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BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaIreland referendums: Leo Varadkar says defeat is clearPublished1 minute agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, ReutersImage caption, Results from Friday’s referendum are expected to be announced laterTaoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) Leo Varadkar says “it is clear” that two referendums have been defeated.Counting is continuing with results from some constituencies filtering through on proposed changes to the Irish Constitution.Early indications show significant numbers of ‘no’ votes.One change could alter the definition of family to include those not based on marriage, while the other could remove reference to women in the home.Mr Varadkar said it was clear both amendments had been “defeated comprehensively on a respectable turnout”.He said the Irish government accepted the result and will “respect it fully.””As head of government and on behalf of the government, we accept responsibility for the result,” he said.”It was our responsibility to convince the majority of people to vote ‘Yes’ and we clearly failed to do so.”Earlier on Saturday Green Party Leader Eamon Ryan who campaigned for the changes, had said it looked like both questions would be defeated.Image source, PA MediaImage caption, Green Party Leader Eamon Ryan says the result will have to be respectedMr Ryan said: “It does look like a no vote in both the family and care referendums.”The first thing to say is that we respect that. It’s the voice of the people and in our constitution, it’s the people who are sovereign.”It’s they who decide what goes into our constitution.”Mr Ryan, who was at the RDS count centre in Dublin said: “If it is a no vote in both, we will have to respect that.”Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald was jeered by a small crowd and called “a traitor to the Irish people” as she arrived at Dublin Castle on Saturday.Her party advocated for a “yes-yes” vote but she said the government had “come up short in terms of the caring wording” and there had been a “lack of clarity”.Image source, PA MediaImage caption, Mary Lou McDonald says that her party is still “very much” in touch with the publicMs McDonald said the people of Ireland had spoken “very, very definitively” but insisted her party were still “very much” in touch with the public. “They disregarded the citizens assembly, they didn’t consult with opposition or with other stakeholders. They didn’t collaborate, and they failed to convince,” she said. “I know, talking to lots of people, that people were left with an unbalanced decision to make and I think it’s a great pity that the government went on this kind of solo run, and they’ve had their answer.”Ms McDonald added the “big takeaway” from the referendums is support for people with disabilities as full and equals citizens and support for carers is something that has to be taken seriously by government.Image source, PA MediaImage caption, Ballots are continuing to be counted in twin Irish referendumsCounting started at 09:00 local time with the first results from the 29 count centres expected mid to late afternoon.Turnout was mixed when polls closed at 22:00 local time on Friday night. It reached 50% in some parts of the country, but remained below 30% elsewhere.Government misjudged mood of electorate – McDowellSenator Michael McDowell, who opposed changes to the constitution, said the results suggested a “no-no substantial margin right across the country”.Mr McDowell who has served terms as tánaiste (deputy prime minister), justice minister and attorney general, said: “It seems like the government misjudged the mood of the electorate and put before them proposals which they didn’t explain, proposals which could have serious consequences.”‘No’ tallies high – TóibínAontú Leader Peadar Tóibín who also backed the no campaign, said there were high ‘no’ tallies for both referendums.Image caption, Peadar Tóibín describes the amendments proposed as “virtue signalling”Mr Tóibín described the amendments as government “virtue signalling” with vague language.He added:”And the Sinn Féin leadership look marooned from their former support base, from their votes and that’s a very dangerous place for Mary Lou and the Sinn Féin leadership to be.”Fine Gael Senator Regina Doherty described it as an “insult” to the 100 members of the Citizens Assembly to describe the referendums as virtue signalling.Those taking part in Friday’s referendum were presented with two ballots – one white and one green – and were asked to vote yes (Tá) or no (Níl).Watershed moment for disabled citizens – ClonanSenator