Heat

• De rol markeert een belangrijke terugkeer voor de acteur nadat hij in 2024 van het podium viel en is een prestigieuze aanwinst voor het vooruitstrevende theater. • Ian McKellen zal Koning Lear spelen in zijn eerste grote theatrale rol sinds hij in 2024 van het podium in de eerste rij van het publiek viel. • Het ongeluk, dat hem "stervende pijnen" bezorgde, gebeurde tijdens een uitvoering van Player Kings in de West End en leidde ertoe dat McKellen zich uit de productie terugtrok.

• Zevende lichaam gevonden bij spoorwegemplacement wordt vermoedelijk gelinkt aan wat autoriteiten een 'potentieel mensensmokkelincident' noemen • Federale agenten onderzoeken de dood van minstens zes personen, vermoedelijk immigranten, die zondag werden gevonden in een zeecontainer op een Union Pacific-rangeerterrein nabij de grens met Mexico in Laredo, Texas, als een 'potentieel mensensmokkelincident'. • Ambtenaren hebben naar verluidt ook gesteld dat de dood van een zevende persoon, wiens lichaam werd gevonden bij spoorwegrails buiten San Antonio, Texas – 150 mijl (241 km) naar het noorden – mogelijk verband houdt met de zaak.

• Rapport suggereert dat populaire initiatieven zoals NT Live en NT at Home het Britse publiek avontuurlijker maken • Theaterstreamingdiensten en bioscoopvertoningen van podiumvoorstellingen vormen geen bedreiging voor „in-person” bezoek en zorgen ervoor dat het publiek avontuurlijker wordt, volgens nieuw onderzoek in opdracht van het National Theatre. • Bij de presentatie van de bevindingen op maandag zei Indhu Rubasingham, directeur van het NT, dat de boom in gefilmd theater grote vragen had opgeroepen, waaronder de zorg dat populaire initiatieven zoals NT Live en NT at Home een negatieve impact zouden hebben op het livebezoek. De organisatie gaf Indigo de opdracht onderzoek te doen om meer te leren over de houding van het publiek tegenover gefilmd theater. Lees verder...

Temperaturen stijgen in Californië en Arizona, terwijl de stortbuien aanhouden in Western Cape en Northern Cape.

• Luchthaven rapporteert daling van 5%, maar transitpassagiers stijgen omdat reizigers hub gebruiken om luchthavens in het Midden-Oosten te vermijden • Business live – nieuwsupdates • Het aantal passagiers dat vorige maand vanaf London Heathrow vloog, is gedaald doordat de oorlog in het Midden-Oosten de vraag naar internationale reizen beïnvloedde.

Bevindingen volgen op de op één na warmste april wereldwijd en te midden van zorgen over extremer Europees zomerweer.

• Voorzitter van het Hooggerechtshof John Roberts bekritiseerde op 6 mei 2026 publiekelijk de intense retoriek die gericht is tegen het Supreme Court. • Zijn opmerkingen zijn een reactie op toenemende partijdige aanvallen te midden van high-profile uitspraken over verkiezingen en immuniteit. • De verklaring is bedoeld om de onafhankelijkheid van de rechtspraak te verdedigen, nu het publieke vertrouwen in het hof historisch lage punten bereikt.

‘Deep-seated fire’ forces temporary closure of Eugene O’Neill Theatre, which is home to the long-running musicalSign up for the Breaking News US newsletter emailA fire broke out Monday in the Broadway theater that hosts the The Book of Mormon, forcing the long-running musical to close, at least temporarily, as the historic venue undergoes repairs.The blaze, which began in an electrical room, caused “substantial damage” to the Eugene O’Neill Theatre, according to David Simms, New York fire department assistant chief. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Continue reading...

• Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis proposed new congressional maps set to strip Democrats of additional House seats ahead of 2026 midterms. • In contrast, Virginia voters narrowly approved a Democratic-backed redistricting plan threatening Republican incumbents. • The coast-to-coast battles reflect volatile gerrymandering disputes shaping midterm battlegrounds.

Airport seeks deal with BA owner, Virgin and billionaire local landowner, who has own expansion plan, over cost and service issuesHeathrow’s new chair has opened talks with airlines and the billionaire local landowner Surinder Arora to defuse a row that threatens to further delay the £49bn plan to build a third runway at Europe’s busiest airport.Philip Jansen, who was appointed at the start of the year, is understood to have held meetings with the airport’s carriers and with Arora, who has been promoting his own £25bn expansion scheme, in the hope of finding the middle ground in a row over cost and service issues. Continue reading...

