When Apple launched its iPhone 16e last month, it included a brand new component: the C1 modem. But more recent devices like the M3 iPad Air and A16 iPad havent included it. Heres where the C1 will appear next, and which products are not expected to get it.Why the C1 modem was worth the waitFor many years, Apple has been working to develop its own cellular modem tech. Absent that tech being ready, the company has had to rely on Qualcomm to supply 5G modems for its devices.While Qualcomms modems are considered top-tier, the company and Apple havent always gotten along very well. In part, it seems, because of how much Qualcomm charges for its components.Cost savings were one reason for Apple to develop its own 5G modem. Another key one is that Apple often prefers to control the full technology stack in its products. This enables increased hardware-software integrations that lead to better overall user experiences.That seems true with Apples new C1 modem, which provides two advantages already:Better battery life thanks to efficiency improvementsMore responsive data in congested conditionsBut despite the benefits of the C1, Apple isnt giving the new modem to all of its products just yet.The new M3 iPad Air and A16 iPad dont include it. Nor the M4 MacBook Air, sadly, since cellular Macs arent a thing yet.Several products this fall are expected to bypass the C1 too, sticking with Qualcomms 5G modem. But one flagship product will be the next to include C1.Where Apples C1 will and wont show up nextPer various reports, Apples next product featuring the C1 modem will be its ultra-thin flagship iPhone 17 Air.This new iPhone will launch in the fall as a replacement for the Plus model in Apples lineup. It will emphasize form over function, with a radically thin design, single rear camera, and yes, the C1 modem.One likely reason Apples bringing C1 to the iPhone 17 Air is for its efficiency improvements. Those will undoubtedly be important for a model that has less physical space for battery.What about the rest of Apples fall lineup?Reporting indicates the iPhone 17 Air is the only new model that will get the C1.The standard iPhone 17, 17 Pro, and 17 Pro Max (or should I say 17 Ultra?) will all use Qualcomms modem.We dont know for sure why Apple is slowly integrating C1 into its devices. It could be due to existing purchase commitments with Qualcomm, hedging against any possible connectivity issues that C1 presents, or just risk management overall.In any case, if you want to get Apples cutting edge C1, youll need to buy the iPhone 17 Air or iPhone 16e. Or wait until next year, when the full iPhone 18 lineup is expected to adopt a new C2 modem.Would you prefer your next iPhone to have a C1 or Qualcomm modem? Let us know in the comments.Best iPhone accessoriesAdd 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Apple TV+ today released the trailer for its buzzy new drama series, called Your Friends & Neighbors. The show stars Jon Hamm in the lead role as a man named Coop, a hedge fund manager who is down on his luck. In an effort to maintain his luxurious lifestyle, he turns to the world of crime, secretly stealing possessions from his affluent neighbors to sell them on.The show has received early praise and months ahead of its premiere Apple renewed the show for a second season as another sign of confidence in the project. Watch the trailer after the break Alongside Hamm, the cast includes Olivia Munn, Amanda Peet, and more. The project hails from creator Jonathan Tropper, who has an overall production deal with Apple TV+.After being fired from his job, and getting divorced from his wife, Coop gets the idea to steal from his rich neighbors. Their luxury mansions contain closets full of designer handbags and other possessions that no one would miss. Of course, the easy life turns out to be not so easy. Meanwhile, his burglaries also uncover the unexpected secrets of his seemingly honest friends and colleagues.Your Friends & Neighbors premieres on April 11 with the first two episodes. The remainder of the nine-episode first season rolls out weekly through May 30.Heres the first trailer:Apple is releasing the show in that time window intentionally, as the Emmy awards eligibility cutoff is May 31. With the buzz surrounding the show, the company is probably hoping it will make a splash during awards season. Apple is also likely expecting awards recognition for drama Severance and new comedy The Studio, which premieres later this month. Add 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