Tom Clonan described the wording in the care referendum as “toxic” to the fundamental human rights of disabled citizens.Mr Clonan, who has a 22-year-old disabled son, said he hoped there would now be a conversation about “ableism”.”The State has been abject in its treatment of disabled citizens. We now have an opportunity to debate that going forward, and find ways to really bring ourselves in line with the rest of Europe and how we vindicate the rights of disabled citizens.”I’m hoping that this is a watershed moment for disabled citizens.”Those aged 18 or over and who ordinarily reside in Ireland, Irish citizens and those registered to vote were eligible.Read more: Confusion and debate ahead of Irish referendumsWhat were voters asked about family?The white ballot asked voters if they want to accept or reject the Thirty-Ninth Amendment of the Constitution Bill – otherwise known as the Family amendment.The Irish constitution currently offers legal protections to the family unit, but ties the concept of family to the institution of marriage.Image source, PA MediaImage caption, A Yes vote in both referendums would change the current Irish constitution which was first established in 1937The amendment sought to expand the constitutional definition of family to include other “durable relationships” such as unmarried couples and single parent families.Supporters of the amendment – including the Irish government – said the change would ensure that all family units were recognised equal in the constitution.However, opponents argued the term “durable relationship” is unclear and could have unintended legal consequences.What is the Care amendment?The green ballot asked voters to accept or reject the Fortieth Amendment of the Constitution Bill – or the Care amendment.Currently the Irish constitution – or Bunreacht na hÉireann – says mothers should not have to go out into the workplace to the neglect of their “duties in the home”.It also states that women’s “life within the home” is a source of support to the state which is necessary for the “common good”.The amendment asked for both of these articles to be deleted and a new text to be added saying the state “shall strive to support” the provision of family-based care.Related TopicsFamily & EducationRepublic of IrelandMore on this storyPolls close on Irish family and care referendumsPublished17 hours agoConfusion and debate ahead of Irish referendumsPublished2 days agoTop StoriesSweden and Canada resume aid to UN Gaza agencyPublished14 minutes agoNew life springs from rescued Sycamore Gap treePublished13 hours agoClear ‘no’ for Irish referendums – VaradkarPublished11 minutes agoFeaturesOn patrol with the anti-social behaviour squadTear gas and surveillance on the coast as Channel migrant deaths rise’Wedding photographer caused mayhem – I told him to leave’Netanyahu is a survivor, but his problems are stacking upThe sisters defying the Taliban by singingFF7 actress’s nervous wait for fan reactionsWhy mass abductions have returned to haunt NigeriaWest Bank violence: ‘My child’s destiny was to get killed’How Drag Race’s tiger meme queen rewrote her storyElsewhere on the BBCSeven times cruises have caused commotionFrom the largest ship to disasters on deck…AttributioniPlayerThe mystery of a devastating helicopter crash…A weekend away for those leading the intelligence war in Northern Ireland turns to disasterAttributioniPlayerThe untold story of the first moon landingIt was a journey that changed the way we think about our place in the universeAttributioniPlayerParkinson meets the greatest names in entertainmentHe’s joined by guests Michael Palin, Kate Adie and Ricky GervaisAttributioniPlayerMost Read1’Wedding photographer caused mayhem – I told him to leave’2Winnie the Pooh slasher movie named worst film3Bride-to-be devastated after tumble dryer fire4New life springs from rescued Sycamore Gap tree5Clear ‘no’ for Irish referendums – Varadkar6The Oppenheimer story that won’t win Oscars7Thousands call for Gaza ceasefire in London march8Muriel McKay killer ‘willing’ to show where body is9Faisal Islam: The Budget was more radical than it looked10Netanyahu is a survivor, but his problems are stacking up
[ad_1] Counting continues but early indications show significant ‘no’ votes for both questions.
![BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityCultureGrammys 2024: The highs, lows and why Taylor Swift won album of the yearPublished27 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsGrammy AwardsImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, SZA was one of the big winners at the 2024 Grammy AwardBy Mark SavageBBC Music CorrespondentThe 2024 Grammy Awards ended with a bang: Taylor Swift taking home her fourth album of the year trophy.It cements her position as the one of the greatest songwriters of her era – although she was gracious enough to use her speech to praise fellow nominee Lana Del Rey, calling her “a legend in her prime” who has set the agenda for an entire generation of female artists.Despite Taylor taking the main title, it was a fairly even-handed night by Grammy standards. Favoured nominees like Miley Cyrus, Billie Eilish, SZA and Boygenius all went home with multiple prizes, while the best new artist went to R&B star Victoria Monét – the first time a female R&B act has scooped that award since Alicia Keys in 2002.Taylor Swift makes history at the Grammy AwardsGrammy Awards: The main winners and nomineesGrammy Awards red carpet and ceremony in picturesAlong the way, there were plenty of surprise appearances (Celine Dion!) and show-stopping performances (Burna Boy, Dua Lipa). Here are the highlights, lowlights and takeaways from “music’s biggest night”.TAKEAWAY: Taylor Swift wasn’t just recognised for her musicImage source, ReutersBy any metric, it’s an incredible feat: Taylor Swift has won album of the year three times more than The Beatles, two more than Adele and one more than Stevie Wonder.In fact, she’s won the prize more than anyone. Ever.Her latest honour is for 2022’s Midnights – a hazy, dream-scrubbed collection of songs about the late-night obsessions.At the time of release, it was not her best-received album. And for that reason, many people thought R&B star SZA or indie band Boygenius were more likely to win.But the Grammys aren’t simply about musical merit, and Swift is currently in the middle of an imperial phase. Her Eras tour has broken box office records, boosted local economies, prompted a government inquiry into Ticketmaster and even caused seismic activity. The singer has also been named Time Magazine’s person of the year, while her romance with Travis Kelce brought new eyes to American football.It’s hard to argue against her cultural dominance – but it all stems from the music.That’s a factor the Recording Academy’s 11,000 voters will have been keenly aware of. They take songwriting incredibly seriously, which means they take Swift – who exists at the crossroads of commercial success and sonic innovation – seriously as well. So her fourth Grammy win was all but inevitable, even if your preferred Taylor Swift album is Folklore (correct answer), 1989 (also acceptable) or Lover (we need to have words).HIGHLIGHT: A standing ovation for Joni MitchellImage source, ReutersJoni Mitchell’s music is like a language of its own. It’s raw, magical, almost painfully beautiful.But over the past 10 years, the singer was almost robbed of language after a life-threatening brain aneurysm. Following intensive rehabilitation, she returned to the stage in 2022 at the Newport Folk Festival – and a recording of that concert earned the singer the Grammy for best folk album on Sunday night.Mitchell followed that up with a performance of Both Sides Now, supported by musicians Brandi Carlile and Jacob Collier. At first, her voice seemed to catch – but as the song continued, she settled into a rich, dusky vocal tone. “They say, Joni, you’ve changed,” she sang, adapting the lyrics to the occasion. “Well something’s lost, but something’s gained / In living every day.”Rich with experience, and laden with significance, the performance was exceptionally moving. It rightly brought the crowd to their feet.LOWLIGHT: Travis Scott vs some chairsImage source, ReutersFor one of rap’s most physically intense performers, Travis Scott’s set was mystifyingly boring. The star performed a medley of My Eyes, I Know? and Fein (key lyric: “Fein, fein, fein, fein, fein, fein”) shrouded in shadow, while a dancer wandered around looking for something to do.There was a brief frisson when Playboi Carti joined him on stage in a burst of pyrotechnics, but it all fizzled out with Scott flinging around plastic chairs like a refugee from a 1980s wrestling match.HIGHLIGHT: Jay-Z goes off scriptImage source, ReutersI say off-script, but I’m not sure Jay-Z even prepared a script. Honoured with something called the Dr Dre Global Impact Award, the rapper used his allotted time to deliver a wide-ranging ramble about the Grammys in general. Straight off the bat, he reminisced about using one of his previous Grammy Awards as a “sippy cup” for his daughter Blue Ivy, who this time accompanied him to the stage.”Blue’s grown up now,” he added. “She doesn’t take a sippy cup and she has her own Grammys.”But he didn’t stop there. He joked about boycotting the 1998 Grammys because his friend DMX had been snubbed. And then