“Morning Daniel, (it’s approaching 7am in Western Australia),” opens Karris Evans. “Fox Cricket noted an hour ago that Smith got a head knock in training this morning, so possible concussion has ruled him out.”
The Hay festival president is asking readers for book recommendations that will ‘entice the most reluctant reader’ to help combat the decline in leisure reading
Hay festival president Stephen Fry is backing the organisation’s new campaign to collect recommendations for the most pleasurable books to entice new readers, in a bid to combat falling literacy rates in the UK.
The Pleasure List campaign, run in partnership with the government’s National Year of Reading 2026, will share the “most un-put-downable” reads in the hopes of helping reverse the downward trend of adults reading for pleasure.
Nick Reiner, 32, charged after Rob Reiner and wife Michele Singer Reiner found dead at Los Angeles home on Sunday
Nick Reiner has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the killing of his parents, the acclaimed actor and director Rob Reiner and the photographer Michele Singer Reiner, authorities announced on Tuesday.
The 32-year-old, who is being held without bail, has been in custody since Sunday evening, hours after his sister reportedly discovered the couple’s bodies in their Los Angeles home. Police said on Sunday the couple had suffered fatal stab wounds.
Hundreds of swimmers at Bondi have formed human circles – in the beach and in the ocean – in honour of the victims of the attack on a Jewish community event in which 15 people died.
The world-famous beach is known for its early morning swimmers and surfers but many had not returned to the water since Sunday’s horrific events
The two African nations join Haiti and Iran on ban list
Fans may face restrictions when entering US
A proclamation signed by President Trump widened his administration’s ongoing travel restrictions on Tuesday to include 2026 World Cup participants Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal.
The two African nations were added to the travel ban list with what the White House statement said were “partial restrictions and entry limitations,” currently the least restrictive category among the full group of nations covered, which now numbers 18 after Tuesday’s announcement. The sweeping travel ban already includes two countries who will participate in the World Cup: Haiti and Iran, both of whom are subject to the most stringent restrictions.
Roberts, who murdered three police officers in Shepherd’s Bush and served 48 years in prison, was released in 2014
Harry Roberts, the triple police killer whose 1966 murders shocked Britain and triggered one of the country’s largest manhunts, has reportedly died aged 89.
Roberts died in hospital last Saturday after a short illness, the Sun reported. He had been living in sheltered accommodation in Peterborough after his release on licence in 2014, after serving 48 years in prison for the killings.
More than half a million people now consume products as experts link rise to ‘aggressive’ marketing and advertising
More than 500,000 people in Great Britain now use nicotine pouches, with the significant rise in uptake driven by members of gen Z, research has revealed.
Nicotine pouches are placed between the lip and gum to slowly release nicotine and come in a wide variety of different flavours. Health experts say the products, which are banned in Germany and the Netherlands, should not be used by anyone who does not already smoke.
Keir Starmer’s office claims UK still in ‘active conversations’ about deal for tech industries in both countries to cooperate
Downing Street insists the $40bn Tech Prosperity Deal between the US and UK that is on hold is not permanently stalled. The BBC reported on Tuesday evening that the prime minister’s office claimed that the UK remains in “active conversations with US counterparts at all levels of government” about the wide-ranging deal for the technology industries in both countries to cooperate.
The agreement, previously billed as historic, was paused after the US accused the UK of failing to lower trade barriers, including a digital services tax on US tech companies and food safety rules that limit the export of some agricultural products. The New York Times first reported British confirmation that negotiations had stalled.
Events need ‘solid financial model’, says Sebastian Coe
The Michael Johnson-led Grand Slam Track has been warned by World Athletics that it may not be permitted to return in 2026 even if it pays off its huge debts.
Court documents released on Monday showed that the league, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last week, still owes some of the biggest names in track and field hundreds of thousands of dollars and creditors between $10m and $50m (£7.5m and £37.3m).
The alleged gunman shot dead by police during Sunday’s attack on Australia’s Bondi beach was originally from the southern Indian city of Hyderabad and his family there seemed unaware of his alleged “radical mindset”, Indian police said on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the second alleged gunman, who was hospitalised after also being shot by police, awoke from a coma and may be charged as early as Wednesday.
As Facundo Buonanotte saddled up beside Alejandro Garnacho on the advertising hoardings in front of the pocket of away supporters, after the latter opened the scoring at a jam-packed Cardiff City Stadium, for a moment or two everything seemed just fine in the often chaotic and complex world of Chelsea. The pair exhibited cheesy smiles as João Pedro played photographer, pretending to capture their celebration.
Then, with 15 minutes remaining, the hosts equalised through David Turnbull’s brilliant diving header, detonating the kind of noise not heard in these parts for a long time, and another awkward 48 hours were on the cards for Enzo Maresca.
US skier finished 1.55 seconds ahead of second place
Shiffrin has won the opening four slaloms of the season
Mikaela Shiffrin isn’t just winning every slalom of the Olympic season. She’s dominating each race and winning by large margins, too.
The American skiing standout claimed a record-extending 105th World Cup victory after several of her top challengers went out during the opening run of a night race Tuesday.
Mark Chavez gets eight months of home confinement and three years of supervised release after star’s overdose death
A doctor who pleaded guilty in a scheme to supply ketamine to actor Matthew Perry before his overdose death was sentenced on Tuesday to eight months of home confinement.
Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett handed down the sentence that included three years of supervised release to 55-year-old Dr Mark Chavez in a federal courtroom in Los Angeles.
