The News - Friday, 24 July 2026

BBC News

US imposes tariffs on dozens of trade partners, citing forced labour concerns

The tariffs target 60 trading partners over claims they failed to properly stop forced labour.

PM to spend first day working from northern branch of No 10

Various ministers are also set to work regularly from the northern branch of Downing Street.

UK complacent about war threat, warns defence boss

The threat of attack has never been higher, the boss of Europe's biggest defence contractor has warned. Dr Charles Woodburn

Fifty women come forward saying they were pressured into swinging

Women told the BBC their partners had pushed or coerced them into having sex with other men.

UK mortgage rates rise to highest level for a month

Renewed tensions in the Middle East feed through to the costs faced by lenders, pushing up borrowing costs.

Southport killer Axel Rudakubana moved to psychiatric hospital

Rudakubana was jailed for 52 years in 2025 for the murder of three young girls at a dance class.

Mum and daughter who died at beach were trying to save boy, 7

Shally Rahman and teenager Samiha Rahman were pulled from the water, emergency services say.

UK 'ready to defend itself' after Iran says bases are 'legitimate targets'

An Iranian military group has issued a warning to the UK over allowing US forces to use British bases for strikes on Iran.

Scientists find building blocks of birdsong's 'spectacular diversity'

A scientific study has revealed the acoustic secret that connects all birdsong - and it is surprisingly simple

Could you run a country on just three hours of sleep? Japan's PM says she does

Japan’s prime minister Sanae Takaichi says she survives on zero to three hours a night, and people are reacting.

They became best friends – then discovered they were brother and sister

Andrea Urmston knew she had an adopted brother, only to discover he was already her closest friend.

Decoding Charli XCX's new album, Music, Fashion, Film

The star's new album strips away artifice to examine her life after the phenomenal success of Brat.

Heatwave anxiety can make you feel 'incredibly helpless' - here's how to manage it

Extreme heat can take a toll on mental health - and young people and women are among the groups most at risk, according to one study.

Weekly quiz: What creepy-crawly cuisine could land a Michelin-starred restaurateur in jail?

How much attention did you pay to what happened in the world over the past seven days?

The Papers: 'Burnham eager to get drilling' and 'Tardis fit for a King'

The papers are focusing on different aspects of Andy Burnham's first week in the top job.

We split bills equally even when one of us earned a lot more

Hannah and Max continued to pool finances after Max was made redundant but took "drastic measures" to cut spending.

CJP protest: The youth movement India's Modi didn't see coming

The CJP protest began with exam paper leaks. It became India's biggest student movement in years - why?

Secret Service agent in Vance's team under investigation over alleged leak

The Secret Service has not disclosed the agent's identity or the nature of the information allegedly leaked.

Influencer apologises for leaving bathtub on mountain

Tom Christopher carried the tub up the mountain in flip flops, before bathing in it at the summit.

Burnham pauses plan to release some prisoners early from September

The prime minister says no prisoners will be released until a review has been conducted.

US health panel loosens restrictions for controversial peptides popular online

The vote marks a win for Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy who has said he's a big fan of the drugs, which haven't been well studied for human use.

Wildfire spotted from space as helicopter brought in to tackle blaze

Data gathered by BBC Verify suggests an estimated 951 hectares of the Rhinogydd mountains have been burned.

India activist ends hunger strike after 26 days

Sonam Wangchuk, a supporter of youth-led protesters demanding education reforms, says he wants to avert "possible violence".

Southport killer Axel Rudakubana appears to be manipulating the system, families' lawyer says

On Thursday, Axel Rudakubana was moved from prison to a secure psychiatric hospital in Berkshire.

'Extremely significant' bomb in car intercepted on way to NI, Irish police say

A woman in her 20s has been charged by gardaí (Irish police) and is due in court on Friday evening.

Officers hurt as police boat hits Westminster Bridge

Police say a number of officers entered the water but were recovered following the crash.

Angela Rayner rules out rent controls in England

The housing secretary tells the BBC that the Renters Rights' Act is already having a significant impact on the market.

Andy Burnham's first week pledges - how much do they add up to?

BBC Verify has looked at how much Burnham's new spending commitments cost and how they will be paid for

Four men dead after car crashes into lamp-post

The car left the road and crashed on Liverpool Road in Huyton just before 02:00 BST.

