The News - Thursday, 06 March 2025

BBC News

Trump issues 'last warning' to Hamas as US confirms direct hostage talks

The president also appeared to threaten civilians in Gaza, saying they would be "dead" if they held hostages.

The NHS is spending a fortune giving people a death they don't want

The UK was once ranked the best country for end-of-life care - but, say experts, that has all changed

Home buyers race to beat stamp duty rise

Thresholds will change on 1 April, leaving buyers a few weeks to complete or pay more in stamp duty.

South Korean jet accidentally bombs church during drills

Seven people are injured, four seriously, during the incident in a city near the border with the North.

Doctors back total ban on smacking children in England

Smacking is legal in some cases in England and Northern Ireland, but is banned in Scotland and Wales.

EU leaders to hold defence summit in Paris

They are expected to discuss further support for Ukraine after the shock suspension of US aid.

Work coaches to focus on long-term unemployed

Ministers hope the plans will help reduce the rapidly rising cost of health and disability benefits.

Child dies after being hit by car on sports pitch

A second child is being treated after being struck by a car at Kendal Rugby Union Football Club.

Scientists discover new part of the immune system

New part of the immune system - hidden inside our bodies - could be used to make new antibiotics.

Worst train companies to be named and shamed

Millions of passengers will be able to see cancellation and delay data in train stations

Justice secretary rejects sentencing changes after 'two-tier' claims

Proposed reforms issued by the independent Sentencing Council were labelled biased by the Conservatives.

Councils fear shake-up won't improve finances, survey says

There is low support for local government reorganisation among council leaders, a survey suggests.

How big is the welfare budget and where might cuts fall?

The Chancellor has earmarked "several billion pounds" in draft spending cuts to welfare.

The Papers: 'Trump turns off Ukraine missiles' and 'serial spiking rapist'

The US decision to stop sharing intelligence with Ukraine, and a serial rapist's conviction, make Thursday's papers.

How rapist’s hidden camera footage of attacks led to conviction

Zhenhao Zou raped 10 women in the UK and China, but police fear it may be a fraction of his crimes.

One day, three crises and Trump's free-wheeling foreign policy on display

Supporters say bold moves on Hamas, Ukraine and tariffs are part of the president’s deal-making, while critics say his convention-breaking playbook is dangerous.

Zelensky's conciliatory letter to Trump suggests he's out of options

The Ukrainian leader's climb-down on security guarantees may be because the US is the only place he can turn to, writes BBC Ukraine correspondent James Waterhouse.

Real-life shipwreck story wins major book award

Author Sophie Elmhirst wrote about a British couple who spent four months on a life raft in the Pacific.

Paddy Power ordered to pay £1m jackpot to winner offered £20,000

Corrine Durber was told her jackpot was a computer error, but a judge ruled in her favour.

Three heli-skiers feared dead in Alaska mountain avalanche

Officials say the group, which was skiing via helicopter, may be buried under 100ft (30m) of snow.

Briton accused of fighting for Ukraine jailed in Russia for 19 years

James Scott Rhys Anderson is the first UK citizen to be convicted by Russia during the war with Ukraine.

Scientists crack how aspirin might stop cancers from spreading

The cheap painkiller seems to help the immune system detect and destroy cancers.

Watch: First beavers from Scotland released in England

Beavers captured from Scotland are released into the wild in England for the first time.

UK-based aid worker describes lucky escape from deadly Russian strike

Karol Swiacki spoke to the BBC after surviving a missile strike on a hotel in Kryvyi Rih, which killed four.

About 20 countries could join Ukraine coalition, UK says

The countries, largely from Europe and the Commonwealth, would not all send troops but are offering support.

Girl, 10, killed by car on pitch wanted to be pro football player

Poppy Atkinson, 10, was determined to play football for Manchester United, her family says.

Common vaginal condition may be an STI, researchers say

An overgrowth of bacteria in the vagina, known as BV, may be spread by sex, researchers say.

Trump announces month-long suspension of Mexico tariffs

Mexico will not be required to pay tariffs on goods that come under a previous trade pact until 2 April.