As Elon Musk's Tesla is feeling the hurt, president Donald Trump's Truth Social meme stock is suffering a similar fate.Not unlike the EV maker's shares, Truth Social's owner Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG) has wiped out half of its value since Trump was inaugurated. Tesla shares are down 45 percent over the same period.In fact, Trump's dubious social media scheme was performing far better when former president Joe Biden was still in office, with shares rocketing in early 2024 after merging with a special purpose acquisition company.The extremely volatile stock has been on a rollercoaster ride since then, periodically tanking before attracting new investors. Last year's presidential election, in particular, saw TMTG's shares spike only to come crashing back down now that Trump is actually in office.The volatility highlights just how extremely overvalued the company's stock is. Just last month, TMTG revealed in an earnings report that it had lost a whopping $400 million while only taking in $3.6 million in revenue in 2024.In other words, the stock's value isn't based on an actual business that's making any money it's more of a loose indicator of Trump's political fortunes.Meanwhile, just as analysts were expecting, Trump and other insiders have been enriching themselves through lavish compensation plans. Some high-ranking executives even started dumping their stock last summer, suggesting the scheme wasn't long for this world.Ever since Trump was sworn in January, the stock has been getting hammered. It's down well over 40 percent year to date, largely in line with fears of a recession brought on by Trump's tariff war causing the entire stock market to plummet.Behind the scenes at Trump Media, it's not looking much better, with multiple lawsuits and alleged mismanagement adding to the chaos.In short, the flaming dumpster fire has approached the bottom of the hill and is still smoldering as it's burning through investor funds.Apart from dubious meme stocks, the president also launched a meme coin in the days leading up to his inauguration, which by early Februaryhad wiped out all of the "winnings" of those foolhardy enough to invest. Since Inauguration Day, when it hit an all-time high of $75.35, the coin has lost over 85 percent of its value.But Trump and the team behind the crypto project had the last laugh, netting $350 million through the sale of tokens and fees, as the Financial Times reported last week.Share This Article

Mar 12, 2025Ravie LakshmananCloud Security / VulnerabilityThreat intelligence firm GreyNoise is warning of a "coordinated surge" in the exploitation of Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) vulnerabilities spanning multiple platforms."At least 400 IPs have been seen actively exploiting multiple SSRF CVEs simultaneously, with notable overlap between attack attempts," the company said, adding it observed the activity on March 9, 2025.The countries which have emerged as the target of SSRF exploitation attempts include the United States, Germany, Singapore, India, Lithuania, and Japan. Another notable country is Israel, which has witnessed a surge on March 11, 2025.The list of SSRF vulnerabilities being exploited are listed below -CVE-2017-0929 (CVSS score: 7.5) - DotNetNukeCVE-2020-7796 (CVSS score: 9.8) - Zimbra Collaboration SuiteCVE-2021-21973 (CVSS score: 5.3) - VMware vCenterCVE-2021-22054 (CVSS score: 7.5) - VMware Workspace ONE UEMCVE-2021-22175 (CVSS score: 9.8) - GitLab CE/EECVE-2021-22214 (CVSS score: 8.6) - GitLab CE/EECVE-2021-39935 (CVSS score: 7.5) - GitLab CE/EECVE-2023-5830 (CVSS score: 9.8) - ColumbiaSoft DocumentLocatorCVE-2024-6587 (CVSS score: 7.5) - BerriAI LiteLLMCVE-2024-21893 (CVSS score: 8.2) - Ivanti Connect SecureOpenBMCS 2.4 Authenticated SSRF Attempt (No CVE)Zimbra Collaboration Suite SSRF Attempt (No CVE)GreyNoise said that many of the same IP addresses are targeting multiple SSRF flaws at once rather than focusing on one particular weakness, noting the pattern of activity suggests structured exploitation, automation, or pre-compromise intelligence gathering.In light of active exploitation attempts, it's essential that users apply the latest patches, limit outbound connections to necessary endpoints, and monitor for suspicious outbound requests."Many modern cloud services rely on internal metadata APIs, which SSRF can access if exploited," GreyNoise said. "SSRF can be used to map internal networks, locate vulnerable services, and steal cloud credentials."Found this article interesting? Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn to read more exclusive content we post.SHARE

