her true subjects are not celestial bodies but people—a young man with his eye, moon-bright and glowing against the gray scale, fixed on his lens; a nightscape of Henk with his telescope, framed in the gateway of a chain-link fence; a laser pointer, aimed toward space, that neatly parallels the gable roof of a home; three stargazers readying their tripods in the shadow of a mountain. At a moment when ever more human activity is oriented toward looking down at our phones, fixated on screens that reflect ourselves back at us, Depoorter's subjects, with their monastic devotion to what lies above and beyond them, remind us that all knowledge begins first with wonder.
Daily Mirror
13-05-2025
- General
- Daily Mirror
Red tape keeps government storm grant from reaching flood victims, warn experts
New figures reveal the Government's £5,000 Property Flood Resilience grant scheme is comprehensively failing to reach those who need it most after Storm Babet and Henk caused damage Thousands of flood victims are missing out on government support to protect their homes from future storms, experts warn. Data obtained by climate education charity One Home, via a Freedom of Information request, shows the £5,000 Property Flood Resilience grant scheme is not reaching those in need. Introduced in 2013, the PFR can fund improvements to make properties more resilient, including the installation of tiled flooring, plastic skirting boards and plinths, and raising electrical points. But environmental scientist and One Home chief executive Angela Terry said: "The PFR grant scheme is not supporting flood victims in their most desperate time. There is a huge disconnect between the number of homeowners who are eligible to apply and those who are actually doing so." For example, following Storms Babet and Henk in 2023 and 2024 there were 94 homeowners eligible for a grant in Norfolk but only seven of those applied. And even those whose application is approved may also face a year-long wait for the money to hit their accounts. Ms Terry added: "Local authorities ask homeowners to pay out for hefty survey costs before they can even apply for the grant, so it's not surprising that so many are put off by the red tape, low success rates and long wait times." She added that the value of the grant had not increased since its launch a decade ago, despite high inflation since then. Ms Terry also said an estimated one in four houses would be at risk of flooding by 2050, due to more frequent severe storms caused by climate change. Siobhan Connor founded the Shrewsbury Flood Action Group after her home flooded at least 20 times since 1998. She has applied for the Property Flood Resilience scheme but said: "There is so much red tape to go through and you also have to pay up-front for a £500 survey, which in my opinion is nothing more than a Google map search." Campaigner Mary Long-Dhonau said: "Due to the bureaucracy involved, I'm not surprised that so few are able to actually follow the complicated application process through. However, I encourage everyone eligible to apply." Ms Terry added that the Government should invest in flood prevention to ensure the 1.5 million homes it wants to build by 2030 are prepared for global warming. She added: added: 'I implore the Government to take more decisive action in investing in flood prevention and resilience measures and in increasing public awareness of both the risks and the support available" Defra said: "This government inherited flood defences in their worst condition on record. "That's why we are investing a record £2.65billion to build and maintain flood defences, protecting homes, lives and businesses across the country." Defra added that under the Government's Plan for Change they would investing £2.65 billion to build and maintain flood defences to protect lives, homes and businesses across the country. This will be used to build or maintain 1,000 flood defences, protecting more than 66,000 properties.
IOL News
12-05-2025
- Business
- IOL News
South African real estate sector shows remarkable resilience amidst 2025's volatile start
South Africa's persistently high interest rates, the lingering effects of the post Covid-19 recovery, and muted domestic growth in South Africa continue to stifle the local real estate sector. Image: Henk Kruger African News Agency (ANA) While the South African real estate sector has not been insulated from the various macroeconomic challenges, the sector has shown notable resilience. This was as this year got off to a volatile start with significant movements across global markets, shifting geopolitical dynamics, and ongoing volatility driven by persistent macroeconomic headwinds. Despite global pressures, South Africa's real estate market faces significant domestic headwinds. These include stubbornly high interest rates, the continuing impact of the post-Covid-19 recovery, and overall weak economic growth, according to Simon Fiford, senior vice president for Real Estate Coverage at Standard Bank. These factors have impacted each asset class differently. Across these categories, performance has varied. 'According to Standard Bank's internal estimates, the South African commercial real estate sector is currently valued at approximately R1.9 trillion. This represents a significant increase from the R1.3 trillion recorded in 2015, highlighting the sector's growth over the past decade. "If we add to this the estimated value of the residential property market (R6.9 trillion), the market size exceeds R8.8 trillion (as of the end of 2024),' Fiford said. The African bank with assets at around R3.3 trillion as of the financial year of 2024 and has a footprint in 20 African markets, monitors and analyses real estate trends. The senior VP said it is important to note that these valuations may not fully capture the entire market, as certain segments like government-owned properties, hospitals, hotels, and multi-dwelling residential units might be underrepresented in municipal data. 