President Donald Trump has boasted over his new renovation project at the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool as part of his social media frenzy Thursday evening.

“We were told it was going to take YEARS to do this job, and it will take a fraction of that time, at a fraction of the cost — and it will be much more beautiful than the day it was built!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

The reflecting pool has become one of the most iconic sites of Washington, D.C. It was completed after the Lincoln Memorial’s dedication in 1922. The reflecting pool was previously closed for renovations for two years and reopened in 2012.

Trump announced his plans to “fix” the reflecting pool with Interior Secretary Doug Burgum last November.

“You won’t be seeing this Biden filth and incompetence much longer!” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post, alongside a black-and-white video of the pool, edited to highlight green water.

Trump has turned the beautification of the White House and the D.C. area into his passion project.

He has demolished the East Wing of the White House for his estimated $400 million ballroom, paved over the Rose Garden for a new patio and redesigned the Palm Room and bathroom attached to the Lincoln Bedroom.

The president also wants to build a massive “Independence Arch” near the Arlington National Cemetery and the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, which Trump’s name is now attached to symbolically. The Center is set to close for two years of renovations.

Trump had a very active night on Truth Social, boasting about his latest renovation project while also threatening Tehran during the two-week ceasefire in his war with Iran.

The president bashed The Wall Street Journal’s editorial board for writing that Trump has declared “premature victory” in Iran.

“Actually, it is a Victory, and there’s nothing ‘premature’ about it! Because of me, IRAN WILL NEVER HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON and, very quickly, you’ll see Oil start flowing, with or without the help of Iran and, to me, it makes no difference, either way,” Trump wrote.

Trump later accused Iran of doing “a very poor job, dishonorable some would say, of allowing Oil to go through the Strait of Hormuz. That is not the agreement we have!”

The strait typically carries about a fifth of the world’s oil, but after the U.S. and Israel launched strikes against Iran nearly six weeks ago, the country effectively closed the waterway.

When Trump announced the U.S.-Iran ceasefire Tuesday, he said it was contingent on Iran agreeing to the “COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING of the Strait of Hormuz.”

Trump also blasted prominent MAGA media figures Tucker Carlson, Megyn Kelly, Candace Owens and Alex Jones, who have all criticized his war with Iran.

“They think it is wonderful for Iran, the Number One State Sponsor of Terror, to have a Nuclear Weapon — Because they have one thing in common, Low IQs,” Trump wrote.

Trump then railed against former President Joe Biden and Congressional Democrats for their immigration policies after a Haitian immigrant allegedly beat a woman to death with a hammer at a convenience store in Florida.

The immigrant, Rolbert Joachin, confessed to the murder, the Tampa Bay Times reported, citing a police report. The Homeland Security Department said Joachin was an “illegal alien.”

“This animal was allowed to stay here because the Biden Administration granted him, and all Haitians, ‘Temporary Protective Status,’ a massively abused and fraudulent program which my Administration is working to terminate, but Deranged Liberal District Court Judges are standing in our way,” Trump wrote.

The man also pleaded guilty to possessing indecent photos of children

A man has appeared in court after being charged with possessing sexual images of a corpse. Ben Sharpe, 31, of Burlton Road, Cambridge, appeared at Cambridge Magistrates Court on Thursday (April 9).

The 31-year-old was charged with possessing an extreme pornographic image or images portraying acts which involved sexual interference with a corpse. This relates to three images on or before January 31, 2025, in Cambridge.

Sharpe pleaded guilty to this charge, as well as other offences. The other charges he faced and pleaded guilty to were:

• Making an indecent photograph/pseudo-photograph of a child relating to 962 category A images on/before January 31, 2025 in Cambridge;
• Making an indecent photograph/pseudo-photograph of a child relating to 388 category B images taken on/before January 31, 2025 in Cambridge;
• Making an indecent photograph/pseudo-photograph of a child relating to 838 category C images taken on/before January 31, 2025 in Cambridge;
• Possession of a prohibited image of a child taken on/before January 31, 2025;
• Four counts of breaching a sexual prevention harm disorder.

He will next appear at Cambridge Crown Court on May 21 for sentencing.

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A friend of the rape complainant claimed she saw Marc Ogilve, now  27, whom she did not know, on his knees next to the woman student who had her eyes closed.

“He just sat still and stared at me like a rabbit in the headlights,” she alleged as she gave evidence against him.

She alleged she sent a text to a male friend saying she had just gone into her friend’s room and “some random boy was helping himself to her whilst she was asleep. Please ring us”.

Prosecution barrister Nick Adlington asked her: “Do you have any doubt in your mind when you opened that door, you saw the defendant having sex with (the complainant).”

“No doubt at all,” she responded.

The alleged victim claimed in evidence that she had been woken earlier during the night by a pain and felt that Ogilve was raping her.

She claimed she sent a message to the friend, who was on a night out in the city centre. She claimed she didn’t know what to do, cried for a bit and then fell asleep again.

The friend alleged that when she read the message some time after it was sent, she cut short her night out and returned to the house she and the complainant shared with other students.  She alleged she opened the complainant’s bedroom door and saw Ogilve.

The incident happened when all three were students in York some years ago.

Ogilve, of Half Mile, Pudsey, denies two charges of rape.

Giving evidence, Ogilve claimed he had gone to sleep alongside the complainant and the next thing he knew was waking to see her leave the room before the friend came in and asked him to leave the house.    

He claimed he assumed the complainant had sobered up and decided she didn’t want to be in the same bed as him.

He denied that before the complainant left, the friend had opened the door and seen him as she had described.

Asked by his barrister Nicholas Hammond if the first alleged rape occurred, he replied: “No.”

“Are you sure about that?” he was asked and replied: “100 per cent.”

He made similar replies to identical questions about the second alleged rape and denied that the woman had texted from the bed.

He claimed he had no idea why he was asked to leave the house in the early hours.

The jury has seen texts he sent the complainant the next day asking if she was all right and including: “Sorry if I upset you. I am sorry if I did, I didn’t mean to.”

He claimed he sent that because he didn’t understand why he had been asked to leave and couldn’t understand why she didn’t respond to his texts.

He alleged he had had no expectation of sex between them that night as he had only met the complainant once before that night, and denied that he’d decided to “try it on”.

The jury heard that the complainant had been with her friend and others drinking alcohol in the city centre earlier in the night. She had become separated from her friends and Ogilve had walked her home.

Both told the jury they had agreed nothing sexual would happen, that they were not in a relationship, and they only knew each other casually.

The complainant claimed she let Ogilve stay at her house because she knew he lived in a different part of York and would otherwise have a long walk.

The trial continues.

NASA leaders have “high confidence” in the Artemis II crew spacecraft’s heat shield ahead of Friday’s historic return.

The shield is a critical part of the Orion capsule, protecting the crew from exposure to lethal temperatures – reaching up to 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit – during their high-speed descent.

There were problems with the heat shield on the first Artemis flight, which had no human passengers. Gases that generated inside the shield’s outer material were not able to vent as expected, causing cracks.

Since then, the shield has undergone extensive testing and Amit Kshatriya, the space agency’s associate administrator, says his confidence in the tech is backed up by engineering and flight data.

“The engineering supports it, the Artemis I flight data supports it, all of our ground tests support it, our analysis supports it,” he told reporters at a briefing from NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, “and tomorrow, the crew’s going to put their lives behind that confidence.”

The astronauts, including NASA’s Christina Koch, Victor Glover, Reid Wiseman and the Canadian Space Agency’s Jeremy Hansen were said to be in “high spirits” as they started their journey to Earth following a record-breaking slingshot around the Moon.

A splashdown in the Pacific set to conclude their test flight on Friday.

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How the Artemis II astronauts will get home

Julia Musto10 April 2026 01:45

Check out these cool pictures of the moon from the Artemis II mission

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The song that Artemis II started their day with

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NASA posts stunning shot from Orion spacecraft

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Canadian Artemis II crew member Jeremy Hansen discusses science on Orion

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NASA seeing ‘small leak’ in propulsion system

There is a small leak in the Artemis II propulsion system, Jeff Radigan, the flight director of Artemis II, told reporters on Thursday.

The two-part system uses fuel and an oxidizer: a substance that causes another substance to burn.

“We are seeing what is a small leak in our pressure system,” he said, adding that the “leak is internal to the system, across some of our valves.”

The crew still needs to characterize the leak to see what, if any, modifications they might need to make in the future.

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‘We are good to go’

“We are good to go,” Branelle Rodriguez, the Artemis II Orion vehicle manager, told reporters on Thursday.

She said that the Orion spacecraft remains “healthy.”

“Everything looks really, really well to continue on,” added Rodriguez.

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A view from the Artemis II crew shows stunning Earthshine

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NASA shares Artemis II return times

Jeff Radigan, the flight director of Artemis II, announced several times of note ahead of the Orion crew’s splashdown.

The crew module and service module will separate at 6:33 p.m. local CT. There will be a communications blackout at 6:53 before parachutes deploy at 7:03 p.m.

Splashdown is planned for 7:07 p.m.

Julia Musto9 April 2026 21:06

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Every system ‘depends on the final minutes of flight’

“Every system we’ve demonstrated over the past nine days, life support, navigation, propulsion, communications, all of it depends on the final minutes of flight,” Amit Kshatriya, NASA’s associate administrator, said Thursday afternoon.

“We have high confidence in the heat shield and the parachutes and the recovery systems we’ve put together. The engineering supports it, the Artemis I flight data supports it, all of our ground tests support it, our analysis supports it,” he continued, “ and tomorrow, the crew’s going to put their lives behind that confidence.”

“The crew has done their part. Now we have to do our’s,” said Kshatriya.

Julia Musto9 April 2026 20:53

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The industry body, UK Pet Food, estimates that we spend some £380 million a year on bird food. Separate figures suggest that amounts to more than 150,000 tonnes annually – enough to sustain three times the breeding populations of the ten commonest garden species if they relied on it alone all year round.

Motorists across the country, including Oxfordshire, are being encouraged to top up before tomorrow evening as fuel costs are expected to shift.

This comes in the wake of falling oil prices, triggered by the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and a temporary truce between the United States and Iran.

The two countries announced on Tuesday that they had agreed to a fortnight-long ceasefire, which includes restoring passage through the strategic waterway.

READ MORE: Asda responds as UK drivers hit with fuel station shortages

This passage is part of a route that carries around a fifth of the world’s daily oil shipments.

News of the agreement sent international markets into retreat, with crude values sliding sharply.

The Strait of Hormuz has been closed since hostilities flared in late February, a disruption which sent petrol prices soaring worldwide.

According to experts, despite the immediate fall, it will take some time for drivers to feel the full benefit of the reopening at the pump, while many have predicted that for the prices to significantly drop will take around two weeks.

As prices often rise towards the end of the week, ensuring to restock before then will benefit your wallet, with 5pm on Thursday being the suggested cut-off time in a fresh report by JOE, which states drivers have been “urged” to fill up by then.

READ MORE: Sainsbury’s issues statement to UK drivers amid fuel shortages

In featured quotes in the report, William Fletcher, CEO of Car.co.uk, said: “Prices usually rise on Thursday evening and stay elevated through Sunday.

“If you can plan ahead and fill up mid-week instead, you’ll typically save 2-3 pence per litre, which adds up quickly over a year of driving.”

A statement from Scrap Car Comparison added: “When it comes to saving money on fuel, the advice is simple: fill up early in the week.

“We typically see prices rise towards the weekend, with Friday and Saturday being the most expensive days due to increased leisure travel.”

This comes after reports that Tesco in Banbury was out of fuel last week, while others said there was no diesel at several other petrol stations in Oxfordshire.

READ MORE: Morrisons responds on fuel shortages affecting UK drivers

These issues were widespread across the UK as drivers faced empty pumps at forecourts across Norfolk, as the price of petrol and diesel continues to rise.

The Eastern Daily Press reported that the disruption to supplies caused by the Iran conflict in the Middle East was having an impact on fuel.

Similarly, in North Yorkshire, there were also reports of fuel issues as well as in other places across the country.

This newspaper approached several supermarket brands to see how Oxfordshire stores’ petrol stations have been affected.

READ MORE: Police statement after shopper poos on shelf at The Range

Asda was one of those contacted, but the supermarket giant refused to comment on the situation at this time.

When approached, Morrisons informed this newspaper that MFG owns and operates all of the chain’s fuel stations.

MFG then refused to comment at this time when subsequently contacted.

Sainsbury’s issued a comment, which referred to the stores across the UK as a whole, informing drivers that sites would be resupplied if shortages occurred.

A spokesperson for Sainsbury’s said: “We are actively monitoring stock levels in all locations and continuing to resupply sites where needed.”

The man became unresponsive after taking the drugs in December 2025

A man who supplied drugs to a man who later died has been jailed. Thomas Kelly, 33, met the other man and another person at a Cambridge property in December last year.

Kelly brought along Ketamine, which all three of them took. Later that evening, Kelly noticed the other man had passed out and wasn’t breathing.

The other person began CPR while Kelly called an ambulance. Emergency services attended, but the man in his 40s was pronounced dead at the scene.

Kelly, of Green Park, Chatteris, was arrested on suspicion of supplying a class B drug. He later pleaded guilty to the offence and was sentenced to eight months in prison at Cambridge Crown Court on April 2.

Detective Constable Abbie Ellis, who investigated, said: “This was a truly tragic incident where a man has lost his life, all because of drugs. Many think class B drugs are safer, and relatively ‘risk free’, but this case shows the dangers.

“Drugs ruin lives and we will do all we can to bring those who supply them to justice. My thoughts are with the deceased man’s family at what must be an incredibly difficult time.”

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But will there be one coming to you soon?

Lidl was unable to get a standard off-sales licence for a shop in Northern Ireland.

Instead, it is building a pub in Dundonald in east Belfast, as its licence comes with the legal right to operate an off-sales section.

A stroke of genius, many pug goers with a penchant for pastries would agree.

The pub, which will accommodate up to 60 customers, will not operate in-store, but will be in separate premises next door.

Imagine what the middle aisle of the pub will be like. https://t.co/irJbcVToTc

— Colin the Dachshund (@DachshundColin) April 9, 2026

Regional Managing Director for Lidl Northern Ireland Gordon Cruikshanks said: “Lidl has been a part of the Dundonald community for more than 20 years and in that time our shoppers and residents have been unable to avail of Lidl Northern Ireland’s full product range due to licensing restrictions.

“After six years in the planning process, we’re delighted to confirm today the development of a brand new public house and associated off-sales located adjacent to our Dundonald store, which will enable customers to enjoy access to our award-winning range of wine, beer and spirits, some of which are crafted right here in Northern Ireland.

“With the rising cost of living, many more shoppers are voting with their feet and choosing to shop at Lidl and, within the Dundonald community in particular, shoppers and residents deserve equal access to our full range of products.

“Today’s announcement and our investment in realising this project over the last number of years reflects our long-term commitment to Northern Ireland and our loyal customer base in Dundonald.”

Will Lidl open more pubs across the UK?

In Northern Ireland, supermarkets face two main hurdles which pertain to the sale of alcohol.

First, they must acquire a licence that has been “surrendered” by another business, such as a pub that has closed, a system which effectively caps the total number of licensed premises.

Second, they have to satisfy what is known as the “inadequacy” test, demonstrating that the existing number of licensed outlets in the area is insufficient to meet public demand.

Lidl was unable to meet this test for a standard off-licence.

But, it did pass the test for a pub licence, because two bars near the store have shut in recent years.

These very specific local conditions mean Lidl is not about to roll out pubs across its 13,000 stores worldwide.

Would you like a Lidl pub near you? Let us know in the comments.

