This article contains plenty of spoilers for Another Simple Favor. Like most sequels, Another Simple Favor goes bigger than its 2018 predecessor. Gone is the rustic northern Michigan summer camp of A Simple Favor, replaced here by the Italian island of Capri. It’s there that luxurious murderer Emily Nelson (Blake Lively) has been living since the end of the first film. Meanwhile no longer a mommy blogger living a life of quiet upper-middle-class desperation, Stephanie Sommers (Anna Kendrick) has also parlayed her story from the first film into a successful career as a true crime podcaster and author. But perhaps the appeal of Stephanie’s book, like of A Simple Favor itself, rested on its twists. In which case, Another Simple Favor attempts to go bigger and outdo the first film there as well. Which is where it runs into problems. For a recap: the big twist of the first film came after authorities found Emily’s body drowned in a lake. When a suspicious Stephanie keeps following clues, she discovers that the body was actually not Emily’s, but that of her twin sister. In fact, Emily has two identical twin sisters, one of whom apparently died in childbirth and the other who lived a hard life and was killed after trying to blackmail Emily. It kind of put to shame Stephanie’s admission earlier in that film that she carried on an affair with her half-brother (making her “Brother Fucker” as Emily teased). Another Simple Favor exists to quadruple both of those plot twists and ramp up the shock value exponentially. But in doing so, the movie reveals its weaknesses, leaving us wanting the darker, trashier movie it could have been. The Setup Another Simple Favor finds Stephanie reunited with Emily when, at the urging of her agent (Alex Newell), she goes to Capri to celebrate her old friend’s wedding. Emily plans to marry Dante Versano (Michele Morrone), a mafioso who has proposed peace with the rival Bartolo family as a wedding present. Also present is Emily’s first husband (and Stephanie’s one-time lover) Sean (Henry Goulding), who has brought their son Nicky (Ian Ho) to witness. Despite the beautiful setting, trouble rocks the lead up to Emily and Dante’s nuptials. Now a bitter drunk, Sean misses no opportunity to insult Emily and Stephanie. Dante’s mother Portia (Elena Sofia Ricci) refuses to hide her disdain for Emily, even inviting her drunken mother Margaret McLinden (Elizabeth Perkins, replacing Jean Smart from the first film) and Aunt Linda (Allison Janney). Then there’s Matteo Bartolo (Lorenzo de Moor), who seems deeply distrustful of the event. So when people on the island start dying—first Sean, then Dante, then Margaret, and even an FBI agent (Taylor Ortega) sent to observe—there are plenty of culprits to blame. The truth comes out in a series of reveals that make up the last third of the film. Emily has agreed to marry Dante because he’s gay, in love with Matteo. In exchange for providing cover from his mother, Dante will give Emily a lavish and responsibility-free lifestyle. Furthermore, the killer is Emily’s other twin sister Charity, who did not die, but was hidden away by Aunt Linda. With Faith dead and Emily about to marry rich, Linda has deployed Charity to make a way to replace Emily, thus giving her access to riches. Unlikely? Yes. Plot-heavy? You bet. But the real problem comes shortly after the reveal that Charity lives, and it’s a twist that feels more designed to shock viewers than to serve the plot. Twins in Love Twist Presented as a sheltered and troubled religious person, Charity gives Lively an opportunity to stretch her acting muscles, which she does unconvincingly enough. Where Lively feels more than comfortable showcasing her character’s stunning fashions, she is flat and implausible as Charity, unsure if she should be funny or tragic or scary. So she fails at all of the above. Join our mailing list Get the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox! The crazed Charity drugs Emily and drags her back to her room where the two lie on the bed. There she explains “we are one” and declares that she felt what Hope felt when Emily drowned her in the lake. She feels what Emily feels when she had sex with Sean. She wants to consummate their oneness and use their connection to share even greater levels of ecstasy. So we watch from both an overhead and profile shot as Charity molests Emily, kissing her and running a hand between her legs. Lively plays a look of fear on revulsion on Emily’s nearly-catatonic face, but she’s far more animated as Charity, who coos and whispers during the molestation. Moreover, when we cut back to Emily, who has been explaining what Charity did to Stephanie, the moment’s played as a joke. “Sister Fucker!” exclaims Stephanie, thrilled to get one over on her cooler frienemy. Jokes about sexual assault are nothing new to movies (see: any prison comedy ever), and there’s certainly room for tasteless humor. But Another Simple Favor wants to have it both ways. It wants us to be horrified and shocked and aroused by the image of Blake Lively making out with Blake Lively, so much so that they do it again at the movie’s climax when Emily needs to distract Charity. But more than that, it wants us to laugh at Stephanie’s adorable awkwardness and be awed by Emily’s effortless cool. The latter two impulses worked together in A Simple Favor, but by upping the edginess for the sequel, Another Simple Favor collapses under its mishmash of tones, making the viewer feel nothing but confusion. And it’s hardly the only time this happens. Keep It Simple As with A Simple Favor, Another Simple Favor is directed by Paul Feig (from a script by Jessica Sharzer and