The News - Sunday, 23 March 2025

BBC News

Civil Service told to slash running costs by 15%

The target is said to be administrative costs - but unions have challenged ministers to be upfront about what areas of work they are prepared to sacrifice as a result.

Trump envoy dismisses Starmer plan for Ukraine

Steve Witkoff says the UK plans for an international force to support a ceasefire are a "posture".

Grassroots anger tests Farage's grip on Reform UK

Disquiet in the ranks of the rapidly growing party might run deeper than leader Nigel Farage is prepared to admit.

Owners shocked as dogs seized for XL bully checks

One couple say the moment their American bulldog was seized was like having a "child ripped away".

The man with a mind-reading chip in his brain - thanks to Elon Musk

Noland Arbaugh tells the BBC how being the first Neuralink patient has changed his life.

UK TV industry in crisis, says Wolf Hall director

Peter Kosminsky says they had to cut most of the outdoor scenes to make the historical drama.

'My husband is a fighter pilot in Ukraine. Here's how I really feel about a ceasefire'

Maria, whose husband Ivan has been risking his life since the first day of the war, is cautiously hoping for a truce.

End of hedonism? Why Britain turned its back on clubbing

In the last five years, around 400 clubs have closed in Britain – could the lasting impact of the pandemic play a part?

'Wonderful teenagers helped my son on Halloween': Readers recall kindness of strangers

BBC News told of kind acts following UN report that found strangers' helpfulness was underestimated.

A life spent waiting - and searching rows of unclaimed bodies

Women across generations in Pakistan's Balochistan are demanding answers about the missing men in their lives.

Fear and anger mount as 'battle for the soul of Romanian democracy' looms

Their last vote was cancelled due to alleged Russian meddling. Now Romanians fear what might happen in May.

Your pictures on the theme of 'my best photo'

Images from our readers on the theme of "my best photo".

Are Nigerians abroad widening the class divide back home?

Some locals find they cannot compete with those holidaying from the diaspora who are nicknamed I Just Got Back.

Urgent investigation ordered into power outage that closed Heathrow Airport

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband says there are lessons to be learned after substation fire led to major flight disruption on Friday.

The Papers: 'Reeves wields axe on Civil Service' and 'boxing says bye George'

A mix of stories make up the front of the Sunday papers.

Government considering sending failed asylum seekers to Balkans

Home Office officials have discussed proposals to set up overseas "return hubs"

MS Dhoni: The 43-year-old Indian cricket icon gears up for another IPL

Dhoni, who turns 44 in July, is playing his 18th straight IPL season. Will this be his swansong?

Israel strikes Lebanon after first rocket attack since ceasefire

Lebanon's health ministry says seven people, including a child, were killed and 40 injured.

Facebook to stop targeting ads at UK woman after legal fight

Tanya O'Carroll says her case opens a "gateway" for others wanting to stop personalised adverts.

Reeves says she will not 'tax and spend' ahead of Spring Statement

In an interview with the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg, the chancellor opened up on the public finances and how she's finding the job.

Protesters in Turkey rally 'for justice' after mayor's arrest

Prosecutors request Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu's formal arrest on terrorism and corruption charges.

Police burn chemicals as running event cancelled

The popular Hastings Half Marathon was due to take place on Sunday.

High-rise flats demolition to alter Glasgow skyline

The Wyndford Road flats will be brought down by explosives as part of a redevelopment of the Maryhill area.

Killer who cut up housemate caught in chance sighting

Marcin Majerkiewicz was caught when police recognised him from CCTV as he boarded a bus.

Chancellor defends taking free Sabrina Carpenter tickets

Rachel Reeves tells the BBC she went to the concert with a family member and will declare the tickets.

More than 50,000 killed in Gaza since Israel offensive began, Hamas-run ministry says

More than 50,000 Palestinians have been killed during Israel's military campaign in Gaza, the Hamas-run health ministry says.

Turkish President Erdogan's main rival jailed

Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, whose arrest sparked protests, denies corruption charges.

