The News - Thursday, 17 September 2026

BBC News

Palace in war of words over Earl Spencer's book as senior royals set for busy day of events

The row threatens to overshadow a very crowded day for the royals - with the King and Princes William and Harry all attending events.

Interest rates hold expected but Bank of England facing tough choices

Forecasts of further rises in the inflation rate mean some analysts expect the Bank to act by the end of the year.

New hope for breast cancer patients as life-extending drug now on NHS in England

Enhertu, which can give patients an extra seven months to live on average, has been prescribed in Scotland for more than two years and is available.

Ed Sheeran asked me to donate $2m in aid, Robert Kraft says after Macklemore backlash

It comes after Macklemore pledged $1m to Palestinian causes, challenging the tycoon to match the sum.

Assad regime planned US journalist's kidnap for weeks, BBC finds

Austin Tice’s abduction was approved by Syria’s former leader Bashar al-Assad, a source claims.

Lena Dunham announces birth of first baby via surrogacy

The writer and actress announced the birth of her daughter in an op-ed published by Vogue on Wednesday.

Snapchat open to putting time limits on teens, boss tells BBC

Evan Spiegel says it would be "an important step forward for the industry" in an interview with the BBC.

US interest rates raised for first time in three years

Rates were hiked in a unanimous decision despite fierce opposition from President Donald Trump, who had called for a cut.

Afghan inquiry into alleged SAS war crimes has already cost £58m, MoD figures show

The inquiry has been running for more than three and a half years but has yet to publish any findings.

UK prosecutors file for extradition of the Tate brothers from the US

The brothers are facing a total of 59 charges in the UK, including rape. Both men deny any wrongdoing.

Two Britons among three killed in Swiss Alps light aircraft crash

Authorities say the plane took off from the Rhône Valley and collided with a mountain slope about 10 minutes later.

Inside Singapore's 'Fort Knox' for city's $2bn dirty money auction

The BBC goes inside a fortified storage facility to view luxury goods seized by police that are now up for auction.

'My rent was higher than my student loan' - the booming cost of private halls

Private student halls are springing up in Scotland's cities in ever increasing numbers yet rents continue to soar.

Steve Rosenberg: Russia's elections will have few surprises, but for the Kremlin they matter

There is no doubt over the outcome of this vote, but for the Kremlin they are still an important moment.

Mum's Facebook kidney plea prompts 'mind-blowing' gift from total stranger

A woman has undergone a lifesaving transplant after receiving a kidney from a stranger who saw her post on social media.

Why caffeine makes some people buzz - and others barely notice

Scientists say it all depend on caffeine habits, lifestyle and one factor we have no control over: our genes.

The Papers: King's 'astonishing outburst' and 'heartbreak' after search for missing Noah

Several of today's papers splash on the Palace's response to Earl Spencer's claim in his upcoming book about his sister Diana.

No fire alarms or sprinklers at Pakistan neonatal unit where fire killed 14, report finds

A firefighter tells the BBC that rescuers had said many doors near the unit were locked, obstructing their route to the babies.

OpenAI reveals six more safety issues and unveils plan to disclose incidents

The firm also announced a new system to track, investigate and disclose cases of models misbehaving, or "misalignment".

Photos show widespread damage at US sites from Iranian attacks

A wrecked air force plane and destroyed buildings are among the images obtained by the BBC's partner CBS News.

Body found in search for missing three-year-old Noah Woods

Police divers discover child's body in a pond after Noah went missing from a playground on Tuesday.

More than 1,000 children killed in Bangladesh measles outbreak

Until March this year, Bangladesh had made "substantial progress" towards eliminating measles.

British soldier who died in Ukraine road accident named by MoD

Tributes have been paid to Major Paul Wilks, who was described as a "gifted leader".

Photos show charred wreckage from deadly crash of news helicopter in LA

A 29-year-old pedestrian who was the third victim of the unexplained crash has been identified.