Laeta Kalogridis). At his best, Feig combines improv comedy with genuine human emotion, as demonstrated in the classic series Freaks & Geeks (co-created with fellow improv enthusiast Judd Apatow) and the movies Bridesmaids and Spy. When Feig tries to get ambitious, he gets overwhelmed by the scale and loses control of both humor and scope, leaving his actors to just riff. In those cases, we get unfunny messes like Ghostbusters (2016) and Another Simple Favor. Fundamentally, Feig wants his movies to be funny and he likes giving his funny performers space to do their work. So Another Simple Favor constantly turns toward wry asides from Kendrick, or bits by supporting players such as Newell or Andrew Rannells, Kelly McCormack, and Aparna Nancherla. But because he’s so focused on the plot, Feig can’t give these performers to the room to do good work, forcing them to play obvious character types. Kendrick is cute and awkward. Newell is big and brassy. Rannells is sardonic and cutting. Worse, the jokes come as punctuation to plot points that should be raising the story’s stakes. As a result, the underbaked comedy dilutes everything else the movie’s trying to do. The intrigue of the murder plot can’t draw us in when Kendrick’s constantly saying, “Uh, that just happened.” The beauty of the setting can’t enthrall us when the camera keeps cutting away to Newell mugging. And the dark sexuality of Charity’s assault neither upsets nor compels us when it all sets up a gotcha punchline from Kendrick. Feig seems to want Another Simple Favor to be The Talented Mr. Ripley or The White Lotus. But he can’t let go of the obvious gags, so it ends up being a big mess. Another Simple Favor isn’t funny or shocking or sexy. And that’s because it’s anything but simple. Another Simple Favor is streaming on Amazon Prime Video on May 1.

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With its sales falling off a cliff and profits vanishing into thin air, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday that Tesla quietly started looking for a replacement for CEO Elon Musk.According to the newspaper's unnamed sources familiar with the discussions, board members reached out to several executive search firms to find the company's next CEO.But it didn't take long for an incensed Musk to cry foul."It is an EXTREMELY BAD BREACH OF ETHICS that the [WSJ] would publish a DELIBERATELY FALSE ARTICLE and fail to include an unequivocal denial beforehand by the Tesla board of directors," he raged online.The company's board chair, Robyn Denholm, also pushed back against the newspaper's reporting, asserting that "Musk and the Board is highly confident in his ability to continue executing on the exciting growth plan ahead."But considering the extremely biased nature of Tesla's board, which critics have accused of being lined with Musk's "sycophants," it's hard to get an exact read on what kind of discussions actually took place.Did members of the company's board, who have historically been extremely loyal to Musk and his vision, really go behind his back to line up a successor?And if they did, would Musk have been aware of those efforts, especially considering how laser-focused he's been on gutting the government with the help of his so-called Department of Government Efficiency — the exact absenteeism and divisiveness that the board would have forced the board's hand, if the WSJ's sources are to be believed?Regardless of the legitimacy of the WSJ's sources — and we should point out that the paper's business reporting is some of the most reliable in the world, so we're doubtful at the claim that the story is completely false — Musk and the board's extremely heated reaction to the reporting does paint a picture of a company in chaos.Investors have long accused Musk of abandoning the carmaker. His outrageous public behavior and admitted drug use have dragged Tesla's brand through the mud, triggering international protests. Musk's public approval, which before his turn into hard-right politics was extraordinarily high, has plummeted into the gutter.All that negative baggage is now taking a clear toll, with Tesla reporting that its net income had dropped by an astonishing 71 percent in the first quarter of this year compared to the same period last year.Recouping lost brand appeal could soon prove challenging, especially if Musk doubles down on ripping apart the federal government. In an interview with Axios this week, the CEO admitted that DOGE was "not as effective as I like," hinting at the possibility that he would stay on at the pseudo-department through 2028.That likely won't appease shaken Tesla investors. During the company's first-quarter earnings call, Musk promised that he would spend more time at the carmaker and less time at DOGE, news that sent the company's stock price soaring.And it appears that Musk has had some regrets about watching his carmaker both figuratively and literally go up in flames, the result of his own reckless actions."Being attacked relentlessly is not super fun," he told Axios. "Seeing cars on fire is not fun."Share This Article

