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Travel & transport from BBC stories as at 07:55 19 May 2026
 
. HS2 failings blamed on high-speed focus and political pressure
[21 hours old]: A new reviews confirms the high-speed rail line's "original sins" include a technical design, changing political priorities and ballooning costs.

. Tube strikes called off by RMT union
[16 hours old]: The Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union calls off a series of 24-hour strikes starting on Tuesday.

. Prepare for turbulence - how a prolonged Middle East conflict could reshape how we fly
[1302 hours old]: The Gulf's hub airports made long-distance travel cheaper - but now their future looks unclear.

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and in other news ...

* Married at First Sight rape allegations 'serious', says government
[0 hours old]: A BBC Panorama investigation revealed allegations that two women had been raped during filming.

- New High Street crime unit to target gangs fronting shops after BBC investigation
[10 hours old]: It follows BBC News exposing drug gangs, money laundering, immigration crime, and ghost directors linked to shop fronts.

- Wrongly jailed Malkinson tells BBC: 'I've been cheated, very badly cheated'
[2 hours old]: Andrew Malkinson, the man who spent 17 years in jail for Paul Quinn’s crime, says he's thankful authorities have "finally got the real perpetrator".

* Job vacancies fall to lowest level in five years
[0 hours old]: The unemployment rate was 5% in the three months to March, up from 4.9% in the three months to February, according to the ONS.

- Selling children to survive: Afghan fathers forced to make impossible choices
[10 hours old]: In Afghanistan today, a staggering three in four people cannot meet their basic needs.

* Chris Mason: Inside the shadow contest to be our next prime minister
[1 hours old]: It is now likely that we will have another new prime minister, possibly within weeks, or perhaps within months, our political editor writes.

- Is there a late spring heatwave on the way?
[4 hours old]: The warmest weather of the year is forecast for later this week after early rain.

- Teen suspects fatally shoot three in suspected hate crime at San Diego mosque
[5 hours old]: The alleged attackers were aged 17 and 18 and one left a note containing "generalised hate rhetoric", investigators say.

- Trump says he called off new Iran attack at request of Gulf states
[8 hours old]: The US president says he is holding off on a US attack planned for Tuesday as "serious negotiations are now taking place".

- 'Untouchable' teen motorbike thieves mocking victims on TikTok
[6 hours old]: BBC investigation finds hundreds of videos showing self-confessed thieves posing with stolen bikes.

- Ex-British soldier imprisoned by Russia says he feels abandoned in occupied Ukraine
[8 hours old]: In letters sent to the BBC from prison, Hayden Davies says he has had no contact with British authorities.

- At least 131 dead in Ebola outbreak in DR Congo, official says
[1 hours old]: The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the outbreak an international emergency.

- What really holds China and Russia together
[8 hours old]: The relationship endures despite a power imbalance, with both sides recognising that it is too important to fail.

- The Papers: 'Starmer sabotages Burnham' and 'Best of buddies'
[1 hours old]: Burnham vows not to 're-run' Brexit and King joins 'buddies' at Chelsea Flower Show leads the papers.

- Why people are so excited about Swatch's Royal Pop watch
[15 hours old]: A watch range by Swatch and luxury brand Audemars Piguet is causing a frenzy as people queue for days to get their hands on one.

- Faisal Islam: Burnham seeks to calm markets by committing to fiscal rules
[9 hours old]: Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham is looking to manage the markets as well as the Makerfield byelection

- Trump told Taiwan not to 'go independent' - but does it want to?
[4 hours old]: Taiwan independence is the reddest of red lines for China, which claims the island as its own.

- The Republican who stood up to Trump is hoping for a big win against president
[9 hours old]: The Kentucky congressman, who has crossed the president on federal spending and the Epstein files, faces Republican voters on Tuesday.

- What is Ebola and why is stopping this outbreak so difficult?
[15 hours old]: An outbreak of Ebola in DR Congo involves a rare strain and is in an area affected by conflict.

- Man City preparing for Guardiola departure
[8 hours old]: Manchester City are preparing for manager Pep Guardiola to leave the club at the end of the season after a decade in charge and 17 major trophies.

- 'Digi-hogs' tracked in bid to slow decline in hedgehog numbers
[8 hours old]: Researchers hope the project will also help to identify barriers preventing hedgehogs from finding food and mates in the wild.


- Trump administration unveils .7bn fund to compensate his allies as he drops tax lawsuit
[11 hours old]: The settlement will go towards individuals who allege they were subjected to unfair investigations.

- Tasmanian government apologises over stolen body parts scandal
[2 hours old]: An investigation found that 177 human specimens from dozens of bodies were secretly kept by a museum.

