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Travel & transport from BBC stories as at 16:15 15 Jan 2026
 
- Astronauts return to Earth after first ever medical evacuation from space station
[5 hours old]: Four astronauts who left the International Space Station (ISS) a month early due to one of the crew members falling ill have returned to Earth on Thursday.

* Serial rail fare evader faces jail over 112 unpaid tickets
[0 hours old]: Charles Brohiri pleaded guilty to travelling without buying a ticket a total of 112 times.

- Boeing knew of flaw in part linked to UPS plane crash, US safety board report says
[3 hours old]: An aircraft that crashed in November had a structural flaw that had been identified by Boeing 15 years ago, investigators say.

. Why the Northern Powerhouse Rail plan will really go ahead this time
[24 hours old]: Faisal Islam says the Labour argues the difference in its plans this time is that the planning has come first.

. Reeves vows rail plan will go ahead, despite cynicism
[22 hours old]: The scheme will be delivered in phases, starting with upgrades to lines between Leeds, York, Bradford and Sheffield.



. New Birmingham-Manchester rail link to be proposed
[47 hours old]: Previous plans for a high-speed rail line between the cities were scrapped by Rishi Sunak's government.

. How the new road safety measures could affect you
[192 hours old]: The government is proposing lowering alcohol limits for drivers and regular eye tests for older motorists.

. The real impact of roadworks on the country - and why they're set to get worse
[110 hours old]: There is a fine balance between the benefits of improved infrastructure, versus the cost of disruption. Does the country have it right?

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and in other news ...

- Henry Zeffman: A huge moment for the future of the British right
[3 hours old]: It was Kemi Badenoch's belief that Robert Jenrick was about to make the ultimate leap to the right which has plunged the Conservative Party into turmoil.

* Iran judiciary denies plan to execute detained protester Erfan Soltani
[0 hours old]: The judiciary says Soltani is not facing charges carrying the death penalty, while a rights group reports that the execution has been "postponed".

- Rift at top of the Taliban: BBC reveals clash of wills behind Afghan internet shutdown
[10 hours old]: The Taliban leader once warned of a split: A BBC investigation reveals how attitudes to women, the internet and religion are dividing the group at the very top.

* European military personnel arrive in Greenland as Trump says US needs island
[0 hours old]: France says a small military contingent has arrived and more forces will be there in the coming days.

- Starmer does not rule out backing social media ban for under-16s
[2 hours old]: Many Labour MPs and officials privately expect the government to follow the Australia's example and implement a ban.

- Amol Rajan to leave Radio 4's Today programme
[4 hours old]: The presenter will continue to host University challenge and his Radical podcast for the BBC.

- TikTok star will not repay full extradition costs
[2 hours old]: Harrison Sullivan will not have to pay the full cost of the jet that police chartered to arrest him.

- Changes to flagship disability scheme don't go far enough, campaigners say
[3 hours old]: Charities say employers will still be able to certify themselves without employing "a single disabled person".

- New rules to make it easier to call up reservists for war
[3 hours old]: Reservists will remain on call for an extra decade, with a lower threshold for being called up.

- World Sports Photography Awards 2026 winner revealed
[5 hours old]: BBC Sport and the World Sport Photography Awards present a selection of the world's finest sporting images from this year's competition.

- Serial houseplant killer? Here's how to keep them alive
[15 hours old]: The three easiest plants to keep alive and how to make sure you keep them healthy all year round.

- Pitfalls loom as Trump's Gaza peace plan enters second phase
[3 hours old]: As the US announces the next of its plan to end the war, serious obstacles mean implementation will be difficult.

- Robert Jenrick: The Tory big-hitter ejected from party he wanted to lead
[1 hours old]: The former minister is looking for a new political home after being sacked by Kemi Badenoch.

- She's offered to share her Nobel with Trump. But what might Machado ask for in return?
[3 hours old]: Venezuela's opposition leader will meet with US President Donald Trump at the White House on Thursday.

- Why the UAE has incurred the wrath of Somalia
[15 hours old]: The government in Mogadishu has accused the UAE of undermining its sovereignty.

- How a British NFL trailblazer became a Super Bowl contender
[6 hours old]: After starting out in the British amateur game, Aden Durde is now two wins from the Super Bowl and could become the NFL's first British head coach.

* Letby trust pays £1.4m damages to ex CEO
[1 hours old]: Dr Susan Gilby told the BBC she was relieved the case was over and that it "was never about the money."

* Millions of people to see their local council elections delayed
[0 hours old]: Most wanting a delay are Labour-led but two are Tory councils and one is a Lib Dem authority.

* 'The abuse should never have happened' - victims react as X stops Grok AI editing images of real people
[0 hours old]: Grok will no longer allow users to remove clothing from images of real people in jurisdictions where it is illegal.

- Eurovision Song Contest announces live tour
[4 hours old]: The show will feature some of the most memorable performers from the seven decades of the competition.