May 01, 2025Ravie LakshmananMalware / Web Skimming Cybersecurity researchers have shed light on a new campaign targeting WordPress sites that disguises the malware as a security plugin. The plugin, which goes by the name "WP-antymalwary-bot.php," comes with a variety of features to maintain access, hide itself from the admin dashboard, and execute remote code. "Pinging functionality that can report back to a command-and-control (C&C) server is also included, as is code that helps spread malware into other directories and inject malicious JavaScript responsible for serving ads," Wordfence's Marco Wotschka said in a report. First discovered during a site cleanup effort in late January 2025, the malware has since been detected in the wild with new variants. Some of the other names used for the plugin are listed below - addons.php wpconsole.php wp-performance-booster.php scr.php Once installed and activated, it provides threat actors administrator access to the dashboard and makes use of the REST API to facilitate remote code execution by injecting malicious PHP code into the site theme's header file or clearing the caches of popular caching plugins. A new iteration of the malware includes notable changes to the manner code injections are handled, fetching JavaScript code hosted on another compromised domain to serve ads or spam. The plugin is also complemented by a malicious wp-cron.php file, which recreates and reactivates the malware automatically upon the next site visit should it be removed from the plugins directory. It's currently not clear how the sites are breached to deliver the malware or who is behind the campaign. However, the presence of Russian language comments and messages likely indicates that the threat actors are Russian-speaking. The disclosure comes as Sucuri detailed a web skimmer campaign that uses a fake fonts domain named "italicfonts[.]org" to display a fake payment form on checkout pages, steal entered information, and exfiltrate the data to the attacker's server. Another "advanced, multi-stage carding attack" examined by the website security company involves targeting Magento e-commerce portals with JavaScript malware designed to harvest a wide range of sensitive information. "This malware leveraged a fake GIF image file, local browser sessionStorage data, and tampered with the website traffic using a malicious reverse proxy server to facilitate the theft of credit card data, login details, cookies, and other sensitive data from the compromised website," security researcher Ben Martin said. The GIF file, in reality, is a PHP script that acts as a reverse proxy by capturing incoming requests and using it to collect the necessary information when a site visitor lands on the checkout page. Adversaries have also been observed injecting Google AdSense code into at least 17 WordPress sites in various places with the goal of delivering unwanted ads and generating revenue on either a per-click or per-impression basis. "They're trying to use your site's resources to continue serving ads, and worse, they could be stealing your ad revenue if you're using AdSense yourself," security researcher Puja Srivastava said. "By injecting their own Google AdSense code, they get paid instead of you." That's not all. Deceptive CAPTCHA verifications served on compromised websites have been found to trick users into downloading and executing Node.js-based backdoors that gather system information, grant remote access, and deploy a Node.js remote access trojan (RAT), which is designed to tunnel malicious traffic through SOCKS5 proxies. The activity has been attributed by Trustwave SpiderLabs to a traffic distribution system (TDS) called Kongtuke (aka 404 TDS, Chaya_002, LandUpdate808, and TAG-124). "The JS script which, was dropped in post-infection, is designed as a multi-functional backdoor capable of detailed system reconnaissance, executing remote commands, tunneling network traffic (SOCKS5 proxy), and maintaining covert, persistent access," security researcher Reegun Jayapaul said. Found this article interesting? Follow us on Twitter  and LinkedIn to read more exclusive content we post. SHARE    

Nathan Eddy, Freelance WriterMay 1, 20254 Min ReadBrain light via Alamy StockAs cyber threats grow more sophisticated and data privacy regulations grow sharper teeth, chief CIOs are under increasing pressure to secure enterprise data at every stage -- at rest, in motion, and now, increasingly, in use. Confidential computing, a technology that protects data while it is being processed, is becoming an essential component of enterprise security strategies. While the promise is clear, the path to implementation is complex and demands strategic coordination across business, IT, and compliance teams. Itai Schwartz, co-founder and CTO at Mind, explains confidential computing enables secure data processing even in decentralized environments, which is particularly important for AI workloads and collaborative applications. “Remote attestation capabilities further support a zero-trust approach by allowing systems to verify the integrity of workloads before granting access,” he says via email.   CIOs Turning to Confidential Computing At its core, confidential computing uses trusted execution environments (TEEs) to isolate sensitive workloads from the broader computing environment. This ensures that sensitive data remains encrypted even while in use -- something traditional security methods cannot fully achieve. “CIOs should treat confidential computing as an augmentation of their existing security stack, not a replacement,” says Heath Renfrow, CISO and co-founder at Fenix24. Related:He says a balanced approach enables CIOs to enhance security posture while meeting regulatory requirements, without sacrificing business continuity. The technology is especially valuable in sectors like finance, healthcare, and the public sector, where regulatory compliance and secure multi-party data collaboration are top priorities.  Confidential computing is particularly valuable in industries handling highly sensitive data, explains Anant Adya, executive vice president and head of Americas at Infosys. “It enables secure collaboration without exposing raw data, helping banks detect fraud across institutions while preserving privacy,” he explains via email.   