Newshour

Pakistan has said it is confident that talks between Iran and the United States will begin on Saturday in Islamabad as planned, despite both sides complaining of ceasefire violations. Also on the programme: Melania Trump makes a rare statement to reporters, denying she had a relationship with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein; and Hip-hop pioneer, Afrika Bambaataa, dies aged 68. (Photo: Pakistani security officials stand guard at a checkpoint as security has been intensified ahead of the visit of US and Iranian delegations in Islamabad, Pakistan on April 9, 2026. Credit: EPA/Shutterstock)

The Israeli prime minister says he's ready for direct negotiations with Lebanon, as Iran says the continuing Israeli attacks on Lebanon violate Iran's ceasefire with the US. We hear the latest from Israel, Lebanon and the US.Also in the programme: the UK says three Russian submarines have conducted a "covert" operation over Britain's vital underwater cables and pipelines; and as the crew of the Integrity spacecraft on the Artemis II mission around the Moon hurtle back towards Earth, we hear from the wife of the Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen.(IMAGE: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a press conference, amid the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran, in Jerusalem, March 19, 2026. CREDIT: REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun/Pool TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY/File Photo)

A top Iranian official has told the BBC the US must choose war or peace, as the ceasefire appears compromised. Iran's deputy foreign minister said Tehran had warned Washington, after Israel's massive strikes on Lebanon, that it could not have it both ways. Saeed Khatibzadeh accuses Israel of a "massacre" in Lebanon - 203 people were killed on Wednesday, according to the health ministry. Also, Argentina's Congress has passed a controversial amendment making it easier to mine in glacier regions, a move environmentalists say weakens protections for crucial water sources.And a Los Angeles woman dubbed the "Ketamine Queen" has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for selling drugs that led to the death of Friends actor Matthew Perry.(Photo: Aftermath of an Israeli strike carried out on Wednesday, in Ain Al Mraiseh in Beirut. Credit: Reuters)

Israel and the US say Lebanon is not included in a two-week ceasefire deal with Iran. The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps says it will deliver a “regret-inducing response” if Israeli strikes on Lebanon don't stop immediately, according to Iran's state media. American Vice-President JD Vance is expected to lead a US negotiating team at peace talks in Pakistan this weekend.Also in the programme: we hear more about one of the fastest growing disability sports around the world, powerchair football.(Photo shows civilians and emergency responders standing amid rubble at the site of an Israeli strike in Tyre, southern Lebanon, April 8, 2026. Adnan Abidi/Reuters)

The US and Iran have agreed a two-week ceasefire and as part of the agreement Iran says it will reopen the Strait of Hormuz.Both sides have claimed victory, with the US defense secretary saying it "offers chance at real peace".Also in the programme: Despite the ceasefire, Israel has continued pummelling what it says are dozens of command centres belonging to Hezbollah, Iran's proxy force in Lebanon; and we'll hear more about the impact of powerchair football for participants with life-limiting disabilities.(Photo shows U.S. President Donald Trump at a press conference at the White House in Washington, D.C. on 6 April 2026. Evan Vucci/Reuters)

The White House says Donald Trump is the only person who knows his plans for Iran, after his threat that a ‘whole civilisation will die' if Tehran doesn't do a deal to end the war. The President's latest deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face the destruction of key infrastructure, expires within hours. Also in the programme: As the Artemis II astronauts make their way home from the far side of the Moon, we speak to former Nasa boss Charles Bolden; and Kanye West, now known as Ye, won't be allowed to perform in London this summer because of antisemitic remarks. (Photo: An Iranian national flag is placed on the debris of a damaged building at the Sharif University after an airstrike in Tehran, Iran, 07 April 2026. Credit: Abedin Taherkenareh/EPA)