Corporation will argue it did not have rights to air film in US and it did not cause serious reputational harm
The BBC is preparing to argue Donald Trump’s $10bn court case against it should be dismissed, arguing it has no case to answer over the US president’s claims he was defamed by an episode of Panorama.
The development comes after Trump filed a 33-page complaint to a Florida court on Monday, accusing the broadcaster of “a false, defamatory, deceptive, disparaging, inflammatory and malicious depiction” of the president in the documentary.
As we continue the countdown to ecstasy, Peter Oh gets in touch: “ It doesn’t get any bluer than this fixture, does it? The good thing is that no matter what happens tonight, it’s sure to be a blue Christmas for both sets of fans.”
Joe Pearson gets in touch: “In honor of the hosts, I’ve got Spotify picking Super Furry Animals cuts for me. That will certainly confuse my Wrapped next year.”
The latest edition of the school’s Hollywood Diversity report, published Tuesday, found that of the top 250 most-viewed current and library scripted series in 2024, more than 91.7% were created by a white person, with white men accounting for 79% of all show creators – both increases from last year. Diversity also slipped for performers, with white actors cast in 80% of all roles.
Prices for the ‘supporter entry’ tier are capped at $60
Tier will be available to supporters for all 104 games
Allocation will comprise 1.6% of available tickets
Amid backlash against exorbitant prices for the 2026 World Cup, Fifa on Tuesday announced that it had created a new tier of tickets specifically for supporters of the involved teams for each game, with prices capped at $60 per ticket for every match of the tournament, including the final.
The new pricing category will be part of the allotment of tickets distributed by the associations for the participating teams, who each get 8% of available tickets for every match they play. The new pricing tier, called the entry tier, will comprise 10% of that 8% allotment, or 1.6% of all available tickets taking into account both sets of supporters. Given the size of most 2026 World Cup stadiums, that amounts to a little over 1,000 tickets per match available at that price point, split evenly between supporters of both teams.
Development abandoned after Serbian minister indicted over $500m project, in setback for Trump family empire
Serbia’s authoritarian ruler has threatened reprisals after protesters and a prosecutor thwarted plans for a Trump Tower in Belgrade.
In a rare setback for the Trump family’s global moneymaking campaign, the $500m development was abandoned after Monday’s indictment of a Serbian minister on suspicion of abusing his office to support the project.
The US president has repeatedly targeted American media in an attempt to muzzle debate and scrutiny. His attempt to export the bullying must be resisted
On the day that the government launched a high-stakes consultation to consider fresh ways of funding the BBC in the digital era, the corporation could have done without another difficult news event of its own. Donald Trump’s decision to follow through on threats to sue over the content of a Panorama programme broadcast in October 2024 may not have come as a surprise, given Mr Trump’s litigious record in the United States. But it will add to the general air of beleaguerment at the corporation and further embolden its domestic political enemies.
A terse BBC statement on Tuesday suggested that there would be no backing down in the face of White House bullying. That is the right response to absurd claims of “overwhelming financial and reputational harm” caused to the US president, and a fantastical request for damages amounting to $10bn. The BBC has rightly apologised for the misleading splicing together of separate clips from Mr Trump’s rabble-rousing speech on January 6 2020, prior to the violent storming of the US Capitol. A serious error of judgment was made in that editing process – though the House of Representatives January 6 committee concluded that Trump did use his speech to incite an insurrection. But the claim that a programme not broadcast in the US was part of a malicious plan to defame Mr Trump and subvert the democratic process ahead of last year’s election is utterly specious.
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Archaeological treasures revealed during construction at two metro stops led to years of delays
Metro passengers in Rome can now peruse ancient history while in transit after the opening of two long-awaited stations showcasing a vast trove of treasures unearthed during their construction – including the remnants of a military barracks built during the reign of the emperor Trajan and 28 wells, along with the votives offered up in thanks.
The Colosseo-Fori Imperiali, a sprawling station beside the Colosseum descending across four levels, and Porta Metronia, in the area of San Giovanni, form part of the driverless Metro C, an underground line that connects the suburbs of Rome to the centre.
Six women who were drugged and raped or sexually assaulted by the same Denver cardiologist filed a lawsuit against Match Group on Tuesday, accusing the world’s largest dating app company of “accommodating rapists across its products” through “negligence” and a “defective” product.
Claim filed in Argentina alleges crimes against humanity were carried out on Women, Life, Freedom protesters
A group of victims of the Iranian government crackdown during the Women, Life, Freedom protests in 2022 have filed the first criminal complaint against 40 named Iranian officials alleging crimes against humanity, including targeted blinding and murder.
The request for a criminal investigation to be launched has been filed in Argentina by a group of Iranians with the help of the non-profit Iran Human Rights Documentation Center. The Argentinian legal system is especially open to accommodating universal jurisdiction claims.
The BBC has vowed to defend itself against the $10bn lawsuit that the US president, Donald Trump, filed against it. Trump alleges the broadcaster “intentionally, maliciously and deceptively” edited the 6 January speech he gave before the attack on the US Capitol. On Tuesday, a BBC spokesperson said: “As we have made clear previously, we will be defending this case. We are not going to make further comment on ongoing legal proceedings.”
Lucy Hough speaks to the head of national news, Archie Bland
Writers cited Machado’s support for Trump’s pressure campaign against Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro
At least three writers have withdrawn from next month’s Hay festival in Cartagena, Colombia, in protest at an invitation extended to the Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel laureate María Corina Machado.
The main reason cited by them is Machado’s support for Donald Trump’s four-month pressure campaign against Venezuela’s dictator Nicolás Maduro and her comments in favour of a potential US military intervention in the Caribbean country.
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