Every technological revolution follows a pattern: an installation phase typified by eruption and frenzy, followed by a more stabilized period of deployment seeing steady growth to maturity.Its a concept studied and introduced by researcher and consultant Carlota Perez as early as 2002.At the start of these technological revolutions, the focus is on building the infrastructure. Its the phase where early adopters reap huge rewards by developing the tools and platforms for future innovation. In the AI era, dominant players like OpenAI, Anthropic and Google laid the groundwork by creating powerful large language models (LLMs) and multimodal systems.But AIs initial Big Bang is almost over. Its now entering a new phase. As the cost of AI infrastructure falls and access to these tools becomes more widespread, the competitive advantage will shift from owning infrastructure to applying new tech in novel ways.This is not just theoretical. Its a real-life pattern I lived as co-founder of Vungle, a mobile advertising platform that emerged within the mobile app economy. In 2011, when we started Vungle, mobile app development was still in its nascent stage. It was anyones game. We saw that current advertising models hadnt yet adapted to mobile-native experiences. So, we addressed the pain point through high-quality video ads designed specifically for mobile games and apps. By the time mobile advertising became ubiquitous, Vungle was already well-positioned, which ultimately led to our $780 million acquisition.Related:If -- as philosophy and Perez model suggest --history repeats itself, the next events in AI will play out as in the pattern of the 2010 mobile app revolution. When Apple launched the App Store, early adopters like Instagram, Uber and WhatsApp saw an opportunity to rethink entire business models around mobile-first user behavior. They were among the first to recognize how smartphones could change user interaction, distribution and monetization. They were also the biggest winners of the mobile app boom.Whats to Expected Given AIs growthJust as having a mobile app is now table stakes for most businesses, AI-powered features will soon be expected rather than optional. Integrating AI for efficiency will be commonplace, not a differentiator. The real winners will be those applying AI in ways that make entirely new experiences possible. This is why the application layer of AI will create the most long-term value.And just as most mobile companies that saw massive success werent infrastructure providers but companies that leveraged mobile effectively, the most successful AI companies wont be building new AI models. Theyll be using AI to solve critical problems in industries like healthcare, finance and enterprise SaaS.Related:What IT Leaders Need to Do (and Fast!)So, how can organizations stay ahead in this next phase of the AI revolution?Start approaching AI as an enabler. AIs time as a mere feature or tool to automate existing processes is done. You should go from How can AI automate our tasks? to How can AI drive new business models? A report from McKinsey said that corporate AI use-cases could yield long-term added productivity gains as high as $4.4 trillion. The same report shares three questions for leaders navigating this AI-centered future:Is yourAI strategy ambitious enough?What does a successful AI adoption look like for your organization?What skills define an AI-native workforce?Prioritize AI-native products. Businesses should adopt -- or better yet, pioneer AI-native solutions that fundamentally redefine user experiences and decision-making. Take Boardy for example. As early as we are into AIs deployment era, its already found a niche (professional networking) to disrupt (by using AI to facilitate smarter, more personalized introductions), automating what was once an entirely manual process.Related:Invest in talent with AI-first thinking. Nows the time to launch AI upskilling initiatives, such as AI certification programs or company-led AI boot camps. Hiring efforts should seek out AI-native product leaders, engineers and executives who will design products that incorporate AI from inception, rather than retrofitting it into legacy systems.We are at a defining moment in the AI revolution. Access to foundational models is becoming democratized, and the real opportunity is shifting to how AI is applied in the real world. During the mobile app boom, our company succeeded because we saw how mobile-first thinking separated winners from also-rans in the early days of the App Store. The same will be true for AI. Companies that iterate and operate with AIs unique capabilities will emerge as the dominant players of the next decade.Theres no longer any doubt whether AI will change industries -- it already is. The real question now: Who will be the AI-native companies that define this new era?