Why Britain turned its back on clubbing

In the last five years, around 400 clubs have closed in Britain – could the lasting impact of the pandemic play a part?

Covid memories: Giving birth alone, pavement pubs and hugs outside funerals

People tell the BBC about their memories of new hobbies and relationships, of loneliness, and of joy and grief.

Owners shocked as dogs seized for XL bully checks

One couple say the moment their American bulldog was seized was like having a "child ripped away".

UK TV industry in crisis, says Wolf Hall director

Funding problems meant Wolf Hall: The Mirror and The Light was almost axed weeks before filming began.

'I have a microchip in my brain thanks to Elon Musk and it can read my mind'

Noland Arbaugh tells the BBC how being the first Neuralink patient has changed his life.

Former BBC Radio 1 DJ and presenter Andy Peebles dies aged 76

BBC broadcaster Andy Peebles, one of the last people to interview John Lennon, dies at the age of 76.

Trump envoy dismisses Starmer plan for Ukraine

Steve Witkoff says the UK plans for an international force to support a ceasefire are a "posture".

Experts to investigate student loan fraud claims

The education secretary says claims of student loan fraud point to one of the "biggest financial scandals" in the university sector.

Charity shop 'shocked' as Bible sells for £56,000

The rare Bible has gone under the hammer after being spotted by bookshop volunteers.

Family of couple held by Taliban fear for their health

Peter and Barbie Reynolds were arrested by the Taliban in February while returning to their home in Bamiyan.

UK must stand up to 'bully' Trump, says Ed Davey

Lib Dem leader says UK should "hit back with tariffs of our own" and co-ordinate a with the EU and Canada.

Canada can win trade war with US, foreign affairs minister Mélanie Joly says

Canada is among the countries waiting to see what Trump's 2 April reciprocal tariffs look like.

UK mulls big tech tax changes to avoid US tariffs

Rachel Reeves says talks are "ongoing" about the Digital Services Tax, paid by giants like Amazon.

'Longest running pop band in history' to end touring after 68 years

Known as the "longest-running band in pop history", The Searchers' hits included Sweets For My Sweet.

Bournemouth Echo

Bournemouth Bay Run organisers apologise after children's race 'confusion'

Organisers of Bournemouth Bay Run have apologised following an issue with a children’s race.

‘It’s not justice - he could have killed me’

A MAN who was hit over the head and knocked unconscious by a painter and decorator, said he has not had justice.

Do you know them? CCTV bid after thefts from Co-op store

Police have released images of two men they want to identify after items were stolen from a Coop store.

'Lucky escape’ for driver after car aquaplaned on carriageway

A driver had a “lucky escape” after their car aquaplaned and flipped on a dual carriageway.

Church with no congregation set to become storeroom

A Dorset church which has doubled as a tearoom could become a store for a cleaning business.

Try this 4.5 mile Dorset walk where five medieval roads meet

Try this 4.5 mile Dorset walk following medieval tracks and starting from the village of Dewlish

Five bedroom house in Ringwood up for sale for £700k

The house is situated near the prestigious Avon Castle, with easy access to the A31 and routes to Bournemouth, Southampton and London.

'Atmospheric' brewpub in Southbourne is Pub of the Week

Brewhouse and Kitchen in Southbourne is the Daily Echo's Pub of the Week.

Former Radio 1 DJ Andy Peebles who first spun records in Bournemouth dies aged 76

Former BBC Radio 1 DJ Andy Peebles, the final interviewer of John Lennon, has died aged 76, his family have confirmed.

REVIEW: London African Gospel Choir, Lighthouse, Poole

The London African Gospel Choir (LAGC) is an internationally acclaimed group of African and Caribbean singers, instrumentalists and dancers.

MP jokes about 'garrotting fly-tippers with their own intestines'

A New Forest MP has joked about garrotting fly-tippers with their intestines in a recent debate.

