The News - Tuesday, 04 March 2025

BBC News

Murderer worked in schools after being barred

Rashid Zaman failed DBS check to work with children yet visited schools for charity projects.

UK ads target Iraq to deter small boat crossings

Angela Eagle says the ads will expose the "dangerous lies" spread by "ruthless criminal gangs".

Elon Musk sparks crisis talks at UK's elite Royal Society

The world's most prestigious science institution has been considering whether to remove Musk as a fellow.

Rising egg prices in the US spark chicken rental trend

The service provides hens, feed, and support for six months, allowing customers to collect fresh eggs at home.

Police to interview Crown actor over Gaza rally

Khalid Abdalla says he will be interviewed by police after the rally in January.

Over 50% of adults predicted to be obese by 2050

Levels look set to accelerate rapidly, particularly in lower-income countries.

Body found in search for missing man

The 26-year-old had not been seen since leaving a nightclub in the early hours of Friday morning.

Five things we've learned from Meghan's interview ahead of Netflix series

What can we expect from the new TV series from the Duchess of Sussex?

Covid inquiry rejects last-minute bid from Michelle Mone

Baroness Mone and her husband both asked to become 'core participants' to the inquiry.

Pope Francis 'alert' after respiratory failure

The Pope resumes mechanical ventilation after suffering two "acute respiratory failures" on Monday.

Could Europe fill the gap if the US cuts support for Ukraine?

If America were to withdraw its military support for Ukraine, how big of a hole would it leave?

Trump's commitment to Ukraine peace is sincere - PM

As the PM was speaking, Trump attacked European leaders' Ukraine stance, asking "what are they thinking?"

'It never should have happened': Americans frustrated by Trump-Zelensky spat

American voters expressed frustration at one or both leaders for their roles in the dispute that shocked the world.

Macron floats one-month truce: Would it work?

BBC diplomatic correspondent James Landale considers the idea suggested by the French president.

What hurdles does Europe's peace plan for Ukraine face?

Whatever words are used to frame the plan, enormous challenges lie ahead, the BBC's Frank Gardner writes.

Is King Charles the key to keeping Ukraine and US talking?

King Charles has been a key part of efforts to maintain relationships with Trump and Zelensky.

'He was born navy blue': Real-life stories behind Toxic Town Netflix series

The drama tells the story of how families fought for justice over their children's birth defects.

The Papers: 'US rift with Ukraine grows' and 'UK hunts new allies'

The latest comments from world leaders over the war in Ukraine dominate the front pages on Tuesday.

The revellers making Trinidad's carnival more sustainable

There are efforts under way to recycle and reuse more at what has been dubbed "the greatest show on Earth".

The families devastated by the terrible cruelty of serial killer Peter Tobin

A BBC documentary, The Hunt for Peter Tobin, explains how the murder of a Polish student led to the killer of two other teenagers.

Lyse Doucet: Gaza ceasefire in peril as Israel and Hamas hit impasse

Concern grows after Israel said it would block aid to Gaza unless Hamas accepted a new US proposal.

Thousands more university jobs at risk, union warns

The University and College Union says 5,000 jobs are already being cut and the sector is "on its knees".

Low-paid workers to get right to 80% of salary in sick pay

Those currently earning less than £123 a week are currently not eligible for sick pay.

Two dead after car drives into crowd in Germany

Several more people have been injured, police say, and one suspect, a German man, has been arrested.

Deadline for National Insurance top-ups softened

A looming deadline for people to plug NI gaps, to ensure they get the full state pension, has been eased.

Prince William's Welsh speech criticised by professor

A pre-recorded was published on social media video to mark St David's Day in Wales.

Vance denies disrespecting UK over ‘random country’ peacekeeping remarks

The US vice-president faces criticism after saying troops from "some random country" will not deter Russia.

World's largest iceberg runs aground off remote island

The iceberg appears to be stuck and may start breaking up near the island of South Georgia.

Injured Gazan boy takes first steps after surgery in Jordan

Nine-year-old Rami was badly hurt in a strike which killed his brother - now he's learning to walk again.

Watch: What did we learn from Meghan's new Netflix show?

The BBC's Daniela Relph takes a look at the Duchess of Sussex's new lifestyle series, 'With love, Meghan'.

'I lost trust' in Gaza film, says BBC boss Tim Davie

The BBC removed the programme after it emerged the 13-year-old narrator was the son of a Hamas official.

Millie Bobby Brown says journalists are 'bullying' her

The 21-year-old Stranger Things actress has reacted to headlines about her recent media appearances.

Boots recalls paracetamol over labelling error

Packaging inside the box incorrectly states the pills are a different painkiller, aspirin.