Implementation Without Disruption Despite its potential, implementing confidential computing can be disruptive if not handled carefully. This means CIOs must start with a phased and layered strategy. “Begin by identifying the most sensitive workloads, such as those involving regulated data or cross-border collaboration, and isolate them within TEEs,” Renfrow says. “Then integrate confidential computing with existing IAM, DLP, and encryption frameworks to reduce operational friction.” Related:Adya echoes that sentiment, noting organizations can integrate confidential computing by adopting a phased approach that aligns with their existing security architecture. He recommends starting with high-risk workloads like financial transactions or health data before expanding deployment. Schwartz emphasizes the importance of setting long-term expectations for deployment.  “Introducing confidential computing is a big change for organizations,” he says. “A common approach is to define a policy where every new data-sensitive component will be created using confidential computing, and existing components will be migrated over time.” Jason Soroko, senior fellow at Sectigo, stresses the importance of integrating confidential computing into the broader enterprise architecture. “CIOs should consider the value of separating ‘user space’ from a ‘secure space,’” he says.  Enclaves are ideal for storing secrets like PKI key pairs and digital certificates, allowing sensitive workloads to be isolated from their authentication functions. Addressing Performance and Scalability One of the main challenges CIOs face when deploying confidential computing is performance overhead. TEEs can introduce latency and may not scale easily without optimization. Related:“To address performance and scalability while maintaining business value, CIOs can prioritize high-impact workloads,” Renfrow says. “Focus TEEs on workloads with the highest confidentiality requirements, like financial modeling or AI/ML pipelines that rely on sensitive data.” Adya suggests keeping fewer sensitive computations outside TEEs to reduce the load. “Offload only the most sensitive computations, and leverage hardware acceleration and cloud-managed confidential computing services to improve efficiency,” he recommends. Soroko adds that hardware selection is critical, suggesting CIOs should be choosing TEE hardware that has an appropriate level of acceleration. “Combine TEEs with hybrid cryptographic techniques like homomorphic encryption to reduce overhead while maintaining data security,” he says.  For scalability, Renfrow recommends infrastructure automation, for example adopting infrastructure-as-code and DevSecOps pipelines to dynamically provision TEE resources as needed. “This improves scalability while maintaining security controls,” he says.  Aligning with Zero Trust and Compliance Confidential computing also supports zero-trust architecture by enforcing the principle of “never trust, always verify.” TEEs and remote attestation create a secure foundation for workload verification, especially in decentralized or cloud-native environments. “Confidential computing extends zero-trust into the data application layer,” Schwartz says. “This is a powerful way to ensure that sensitive operations are only performed under verified conditions.” Compliance is another major driver for adoption, with regulations such as GDPR, HIPAA, and CPRA increasingly demand data protection throughout the entire lifecycle -- including while data is in use. The growing list of regulations and compliance issues will require CIOs to demonstrate stronger safeguards during audits. “Map confidential computing capabilities directly to emerging data privacy regulations,” Renfrow says. “This approach can reduce audit complexity and strengthen the enterprise’s overall compliance posture.” Adya stresses the value of collaboration across internal teams, pointing out successful deployment requires coordination between IT security, cloud architects, data governance leaders, and compliance officers.  As confidential computing matures, CIOs will play a pivotal role in shaping how enterprises adopt and scale the technology. For organizations handling large volumes of sensitive data or operating under stringent regulatory environments, confidential computing is no longer a fringe solution -- it’s becoming foundational. Success will depend on CIOs guiding adoption through a focus on integration, continuous collaboration across their enterprise, and by aligning security strategies with business objectives. “By aligning confidential computing with measurable outcomes -- like reduced risk exposure, faster partner onboarding, or simplified audit readiness -- CIOs can clearly demonstrate its business value,” Renfrow says. About the AuthorNathan EddyFreelance WriterNathan Eddy is a freelance writer for InformationWeek. He has written for Popular Mechanics, Sales & Marketing Management Magazine, FierceMarkets, and CRN, among others. In 2012 he made his first documentary film, The Absent Column. He currently lives in Berlin.See more from Nathan EddyReportsMore ReportsNever Miss a Beat: Get a snapshot of the issues affecting the IT industry straight to your inbox.SIGN-UPYou May Also Like