- Olivia Dean, Little Simz and Central Cee lead 2026 Mobo nominations
[5 hours old]: The musicians pick up four nominations each, as the ceremony moves to Manchester for the first time.

- British soldiers face dismissal over positive drugs tests
[3 hours old]: The Army tells the BBC "substance abuse is unacceptable" after 23 soldiers from the same regiment failed compulsory drug testing.

* Badenoch sacks Jenrick!
[1 hours old]: Why has Kemi Badenoch given Robert Jenrick the boot?

- Trump v China: How Oil Is Defining Great Power Politics
[10 hours old]: What is this new era of global politics and where it does it leave Europe?

* England face prop shortage as Opoku-Fordjour ruled out of Six Nations
[1 hours old]: England's front-row stocks take a hit as prop Asher Opoku-Fordjour is ruled out of the Six Nations with a shoulder injury.

- Managers' authority is being eroded - Southgate
[2 hours old]: Football managers' authority is being steadily eroded, Sir Gareth Southgate says, but the switch to head coaching still brings a "significant melting pot of problems and pressure".

* Rejections, depression & promise to his mum - Thiago's route to top
[0 hours old]: Igor Thiago's route to the Premier League has been far from straightforward - BBC Sport charts the rise of Brentford's record-breaking Brazilian striker.

- Robertson sacking marks another slip from the summit for All Blacks
[3 hours old]: Scott Robertson's sacking is just the most high-profile symptom of a deeper malaise in New Zealand rugby union.

- Robertson keen to stay at Liverpool but 'wants to play'
[4 hours old]: Liverpool's Andy Robertson on contract talks, a "stressful summer" and why he "wants to play" rather than sit on the bench.

- UK economy grew by 0.3% in November, beating forecasts
[5 hours old]: The economy was boosted by a rebound in car production and from the services sector.

* X to stop Grok AI from undressing images of real people after backlash
[0 hours old]: Grok will no longer allow users to remove clothing from images of real people in jurisdictions where it is illegal.

* Ofwat launches investigation into South East Water
[0 hours old]: Anger is high after thousands of customers in Kent and Sussex have experienced days of water chaos.

- 'My home was uninhabitable' - residents reveal 'botched' work after energy firm folds
[6 hours old]: A woman whose home flooded during works carried out by a now-folded company says she is trying to rebuild her life.

- 'We don't need a sticking plaster', say pub owners
[10 hours old]: More than 40 hospitality firms have come together to campaign against tax increases.

- Labubu toy manufacturer exploited workers, labour group claims
[10 hours old]: Investigators allege that a factory making Pop Mart products neglected staff safety and welfare.

- Food bank relaunches expanded service after flood
[10 hours old]: Kinson and West Howe Foodbank in Bournemouth now has a larger, free community service.

- Patients 'skipping GP appointments over fees'
[10 hours old]: Families increasingly cannot afford to see the GP, Guernsey Community Foundation warns.

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and in other older news ...

. 'I carried my wife's body for an hour and a half' - BBC hears stories of protesters killed in Iran
[19 hours old]: BBC Persian has received dozens of accounts from inside Iran. Defiant despite potential repercussions, the witnesses said they wanted to ensure the rest of the world knew of the violence against the protesters.

. Tehran morgue videos show the brutality of Iran's crackdown on protesters
[23 hours old]: Distressing footage reveals nearly 200 bodies with one victim identified as young as 16.

. Starlink reportedly made free in Iran - but protesters are taking huge risks by using it
[22 hours old]: The satellite technology has become a vital communications lifeline after the government shut down the internet last week.

. BBC News app
[6242 hours old]: Top stories, breaking news, live reporting, and follow news topics that match your interests

. Reeves doesn't rule out wider business rates support across hospitality
[22 hours old]: Chancellor says support for pubs is on its way and leaves the door open for further tweaks to business rates changes

. TGI Fridays closes 16 UK stores, with 456 job losses
[25 hours old]: The UK restaurant chain's remaining 33 restaurants will stay open after a rescue deal was reached.

. California investigates Grok over AI deepfakes
[20 hours old]: The state attorney general urges xAI to take action over the "shocking" material as Musk denies the allegations.

. No 10 welcomes reports X is addressing Grok deepfakes
[25 hours old]: The use of the AI tool to digitally undress women has sparked a backlash as well as intervention from the government and regulator.

. China announces record tn trade surplus despite Trump tariffs
[32 hours old]: Beijing reported the largest-ever trade surplus at .19tn as China diversified its trade.

. Saks files for bankruptcy. What went wrong at the luxury retailer?
[33 hours old]: Saks Global, which owns Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus, files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, leaving questions about the luxury retailer's future.

. UK secures record supply of offshore wind projects
[28 hours old]: The government says the projects will bring down bills but the Conservatives say it is locking in high wind prices.

. US approves sale of Nvidia's advanced AI chips to China
[36 hours old]: Nvidia has been caught in a tug-of-war between the US and China as the countries compete for AI dominance.

. Government drops plans for mandatory digital ID to work in UK
[25 hours old]: There will still be digital checks on those starting a new job, but people will not need to hold a digital ID.