Lionsgate executive Jenefer Brown has revealed that a fifth John Wick movie is in development.The future of the action franchise had been uncertain after Keanu Reeves titular hitman seemingly died in the 2023 movie John Wick: Chapter 4 but the studio chief has revealed that another film is in the pipeline.Discussing the future of the series with ComicBook.com, Brown said: This world continues to grow and expand in incredible ways.Up next, of course, we have Ballerina, which is our first spin-off movie and (we) can't wait for that to release to the world. Of course, we've announced we're working on a fifth John Wick film. I think there are more spinoffs to come, a TV series, video game.The Lionsgate boss added: We've shared that we're developing a fifth John Wick film... (John Wick) may be (dead). We are all on baited breath waiting to find out.The revelation comes after Reeves, 60, dismissed the prospect of another movie following the character's death.In an interview with ComicBook.com, he said: You know, the characters dead. He died in John Wick: Chapter 4.LionsgateLionsgateloading...The Matrix star insisted that he wasnt involved in discussions about a possible resurrection for the assassin.When asked if there was a plan to revive John Wick,Reeves replied: Right now? Right now there isnt.Producer Erica Lee previously admitted that the stars have to align if a fifth film is to be made.She told ScreenRant: I think we set this bar so high in [John Wick: Chapter 4] and we left it all on the table. I say we burn the house down when we make the movie. So I think to pull it all together, it has to be a great idea and the stars have to align, and theres a lot of pressure to get that right. So that's what Im most hopeful and excited and anxious about.The spinoff movie Ballerina is slated for release this summer but lead actress Ana de Armas claims that her character Eve Macarro is different from John Wick.She told Collider: I think there are some trademarks in the style of the fights in John Wick, and things that he does that are very particular to him. But because in this movie were seeing through Eves eyes the background of that training that John had, and how these assassins and ballerinas, how these people become these assassins, there are some little details that are the same, but Eve Macarro is Eve Macarro. Shes not John Wick!Get our free mobile app20 Sequels That Were Drastically Different From the OriginalThese movies are all sequels, but they dont look much like the films that inspired them.Filed Under: John Wick, John Wick: Chapter 5Categories: Movie News

All jobs Remote VP of Engineering Posted A few minutes agoAbout SodaSoda helps customers detect, resolve, and prevent data quality issues by combining automated post-production monitoring with pre-production pipeline data testing. We enable Data Engineers to effectively own DQ by shifting left the data quality initiatives from business to engineering.Soda was founded in 2019 by Maarten, an employee #5 in Collibra, where he worked in Go-To-Market leadership, and Tom, who launched multiple OSS projects that generated 100s Million in value. Together, they built a tool that ensures data quality across Data Engineering, Data Governance, and business use cases.Sodas product offering consists of an open-source project called Soda Core, which is used by companies like Tesla, Slack, Adyen, Walmart, and JPMC. Soda commercializes its software through the Soda Cloud product. We're well-funded, with investors like Point 9 Capital, Hummingbird, Singular, and Eurazeo.This is a unique opportunity to shape the Data Quality software used by Data Engineers for the decades to come.Our ValuesWe value freedom with responsibility, transparency, and a growth mindset. We dislike politics and bullshit and value open and direct communication without judgment. We proactively bring up and address potential issues before they become critical and overcommunicate frequently. Working at Soda, you will have full autonomy to make impactful product and roadmap decisions and prioritize and organize your work how you see fit. Apply now Soda is looking for a proven VP of Engineering to strengthen our leadership team. You will work alongside our leadership team and report directly to the CPO, working closely the product team to accelerate the delivery of the upcoming product features across Data Observability and Data Testing.Your primary responsibility will be leading the engineering team and ensuring high velocity and alignment between architectural decisions and the product roadmap, ultimately creating operational excellence in engineering. You will frequently jump in with the team to resolve critical engineering challenges and spend at least 50% of your time with hands-on implementation. You'll help build a great freaking product.Responsibilities:Ensure fast delivery of product features by structuring engineering work, best practices, and processes.Oversee architectural decisions to enable fast and reliable delivery in the coming years.Resolve critical engineering problems hands-on and establish technical credibility by leading by