Mark Knopfler has axed two concerts in Russia in protest over a crackdown on human rights groups. He was due to perform in Moscow on June 7 and in St Petersburg the following night (8) but has now decided to cancel the shows following the decision of Russian prosecutors and tax officials to search the offices of Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and Memorial, Russia's oldest rights group, in what Kremlin observers claimed were raids aimed at stifling criticism of President Vladimir Putin.

The National have announced UK and European tour dates. The band, who release their sixth album, Trouble Will Find Me, on May 21, have lined up a run of dates through October and November, including a show at London's Alexandra Palace. The National will play: 31 Oct Finland, Helsinki, Ice Hall 2 Nov Denmark, Copenhagen, Forum 4 Nov Germany, Berlin, Max Schmelling Halle 5 Nov Germany, Dusseldorf, Mitsubishi Electric Hallen 6 Nov Luxembourg, Luxembourg, Rockhal 7 Nov The Netherlands, Amsterdam, Heineken Music Hall 9 Nov UK, Belfast, Odyssey Arena

The Yeah Yeah Yeahs are currently streaming their upcoming fourth album 'Mosquito' on YouTube. Scroll down to listen to record, which is set for release on April 15. The follow-up to 2009's 'It's Blitz!', 'Mosquito' sees the band again working with long-time producers David Sitek and Nick Launay, and was recorded at Sonic Ranch in Tornillo, Texas. Introducing the album for Noisey, frontwoman Karen O says "I am extremely excited about this record, excited in a way that I was back in the day, 'Fever To Tell' kind of style."

HMV finally looks set to be rescued in a £50 million deal that will preserve 2,500 jobs. Hilco, the specialist restructuring firm, is poised to sign a binding agreement to secure the chain's future, which will acquire around 130 HMV-branded stores and nine Fopp outlets, reports The Guardian. It's thought the deal could signed as soon as today (April 5).

Cat Power has rescheduled her cancelled December 2012 London gig. The new show will take place at The Roundhouse in Camden on June 25. She will also be playing Glastonbury Festival on June 30 and Latitude Festival on July 19. Cat Power has rescheduled all her cancelled European shows to promote 2012's Sun album, which she pulled last year because of poor health. Writing on Instagram last year, the singer songwriter explained her reasons for pulling the tour:

Charlie Watts has said that he doesn't want to play Glastonbury because he doesn't like festivals or playing outdoors. The Rolling Stones will headline the Saturday night at Glastonbury, joining fellow headliners Arctic Monkeys and Mumford & Sons on the bill for the Worthy Farm festival.

Graham Nash discusses the unique exhibition of his photography in the new issue of Uncut, dated May 2013, and out now – in this archive feature from Uncut’s April 2009 issue (Take 143), the silver-throated former Holly tackles some prickly subjects – dissing Dylan, breaking up with Joni and playing peacekeeper in CSNY… Interview: John Lewis ______________________

Christine McVie has said that she would be keen to perform live with Fleetwood Mac when they play live in London later this year. The group will perform three gigs at London's O2 Arena in September as part of a world tour and McVie, who retired from the music industry in 1998, has gone on record as saying that she will "pop back on stage" if the opportunity arises. Speaking to Metro, McVie said: "If they wanted me to, I might pop back on stage when they’re in London just to do a little duet or something like that."

The line-up for this year's Meltdown festival has been announced. Curated by Yoko Ono, the festival will run from June 14 - 23 at London's Southbank Centre. Ono will open the festival with a performance by the Yoko Ono Plastic Ono Band on June 14. Siouxsie will make her first public performance in five years on June 15. Iggy And The Stooges will play live on June 20, the same night as Kim Gordon's Body/Head project.

Giorgio Moroder has spoken about working on the new Daft Punk album. Speaking to Vice as part of their Creators Project series, Moroder says that the album is a "step forward" for dance music. "Daft Punk wanted to do something and do it in a way that's not done by just pushing a note or a chord," he said. "You definitely hear that it's nice and full; the drums and the bass have that warm, that full sound. . . This is like a step forward."