Amazon has unveiled a 350-foot, 22-story Helix building for its new campus to a mixed reception, with some cheekily comparing it to the poop emoji. According to NBBJ, the architectural firm behind the building’s design, its helix shape is meant to echo the occurrence of helixes in nature – from the double-helix of DNA through
Month: February 2021
Donald Trump’s legal team have dismissed his impeachment over the Capitol riots last month, after Democrats said the former president aimed the crowds “like a cannon” during his speech before the violence. Mr Trump‘s legal team said the Senate has no authority to try the ex-reality star as a private citizen, and that the chamber
Rita Ora is facing criticism once again after travelling to Australia for her role as a coach on The Voice. The British pop star arrived on Monday to begin a two-week period of quarantine in Sydney before filming for the talent show. Under current COVID-19 restrictions in the UK, travelling abroad is banned without a
A phased return of pupils to classrooms in Scotland could begin from 22 February, the first minister has announced. Nicola Sturgeon revealed the news as she confirmed the country’s COVID-19 lockdown restrictions would be extended until at least the end of February. Live COVID updates from the UK and around the world Please use Chrome
Tesla customers are today receiving an email alerting them to a voluntary recall of Model S and Model X vehicles due to a malfunctioning touchscreen. The recall follows pressure from US regulators, and was posted to a US government website on Tuesday, stating that 2012-2018 Model S and 2016-2018 Model X vehicles pose a safety
A mutation of the Kent COVID variant that has been detected in some samples could help the virus evade the immune system, scientists have found. The mutation, which has been labelled E484K, has also been found in the South Africa variant of the coronavirus. It was found in 11 samples of some 200,000 that have
Google has reached a $3.8m (£2.8m) settlement with the US Department of Labor over “systemic compensation and hiring discrimination” affecting more than 5,500 female and Asian workers. The case against Google was brought after federal contract monitors discovered pay disparities affecting female software engineers “during a routine compliance evaluation”. As part of the settlement the
The newest update to Apple’s iOS includes a feature allowing mask wearers to unlock their phones, despite the barrier the masks pose to Face ID. Face ID allows iPhone users to unlock their device simply by holding it up to their faces – but the COVID-19 pandemic has meant people’s faces are obscured most of
Marilyn Manson has responded to allegations of abuse by his former fiancee Evan Rachel Wood, saying the claims are “horrible distortions of reality”. The controversial rock musician has been dropped by his record label and cut from two TV shows following the claims made by the actress. Westworld and Frozen II star Wood, 33, accused
The United Nations (UN) fears the coup in Myanmar will worsen the plight of some 600,000 Rohingya Muslims still in the country. Myanmar‘s military seized power on Monday in a coup against the democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi, who was detained along with other political leaders in early morning raids. Hundreds of
Interest-free “buy-now-pay-later” (BNPL) deals face tighter regulation under plans announced by the government. A review published by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) found that the currently unregulated use of BNPL products nearly quadrupled to £2.7bn during 2020 and five million people had used them since the start of the pandemic. It concluded that the market
The government has been urged to “reverse this reckless policy of leaving our borders unlocked” after it was claimed scientific advisers warned only a total shutdown would stop new COVID-19 variants entering the country. It comes amid fears the more infectious South Africa coronavirus variant is spreading across England. According to The Times newspaper, the
A number of police officers have been suspended after body-camera footage showed a chemical “irritant” being sprayed in the face of a distraught and handcuffed nine-year-old girl. Officials in Rochester, New York, would not confirm how many officers had been sanctioned, but said the suspensions would last at least until an internal investigation is completed.
SpaceX is planning to launch the first all-civilian mission to orbit this year – led by a US billionaire who is paying for the entire flight. Jared Isaacman, who made a fortune in technology and fighter jets, plans to take three people with him to circle the globe for several days in a Dragon capsule.
US actor Dustin Diamond, best known for his role as Screech in hit show Saved By The Bell, has died from cancer at the age of 44, his representative has said. A statement from his represenative Roger Paul said: “We are saddened to confirm of Dustin Diamond’s passing on Monday, February 1st, 2021 due to
It is “absolutely vital” that people in areas of England where the South African variant of coronavirus has been identified minimise all social contact, the health secretary has said. Speaking at the Downing Street news conference, Matt Hancock said the emergence of the COVID-19 variant was a “stark reminder the fight against this virus is