The News - Tuesday, 07 April 2026

BBC News

Watch: Artemis II mission loses contact with Earth for 40 minutes

Once contact was regained, astronaut Christina Koch said: "It is so great to hear from Earth again."

Clock ticks on Trump's Iran ultimatum with little sign of breakthrough

The US president is in a delicate political position as the final hours to Tuesday's deadline for Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz tick down.

Disruption expected as six-day doctors' strike begins

The NHS is advising patients in England to only use emergency services when necessary but attend any confirmed appointments.

More than 1,700 Brits who fell ill in Cape Verde join action against Tui

Tui is investigating the claims and says it is "not in a position to provide a statement at this stage".

JD Vance due in Hungary to back Orban's re-election bid

The US vice-president's visit is the latest show of White House support for the Hungarian leader.

Wireless Festival boss defends Kanye West booking and asks people to forgive rapper

Its managing director calls the rapper's past comments "abhorrent" but asks people to "offer some forgiveness".

Australia's most-decorated living soldier arrested over alleged war crimes

Ben Roberts-Smith, who denies all wrongdoing, previously lost a landmark defamation case over the alleged murders.

Call for parents to teach online privacy like road safety

Three in four parents fear their child cannot make safe choices about personal data online, the data watchdog finds.

Schools in knife crime hotspots to get specialist training

A new partnership will provide training for school leaders about knife-crime risk, the government says.

Trump's Hormuz deadline looms but Asian nations have already struck deals with Iran

Nations in the region have been keen to reach agreements as their economies are heavily reliant on Middle East energy.

Fake Australian, Chinese and Brazilian police stations: BBC goes inside a seized scam compound

Almost nothing was known about the Royal Hill casino until the Thai military took control of it in December.

The Papers: Doctors 'hold patients hostage' and 'The whole of the moon'

A number of the papers have focused in on the six-day resident doctors' strike, which is due to kick off on Tuesday.

Nine policemen sentenced to death in India over Covid custody killings

The father and son died in jail after being arrested on suspicion of breaching Covid lockdown rules in 2020.

US Supreme Court paves way for dismissal of Steve Bannon conviction

The order allows a lower court to consider dismissing the former Trump strategist's indictment.

One gunman killed and two injured in shooting at Israeli consulate in Istanbul

No Israeli diplomats are currently in Turkey and the Istanbul consulate has been empty for the past two-and-a-half years.

Has Artemis II shown we can land on the Moon again?

The Artemis II mission has been near flawless to date, but has the test flight shown Nasa is ready to send humans to the lunar surface?

Plan 2 student loan interest rates capped at 6% in England

The cap on Plan 2 and postgraduate loan interest rates comes amid a risk of rising inflation.

Strictly star will not face rape charges, police say

Detectives determined there was "insufficient evidence" to bring criminal charges against the unnamed man.

Ex-footballer Joey Barton denies golf club attack

The ex-Manchester City, Newcastle United, QPR, Burnley and Rangers player is accused of assault.

Two major airlines cut flights and hike fares as fuel prices surge

Airlines have reduced services and lifted ticket costs as the Iran war weighs on jet fuel costs.

Oil price fluctuates ahead of Trump's Iran deal deadline

The US president has threatened to take out Iran "in one night" if it does not agree to open the Strait of Hormuz.

Watch: Artemis II's historic lunar flyby... in 90 seconds

The four astronauts in the Orion spacecraft set a new record for distance travelled from Earth.

Kanye West controversies - how did we get here?

West has a history of making antisemitic remarks and other controversial comments.

My great-aunt shot Mussolini in the face

Violet Gibson came very close to changing the course of history 100 years ago, when she emerged from a crowd in Rome and shot the fascist dictator.

Mum of twins who says home was bombed in Lebanon speaks to BBC

More than one million people in Lebanon have been displaced since the start of the war as Israel expands its ground operation there.

China is winning one AI race, the US another - but either might pull ahead

Both sides don't want to let their rival dominate. And the competition may yet be transformed further.

Holiday let owner says legislation will 'destroy me'

Paul Martin says his only option is to "dismantle the cottages and render them unhabitable".

Rapper Offset in hospital after being shot in Florida

The rapper is in a "stable" condition, with two people detained in connection with the incident.

Music giant Universal gets $64bn takeover offer

The music giant behind acts such as Taylor Swift and Sabrina Carpenter gets an offer from Bill Ackman's Pershing Square.