he went for the jugular – bringing up Beyoncé.Famously, his wife has more Grammys than anyone in history, with 32 in total. But for all that apparent love, the big prizes have eluded her. Of the 16 times she’s been nominated in the major categories, she has won just once: song of the year for Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It) in 2010.”I don’t want to embarrass this young lady, but she has more Grammys than everyone and never won album of the year,” said Jay-Z. “So even by your own metrics, that doesn’t work. Think about that.”HIGHLIGHT: Boygenius’s childhood ambitions Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Boygenius (L-R): Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus and Julien BakerAlt-rock supergroup Boygenius were also triple winners, for their debut album The Record, which updates the classic 1970s California rock sound with an emphasis on harmony, friendship and feminism.”We were all delusional enough as kids to think this might happen to us,” said Lucy Dacus, picking up their first prize – best rock performance for the song Not Strong Enough.”Phoebe [Bridgers] would sing at the Guitar Center, hoping that she would get discovered. Julien [Baker] wanted to play sold out stadiums. And I would practice writing an acceptance speech, and thank all the people who’d been nice to me – like my bus driver and the guy that held the door at church. “So I feel kind of like a kid, because that was the last time that something like this felt possible.”TAKEWAY: Women “stepped up”, but there’s more to doImage source, Rex FeaturesFemale artists thoroughly dominated this year, taking home all the major prizes and plenty more besides. Kylie Minogue won best pop dance recording, and South Africa’s Tyla (pictured) picked up the inaugural award for best African performance. Meanwhile, the formerly testosterone-soaked rock and alternative categories were dominated by Paramore (led by Hayley Williams) and Boygenius.It’s a reflection of a year in which women were incredibly successful in the charts, and a significant change for the Grammys. As recently as 2018, the ceremony was embroiled in controversy when former chairman Neil Portnow said women needed “to step up” if they wanted a nomination.So has the gap been closed? Far from it. By some counts, only 20% of artists signed to a major record label are female. Last year, only 19.5% of all songwriters across the Billboard Hot 100 songs were women. “What we want is to be seen as equals, not just on the creative side but on the business side,” said Dua Lipa on the red carpet. “We’re still figuring that out but it’s getting there slowly.”HIGHLIGHT: Billy Joel’s brutal honestyImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Billy Joel attended the ceremony with his wife Alexis RoderickSix-time Grammy winner Billy Joel was back at the ceremony this year to perform Turn The Lights Back On – his first new song in almost two decades. Speaking on the red carpet, he explained why it had taken so long to put pen to paper.”I gotta go into my cave and become a caveman,” he told CBS news. “It’s not a fun process for me. It’s very self-centred. It’s very lonely. And sometimes it’s torture. But afterwards, I love having written.”Joel added that he was surprised to be invited back to the Grammys after his last performance in 1994.Back then, he stopped his performance of River Of Dreams mid-song in protest at Frank Sinatra’s speech being cut short earlier in the show.”I looked at my watch and I said, ‘There is a lot of valuable advertising time going by here’,” he recalled. “I stopped for a long time… So they still might be mad at me for that.”HIGHLIGHT: Tracy Chapman joining Luke CombsImage source, ReutersIn a major coup for the Grammys, Tracy Chapman made her return to the stage to duet with country star Luke Combs.The singer, who had a run of successful albums in the 1980s and 1990s, has largely avoided the spotlight since her last tour in 2009.But she was tempted back after Combs covered her signature song Fast Car – a haunting folk-rock story about trying to escape poverty – and took it back into the US top 10 last year.Their performance opened with Chapman picking out the song’s unforgettable riff, then trading verses with Combs before they united on the chorus.Both singers looked delighted. Chapman grinned throughout, and Combs sang along off-mic during her solos.In a video clip ahead of the performance, Combs said: “Just to be associated with her in any way is super humbling for me.” In the audience, Taylor Swift and country star Jelly Roll sang along at the tops of their voices. A simple, but emotional, pleasure.LOWLIGHT: U2 in Las VegasImage