79 m. 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

1 hour ago The luxury city break with stunning spa, panoramic views and the most unbelievable breakfast

I never wanted to leave my serene escape in the middle of the hustle and bustle

Politics

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 Suella, Jacob, even Liz? Inside Reform’s unofficial plan to bag a Tory big beast

Officially, the party says there is no mission to court Conservative defectors, but insiders suggest otherwise, and warn against the dangers of doing soAt last year’s GB News Christmas party, Suella Braverman was the centre of attention. The former home secretary is popular in rightwing media circles, but it wasn’t her straight-talking brand of conservatism that was topic of the evening, rather it was the growing whispers about what some thought was her imminent defection to Reform UK.“It was like a panto – everyone saying: ‘Oh yes you will’, and her saying: ‘Oh no, I won’t’,” says one Reform party guest. “We all thought she was just biding her time until the right moment.” 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

6 h. ago Ridiculous Welsh town by the sea is like walking back in time, everything is epic

With its commanding medieval walls, ancient castle and lively harbour, this town is one of the best coastal escapes in North Wales

Politics

8 h. ago Government prepares for release of landmark review into ailing water sector

The Independent Water Commission will outline its final recommendations to tackle systemic issues in the industry.

Politics

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

11 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

13 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 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

18 h. ago Cancelling Colbert, bribery, an $8bn deal: what’s going on at Paramount?

The fallout from the Trump payoff comes as a merger threatens the company’s integrity and A-list talent, such as Stephen Colbert, have already been sacrificedFor a decade the comedian Stephen Colbert has mocked, ridiculed and eviscerated Donald Trump from every conceivable angle. On Thursday Colbert told his audience at the Ed Sullivan Theater in New York that his popular late night TV show is being cancelled. “Yeah, I share your feelings,” he said in response to a chorus of boos.The CBS network insisted that it had made “a purely financial decision” to wind up The Late Show next year. But others are not so sure. Adam Schiff, a Democratic senator who was a guest on Thursday’s show, tweeted: “If Paramount and CBS ended the Late Show for political reasons, the public deserves to know. And deserves better.” Continue reading...

Economics

19 h. ago Sing Street at the Lyric Hammersmith: 'the level of musicianship is incredible'

This adaptation of the film set in Dublin in the 80s is an exuberant coming-of-age musical with a talented young ensemble

Politics

19 h. ago Inside the troubled upbringing of Chelsea's new £60m star: Joao Pedro's father went to prison and his mother sacrificed meals to help the striker achieve his dream

Back in 2002, Joao Pedro and his family's lives changed forever when his father, Botafogo star Chicao, was handed a 16-year prison sentence for being accessory to murder.

Events

21 h. ago Bring Her Back review: Sally Hawkins will scare the pants off you in the horror film of the year

The makers of Talk to Me, Australian twins Danny and Michael Philippou, have returned with a movie that raises the terror game to frightening new levels

Events

21 h. ago ‘I love England so much’: From TV to pop, film to fashion, the UK is enjoying a cultural resurgence

Three decades on from Blur and Oasis, a new and more diverse wave of stars is celebrating British identityIn the opening episode of Lena Dunham’s Netflix show Too Much, a heartbroken New Yorker moves to London to live out her fantasy of British life and love stories. Jess is quickly swept up in her feelings for an indie musician, dreamily referring to him as “My Mr Darcy, my Rochester, my Alan Rickman”.Produced by the team behind Bridget Jones, Notting Hill and Love Actually, the show was inspired by Dunham’s own move to London in 2021. Continue reading...

Culture

21 h. ago Viral and cringeworthy kiss cam moments from Olivia Rodrigo's big blunder to Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander's VERY tense moment

The Kiss Cam is an iconic staple of American pop culture, responsible for some of Hollywood's funniest - and most awkward - moments.

Politics

23 h. ago For Muslims, Mamdani’s rise signifies a new way of looking at who represents America

The New York mayoral candidate has piqued the interest of South Asian Americans and Muslims – not only because of his identity, but his platform, tooZohran Mamdani’s victory in New York City’s Democratic primary for mayor has a group of Pakistani American aunties and uncles so excited that they are wondering if they should have given their own children more freedom in choosing their careers. “What if we let our kids become politicians, and not just doctors and engineers?” a member of the grassroots political organizing group, DRUM Beats, asked at a small celebration held at an Islamic school last month in south Brooklyn.DRUM Beats, which represents New York City’s working class South Asian and Indo-Caribbean populations, was one of the first grassroots groups to endorse Mamdani, when he launched his campaign in October – long before he became a household name. More than 300 volunteers, who spoke near a dozen languages, knocked on at least 10,000 doors to support him. DRUM Beats says...

Politics

25 h. ago My cultural awakening: Miss Congeniality helped me to save my friend’s life

A scene from Sandra Bullock’s 2000 film gave me the courage to intervene at a crucial moment – and eventually led me to a career in journalismIt was a brie and cranberry panini that nearly killed my friend George. Six of us were squashed on to one picnic bench in Edinburgh, nine years ago, on our lunch break at a magazine. I felt an instant click with George when he we first met. I was an intern when I first met George, nauseous with first-day nerves. “Is that a Welsh twang I can hear? Sorry, I’m George!” he’d said, before talking me through the office milk-buying etiquette. We had that frenetic compatibility that makes you assume you’ll be friends for ever.Within a couple of years I’d become part of the team. That day at lunch, as someone cracked a joke, George mistimed his bite. He cleared his throat while we slapped his back and chuckled. Then the colour drained from his lips. His coughs turned to rattly gasps, his fingers flew to his collarbone and his eyes rolled back. Continue...

Politics

25 h. ago Man quits UK for Spain but is left fuming after discovering 'biggest culture shock'

EXCLUSIVE: Six months ago, Mark Danby left the UK behind for the warmer climes of Spain, uprooting his life and switching for Manilva, but noticed a certain "contrast" between the two nations

Events