Remains found after wildfire identified as mother-of-three missing since 2019

A 56-year-old man is arrested after the remains of Joanne Sheen were found in London almost seven years after she went missing.

Father's tribute to 'sweetest little boy' Noah Woods

Rhys Woods pays tribute to his three-year-old son and offers "deepest gratitude" to local people.

King Charles warns of 'existential danger' of AI falling into wrong hands

The comments were made at a summit in Scotland with participants from AI giants such as Nvidia, OpenAI and Anthropic.

Watch: Is Canada about to join the EU?

Ties between Canada and the European Union have been getting closer as trade dispute with the US continue.

UN experts say grounds to believe US committed war crimes in Iran strikes

The US has not acknowledged carrying out February's deadly strikes on a primary school in Minab and a sports complex in Lamerd.

Verified video shows wreckage of Saudi fighter jet shot down over Yemen

BBC Verify tracks down the location of a Houthi video showing the wreckage of an F-15 they claim to have shot down.

Family of 'Putney pusher' suspect say he was innocent and blame police for his death

The family of Nicholas Brandram said there was no forensic evidence linking him to the incident.

Barclays workers ask for more money to return to the office

Unite union, which represents 36,000 Barclays staff, calls for a one-off payment to offset increased travel and childcare costs.

'I can get more time': Breast cancer patient finds out she can get life extending drug

Patients in England with an incurable breast cancer can now access a life-extending drug on the NHS.

Warm words on Canada's EU 'associate membership' but no guarantees

There is no guarantee Canada's "associate membership" of the EU will ever get off the ground, writes Katya Adler.

Balaclava boys on electric bikes: How to tackle the problem?

The sight of masked young men on electric bikes or motorcycles is becoming increasingly familiar - what can be done about it?

'My mother apologised': A survivor's journey after genital mutilation

Sara Kahsai was 29 when she found out she had FGM as a baby.

What's happening to UK interest rates and what does it mean for mortgages?

The interest rate set by the Bank of England affects mortgage, loan and savings rates for millions.

GTA 6 soundtrack reveal revives digital release debate

Fred Again, PinkPantheress and Travis Scott are on CD and vinyl editions of the album, but some fans have pointed out the "irony" of this following a controversial decision for a digital-only release of the game.

Portsmouth RNLI station remains temporarily closed after anti-migrant protests

The RNLI says it hopes to have the lifeboat station operational again as soon as possible.

Watch: Seized luxury goods up for auction in Singapore after $2.2bn money laundering case

The BBC goes inside a fortified storage facility to view luxury goods seized by police that are now up for sale.

Hyrox athlete apologises for continuing race after soiling herself

Joanna Wietrzyk has also forfeited her win in the fitness competition after competing last week.

Zelensky appoints new chief prosecutor after predecessor's corruption scandal

Former chief prosecutor Ruslan Kravchenko after searches of his offices by Ukrainian anti-corruption officials.

Ninth woman's body found as South African police investigate string of deaths

South Africa police have cautioned against assuming that all the killings are linked but many women are afraid.

Hyrox athlete apologises for continuing race after soiling herself

Joanna Wietrzyk has also forfeited her win in the fitness competition after competing last week.

Bournemouth Echo

Bournemouth Uni research could help lessen risk of veterans developing dementia

Veterans could be at higher risk of developing dementia.

'Just a misunderstanding' claims car wash boss fined £45k for hiring illegal workers

Six Dorset businesses, including firms in Bournemouth, Poole, Ferndown and Christchurch, have been fined a combined £250,000 for employing workers without the legal right to work in the UK.

BCP Council lost a £1million court case

BCP Council lost a £1million court case during Covid.

Bournemouth actor stars in new spy thriller Knightfall alongside Hollywood stars

Bournemouth actor Charles Smith stars alongside screen veterans in new spy thriller Knightfall

Councillors back call for cheaper parking for residents

A motion to ask for cheaper parking for New Forest residents has been backed by councillors.

