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Jeff Bezos’ superyacht will see historic bridge dismantled

Rotterdam has confirmed it will dismantle a historic bridge to allow a superyacht built for Amazon founder Jeff Bezos to fit through. The record-breaking luxury yacht is being built by Dutch firm Oceanco and was linked to Mr Bezos last year. The vessel is reported to be 417ft (127m) long and too tall to fit through the Koningshaven Bridge. A spokesman for the mayor confirmed the plan to reporters, with Mr Bezos set to foot the bill through Oceanco. Reports emerged in Dutch media on Tuesday that the middle section of the Dutch city’s bridge, known locally as De Hef,

Wordle code could be copied to play for seven years

The code that powers the website of the viral puzzle game Wordle can be copied and saved to continue playing it for the next seven years, it has been revealed. The finding comes amid concerns that the game’s sale to the New York Times may mean it stops being free to play. The code, written in Javascript, appears as plain text for those who know how to access it. Some publications have even printed a step by step guide of how to do it. “Effectively you can keep a version of the game as it exists today with enough data

Facebook owner Meta sees biggest ever stock market loss

Facebook’s owner Meta Platforms saw its stock market value slump by more than $230bn (£169bn) on Thursday, in a record daily loss for a US firm. Its shares fell 26.4% after quarterly figures disappointed investors. Meta also said that Facebook’s daily active users (DAUs) had dropped for the first time in its 18-year history. The company’s share price slide saw chief executive Mark Zuckerberg’s net worth fall by $31bn, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. The drop in Mr Zuckerberg’s personal fortune was equivalent to the annual gross domestic product of Estonia. Even after that drop, Mr Zuckerberg has an

Freedom Convoy: GoFundMe seizes funds of Canada ‘occupation’

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Ottawa police have vowed to end the protests in Canada’s capital GoFundMe says it will withhold millions of dollars raised for Canadian truckers protesting against vaccine mandates, citing police reports of violence. The Freedom Convoy has been rallying since last weekend, and more protests are expected in Toronto and Ottawa. In a statement, the crowdfunding website said it would withhold the donations already made, and refund donors who fill out a request form. Another online platform has offered to take donations for the convoy instead. Of the thousands who joined the truckers’ protest, three people have so far been arrested:

Neighbours under threat after Channel 5 drops show

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Neighbours has been dropped by Channel 5, putting the long-running Australian soap opera’s future under threat. The UK network announced on Sunday it would stop showing the programme later this year, after airing it for more than a decade. Network 10, the Australian television network that broadcasts the drama, said it would look for a new partner to work with to keep it on air. It denied filming of the show, which began in 1985, was being paused. The broadcaster added it was committed to keeping the show going if a new broadcasting partner could be found. Set and filmed

Emir Abdelkader: French sculpture of Algerian hero vandalised

A sculpture of an Algerian military hero was vandalised on Saturday in central France, hours before it was inaugurated. The artwork, which was commissioned to mark 60 years of Algerian independence from France, depicts Emir Abdelkader, once dubbed “France’s worst enemy”. Abdelkader led the struggle against the French invasion of Algeria in 1830. He was imprisoned for four years in the French town of Amboise, where the new sculpture now stands. The town’s mayor decided to go ahead with the ceremony on Saturday, saying he was “ashamed” that someone would treat an artwork that way. “This is a day of

Trump responds to Pence rejecting idea he could overturn election

Pence called the idea that one person could overturn election results ‘un-American’ Former President Trump responded Friday night, hours after former Vice President Mike Pence said in a speech that he rejected the idea that he could have used his power on Jan. 6, 2021, to overturn the 2020 presidential election results.  “Just saw Mike Pence’s statement on the fact that he had no right to do anything with respect to the Electoral Vote Count, other than being an automatic conveyor belt for the Old Crow Mitch McConnell to get Biden elected President as quickly as possible,” Trump wrote in an official statement.  Trump argued that if “obvious

White House rides wave of good news after bruising several months

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The White House is riding a wave of good news into the weekend after a bruising several months, touting 2021 economic growth, a surprisingly positive jobs report, a reduction in COVID cases and a successful counterterrorism mission taking out the leader of ISIS. After months of grappling with plummeting approval ratings, a surge in cases of the highly-transmissible omicron variant of COVID-19, the Supreme Court blocking a COVID vaccine mandate, rising inflation, supply chain bottlenecks, unprecedented migration levels at the southern border and President Biden’s Build Back Better agenda stalled in Congress, the first week in February offered some daylight

Camden: Man charged after air pistol pointed at police

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A man has been charged after an air pistol was pointed at a police officer. Tony Adams, 46, has been charged with possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence following an incident in Mornington Crescent on Friday morning. The Met said a carbon dioxide-powered air pistol was pointed at a police officer. Mr Adams of Grieg Walk, Corby, Northamptonshire, will appear at Highbury Magistrates’ Court on Monday. He has been remanded in custody. Mr Adams was also charged with dangerous driving, driving while disqualified and driving with no insurance.

Afghanistan evacuee feels “stuck” in London hotel room

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A British man evacuated from Afghanistan with his family said he feels “stuck” in his London hotel while he waits for news of permanent accommodation. Abdul and Fatima, whose names have been changed, fled to the UK after the Taliban captured Kabul in August. Abdul said refugees in the hotel would be happier in a flat, and it would offer more value to the taxpayer. The Home Office has been contacted for comment. Abdul, a 26-year-old medical student who was born in Afghanistan, and his wife have been staying at Hilton London Metropole in Edgware Road, central London, since September.

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