Gisèle Pelicot's daughter presses charges against father jailed in mass rape case

Caroline Darian - who says she is her father's "forgotten victim" - is convinced he drugged and raped her.

Tory peer apologises for Holocaust memorial comment

The remarks were condemned by the Conservatives as "flagrantly antisemitic".

Brit Awards prompt 825 complaints about Charli XCX and Sabrina Carpenter

More than 800 complaints were made to the media watchdog, mainly about Carpenter and Charli XCX.

UK homes install subsidised heat pumps at record level

Government-backed heat pump installations in the UK reached record levels for 2024.

Denmark postal service to stop delivering letters

The decision will end 400 years of the company's letter service, and postboxes will disappear from June.

Flames, feathers and fangs: Rio Carnival parade in pictures

Crowds filled the Sambadrome to watch samba schools face off at Rio Carnival.

France has a nuclear umbrella. Could its European allies fit under it?

President Macron has aired the idea that France's deterrence force could be used to defend of other European countries.

What is stamp duty and how is it changing?

Home buyers in England and Northern Ireland will pay more stamp duty in April when thresholds rise.

Capt Tom charity is our deepest regret - daughter

Hannah Ingram-Moore tells the BBC that nothing "dishonest" happened.

'The wrestling stereotype is changing – I'm the proof'

A 5ft champion is proving that you do not need to be a giant to become big in the wrestling world.

Spacecraft carrying hopping robot to attempt Moon landing

The spacecraft is carrying instruments to look for ice as part of Nasa's vision to return humans to the Moon.

Minister threatens law change after 'two-tier' sentencing row

From April, an offender's ethnicity or faith will be a bigger factor in deciding whether to jail them.

Banks to pay customers millions after month's worth of IT outages

MPs have discovered banking services went offline for more than 800 hours over a two year period.

Police 'acted reasonably' in journalist Allison Pearson case, report finds

The journalist accuses Essex Police of "marking their own homework" after force is cleared of wrongdoing.

Nigerian senator suspended after making sexual harassment claims

Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan had accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexual harassment.

Train stations with worst delays revealed

Millions of passengers will be able to see cancellation and delay data in train stations.

The NHS is spending a fortune giving people a death they don't want

The UK was once ranked the best country for end-of-life care - but, say experts, that has all changed

Bournemouth Echo

New Indian gastropub to fill old Wildwood site in Bournemouth

A new Indian gastropub is to open in the old Wildwood site on Richmond Hill this April.

This was the first man in Briton to be hanged in Singapore

The harbour, usually a place of leisure and vibrant activity, was transformed into a stage for a gruesome drama.

6 pets at RSPCA Dorset searching for their forever homes

The RSPCA Ashley Heath Animal Centre in Ringwood and the West Dorset RSPCA branch in Dorchester have several pets looking for new homes

'No wonder businesses feel cast adrift'

MANY council car parks have done away with one hour parking options, and replaced them with up to two hour stays only.

Group dedicated to preserving historic site announces meeting dates

Attendees are encouraged to bring useful tools and refreshments as they assist in maintaining the site, which features trees, shrubs and flower beds.

New month-long marathon challenge launched to help save lives

It is free to sign up and participants will receive a complimentary T-shirt after activating their fundraising page.

Bryanston School raises £20,000 for various causes

The funds from this will help purchase performing arts equipment for the Ugandan school.

New film with Gillian Anderson to premiere in Poole

The memoir, which sold more than a million copies, resonated with themes of home, loss and resilience.

Care home residents participate in community pancake race

Participants were expected to flip their pancakes at each of the four corners of the iconic building.

Professor to talk about whether the poor are 'sacrificed' for the rich

His speech, titled "Sacrificing the Poor on Behalf of the Rich? An Examination of the Rites of Social Welfare," will explore the relationship between the "haves" and the "have-nots."

Comprehensive survey completed at Pokesdown station

The results will guide the next phase of detailed design work, due to be completed by summer 2025.