Repairs at coastal shingle bank on hold until funding comes

A section of a coastal shingle bank which was damaged by storms at Hurst Spit will not be repaired unless funding comes forward

Revealed: Daily Echo Hairdresser of the Year 2025

A Bournemouth hair salon has been revealed as the Daily Echo Hairdresser of the Year 2025.

5 of the best historic hill forts you can explore around Dorset

From Hambledon Hill to Badbury Rings, here are five of the best historic hill forts you can explore around Dorset

Man completes four marathons in under 25 hours along BCP seafront

A man has completed four consecutive marathons along the seafront in an effort to raise money for charity.

Poorest pensioners will receive an extra £465 from April 2025, DWP confirms

More than 45,000 extra pensioners have been awarded Pension Credit - have you applied?

Looking for a Mother's Day gift? These beautiful bouquets could do the trick

If you're looking for a Mother's Day gift then Blossoming Gifts have a few options with a variety of flowers and bouquets

How smart are you? Take this quiz to see if you can score 10/10

Do you know who won the Six Nations and what Stephen Graham's new Netflix show is? See how many correct answers you can get with this quiz.

Take a look back at the UK's empty streets during Covid-19 lockdowns – 5 years on

Take a look back at the UK's empty streets during lockdown – five years on since the Coronavirus pandemic began.

When will I be able to claim my state pension in the UK? See handy checker

Check out the UK Government's handy state pension age calculator and see when you will be able to claim yours.

Does my neighbour have to pay for half of the fence? The legalities to consider

Legal obligations for payment of a fence are often set by local councils and can "vary widely" - see when your neighbour has to pay half.

Formula 1

F1 ACADEMY: Untouchable Pin sees off Weug to take Shanghai Race 2 victory

Doriane Pin got her F1 ACADEMY title quest underway in impressive fashion, sealing the Race 2 win around the Shanghai International Circuit.

Horner addresses speculation that Lawson could be replaced at Red Bull for Japanese GP

Christian Horner faced question after question from the world’s media about Liam Lawson’s Formula 1 future following another tough weekend for the Red Bull newcomer in China.

'It was not easy' – Verstappen reflects on positives after P4 result in difficult Chinese GP

Max Verstappen was determined to focus on the positive aspects of the Chinese Grand Prix after finishing fourth and lacking pace to the front runners for much of the distance.

What the teams said – Race day in China

The teams report back on the second Grand Prix of the season, from the Shanghai International Circuit in China.

FACTS AND STATS: China produces McLaren’s 50th 1-2 and Mercedes’ 300th podium

It may only be the second round of the season, but 2025 is already throwing up more than its fair share of fascinating figures – very welcome ones if you happen to be McLaren or Mercedes. And there were some pleasant surprises in Shanghai for others too.

‘It just didn’t work’ – Lawson rues set-up changes in ‘extremely tough’ Chinese GP as pressure mounts

Red Bull’s Liam Lawson endured another challenging outing for the top team at the Chinese Grand Prix as he failed to make any significant progress to infiltrate the points-paying positions.

Hamilton disqualified from Chinese GP after skid block breach as Ferrari suffer double disqualification

Lewis Hamilton has been disqualified from the Chinese Grand Prix after the rear skid block on his Ferrari was found to be under the minimum thickness required in the technical regulations, meaning that both of the team’s drivers have lost their results given that Charles Leclerc has also been disqualified for a car weight breach.

FIA post-race press conference – China

1. Oscar Piastri (McLaren), 2. Lando Norris (McLaren), 3. George Russell (Mercedes)

Leclerc and Gasly disqualified from Chinese Grand Prix over car weight breaches

Charles Leclerc and Pierre Gasly have both been disqualified from the Chinese Grand Prix after their respective Ferrari and Alpine cars were found to be underweight in post-race checks.

Russell overjoyed with ‘one of my best weekends in F1’ after Chinese GP podium finish

Mercedes driver George Russell was all smiles after the Chinese Grand Prix, with the Briton making it back-to-back podium finishes in 2025 thanks to a P3 finish behind McLaren pair Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris.

