Friday newspaper round-up: Electric vehicles, Telegraph, Endeavour Mining

(Sharecast News) - The number of new cars registered in the UK has jumped by nearly 18% but electric vehicle demand is flatlining, prompting the industry to call for a VAT cut to stimulate sales. Annual figures released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) on Friday show 1.9m new cars were registered last year, well up on the previous year's figure of 1.6m and the highest level since the 2.3m registrations of 2019. - Guardian Labour's independent energy advisers have warned the party against watering down its £28bn green spending plans in advance of its promise to create a zero carbon electricity system by 2030. Experts at the climate thinktank Ember, which provided the independent analysis underpinning Labour's green targets, said growing international competition for low-carbon investment from the US and EU could leave the UK lagging in the global race for low-carbon energy. - Guardian

The Abu Dhabi-backed fund pursuing a takeover of The Telegraph is pinning its hopes on an "editorial charter" and a trust of media luminaries it says will protect journalism. RedBird IMI, three-quarters funded by the Gulf autocracy, is seeking to persuade an inquiry by the media regulator Ofcom that it does not represent a threat to press freedom. - Telegraph

Endeavour Mining, the FTSE 100 mining group, has fired its chief executive for serious misconduct related to an ­irregular payment of $6 million and amid allegations over his personal ­conduct toward colleagues. Sébastien de Montessus, who was ­also president of the gold miner, has left with immediate effect. He had led the company since 2016 and took home nearly £9 million in 2022. - The Times

The Yorkshire city of Sheffield is to get a new competitor rail service to London, promising faster travel times than the existing trains. FirstGroup, the listed passenger transport company, has submitted plans to launch a so-called open access service between Sheffield and London King's Cross from 2025. - The Times