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The Unlikely Union of Mabe Fratti and Bill Orcutt This dreamlike, intimate album unites one of experimental music's current stars with one of its most prolific veterans. During an interview promoting 2024's acclaimed Sentir Que No Sabes, 34-year-old Guatemalan cellist Mabe Fratti praised Bill Orcutt, the 64-year-old US guitarist whose disjointed, aggressive four-string playing – honed in 90s noise-rock band Harry Pussy – graces more than 100 records. Orcutt reached out, and they started sharing files. While their friendship is new, Almost Waking reveals a deep kinship between these true originals. The Album's Conversational Duets The album centres on conversational duets between Fratti's cello and Orcutt's guitar. On the overdriven Forced & Forced & Forced, Orcutt's trademark string-snapping plucking is matched by Fratti's fragmented, agitated bow-scraping. Just as both players can wrestle with their instruments, they know how to make them feel like voices. On Steps of the Sun, the cello and guitar harmonise tenderly and take turns as lead, performed with the complex phrasing and dynamism of a sung duet. Vocal Appearances and Musical Chemistry Fratti's soaring vocals appear on two tracks. El Inicio Es Cuestión De Suerte is a stately ballad set to a looping guitar melody, while Todo Puede Ser Error has more showmanship, featuring a jangling Orcutt solo. If the instrumentals reveal how naturally Fratti fits in Orcutt's spidery world – her lusher, warped art-pop shaped by the same fragmentation – these tracks prove his adversarial style can work in more melodic settings. While Almost Waking feels like an aside for Fratti and Orcutt, both are reframed in this wonderfully alive-sounding album.

The Lead: Japan's World Cup AmbitionsJapan have been late bloomers in terms of World Cups, only reaching the tournament for the first time in 1998 – but since then they have been at every edition. While they have never gotten past the last 16, their current crop of players is surely the most talented in the national side's history.Statement Victory: Japan's Rising International StatusJapan were the first team – outside the hosts – to qualify for the 2026 World Cup. The Samurai Blue have beaten Germany, Brazil, England and Spain since 2022. Their recent 1-0 win at Wembley against England in March, courtesy of a Kaoru Mitoma goal, sent a clear statement about their growing international prowess.Key Players: Mitoma's Absence and Kubo's PromiseJapan's preparations were dealt a blow with star player Kaoru Mitoma missing the tournament due to a hamstring injury. However, Japanese right-winger Takefusa Kubo has promised to fill the void. The 24-year-old has had a fantastic season at Real Sociedad, where he has tormented the best defences of La Liga and helped his side lift the Copa del Rey.Team Structure: Strong Backbone and Tactical FlexibilityWhile coach Hajime Moriyasu's side relish unleashing their attacking talent when possible, they can be pragmatic when needed – playing a low block and keeping things tight – and have a strong backbone. Former Arsenal defender Takehiro Tomiyasu has made the 26-man squad, despite not playing for the Samurai Blue for almost two years due to injuries. In midfield, Wataru Endo offers versatility alongside his leadership and defensive screening, while Daichi Kamada of Crystal Palace offers creativity in the middle of the park.Group Analysis: Path Through Group FJapan will surely qualify from Group F, with their opener against the Netherlands likely to be the stiffest test but also an opportunity to send a statement about their intentions. Tunisia and Sweden will probably not have enough quality to contain the Japanese, but the Blue Samurai certainly will not want to be getting complacent.Future Outlook: Breaking the Last 16 BarrierJapan may well break their last 16 hex – but the last eight will likely be as far as it goes for a side whose limitations will probably catch up with them. The psychological weight of so many last 16 exits is something the Blue Samurai will have to find a way to shrug off if they are to achieve greater success in 2026.Squad Breakdown: Key Names to KnowGoalkeepers: Zion Suzuki, Keisuke Osako, Tomoki Hayakawa.Defenders: Yuto Nagatomo, Shogo Taniguchi, Ko Itakura, Tsuyoshi Watanabe, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Hiroki Ito, Ayumu Seko, Yukinari Sugawara, Junnosuke Suzuki.Midfielders: Wataru Endo, Junya Ito, Daichi Kamada, Ritsu Doan, Ao Tanaka, Kaishu Sano, Takefusa Kubo, Yuito Suzuki.Forwards: Daizen Maeda, Koki Ogawa, Ayase Ueda, Keito Nakamura, Kento Shiogai, Keisuke Goto.