Dorset Spring Show set to returns for a second year this May

The event will feature floral and cookery demonstrations, a sheep show, axemen and steam engine trailer rides.

Dorset initiative to improve access to services wins national award

Its user-friendly mapping features and time-of-day filters allow for searches based on location, opening hours, and personal preferences.

Bournemouth care home celebrates World Book Day with children

This week, the children were encouraged to dress as their favourite storybook characters, including Snow White, Rapunzel, a unicorn, Spiderman and Iron Man.

Health talk about pelvic health during and after pregnancy

University Hospitals Dorset (UHD) is hosting a health talk about pelvic health during and after pregnancy.

Passengers urged to plan ahead as services disrupted over Easter

Routes along the south coast, particularly between Southampton and Portsmouth, will be changed during this period.

Christchurch nurse thanks lifesaving medicine made from blood plasma

The NHS previously depended on imported plasma medicines due to a global shortage, but now looks to bolster its supplies with UK plasma.

Wimborne's underpass to be transformed by new mural

These post-16 students, who are all working towards an arts award accreditation, will join forces with the Dorset-based artist to create the mural.

Christchurch Bypass to close for maintenance work

The A35 Christchurch Bypass will be temporarily closed due to essential maintenance taking place.

Upset as 'ecologically destructive decision' made to cut down trees in Swanage

There is upset amongst Swanage and Purbeck residents after plans have been approved to fell multiple trees at a youth hostel in Swanage.

Housing development to provide £24 million boost to community

Beyond providing much-needed housing, the development is set to provide a £24 million boost to social value by creating new jobs, supporting apprenticeships and sourcing materials from suppliers in the area.

Wetherspoon pub to close after brewery takes keys to building

A Wetherspoon pub will close down later this month after a buyer was found for the building.

LIVE: Heavy traffic on Wessex Way A338 as crash brings rush hour to standstill

The A338 Wessex Way is heavy with traffic

Firefighters tackle SECOND fire in Poole on same afternoon

CREWS were called to a fire in a high-rise flat in Poole.

LIVE: Fire in high street with people urged to avoid the area

Firefighters are on the scene of a fire in Swanage high street. We will be bringing you updates as we get them.

Mother admits killing son, 9, in horror crash

A 39-year-old woman has pleaded guilty to causing the death of her nine-year-old son by dangerous driving.

PHOTOS: The beach hut on the market for £430k (and it doesn't face the sea)

A beach hut has gone on the market for a staggering £430,000 - and it doesn't even face the sea.

Man seriously injured in crash involving car and off-road motorcycle

A man was seriously injured in a crash involving a car and an off-road motorcycle.

Papa John’s is refused bid to stay open until 5am

A Christchurch pizza company has been denied the extra trading hours it asked for.

Man taken to hospital after being headbutted in altercation

A man was taken to hospital after an unknown man head-butted him following an altercation.

Trains cancelled after incident between Branksome and Bournemouth

TRAIN lines are blocked between Branksome and Bournemouth.

Car that crashed into barrier brought Wessex Way to standstill

A CAR that crashed into a barrier along the A338 brought traffic in large parts of Bournemouth to a standstill. 

RECAP: 'Severe' traffic delays on A31 and A338 due to incidents

Heavy delays on the A31 due to an incident

'Dogs should be banned from town gardens - their poo is a nightmare'

Dog poo has become a general nightmare in most towns and villages, this letter writer says, because of irresponsible dog owners.

Plans for chalet to house Ukrainian refugees refused - despite support

Retrospective plans for a temporary chalet in Oak House, Lymington to house Ukrainian refugees have been refused by New Forest District Council.

Deaf woman thanks service dog for 'affection' after husband died

A 77-year-old from Lymington with severe hearing loss has penned a heartfelt letter to her “loving and loyal” service dog who is now about to retire.

Man, 22, caught driving powerful Audi while high on cocaine

A MAN has been banned from driving and slapped with a fine after he was caught driving an Audi with a top speed of 140mph while high on cocaine.