The Artemis II astronauts are bound for a return to Earth after conducting a historic lunar fly-by and witnessing a total solar eclipse from their spacecraft.The spacecraft reached its maximum distance from Earth - 252,756 miles (406,771km), the furthest distance humans have travelled into space. We'll hear from NASA's Head of Science.Also in the programme: Multiple reports indicate new US strikes on Kharg Island in the Gulf as President Trump posts that "a whole civilisation will die tonight" unless a deal is reached; US vice-president JD Vance visits Hungary ahead of elections; Cambodia says it's cracking down on scammers; and Kanye West has been blocked from travelling to the UK over anti-Semitic comments.(Photo shows the Moon rises over the Halde Hoheward near Herten, Germany on 7 April 2026. Credit: Christopher Neundorf/EPA)

Four astronauts have taken humanity deeper into space than ever before, breaking a record set in 1970. We hear from space expert Dr Kevin Fong as well as Young and Sick, one of the bands whose songs have been played to the Artemis crew. Also on the programme: President Trump repeats his deadline for Iran to agree to a deal with the United States; and the discovery of Yiddish songs performed during the Holocaust. (Picture: A view of the Moon taken by an Artemis II crew member through the window of the Orion spacecraft. Credit: NASA/Handout via REUTERS)

Iran says the intelligence chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Majid Khademi, was killed in a strike on Monday morning; Israel later claimed responsibility for the attack.As US-Israeli strikes on Iran continue, Iranian people tell the BBC that they're afraid of the latest ultimatum from President Trump. Also in the programme: NASA's Artemis II mission has now entered the lunar "sphere of influence"; how Northern Ireland has become a world leader in support for mothers who've miscarried; and the icy world of curling hits a hot streak as it starts a professional league.(Photo shows Majid Khademi the intelligence chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in an undated photo. Credit: Iranian state media)

Trump uses expletives to warn of attacks on Iranian infrastructure unless the Strait of Hormuz is opened to shipping. We hear from our Chief International Correspondent Lyse Doucet, and ask where this threatened escalation in the war leaves America's allies in the Gulf.Also in the programme: Hungary and Serbia say they've foiled a plot to blow up a pipeline, but is it a 'false flag' operation ahead of the upcoming Hungarian election? And the American museum curator in her seventies who has become a social media star.(Photo: President Donald Trump delivers address to the nation about the Iran war on 1 April 2026. Credit: Alex Brandon/Pool via REUTERS)

In an operation involving hundreds of troops and dozens of aircraft, the US military have rescued the American airman who went missing in southern Iran after an F-15 fighter jet was shot down on Friday. President Trump said the colonel was injured but will be fine. Also in the programme: a former Israeli soldier recalls the challenges of a prolonged occupation of Lebanon; and we explore the mystery of the far side of the moon. (Photo: Cars drive near an anti-US bilboard, amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Tehran, Iran, April 5, 2026. Credit: Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency)

President Trump has threatened to unleash hell on Iran in forty- eight hours if its leaders don't make a deal or open up the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has virtually closed off the strait, through which twenty percent of the world's oil is exported. The Iranian military has credited new air defence systems with the reported downing of two American military planes on Friday. A crew member from one of the aircraft is still missing.Also in the programme: Teachers' union in the UK warns of 'masculinity crisis brewing' in schools; we look at how the war in Iran is making petrol and diesel increasingly expensive in Australia; and we hear from Ed Dwight, the first Black man on the US Space program.(Photo credit: EPA)

US and Iranian forces are searching for a missing American crew member after a US warplane was shot down - verified video shows the US operation. Also on the programme, the Artemis Two mission has passed the halfway point between Earth and the Moon; and, how London's police left unattended a bag full of firearms. (Photo: Israeli F-15 fighter jets fly over central Israel, Undisclosed - 31 Mar 2026. ABIR SULTAN/EPA/Shutterstock)

The US pilot reportedly ejected and has been rescued, despite an Iranian bounty offered for his capture. Another crew member may still be missing in Iran. We hear the latest, and discuss the perils of rescue missions in hostile territory with former US Marine Corps Special Operations specialist Jonathan Hackett. Also in the programme: Myanmar general installed as president of the country in a bid for legitimacy by the military regime; and the friction between Pope Leo XIV and a US administration at war.(Photo: A US Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle aircraft takes off for a mission supporting Operation Epic Fury during the Iran war at an undisclosed location, March 9, 2026. Credit: US Air Force/Handout via REUTERS)