. Income tax changes and mansion tax on £1m homes in Scottish Budget
[46 hours old]: Finance Secretary Shona Robison unveils the government's tax and spending plans for the coming financial year.

. World central bank chiefs 'stand in solidarity' with US Fed chair Powell
[49 hours old]: Eleven central banks have backed Jerome Powell after the US launched a criminal investigation into the US Fed.

. Which countries do business with Iran and what could US tariffs mean?
[50 hours old]: Donald Trump has announced a 25% tariff on countries trading with Iran after its deadly crackdown on anti-government protests.

. Monzo bank says issue affecting its mobile app resolved
[46 hours old]: A Monzo spokesperson said it had activated a back-up banking service after identifying issues affecting its app.

. Lidl to open 19 stores and create up to 640 jobs
[49 hours old]: The discount retailer says it is also investing about £43m in revamping more than 70 UK shops.

. Trump briefed on military and covert options for Iran, sources say
[53 hours old]: The US president also imposes a 25% tariff on countries that "do business" with Tehran, while Iran's foreign minister says his country is "ready for war".

. X could 'lose right to self regulate', says Starmer
[60 hours old]: It is currently illegal to share deepfakes, but the law against creating them has not yet come into force.

. Honey, I shrunk the data centres: Is small the new big?
[40 hours old]: Huge data centres are being built to handle AI computing but some experts say they aren't necessary.

. Why are more bosses sharing the top job?
[64 hours old]: More bosses are sharing the top job giving them more time for family and breaks.

. Why luxury carmakers are now building glitzy skyscrapers
[88 hours old]: Bugatti is the latest auto firm to construct an opulent apartment building for the super rich.

. 'I had no electricity for six months': US families struggle with soaring energy prices
[110 hours old]: Rising electricity costs have emerged as a key cost-of-living concern, pushing families further into debt.

. Excel: The software that's hard to quit
[160 hours old]: Companies are trying to wean staff off Excel spreadsheets to centralise control of their data.

. How tariff disruption will continue reshaping the global economy in 2026
[184 hours old]: Trump's import levies are still changing the patterns of international trade.

. How the defence sector is battling a skills crisis
[327 hours old]: Attracting younger workers into the defence industry can be challenging.

. Swedish workers trial 'friendship hour' to combat loneliness
[396 hours old]: The pilot project is even giving staff free money to help pay to do activities with their friends.

. The showers and baths keeping data centre tech cool
[568 hours old]: Finding greener ways to keep giant new data centres cool is a challenge.

. Why Croatia's capital wants to hold Europe's best Christmas market
[591 hours old]: The festive events help to put cities on the map and attract millions of tourists.

. Will tech trump tradition at bakers and biscuit makers?
[664 hours old]: Introducing robots and automation to the food industry involves extra hurdles.

. Should more be done to tackle 'ghost jobs', vacancies that don't exist?
[688 hours old]: Companies are advertising vacancies that have already been filled or might not have ever existed.

. Why this month's inflation figure may be good news for you
[698 hours old]: The rate of inflation, which charts the rising cost of living, has slowed - driven partly by essentials.

. Meet the biggest heat pumps in the world
[736 hours old]: Across Europe huge heat pumps are being installed that can heat tens of thousands of homes.

. Shop for small businesses shuts after low sales
[23 hours old]: The businesses' co-owner says it is because of a lack of sales and high overheads.

. Charity shortlisted after helping keep homes warm
[58 hours old]: Severn Wye has been shortlisted for the Health Service Journal Partnership Award.

. 'I volunteer at the baby bank that helped me'
[58 hours old]: The Family Matters charity in Weymouth works to help parents with babies and children of pre school age.

. Budget 2025: What's the best and worst that could happen for Labour?
[1129 hours old]: Three days in, after a tax U-turn and partial climbdown on workers' rights, Laura Kuenssberg looks at what impact Budget week might have.

. Has Britain's budget watchdog become too all-powerful?
[1240 hours old]: Ahead of this week's Budget, some have accused the Office for Budget Responsibility of being a "straitjacket on growth"

. The curious case of why Poundland is struggling during a cost-of-living crisis
[1328 hours old]: Why - in an age where so many of us are feeling the financial pinch - are some budget shops on UK high streets having such a tough time?

. The £5.30 orange juice that tells the story of why supermarket prices are sky high
[2049 hours old]: Butter, chocolate, coffee and milk have all seen prices rocket. Tracing back through the story of one particular supermarket staple begins to explain why

. Martin Lewis on 'the most dangerous form of mainstream debt in the UK'
[145 hours old]: Martin Lewis explains how building up overdraft debt compares to credit card debt.

. The Inquiry
[175 hours old]: Can Kenya’s plan for digital outsourcing solve its jobs crisis?

. What does TikTok's deal mean for America's users?
[655 hours old]: The BBC's Asia business correspondent says it is still unclear what sort of experience TikTok users in the US will get.