News 30/03/26

The UN Security Council will hold an emergency session following the deaths of three peacekeepers in southern Lebanon over the past 24 hours.

One was killed on Sunday and two more today. The session was requested by France. It remains unclear who was responsible for the projectile and explosion, and the UN says investigations are ongoing.

A former police inspector has been found guilty of multiple sexual offences.

Gerard Hutchings, 66, carried out unnecessary strip searches on 18 men aged in their late teens to early thirties at Hampshire police stations between 1999 and 2007. The men were made to remove their clothes before being subjected to sexual assaults, Bristol Crown Court heard. Hutchings denied the charges but a jury found him guilty on all counts, including indecent assault, causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent, and misconduct in public office.

Travelodge is investigating further reports of strangers accessing rooms after a woman was sexually assaulted by a man given a key card by staff.

Two other women told the BBC that unknown people entered their rooms while they were alone. The chain’s CEO, Jo Boydell, said a full review is under way and apologised to all affected. The assault follows the jailing of Kyran Smith, 29, for seven-and-a-half years for a similar attack in Maidenhead in 2022.

Israel has passed a law making the death penalty by hanging the default punishment for West Bank Palestinians convicted of murdering Israelis.

The UK, Germany, France and Italy criticised the move, saying it would significantly expand the use of capital punishment. In a joint statement, they described the law as discriminatory and warned it risks undermining democratic commitments. The countries also said the death penalty is inhumane and has no deterrent effect.

This Easter weekend is expected to be the busiest on UK roads since twenty twenty two, with almost twenty one million journeys planned.

Traffic levels are forecast to remain consistently high, with more than a million extra trips compared with last year. Experts say more people are choosing to stay in the UK. VisitEngland figures suggest twelve point five million plan domestic overnight trips, compared with seven point four million travelling abroad.

A man remains in hospital with serious injuries after a crash on the M4 near Slough.

A black Vauxhall Insignia and a black Volkswagen ID3 were involved on the westbound carriageway near junction six at around six pm on March the twenty third. The driver of the Vauxhall, aged in his fifties, is in a stable condition. Thames Valley Police are appealing for witnesses.

Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky says allies have urged him to scale back attacks on Russia’s energy infrastructure during the fuel crisis.

He said Ukraine was responding in kind and would only stop if Russia halted its own strikes first. He did not name the countries involved, though some remain reliant on Russian energy supplies.

Donald Trump says on Truth Social the United States is talking with what he called a new and more reasonable regime in Iran and that negotiations to end the war have made great progress.

He suggested a deal would probably be reached shortly, although he did not say who would form this new regime.

DJ Scott Mills has been sacked by the BBC after nearly three decades with the broadcaster.

The Radio Two presenter had his contract terminated following an allegation relating to personal conduct. The fifty three year old was taken off air last week while the BBC assessed the claims, and a spokesperson confirmed he is no longer contracted.

Travelodge is investigating further reports of strangers accessing rooms after a woman was sexually assaulted by a man given a key card by staff.

The company is reviewing procedures after two women said unknown people entered their rooms. The assault in Maidenhead involved Kyran Smith, who was jailed for seven and a half years.

Cardiff City’s claim for more than one hundred million pounds in compensation over the death of footballer Emiliano Sala has been dismissed.

Sala and pilot David Ibbotson died when their plane crashed into the Channel in twenty nineteen. A French court ruled the Welsh club is not due compensation from Nantes in the long running dispute.

Russia has expelled a British diplomat it accuses of spying, revoking his accreditation and ordering him to leave within two weeks.

The FSB claims he provided false information and tried to gather details about the Russian economy.

A survey has revealed that 75% of Premier League fans oppose the use of VAR. Nearly 8,000 supporters were polled, just over half of whom attend more than fifteen home games each season.

95% disagreed that VAR makes watching football more enjoyable, while over ninety percent said it had not improved the match-going experience. Three quarters of respondents said they did not support its use, and more than seventy percent disagreed that it has increased the accuracy of refereeing decisions.

Donald Trump has said he wants Iran’s oil and could seize Kharg Island, according to a report by the Financial Times.

In a wide ranging interview, the US president said taking Iran’s oil would be his preferred option. He said critics in the United States who questioned the idea were wrong, describing them as stupid people. The comments form part of a series of significant statements made during the interview.

Fertiliser is emerging as the most valuable commodity in agriculture this spring, as the Iran war pushes up prices and limits supply.

Synthetic fertiliser is considered essential, with some estimates suggesting up to half of global crop and livestock production depends on it. British importers, farmers and growers say rising costs are squeezing producers and could lead to a spike in food inflation for consumers. The impact is being felt at the start of the growing season across Europe and Asia.

Global oil prices have surged and stock markets fallen sharply as the US Israel war entered its fifth week.

Brent crude rose more than three percent to above one hundred and fifteen dollars a barrel, while US traded oil climbed to one hundred and three dollars. Asian markets dropped, with Japan’s Nikkei down four point five percent and South Korea’s Kospi four percent lower. The move follows strikes by Iran backed Houthi rebels and threats of wider retaliation.