- Standard Chartered to cut thousands of roles as AI use increases
[4 hours old]: The UK-headquartered banking giant aims to move some of the effected workers to other roles in the business.

- Israeli forces board Gaza-bound flotilla near Cyprus, activists say
[4 hours old]: Live broadcasts from the Global Sumud flotilla show commandos boarding several boats trying to breach the Gaza maritime blockade.

* Starbucks Korea sacks CEO over controversial 'Tank Day' promotion
[1 hours old]: Starbucks withdrew the campaign for its drink tumblers after many said it referenced a bloody crackdown.

- Americanswers... on 5 Live! Has Zohran Mamdani achieved a miracle in New York?
[12 hours old]: The new mayor says he’s rescued NYC from its budget crisis

- Guardiola's legacy of genius will echo through all ages for years to come
[9 hours old]: As Manchester City prepare for Pep Guardiola's exit, Phil McNulty reflects on how he has changed football in England.

- Tense, tetchy but triumphant - all Arsenal eyes now on Bournemouth
[7 hours old]: All Arsenal eyes will be on Bournemouth v Man City on Tuesday with the Gunners agonisingly close to ending their 22-year wait for a Premier League title.

- D-Day in Spygate case: What's at stake and what could happen?
[1 hours old]: Southampton's place in the play-off final is at stake as they face a disciplinary hearing as they stand charged of watching a Middlesbrough training session. The result is expected to come on Tuesday.

- Clarke to name Scotland World Cup squad - the key questions
[14 hours old]: Steve Clarke names his Scotland squad for the World Cup on Tuesday and while the head coach has a largely settled group, BBC Sport Scotland takes a look at potential bolters.

- 'Miles away' - Havertz 'lucky' to avoid red card
[9 hours old]: Kai Havertz takes Arsenal closer to winning their first Premier League title in 22 years, but nearly goes from hero to villain as he escapes a red card.

* Why don't drivers enter other series like Verstappen? F1 Q&A
[1 hours old]: BBC Sport F1 correspondent Andrew Benson answers your latest questions before the Canadian Grand Prix.

- Musk loses OpenAI court battle after jury finds he waited too long to sue
[9 hours old]: Jurors spent weeks hearing about Musk's claim that Altman had "stolen a charity."

* Elon Musk just lost another lawsuit. Will he keep fighting?
[0 hours old]: Musk's loss against OpenAI is the latest in a string of courtroom defeats.

- Robo-top: The machines that could make your next t-shirt
[8 hours old]: Most clothes are made in Asia, but new machines could bring some of that work back to the West.

- Oil price slumps as Trump says he called off Iran attacks
[10 hours old]: Energy markets have been on a wild ride as the key Strait of Hormuz waterway remains effectively closed.

- PlayStation Plus to raise monthly subscription fee
[12 hours old]: The video game firm says the increase is due to "ongoing market conditions".

- Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt booed by graduates at mention of AI
[15 hours old]: The reaction underscores a growing anxiety among students over AI's impact on jobs and their future careers.

- Why are people so excited about Swatch's Royal Pop watch?
[15 hours old]: A watch range by Swatch and luxury brand Audemars Piguet is causing a frenzy as people queue for days to get their hands on one.

* Parents' anger at school buses being axed
[0 hours old]: Parents criticise the Devon school's plan to end school buses at the end of the academic year.

- The charity shop which boosted takings by moving outdoors
[1 hours old]: The shop can now make £2,000 in one day after moving to trade outdoors just one day a week.

- 'I sold it for over £1k': Swatch launch sparks 'chaotic' scenes
[14 hours old]: Some shoppers have been trying to resell a new line of watches priced at £335 each for up to £16,000.

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and in other older news ...

. BBC News app
[9209 hours old]: Top stories, breaking news, live reporting, and follow news topics that match your interests

. Does Labour’s Leadership Race Mean A Battle Over Brexit?
[42 hours old]: Wes Streeting and Andy Burnham have said they want the UK to rejoin the EU.

. UK growth forecast upgraded by IMF but risks remain
[18 hours old]: Growth has been upgraded from 0.8% to 1% for 2026 in the influential body's latest forecast.

. Is the UK's once favourite car coming back as an EV?
[16 hours old]: The company has announced plans to build seven new models in Europe including a small electric hatchback.

. Robert paid £726 to skip the driving test waiting list. New laws mean others won't be able to
[55 hours old]: The government is cracking down on third parties who use bots to buy tests and resell them at inflated prices.

. Instant AI answers can trivialise human intelligence, warns Royal Observatory
[21 hours old]: Paddy Rodgers said the Observatory's rich history showed the power of human knowledge and the need to avoid "dependence" on AI.



