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Bangkok Post
a day 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).
Glasgow Times
5 days ago
- Business
- Glasgow Times
Original 1930s London Underground sign on sale for £1.8k
The listing on the online marketplace, eBay, is an enamel sign for Camden Town, measuring 71 x 64 inches. Despite dating back to the 1930s, the sign is still in good condition, with marks of rust adding to its historic look. You can see the full listing via eBay. You can own a 1930s London Underground sign for £1.8k Those looking for a piece of London Underground history will have to pay a high price, though. At the time of writing, the eBay listing had a starting auction price of £720.72 with zero bids and the auction will end on Wednesday, July 23 at 10am. However, those eager to get their hands on the London Underground sign can buy it straight away for £1,842.72. If Camden Town is not your favourite station on the Tube, you could get a 1930s sign for Balham for a price of £1,021.62. The sign is not the only Transport for London item being sold on eBay, with one seller listing an Oyster Card. For £224.32, you can own an Adidas x Arsenal TfL Oyster Card that was first released in 2022. Recommended Reading The card comes with a small wallet featuring logos from Adidas, TfL and the Arsenal badge. The design on the card is split to show fans of Arsenal in the past, wearing hats and suits, along with the original Arsenal support badge. The other side of the design shows a modern Arsenal station with supporters wearing club shirts and scarves.
The Independent
6 days ago
- The Independent
‘I was followed carriage to carriage by a burping, farting man': This is life as a woman on the Tube
Show me a woman who's lived in (or simply visited) London and I guarantee you'll find an example of her being harassed on public transport – by a man. It is, depressingly, par for the course for most of us – and I say this as a Londoner who's lived in the capital my whole life. The main culprit? Men on London Underground, where packed train carriages are easy fodder for wannabe gropers. But there are bad men on buses, too. There's no way I would ever allow my teenage daughter to take the night bus home like I did, not when I know – firsthand – just how dangerous it can be for women. Our stories are often anecdotal, because we know for a fact that women often don't report what has happened to them – after all, there are few areas of crime where the British justice system is so particularly ill-equipped to advocate for women as rape and sexual assault. Just this week, for instance, a watchdog warned that the handling of rape cases at an early stage by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is 'not good enough', risks a poor service to victims – and said that 'urgent improvements' are needed. When I ask female friends who live in London whether they've ever had any negative encounters on the Tube, almost every one of them has a story. 'I got followed by a man moving from carriage to carriage on the East London line late at night,' one friend tells me. 'Each time he followed me, he sat right next to me – until I ran off the train last minute before the doors closed at Wapping. I didn't report it, though.' When I ask her why she didn't, she says: 'There was nobody at the station to report it to. Wapping doesn't have anyone visible around after about 9pm. Plus, I was far too busy making sure I got somewhere – safe and fast – to think about stopping to tell anyone. 'The police wouldn't have been able to do anything, either, as I didn't know if he got off at Wapping or carried on to another stop – it would have been a wild goose chase for them and a waste of time.' 'I've been rubbed up against on the Tube too many times to count,' another friend reveals, saying that the experiences were 'gross' – while another recounts how she was followed home by a man at a deserted train platform at Catford and had to run. The Labour MP – who's no stranger to being targeted (she's one of a group of female MPs who has been repeatedly targeted with abuse from anti-abortion activists, stalkers and misogynists; and has even had to have a panic button installed inside her home) – said she was now planning to report the incident to the police. In a post on X, Creasy said: 'If you were one of the passengers on the victoria line just now who intervened to stop a man hassling me thank you from the bottom of my heart. Please get in touch with my office if you are prepared to be a witness as maybe the police might listen to you about him now!' Stella speaks for all of us. I've had far too many unsavoury experiences on public transport – from taking a friend on the Tube for her first ever visit to London, aged 19, when a man sat next to us and made obscene gestures with his tongue and fingers; to being followed last month, carriage to carriage on the Elizabeth Line, by a burping and farting man on the 8am commute to work. I moved away as it became apparent that he wasn't well – that's what I assumed given he was cackling, releasing deafening guttural burps and constantly passing wind (I was actually worried he might vomit) – but as soon as he clocked I was moving away in fear and disgust, the challenge was apparently on. He started laughing even more loudly and following me as I weaved my way through crowds of commuters to put some distance between us. Other passengers clocked what was happening, but nobody stepped in – perhaps no surprise, when you consider that BTP data shows that while more than a third of women have been sexually harassed on train and Tube journeys, only one in five people who have witnessed incidents of sexual harassment reported it to police. I just had to keep moving, faster and faster – and then waited until the last minute and jumped off the train as the doors were about to close, so that he couldn't follow me anymore. There are so many more stories: the man who came up to talk to me while I was travelling in an empty carriage home from visiting a friend at night; who saw I had my headphones on and did what too many men do to women when they're clearly wanting to be left alone: he gestured at me to take my headphones off so we could chat. When I refused to do so – shaking my head to signal clearly that I didn't want to chat, that I was quite content minding my own business, actually – he got aggressive. They always do. A damning report released last August revealed violent attacks towards women more than doubled in the two years previous, with more than a third of women were subjected to sexual harassment or sexual offences while commuting via train or Tube, according to data published by the British Transport Police Authority. Figures also revealed a surge from 7,561 in 2021 to 11,357 in 2023 of crimes against women and girls. I don't have the answers as to why so many men harass women on public transport – whether it's opportunist, a 'misinterpretation', or 'accidental' – but I suspect the depressing truth is simply 'because they can'.