example.Make hiring decisions, define recruitment needs, and manage all the engineers.Enable ownership and a proactive, product-focused culture in the engineering team.Work closely with the CPO and the product team to stay aligned with the company's vision and long-term growth.Develop a deep understanding of the data quality space and our customers challenges.Build tight and effective relationships across engineering and the company to ensure transparent and clear communication.Technical:Deep understanding of and extensive experience applying modern architectural design principles, extending to service architectures and full multi-tenanted SaaS product development.Experience in broad-based API integration, extending to integrating with legacy systems quickly and without performance issues.Expertise and experience in building robust, scalable B2B products with related requirements.Appreciation for UX and UI, focusing on developing products that delight the user and are intuitive.Experience putting ML systems in production.Computer science or Engineering degree or other relevant educational backgroundIndustry:Technical and engineering leadership building data-centric Software, extending to technical/engineering leadership of modern data infrastructures (e.g., data orchestration and data warehouses).Experience building products deployed internationally in venture-backed environments and the related entrepreneurial mindset.Leadership:Track record of leading highly technical engineering teams, defining and executing a technology roadmap.Experience in building, leading, and scaling engineering and development teams, ideally including remote and distributed teams.Well-versed in designing feature-based, autonomous engineering teams with meshed DevOps.Product engineering mindset and proven track record of successfully working with product managers, research, and designers.Strong experience in implementing engineering processes and people development with the engineering function.You have exceptional communication skills in English - both oral and written. You articulate technology vision, delivery strategy, and essential tradeoffs in a language that enables discussion with technical and non-technical audiences.Strong experience contributing to, setting, and executing technical and engineering strategies at product and organizational levels.A strong strategic mindset that allows you to combine the business's short-, medium- and long-term direction.Experience working with Founders to deliver on product vision. Why you will love to join SodaWorking with a fast-growing international VC-funded startup with a flat structureYou will have full ownership of the things you work onAn international and diverse teamFully remote, flexible work, with as many opportunities to meet up as you want!Open Source Product with all the perks that come with that What you might not loveFast-paced environment with a LOT of work to be doneYou will have to learn new things all the timePlease mention the word ENTHUSE when applying to show you read the job post completely (#RNDkuMzcuMjQzLjE5Ng==). This is a feature to avoid fake spam applicants. Companies can search these words to find applicants that read this and instantly see they're human.Salary and compensation$140,000 $250,000/yearBenefits Distributed team Paid time off Company retreats Equity compensation No monitoring system No politics at workApply NowLet's start your dream job Apply now Soda Data NV View company Jobs posted: 1 Related Jobs Remote Full-Stack Programming jobs

Role OverviewAs First Product Designer at CardNexus, you will drive the design, UX, and visual identity of our platform. Working directly with our Founder & CPO, you will be responsible for building a seamless and engaging product that captivates TCG players, collectors, and investors.You will collaborate closely with engineering, marketing and growth to craft a colorful, fun, and gamified experience that feels playful yet powerful. Beyond aesthetics, youll be thinking about user acquisition, engagement loops, and how design can help grow our user base.This is a high-ownership role in which youll not only design screens but also help define how CardNexus grows and evolves.What Youll DoDefine & Execute the Product Design Vision Own the end-to-end design process, from user research and wireframing to final UI and polished interactions.Shape a Fun, Engaging, and Playful UX Design interfaces that feel exciting, intuitive, and interactive, leveraging gamification techniques to drive user engagement.Create a Scalable Design System Develop a flexible and visually compelling design system that allows for rapid iteration.Work in the Heart of the Startup Chaos Adapt quickly to pivots, changing priorities, and fast decision-making without losing sight of the bigger picture.Design for User Growth & Retention Implement UX strategies that encourage virality, social engagement, and stickiness in a TCG-focused community.Test, Learn, and Iterate Rapidly Move fast, A/B test, gather qualitative and quantitative insights, and refine experiences based on real user behavior.Make Data-Driven