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A ‘thrillingly fresh’ 30th-anniversary production of Jonathan Larson’s musical will open at the Duke of York’s theatre in London, directed by Luke SheppardThe Pulitzer prize-winning musical Rent will return to London this autumn in a 30th-anniversary production starring Stranger Things’ Gaten Matarazzo in his West End debut.The rock opera, based on Puccini’s La Bohème and set in New York’s East Village during the Aids crisis, ran for more than 5,000 performances on Broadway and won four Tony awards. Jonathan Larson, who wrote the book, music and lyrics, died aged 35 of an aortic aneurysm shortly before it opened in 1996. The musical also ran for 18 months in London, became a 2005 film and has had several major revivals including one directed by Luke Sheppard at Manchester’s Hope Mill theatre in 2020. Sheppard, who last month won an Olivier award for Paddington: The Musical, is staging the new revival, directly inspired by his Manchester production. Continue reading...

Carmakers aim to expand into UK defence sector, exploiting spending boom by Nato countriesJaguar Land Rover and General Motors are considering an expansion into UK defence via a £900m military contract, as carmakers seek to exploit a spending boom by Nato countries racing to rearm.The manufacturers are among a group of automotive firms vying to make thousands of 4x4s for the armed forces to replace an ageing fleet of Land Rovers that have been out of production since 2016. Continue reading...

• On May 8, 2025, India conducted a successful test of the advanced Agni-5 missile equipped with MIRV technology from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island off Odisha, visible as far as Bangladesh. • Codenamed Mission Divyastra, the single missile deployed multiple warheads capable of striking different targets simultaneously, placing India among elite nations with this strategic capability. • Defence Minister Rajnath Singh described the test as a 'massive leap' in defence preparedness against 'growing threat perceptions,' with the full flight tracked by ground and ship systems.

WhatsApp group has bought tens of thousands of meals for people via Facebook pageCarl used to own pubs – several of them – and a string of hotels. Then two years ago, rising costs forced him into bankruptcy. Now he sleeps on the beach in summer, and in winter sits in an all-night McDonald’s nursing a single cup of coffee.Carl’s daughters are in a different part of the country with his ex-wife. To maintain the illusion that he lives a normal life, Carl is careful only to video-call them from the local Wetherspoon’s with a meal and a drink carefully positioned in shot. That way, he reasons, he looks like a man with somewhere to be. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Minister says proposals show government’s ambition, as it faces unprecedented pressure from GreensTree nurseries could be built at prisons and military ranges could be turned into heathland or peat bogs as part of an ambitious plan to make government land more nature-friendly, the environment secretary has said.Speaking ahead of elections this week in which Labour is under pressure from the Green party, Emma Reynolds said such projects showed the government’s intent in restoring natural habitats. Continue reading...

• Jacob Wilson’s two-run single in the eighth inning lifted the Oakland Athletics to a 2-1 victory over the Texas Rangers, snapping a seven-game losing streak. • The win came on Wednesday night in a tight contest where pitching dominated early. • This victory boosts Oakland's momentum in the AL West race amid a challenging season.

• Cole Reinhardt scored his second goal with 1:50 left to lead the Florida Panthers to a 3-2 victory over the New York Rangers on Monday night. • Reinhardt and Mackie Samoskevich scored in the first period for a 2-0 lead, with Quick making 14 saves in his retirement finale after 19 seasons and three Stanley Cups. • The win spoils Jonathan Quick's last NHL appearance as the three-time champion announced his retirement beforehand.

• The Texas Rangers signed future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer to a four-year, $80 million contract to bolster their 2026 rotation. • Scherzer, 41, posted a 3.28 ERA across 28 starts last season with the New York Mets, demonstrating continued durability. • The Rangers project as World Series contenders with the addition of Scherzer joining Corey Seager and Kyle Schwarber in their lineup.

• Capitals riding wave of positive outcomes, including Rangers' 4-1 win over Detroit aiding their climb. • New York Rangers score 19 goals in last five games, fueled by rookies like Gabe. • Matchup tests Capitals' momentum against hot Rangers squad.

Thieves made a break for 413,793 units of the company’s new F1 line bars which could cause shortage before EasterA large shipment of KitKat candy bars was stolen while in transit to distributors, a major candy crime right before the Easter holiday that could cause shortages for customers.The truck carrying 413,793 units of a “new chocolate range”, about 12 tons of chocolate bars, was pilfered while driving through Europe on 26 March, Agence France-Presse reported. Continue reading...

Ukraine president vows to respond to move that would draw Belarus more directly into the war; EU anger at Hungary over Russia information sharing. What we know on day 1,490 Continue reading...

Royal couple criticise Tom Bower’s ‘fixation’ on them and describe released extracts as ‘conspiracy and melodrama’ The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have launched a scathing attack on a “deranged” author whose new book claims Queen Camilla once told a friend: “Meghan’s brainwashed ‌Harry.”The royal couple hit out at Tom Bower, the author of Betrayal: Power, Deceit and the Fight for the Future of the Royal Family, criticising his “fixation” on the pair. Continue reading...

Tehran residents report relentless bombing with US and Israeli planes launching wave of attacks Middle East crisis – live updatesDonald Trump has said Iran will be hit “very hard” in the coming days, describing leaders of the regime as “deranged scumbags” who it was a “great honor” to kill, as Tehran residents reported relentless bombing and violence continued to spiral across the Middle East.The US president’s comments, which signaled an intensification of the US-Israeli campaign, came as Israeli and US warplanes launched successive waves of attacks on the Iranian capital and elsewhere on Friday. One strike reportedly hit close to a square near Tehran University where crowds were gathered in support of Iran’s regime. The area is home to many government buildings. Continue reading...