source, Getty ImagesLook, I’m fond of U2. I’m from Ireland, where it’s practically a requirement. But sometimes… oh, man.The band beamed in live from The Sphere, the insane globular Las Vegas venue that’s made of 66ft LED screens and was built at a cost of $2.3bn (£1.83bn).U2 are playing a residency there, and if you dream of a gig where you spend more time watching TV screens than watching the band, then you’re welcome to the $750 ticket price.Their performance was basically a huge advert for the venue, set to Atomic City – an underwhelming single they put out to coincide with their opening night last year. Fair enough that the Grammys should highlight innovation in concert technology, but everything about this was disappointingly mediocre. If only they’d played Mysterious Ways.HIGHLIGHT: Practically every other performerImage source, Getty ImagesThe Grammys is always a mixed bag, but this year’s hit rate was high. Dua Lipa bravely opened the show with a brand new song, the pneumatic Training Season, while gyrating on metal scaffolding, and SZA recreated the Crazy 88 swordfight from Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill.Billie Eilish’s rendition of song-of-the-year-winner What Was I Made For? was suitably tear-jerking; and Burna Boy oozed charisma during his medley of On Form, City Boys and Sittin’ On Top Of The World.The In Memoriam section was particularly strong: Stevie Wonder paid touching tribute to his friend Tony Bennett, before Annie Lennox gave a stirring rendition of Sinead O’Connor’s Nothing Compares 2U – backed by Prince’s musical foils Wendy and Lisa.But it was Fantasia Barrino who stole the show, racing through an electric performance of Tina Turner’s Proud Mary before walking into the audience and shimmying with Dua Lipa. The Queen of Rock ‘N’ Roll would have been proud.LOWLIGHT: That one weird photo everyone’s forced to doImage source, Getty ImagesIt’s Grammy law. If you win a trophy, you have to pose awkwardly with it backstage. Bonus points if you kiss it. Double bonus points if you have an armful of the things. Who knows why at this stage? It’s probably some Illuminati thing.Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Multiple award winners Boygenius, Taylor Swift and Jack AntonoffImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Victoria Monét won best new artist, best R&B album and best engineered albumImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Karol G became the first woman to win the award for best musica urbana albumImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Jay-Z has won 24 Grammy Awards over the course of his careerImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Kylie Minogue picked up her second Grammy, for Padam Padam, 20 years after winning best dance recording for Come Into My WorldImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Shankar Mahadevan of the band Shakti won the best global music album award for This MomentHIGHLIGHT: Miley Cyrus vindicatedImage source, ReutersIn her 17-year music career, Miley Cyrus has had dozens of hits – from Wrecking Ball and The Climb to Nothing Breaks Like A Heart and Midnight Sky. But she’d never won a Grammy… until now. The singer won two prizes: song of the year and best pop solo performance, both for the instant-classic break-up ballad Flowers. Cyrus marked the moment with a brilliantly tortured metaphor.”There’s a story I want to tell that sums up this moment,” she explained. “There was a little boy and all he wanted for his birthday was a butterfly. And so his parents gave him a butterfly net and he was so excited. He just went outside, out in the sun, and started swinging and swinging, but with no luck. “Then he sat down on the ground, and he finally let go and he surrendered. He was OK that he wasn’t going to capture this beautiful butterfly.”And right when he did, is when the butterfly came and landed right on the tip of his nose. And this song, Flowers, is my butterfly.”Later, Cyrus performed the song live for the first time, adding some parenthetical asides to the lyrics.”I didn’t want to leave you (but I did) / I didn’t want to fight (but we did) / Started to cry but then remembered… I just won my very first Grammy!”She ended with a mic drop. And rightly so.Related TopicsTaylor SwiftJoni MitchellMiley CyrusGrammy AwardsJAY-ZMusicMore on this storyGrammy Awards: The main winners and nomineesPublished10 hours agoGrammy Awards red carpet and ceremony in picturesPublished57 minutes agoTaylor Swift makes history at the Grammy AwardsPublished1 hour agoKylie wins second Grammy Award after 20 yearsPublished52 minutes agoTop StoriesLive. 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