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The demands of Welsh devolution are simple: just give us what Scotland has | Will Hayward
Welsh First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth has submitted a formal request to Prime Minister Andy Burnham for greater devolved powers, including control over policing, justice, rail infrastructure, the crown estate and welfare. This matters because Burnham is perceived as more receptive to Welsh devolution than his predecessor, potentially creating an opportunity to increase Wales’s autonomy.…
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Rough sleepers camp near London’s Connaught Hotel, prompting residents’ concerns
A group of rough-sleeping migrants has established an encampment near the Connaught Hotel, one of London’s most exclusive five-star hotels in Mayfair. The group of approximately 15 people typically arrive in the early evening and depart around 7am, camping in doorways around luxury boutiques and residential properties. Local residents and office workers have reported concerns…
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Google’s Cr-48 prototype helped lay the groundwork for Chromebooks
Google’s Cr-48 was the prototype that introduced the idea behind Chromebooks, though Google did not call it a Chromebook or design it as a retail product. A podcast episode revisits the device and the history of ChromeOS, examining whether Google’s approach to computer hardware was the right one. The episode features The Verge’s Nilay Patel,…
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How pocket-sized music players reshaped listening before smartphones took over
Portable MP3 players turned digital music into something people could carry in their pockets, helping reshape how music was stored, shared and heard. The iPod’s 2001 launch brought the devices into the mainstream, but smartphones and music streaming soon displaced them. The first commercial player, the MPMan F10, launched in 1998 with 32MB of storage,…
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Camden barber faces £500 fee or removal of 15-year-old shop bench
A barber in Kentish Town, north London, has been ordered by Camden Council to remove a bench outside his shop for 15 years or pay £500 for a pavement licence, plus £350 annually to renew it. Michael Vasili, 42, who runs George’s Barber Room started by his father in 1989, says the community bench is…
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Rural Data Centers Are in for a Big Federal Tax Break
From next year, data centre projects in rural areas will become newly eligible for federal corporate tax benefits under an expanded opportunity zones programme. The expansion, enacted through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, aims to attract major capital-intensive projects, particularly hyperscale data centres, to rural communities that have traditionally struggled with investment. The programme…
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Deliveroo to roll out food delivery robots in parts of Britain – but boss insists they’re not getting rid of human riders
Deliveroo is launching food delivery robots in five British locations including London, Leeds and Milton Keynes, using AI-powered vehicles from US tech firm Coco. The move marks the takeaway app’s latest attempt to compete with rivals Uber Eats and Just Eat as the food delivery market intensifies and DoorDash’s £2.9 billion acquisition of Deliveroo in…
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Nivalis Nights dares to ask what if Cyberpunk 2077 met Dave the Diver and Stardew Valley? And for now at least I’m loving the answer
Nivalis Nights combines the neon dystopia of Ion Lands’ Cloudpunk with restaurant management, farming and underwater exploration. Its early story ranges from a serial killer investigation to helping children escape trafficking, while the reviewer says the unusual mix is compelling and the richly detailed city is a major part of its appeal. The player inherits…
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John Cena’s Hollywood warmth contrasts with loyalty to Vince McMahon
John Cena has built a Hollywood career by playing amiable, often foolish characters with warmth, while maintaining a close connection to professional wrestling. The article explores whether his loyalty to WWE and its former boss, Vince McMahon, could damage his public image, given the serious allegations against McMahon. McMahon resigned from WWE and its parent…
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Eric Morecambe’s vampire book inspires a new television comedy
Tonight’s television spans children’s entertainment, drama, comedy and thrillers, led by an adaptation of Eric Morecambe’s children’s book. – The Reluctant Vampire: Based on Eric Morecambe’s children’s book, this comedy features teenager Valentine discovering he is human, not a vampire, adapted by the team behind Alan Partridge. – Dog Dancing: A freestyle choreography challenge in…