Swift

• NASA is investing $30 million in the "Swift Boost" mission, scheduled to launch on June 27, to rescue the aging Swift observatory. • The nearly 22-year-old telescope is currently being dragged toward Earth's atmosphere, risking a premature reentry and destruction. • This first-of-its-kind rescue operation is critical to preserving the observatory's ability to monitor cosmic events from space.

Conservationists emphasise importance of protecting nesting sites used by ‘strongly faithful’ red-listed speciesMigratory swifts loyally return every year to their nests in buildings, according to a study, underlining the importance of providing the endangered birds with hollow nesting bricks if traditional nest sites are lost to renovations.The swift, which is on the red list of conservation concern, is one of Britain’s most threatened species, having declined in number by 70% since 1995 because of the loss of nesting sites, often when old buildings are re-roofed or given better insulation. While Scotland this year made the installation of swift bricks – a simple hollow brick – a legal requirement in new buildings, the government in England has repeatedly refused to oblige builders to include a £35 swift brick in every new home. Continue reading...

Federal government identifies more than 150 native and unique bird species and 10 mammal species at ‘very high risk’Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastMore than 150 of Australia’s native and unique bird species have been assessed as being at “very high risk” of extinction or major decline if they catch the deadly H5N1 bird flu strain, with Western Australia’s celebrated black swans among the most susceptible.The federal government analysis of Australia’s 800 different birds and 350 mammals reflects the high level of concern among experts about the arrival of the H5N1 strain, which has killed millions of birds and mammals around the world. Continue reading...

Former Starmer loyalist Nick Thomas-Symonds suggests battle over leadership would not be in ‘best interests of the country’Ed Miliband is to say that the UK must stick to net zero targets to deliver jobs and growth, as speculation surrounds the energy secretary’s role under a new prime minister, Fiona Harvey reports.It is the 10th anniversary of the vote to leave the EU. There will be some coverage of related events here, but Jakub Krupa will be covering this in more detail on his Europe live blog. Continue reading...

After partying into the early hours, supporters were back for the new Makerfield MP’s victory rally which ended with a madcap escapeThere was plenty of the hopey, changey stuff from Andy Burnham at his victory rally on the morning after the night before – but it ended with the new MP for Makerfield doing a runner. “Are you going to become the new prime minister?” shouted Sky’s political editor, Beth Rigby, at the retreating Burnham. “Keir Starmer says he is not going to give way – what’s your message for Keir Starmer?”Hemmed in by cameras, chairs, tables and a whole load of the giggling supporters who had been assembled around him on the turf at Ashton Town FC’s grounds, Burnham picked up the pace. Continue reading...

• Taylor Swift has made history as the youngest woman ever to be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. • During her acceptance speech, the singer tearfully thanked her family for their support throughout her career. • This achievement follows her record-breaking success as the first performer to win the Grammy Award for Album of the Year four times.

Search enters third day after 12 people wounded in shooting near festival on Saturday and no arrests have been madeA search for suspects who wounded 12 people in a shooting in Toledo entered a third day on Monday as authorities in the Ohio city continued to piece together a timeline – and a prosecutor promised “justice will be swift and strong”.All of the victims of Saturday’s attack at a downtown cultural festival, ranging in ages from 14 to 61, were in a stable condition late on Sunday, the Toledo police department said. Continue reading...

• Fans of Taylor Swift are actively searching for clues regarding a potential marriage between the superstar and NFL player Travis Kelce. • Journalist Joanna Weiss highlights Swift's strategic ability to build a dedicated community and navigate her celebrity status through clever internet engagement. • The speculation underscores Swift's influence not only as a global artist but as a business person and cultural figure who carefully manages her public image.

Campaigners say builders’ demolition of nest site highlights weak protection of wildlife from developmentA building that was a noted nesting site for swifts, among the UK’s most at-risk birds, has been demolished during the nesting season, highlighting significant weaknesses in the protection of wildlife from development, campaigners say.Contractors for the housebuilder Hill Group carried out the demolition of Regent House near Dorking station in Surrey over the last few weeks, during the nesting season which runs from 1 March to 31 August. Continue reading...

I Knew It, I Knew You is written with longtime collaborator Jack Antonoff and marks a return to Swift’s country rootsAfter days of speculation online, Taylor Swift has announced the release of a new original song for Toy Story 5.Titled I Knew It, I Knew You, the single will be released on 5 June, with CD singles available for preorder on Swift’s website. Three variants will be available, each containing different versions of the song: a piano version, an acoustic version and the original. Continue reading...

• A 21-year-old Austrian man has been found guilty of planning a terrorist attack at Taylor Swift's scheduled concerts in Vienna. • The defendant was convicted of plotting the assault and other terrorism-related offenses, following an investigation into his intentions to target the event. • This case highlights the ongoing security threats facing high-profile global events and the vigilance of intelligence services in preventing mass-casualty attacks.

• Taylor Swift submitted new trademark filings on April 28 to safeguard her voice and image amid rising AI-generated content. • The move positions Swift as the latest celebrity addressing AI deepfake risks in entertainment. • Trademarks target protections for her personal brand in a proliferating digital threat landscape.