'Traditional London' pie and mash shop to open its doors

A 'traditional London' pie and mash shop will be opening its doors in Poole this weekend.

Man arrested after attempted robbery at cash point in town centre 

A man has been arrested following an attempted robbery in Bournemouth town centre.

Care home residents raise record-breaking £43,000 for charity

In Dorset, homes in Bournemouth, Poole, Christchurch, West Moors, Longham and Ferndown contributed £11,850.

Man jailed for drug dealing and shoplifting in Bournemouth

A MAN has been jailed after he was caught with wraps of cocaine in Bournemouth.

Police officers storm home during drugs raid

POLICE officers carried out a drugs raid at a home in the New Forest on Thursday morning.

Hunt for men who stole £9,000 of stock from shop and fled

TWO men attempted to defraud a shop and ran off with £9,000 worth of items.

Part of Ringwood Road to close for month to replace gas main

PART of Ringwood Road will close for more than a month while gas repair work is carried out.

Courses including English and politics cut next year at Bournemouth University

SOME courses at Bournemouth University including English and politics will be suspended for next year's admission.

Morebus offering support to charities, schools, sports teams and events

MOREBUS is once again offering its support to charities, schools, sports teams and events organisers.

All the books children can get for free with their £1 token this World Book Day

Every World Book Day children in primary schools across the UK can get a free book with their £1 token.

Drivers warned of £1,000 DVLA fine over 110 health conditions you must declare

According to the government website, there is a long list of conditions drivers must tell the DVLA

Everyone under 40 urged to 'act now' to not miss out on £11,000 in free cash

Personal finance experts are encouraging under 40s to act now in order to claim up to £11,000 from the Government tax-free.

First-time buyers issued £350 warning as mortgage costs spiral

A typical first-time buyer in Britain faces paying a mortgage of £940 per month, compared with £590 per month five years ago

Everyone under 40 urged to 'act now' to not miss out on £11,000 in free cash

Personal finance experts are encouraging under 40s to act now in order to claim up to £11,000 from the Government tax-free.

Government

Supply and Appropriation (Anticipation and Adjustments) Bill

A Bill to Authorise the use of resources for the years ending with 31 March 2024, 31 March 2025 and 31 March 2026; to authorise the issue of sums out of the Consolidated Fund for those years; and to appropriate the supply authorised by this Act for the years ending with 31 March 2024 and 31 March 2025.

Dentists (Indemnity Arrangements) Bill

A Bill to amend the Dentists Act 1984 in respect of indemnity arrangements.

Ceramics (Country of Origin Marking) Bill

A Bill to require the indication of country of origin for ceramic products; and for connected purposes.

Formula 1

Hamilton opens up on developing relationship with 'massively talented' Leclerc

Lewis Hamilton has given an insight into how his relationship with new team mate Charles Leclerc is developing, with the seven-time World Champion admitting that he is keen to learn from the Monegasque as he continues to settle in at the Scuderia.

‘I know my time will come’ – Russell confident he can be in a title fight as he becomes Mercedes’ senior driver

George Russell has voiced his confidence that he can get himself into the fight for a World Championship, with the Briton declaring that “the results speak for themselves” after ending the 2024 campaign ahead of former team mate Lewis Hamilton.

Mercedes to use innovative sustainable carbon fibre composites for the first time in F1 on 2025 car

Mercedes have announced that their 2025 car, the W16, will use innovative sustainable carbon fibre composites, marking the first time that this has been done in Formula 1.

How Alonso saved Sauber rookie Bortoleto’s racing career before his back-to-back F3 and F2 titles

Last year, the 20-year-old joined Charles Leclerc, George Russell and Oscar Piastri as the only drivers in history to win the F3 and F2 titles in consecutive years – but without Alonso he could have been out of racing in 2022...

Aston Martin boss Cowell insists pressure should be on the team as he backs Alonso and Stroll to 'both deliver'

Aston Martin boss Andy Cowell has backed the squad’s incumbent line-up of Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll to deliver going forward, with the Team Principal insisting that the pressure should be on the team rather than the drivers.