Ferndown father and son take Thunderbird 4 Reliant Robin on 2,000-mile charity rally

Stuart and Nigel Samson from Ferndown are driving a Thunderbird 4-themed Reliant Robin across Europe in the Bangers for Ben rally, raising funds for mental health, suicide prevention and support services in the automotive industry.

REVEALED - New list of Dorset businesses fined £250,000 for hiring illegal workers

SIX more Dorset businesses have been hit with penalties totalling £250,000 for employing workers without the legal right to work in the UK, following a new wave of Home Office enforcement action.

Vehicle and pedestrian access restricted as flood barriers installed

Temporary flood barriers are being installed in Swanage to protect the town from coastal flooding.

Man charged with 30 shoplifting offences after 'targeting' Wimborne stores

A man has been charged with more than 30 shoplifting offences after he reportedly targeted two stores in Wimborne.

Sunseeker yacht wins top design award at prestigious event

A luxury yacht builder with it's headquarters in Poole has won a top design award for one of its latest models.

Plan for solar panels close to actor's home in Dorset

PLANS for solar panels in the Dorset National Landscape area close to star's Dorset home have won the backing of the council

Hunt for man with knife on train from London to Bournemouth

A man was reported to be carrying a knife on a train heading to Bournemouth, prompting a police response and passenger delays.

Sandbanks developer cleared of strangling estranged wife after one-hour jury verdict

A Sandbanks property developer was today found not guilty of strangling his estranged wife in a row over their divorce.

Police recover stolen property and in rural crime operation

Dorset Police have recovered stolen property, investigated wildlife offences, and carried out targeted patrols as part of a week-long operation to tackle rural crime.

Popular water park unveils plans for 200 floating solar panels

Floating solar panels could soon replace part of a wakeboarding lake in a bid to slash carbon emissions.

E-scooter 'will not be returned to owner' after police seize scooters in Dorset

Two e-scooters have been taken by police teams across Dorset one of which will not be returned to its owner after use on pavements caused issues for pedestrians and road users.

Primark announces plans to expand its Bournemouth store in new move

Primark to expand Bournemouth store as Costa Coffee moves out

Indian national arrested for illegal working at convenience store

An immigration raid led to the arrest of an Indian national for 'illegal working' at a convenience store near Bournemouth University.

Tower Park complex unveils launch of new dog friendly workspace coffee shop

Starbucks opens new coffeehouse at Poole’s Tower Park

Parents give update on how long 3-year-old girl with E,coli will remain in hospital

3-year-old Ivy Foster remains in hospital more than a week after her readmission to hospital following an E. coli infection related to swimming in Christchurch Harbour.

Osprey captured in strikingly dramatic mid-flight hunting scene over Dorset

A wildlife photographer has captured a dramatic image of an osprey carrying a freshly caught mullet over Christchurch Harbour after setting out in the hope of spotting a white-tailed eagle.

Inquest set to examine death of 'incredible' Poole father killed in Gaza air strike

An upcoming inquest will examine the death of a man from Poole who was killed in an Israeli air strike in Gaza two years ago.

Review - Matthew Bourne's The Car Man, Mayflower Theatre, Southampton

THE genius that is Sir Matthew Bourne continues to turn classical dance on its head, as his legendary production of The Car Man takes to the stage at Southampton's Mayflower Theatre for the first time.

Cat rescued after being stuck up tree for five days

A cat that was left stranded in a tree has been rescued after a huge emergency effort

Council advertises role to tackle knife crime among young people

BCP Council is recruiting for a knife crime deterrence worker with the aim of preventing knife crime among young people.

Energy Price Cap could soar in January – Martin Lewis urges households to check now

Martin Lewis has issued an urgent energy warning after the January Price Cap was forecast to rise by 24.9%. Here's what households need to know.

Are you being paid enough? How much the average person earns at your age

How much should you really be earning at your age? New salary benchmarks reveal what the typical UK worker takes home at different stages of their career – and the figures may not be what you expect.