Woman jailed for defrauding aunt out of £300k to build gym

Margaret Cassidy used most of the money to convert the disused former St Kenneth's Church in Glasgow into the Sanctuary Gym.

WHO suspends Gaza medical evacuations after contractor killed by Israeli troops

Israel's military says troops fired at a vehicle driven by the Palestinian because they believed it posed "an immediate threat".

Police officer jailed for killing woman in crash while responding to 999 call

Mark Roberts was responding to reports of a choking baby when he hit a motorbike, a court hears.

Lost Joan Eardley painting found in charity shop sells for £29,500

Staff at the shop in the East Midlands found a faded and worn label on the back of the painting, which linked it to The Scottish Gallery in Edinburgh.

Bournemouth Echo

Paedophile sexually messaging 'girl, 14,' caught by vigilante group

A PAEDOPHILE who sent sexual messages and asked for indecent pictures of a ‘14-year-old girl’ was caught by a vigilante group, a court has heard.

Marathon winner stung by wasp during 1998 race — the surprising result

As Russell flew round the course for a clear victory, he was stung in the mouth by a wasp.

She got fed up — and a town was born

It's a uniquely British phenomenon that a town's modern identity was forged not by the decree of a monarch, a historic battle, or ancient linguistic drift, but by the sheer, unadulterated pragmatism of a frustrated postal worker.

In The Dock: six-month suspended sentence for dangerous driver from Wimborne

The following cases were heard at Poole Magistrate's Court:

Christchurch man banned from all bars, pubs and nightclubs after Bar So assault

A man who assaulted someone at a bar in Bournemouth has been banned from all pubs, bars and nightclubs in England and Wales for six months.

'I am devastated': Rare customised motorbike worth £3,000 stolen

A MOTORCYLIST has said he is “devastated” after his rare customised bike worth around £3,000 was stolen from outside his home in Poole.

Missing prisoner found and arrested in Bournemouth after four-day search

A prisoner who reportedly escaped from lawful custody in Poole has been located and arrested.

Motorists facing delays after crash on main road - updates

MOTORISTS are facing delays this afternoon after a crash on Wessex Way.

Plans for HMO refused but property will still become a HMO

Plans for a seven bed HMO were refused with a councillor feeling like their hands were tied as they were told an HMO would still be developed.

Missing woman found after police search

A 82-YEAR-OLD woman has been reported missing after last seen in West Howe area.

Man sexually assaulted 18-year-old woman in Bournemouth park, court told

THE TRIAL of a 26-year-old man accused of sexually assaulting an 18-year-old woman has heard that he “set out that night to have sex with a young woman whether they consented or not”.

Conservatives standing for town council election in Bournemouth West

Ahead of town council elections, the BCP Conservative group has confirmed it will be standing candidates in Bournemouth West.

Dentist plans to improve disabled access

A dentist in Bournemouth has proposed plans to improve disabled access to the practice.

Man wanted for 13 offences located in Wimborne property

A wanted man who was staying at a property in Wimborne has now been located by police.

Child 'struck around the head' after spraying man with water at sports centre

A child was reportedly 'struck around the head' after accidentally spraying a man with water in the changing rooms of a sports centre.

Multi-agency rescue launched after person enters water in Poole

EMERGENCY services responded to an incident in Poole after reports of a person in the water.

Man left with serious injury after early hours assault in town centre

A man was taken to hospital with a serious injury after being assaulted in Bournemouth town centre at the weekend.

Elderly woman 'verbally abused' after telling teens to stop swearing

An elderly woman was reportedly verbally abused by four teenagers on bikes after she asked them to stop swearing.

Heath fire battled by firefighters on Easter Sunday

Multiple firefighters battled a heath fire in Ferndown at the weekend.

Further arrests as investigation into death of man in Bournemouth continues

FURTHER arrests have been made on suspicion of murder after a man in his 40s was pronounced dead on Charminster Road, Bournemouth.

16 bed HMO approved despite concerns from residents

Plans to build a 16 HMO have been approved despite concerns from residents about vehicle access, traffic congestion and overdevelopment.

House fire in Dorset caused by sunlight reflecting off mirror

A house fire was sparked by direct sunlight reflecting off a mirror and onto a cardboard box in Gillingham on Monday.

Fire in underground bunker believed to have been started deliberately

A fire inside an underground bunker in Poole was believed to have been started deliberately.

Rare 50p coin is being sold for more than £1,000

A RARE 50p coin is being sold by a Warrington resident for more than £1,000.