India Today
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- India Today
Man performs Bhangra on London Underground escalator as commuters record video
A man dancing Bhangra on a London Underground escalator has caught the internet's attention after a video of the moment went viral on social some commuters looked on or recorded the scene, others continued on their way as the man danced down the escalator with a portable speaker playing the popular Punjabi track Mundian Tu Bach Ke a portable speaker, the man performed enthusiastic steps, unfazed by the curious glances of fellow The video was shared by Instagram user ' with the caption, 'Indian people are so happy.'Watch the video here: View this post on Instagram A post shared by @ cursory glance at the comments section suggests that the internet seemingly enjoyed the performance. The video has garnered over 10,000 views so far.- Ends
The Sun
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Rock superstar is completely ignored by commuters on London Underground – would you have spotted him?
A ROCK superstar has been completely ignored by commuters on the London Underground. In surprising scenes, the man in question was seen jumping off the tube, much to the amazement of the person taking the video. 6 6 6 They penned as the caption of the clip: 'POV: You're getting the train from Paddingon - Baker St and bump into…' They then revealed that it was none other than Oasis' Noel Gallagher. In the video, the camera films the tube approaching and pulling up to the platform. The train appears to be quite empty, and no one rushes over to Noel to give him any attention, despite his celeb status. In fact, it's clear that no one has recognised the 58-year-old rocker. He can be seen in a navy t-shirt and trousers, and attempts to disguise his identity with a pair of shades. Fans in the comments said the person filming was 'very lucky' after spotting Noel. Another said: 'Deffo Noel - the gold dog tag from Tiffany he always wears is a give away too.' And someone else penned: 'Tbf they're recording studio is near Paddington etc so not a surprise.' Liam Gallagher reveals new details about Oasis tour – before quickly deleting post The clip has started to go viral after being shared on social media. Last week, Noel and Liam were watched by their proud mum Peggy as the brothers performed to a sea of bucket hats, and an 80,000-strong crowd rejoiced at their return after 16 years. Fans were treated to a string of Oasis anthems including Morning Glory, Some Might Say, Cigarettes and Alcohol, and Supersonic before Noel took the spotlight for an acoustic set. Backstage, the Gallagher family marked the occasion with a group photo joined by Pep Guardiola. Oasis - The Gallagher Feud Timeline Brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher have a long history of ongoing fights - both physical and verbal - here's the full history of the band and what they've said to each other. 1991 - Liam Gallagher forms Oasis with Paul Arthurs, Paul McGuigan and Tony McCarroll, later asking Noel to join. 1993 - The band sign to Creation Records and start work on their debut album. August 1994 - Oasis shoot to fame with their debut album, Definitely Maybe, with tracks including Rock n Roll Star, Live Forever and Supersonic. It's one of the fastest selling debuts ever for a British band. September 1994 - Noel temporarily leaves the band's tour after Liam smacks him in the face with a tambourine on stage in Los Angeles. 1995 - The band release their second album, (What's The Story) Morning Glory? which features Wonderwall, Don't Look Back in Anger, and Champagne Supernova. 1996 - Liam is forced to sit out a leg of tour shows due to laryngitis, but causes chaos when he was filmed heckling his brother from a balcony while a taping of MTV Unplugged. 2000 - Noel quits the band temporarily for a second time when, while partying in Barcelona, Liam riles Noel by questioning if his daughter, Anais, is actually his. The pair get into a fist fight. 