Hamilton vows to learn from ‘terrible’ post-Sprint car changes amid lack of pace in Chinese GP

Lewis Hamilton was disappointed by his P6 result in the Chinese Grand Prix, with the Ferrari driver admitting that he struggled to keep the pace of his rivals after making “terrible” set-up changes to his Ferrari post-Sprint.

‘It’s like my worst nightmare’ – Norris admits fright over late brake issue in China with Russell closing

Lando Norris faced a “nightmare” scenario in the closing stages of the Chinese Grand Prix as a brake issue rapidly developed.

Piastri hails Chinese GP victory as ‘what I deserved last week’ after Australia disappointment

Oscar Piastri was left delighted after taking his first win of the season at the Chinese Grand Prix, with the McLaren driver stating that the result was “what I feel like I deserved from last week” following the disappointing outcome of his race last time out in Australia.

HIGHLIGHTS: Watch the action as Piastri takes Chinese Grand Prix victory in McLaren 1-2

Oscar Piastri confidently converted his maiden pole position into victory at the Chinese Grand Prix as McLaren completed a dominant 1-2 performance.

DRIVER OF THE DAY: Antonelli gets your nod after scoring despite damage in China

Two Grands Prix and two points-scoring results - not a bad way for Kimi Antonelli to start his Formula 1 career. To add to that the Mercedes rookie got your vote in Shanghai after an excellent strategic drive to P8.

Piastri beats Norris and Russell to victory in Chinese Grand Prix with statement performance

Oscar Piastri bounced back from the disappointment of his late-race mistake at last week’s 2025 season opener in Australia by converting pole position into an assured victory during the Chinese Grand Prix – leading home team mate Lando Norris for a McLaren one-two.

RACE START: Watch the getaway in China as Piastri clings onto race lead while the Ferraris make contact

Maiden polesitter Oscar Piastri held onto his advantage at the front of the grid despite a strong start from Mercedes' George Russell at the Chinese Grand Prix.

GALLERY: Drivers and teams gather to pay tribute to Eddie Jordan ahead of Chinese Grand Prix

The Formula 1 drivers and teams have gathered for a tribute to Eddie Jordan ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix, following the passing of the former team owner on Thursday at the age of 76.

OFFICIAL GRID: Piastri's maiden pole, as Lawson starts from Shanghai pit lane

For the first time in his career, Oscar Piastri will start a Grand Prix from pole position as he lines up his McLaren alongside George Russell’s Mercedes on the front row in China.

AS IT HAPPENED: Follow all the action from the Chinese GP as Piastri takes victory

Live coverage of Sunday's Formula 1 Heineken Chinese Grand Prix 2025 in Shanghai.

Windows Central

I kept track of everything announced during the latest Minecraft Live so you don't have to

Mojang Studios just wrapped up the latest Minecraft Live event, so here's everything it announced about Minecraft, the movie, and more in one convenient place.

The Minecraft movie makes an appearance at Minecraft Live with exclusive footage

Mojang Studios used Minecraft Live as an opportunity to talk about 'A Minecraft Movie,' including sharing a brand-new clip and sharing some new updates on the movie.

We're getting a lot of new Minecraft mobs in the next two updates, and we know when the first is being released

During the latest Minecraft Live, Mojang Studios shared details on the next two game drops, including "Spring to Life," coming soon with new mob variants and more.

It took years, but Minecraft is finally getting a visual upgrade to bring the graphics we've been wanting

During Minecraft Live, Mojang Studios announced the "Vibrant Visuals" update for Minecraft, which will finally introduce a new look for the long-running game.

I tested MSI Claw 8 AI+ and compared it against Steam Deck — Here's why one of these handhelds reigns supreme

I conducted testing and compared the Steam Deck against the MSI Claw 8 AI+ to see which is the best device between the two.

I flew to Nashville to see the one PC company actually delivering useful AI features — not just promising them

During HP Amplify 2025, I saw HP's bold vision for AI PCs rapidly manifest into reality, with the company actually delivering and refining useful AI features.