Windows Central

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 preorder guide: Bonus, Collector's Edition, and where to buy the remake

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 aims to remake the beloved skateboarding titles, and you can preorder it now.

This was the best publisher of 2024, at least according to Metacritic

Sega topped the charts to become the best publisher of 2024, at least according to Metacritic.

WWE 2K25 PC specs: Does your rig have the tech to meet the minimum or recommended requirements?

WWE 2K25, the latest 2K wrestling game, is coming out soon. So we have rounded up its system requirements to help you determine if your PC rig can play it.

Is DeepSeek's AI a brand-new secondhand ChatGPT? A "unanimous jury" rules its AI-generated text matches OpenAI models by 74%

A new study by Copyleaks reveals that DeepSeek's AI-generated outputs are reminiscent of OpenAI's ChatGPT by 74.2%.

This new Xbox and PC horror game draws on classic Resident Evil titles for inspiration, and it's launching soon

Post Trauma is a horror game inspired by classic Resident Evil titles, and it's set to launch on March 31, 2025.

The best wireless Xbox controller now comes in white, but the grips may not stay that way

Razer has released a white variant of the Wolverine V3 Pro, one of the best wireless Xbox controllers you can buy. It looks great, but even the grips are white.

Long live the Xbox Kinect — how Microsoft's 'failed' tech lives on in the strangest of places

The Xbox Kinect may have been discontinued years ago, but its legacy lives on in unexpected ways. From its use in security surveillance at Walmart and assisting surgeons in the operating room to becoming a tool for ghost hunters.

AMD's RX 9000 GPUs are selling out everywhere, but I found these in-stock pre-built PCs

Despite more stock than NVIDIA could muster, AMD's RX 9000 GPUs are selling fast. If you don't get a standalone card, I found some great pre-built PCs with RDNA 4.

I would have paid money for this new PowerToys feature. But you can get it for free.

PowerToys now supports converting video formats and extracting audio through Advanced Paste.

Is Atomfall on Xbox?

Atomfall is shaping up to be a wild ride, but can Xbox players get their hands on it?

Is Atomfall on Xbox Game Pass?

Is Rebellion's latest creation coming to Game Pass? Here's what you need to know.

Dell has a new 75-inch 4K touchscreen monitor, but it'll cost you more than a used car

Dell unveiled 7 new monitors today, including a massive 75-inch 4K touchscreen designed for easy collaboration. It's worth a look, but it'll set you back $4,000.

How do Intel's new commercial processors stack up against the best from AMD and Qualcomm?

Intel just announced an expansion of its Core Ultra (Series 2) processor family of devices to include more chips with vPro.

Instagram co-founder Mike Krieger claims software engineers will only review AI-generated code within three years — Is hand-written code really dying?

Instagram co-founder Mike Krieger the role of software engineers is rapidly evolving with AI, and that they'd soon start double-checking AI-generated code rather than writing it.

Google may ship a "freemium" version of Gemini's paywalled Deep Research AI tool to all users — but with critical limitations

Code strings in Gemini suggest Google's Deep Research tool is slated to ship for free users soon, but it may include critical limitations.

Here's exactly when you can play WWE 2K25, including early access

WWE 2K25 is about to launch, but when you can play depends on where you are, and whether you're on console or PC.

WWE 2K25 isn't even out yet, but this mega deal hits as hard as a Tombstone Piledriver

This deal on WWE 2K25 hits as hard as a Tombstone Piledriver, and it also includes 7 days early access to the new game.

Laffgaff

What 4 countries’ names start with the letter ‘V’?

Vatican City, Vanuatu, Venezuela and Vietnam.

Proofreaders

There are two typos of people in the world. Those who proofread and those who don't.

Itsfoss

Record Windows and Cropped Area in OBS Studio

Learn how to screen record application windows and selected area with OBS Studio in this tutorial.

FOSS Weekly #25.10: Skype is Dead, GNOME 48 Features, Ubuntu Versions, Nano Guide and More Linux Stuff

Goodbye, Skype! You probably won't be missed.