Ten monster buildings are set to be constructed in the finance capital, offering high-end office space for industries including technology, media, creative and education according to Shravan Joshi, chairman of the citys planning and transportation committee.

In an interview with the Evening Standard, Joshi confirmed the behemoths will change or add to the UK capitals iconic skyline.

However, the massive investment into Londons Square Mile suggests large employers are shifting their attention back to getting staff into the office with new working patterns emerging.

Paul Swinney, director of policy and research at think tank Centre for Cities, said the fact that developers were willing to splash the cash on multi-million-pound investments suggested the days of entirely remote working could be numbered.

In economic terms, corporations like to be clustered together because it gives them easy access to clients and colleagues as well as to their competitors, which is why we see areas like the City of London or Manhattan emerging, he said.

However with increasing demand, the land price has gone up which is why businesses and developers have started looking at going taller instead of wider giving us skyscrapers. That fact that developers have enough confidence to invest in office skyscrapers tells us that they are happy people will return to their desks.

Joshi has already confirmed that several of the major developments already have anchor tenants in place, and data from Transport for London reveals that journeys on the tube had returned to near pre-pandemic levels.

Analysts Placemake.io and Visitor Insights have suggested that the average office working week is now Tuesday to Thursday, based on data secured from commuters mobile phones. As such infrastructure such as transport will need to be improved, said Swinney.

Studies have suggested that if these buildings have a more distinctive look like the Gherkin or the Shard theyre more likely to get planning permission because of bias in planning authorities.

Planners like unusual buildings they want something that is representative of the fact London is part of a global economy, he added.

Why skylines are important

2023 will see a host of new landmark buildings created across the globe. The Wuhan Greenland Center in China, standing at 475m tall is expected to be completed this year.

In Austin, Texas, projects such as the 80-story, 1,035-foot residential Wilson Tower skyscraper will continue to develop after being announced late last year.

For hybrid workers heading into major metropolitan hubs, seeing structures like skyscrapers could actually act as a form of motivation, said Professor Ruth Dalton, who specializes in architecture and psychology.

She explained: Humans have a mental expectation of what a place will look like, if we know we are going to be in a densely populated place we expect there to be some intensity in the architecture.

In London and other major cities we expect to see skyscrapers, so if we went to the suburbs and saw tall buildings we might find that confusing. Conversely, for hybrid workers commuting into major cities, we find it reassuring to see skyscrapers. It signifies to us that this is where the important work or meetings get done.

Even with its ten new additions, the U.K. capital will be well off having the largest number of tall buildings to its name.

Destinations with the greatest amount of skyscrapers in their skyline include Hong Kong, New York City, Shenzhen, Dubai, Tokyo and Shanghai.

Evidence also suggests that we like our skylines to be varied with different heights, shapes and silhouettes. When we look at nature the complexity is pleasing to humans and we like to see that in our environments too we dont want to see the same buildings repeated at equal distances.

When we study people looking at skylines with more complexity we see they derive more pleasure from it, Dalton added.

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Thats a sizable sum, although the actual amount winners will receive depends on a few factors: Whether they take the lump-sum cash payment or the annuity (most take the former); whether they live in a state that levies state taxes on lottery winnings; and how many other winners there are.

The $940 million prize is based on the annuity pay out over 30 years; if winners take the cash option, as most financial experts advise, the payout falls to $483.5 million for Fridays Mega Millions jackpot.

And thats all before taxes, which will eat up around half of the jackpot. The top federal rate for individual income taxes in 2023 is 37%. So the winner would owe the IRS around $178.9 million on the lump sum, depending on a host of considerations including any deductions a winner might take, leaving you with $304.6 million, according to USA Mega (its less than 37% of the total because of the U.S. marginal tax rate system). The first annuity payment would be worth $31.3 million, or $19.8 after federal taxes.

The IRS automatically takes 24% when you win, and then you will pay the rest of what you owe next year when you file your 2023 tax return.

Exactly how much will depend on where the winner lives. States, including Florida, Washington, and others, dont levy state taxes, while the rest do to different degrees (Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Nevada, and Utah do not sell Mega Millions tickets, although residents can buy them out of state). That means winners in California and New York would take home different amounts: California doesnt tax lottery winnings, while New York levies a 10.9% final tax.

Some jurisdictions may also impose local taxes. State lotteries will also deduct certain expenses, like delinquent child support payments, back taxes, and outstanding student loan payments. Winners should seek out a tax attorney before they claim their prize.

Here is how much each state withholds from lottery winnings for single federal tax filers, according to USA Mega: 

• New York: 10.9%
• New Jersey: 10.75%
• Washington, D.C.: 10.75%
• Oregon: 9.9%
• Minnesota: 9.85%
• Massachusetts: 9%
• Maryland: 8.95%
• Vermont: 8.75%
• Wisconsin: 7.65%
• Maine: 7.15%
• Connecticut: 6.99%
• Montana: 6.9%
• Nebraska: 6.64%
• Delaware: 6.6%
• South Carolina: 6.5%
• West Virginia: 6.5%
• Iowa: 6%
• Rhode Island: 5.99%
• New Mexico: 5.9%
• Idaho: 5.8%
• Georgia: 5.75%
• Virginia: 5.75%
• Kansas: 5.7%
• Mississippi: 5%
• Illinois: 4.95%
• Missouri: 4.95%
• Arkansas: 4.9%
• Louisiana: 4.75%
• North Carolina: 4.75%
• Oklahoma: 4.75%
• Colorado: 4.55%
• Kentucky: 4.5%
• Michigan: 4.25%
• Ohio: 3.99%
• Indiana: 3.15%
• Pennsylvania: 3.07%
• North Dakota: 2.9%
• Arizona: 2.5%

Residents of the following states won't owe state taxes on lottery winnings: Alabama, California, Florida, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming.