Faisal Islam: The UK's Trump trade deal no longer looks world-beating

While the US tariffs imposed on the UK are effectively unchanged, other countries now have a better deal.

Ten killed in Russian attack on drone exhibition near Kyiv

The event, attended by prominent members of the Ukrainian defence industry, was hit by ballistic missiles in the middle of the day.

PlayStation Network down, leaving thousands of gamers unable to play

Sony's status page read that it was "working to resolve the issue as soon as possible".

Chris Brown pleads guilty to affray over nightclub attack in London

The US singer hit a man with a glass bottle in "a vicious and unprovoked attack", prosecutors say.

India cockroach protests: Videos show officers firing 'pellet guns'

Thousands of people have taken to the streets in Delhi as part of the cockroach protests, calling for educational reforms.

How Jimothy the raccoon became the internet's latest animal obsession

It all began with an innocuous video shared by Seattle resident Kiana Hall on Instagram.

Chris Mason: What Burnham's first week in power tells us about his agenda

The fledgling Burnham administration has been seeking to find its feet and make a decent first impression at the same time, the BBC's political editor Chris Mason explains.

Using a bathroom 20 times a day - life in the middle of US cyclospora outbreak

A historic cyclospora outbreak spreading across the US is causing havoc in pockets of Michigan, the hardest hit state.

Dancing with Shakira at World Cup was 'very, very, very, very, very good', say Ghetto Kids

The child stars tell the BBC of their excitement entertaining their biggest crowd yet at the World Cup final.

Four Palestinians and two Israelis killed in West Bank shooting

Palestinians say villagers came under attack by settlers, while the Israeli military says a Palestinian stole a weapon and opened fire on hikers.

EA's bestselling football video game gets 16+ age rating due to loot boxes

The football game's popular Ultimate Team earns it a 16+ rating from age ratings board PEGI.

Fifty women tell BBC they were pressured into having sex with strangers

Women said their partners had pushed or coerced them into taking part in swinging.

Sarah Ferguson's charity formally closes down

Sarah’s Trust had previously said it was closing “for the foreseeable future”.

First person gets new experimental vaccine for Ebola

Ed Hunt, 37 and from the UK, voluteered after seeing news reports of the deadly Ebola outbreak in DR Congo.

Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman's family in legal dispute with his widow

The late actor's siblings claim she has mishandled distribution of the funds and "cannot be trusted".

Bournemouth Echo

Classic snaps show Bournemouth landmarks being built in 1950s

Echo reader David Gillam got in touch to share these wonderful images of Bournemouth in yesteryear.

Man who failed to stop after a crash banned from driving - In the Dock

The following cases were heard at Poole Magistrates' Court:

Mudeford Ferry sold to father and son from Christchurch promising a reliable future

A father and son from Christchurch have taken over as the new owners of the much loved, long running Mudeford Ferry, which has carried passengers across the harbour for centauries.

Family of three rescued from sea by boaters after young boy swept away by tide

A boater has described the terrifying moment she and her friends rescued a father who she believes was just minutes from drowning after a family was swept out by a strong tide.

Retired teacher found unresponsive at home by neighbour

A retired teacher was found unresponsive at home after her neighbour raised a concern for her welfare.

Retired butcher found dead at home after concern for welfare call

An inquest has opened for a man who was found unresponsive following a concern a welfare call.

WATCH - Evri drivers dump dozen parcels on driveway

WATCH the moment two Evri delivery drivers dumped a dozen parcels on a resident's driveway.

Search underway for missing 14 year old girl

A search is underway for a 14-year-old girl who has gone missing from Bournemouth.

Bournemouth man died at Cornwall pod in 'devastating' explosion

A Bournemouth man who died after an explosion while staying in Cornwall has been remembered as a “lovable soul” who “did everything he could for other people”.

Pub unveils incredible £180k revamp and plans for a neighbouring campsite

A pub has undergone a major refurbishment with backing from a regional brewery.

Dorset MP to spend ten days meeting constituents as part of Summer Village Tour

Vikki Slade MP will spend ten days meeting residents across the constituency this summer as she launches her second Summer Village Tour

‘Environmental disaster waiting to happen’: call for action to save polluted harbour

Pollution in Christchurch Harbour is an “environmental disaster waiting to happen” unless urgent action is taken to protect it

Woman rescued from yacht after fall at Poole Harbour

A woman was rescued from a yacht following a fall at Poole Harbour.

