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Travel & transport from BBC stories as at 19:15 31 Jan 2026
 
. West Midlands Railway joins publicly owned network
[37 hours old]: The transport secretary says thousands of rail passengers will be using public services from Sunday.

. Driverless taxis set to launch in UK as soon as September
[68 hours old]: Waymo has laid out plans for a robotaxi service in London with a pilot scheme due to begin in April.

. How the new road safety measures could affect you
[579 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
[497 hours old]: There is a fine balance between the benefits of improved infrastructure, versus the cost of disruption. Does the country have it right?

. Watch: Why Trump is hitting the road to rally Americans
[92 hours old]: The BBC's White House reporter Bernd Debusmann explains why the president is refocusing his attention on the US economy.

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and in other news ...

- Latest Epstein revelations dig even deeper hole for Andrew
[4 hours old]: More unedifying pictures and words mean it doesn't get any better for Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.

* Israeli air strikes kill at least 32 Palestinians in Gaza, rescue officials say
[1 hours old]: Israel's military confirmed the strikes, which come during a ceasefire that Israel and Hamas accuse each other of breaking.

- Zack Polanski is having fun. But can the Green leader become a serious player?
[5 hours old]: The Greens' new leader has generated a lot of excitement. Can he translate the buzz into electoral success?

- Pedro Pascal and Meryl Streep lead tributes to Catherine O'Hara
[1 hours old]: The Canadian comedic actress died in Los Angeles on Friday at the age of 71 following a brief illness.

- Ukrainians brace for -20C despite energy truce: 'It will be a catastrophe'
[7 hours old]: Already facing electricity cuts, civilians are struggling to keep warm in their own homes as temperatures are set to plummet.

- Israel eyes regime change in Iran - and is counting on Trump to make it happen
[6 hours old]: Analysts believe PM Netanyahu is urging the US towards maximalist strikes.

- Takeaways from the millions of newly released Epstein files
[1 hours old]: Three million new documents include hundreds of mentions of Trump and emails between Epstein and a person called "The Duke".

- King surprises Parkrun joggers for second year in a row
[4 hours old]: This is the second time the monarch has surprised joggers at a Parkrun on the royal estate.

* Labour pick Angeliki Stogia for Gorton by-election
[0 hours old]: The councillor was chosen after Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham was blocked from standing.

- Musk's SpaceX applies to launch 1m satellites into orbit
[3 hours old]: The firm wants to create a network of "orbital data centres" to power artificial intelligence.

- Starmer invites Japan PM to UK after Tokyo talks
[3 hours old]: Sir Keir and Sanae Takaichi discussed ways to strengthen ties between their two nations during the meeting, at the end of the UK prime minister's trip to East Asia.

- Israel split over plans to bring back death penalty for deadly attacks
[13 hours old]: In a highly controversial move, some Israeli MPs are trying to introduce the death penalty for Palestinian attackers.

- Student loan system 'fair and reasonable', says Reeves
[3 hours old]: The chancellor's defence comes after Martin Lewis called her freeze on student loans "not a moral thing".

- Watch: Frozen river hosts dance party in Kyiv
[4 hours old]: Residents in the Ukrainian capital are finding joy in unusual places, despite power cuts caused by Russian attacks and freezing winter temperatures.

- More than 200 killed in mine collapse in DR Congo
[6 hours old]: The mine gave way after heavy rains on Wednesday, a local rebel spokesman says.

- A Slam four years in the making - Rybakina's return to top
[3 hours old]: Why 'unstoppable' Elena Rybakina will believe her Australian Open triumph can begin a period of sustained success after ending a four-year wait for her second major title.

- Ice hockey venue unfinished days before Winter Olympics
[1 hours old]: Olympic organisers face a race against time to finish the new ice hockey arena in Milan - five days before the venue is due to host its first match.

- 'She basically capitulated' - is Sabalenka underachieving at Slams?
[5 hours old]: After losing another Grand Slam final - this time to Elena Rybakina at the Australian Open - BBC Sport asks if Aryna Sabalenka is underachieving at the majors.

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and in other older news ...

. What we learned - and didn't - from the Melania documentary
[16 hours old]: Melania, directed by Brett Ratner, provides a fleeting glimpse into the life of the enigmatic first lady.

. Parents want to ban smartphones in schools, but there's one reason they're worried
[17 hours old]: The House of Lords is soon due to debate whether to introduce a legal ban on smartphones in schools.

. Has Harry Styles killed the world tour?
[18 hours old]: Artists including Ariana Grande are opting for longer residencies in key cities rather than touring more locations.