2005 - Noel tells Q Magazine that he's 'never forgiven' Liam for his comments about Anais and he's 'never apologised. He tells the mag: "He's my brother. I hope he's reading this and realises that. He's my brother but he's at arm's length until he apologises for what he's done." 2009 - Noel admits in an interview with Q that he 'doesn't like Liam', branding him "rude, arrogant, intimidating, and lazy". "He's the angriest man you'll ever meet," he added. "He's like a man with a fork in a world of soup.' Liam later retaliates and tells NME: 'It takes more than blood to be my brother. He doesn't like me and I don't like him.' August 23, 2009 - Oasis pull out of a headline slot at V Festival in the UK due to Liam having laryngitis. August 28, 2009 - Ahead of the Rock en Seine festival, Noel and Liam get into another fight, during which time Liam breaks one of Noel's guitars after "waving it like an axe" according to Noel. August 28, 2009 - Noel quits the band for the third and final time, saying in a statement: "It's with some sadness and great relief to tell you that I quit Oasis tonight. I simply could not go on working with Liam a day longer." 2010 - Oasis win 'best album of the last 30 years' at the Brit Awards for (What's the Story) Morning Glory. Liam picks up the gong, and thanks everyone except Noel. He later says this was misinterpreted as a dig. 2011 - Liam tries to sue Noel after he claims in the interview they cancelled their V Festival performance due to Liam being hungover. Liam disputed it said the comment "questioned my professionalism". He later apologised and the lawsuit was dropped. 2011 - Noel admits regrets at quitting before the Paris gig, telling Absolute Radio and admits if he did "we may never have split up." 2011 - 2014 - Liam and the other bandmates continue under new name, Beady Eye, while Noel forms new band, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds. 2015 - After years of jabs online, especially through media and Twitter, Liam teases he's buried the hatchet with Noel by sharing an All Areas pass from a High Flying Birds gig. However, the fight would recommence two months later after Noel publicly dismissed suggestion Oasis would reunite for Glastonbury 2016. 2017 - Liam performs at Manchester's One Love concert after the bombing at Ariana Grande's show, with Don't Look Back In Anger becoming a unifying anthem for the incident. He then slams Noel for not attending. Noel later tells Sunday Times: "Young music fan were slaughtered, and he, twice, takes it somewhere to be about him. He needs to see somebody.' 2018 - Liam suggests a reunion for the 2018 World Cup on Twitter, writing: 'let's get the big O back together and stop f***ing about the drinks are on me'. When it fell on deaf ears, he added: "I'll take that as a NO then." 2019 - Noel speaks out after Liam sends 'threatening messages' to Anais after a comment made about then wife Sara McDonald. Liam later apologises publicly to Anais. 2020 - Liam urges Noel to reunite for a one-off charity gig. The Manchester City manager stood wedged between Liam's boys Gene and Lennon, with Noel's sons Donovan and Sonny next to Liam's daughter Anais. Liam's son Gene, 24, shared the image with the Spaniard on Instagram, and captioned the post: 'Pic of the century, alright?' Just an hour before the band took to the stage, fans were filmed singing their own rendition of Live Forever. In video footage shared by Cast, one of two support acts, crowds belted the hit out as they awaited the Gallaghers' arrival. At about 8.20pm, the brothers walked onto the stage together to cheers from the crowd as Oasis returned to their roots. Liam held his older brother's hand and raised it, while he had his trademark maracas in his other fist. Noel and Liam kicked off their huge, sold-out 41 date reunion tour in Cardiff. They played two consecutive nights at the Principality Stadium and performed five homecoming shows in Manchester. The Sun revealed that the brothers' had to hire around the clock security for their mum, Peggy. They took the measures in a bid to protect Peggy, 82, after overzealous fans started turning up at her house. A source said: 'Noel and Liam are devoted to their mum Peggy and they knew there would be a lot of interest in her after Oasis reunited. 'They wanted her to keep being able to live a quiet life and there have been fans coming to the house. 'They have employed a security firm to keep an eye on her and make sure she isn't hassled." 6 6