html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd" Zaha Hadid Architects has opened a new science and technology museum with layered form and glazed façade in Shenzhen, China. Named Shenzhen Science & Technology Museum, the large structure is located next to Guangming Station on Shenzhen's metro network. The design responds to its surrounding as a solid, spherical shape that faces the city, defining the southeast corner of the new Science Park.This new institution will explore the power of science and the technological breakthroughs defining our future by showcasing scientific endeavors, groundbreaking research, and future technological possibilities.In order to foster innovation and showcase the continuous ingenuity that positions Shenzhen as a global leader in the creation of new technologies, the museum will work with the Greater Bay Area's renowned tech industries, universities, schools, and research centers. The Greater Bay Area is the world's largest metropolitan area, home to nearly 100 million people, according to Zaha Hadid Architects.A dynamic sequence of outdoor terraces facing the park is created by the building's volume stretching westward into the park. A major new civic area for the city is created by these terraces, which are functional extensions of the inner galleries that encircle the imposing central atrium.The Shenzhen Science & Technology Museum includes 5,400 square meters of research labs, teaching facilities, and an innovation center in addition to 35,000 square meters of galleries and exhibition halls, both temporary and permanent, and 6,000 square meters of immersive theaters and movie theaters. In addition, production and maintenance workshops are joined by 34,000 square meters of tourist amenities and storage.The numerous galleries in Shenzhen's new scientific institution rise from the central atrium's floor and walls, while other galleries hover over the magnificent scale and arrangement of the atrium's expansive public area. Each gallery provides visual cues that help visitors navigate the museum's network of connected areas.The atrium's many viewpoints and materiality also offer an exciting starting point for each visitor's exploration. The atrium's expansive, glassed wall that faces the park blurs the lines between indoor and outdoor space, allowing natural light and scenery, along with our insatiable curiosity, to enter the center of the structure.In order to test and optimize the building's form, spaces, and envelope for the yearly solar radiation, temperatures, humidity, prevailing winds, air quality, and other variable conditions of Shenzhen's subtropical climate and location, the design process used sophisticated computer simulations guided by passive environmental strategies. It has been established that the building's position minimizes solar heat gain in its central atrium while preserving expansive park vistas.The terraces on each floor improve environmental performance and create a series of sheltered outdoor spaces overlooking the park, providing visitors with places to rest and reflect while exploring the exhibitions. The terraces are designed to protect the glazed façade of the atrium from direct sunlight to improve visitor comfort.The terraces on each floor improve environmental performance and create a series of sheltered outdoor spaces overlooking the park, providing visitors with places to rest and reflect while exploring the exhibitions. The terraces are designed to protect the glazed façade of the atrium from direct sunlight to improve visitor comfort.A system of stainless-steel panels forms a ventilated void between the façade and the external walls, reducing direct exposure to the weather and solar radiation. This system includes photovoltaics for on-site energy generation and extends to the roof.The first extensive usage of dual color INCO technology in China was featured on the museum's façade. A nano-scale oxide film was created on the steel's surface by precisely regulating an electrolyte formula and oxidation time. As Zaha Hadid Architects explained, this gives the façade a self-cleaning, self-protecting micro-layer that prolongs its life cycle by making it more resistant to weather and corrosion and enhances the stainless steel's fine texture and color without the need for painting.The color gradient of the façade changes from deep blue to different shades of grey, creating depth and complexity while recalling the dynamism of celestial bodies orbiting in space.ZHA explained that passive design elements and smart management networks running high-efficiency systems are expected to lower the museum's energy consumption to 15.47 kgce/sqm annually, which will lower emissions from electricity demand to an estimated 125.89 kWh/sqm annually. The museum is aiming for the highest three-star rating of China's Green Building Evaluation Standard.In order to reduce overall water consumption to an estimated 14,906 cubic meters annually, the museum's water management system uses grey-water recycling in addition to collecting and storing rainwater. The museum's procurement strategy aimed to use 389,238.92 tonnes of recyclable materials in construction.The Building Information Modeling (BIM) and 3D scanning technology was used in the project's digital twin construction process to manage and maintain tolerances of complex surfaces within millimeters. While robotic multi-point forming technology perfectly molded the complex surfaces to the exact requirements of the design, a thorough network of key nodes throughout the building allowed for the concurrent verification of all construction from the digital simulation in real-time.Zaha Hadid Architects unveiled design for Cityzen Tower, a new high-rise in Tbilisi, Georgia. In addition, the firm unveiled design for a new masterplan, featuring a pair of fluid towers in eastern Naples, Italy. Furthermore, construction has commenced on ZHA's Centre of Mediterranean Culture in Reggio Calabria, Italy.Project factsClient: The Bureau