Spitting Image and Dead Ringers creator Bill Dare dies

Tributes have been paid to the 64-year-old comedy writer, who died in an "accident overseas".

Abrdn adds back vowels after widely mocked rebrand

The investment firm will now be called aberdeen group as it hopes the name change will remove "distractions".

Fears Ukraine defences will only last months without US

One Ukrainian soldier said the impact of the US aid pause would be "measured in lives"

The difficult choices facing Volodymyr Zelensky

Should he apologise to Trump or even resign? The options for Ukraine's leader are looking increasingly thin.

What pause in US military aid could mean for Ukraine

It's a bitter blow for Ukraine and Europe - but not the first time the US has withheld aid, writes BBC's Jonathan Beale.

China retaliates against US tariffs - but it also wants to talk

China's latest retaliatory measures against the latest US tariffs are an opening swing, not a direct punch.

Gazans face tough choices as their future is debated on the global stage

Their fate is the discussion of Arab leaders in Egypt but what do Gazans want for their future?

Arab leaders set to back alternative to Trump's Gaza reconstruction plan

Egypt puts forward a counterproposal to the president's vision for a US takeover of post-war Gaza.

Woolly mice engineered as step to create mammoth-like elephants

Experiments on mice could see hairy, genetically modified elephants living in the Arctic, a US company claims.

UK will not pay Rwanda more for scrapped migrant deal

Rwanda had asked for additional money it says it is owed after the UK suspended aid to the country.

Pizza boosts Greggs but sausage roll still king

The bakery chain has grown its revenue and profits by moving away from its traditional roots.

Crossbow killer 'raped ex-girlfriend after break-up', court hears

A court is told how Kyle Clifford "planned and executed" attacks at his ex-girlfriend's family home.

Dolly Parton's husband, Carl Dean, dies aged 82

The "9-5" singer met Dean outside a laundromat on the first day she arrived in Nashville as an 18-year-old aspiring singer.

'I was one of the Wuhan Covid bus drivers - and I'd do it again'

The story of a coach driver pictured at the heart of a Covid controversy.

Bournemouth Echo

Bournemouth Airport a hub for products 'made through crimes against humanity'

Bournemouth Airport has been described as "an importing hub for products likely made through crimes against humanity."

Town centre sees huge visitor growth in 'encouraging' new figures

VISITOR numbers to Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole town centres had an average month-on-month growth of around 45 per cent in January.

Celebrity chef to give menus at Rockwater revamp

Mr Golding will also design the menu at Rockwater’s new Sandbanks location, set to open in early summer.

Two men charged and named after armed police incident

TWO men have been charged after an armed police incident in Poole.

The Dorset postcodes that scooped prizes in the Postcode Lottery last month

A few postcodes across Dorset won prizes in the People's Postcode lottery in February 2025, including in Poole

Horror film festival returning to Dorset for second year

The festival celebrates independent horror films, providing a platform for filmmakers and industry professionals.

The Dorset winners who picked up prizes in this month's Premium Bonds draw

Here are the Premium Bonds winners for March 2025 in Dorset - check if you've won a prize.

Thief stole cooking oil from beachside restaurant

A THIEF stole cooking oil from a beachside restaurant, as police search for witnesses.

Council's £140k project still not operating two years after being built

WILL the £140,000 council seafront ‘business park’ open for the summer – two years after it was supposed to launch?

Business wants to open unit near Bournemouth railway station

A NEW business is looking to open at Bournemouth train station – and it isn’t Greggs as some had feared.

Pony rescued from marshland by firefighters

A PONY had to be rescued from marshland in Purbeck.

Coroner appeal for next of kin after man’s death

THE CORONER has issued a next of kin appeal after a man from New Milton died in Christchurch.

BCP Council's hackney carriage and private hire taxi rules set to change

A public consultation has been launched to gather these views before the policy is presented to the licensing committee for approval later this year.

First ever romance writing festival coming to Bournemouth

There will also be one-to-one sessions with literary agents and editors, aimed at helping writers improve and progress in their careers.

People invited to visit crematoria this Mother's Day

The Westerleigh Group, which owns 41 crematoria and cemeteries in the UK, is offering peaceful spaces for reflection at each site.

Dorset charity announces partnership to improve region's health

By partnering with Wessex Health Partners, Help & Care will be able to ensure services reflect actual needs and aspirations.

Majority of families offered preferred secondary school

"Moving up to secondary school is an exciting experience for both children and parents but can also be an anxious time for some."

Brewery announces expansion of chef apprenticeship scheme

Apprentices will receive professional training and hands-on experience throughout the 12-month course.

Dorset marketing firm becomes employee-owned trust

The business is now run by its employees and led by CEO Jen Swain, who took over in January 2024.