WATCH: Property engulfed in flames with 'significant' amount of smoke reported

Emergency services were called to a property 'fully involved in fire' as a 'significant' amount of smoke was being reported in the area.

Man comes forward after counterfeit cash used in Marketplace deal

A man has come forward following an incident where counterfeit cash was used as payment in a Facebook Marketplace deal.

'Avoid the area': 'Significant' smoke as firefighters tackle property blaze

Emergency services are currently tackling a property fire in Winterbourne Kingston, with a 'significant' amount of smoke reported in the area.

Police concerned for welfare of man last seen four days ago

Police are concerned for the welfare of a missing man from Ringwood who hasn't been seen since the weekend.

The New Forest village where you can splash out on a Ferrari

IT sells luxury high performance cars and is the type of business you might expect to find in fashionable parts of London or Paris

Dorset Council: changes to disabled parking bays and waiting restrictions

Dorset Council proposes revoking disabled parking bays and updating no waiting restrictions on A350 Poole Road, Upton. Public comments open until April 2026.

Three Dorset pubs shortlisted among the best for 2026 in national awards

Three Dorset pubs—The Fleur de Lys, The Rose & Crown Trent, and The Quay—are shortlisted in the 2026 National Pub & Bar Awards, with the grand final in London.

Bus stop to be moved and parking restrictions coming into force next week

Parking restrictions and bus stop changes on East Overcliff Drive, Bournemouth, from April 2026 for cliff remediation works. Affected: Carlton Hotel area.

Waitrose wants to sell alcohol 24 hours a day at Christchurch store

Waitrose in Christchurch seeks BCP Council approval to sell alcohol 24/7 for off-premises and online orders. Public comments open until 17 April 2026.

Call for empty food wrappers for charity's David Attenborough challenge

A charity aiming to tackle waste in the area is holding a challenge this May to pay tribute to Sir David Attenborough's one hundredth birthday.

Report created to combat 'extreme weather' after second wettest winter since 1800s

Residents have created a report on how Dorset can prepare for a changing climate and 'increasing' extreme weather, following one of the area's wettest winters on record.

School says 'it's an absolute honour' after being named in top three nationally

A Dorset school has said "its an absolute honour" after being named one of the Top 3 Boarding prep schools in the UK.

Residents to put forward questions surrounding town council elections

Southbourne Forum will be hosting a town council hustings event at St Nicholas Church.

Domestic abuse ruling shows courts are challenging 'gender stereotypes'

Bournemouth Family Court orders child to live with father amid domestic abuse claims, reflecting a shift to gender-neutral, child-focused UK family law.

Local swim school expands as new Bournemouth pool set to launch this April

Puddle Ducks Dorset opens a new swimming pool at Moordown St John’s School, expanding early-years swimming lessons for children and families in Bournemouth.

Dorset Council marks Falklands War anniversary with White Ensign tribute

Dorset Council will fly the White Ensign at County Hall from 2–16 April to commemorate the Falklands War anniversary and honour UK armed forces personnel.

Road in Poole to be closed for drainage works this month

Carlton Road in Bournemouth to close for drainage works 20 April–1 May 2026. Diversions in place; parking and loading banned. See BCP Council notice.

Residents seek to transform Bournemouth green space with 'historic' pavilion

Residents have shared their views on wanting to restore a green space in Bournemouth.

Hundreds of Easter eggs donated to food banks across Dorset

Two hundred easter eggs have been donated to charities to make a “holiday a little bit brighter for many families.”

Weekend rail disruption to hit Bournemouth and Poole services

Train services across parts of Dorset and the New Forest will be disrupted this weekend due to engineering works in the Southampton area.

More people to be offered protection from RSV vaccinations in the South West

Free RSV vaccine now available for over-75s and care home residents in Somerset. Protect against serious respiratory illness—book via your GP or care home.

MP welcomes law to end 'subscription traps' that could save up to £400m annually

A Bournemouth MP has welcomed new laws that will help make it easier for people to get out of 'subscription traps'.

Beach café in Swanage applies for licence to sell alcohol until midnight

Swanage’s Cabin Beach Café has applied to Dorset Council for a licence to sell alcohol and play music until midnight. Comments open until April 17.

Community band announces new spring concert to kick off season

A town band are kicking off their summer season with a brand new performance on their calendar.

'Major milestone' reached as former RAF watch tower restored for holidaymakers

Approval has been granted for the restoration of a former RAF watch office.