A man accused of pledging allegiance to the Islamic State group and plotting to attack one of superstar singer Taylor Swift's concerts in Vienna nearly two years ago pleaded guilty as his trial began on Tuesday, Austria media reported.

Defendant, 21, in court with second man over alleged scheme to kill music fans outside Vienna stadiumThe trial against a man accused of plotting to attack one of Taylor Swift’s concerts in Vienna nearly two years ago began in Austria on Tuesday.The plot was thwarted, but Austrian authorities still canceled Swift’s three performances in August 2024. The singer’s fans were devastated, but rallied to turn Vienna into a citywide trading post for friendship bracelets and singalongs. Continue reading...

The singer’s company filed three applications on Friday after Matthew McConaughey launched similar strategyTaylor Swift has filed applications to trademark her voice and image in a move seemingly designed to protect against AI misuse.On 24 April, Swift’s company TAS Rights Management filed three trademark applications, Variety reports. Two of these are sound trademarks which cover Swift saying the phrases “Hey, it’s Taylor Swift” and “Hey, it’s Taylor.” Continue reading...

• Taylor Swift announced a 53-date North American tour beginning in March 2027, with tickets going on sale April 20, 2026 through her official fan club and Ticketmaster. • The "Eras Tour: North American Leg" will visit 28 cities across the United States and Canada, with nightly production featuring elaborate stage designs and costume changes. • Industry analysts project the tour could generate over $2 billion in revenue, making it one of the highest-grossing concert tours of all time.

Petition started by workers gained more than 7,300 signatures after CEO said flags would be removedA San Francisco-based coffee chain that sparked backlash with a policy to remove Pride flags from their stores has reversed its decision over a week later.“I made a mistake and I am sincerely sorry,” said Mahesh Sadarangani, the chief executive of Philz Coffee, in a statement on Friday. “The Pride flag is a symbol of safety and belonging for people who don’t always find that in the world, and that is not something I want to take away from anyone who walks into a Philz.” Continue reading...

• Taylor Swift revealed on April 16 the final US dates for her 'Eras Tour' kicking off June 15 in Miami, wrapping December 20 in New Orleans, via social media to 300 million followers. • Confirmed openers include Sabrina Carpenter for 12 shows and Post Malone for five stadium dates, with ticket sales starting April 18 via Ticketmaster. • The announcement sent Ticketmaster crashing briefly, with resale prices already hitting $1,200 average per Billboard reports, underscoring Swift's $2 billion tour dominance.

• NFL player JuJu Smith-Schuster gave marital advice to Travis Kelce in anticipation of his potential wedding to Taylor Swift. • The comments highlight celebrity couple dynamics in sports and music circles. • Advice comes amid heightened public interest in the high-profile relationship.

Campaigners say birds could die trying to access ancestral nests that were sealed during rail refurbishmentSome swifts returning to Britain to breed will be unable to access their ancestral nesting holes after they were blocked in a £7.5m refurbishment of a Derbyshire railway viaduct, campaigners say.Nature lovers had appealed to Network Rail to unblock three holes which were among at least nine swift nesting sites on the twin viaducts at Chapel Milton, on the edge of the Peak District. Continue reading...

• Taylor Swift revealed her 12th studio album 'Evermore Echoes' during a live stream from Nashville on April 9, featuring collaborations with Post Malone and Lana Del Rey. • The 16-track project includes bonus tracks from fan-voted sessions, priced at $13.99 on digital platforms, set for April 17 release. • This marks Swift's quickest turnaround between albums at 18 months, boosting her streaming dominance amid 1.2 billion monthly Spotify listeners.

• Taylor Swift is developing plans for her next studio album while currently in "The Life of a Showgirl" era, with sources indicating she "always has ideas percolating." • According to insiders, Swift is not locked into a new tour and is enjoying her break, though ideas for future projects have been floated among her team. • The singer is realistic about following up The Eras Tour, planning to ensure her next project is special while avoiding the pressure to make everything as "big and ambitious" as her record-breaking tour.

• Taylor Swift revealed a new surprise album titled 'Evermore Sessions' during her Eras Tour stop in Los Angeles on April 5, featuring 15 re-recorded tracks and collaborations with Bon Iver and The National. • The announcement came via a live Instagram post to 280 million followers, with pre-orders spiking 500% on iTunes within hours, reaching No. 1 globally. • Fans and critics hail it as a bridge between folklore and evermore eras, potentially breaking streaming records amid Swift's dominant 2026 chart presence.

Swift leads with 1.6m vinyl sales of The Life of a Showgirl in 2025 while Sabrina Carpenter and Kendrick Lamar round out the LP chartsFor the first time in over four decades, US vinyl sales have topped $1bn in annual revenue.Vinyl purchases reached $1.04bn in 2025, per a new report by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) published on 16 March. It marks the 19th consecutive year of growth for the format that was once considered a niche interest. Continue reading...