'Bournemouth has 190,000 reasons to believe in its town centre'

Around 190,000 square feet of commercial space is sitting empty across Bournemouth town centre.

Christchurch hospice receives significant grant from Ferndown garden centre

Haskins Garden Centre in Ferndown has donated over £4,200 to fund furniture and equipment at the Macmillan Unit hospice in Christchurch.

Two busy roads in Poole to be temporarily closed for works from next week

Alder Road and Recreation Road in Poole to face closures for highway works, September–October 2026. Check Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council updates.

Dorset students and young people with disabilities record new charity song

National charity Shaftesbury has launched a new song featuring students and young adults with disabilities who are supported by specialist services in Dorset.

UK's biggest family rave event coming to Bournemouth venue next month

Families in Bournemouth are being urged to dance the afternoon away as Rave Kidz, the UK’s biggest family rave, heads to town next month

Dorset business reaches major milestone as demand grows for renewable energy

Excel Energy, based in Dorset, has installed approximately 4.9MW of solar capacity and more than 2.3MWh of battery storage across UK sites so far in 2026

Betting company applies for premises licence to operate betting shop in Poole

Betting Shop Operations Ltd seeks licence for Jenningsbet at Culliford Crescent, Poole. Submit comments to BCP Council by September 24. Gambling Act 2005.

Lighthouse Poole named finalist at Dorset Tourism Awards for fifth year running

Lighthouse Poole has been named a finalist in the Business Events Venue of the Year category at the Dorset Tourism Awards for the fifth year running

'Road casualties matter. But evidence shouldn’t stop at the kerb'

I have always enjoyed horror films. But local politicians turning practical decisions into social media polls is becoming its own horror story.

DIY publishers cook up to a storm at recent arts fair at Lighthouse Poole

Showcasing a boom in DIY publications, the Zine Cuisine art fair at Lighthouse Poole saw some 30 stallers and over 200 visitors gather to celebrate zine culture

Outstanding programme of live music celebrated in New Milton this summer

This summer New Milton Town Council welcomed music-lovers to enjoy another outstanding programme of live music on the Recreation Ground.

Safeguard Community Support: 'When the community calls, we respond'

From Wareham to Winton and Charminster, the message from local people is clear – they want to see a reassuring presence in their communities, and Safeguard Community Support is listening.It has been another busy couple of weeks for SCS, with our volunteers continuing to...

Landscape theatre production to transform Kingston Lacy later this month

Belonging: Our Search for Home – a new landscape theatre experience coming to Kingston Lacy from 22–27 September as part of Wimborne’s year as Town of Culture.

New event inviting Dorset jobseekers to help build children's services workforce

A flagship careers event is inviting jobseekers from Dorset to explore roles in children’s services across the South West

Live orchestral music to come to rural communities across Dorset this autumn

The Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra’s (BSO) BSO On Your Doorstep series returns this season, bringing chamber-scale performances to venues across Dorset.

Poole firm applies to vary its existing goods vehicle operator's licence

Digger Parts Direct LTD in Poole seeks to operate an extra goods vehicle. Nearby landowners can submit objections to the Traffic Commissioner by September 24.

Industry leaders gather in Dorset to launch revival of place-based building

More than 140 landowners, regional builders and industry leaders gathered at St Giles House, Dorset, to launch the Regional Building Foundation

Care home in Poole keeping residents active with special 80s themed event

A care home in Poole is set to hold an exercise event designed to keep residents and the local community fit.

Dorset Pilates founders say you don't have to 'beast' your body to feel powerful

The founders of Vagabond Pilates, with locations in Dorset, want to challenge belief that getting fit means pushing yourself to the limit.

Teddy bears' picnic brought childhood memories to life at Dorset care home

Dozens of treasured teddy bears of all shapes and sizes came out to play at a Dorset care home’s picnic.

The £1 savings trick that could unlock a £1,000 Government bonus

You don't need hundreds of pounds to get started. Some savers can open a Lifetime ISA with just £1 and benefit from a 25% Government bonus

What does the winner of the Great British Bake Off get? Prize for top contestant

The Great British Bake Off returns on September 22, with 12 budding bakers entering the tent for the show's 17th series.