President Donald Trump says the US "hasn't even started destroying what's left in Iran", adding that Iranian bridges are "next, then electric power plants." Mr. Trump has also signalled his openness to diplomacy in an effort to end the war. Iran has launched fresh strikes on Israel and Gulf nations, after the US and Israel stepped up their attacks on Iran's infrastructure.Also in the programme: an update on the progress of the Artemis II moon mission; and the unusual way octopuses have sex.(Picture: US President Donald J. Trump. Credit: ALEX BRANDON/POOL/EPA/Shutterstock)

President Trump has sacked Pam Bondi as the US Attorney General. She was a close ally of Mr Trump but had been criticised for her handling of the release of files relating to the late sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein. Writing on social media, Mr Trump described her as a loyal friend saying she had done a tremendous job overseeing a crackdown on crime but was moving to a new role in the private sector. Mr Trump's former personal lawyer, the Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, will take over on a temporary basis. Also in the programme: nations meet to find a solution to the Strait of Hormuz; and Artemis 2 heads out of orbit. (Photo: Former US Attorney General Pam Bondi attends a swearing-in ceremony in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, USA, 24 March 2026. CREDIT: GRAEME SLOAN/POOL/EPA/Shutterstock)

The four Nasa astronauts on the Artemis II Moon mission are preparing for its next stage, after their first sleep in space. We speak to former astronaut Tim Peake about Nasa's plan for them to travel around the Moon. Also in the programme: Britain hosts a meeting on reopening the Strait of Hormuz and a historic warship discovered on the seabed of Copenhagen harbour. (Photo: Nasa's Artemis II mission to fly by the moon lifts off from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, US, 1 April, 2026. Credit: Joe Skipper/Reuters)

NASA is to launch the Artemis II mission to the Moon, more than half a century after the last Apollo missions – we'll hear from one of the four surviving astronauts who have set foot on the Moon. Also in the programme: US President Donald Trump attends a Supreme Court hearing about his attempt to end birthright citizenship by executive order; and how a hundred driverless taxis all suddenly stopped mid-journey in a city in China – so how robust is the tech? (Photo: The Artemis II Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft at Launch Complex 39B ahead of the mission launch at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, US. Credit: Reuters/ Brendan McDermid)

Global stock markets have risen and the oil price has fallen, after President Trump again said the war against Iran could be over in a couple of weeks. Britain says it will host a multi-national meeting this week to discuss how to re-open the Strait of Hormuz. President Trump says he is "strongly considering" pulling the United States out of NATO. We will hear from a former US ambassador to NATO.Also, South Africa's government sends in the army to fight criminal gangs. And the countdown to NASA's Artemis moon mission! Plus fifty years since the birth of Apple computing.(Photo: A person reacts to the damage near a business building including the Qatari Al Araby TV office, after an airstrike in northern Tehran, Iran, 29 March 2026. Credit: EPA)

President Trump hits out at US allies over Iran -- telling them to grow a backbone and go and get the oil stuck in the Strait of Hormuz. His Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth then joins the fray. Do they have a point? Also in the programme: has the European Union reached breaking point with Israel? A NASA scientist on a huge week for space travel; and wolf bites woman on a German city street - we hear the case for the defence.(IMAGE: Cargo ships in the Gulf, near the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from northern Ras al-Khaimah, near the border with Oman's Musandam governance, amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, in United Arab Emirates, March 11, 2026 / CREDIT: REUTERS/Stringer//File Photo)

We look at America's goals in the war with Iran, and we ask what Israel's strategy is, as regards the conflict in Iran and Lebanon.Also on the programme: the latest report on sexual violence directed at women and girls in Sudan; and the world's longest running international music competition, Eurovision heads to Asia. (Image: Illustration shows 3D-printed miniature model depicting US President Donald Trump pointing at a map showing the Strait of Hormuz. Credit: Dado Ruvic/Reuters)