Design Decisions Leverage analytics to continuously optimize onboarding, engagement, and conversion flows.Engage with the TCG Community Be actively involved in user conversations on social media, Discord, and forums. Answer questions, collect feedback, and run surveys, polls, and interactive games to better understand our audience and create experiences that truly resonate with them.What You BringCore Skills & Experience: 8-10+ years of experience in product design, UX/UI, or interaction design, with at least one role in an early-stage startup. English communication skillsyou can articulate ideas, design concepts, and feedback to an international, remote-first team. Experience working on B2C digital products, preferably with consumer marketplaces, gaming, or social platforms, or inventory management tool. Strong ability to design for engagementunderstanding gamification, habit-forming UX, and playful design approaches. A highly adaptable mindsetyou thrive in fast-moving environments where priorities shift and are comfortable working without strict processes. No ego when things changeyou embrace feedback, pivot when needed, and dont get stuck on a single solution. Strong cross-functional collaboration skillsexperience working closely with developers, product managers, and marketing teams.Bonus Points: Experience in gamification, social engagement mechanics, or community-driven products. A passion for gaming, trading card games, and geek cultureyou understand our users because you are one of them. A portfolio that showcases colorful, engaging, and high-quality UI/UX work (extra points for gaming, collectibles, or marketplace products).What We Offer Fully Remote Work Work from anywhere, with flexible hours that fit your lifestyle. Early-Stage Equity Be a core part of the founding team and share in our success. Work on What You Love Help shape the future of the $15B TCG market with a team thats as passionate about TCGs as you are. Build From the Ground Up Define the design culture and vision in a role with high autonomy and impact. Career Growth Lead design in a growing startup, with the opportunity to build and scale a team.How to ApplySend an email to [emailprotected] with:Your portfolio (showcasing your best work, especially in colorful, engaging B2C products).A few sentences on why you love TCGs and how your experience aligns with our vision.We cant wait to see what youll bring to CardNexus!

High Court has accepted all three grounds raised by local campaign group for legal challengeCGI showing the proposed 8,000-seat showcourtA judicial review of the decision to approve Allies & Morrisons plans to treble the size of Wimbledons grounds will start on 8 July.The High Court has set a date for the two-day hearing, at which arguments for and against the Greater London Authoritys (GLA) approval of the 200m scheme will be presented.It comes a month after the court allowed a legal challenge of the consent brought by local campaign group Save Wimbledon Park, which has argued that the decision made by the GLA last year had made errors of law and planning policy.The proposals, the largest expansion in the grand slam tournaments history, would add 38 new tennis courts and an 8,000-seat show court on Metropolitan Open Land (MOL) neighbouring the All England Lawn Tennis Clubs (AELTC) main site in Wimbledon.But the scheme has been bogged down by planning disputes since autumn 2023 when Wandsworth council, which covers around 10% of the site, voted to refuse the application due to concerns over the loss of public land. The remaining 90% of the site is located within Merton council, which had approved the scheme two weeks earlier.Aerial view of the expansion, showing the transformation of a golf course neighbouring the championships existing groundsThe scheme was then thrown a lifeline in January 2024 when the application was called in by City Hall and finally approved by deputy mayor Jules Pipe in September following a series of design changes intended to increase public access to the site from the neighbouring Wimbledon Park.Save Wimbledon Park argued in its judicial review bid that the decision had failed to take into account restrictive covenants on the land which the group said would prevent the proposed development.The group is also claiming that a proposed private tennis entertainment complex is not an alternative sports and recreational provision as required by planning policy.The High Court has accepted all three of the groups grounds for a judicial review, with Mrs Justice Lang saying last month that the bid had raised arguable grounds which merit consideration at a full hearing.The site, which is currently occupied by a golf course, comprises the western half of the remnants of an 18th century landscaped garden designed by Capability Brown.The AELTC had argued that scheme would include heritage benefits by removing the golf course and partially restoring the landscaped park.However, Save Wimbledon Park countered that the golf course development had been in planning policy terms deliberate damage to this historic heritage asset, such that the rectification of such