The Scale of Government WasteCancelled government projects cost taxpayers a staggering £6.6 billion in the past year alone, with money written off that achieved no intended objectives or created any value for the public, according to parliament's spending watchdog. The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) described successive governments' tendency to abandon projects after spending significant sums as a "particularly egregious" example of poor value for public money.Key Failed InitiativesAmong the most prominent cancelled projects were the Conservative government's Rwanda deportation scheme, which cost £290 million before being scrapped by the new Labour administration, and the planned A303 road tunnel under Stonehenge, which contributed to a £472 million loss for the Department for Transport. The Ministry of Defence emerged as one of the most wasteful departments, incurring a £1.6 billion loss through project cancellations in the 2024-25 tax year.Financial Impact AnalysisThe cross-party committee analyzed spending across 17 main government departments and identified several factors behind the financial losses:Write-offs and debts no longer being pursuedDepartments cancelling or retiring assetsFraud, particularly in the Department for Work and PensionsCompensation schemes reaching £73.4 billion by the end of the last financial yearThe Department for Work and Pensions reported £9.3 billion in overpayments due to fraud and errors that have persisted for 36 years.Governance and Accountability ConcernsThe PAC deputy chair, Labour MP Clive Betts, characterized the high costs as a sign of government "complacency," stating that hard-working taxpayers should be "rightly aggravated" by the figure. The committee rejected the argument that high levels of fraud and waste are simply "the cost of doing business in the public sector," instead labeling them "the cost of complacency." James Bowler, the Treasury's permanent secretary, acknowledged that write-offs could occur with changes in government and differing objectives, suggesting a "value for money trade-off" in project completion decisions.Future Outlook on Government SpendingThe report calls for urgent action to reduce fraud and improve value for money in government programs. The Treasury has stated it "will never tolerate fraud, error or waste" and emphasized that the government ended the Rwanda scheme and cancelled unaffordable road projects to "protect the public finances." With public finances under increasing scrutiny, the findings are likely to intensify demands for greater accountability and more rigorous project planning before major initiatives receive approval and funding.

The LeadAt this time of year a sinister-looking substance can often be sighted around Britain's coast: a frothy foam piled up along the shoreline or appearing in long ribbons offshore. People sometimes assume this foam is the result of pollution or sewage dumping. In fact it is a common natural phenomenon produced by a combination of algae and weather.The Science Behind Sea FoamSea algae start to grow in April as conditions warm. The most common sort, phaeocystis, is not toxic and forms part of the marine food chain. When the algal bloom dies it leaves a brown scum of organic material with surfactant properties, which, like soap, lowers the surface tension of the water.Formation of Coastal FoamThese natural surfactants create foam when the water is disturbed. Breaking waves churn up the water and produce yellowish-brown foam along the shoreline. This may be so abundant that fragments blow about like thistledown.Wind Patterns and Foam LinesWind blowing over the sea creates rotating horizontal cylinders of water, like submerged rolling pins. These rotating currents, known as Langmuir circulation, push water downward at one point and up in another. Sea foam gathers in long parallel lines in the calm sections, known as windrows, foam lines, or drift lines.Understanding the Appearance and SmellSea foam may look unnatural, as well as unsightly, and it sometimes smells foul. But it is generally natural and harmless.

The Passing of a NASCAR LegendTwo-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch has died at 41 after being hospitalized with a severe illness, NASCAR announced in a Thursday statement. The racing organization expressed their sadness, calling Busch "one of our sport's greatest and fiercest drivers" and extending condolences to his family, Richard Childress Racing, and the motorsports community.Racing Career and AchievementsBusch, a Las Vegas native, won championships in 2015 and 2019 and held the record for most wins across NASCAR's three national series with 234 victories. He was in his fourth season at Richard Childress Racing after previously winning titles with Joe Gibbs Racing. This season, he ranked 24th in the Cup Series standings with two top-10 finishes in 12 races.The Final RaceDuring a NASCAR Cup Series race on May 10 at Watkins Glen, Busch radioed in to his crew requesting medical aid after struggling with a sinus cold that was exacerbated by the intense G-forces and elevation changes at the upstate New York road course. Despite his condition, Busch continued to race and finished eighth.A Polarizing Figure in MotorsportsKnown as "Rowdy" and "Wild Thing" for his post-race fights, regular feuds with other drivers, and sometimes outlandish behavior, Busch stormed onto the Cup Series scene in 2005 by winning rookie of the year. Over his career, he won 63 Cup Series races and became one of the most recognizable figures in NASCAR.Legacy and FamilyBusch is survived by his wife, Samantha, and children Brexton and Lennix. His death marks the end of an era for NASCAR, as one of its most successful and controversial drivers has passed away at a relatively young age, leaving behind a legacy of remarkable achievements and memorable moments on the track.