President Trump says he's negotiating with Iran's leadership to end the war, while again threatening to strike its energy infrastructure. Iran has dismissed American demands as excessive and 'illogical'. We hear from a former US army officer on President Trump's military options. Also in the programme: Israel's parliament passes a new law introducing the death penalty for terrorists. A critic of the law tells us it's framed just to target Palestinians; and a Sex Pistol celebrates the 50th anniversary of punk rock. (Photo: A member of the Iranian security forces stands guard next to a banner honouring former Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei in Tehran on 30 March 2026. Credit: ABEDIN TAHERKENAREH/EPA/Shutterstock)

President Trump has posted on social media another warning that he would, in his words, 'obliterate' Kharg island and Iran's power plants, if the Strait of Hormuz is not immediately reopened to allow oil and gas tankers to travel freely.Also on the programme: how are countries around the world responding to the price of oil reaching $116 a barrel? And paintings by Renoir, Cezanne and Matisse have been stolen from a museum in Italy. Is there's even a market for this type of stolen art? (Picture: President Trump on Air Force One. Credit: Reuters)

Pakistan's foreign minister, Ishaq Dar, has said that both Iran and the United States have expressed confidence in his country to facilitate talks on reducing tensions in the Middle East conflict.Also in the programme: the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem is prevented from celebrating a private mass at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre; and a UN summit moves to protect 40 migratory species. (A handout photo made available by the Pakistani Foreign Offices shows Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and Pakistan's deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar during a meeting in Islamabad, Pakistan, 29 March 2026. CREDIT: PAKISTAN FOREIGN OFFICE/HANDOUT/EPA/Shutterstock)

With talks under way in Islamabad to end the war in the Middle East, we'll hear from Pakistan's former ambassador to the US.Also on the programme: we hear from Myanmar where the global energy crisis has left kilometres-long queues at petrol stations; and veteran Swedish actor Stellan Skarsgard reflects on his latest Oscar-winning film Sentimental Value.(Photo: The USS Tripoli (LHA-7) amphibious assault ship enters the Singapore Strait, amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, as seen from Singapore, March 17, 2026. REUTERS/Edgar Su)

The Iranian- backed Houthis in Yemen have launched another missile attack against Israel, less than twenty four hours after their first foray into the US-Israeli war on Iran. There are fears that the Iranian proxy's entry could further disrupt global shipping. Also in the programme: No Kings protests are taking place across the US against the Trump administration; and how a truck transporting twelve tonnes of chocolate bars belonging to Swiss food company Nestle disappeared en route between Italy and Poland.(Photo: Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea announces a new attack on Israel via a televised statement, in Sana'a, Yemen. Credit: YAHYA ARHAB/EPA/Shutterstock)

Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi movement have launched a missile strike on Israel for first time since the war began.The group says it fired a barrage of ballistic missiles "targeting sensitive Israeli military sites", after Israel says it intercepted a missile from Yemen. The intervention comes as Israel continues bombing Lebanon, aiming for the pro-Iranian Hezbollah, but catching many other Lebanese in its wake.Also in the programme: We'll hear from a mother and son forced apart for years by the state because she was unmarried; Nepal's former prime minister under arrest just a day after the new government took power; and a former Haitian culture minister turned documentary maker on the prescience of George Orwell.(Photo shows a Houthi soldier operating a machine gun on a pickup truck in Sanaa, Yemen on 27 March 2026. Credit: Yahya Arhab/EPA)

The UN says there's no longer any safe space for civilians to find refuge in Lebanon, even in Beirut. Israel has been carrying out a widespread offensive against Hezbollah. With nearly a million people displaced by the war in Lebanon, we speak to the Deputy Prime Minister - how are they coping?Also, the British government is being urged to apologise to tens of thousands of women in who were forced to give up their babies after the Second World War because they weren't married. And a new study says AI is giving bad advise to flatter its users!(Photo: A displaced woman from Majdal Zoun in southern Lebanon smokes a sigarette, at the Jaafareya High School, now used as a temporary shelter for displaced people, amid escalating hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, as the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran continues, in Beirut, Lebanon, March 27, 2026. Credit: Reuters)