'This significant figure affirms the enduring relevance of physical real estate assets, even as digital and virtual platforms proliferate.' The local real estate sector comprises multiple, highly differentiated asset classes: office, retail, residential, industrial and alternative real estate assets-including data centres, cold storage facilities, and student accommodation, among others. The bank's data office rentals have shown surprising resilience, with the national weighted decentralised vacancy rates for grades A+, A and B office space decreased to 12.6% in the last quarter of 2024, down from 14.4% in the last one of 2023. The shift back to physical workplaces has gathered momentum, as hybrid fatigue sets in, and companies prioritise in-person collaboration. The retail sector has experienced a remarkable recovery as footfall and occupancy rates have now surpassed pre-pandemic levels in several key African markets. The asset class was said to be also seeing low vacancy rates (5.5% FY 2024), as well as increased adoption of solar PV initiatives which are being used to manage operational costs. Furthermore, the financier said they have witnessed the rise of urban consolidation which has led to innovative precinct developments, which blend residential, retail, and cultural spaces in one environment. However, it said the structural undersupply of affordable housing in the country remains a challenge. According to the Centre for Affordable Housing Finance in Africa, the total value of South Africa's residential property market reached R6.9 trillion in 2024, encompassing 6.91 million properties. Residential assets represent 89.3% of total property volume, thereby underscoring their centrality to household wealth. Importantly, government-subsidised housing (GSH) makes up 32% of total residential units, or about 2.18 million homes. This indicates massive potential for scalable investment and impact. Encouragingly, the financial institution said the residential market is showing lower vacancy rates, increased investment in build-to-rent and build-to-sell developments, and a steady rise in rental yields. The standout performer across the board was said to continue to be the industrial sector. This asset class benefits from booming e-commerce, the reshoring of supply chains, and demand for warehousing solutions. Vacancy rates have dropped by 2.1%, while rental growth has exceeded 5% year-on-year. 'We are also seeing a surge in tenant-driven developments and sale-and-leaseback structures, enabling manufacturers to remain focused and unlock capital to invest in core operations.' Data centres, cold storage, and student accommodation were said to continue to emerge as strategic sub-sectors. Their rise was linked to shifts in technology, food logistics, and urbanisation, pointing to new investment opportunities. Fiford said that however, for many across the continent, physical infrastructure remains essential. 'Whether it is visiting a favourite retail store, collaborating in an office, or living in secure housing, real estate continues to shape our daily lives.' Sandile Mpanza, the head of commercial property finance Africa region at Absa CIB, said in 2023, a financing deal quietly redrew the boundaries of East Africa's real estate playbook. Acorn Holdings Limited secured KES 6.7 billion from Absa Group and Absa Bank Kenya to develop ten purpose-built student accommodation sites across Nairobi. He said on paper, it was a domestic transaction. 'In substance, it marked three precedents: the first time a development Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) had been bank-financed through a bilateral loan in Sub-Saharan Africa; the first sustainable finance facility for commercial property outside South Africa; and a decisive shift in where-and how-real estate value is now being constructed,' Mpanza said.
BBC News
25-04-2025
- Climate
- BBC News
Flood repair work list drawn up by West Berkshire Council
Areas hit hard by flooding last year should be prioritised for prevention work, a council has been Berkshire Council said it had worked with consultants and other agencies to determine 10 potential improvements following flooding last summer, which was the third wettest in the county since 1918.A resident whose home near Reading flooded in January 2024 said she wanted authorities to act more councillor in charge of the authority's flood prevention work said more money needed to be invested by the government to help mitigate problems. Felicity Becker was forced to put furniture on the ground floor on breeze blocks when her home was inundated in January said flood water reached about 1ft (30cm) high in her house, kitchen units were ruined and there was also damage caused to her garden. But she said the flooding also caused emotional turmoil. "Once the flood has gone, when we get heavy rain - and there are massive puddles on the roads because the drains haven't been sorted - then the kids get anxious, as do we all, thinking 'is this our house next?'" she added. She said it took more than a year to arrange a meeting involving the various agencies involved and the local community to discuss potential measures. From early January to late March, West Berkshire was badly affected by flooding when it was hit by Storms Henk, Isha and Jocelyn. West Berkshire Council said it had liaised with Thames Water, the Environment Agency (EA), dozens of landowners as well as other groups, including the Kennet and Avon Canal Trust, to get a clearer picture of where the main problems WSP submitted recommendations to the council following the flooding, including looking into who is responsible for keeping ditches in Pingewood clear of should also be upgrades to some of the roads on the Membury Industrial Estate, they entire section of surface water drainage in Paices Hill, between Aldermaston and Baughurst, must be replaced after a failure which caused flooding for residents and businesses. Stuart Gourley, the council's executive portfolio holder for environment and highways, said authorities could only "mitigate as much as possible". "There will always be that risk because this area is in the highest flood risk zone that there is for ground and for river flooding," he said. Thames Water spokesperson said responding to flooding required "a multi-agency approach across a range of organisations" and it would continue to work with others EA was approached to comment. You can follow BBC Berkshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
Fox News
05-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Fox News
The Man Who Brought Tetris To The World
After playing Tetris at a 1988 video game conference, video game designer Henk Rogers knew he'd encountered something special. The only problem? The game was designed and owned by a coder in the Soviet Union. So in 1989, Henk set off for Soviet Russia on an adventure game of his own to bring the beloved game to the masses. Founder of Blue Planet Software and The Tetris Company, Henk Rogers talks to Liz Claman about his dangerous journey he braved to bring Tetris to the rest of the world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit
