Newshour

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)