67 m. ago Laura Cannell: Brightly Shone the Moon review | Jude Rogers' folk album of the month

(Brawl)The violinist sets out on her darkest exploration of yuletide yet, giving a murky and melancholy twist on familiar Christmas standardsTraditional music finds its popular, cosy home in the carol, despite the uncanniness that surrounds the nativity story, and the fraying thread back to the past that each winter brings. A veteran explorer of the season (in 2020’s sparkling Winter Rituals EP with cellist Kate Ellis, and 2022’s starker New Christmas Rituals, with amplified fiddle-playing from André Bosman), Laura Cannell sets out on her best and darkest journey yet here, exploring the time of year when, as she writes on the liner notes, “joy and heartache try to exist together”.Named after the line in Good King Wenceslas before the cruel frosts arrive, Brightly Shone the Moon begins at the organ – a nod to Cannell’s childhood Christmases in the Methodist chapels and churches of Norfolk. Cannell’s fiddle then quivers around the 16th-century folk melody of O Christmas Tree/O Tannenb...

Politics

1 hour ago Netflix becomes frontrunner in Warner Bros Discovery streaming and studio sale

Steaming service now in exclusive talks over deal that would change film and TV landscapeWarner Bros Discovery has entered exclusive talks to sell its streaming and Hollywood studio business to Netflix, a move that would dramatically change the established film and TV landscape.Netflix is in competition with Paramount Skydance and Comcast, which owns assets including Universal Studios and Sky, to buy the owner of the Hollywood studio Warner Bros, HBO and the HBO Max streaming service. Continue reading...

Events

4 h. ago 60,000 African penguins starve to death after sardine numbers collapse – study

Climate crisis and overfishing contributed to loss of 95% of penguins in two breeding colonies in South Africa, research findsMore than 60,000 penguins in colonies off the coast of South Africa have starved to death as a result of disappearing sardines, a new paper has found.More than 95% of the African penguins in two of the most important breeding colonies, on Dassen Island and Robben Island, died between 2004 and 2012. The breeding penguins probably starved to death during the moulting period, according to the paper, which said the climate crisis and overfishing were driving declines. Continue reading...

Events

4 h. ago ‘Each speaker is the price of a car’: How listening bars changed Britain’s big night out

As the UK’s clubbing scene struggles to survive, a new nightlife offering is on the rise. Lydia Spencer-Elliott investigates the appeal of London’s listening bars, which are still keeping the capital dancing

Politics

5 h. ago Baby faker Kira Cousins facing ban from Orange Order amidst probe into scandal

An investigation by the Orange Order has been launched after Kira Cousins was caught on video donning the artificial baby bump in a march.

Politics

9 h. ago January 6 riot pipe bomb suspect Brian Cole is pictured after FBI swooped on his $700,000 Virginia home

Brian Cole, 30, a Virginia resident, was identified on Thursday in a stunning breakthrough in the investigation.

Events

9 h. ago Doorbell footage captures moment earthquake struck UK town with 'shake and bang'

A 3.3-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Silverdale at 11.23pm on Wednesday night with local residents recalling hearing a 'bizarre rumbling' and 'thunderous crash'

Politics

10 h. ago Hundreds of thousands of Welsh families hoped to be lifted out of poverty

'We cannot afford to waste a generation’s potential' says the Welsh Secretary

Politics

10 h. ago Members of Congress send scathing letter to WADA over probe to find leaker in Chinese swimmer case

A bipartisan group in Congress has sent a letter to the head of the World Anti-Doping Agency criticizing that group for opening an investigation into who leaked information that led to the agency clearing 23 Chinese swimmers

Politics

12 h. ago Takeaways from the Navy's investigations into 4 mishaps during Houthi campaign

The Navy has released investigative reports into four mishaps that all involve the aircraft carrier USS Harry S

Events

12 h. ago Stress of Houthi combat was a key factor in series of costly Navy mishaps, investigations show

Investigative reports into a series of high-profile Navy mishaps during a U.S.-led campaign against Yemen’s Houthi rebels reveal the operation's toll on ships and personnel

Culture

12 h. ago British expat on the Gold Coast is 'weirded out' by Aussie act at gyms and beaches: 'It's an un

A British woman living on the Gold Coast has sparked fierce debate after calling out one 'crazy' Aussie habit -something she says would 'never' happen in London.

Politics

14 h. ago St Mirren star slams Aberdeen fans for 'weird behaviour' and claims objects were thrown at them in Pittodrie thriller

The Buddies sealed a dramatic point with a 99th minute equaliser in the Granite City

Politics

14 h. ago Joe Root is finally a wizard in Aus after Harry Brook’s Bazball scarecrow act | Barney Ronay

A tale of two Yorkshiremen, one keeping England in the series, the other batting without a brainIn the end even the celebration was perfect, out there under that strange deep-blue southern sky, in the frenzy of the game-state – manic Baz energy, England’s lower order scything away death cult-style at the other end, the way even the grass seems lacquered and glazed by the lights.So yeah. All that stuff. In the middle of this Joe Root guided the ball away through fine leg to complete his first Test hundred in Australia, then marked it with a gentle smile and a wave of the bat, no fist-punching, no monkeys off backs, no angsty and pointed messaging. Continue reading...

Politics

15 h. ago 5.9 magnitude earthquake near Lake Tahoe was ‘bogus event,’ USGS says

The USGS is currently investigating the reason behind the false alert

Politics

15 h. ago Yaya Toure reignites feud with 'snake' Pep Guardiola in incredible rant

Manchester City favourite Yaya Toure has launched a fresh attack on Pep Guardiola, who coached the iconic Ivory Coast midfielder both at The Etihad and at Barcelona

Politics

15 h. ago Chatbots can sway political opinions but are ‘substantially’ inaccurate, study finds

‘Information-dense’ AI responses are most persuasive but these tend to be less accurate, says security reportChatbots can sway people’s political opinions but the most persuasive artificial intelligence models deliver “substantial” amounts of inaccurate information in the process, according to the UK government’s AI security body.Researchers said the study was the largest and most systematic investigation of AI persuasiveness to date, involving nearly 80,000 British participants holding conversations with 19 different AI models. Continue reading...

Politics

15 h. ago Bird flu confirmed in Welsh city as multiple swans found dead

Avian flu has been confirmed in one case and more birds from other areas are being tested

Economics

15 h. ago US lawmakers call for inquiry into second US military strike on alleged Caribbean drug boat

Democratic representative Jim Himes, who saw footage of attack, called it ‘one of the most troubling scenes’ he’s observed in public serviceAnalysis: Killing of survivors sparks outrage – but entire US ‘drug boat’ war is legally shakyA Democratic congressman described an unedited video of an extrajudicial military strike that killed two survivors in the Caribbean as “one of the most troubling scenes” he’s seen in public service, as human rights advocates and policy experts are lining up to demand the video’s public release.Congressman Jim Himes, the ranking member of the House intelligence committee, made the remarks on Thursday after viewing footage in a classified briefing of the 2 September follow-up attack that killed two men clinging to wreckage off the coast of Venezuela. His assessment came as experts called the operation murder under international law. Continue reading...

Events

15 h. ago Tories urge NHS trust to drop action against nurse marched out for calling trans paedo 'Mr' as hearing looms

Jennifer Melle, 40, was previously investigated and disciplined by Trust bosses despite being called the n-word by the patient.

Sport