1 hour ago Billie Marten on surviving the 'cesspit whirlwind of pop music'

The rising singer-songwriter has forged her own path with folk music that keeps taking her from strength to strength, away from the demands of the pop world

Events

2 h. ago Drayton and Mackenzie: Men, love and money in the 21st century

Novels that dip into the lives of their characters every few years risk them seeming detached from the world or clumsily inserted into historical events. Drayton and Mackenzie, Alexander Starritt’s third novel about two mismatched friends, enters into their lives at intervals, and falls into neither of those traps.

Politics

2 h. ago A new Irish writer is getting rave reviews – but nobody knows who they are. That gives me hope | Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett

Pen names have a long history. Now Liadan Ní Chuinn is shunning publicity in an industry that demands ever more exposureWhat’s in a pen name? Irish writer Liadan Ní Chuinn’s debut short story collection, Every One Still Here, is receiving rave reviews and rapturous praise, but hardly anyone seems to know who they are. A cursory Google turns up no photos or biographical information. All we know is that the writer is Northern Irish and was born in 1998, the year of the Good Friday agreement.A statement from Irish publisher The Stinging Fly reads: “The Stinging Fly has been working with Liadan on these stories for the past four years. From early on in the process, they expressed a desire to publish their work under a pseudonym and to protect their privacy throughout the publication process. No photographs of the author are available and Liadan will not be participating in any in-person interviews or public events.”Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett is a Guardian columnist Continue reading...

Politics

3 h. ago Hidden gem country 3 hours away praised for bargain prices, beauty and culture

From its bargain beaches to its variety of experiences and relaxed charm, the country is an affordable gem for those looking to holiday in Europe

Economics

4 h. ago Anas Sarwar urges sacked MP Brian Leishman to be team player if readmitted to Labour

The Scottish Labour leader said he welcomed people who were 'committed' to the party after Grangemouth MP Leishman had the whip withdrawn.

Sport

5 h. ago These are the cities where college graduates are actually landing jobs

Rather than job hunting in New York or Chicago, research suggests smaller cities and their metro areas may be the key to landing a new job

Politics

6 h. ago Damning numbers show what people think of Welsh Labour in every part of Wales

Of the 1,000 people asked, less than a third thought Labour was doing a good job in Welsh Government

Politics

6 h. ago Middle class families could be hit with soaring water bills under Labour's new plan to subside the costs for Britain's poorest households

The proposed national social tariff is due to be presented to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer in a review of the water industry on Monday.

Society

10 h. ago Labour vows to make Britain’s rivers cleanest on record by halving sewage pollution

Pledge comes ahead of Monday’s publication of the Independent Water Commission’s landmark review into the ailing water sector

Politics

10 h. ago Environment Secretary pledges to halve sewage pollution by 2030

The Government is preparing to respond to a landmark review into the ailing water sector on Monday.

Politics

10 h. ago Inside California's castle of surrogacy horrors: Millionaire owners' twisted baby factory finally exposed as shocked neighbors break silence

From the outside, the imposing castle-like design and gated exterior made the $4.1 million mansion appear like a fortress. But behind the walls lurked a dark secret.

Events

11 h. ago ‘How did I feel giving the baby away? I never thought of it like that’: inside a weekend retreat for surrogate mothers

They don’t do it for money, and pregnancy takes a toll. So why do women lend their wombs to carry a baby for strangers they’ve met online?Get our weekend culture and lifestyle emailAs I walk out of Hobart airport’s small arrivals hall, I immediately spot the person I’m looking for. My contact, Mollie D’Arcy, is standing at the exit, heavily pregnant. Her baby bump isn’t the only giveaway – she’s holding up a laminated sign in hot pink writing, sticky taped to a retractable light sabre toy. It reads, “Surrogates on Tour.”It’s mid-September 2024 and D’Arcy is this year’s Surrogacy Sisterhood Retreat organiser and captain. Since its inception in 2018, it’s the first time this event, a roving annual weekend away for surrogates past and present, has made it to Tasmania. Continue reading...

Politics

12 h. ago Astronomer CEO Andy Byron resigns after Coldplay ‘kiss cam’ scandal, company confirms in statement

‘Astronomer is committed to the values and culture that have guided us since our founding,’ the company said in a statement Friday

Economics

12 h. ago New rule change set to hit every home in UK without a driveway

A new £63 million initiative has been announced by the Labour government to supercharge the UK's electric vehicle revolution, which is set to slash household electricity costs for EV owners.

Events

13 h. ago Denny Hamlin vows 23XI Racing will go on, answers will come in December in court battle with NASCAR

NASCAR race team owner Denny Hamlin remained undeterred in the wake of another setback in court, vowing “all will be exposed” in the scheduled December trial as part of 23XI Racing’s federal suit against the auto racing series

Events

13 h. ago Love Island star Siannise Fudge blasts ITV show for 'normalising' toxic behaviour as she reveals past relationship abuse in emotional post

Fans have slammed this year's male stars for their toxicity - with allegations of 'manipulation, gaslighting and disrespect'.

Events

14 h. ago Jackpot won on music knowledge game show The Hit List for first time

The BBC One show features contestants trying to name pop songs and who sang them in a race against the clock.

Events

14 h. ago A secret VHS tape was mailed to Disneyland in 1995 and threatened an attack. The insidious plot was just exposed

The tape was a key piece of evidence in an FBI counter-terrorism investigation launched during the height of panic surrounding a Japanese doomsday cult, revealed in never-before-seen documents, reports Rhian Lubin

Events

15 h. ago Mystery cave found in North Korea as experts baffled by what's inside 'backbone' mountain

A team of experts from Kim Il Sung University, Kim Chaek University of Technology, the National Authority for the Protection of Cultural Heritage and the State Academy of Sciences are baffled

Science

16 h. ago Chaos and fear as Afghans exposed in huge data breach left in limbo by UK

Exclusive: ‘We don’t deserve this’ – Afghans who worked with UK forces left behind after the fall of Kabul and affected by the breach call on the UK to evacuate them now

Events