of Public Works of Shenzhen MunicipalityOperator: The Shenzhen Association for Science and TechnologyDesign: Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA)Consortium Local Design Institute: Beijing Institute of Architectural Design Co. Ltd. (BIAD)Consortium Lead (ZHA) Team:ZHA Principal: Patrik SchumacherZHA Project Directors: Charles Walker (Commercial Director), Paulo Flores, Simon YuZHA Project Architect: Edgar PayanZHA Project Senior Associate: Lydia KimZHA Project Package Leads: Juan Montiel, Jinqi Huang, Niran Buyukkoz, Saman Dadgostar, Julian Lin, Richard Wasenegger.ZHA Project Team: Berkin Islam, Cheryl Lim, John Kanakas, Sven Torres, Michael On, Yuxuan Zhao, Enoch Kolo, Karina Linnsen, Boyan Hristov, Bechara Malkoun, Mansel Haynes, Haohao ChenZHA Competition Team:ZHA Project Design Directors: Paulo Flores, Simon YuZHA Project Architects: Karoly Markos, Edgar PayanZHA Design Leads: Niran Buyukkoz, Saman Dadgostar.ZHA Project Team: Jinqi Huang, Berkin Islam, Billy Webb, Cheryl Lim, Christos Koukis, Federico Fauli, Juan Montiel, Jurij Licen, Michal Wojtkiewicz, Bogdan Zaha, Michael On, Yuxuan Zhao, Enoch Kolo, Nastasja MitrovicCompetition Stage Consultants:Acoustics Consultants: Marshall Day AcousticsExhibitions Consultants: Art of FactCinema Consultants: TeecomLandscape Consultants: GillespiesSpecialist Consultants (Schematic Design Stage):Façade Consultant: GYAC (Shanghai) Co. Ltd.Acoustics Consultants: Acoustics & Theatre Design Division, East China Architectural Design & Research Institute Co. Ltd.Green Building Consultants: Jorjun Green Building Technology Co., Ltd, GuangdongExhibitions Consultants: Art of FactCinema Consultants: TeecomLandscape Consultants: GillespiesSpecialist Consultants (Preliminary Design Stage):Local Design Institute (Structure & MEP): Capol International & Associates GroupLocal Design Institute (Architectural): Beijing Institute of Architectural Design Co. LtdFaçade Design Consultants: Dadi Facade Technology Co. Ltd.Interior Design Consultants: J&A (Jiang & Associates)Exterior Lighting Consultants: GD-Lighting Design Consultancy Co. Ltd.All images © Virgile Simon Bertrand.> via ZHA News 

CGI showing hoe the 46-storey tower would look when built Historic England has called for Fletcher Priest’s plans for a 46-storey office tower in the City of London to be refused or withdrawn due to the scheme’s potential heritage impacts. The statutory consultee said the scheme, which has been designed for multinational investor Axa IM Alts, would harm the setting of the Roman Wall despite the proposals including a public exhibit displaying a surviving fragment of the structure. The 63 St Mary Axe scheme was submitted for planning in February and is scheduled to start construction in 2027 if approved, and complete by 2032. It would feature a double-height recessed area in the side of the tower at street level which would display a section of the 1,800-year-old Roman Wall, which runs beneath the site. Cross-section of the scheme’s proposed display area for a surviving section of the Roman Wall While Historic England said the feature would enhance the significance of the archaeological site, it said the proposed removal of an associated medieval burial ground “may cause a level of harm that would not be outweighed by the heritage benefit of showcasing the wall”. The burial ground, believed to date to around 1215, is the only remaining physical evidence of the two medieval churches it was associated with, St Augustine Papey and St Martin Outwich. St Augustine Papey was demolished in the 16th century during the dissolution of the monasteries, and St Martin Outwich was demolished in the 19th century. Historic England also raised concerns over the scheme’s impact on the Tower of London World Heritage site which it said “weighs very heavily” against the application. The group said: “Our advice does not preclude the redevelopment of the site, but these considerable heritage impacts together indicate that the proposals represent neither sustainable development as required by national planning policy, nor the optimum capacity for the site, as required by the London Plan’s design-led approach.  “It would be possible to redevelop the site without causing the harm we have described and we encourage that this should instead be pursued. We recommend that planning permission for the current proposals should therefore not be granted.” How 63 St Mary Axe will look from street level The building would contain around 85,000 sq m of grade A office space, 4,000 sq m of cultural and community space and outdoor gardens on all occupied levels, including a large terrace on the 27th storey split across two levels. The project team includes T&T Alinea as cost consultant, with CBRE acting as project manager, AKT II as structural and civil engineer, Arup as fire engineer, Velocity as transport consultant and Gustafson Porter & Bowman as landscape architect. Other members of the team include mechanical engineer Hilson Moran, facade engineer FMDC, daylight consultant GIA and planning consultant DP9. The City is expected to make a planning decision on the scheme later this year, following the local elections today (1 May) which will see the election of a new planning committee. Fletcher Priest is also working on two other tower proposals in the cluster, the 24-storey 55 Old Broad Street for Landsec and the 32-storey 55 Gracechurch Street for Tenacity. Axa IM Alts is a subsidiary of investment management firm Axa IM, which is itself a subsidiary of French multinational insurance firm Axa. Another division, Axa IM Real Assets, developed PLP’s 22 Bishopsgate in partnership with Lipton Rogers.