The Journey of a Reject to Liverpool LegendThere was the Barcelona comeback on the night he ruffled Lionel Messi's hair, the Champions League triumph in Madrid, winning Liverpool's first league title in 30 years and pressing five Manchester City players in one career-defining run at Anfield when 4-1 up. But the best feeling Andy Robertson experienced at Liverpool was "climbing the mountain" with Jürgen Klopp's all-conquering team. Nobody climbed higher or harder.The boy who was rejected by Celtic at 15 and tweeted: "Life at this age is rubbish with no money" after his debut for Queen's Park aged 18 became the man many consider to be Liverpool's finest left-back, and arguably the best in the world at his peak. With 377 fiercely committed appearances in a Liverpool shirt behind him, Robertson will say goodbye on Sunday. The 32-year-old Scotland captain leaves "with no regrets, no bitterness" and "glad that one of our Egyptian friends might take a bit more of the limelight. I can just sneak underneath that."The Climbing of the Mountain Together"We were on the most amazing journey ever, all together," he reflects. "When we started out Mo Salah didn't sign as the best player in the world or the best winger in the world. Virgil van Dijk had the potential to be but wasn't the best centre-back in the world. Alisson wasn't the best goalkeeper in the world. Trent [Alexander-Arnold] wasn't the best right-back in the world. Hendo [Jordan Henderson] was still trying to find his feet as captain. We were all just on this journey from the bottom to the very top together and climbing that mountain was the best feeling ever."Every day we came in knowing we were getting better and better and starting to click as a team. We'd beat teams in the tunnel. Genuinely. When I speak to my Scotland teammates, they were lining up in the tunnel and looking over thinking: 'We're going to need to run our socks off today to get anything.' And more often than not they didn't get anything."We had an unbelievable environment to express ourselves, to play with freedom, but in our minds we knew we had to work at 100%. That was obviously from the manager, from the coaches, and I think then all the staff and people behind the scenes bought into it and you had the whole training ground determined to achieve all our dreams. Everyone was on the same page and we just made magical things happen thankfully."The Impact of Tragedy and TransitionRobertson's reminiscence prompts an inevitable follow-up. Why does Liverpool not feel like that now? His reply stops everyone in their tracks, and brings home the tragic reality of what this season has entailed for the now deposed Premier League champions. "In terms of the club I am leaving behind I think we are not at the 2017 stage, we are at the transition stage," begins one of Diogo Jota's closest friends. The Liverpool forward's death in a car crash alongside his brother in north-western Spain last July cast a dark pall over the campaign."This year hasn't worked out for a variety of reasons. We can't hide away from it, and it is not an excuse, but what we went through in the summer no team will ever go through. No member of staff will go through. I hope they never go through it because the devastation we went through … football didn't matter. We didn't care about football for weeks. None of us wanted to train. You were getting treatment off physios and physios didn't want to treat you. That is the reality of it."As footballers we of course have a duty, we have to move on and we managed that. We started the season fairly well although it was still an emotional time for us. The [season-opening] Bournemouth game was ridiculously emotional with all of Jots' family being there. I think after the 20th minute you saw a real dip in performance because of the emotional impact that it had on all of us.The Future of Liverpool FC"But then the season has been inconsistent. We bought players that we all got excited about, and they will all have an unbelievable career at Liverpool. I have no doubt about that. But they are also young. The one thing I get annoyed about in football is that footballers do not control their price tag. The market controls it. These players will be successful for Liverpool but they probably need a bit of time."Then some players who have played at a ridiculously high level haven't played to that level. If you add all that in then we have had an inconsistent season and that is the huge frustration for us. We have been too easy to play against. There is no hiding away from that but I believe they have more than enough in that changing room to be successful for Liverpool again."

The Rise of AI-Generated World Cup Songs World Cup fans are using artificial intelligence to create viral songs supporting their teams ahead of next month's tournament. These fan-made football anthems are racking up millions of plays across YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. The Trend Takes Shape The trend appears to have started with a song dedicated to the French team, 'Imbattables', released in February by artist Crystalo, who is listed on Spotify as France's 'premier AI musical creator'. A Brazilian anthem followed with a similar name-chanting format and a trending phonk melody. The Data Analysis Millions of plays across YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram Tracks for top sides Portugal, Argentina, and Germany, as well as many others, have sprung up across platforms The Impact Analysis Experts say that the viral tunes raise questions about song ownership, artist compensation, and the valuation of human creativity. While some users do not appear to mind, with some even showing a preference for the AI-generated songs over an official anthem that football's world governing body FIFA commissioned from musicians Jelly Roll and Carin Leon. The Prediction The music industry has to cross the 'thorny Rubicon' of knowing what goes into a generative output, like a World Cup fan song. Quick-fix songs that can be chanted by fans or featured in advertisements are a clear use case for AI-generated music in its current stage.