Bus fares petition launched by Poole MP for BCP schoolchildren

The initiative, spearheaded by Poole MP Neil Duncan-Jordan, seeks to address the financial strain on families who pay higher fares for school bus services than adults.

Gathering in Dorchester to remember those who died during pandemic

People attending the event are encouraged to lay flowers at the panels and to stay and reflect if they wish.

Dorset wedding photographer recognised as one of UK's best

With more than 190,000 reviews on the site, the awards serve as an important guide for couples planning their weddings.

People are being urged to make and update their will

According to a survey by the Law Society, more than half of people in England and Wales do not have a will.

Free will writing service launched by Poole-based hospice charity

"The service we’re offering is in partnership with trusted professionals, ensuring your will is legally sound and tailored to your needs."

In The Dock: Paedophile had most extreme type of child abuse images

The following cases were heard at Poole Magistrates' Court:

Small businesses join campaign to boost local economy

A HIGH STEET of businesses have backed a national ‘shop local’ campaign with hopes of boosting the town’s economy.

Sand berm could block seafront path this summer

A pile of sand that has been placed at the bottom of a landslide along Bournemouth beach could still be there in the summer.

Knife crime awareness event to be held by police

A KNIFE crime awareness event is set to be held in Poole town centre by police.

Poole care home to host ‘hug T-shirt’ making workshop ahead of Mother’s Day

A CARE home in Poole is set to host a heartwarming T-shirt making session for residents and their loved ones.

LIVE: Road closed after car and motorbike involved in crash

Wimborne Road is currently closed due to a crash. We will be bringing you updates as we get them

Family-run business transforms derelict bank into learning centre

The mayor praised UKG Language’s mission, highlighting its benefits for students and the community.

Southampton airport to launch new route this year with 40 new jobs to be created

Scottish airliner Loganair will create 40 new jobs at Southampton airport when it creates a new base at the airport, and a new route to Manchester.

Do you know him? Image bid after £100 of meat is stolen

Images have been released of a man police want to identify after £100 worth of meat was stolen from a supermarket.

'Urgent' search to find spider 'found in box of bananas' at supermarket

An 'urgent’ search is underway to find a spider at a supermarket site in Christchurch.

Next of kin appeal for 87-year-old man found dead in Bournemouth

The coroner for Dorset is seeking the assistance of the public to find the next of kin of a man who died in Bournemouth.

Cans from Korea and Panama found on Dorset beach

An environmental group has collected litter from around the world whilst cleaning a Dorset beach

'Broadcasting legend': South Today presenter to leave after 40 years

A much-loved regional news TV presenter is set to leave our screens later this month.

Martin Lewis issues 'lucrative' advice for anyone aged under 73

Martin Lewis on a 10-minute check that can add £10,000 to your State Pension and it might not cost you a penny.

Child Benefit increase next month - the exact new figures from April 2025

Child Benefit payments will increase for millions of families from next month, HMRC has confirmed.

Housebuilder donates to RNLI

A HOUSEBUILDER has donated £1,000 to the RNLI’s Poole Lifeboat Station.

Man with unhealthy interest in child murders ‘tried to kill nine-year-old’

A MAN with an ‘unhealthy interest’ in murders of children tried to kill a nine-year-old girl in a random stabbing, it is alleged.

Have you seen this trailer stolen from Christchurch Business Park?

A TRAILER was stolen from a business park.

Man shared intimate photo of woman with intention to humiliate

A MAN shared an intimate photo of a woman with the intention to humiliate her and sent unsolicited sexual images of himself, a court heard.

Man accused of raping 15-year-old girl off Bournemouth beach

A MAN raped a 15-year-old girl next to Bournemouth beach and then told her 'no one can find out about this', a court heard.

Police hunt for driver who collided with road sign

POLICE are hunting for a driver who collided with a road sign in St Leonards.

Woman and man identified after bar assault left person in hospital

A WOMAN has come forward and a man has been identified after a serious bar assault in Bournemouth left a man in hospital.

Post Office to relocate from arcade

A POST Office will relocate following a public consultation.

Man ‘showed no remorse’ after sexually abusing young child

A MAN ‘showed no remorse’ after he sexually abused a young child and left them in physical pain, a court heard.

Photographer captures moment pony chased by dog let off lead in New Forest

Hang Ross, a member of the Salisbury Journal Camera Club, was out in Lyndhurst when her peace was abruptly disrupted by the sound of chaos.

Government

Artificial Intelligence (Regulation) Bill [HL]

A bill to make provision for the regulation of artificial intelligence; and for connected purposes.