Ex-Hampshire inspector jailed for strip searching young men at police station

An ex-Hampshire inspector who stripped young men naked in his office been jailed for a decade.

Missing teenage girl last seen in Bournemouth is found

A missing teenage girl last seen in Bournemouth has been found, police have said.

Football centre in Poole applies to serve alcohol

A football centre in Poole has applied to be able to serve alcohol

Sri Lankan restaurant wants to start selling alcohol and have live music

A Sri Lankan restaurant in Bournemouth has applied to be able to sell alcohol and play music

Concern for welfare incident on railway prompts emergency response

A person was taken to a place of safety after an incident on the tracks between between Lymington Pier and Brockenhurst railway occurred and caused significant disruption to train services.

Bournemouth mosque submits plan for a first floor extension

A plan for an extension to a Bournemouth mosque to create an assembly room for women and children has been submitted to BCP Council

Plans submitted to demolish care home and build five family homes

A plan to demolish a former care home and build five new family homes has been submitted

Lollipop patrol will return to school gates as council delays job cuts decision

Lollipop patrols have been told to return to work in September after the council delayed a decision on proposed job cuts.

Two seriously injured after crash with bollards and fencing

An 18-year-old driver and a 20-year-old passenger were seriously injured after their vehicle collided with bollards and fencing in Brockenhurst.

Victim's mother called puncher of rejected advances 'disgusting human being'

The mother of a young woman who was knocked out by a violent offender has spoken of her disappointment at his lenient sentence.

No further action over alleged sexual assault at pub

No further action will be taken after a woman reported she had been sexually assaulted in a pub.

What's on in cinemas in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole this weekend

The release of a dark reimagining of Pinocchio is among films being shown in BCP cinemas this weekend.

Bournemouth breast cancer survivor wins four medals in Dragon Boat Racing for GB

Louise Rowland, a 56-year-old woman Bournemouth, competed in the European Nations Dragon Boat Federation Championships, winning four silver medals.

Eight-bedroom house in Bournemouth set to go under the hammer later this month

A eight-bedroom Bournemouth house in multiple occupation (HMO) is set to be auctioned on July 28 as part of Strettons’ July national property auction

Bournemouth care home residents enjoy ice creams and ocean views at the beach

Residents from Zetland Court in Bournemouth enjoyed three days of visits to Alum Chine Beach, organised by business relationship manager Natasha Finn.

Application for new jetty and slipway and seawall repairs in Poole

A marine licence is sought for seawall, slipway, and timber jetty repairs at Panorama Road, Poole. Comments via Marine Management Organisation by August 12.

"We should recognise progress and avoid talking our town down"

There’s a saying that the truth is somewhere in the middle. In an era of increasing division, both online and offline, that has never felt more relevant.

Attraction on Bournemouth Pier continues partnership with Bournemouth Rugby

RockReef announces its continued support of Bournemouth Rugby as part of its commitment to promoting healthy, active lifestyles and community sport.

Historic university theatre to host two major public film events next week

AUB's Palace Court Theatre will screen The People's Emergency Briefing and host the launch of the 2026 Bournemouth International Film Festival

Alice in Wonderland inspired Christmas wonderland coming to Beaulieu this year

Beaulieu has announced a festive experience for 2026 at Palace House: A Palace House Christmas 2026 Alice’s Christmas Wonderland.

Literacy charity expands initiative with Bournemouth Water funding support

Schoolreaders, which provides one-to-one weekly reading sessions to over 40,000 children, is growing its programme with help from Bournemouth Water

Yellow heat health alert issued across the South West

The yellow heat health alert is in effect from 9am on July 24 to 9am on July 26 across the South West.

'Larger than life' contestants wanted for new series of ITV big money game show

The second series of ITV's 'Win Win with Postcode Lottery' is returning, and producers are on the hunt for contestants with "larger-than-life personalities."

Apprentice at Shaftesbury printer recognised with national award

Daniel Mydlowski from Blackmore, based in Shaftesbury, was highly commended for the Kathy Woodward Award for Learning.