The Democratic Autopsy Report: Incomplete and InconclusiveThe Democratic Party in the United States has released its long-awaited report examining why former Vice President Kamala Harris failed to beat Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election. However, the so-called autopsy document was incomplete and inconclusive – riddled with factual mistakes and annotations questioning its assertions. DNC Chair Ken Martin acknowledged the report's shortcomings, stating that transparency was paramount and releasing it in its current state was better than withholding it entirely.The Omission of Gaza: A Critical OversightLeading up to the 2024 vote, Israel's genocidal war on Gaza was one of the most contentious and divisive issues for the Democrats and Harris. The Biden-Harris administration provided nearly $18bn to fund Israel's assault on Gaza and vetoed several UN Security Council resolutions calling for a ceasefire. This uncompromising pro-Israel policy caused some segments of the Democratic base to turn against Harris. Yet, there are zero mentions of Gaza and Israel in the 192 pages of the autopsy report, despite polls suggesting it was a top issue for voters who abandoned Harris.The Report's Flaws: Missing Sections and Factual ErrorsThe DNC released the report in its unvarnished format, revealing significant problems. Several sections – including the executive summary and conclusion – were entirely missing, replaced with the word 'pending' and the annotation 'this section was not provided by author.' The document also makes numerous questionable and false assertions, with annotations such as 'claim contradicts public reporting' and 'data appears to be inaccurate and contradicts public reporting.' Basic facts were wrong, including the number of gubernatorial races Democrats won in 2024.Campaign Strategy Failures: Insufficient Support and Negative MessagingThe report highlighted several strategic failures in the Harris campaign. It criticized the Biden administration for not adequately supporting Harris, noting that polling was done for how Jill Biden could support Joe Biden, but no similar research was done for Harris. The audit also faulted the White House for assigning Harris immigration responsibilities without adequate political training. Additionally, the campaign's 'not Trump' approach failed to effectively define Harris beyond her opposition to Trump, and when negative messaging was used against Trump, it did not highlight his flaws effectively.The Transgender Ad: A Campaign-Defining MomentOne of the most memorable commercials of the campaign season – an ad featuring Harris saying she supports access to sex change surgeries for 'every transgender inmate' – proved particularly damaging. The commercial played video of Harris making that statement and concluded with a narrator saying, 'Kamala is for they/them'; President Trump is for you.' Pollsters recognized the attack as very effective, leaving the campaign 'boxed' with no effective response. The report noted that given the stakes and timing, the focus needed to be on attacking Trump rather than defending on this issue.Future Implications for Democrats: Lessons from a Flawed AnalysisDespite its flaws, the autopsy report offers some insights for the Democratic Party as it looks ahead to future elections. The DNC chair acknowledged that the report did not meet his standards and that actionable takeaways were lacking. The absence of a substantive analysis on key issues like Gaza suggests the party may still be grappling with how to address divisive topics within its base. Moving forward, Democrats will need to develop more positive messaging, better support for candidates, and more effective strategies for addressing controversial issues that alienate key segments of their potential voting coalition.

The Play's Concept Imagine if One Day was set in Long Eaton. Now, take its sweeping, time-spanning love story, but make it platonic, and about two theatre-obsessed best mates. That’s the foundation for Jane Upton’s luminous, heart-exploding play, which catches Jess and Billy in a series of snapshots across their friendship. The Story Unfolds Beginning in the early 90s, during their school days, and then moving through their 20s, 30s and into their mid-40s, the play threads together teenage crushes, career decisions, breakups, marriages, births and children. Jess (Katie Redford) is an oversharer while Billy (Benedict Salter) has secrets. Their early years together pass through play rehearsals, parties, personal revelations and betrayals, but even in their lowest moments, the two are always pulled back to each other’s side. The Evolution of Friendship As their lives move in different directions, with Billy heading to London for drama school and later building a career as a high-flying agent, and Jess staying at home in a “suburban bubble” before eventually tiptoeing her way back into the creative scene as a playwright, they turn their noses up at the other’s choices. Still, in times of turmoil, they can’t help but pick up the phone or race across the country just to be there for their old friend. Their dialogue accurately captures people who know each other’s lives inside out. The Production Directed by Hannah Stone, the production shows friendship as something defining. Redford and Salter make their characters people we want to stay with across the decades. In fact, time here slips through our fingers. One moment they’re 15 in 1995, and Jess is getting advice from More! magazine; the next it is 2022, and a 42-year-old Billy is considering surrogacy for his next child. Abby Clarke’s design evokes nostalgia, with the back wall composed of white, Polaroid-inspired squares that shift from photographic outlines to mirrors. The Verdict With so much life to fit into 95 minutes, there are inevitable gaps in Billy and Jess’s stories. We could learn more about the structure of their families and the other relationships in their lives. But really, this is a play about the complicated, beautiful bond between two people. It leaves you desperate for more days with them. Where to Watch At Nottingham Playhouse until 12 June