• The biopic 'Michael' premiered in US theaters over the opening weekend, chronicling Michael Jackson's early life and career ascent as the King of Pop. • Prince Jackson served as executive producer, with streams of Jackson's music surging 95% in the US following the release. • The film explores Jackson's impact and lasting legacy, as discussed by contributor Justin Tinsley amid strong box office interest.

What began as a tiny space above the founder’s stables became the beating heart of the city’s performing arts. Its leader Jimmy Fay reflects on recent hits and reveals what audiences can expect from the theatre’s anniversary year‘The Lyric gives voice to everyone in Northern Ireland,” says the theatre’s boss, Jimmy Fay. “It’s a beacon.” Fay views the 2026 programme, celebrating 75 years of the Lyric, as an opportunity to showcase current creative talent, as well as honouring the theatre’s past.One of the plays from the repertoire that Fay was keen to revive is Christina Reid’s Tea in a China Cup, from 1983. With a cast including Marie Jones, the new production – which runs in May – is directed by Dan Gordon, who performed in the original. Reid’s play traces the daily lives of Protestant working-class women in Belfast across three decades, from the second world war to the Troubles, with humour and poignancy. Continue reading...

Officials hope more casual attire for public servants will save electricity during Iran war as summer approachesPublic servants working for the Tokyo metropolitan government are being encouraged to swap their suits for shorts this summer to combat sweltering heat and rising energy costs caused by the US-Israel war on Iran.Inspired by the country’s Cool Biz energy-saving initiative, Tokyo officials hope the measure will cut dependence on air conditioning. Continue reading...

Six candidates clashed over homelessness and cost of living crisis in first debate since Eric Swalwell’s exit – with a clear frontrunner still yet to emergeSix candidates vying to become the next governor of California sparred on Wednesday in the first debate since the already topsy-turvy race was plunged into upheaval by the sudden collapse of former congressman Eric Swalwell’s campaign after sexual assault and misconduct allegations.With a clear frontrunner still yet to emerge, the unusually wide-open race to replace the outgoing governor Gavin Newsom in the heavily Democratic state has left nearly a quarter of voters undecided ahead of the 2 June primary. Continue reading...

Research shows natural hazards linked to climate crisis disrupted 23 elections in 18 countries in 2024Democracy is under mounting threat from the climate crisis, with new analysis documenting how elections are increasingly shaped not only by political forces but also by floods, wildfires and extreme weather.At least 94 elections and referendums across 52 countries have been disrupted by climate-related impacts over the last two decades, researchers found. Continue reading...

‘If we celebrate the impact of physical storytelling, we must acknowledge the artists behind it,’ says Equity body, calling out the lack of movement categories in major awardsChoreographers and movement directors in theatre are undervalued by awards ceremonies and deserve greater acknowledgment, says the Equity group representing both disciplines.At last weekend’s Oliviers ceremony, the award for best theatre choreographer went to Fabian Aloise for Evita at the London Palladium. In a statement, Equity’s Choreographers and Movement Directors Network (CMDN) said it was “brilliant to see choreography recognised on major stages like the Olivier awards” but drew attention to the movement directors who worked on nominated productions yet went unrecognised with their own category. The ceremony “opens up a bigger conversation about what language we use to describe how theatre is made, and questions who gets named in that process – especially when it comes to movement and choreography”, said the CMDN. Continue reading...

• The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences released shortlists for 10 categories on April 16, narrowing 300+ films to 15 each for the 99th Oscars ceremony on March 7, 2027. • Standouts include 'Dune: Part Two' with 8 nods and 'Wicked' securing spots in song and score, per The Hollywood Reporter analysis. • Industry insiders predict 'Anora' leading Best Picture contenders with 92% odds from Gold Derby, impacting awards season campaigns worth millions.

Trump ally grilled by lawmakers over ‘terrible decisions’ on vaccines, public health and funding cuts to key programsUS politics – latest updatesVaccines and public health dominated a frequently contentious hearing with Robert F Kennedy Jr on Thursday before the US House ways and means committee.Kennedy, the controversial health secretary and a longtime vaccine opponent, has overseen sweeping changes to routine vaccination recommendations and has promoted misinformation even amid the biggest measles outbreak in decades. Continue reading...