NHS trust in Dorset recognised for support to the Armed Forces community

Dorset HealthCare has been awarded the prestigious Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) Gold Award

75th anniversary tour of iconic Agatha Christie thriller to come to Dorset venue

Nicholas Bailey and Susan Penhaligon will star in the 75th anniversary UK tour of Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap, at Lighthouse Poole. November 23-28.

Traditional tea party raises £1,200 for cricket club's protective netting

Suttoners Cricket Club associates organised a traditional afternoon tea party on June 28, to support the club's appeal for extra high netting at Kinson Manor.

Dorset Police see increase in reports of rogue traders operating across Dorset

Dorset Police have reported a rise in rogue traders operating across Dorset

Barn conversion into home among latest planning applications submitted in BCP

Here are the latest planning applications submitted to BCP Council for towns within the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole area

'Don't bring the kids' comedy legend tribute show comes to Bournemouth

If you've ever wondered what happened next, or why the train don't stop at Camborne, then there's only one place to be this summer!

Millions could be owed an average £9,470 from a forgotten pension – how to check

There are an estimated 3.3 million lost pensions worth £31.1bn across the UK. Here's how to check if one of them belongs to you using a free Government service.

Shoppers warned 'do not eat' bakery item from Waitrose due to recall

Waitrose is recalling its eight-pack of Chocolate Chip Brioche Rolls that are sold in its stores.

Tesco issues Clubcard alert as 500,000 shoppers are sitting on £100 or more

Tesco has revealed more than 500,000 Clubcard members have at least £100 in unused vouchers. Here's how to check your balance and boost their value.

Formula 1

Norris avoiding getting ‘too excited’ about McLaren upgrades

Lando Norris has shared his expectations for McLaren’s upgrade package at the Hungarian Grand Prix.

Russell opens up on title fight struggles in Hungary

George Russell has admitted ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix that recent setbacks in this year’s title race have made it the “toughest battle psychologically I’ve had”, with Mercedes discovering a software issue from the previous round.

Verstappen aims to ‘keep momentum going’ after Red Bull gains

Max Verstappen is hopeful that Red Bull can continue their “upward trend” at the Hungarian Grand Prix, having been encouraged by the “nice improvements” the team are making so far in 2026.

All the stories that got the Hungary paddock talking

There was an end-of-term feeling in the Budapest paddock on Thursday as Formula 1's teams and drivers convened for one last time before the summer break. There were plenty of stories bubbling away at the Hungaroring, which is also celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Hungarian Grand Prix.

Antonelli reveals issue he must fix after father’s warning

Relationships between Formula 1 drivers and their fathers can be complicated. Sometimes the latter prefer to adopt a “tough love” approach that can raise a few eyebrows. Kimi Antonelli and his father Marco could be the poster boys for the opposite approach, and yet, as Antonelli revealed on Thursday, his father is also his biggest critic – and isn’t afraid to say what he thinks.

Taponen pips Slater to pole in F3 Hungary Qualifying

MP Motorsport's Tuukka Taponen secured his maiden pole position at the Hungaroring.

Mercedes target 'sizeable' upgrade after summer break

Mercedes plans to try and bring "something more sizeable onto the track" after the Formula 1 summer break in a bid to pull away from title rivals Ferrari.

Hamilton beats Leclerc to top spot during FP2 in Hungary

Ferrari’s strong Friday at the Hungaroring continued as they ended FP2 with Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc at the top of the timesheets.

Newey gives initial verdict on Aston Martin’s update package

Adrian Newey has explained how “getting to a point of respectability” is the “immediate goal” for Aston Martin with the introduction of their upgrade package at the Hungarian Grand Prix.

AS IT HAPPENED: All the action from FP2 in Hungary

Live coverage of the second F1 practice session for the 2026 Hungarian Grand Prix in Budapest.

Hamilton amongst stars honoured as Hungaroring names corners

Official names have been chosen for the Hungaroring in celebration of the Hungarian Grand Prix’s 40th anniversary.

Leclerc leads Verstappen in Hungary FP1 before Ferrari issue

Charles Leclerc finished fastest in Free Practice 1 ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix, the Ferrari driver heading Red Bull's Max Verstappen and team mate Lewis Hamilton.