Germany says American and Iranian negotiators plan to meet in Pakistan, at the same time as reports suggest the US is to send 10,000 more troops to the Middle East. We get the latest and hear from victims of the strikes on Tehran.Also in the programme: will Cuba's economic near-collapse lead to political upheaval? We have a first-hand report from the island; and a unique eyewitness account of female sperm whales acting like midwives.(IMAGE: View of the Prime Minister's House building, as Pakistan offers to help mediate talks between the United States and Iran, amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Islamabad, Pakistan March 25, 2026 / CREDIT: REUTERS/Akhtar Soomro)

State media in Iran say officials have sent their response to a fifteen-point US plan to end the war and are now awaiting an American reply. Speaking at the White House, President Trump again insisted that Iran was "begging" for a deal despite repeated denials in Tehran. Also on the programme, lawyers have tussled over how to fund the defence of the ousted Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro at his second court hearing since his capture by US troops; and, the IOC has banned transgender women from all Olympic women's sports.(President Trump hosts cabinet meeting at the White House, Washington, USA - 26 Mar 2026. WILL OLIVER/POOL/EPA/Shutterstock)

Israel says it's killed a top Iranian naval commander, responsible for overseeing the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, while President Trump tells Iran to get serious about negotiations. We hear from a supporter of the government in Tehran. Also in the programme: former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is due to appear in court in New York today for only the second time since his capture at the beginning of January - we hear how his country's been doing since his departure; and a new exhibition in London explores experiences and perceptions of ageing, from adolescence to older age - through art, science and popular culture.

A 20 year-old Californian woman has been awarded a total of $6 million in damages after taking Meta and Google to court, accusing the tech giants of making her addicted to social media. The jury found the firms liable for negligence, contributing to her mental health problems.Also in the programme: Iran's foreign minister has said officials are reviewing US proposals on ending the war, but that Tehran has no intention of holding talks with the United States; and Sarah Mullally has been officially installed as the first woman to lead the Anglican Communion.(Photo: Attorney for Kayle GM, Mark Lanier (C) speaks to the media after a jury found Meta and YouTube liable in the social media addiction trial outside the Los Angeles Superior Court, in Los Angeles, California, USA, 25 March 2026. Credit: Ted Soqui/EPA/Shutterstock)

An Iranian military spokesman has accused the United States of 'negotiating with itself' over the conflict in the Middle East, amid uncertainty over the prospects of meaningful peace talks. President Donald Trump has insisted his administration is talking to the 'right people' in Iran, and that they badly wanted a deal to end the war.Also in the programme: five survivors of Jeffrey Epstein come together for the first time to speak about their ordeal; and the man who persuaded a would-be-bomber not to blow up a hospital has received one of Britain's highest honours.(Picture: US President Donald Trump speaks during a swearing-in ceremony in the Oval Office of the White House on 24 March 2026. Credit: GRAEME SLOAN/POOL/EPA/Shutterstock)

US President Donald Trump says negotiations to end the Iran war are happening "right now" and Tehran is "talking sense". His comments come a day after Iranian officials denied any contact with the US had taken place, calling claims of talks "fake news".Also on the programme: We hear from expectant mothers in Havana about the impact of the US blockade on their care; and the Virunga National Park in the DRC is celebrating the rare birth of its second set of mountain gorilla twins.(Photo: US President Donald Trump speaks during a swearing-in ceremony in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC on the 24th of March, 2026. Credit: GRAEME SLOAN/POOL/EPA/Shutterstock)