damage should not count as a benefit.Jeremy Hudson, speaking on behalf of the campaign group, said legal action had been launched because the community feel strongly that this precious, historic and highly protected environment should be preserved from inappropriate development, be allowed to remain accessible, and continue to be available for community use for sport and recreation.He added: This step is not just for our local community but also important for many other Metropolitan Open Land spaces under threat of development.The AELTC said: Our plans to transform land that was formerly a private members golf club into beautiful new publicly accessible parkland, as well as securing the future of The Championships for generations to come, has been extensively discussed and analysed over the past three years.We are confident in the process undertaken during this time, including the GLAs decision to grant planning permission at a public hearing in September.The deputy mayor concluded in the September hearing that the scheme would provide very significant public benefits that would clearly outweigh any harm done to public land.Pipe had also argued that, while the development would be inappropriate on MOL, in practice the land, which has been the site of a golf club, has been extremely constricted for the past century, principally to fee-paying golfers.The AELTC has said the expansion is needed to maintain the global prestige of Wimbledon, which is currently the only grand slam tournament which is unable to hold qualifying rounds on its own grounds.

The membership body for local authorities in England has hit back at government plans to curtail the role of councillors in making planning decisions.The Local Government Association (LGA) said councillors know their areas best and what they need and described planning committees as the backbone of the English planning system.Currently, decisions on most substantial applications are made by councillors in planning committees, with smaller applications delegated to planning officers.The LGA said planning committees were the backbone of the English planning systemReforms introduced to Parliament yesterday as part of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill would transfer decision making powers on more applications to planning officers under a national scheme of delegation.Housing secretaryAngela Rayner has previously pledged toallow planning officers to approve applications without permission from committeesof councillors if they comply with local plans and the National Planning Policy Framework.> Also read:Planning and Infrastructure Bill sets out radical shake-up of committee systemThe legislation would also ban large and unwieldy planning committees, requiring mandatory training for councillors and setting limits on the number of members to ensure good debate is encouraged.The proposals, which aim to speed up planning decisions and prevent schemes being delayed by political motivations, have been widely welcomed by housebuilders and developers.But the LGA, which represents more than 300 councils across England and Wales, suggested the reforms could harm local democracy.Adam Hug, LGA housing and planning spokesperson, said:There remains concerns around how [the Bill] will ensure that councils who know their areas best and what they need remain at the heart of the planning process.The democratic role of councillors in decision-making is the backbone of the English planning system, and this should not be diminished. Councils approve nine out of ten planning applications that come before them.Yesterday, the County Councils Network (CCN) also voiced concerns over the what it described as efforts to dilute and bypass the role of councillors on planning, particularly in rural areas where small developments could have a larger impact.By only allowing councillors to debate and discuss only the proposals that the government defines as a large development, this will erode local peoples voice within the planning system, said CCN housing and planning spokesperson Richard Clewer.It will also take away the discretion that can be used by planning committees to resolve small applications that come down to very nuanced decisions.And Stuart Evans, partner and head of planning at law firm Anthony Collins, said the changes could make it harder for local communities to challenge large schemes in their area.While a welcome change for developers, we still have reservations in relation to the proposed National scheme of Delegation, Evans said.The National Scheme of Delegation will reduce opportunities for public consultation and engagement in the planning process, risking the sidelining of local concerns in favour of national priorities. This potentially will make it harder for local communities to challenge major development projects.Other changes proposed in the Bill include reducing the number of opportunities for nationally significant infrastructure projects to be challenged in the courts from three to one, and streamlining the process for compulsory purchases to ensure compensation paid to landowners is not excessive.