Ten years on from the publication of the important report by Foster + Partners and Historic England Cathedral Cities in Peril, many of the perceived tensions between new development and heritage persist: new development is viewed as an opportunity for economic growth or a destructive force affecting a city’s intrinsic character; heritage is a constraint holding back a city or a treasure to be preserved untouched at all costs. A third way would see heritage as the asset that drives investment and growth that build on the existing communities, history and fabric to underpin thriving neighbourhoods and new economies. With the government’s ambitious five-year housing targets high on the planning agenda, and a ‘build, build, build’ rhetoric to match, SAVE’s Building in Context conference in Norwich on 15 May will revisit some of the themes of the Cathedral Cities in Peril report and ask how we can accommodate growth in our historic cities – and enhance the very character which makes them unique and interesting.Advertisement The conference will feature architect Mikhail Riches, past RIBA president Sunand Prasad and the Bartlett Real Estate Institute’s Yolande Barnes, among others. Holding it in Norwich is no coincidence. Norwich is one of Britain’s most spectacular historic cities. With its castle, cathedral and surviving network of medieval streets, it is arguably one of the best-preserved medieval cities north of the Alps. What also makes this city stand out is that it is home to a set of city uses: large-scale corporate finance such as Aviva and smaller-scale legal and professional services; two universities serving a significant student population; a thriving cultural and tourism scene; and a significant entrepreneurial tech and creative industries presence. Most towns in the UK have lost this variety of uses to the super-dominant large cities like London, Bristol and Birmingham. Yet, helped by its unique geographical position, Norwich has retained its diverse economy. Of critical importance to its success is its high-quality historic location and distinctiveness which leads to demand from businesses and people wanting to work and live there. Among young creatives and entrepreneurs, the characteristics of ‘place’ are particularly valued, enabling them to start their own businesses and secure living accommodation at affordable levels compared with London and most parts of the South East. Short-term government objectives to show growth through housing starts; and of volume housebuilders to deliver housing ‘units’ within a short timescale risk not just producing poor architecture and places, but undermining the opportunity for places to regenerate and grow economically in the longer run. How do cities like Norwich retain their diversity of uses, accommodate new development and enhance their rich but sensitive heritage settings? How will we ensure the much-needed homes are integrated into long-term sustainable communities which thrive socially and economically? Should we incentivise developers who are trying to do the right thing? Should government be targeting regeneration more broadly than just housing numbers? These are vital questions. More than ever, we need a new positive approach to show how heritage really works in our favour. Old buildings and places can create a rich setting for new development that works with, rather than against, heritage protection. By doing so, historic cities can lead the way and give their growing populations new and exciting places to live, work and play.Advertisement Henrietta Billings is director of SAVE Britain’s Heritage The SAVE and Norwich Society conference, Building in Context: Delivering Good Growth in Heritage Locations, takes place on 15 May in Norwich. 2025-05-01 Will Hurst comment and share

First, find out if your loans are in default. From there, you can take steps to enter repayment or prepare for you paycheck to be docked up to 15%.