Emergency services were called to Elizabeth Way on Tuesday (April 7) after a blue VW Golf was involved in a crash just after 4am. 

Cleveland Police said the smash took place following a short police pursuit – with two passengers, a man, 34, and woman, 42, in the vehicle being taken to hospital. 

The man who sadly died in the single car crash has now been named as 44-year-old Duane Michael Birdsall.

The 42-year-old woman injured in the crash, has now been arrested and charged with robbery in connection with an incident the same morning.

The 34-year-old man taken to hospital with serious injuries remains in hospital.

The woman appeared at Teesside Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, April 8 and was remanded until her next appearance on Tuesday, May 5.

A spokesperson from Cleveland Police said: “Our thoughts are with Duane’s family and friends at this difficult time.

“Detectives are still appealing for anyone with information or dashcam footage relating to the collision to get in touch.”

The road was closed for hours following the crash in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

A spokesperson for North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) said: “We were called to a road traffic incident at the junction of Elizabeth Way and Tees Road, Hartlepool at 4.16am on April 7.

“We dispatched three double crewed ambulances, a clinical team leader, a specialist paramedic, two vehicles from our Hazardous Area Response Team and were supported by Great North Air Ambulance’s medical car.

“One patient was taken to North Tees Hospital and one patient was taken to James Cook Hospital with a doctor on board.”

Melania Trump has given a press conference at the White House denying ties to Jeffrey Epstein and calling accusations linking her to him ‘completely false’ and ‘baseless lies’

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Melania Trump has demanded that “lies” connecting her to Jeffrey Epstein must cease.

The First Lady has flatly denied any association with Epstein or awareness of his criminal activities, insisting the “stories are completely false” and branding allegations of her involvement as “smears”.

Speaking at a press conference, Melania declared those smears “need to end today”, adding: “They are devoid of ethical standards, humility and respect. I do not object to their ignorance, but rather I reject their mean-spirited attempts to defame my reputation.”

Delivering a statement at the White House, she said: “My attorneys and I have fought these unfounded and baseless lies with success.” She was adamant that she had “never been friends with Epstein”.

“Donald and I were invited to the same parties as Epstein from time to time since overlapping in social circles is common in New York City and Palm Beach,” Melania explained, reports the Mirror.

“My email reply to Maxwell cannot be characterised as anything more than casual correspondence. My polite reply to her email doesn’t amount to anything more than a trivial note.

“I am not Epstein’s victim, Epstein did not introduce me to Donald Trump, I met my husband by chance at a New York City party in 1998. This initial encounter with my husband is documented in my book Melania.

“The first time I crossed path with Epstein was in the year 2000 at an event Donald and I attended together. At the time I had never met Epstein and had no knowledge of his criminal undertakings.

“Numerous fake images and statements about Epstein and me having been circling on social media for years now. Be cautious about what you believe, these images and stories are completely false. I am not a witness or a name witness in any of Epstein’s crimes.”

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She went on to reiterate that she had no knowledge whatsoever of Epstein’s crimes, stating: “I have never had any knowledge of Epstein’s abuse of his victims. I was never involved in any capacity, I was not a participant, was never on Epstein’s plane and never visited his private island.

“I have never been legally accused or convicted of a crime in connection with Epstein’s sex trafficking, abuse of minors or other repulsive behaviour. The false smears about me from mean spirited and politically motivated individuals and entities looking to cause damage to my good name, to gain financially and climb politically, must stop.”

The first lady also urged Congress to arrange a public hearing focused on survivors of Epstein’s crimes, giving them an opportunity to testify before lawmakers and have their accounts formally recorded in the congressional record.

“Each and every woman should have her day to tell her story in public if she wishes,” she said. “Then, and only then, we will have the truth.”

Her unexpected message arrived just as Donald Trump and his administration had seemingly managed to put the Epstein scandal behind them, after it had rocked the political landscape for months.

The controversy had gradually been eclipsed by the conflict in Iran and other pressing matters – but the First Lady’s remarks could well thrust it back into the political spotlight once more.