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Some of the roughly 20 Republicans declining to vote for McCarthy as the next House speaker are reveling in the moment, depicting their intransigence as a historic chance to correct the balance of power in Washington and give rank-and-file members more say in shaping legislation.

And while most House members are frustrated with the repeating ballots for speaker, fearing what it may portend for the next two years of Republican control, the lawmakers opposing McCarthy show no signs of giving up. In fact, they appear to be enjoying themselves.

This is actually, a really beautiful thing, said Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., one of those opposing McCarthy, as the House prepared Thursday to take its ninth vote on who should be the chambers next speaker.

Boebert said the action on the House floor was the most debate shes seen in her two years in Congress, and I love it.

Moments earlier, Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Mont., shared her enthusiasm.

We have had more discussion and debate over the last three days than I have participated in on this floor for the past two years, Rosendale said. And its healthy. It absolutely promotes the collegiality that everyone is striving to obtain.

But the vast majority of members-elect they still cant take the oath of office are ready to move on. For them, this weeks logjam in the House is preventing the chamber from focusing on the kind of kitchen table issues that voters sent them to Washington to solve. Many fear it could be the start of a new normal filled with gridlock and failure to get bills passed.

Republicans who served in the military gathered Wednesday to voice their frustrations. Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, said there are a variety of missions some of the veterans serving in Congress want to accomplish, from cutting the flow of fentanyl to cutting spending.

I dont think that the American people care about any of the so-called missions happening this week rules changes, who gets more power, who serves on what committee. I cant think of one American who gives a damn about any of that, Crenshaw said.

Republicans expected to lead House committees focused on defense and homeland security issued a joint statement saying the impasse was harming national security.

The Biden administration is going unchecked and there is no oversight of the White House, State Department, Department of Defense, or the intelligence community. We cannot let personal politics place the safety and security of the United States at risk, said the statement from Republican Reps. Michael McCaul of Texas, Mike Rogers of Alabama and Mike Turner of Ohio.

And that was just from the Republican side. Democratic lawmakers were just as unsparing.

First time in 100 years that there is no Congress because of ambition, or power grabs, or dysfunction, said Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York, who will be the chambers top-ranking Democrat. This is not a partisan criticism. Understand this. Its embarrassing. Its dysfunction. Its dangerous. Its stupid. Those are words that Republican have used to describe whats going on in the House Republican conference right now.

McCarthys opponents are taking the criticism in stride. They keep finding different people to float for speaker as they enthusiastically force one vote after another.

Rep. Dan Bishop, R-N.C., said his message to constituents is this: If you think the challenges to America are maybe even existential, are really bad, this is exactly what you should want to see happen.

The House will be back at it Friday, with Republicans trying to elect their new speaker.

McCarthys struggle marks the first time in 100 years that no nominee for House speaker could win the gavel on the first vote. Back in 1923, members of the Republican Partys progressive wing agreed to vote for Rep. Frederick Gillett of Massachusetts on the 9th ballot only after GOP leaders agreed to accept various procedural reforms those members favored.

Few seem to have enjoyed this weeks battles over legislative process more than Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas. He said the House is working just as it should, pointing to the success that some Republicans had a century ago in generating rule changes through fights over the speakership.

The idea that were having multiple rounds of votes on the speaker, it was commonplace in the 19th century, Roy said.

Roy has long complained that lawmakers dont have the chance to amend bills on the House floor, which often leaves them with the choice of voting yes or no on a product put together by a select few legislative leaders. He said changes being sought by the McCarthy holdouts are all about tools of empowerment for the rank-and-file in Congress.

I am open to whatever will give me the power to defend my constituents against this God-forsaken city, Roy said.

The House Freedom Caucus, which generally is made up of the GOPs most conservative members, has proposed that all legislation on the floor be open to amendment votes. That would dramatically slow the legislative process, possibly requiring the House to spend days or weeks focused on a bill.

The group has demanded that, if amendments are limited to some degree, that any Republican amendment supported by at least 10% of the Republican conference be allowed to be debated and voted upon.

McCarthy opponents also want to restore a House rule that would allow any member to offer a motion to vacate the chair, a procedure that forces a vote on whether to remove the speaker. They say it promotes accountability. McCarthy, seeking support from some conservatives, countered with a proposal that would allow such a vote with the support of five members.

The low threshold is troubling for some. Giving one lawmaker the power to force a vote on removing the speaker could become a common occurrence, predicted Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb.

How would you like to do this every week? Bacon said, referring to the voting drama on the House floor. I think thats the future with a few of these individuals.