Laufey on making jazz cool again (and the fish that brought out her inner rage)

The Icelandic star reflects on a phenomenal year, and the music video that let her go "primal".

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Man charged over bomb hoax after Peter Kay show evacuated

Arena in Birmingham cleared after report of suspicious bag, with comedian pulled from stage mid-performance

A man has been charged over a bomb hoax after a live show by comedian Peter Kay in Birmingham was stopped when a “potentially suspicious bag” was found around the venue.

The Utilita Arena Birmingham was evacuated and a 19-year-old man was taken into custody, West Midlands police said on Friday evening.

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Political blame game begins and passengers left adrift after Spirit ceases operations

Republicans blame Biden administration block on JetBlue deal; Democrats point to fuel price surge amid Iran war

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US airlines and government officials battled on Saturday to deal with stranded passengers and stricken employees after discount carrier Spirit Airlines abruptly ceased operations – and a political and business blame game got under way over the collapse of the low-cost carrier.

“If you have a flight scheduled with Spirit Airlines, don’t show up at the airport; there will be no one here to assist you,” the US secretary of transportation, Sean Duffy, warned at a press conference after laying out measures for customers booked with the Florida-based company to obtain refunds or find discounted flights on other airlines.

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Oscars changes allow for double acting nominations while banning AI

The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences has also rewritten rules on international film eligibility

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced a number of major changes for the Oscars on Friday, including a new policy allowing multiple nominations for a single actor in one category, as well as barring acting and writing awards for work done by AI.

According to new statutes decreed by the group’s board of governors, only performances “demonstrably performed” by humans with their consent will be eligible for acting Oscars, while only human-authored screenplays can be up for any writing awards.

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Trump tells Congress ceasefire means he does not need their approval for Iran war

The president writes that hostilities "have terminated" because of the ceasefire, arguing he does not need congressional authorisation.

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Florida prosecutors launch criminal investigation into deaths of 31 sloths

Sloths were set to be displayed at controversial new theme park but report revealed mammals died in warehouse

Prosecutors in Florida said Friday they have launched a criminal investigation into the deaths of dozens of sloths from South America that were set to be displayed at a controversial new theme park.

A Florida fish and wildlife commission (FWC) report revealed last week that 31 mammals taken from rainforests in Peru and Guyana by the owners of Sloth World, a forthcoming tourist attraction in Orlando, perished in an unheated warehouse between December 2024 and February 2025.

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US reinstates ‘gun show loophole’ amid rollback of firearms restrictions

DoJ announces changes including ‘loophole’ that allows people to buy guns at shows without background check

The US justice department has rolled back several significant restrictions on guns, including reinstating the so-called “gun show loophole”, which allowed people at such events to buy firearms without a background check.

The changes, announced by the acting attorney general, Todd Blanche, amount to a shift in firearm policy advocated by supporters of the second amendment, who are prominent in Donald Trump’s supporter base.

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Black lawmakers decry supreme court voting decision: ‘We’re going backwards’

Terri Sewell and Shomari Figures are at risk of losing their seats in Alabama’s Black congressional districts after ruling

The lawmakers who represent Alabama’s two Black congressional districts, who are now at risk of losing their seats after the supreme court effectively decimated the Voting Rights Act, said the decision sends the US “backwards”.

The 6-3 ruling in Louisiana v Callais on Wednesday weakens a key provision of the Voting Rights Act, opening the door for Republicans to eliminate majority-minority congressional districts across the south, and representatives Terri Sewell and Shomari Figures stand in the crosshairs.

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US political violence generates a familiar cycle - this time it's in overdrive

In modern America, it seems violence of this kind has become an ever-present storm that can strike anywhere and at any moment.

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Canada's Carney launches a sovereign wealth fund. What is it?

The fund - which Canadians can invest in directly - will help pay for major infrastructure projects in the country, the prime minister says.

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