As confusion surrounds the prospect of talks between Washington and Tehran over a possible end to the war, could Iran's parliamentary speaker play a role? We learn more about that speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.Also in the programme: The AI company Anthropic vs the Pentagon; and rescuing moon bears from captivity in Vietnam.(Photo: A view of a residential building damaged by a strike, in the US-Israeli conflict with Iran. Tehran, March 23, 2026. Credit: Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via Reuters)

US President Donald Trump says the US and Iran have held talks on the "complete and total resolution of hostilities" in the Middle East. However, Iran's parliament speaker denies discussions have taken place, saying "fake news" is being used to "manipulate" the oil markets.Also on the programme: With world attention focused on the Iran war, there's been a new increase in Israeli settler attacks in the occupied West Bank; and we head to a new exhibition which explores the changing relationship between humans and their pets.(Photo: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to the media before departing West Palm Beach aboard Air Force One on th 23rd of March, 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque)

Donald Trump says the US and Iran have held talks on the ‘complete and total resolution of hostilities' in the Middle East. We discuss what behind-the-scenes discussions may have been taking place between the two sides.Also on the programme: Italian voters consider significant changes in its justice system; and AI-powered glasses that can help people living with dementia. (Picture: President Donald Trump speaking to reporters on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC. Credit: EPA/Shutterstock)

The president of Lebanon, Joseph Aoun, says Israel's military action in the south of his country is a prelude to a full-scale ground invasion. Israel has started blowing up bridges over a crucial river in southern Lebanon, saying it is targeting infrastructure used by Hezbollah. Could Israel be about to take the next step in the Middle Eastern conflict?Also in the programme: French voters have gone to the polls - will they tack to the centre ground or lurch to the far-left and far-right? And a British version of the celebrated US TV show Saturday Night Live has made its debut - did it translate well across the Atlantic?(Photo shows smoke rising after an Israeli strike on a bridge near Qasmiyeh, Lebanon on 22 March 2026. Credit: Amr Abdallah Dalsh/Reuters)

More than 160 people have been injured - some seriously - in Iranian missile strikes on two southern Israeli towns close to a nuclear facility, according to Israeli emergency officials. We hear about the medical situation on the ground and take a look at Israel's nuclear capabilities.Also on the programme: Italian voters give their verdict on a government plan to have more power over the judiciary; and a US comedy institution makes its UK debut as Saturday Night Live hits British screens.(Picture: Ultra Orthodox Jewish residents look on at the scene of a direct hit of an Iranian missile in Arad, Israel. Credit: Abir Sultan/EPA/Shutterstock)

Britain has insisted it will not be drawn into a wider conflict after a key military base in the Indian Ocean was targeted by an Iranian missile attack. Also on the programme: Robert Mueller, who led the investigation into whether Russia interfered in the 2016 US presidential election won by Donald Trump, has died; and the K-Pop phenomenon, BTS, has played a massive comeback concert in Seoul. (Photo: A United States Air Force Rockwell B-1 Lancer Bomber arrives at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire.Saturday March 7, 2026. Ben Birchall/PA Wire)

The United Nations' nuclear watchdog has said the Natanz nuclear enrichment facility in Iran has suffered “some recent damage” as US-Israeli attacks on the country continue. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed the damage was confined to entrance buildings to the underground fuel enrichment plant. Also on the programme: a weight loss drug is now off patent in India meaning prices are expected to drop sharply; and the Australian teens grappling with the country's social media ban.(Photo: Satellite imagery taken in January 2026 showing a new roof over a previously destroyed building at Natanz nuclear site, Iran. Credit: Planet Labs PBC/via Reuters)

US President says Nato allies are "cowards" for refusing to help open the Strait of Hormuz, as the head of the International Energy Agency claims the closure of the waterway poses the "greatest global energy security challenge in history”.Also in the programme: Iranian-American artist Shirin Neshat on celebrating the ancient Persian festival of Nowruz; and the action movie star, and martial arts expert Chuck Norris has died aged 86.(Photo: US President Trump departs the White House to spend the weekend at Mar-a-Lago on 20 March 2026. Credit: Shawn Thew/Pool/EPA/Shutterstock)