. One wrong move and it could all go wrong - the men clearing deadly undersea Russian mines
[19 hours old]: A team of divers are tasked with de-mining parts of the Black Sea still under Ukraine's control.

. This tiny town is up for sale - but the locals don't want to leave
[24 hours old]: Residents say the sale of Licola - population, five - jeopardises its future.

. I mocked the Saudi leader on YouTube - then my phone was hacked and I was beaten up in London
[18 hours old]: Satirist Ghanem al-Masarir has been awarded £3m in damages, but it's unclear if Saudi Arabia will pay.

. Phone lines stay open as tax return deadline looms
[17 hours old]: More than one million people missed the deadline a year ago, according to HM Revenue and Customs.

. The friends who are boosting women's DIY skills
[133 hours old]: Sarah Bolger and Justine Wortsman say they did not realise "how much of a gap in the market there was".

. Man visits Disney World 80 times - and he's not done yet
[61 hours old]: Phil Taylor has visited Walt Disney World in Florida 80 times and does not plan to stop.

. How these former Ibiza DJs are nurturing a new generation
[61 hours old]: Sally Rodgers and Steve Jones toured Ibiza in the 80s and 90s before returning to Teesside.

. Pokémon cards help boy through cancer treatment
[76 hours old]: The trading cards helped Dylan cope with leukaemia treatment and recovery.


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[6629 hours old]: Top stories, breaking news, live reporting, and follow news topics that match your interests

. The Week: Starmer Meets Xi, Trump Threatens Iran and More Defection Drama
[30 hours old]: Adam and Alex wrap up the week with James Landale and Sarah Montague.

. Can Trump 'de-escalate' Minneapolis tensions after Alex Pretti killing?
[88 hours old]: And the president blames Democrat Ihan Omar after she was attacked

. Richard Burton and Clint Eastwood lead in this classic war film
[505 hours old]: Seven paratroopers are sent on a seemingly impossible mission

. Plan ahead and dress wisely: How to minimise add-on costs when you fly
[16 hours old]: Don't get swept into paying for extras you don't need.

. Trump picks Kevin Warsh to lead the US Federal Reserve
[27 hours old]: The 55-year-old economist had been considered for Fed chair during Trump's first term.

. Three reasons for the record rise in gold prices, and one why they are falling
[24 hours old]: Gold has fallen from recent highs but there are several reasons investors are still finding refuge in the precious metal.

. Seven UK Labubu shops to open, after PM's China visit
[20 hours old]: The furry dolls have a signature spiky-toothed grin and became a viral purchase last summer.

. Visit the North Sea oil field used to store greenhouse gas
[43 hours old]: Hundreds of miles from Denmark's coast a project is underway to inject CO2 into an old oil field.

. 'We hope it's not the end': Firm behind Prince George's baby shoes warns it may close
[29 hours old]: The Leicester-based family firm of 73 years said it has been hit by "prices going up, but demand going down".

. Millions to get £150 off energy bills for further five years
[32 hours old]: The government has confirmed the discount for six million low-income households will continue for the rest of the decade.

. Healthcare, visas and whisky: What did UK and China get from Starmer's visit?
[35 hours old]: Sir Keir Starmer's visit to China brought agreements on visas, services, healthcare, green tech and finance.

. Trump says 'very dangerous' for UK to do business with China as Starmer lands in Shanghai
[34 hours old]: The US president's comments come as Sir Keir Starmer arrives in Shanghai on the third day of his visit to China.

. Is your boss toxic? This is how to handle them
[41 hours old]: Workers share how toxic managers have affected them and their lives. Here's what to do if you have one.

. Why the US dollar hit a four-year low and could fall further
[43 hours old]: The falls have sparked questions about whether the world's go-to currency is losing its lustre.

. Apple reports best-ever iPhone sales as Mac dips
[36 hours old]: The company's revenue was boosted by iPhone sales, but sales of its wearable tech and Mac computers dipped.

. Trump threatens tariffs on Canada planes and nations selling oil to Cuba
[37 hours old]: Since returning to the White House last year, the US president has used tariffs as a key policy tool.

. Planning bids for new homes rise in England but building remains low, data suggests
[49 hours old]: While planning applications have risen, home building has lowered, new data suggests.

. Boss of Post Office IT scandal firm Fujitsu to step down
[54 hours old]: Paul Patterson will become the chair of Fujitsu's UK business responsible for its inquiry response.

. Venezuelan MPs approve bill to open up oil sector to private firms
[42 hours old]: The change could pave the way for more foreign investment in the country's oil industry.