May 1, 20255 min readTrump Quietly Halts Money to States for Preventing Disaster DamagePresident Trump is the first president in at least three decades to deny governors’ requests for funding that’s meant to protect people and propertyBy Thomas Frank & E&E News President Donald Trump is considering a major overhaul to the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Chip Somodevilla/Getty ImagesCLIMATEWIRE | The Trump administration is scaling back a multibillion-dollar program that has been the backbone of state efforts to protect homes, hospitals and other structures from floods, hurricanes and earthquakes.President Donald Trump stopped approving new allocations in early April from a federal program that has been a top funding source for protecting people and property from disasters since 1989. The Hazard Mitigation and Grant Program has been used to elevate or demolish flood-prone homes, install tornado-safe rooms and strengthen buildings in hurricane or earthquake zones.The program, overseen by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, has been crucial for states such as Florida, Oklahoma, California and Missouri. Louisiana has received $2.5 billion to protect 10,000 properties, records show.On supporting science journalismIf you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.“It’s an extremely important program for hazard mitigation,” said Anna Weber, senior policy analyst for climate adaptation at the Natural Resources Defense Council. “Instead of just rebuilding, we’re building resilience so we’re preventing future damages, deaths and injuries.”The program has allocated nearly $18 billion to states to safeguard 185,000 properties, according to an analysis of FEMA records by POLITICO’s E&E News.On roughly one-third of the properties, flood-prone buildings were demolished and the land was left vacant as part of local efforts to reduce flood damage.More than $11 billion has been used to fortify medical facilities, power plants, roads and bridges so they will continue to operate during disasters, the analysis shows.The move is Trump’s latest step to cut federal disaster spending and weaken FEMA as he considers abolishing or shrinking the agency. On Monday, Trump named 13 members to a council he charged with reviewing the agency and recommending overhauls.Trump’s spending halt from the hazard-mitigation program comes weeks after he canceled another multibillion-dollar FEMA grant program, raising concerns that states and localities will stop efforts to minimize damage from future disasters. FEMA’s mitigation programs have been widely praised for reducing long-term disaster costs.“HMGP is more cost-effective in the long-term because it helps communities rebuild from disasters stronger than before,” Virginia Democratic Sens. Tim Kaine and Mark Warner said in a statement to POLITICO's E&E News.Trump’s action will not affect roughly $11 billion in hazard-mitigation funding that has been approved but not spent. North Carolina, for example, still has $1.7 billion that was approved by then-President Joe Biden after Hurricane Helene caused widespread damage last year.The Trump administration has not announced changes to the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. Neither FEMA nor the White House responded to requests for comment.But an internal FEMA document and Trump’s handling of two recent disasters show the administration’s new approach.On April 4, in a seemingly routine decision, Trump approved a disaster declaration for Virginia to help it recover from recent flooding.But while Trump agreed to help 16 counties rebuild, he took the highly unusual step of refusing a request by Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, a Republican, for hazard-mitigation money as part of the disaster-aid package.It was the first time in at least 27 years that a president had denied a state's request for hazard-mitigation money while approving its disaster declaration request, according to FEMA records that go back 27 years. Governors routinely request — and presidents routinely approve — mitigation money for disasters.Trump himself approved mitigation money when he declared disasters in Kentucky, West Virginia and Oklahoma in February and March — the first three declarations of his second term. In his first term, Trump approved $4.7 billion in hazard-mitigation grants.“We are deeply concerned communities will have fewer resources available to protect against the impacts of extreme weather events,” Kaine and Warner said in their statement, noting Trump’s recent cancellation of another FEMA mitigation program.The Virginia Department of Emergency Management said in an email, “FEMA has informed us that his request is still in the review process.”Trump 'redesigning' mitigationIn an April 12 memo to the White House, FEMA acting Administrator Cameron Hamilton suggested that Trump “not automatically approve the Hazard Mitigation Program” when declaring a disaster.“This is an action the President has already taken,” Hamilton wrote to the Office of Management and Budget in an apparent reference to Trump’s denial of mitigation funds for Virginia. “This will serve as a precursor to further evaluating and redesigning mitigation grant programs.”The six-page memo, first reported by CNN, suggests making other cuts to FEMA programs, such as denying aid for smaller disasters and for snowstorms.Trump indicated his intention to follow Hamilton’s recommendation on the mitigation program when he approved a second disaster declaration for Kentucky on April 25 without including mitigation money.“When I saw Kentucky, I saw that now there’s a pattern, and this is consistent with the recommendation Hamilton made to OMB,” former FEMA chief of staff Michael Coen said, referring to the White House Office of Management and Budget.Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, a Democrat, applauded FEMA for approving disaster aid for households hit by recent flooding and did not reply to E&E News questions about the absence of mitigation money.A hazard-mitigation grant is usually equal to 15 percent of the amount of money that FEMA projects it will spend on an individual disaster.Last year, the Biden administration altered the program to help states spend their hazard-mitigation grants. The program had come under scrutiny for its complexity, which resulted in states not spending billions of dollars they were allocated.Trump has said his overhaul of FEMA aims to give states more financial and logistical responsibility for disaster recovery — a position embraced by some experts and former FEMA leaders.But states are not likely to replace FEMA hazard-mitigation money, said Kelly McKinney, a former deputy commissioner of New York City Emergency Management.Many state programs are strongly backed by advocates who “weigh-in in a very big, noisy way” to protect spending, McKinney said. “There aren’t a lot of stakeholders for mitigation.”States also would have difficulty mounting a legal challenge to reverse Trump's freeze of hazard-mitigation spending because the government is not required to run the program, according to Weber of the Natural Resources Defense Council.In early April, Trump canceled another FEMA mitigation program, named Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities, and froze $3.6 billion of unspent funds that had been approved for states. Although FEMA created the program during Trump’s first term, the agency recently called it a “wasteful, politicized grant program.”Reprinted from E&E News with permission from POLITICO, LLC. Copyright 2025. E&E News provides essential news for energy and environment professionals.