Travel warning remains for Brits going to holiday hotspot amid rising infection cases

A warning issued by UK health officials remains in place for Brits travelling to Cape Verde as cases of Shigella sonnei and Salmonella continue to rise.

Thousands face unexpected retirement delay as state pension age changes

Millions of Britons face a state pension shake-up from April. Payments are rising - but so is the retirement age.

Formula 1

WATCH: Winning overtakes but they happen progressively later

From first lap moves that prove decisive to last-gasp moments that get the crowd on their feet, F1 has seen it all over the years.

Mekies explains if Red Bull are paying price for late 2025 push

Team Principal Laurent Mekies has delved into whether Red Bull's 2025 choices have cost them some 2026 performance.

Hinch picks his top five drivers of 2026 so far

As the season pauses ahead of Miami, IndyCar race winner and F1 TV analyst James Hinchcliffe has picked out his five most impressive drivers after the opening three rounds of 2026.

Sainz details 'all the targets' for Williams to improve in 2026

Carlos Sainz gives his take on where Williams need to improve to start competing higher up the order in 2026.

Windows Central

Whoa, delisted Xbox 360 games just showed up on the Xbox Store — did Microsoft leak new Xbox Backwards Compatibility games?

Several delisted Xbox and Xbox 360 games have recently appeared on the Xbox Store, leading many to wonder if they'll be made backwards compatible soon.

STALKER 2 is getting a free new content update this month — I break it down and reveal why it sets the stage for what comes after

Ahead of STALKER 2's upcoming Cost of Hope DLC, dev GSC Game World is releasing a free Sealed Truth content update for the open-world survival shooter.

I compared Lenovo Qira to HP IQ in a battle of on-device AI intelligence — Are these finally the assistants we've been hoping for?

Lenovo and HP have both devised on-device AI assistants designed to make your digital life easier. I dug into the features to discover similarities and differences.

Is this the perfect Windows app to emulate? Microsoft needs to take notes.

Speechify is more than just a great dictation tool; it’s a masterclass in how to build a native Windows 11 app that actually respects the platform.

"The MacBook Air is no longer the best lightweight laptop": I compare the new ASUS Zenbook A16 to show how it dominates Apple's sleek notebook in key areas

We got our hands on the new ASUS Zenbook A16 for in-depth testing, and it's clear that the new Windows laptop is gunning for Apple's lightweight MacBook Air 15. Here's how the two devices compare in terms of design, features, displays, performance, efficiency, and pricing.

I tested ASUS' Zenbook A16 with Qualcomm's incredible Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme CPU, and I'm convinced: This is everything a flagship Windows laptop should be

A combination of Qualcomm's phenomenal generational performance gains and refinements to ASUS' already stellar Zenbook design has crafted a practically perfect Windows laptop.

Who wants to play racing games with a controller? This wheel is the "perfect entry point" and turns your Xbox into a home arcade machine for under $250

Turtle Beach's VelocityOne Race KD3 Racing Wheel and Pedals is currently one of the company's best accessories for emulating real-life racing on Xbox and PCs, and it's now on sale for 44% off.

"Make file recovery more predictable": A major change to OneDrive is about to roll out, and I happily welcome anything that improves sync performance

Microsoft is changing how OneDrive handles deleted files. Soon, cloud deletions won't hit your local Recycle Bin, forcing you to use the web for recovery.

“Copilot is in a survival scramble”: I break down Microsoft’s chaotic AI strategy shift — and why I’m still trying to figure out where this all leads next

An AI expert mapped more than 80 Copilot products, sparking debate over whether it’s branding brilliance or confusion.

Microsoft dismisses a trending Bing-era disclaimer that "Copilot is for entertainment purposes only": There's no reason for you to worry about this outdated language

Copilot's terms of use indicated that it's for entertainment purposes only. However, Microsoft has indicated that the phrasing is a legacy language from when Copilot originally launched as a search companion service in Bing.

"You wanna live forever?!": A boomer shooter inspired by the satirical world of 'Starship Troopers' will have you blasting bugs on Xbox

Based on the satirical novel and film franchise, Starship Troopers: Ultimate Bug War! puts the player in the shoes of Major Dietz as they fight back an army of alien arachnids. Or try things out from the bug’s perspective and destroy all humans. Either way, you’re in for a good time.

Laffgaff

Who was the lead singer of the band Spandau Ballet?

Tony Hadley.

Accomplished Composer

Who is the most accomplished camel-like composer? Llamadeus Mozart.