Freeview urges Brits to retune TV as it makes 9 changes in latest update - full list

Viewers are being urged to retune their TVs after nine channel changes were made in the latest Freeview update on September 16, 2026.

53,000 pensioners opted out Winter Fuel Payments – and millions had cash clawed back

Thousands of pensioners rejected Winter Fuel Payment as millions face HMRC clawback, new figures reveal.

Royal Mint's 9 rarest coins revealed and the rare £2 worth more than £500

The rare coin, which has previously been sold for more than £500, is still believed to be in circulation

Formula 1

Mekies offers update on Hadjar's injury recovery

Isack Hadjar has missed the three races since the summer break ended, sitting out Zandvoort, Monza and Madrid as he recovers from an injury sustained in training. The Frenchman hurt his wrist in the three-week break, and has been on the sidelines ever since.

'Bit of a shock to the system' leading Cadillac – Budkowski

Marcin Budkowski admits that returning to Formula 1 has been "a bit of a shock to the system", having been put in charge of the Cadillac team.

Tsunoda reveals his biggest mistake at Red Bull in 2025

Yuki Tsunoda has enjoyed a surprise three race cameo in 2026, slotting into Racing Bulls in place of Liam Lawson following Isack Hadjar’s injury. While it remains unknown whether Tsunoda will get a fourth outing this season, the Japanese racer has certainly made the most of his unexpected comeback.

The power unit manufacturers with the most wins in F1 history

After Mercedes added to their victory tally with Kimi Antonelli at the Madring, we’ve looked at the engine manufacturers with the highest number of F1 wins.

Alpine announce Mike Elliott as Chief Technical Officer

Mike Elliott – who last worked in Formula 1 for Mercedes – will return to the sport with the Alpine team.

Danielsson confirmed as Wild Card for F1 ACADEMY Austin round

Alexia Danielsson will be the Wild Card entry for Round 5 of the 2026 F1 ACADEMY season in Austin.

The issue Red Bull are still trying to correct on the RB22

Mark Hughes and Giorgio Piola take a closer look at the problem Red Bull are experiencing on the RB22, despite some strong results of late.

How Verstappen won the ‘biggest race’ of his motorsport career

Just a few days after recording a podium finish in the Spanish Grand Prix, Max Verstappen was at another track and on the hunt for another trophy – the four-time F1 World Champion taking part in Red Bull’s special ‘Max vs 100’ karting event.

Windows Central

Xbox speaks out on rumors of Xbox Game Pass dropping 'day one' games in a purported 2027 restructure — here's what we know

Rumors have been spreading that Xbox Game Pass will change next year to drop its price in exchange for dropping "Day One on Game Pass" for future titles. Xbox recently spoke with Paul Tassi of Forbes to address these rumors.

Laffgaff

The ‘Dwarf Cavendish’ is the most cultivated variety of which fruit?

Banana.

Itsfoss

On Time! GNOME 51 Arrives With a Set of Improvements You Shouldn't Miss

Offline maps, a fingerprint manager, and a refined shell are some of the additions you can expect.

FOSS Weekly #26.38: GNOME 51 Release, LibreOffice Image Trick, VMWare Drama, Fingerprint Reader for Linux and More

Latest assortment of Linux news and tips. Stay updated with FOSS Weekly.

Zsh Quiz: How Well Do You Know Your Shell?

Think you've mastered zsh? Test your knowledge with this quiz.

The Famed PS5 Linux Project Lead Quits Over a Premature Exploit Report to Sony

Andy Nguyen blames AI-assisted bug reporters who ignored his request.

How an Italian Logistics Company Moved From Windows to Linux: A Real Migration Story

Mišo Oroz shares how he migrated a small transport and logistics company in,Bergamo, Italy to Linux and open source to reduce cost and ordinary technical problems.