Formula 1

4 Winners and 3 Losers from pre-season testing – Who's looking good ahead of the season-opening race?

Getting a read of who’s hot and who’s not at pre-season testing is always a tricky business – and this year was no different. While some teams were super productive, for others testing was a bit of a grind. For the first time this season, we’ve picked out four winners and three losers from three days of running in the desert at the Bahrain International Circuit…

Palmer’s pre-season pecking order: Who’s looking good for 2025 after winter testing?

Another pre-season has come and gone by in a flash and the teams are headed off to Melbourne for the first race of the year. Here are my testing standouts – and what to watch out for next weekend in Australia…

Mansell backing Hamilton to succeed at Ferrari as he predicts ‘amazing year’ for F1

Former Ferrari driver Nigel Mansell has thrown his support behind Lewis Hamilton after the seven-time World Champion’s “absolutely brilliant” move to the Scuderia.

WATCH: Behind The Broadcast – How F1 captures the Las Vegas Grand Prix

Formula 1 has put on a spectacular show under the Las Vegas lights over the last couple of years, but fans around the world would see and hear nothing without the slick television operation in play at the track and back in the UK...

Steiner names his favourites for 2025 title as he predicts ‘different winners’ in multi-team battle

Guenther Steiner has given his take on the favourites for the championship in 2025, with the former Haas team chief predicting a close fight at the front with “different winners” across the season.

Windows Central

Microsoft just rebuilt Copilot for Windows with a fancy native UI, and it looks GOOD

After launching a new Copilot app for Mac last week, Windows is now getting the same treatment with a new native app experience.

The Minecraft Movie merchandise is even more cursed than I imagined — but I'm still buying the one decent thing

A Minecraft Movie launches on April 4 and the trailers have been a mixed bag. It seems the toys are going with the cursed theme of the movie even down to the Jack Black 'Steve' figurine.

Does Split Fiction have cross-play or cross-platform play?

Split Fiction could be one of the biggest co-op games of the year, but does it have cross-play? Here's what you need to know.

Is Apple Intelligence 5 years behind Microsoft, even with OpenAI's ChatGPT baked into Siri? "The feature feels like an afterthought" with extremely low real-world usage and dismal iPhone sale conversions

Apple's poorly executed AI strategy and delayed rollout have reportedly placed the iPhone maker at a competitive disadvantage with Microsoft and OpenAI holding a 5-year lead.

Is Split Fiction on Xbox Game Pass?

Split Fiction looks to be one of 2025's best co-op games, but is it coming to Game Pass?

"The final race to AGI is afoot": Google co-founder says engineers should work 60-hour weeks building AI models that may ironically steal their jobs

Google co-founder Sergey Brin calls for the end of remote work, urging engineers to pick up 60-hour weeks building AI models that may render them jobless.

I played the perfect sequel to one of my favorite Xbox Game Pass games of all time

Citzen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector is the long-awaited sequel to one of my favorite games ever put on Xbox Game Pass, and it's perfect (and also on Game Pass).

The NVIDIA RTX 5080 surprised me in one unexpected way

NVIDIA's new RTX 5080 has massive performance within, but I was surprised by just how small it is compared to other graphics cards.

Alienware doubles down on QD-OLED, finally updates popular ultrawide and drops new 27-inch, 4K, 240Hz monster

Alienware has announced seven new gaming displays spread across a range of panel types, resolutions, refresh rates, and price points. Two stand out from the rest.

XREAL isn't the only company taking AR glasses seriously, and these may be my favorite so far

Thoughtful design and a growing ecosystem have proven VITURE is serious about giving you more than just a private display with its VITURE Pro XR Glasses.

This 3K OLED laptop with Snapdragon X is under $600

The ASUS VivoBook S 15 with a 3K OLED display and AI-focused Snapdragon X power is down to just $599.99.

Where to buy AMD Radeon RX 9000 GPUs — Retailers I'm shopping on launch day to get an RDNA 4 card

AMD's RX 9000 GPUs from the RDNA 4 generation launch on March 6, and you'll likely need a bit of luck added to your shopping strategy to get one.

"No one becomes a clinician to do paperwork": Microsoft unveils Dragon Copilot — a game-changing AI tool designed to lessen administrative burden for doctors

Microsoft launches Dragon Copilot to make work easier for medical service providers by sourcing important information from medical files. The tool also drafts clinical notes, referral letters, and post-visit summaries automatically.

Call of Duty announces a delay for Season 3, calling it "a big moment for Warzone and Black Ops 6"

Activision and the Call of Duty development team have confirmed that Season 3 content will be delayed until April 3.

Laffgaff

Which movie that won the Best Picture Oscar in 2000 had a sequel released in 2024?

Gladiator.

Canada And Minnesota

What do you get when you mix Canada with Minnesota? A can o' soda.

Itsfoss

Top 7 Best Open Source Skype Alternatives In 2025

With Skype going down, a switch to open source alternatives has never been more compelling.