. Ministers reject Waspi calls for compensation after rethink
[51 hours old]: Women hit by changes to the state pension age say the decision shows "utter contempt" for their situation.

. Emergency loans offered to civil servants waiting on pensions
[54 hours old]: Cabinet Office Minister Nick Thomas-Symonds says the waits faced by retired civil servants are unacceptable.

. Santander to close 44 branches and put 291 jobs at risk
[58 hours old]: The high-street lender is the latest to announce a swathe of branch closures.

. Water bills to rise again: Use our tool to find out by how much
[67 hours old]: The average annual household bill in England and Wales will increase by £33 from April.

. Tesla cuts car models in shift to robots and AI
[64 hours old]: Multi-billionaire Elon Musk's electric car maker also said its annual revenue had fallen for the first time.

. Vehicle production in the UK falls to 73-year low
[67 hours old]: The industry has "the toughest year in a generation" as vehicle making falls back to 1952 levels.

. Why an India court ruling on a 2018 deal is rattling foreign investors
[59 hours old]: Investors are spooked by an order on a 2018 stake sale and fear it could open up old transactions to tax scrutiny.

. Facebook-owner Meta to nearly double AI spending
[67 hours old]: Mark Zuckerberg's spending plans hint at further layoffs and changes within Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp.

. Will Trump's pick to lead US central bank get him the change he wants?
[21 hours old]: Opinion is divided over whether Warsh will align with the US president's views over how the Federal Reserve should be run.

. 'You don't feel judged': Why we buy more at self-service terminals
[67 hours old]: How restaurants and retailers use behavioural science to get us to increase our spending.

. Can India be a player in the computer chip industry?
[115 hours old]: India is investing hundreds of millions of dollars in building up a computer chip industry.

. Caribbean cannabis growers eye budding domestic sales and exports
[132 hours old]: Producers in Jamaica and Antigua hope that increasing liberalisation will lead to higher revenues.

. Trump covets mineral-rich Greenland, but what natural resources does it actually have?
[198 hours old]: Greenland's natural resources include large reserves of rare earth deposits.

. AI ready: The advantages of being a young entrepreneur
[211 hours old]: The latest generation of entrepreneurs have a head-start with AI but also face familiar challenges.

. How Slovakia became the world's number one carmaker
[235 hours old]: The European country is the biggest autos manufacturer relative to the size of its population.

. Trump says tiny cars are amazing but will Americans actually buy them?
[249 hours old]: The president wants to bring to the US tiny vehicles, like those commonly seen on the streets of Japan.

. Are 'tech dense' farms the future of farming?
[283 hours old]: A host of technology is on offer to farmers, promising to raise farming yields and lower food prices.

. 'The finest in the world': Why the US is buying icebreakers from Finland
[296 hours old]: The Nordic nation leads the way when it comes to both the design and construction of the vessels.

. How realistic is India's quest for magnets made of rare earths
[378 hours old]: India has a 0m plan to make rare earth magnets, aiming to reduce dependence on Chinese imports - but can it work?

. 'They are essential': How smoke detectors are evolving
[379 hours old]: AI trained to recognise fire is among the latest developments in fire alarm tech.

. Honey, I shrunk the data centres: Is small the new big?
[427 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?
[451 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
[475 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
[497 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
[547 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
[571 hours old]: Trump's import levies are still changing the patterns of international trade.

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

. Retail price index rose by 2.8% in 2025
[28 hours old]: The increase was fuelled by the prices of food, leisure, motoring and household services, Jersey Statistics says.

. 'Relief' for pubs and hotels as rates revaluation halted
[49 hours old]: Finance Minister John O'Dowd said he had "listened carefully" to the concerns raised by hospitality.

. Budget 2025: What's the best and worst that could happen for Labour?
[1516 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?
[1627 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
[1715 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
[2436 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

. How Guest Dragon Jenna Meek likes to do business
[29 hours old]: Jenna Meek joins the Dragons' Den as a guest for the first time.

. The Apprentice is back! Meet the new candidates
[61 hours old]: Twenty candidates are hoping to secure a £250,000 investment from Lord Sugar.

. 1975: Could you do your food shop just once a year?
[194 hours old]: Grocery shopping with a couple who bought all their supplies yearly rather than weekly.

. Does TikTok's US deal threaten the company's global ambitions?
[203 hours old]: TikTok has finalised a deal to allow its American business to continue, by creating a new US entity separate from its global operations. The BBC's Asia Business Correspondent Suranjana Tewari breaks down what this could mean.