Nadia Fall calls for bold thinking as she announces new shows including anti-Trump version of Thelma & LouiseTheatres facing financial difficulty can only prosper by “programming their way out of it”, according to the Young Vic artistic director, Nadia Fall, who has announces her new slate of shows, including an anti-Trump musical version of Thelma & Louise.Fall, who took the helm at the Young Vic in 2025 and oversaw staff cuts after a £500,000 deficit in the last financial year, said theatres must put on unmissable productions in order to balance the books. Continue reading...

Intense heat in cities like New York, Philadelphia and Washington DC is unusual for April, weather experts sayA long-lasting weather pattern is poised to blast hot air like a furnace across the eastern United States, with the unusual heatwave threatening to shatter record high temperatures on Wednesday in big cities including New York, Philadelphia and Washington DC.The heat is unusual for April, not only because it’s scorching much of the nation so early in the year but also for its duration. The near-record temperatures are expected to last into this weekend, forecasters say. Continue reading...

Record temperatures led to colourful displays of tulips, hyacinths, wisteria and daffodils as gardeners prepare for showsColourful tulips, hyacinths, wisteria and daffodils have made a remarkable display across England after a heatwave followed by a cold snap caused excellent conditions for spring blooms.There were record temperatures last week in many parts of the UK as the country recorded one of the hottest April days in the last 80 years. Continue reading...

• Eastern Conference NBA play-in games finalized with Miami Heat visiting Charlotte Hornets for elimination matchup on Tuesday. • Orlando Magic head to Philadelphia 76ers for win-and-advance game in the East play-in. • These outcomes shape the final playoff seeds amid tight regular season races.

The continental US registered its most abnormally hot month in 132 years of records, according to Noaa data March’s persistent unseasonable heat was so intense that the continental United States registered its most abnormally hot month in 132 years of records, according to federal weather data. And the next year or so looks to turn the dial up on global warmth even more, as some forecasts predict a brewing El Niño will reach super strength.Not only was it the hottest March on record for the US but the amount it was above normal beat any other month in history for the lower 48 states. March’s average temperature of 50.85F(10.47C) was 9.35F (5.19C) above the 20th-century normal for March. Continue reading...

Analysis of six extreme heatwaves found when temperature and humidity were accounted for, all were potentially deadly for older peopleExtreme heat is already creating “non-survivable” conditions for humans in heatwaves that have killed thousands and likely many more, according to new research that warns people are more susceptible to rising temperatures than first thought.Scientists re-examined six extreme heatwaves between 2003 and 2024 and found that when temperature, humidity and the body’s ability to stay cool were accounted for, all were potentially deadly for older people. Continue reading...

Bread and biscuits made from Crispr-edited wheat showed substantially reduced acrylamide levels, even after toastingGene-edited wheat which can make bread less carcinogenic when toasted has been successfully developed by scientists.Researchers at Rothamsted Research in Harpenden, Hertfordshire, used Crispr genome editing which allows researchers to selectively edit the DNA of living organisms. This revolutionary technology was adapted for use in the laboratory from naturally occurring genome editing systems found in bacteria. Continue reading...

• Philadelphia Eagles star wide receiver A.J. Brown subject of intensifying trade discussions as contract tensions rise. • Reports indicate multiple teams inquiring, with Brown's 1,400+ yard seasons making him prime target. • Trade could reshape Eagles' offense and signal rebuild if executed before deadline.

Protesters held on Sunday after joining a Lakenheath Alliance for Peace encampment outside airbase in SuffolkSeven people have been arrested under suspicion of supporting banned group Palestine Action after a protest in Suffolk.They were arrested on Sunday morning after joining a peace encampment to create a blockade outside the main gate of Lakenheath airbase. Continue reading...

Researchers warn the high-pressure conditions could disrupt marine life and ecosystems if it continuesSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxFor more than a century, shoreline stations operated by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography have measured water temperatures along the California coast. This year, they are flashing a warning sign.Over the last three months, several stations have repeatedly posted record-breaking daily high temperatures – with the La Jolla station registering temperatures a full 10F above historical average at one point last month. Continue reading...