AS IT HAPPENED: All the action from FP1 in Hungary

Live coverage of the first Formula 1 practice session for the 2026 Hungarian Grand Prix in Budapest.

Hadjar felt ‘doubt and pressure’ at taking Red Bull seat

Isack Hadjar has admitted that the struggles of past Red Bull drivers to match Max Verstappen was something he thought about when joining the team.

F1 to launch new Strategy Insight graphic powered by AWS

The new broadcast graphic will give fans a sense of the options, risks and pressures facing teams in real time.

MS Dynamics

Microsoft Dynamics 365: An agent-ready business applications platform

Instead of integrating AI around enterprise resource planning (ERP), organizations can bring agents into the flow of work, where business decisions and transactions already happen.

The post Microsoft Dynamics 365: An agent-ready business applications platform appeared first on Microsoft Dynamics 365 Blog.

Extending agentic Microsoft Dynamics 365 Sales with MCP

AI agents are only as capable as the tools, skills, and information they can reach. In sales, the intelligence that drives great decisions—buying signals, conversation insights, market and account context—often lives outside the customer relationships management (CRM). Getting it into the flow of work has traditionally meant costly integrations or data-duplication projects only the largest companies could sustain.

The post Extending agentic Microsoft Dynamics 365 Sales with MCP appeared first on Microsoft Dynamics 365 Blog.

Windows Central

Xbox Live Services are currently down — could this be why players can't access Halo: Campaign Evolved's early access? [UPDATE]

Just as Halo: Campaign Evolved has launched in early access, Xbox Live services shut down at literally the worst time possible, but Microsoft is aware of the outage and is working on fixing it.

People paid big money for Halo: Campaign Evolved's early access on Xbox and they aren't getting it

Halo: Campaign Evolved has launched in early access for people who purchased the Premium Edition or Premium Edition Upgrade, but unfortunately, there have been many reports of people unable to access it.

Xbox's plan to bring Xbox Cloud Gaming to the mass market — Free tier revealed, powered by ads, with access to all games you own

Here are the details of Xbox's initial ad-powered Xbox Cloud Gaming service, set to go live soon in an early testing phase.

Xbox is FINALLY boosting download speeds on console and PC — I tested it, and I'm finally consistently getting the speed I pay for

One thing that has bugged Xbox fans for years at this point is finally getting fixed, as Microsoft improves download logic across its gaming network.

Age of Empires 3: DE's latest expansion is back from the dead — Here's what you can expect from the revived content

Age of Empires 3: Definitive Edition is set to receive a new expansion with new civs, maps, and more. Ahead of the September launch, you can try out the new content as part of an open beta test. Here's everything you need to know.

Microsoft finally lets you fix the worst key on your keyboard

Windows 11 now includes a native setting to remap the dedicated Copilot key to the Right Ctrl or Context menu key.

The biggest indie "friendslop" game of 2026 appears to be delivering malware via Steam Workshop — How to protect your PC (and what to do next)

The Steam Workshop is one of the PC gaming platform's biggest assets, but it's increasingly becoming a place where bad actors can spread malware to unsuspecting victims. The latest allegations involve indie smash-hit Meccha Chameleon. Here's what you need to know.

Microsoft intervenes after LG gets caught installing McAfee adware onto Windows 11 PCs via their monitors

A popup window from LG that began appearing on PCs with LG monitors connected was showing ads for McAfee, and nobody, not even Microsoft, was impressed.

Diablo 2's addictive secret might have just been cracked by Path of Exile's co-creator — it's a truly fascinating analysis of ARPG mechanics

Diablo 2 is one of the most addictive games around more than 26 years after it launched, but what exactly makes me want to come back again and again? We might now have the answer courtesy of ARPG sage and co-creator of Path of Exile, Chris Wilson.

Total War: Warhammer 40,000's first, unedited gameplay deep dive into its ranged combat has firmly convinced me to put this Xbox title on my wishlist

The developers on Total War: Warhammer 40,000 recently unveiled a livestream deep dive into its combat system, in particular showcasing mechanics, special abilities, and tactics focused on ranged combat.

Steam just MASSIVELY improved gifting, and I hope Xbox copies it

Steam has announced new changes to its gifting system so that it's easier to buy and send games to friends and family. Here's how the new system works.