. 'They took £20,000 I didn't owe': Parents hit by child maintenance errors
[79 hours old]: John Hammond is one of 30 parents who told BBC Your Voice they'd experienced problems with the CMS.

. Swatch stores close for second day after crowds
[40 hours old]: The launch of a new £335 pocket watch has drawn criticism after queues of shoppers built up again.

. British Gas pays £20m over prepayment meter force-fitting scandal
[85 hours old]: The regulator say the energy supplier breached licence conditions aimed at protecting customers in vulnerable situations.

. Beckhams become billionaires as Oasis make rich list for first time
[88 hours old]: The list is based off the paper's estimates of the minimum wealth of Britain’s 350 richest people or families.

. Heathrow rival could lead expansion, watchdog says
[89 hours old]: The aviation watchdog is considering new rules for Heathrow ahead of its possible expansion.

. X pledges quicker action on hate and terror content in the UK
[90 hours old]: Ofcom said the commitments were of particular importance after recent crimes targeting Jewish communities in the UK.

. Trump and Xi conclude 'very successful' talks but few deals confirmed
[81 hours old]: There were plenty of choreographed ceremonies but no trade breakthroughs after the two-day visit.

. UK borrowing costs rise and pound falls as leadership drama continues
[83 hours old]: Analysts say the moves have been fuelled by concerns a Burnham-led government would increase government borrowing.

. Claim, counter-claim and tech's seedy side exposed: Five things we learned in the Musk-Altman trial
[98 hours old]: As the jury deliberates, this is what we found out during the weeks-long trial with two tech titans at its heart.

. Why does Amazon have no Western rivals?
[23 hours old]: The internet giant dwarfs other online retailers on both sides of the Atlantic.

. Rise in solar panel sales as people 'want to save money'
[25 hours old]: One director, who has just bought 2,000 panels, hopes to safeguard the company's future bills.

. Inside the secretive and lucrative world of orchid breeding
[104 hours old]: It can take a decade to bring a new orchid to market, so breeders keep their hi-tech processes secret.

. Smart glasses are 'an invasion of privacy' - Meta's are selling better than ever
[146 hours old]: The biggest tech firms are set to sell millions of smart glasses despite growing privacy concerns.

. Big tech bets on new mascots in bid to seem more cuddly
[128 hours old]: The likes of Apple, Microsoft and Google are all putting cartoon characters centre stage.

. Not so dusty: How tech is changing woodworking
[175 hours old]: Woodworking shops have been transformed by tech to make tools safer and more precise.

. Cyber-crime increasingly coming with threats of physical violence
[199 hours old]: While hackers used to sneak into computer systems, intimidation of staff is now more common.

. How Sir David Attenborough built 'Green Hollywood'
[240 hours old]: The city is responsible for 80% of the world's natural history TV shows.

. How sunburn inspired a new way to store energy
[238 hours old]: Molecules that can capture heat could be a useful technology to decarbonise heating.

. Gulf economies face long-term hit from Iran conflict
[296 hours old]: Commentators say it will take years or even decades to repair the damage.

. Robots move in as waste firms struggle to find staff
[343 hours old]: Humanoid robots are being added to the automation of waste sorting.

. Will AI lead to more accurate opinion polls?
[439 hours old]: It's cheaper and faster to collect people's opinions using AI, but will it make polls more accurate?

. 'Vicious circle of rising costs is fuelling crisis for traders'
[45 hours old]: "Dried apricots 12 months ago were £35 for a 12kg box, now they're £100 a box," says cheesemonger.

. 'We need working-class voices to enrich culture'
[45 hours old]: Northumberland journalist Kate Pasola says there is a need to break down socioeconomic barriers.

. How can the PM improve the lives of Londoners?
[48 hours old]: The BBC Politics London show asks three bodies which policies could improve Londoners' lives.

. The threat to summer holidays looming from jet fuel shortages
[368 hours old]: What impact might shortages have on our summer holidays - and what could be done about it?

. Scammers are becoming ever more sophisticated - this is what the fightback looks like
[728 hours old]: Scams have exploded over the last few years. Can countries and companies come together to turn the tables on the scammers?

. The £5.30 orange juice that tells the story of why supermarket prices are sky high
[1248 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

. Sir John Curtice: Why Labour's Brexit focus has shifted from Leavers to Remainers
[1447 hours old]: Will the pursuit of a closer relationship with the EU risk courting electoral disaster by alienating Brexit-backing voters?

. Watch: What was argued at the Musk-Altman trial?
[88 hours old]: It's the jury's turn to deliberate in the showdown over OpenAI that has pitted two of the biggest names in tech against each other.

. Major police operation targets drug and knife crime
[116 hours old]: West Midlands Police brings Operation Fearless to Handsworth.

. Changes to PIP payments
[118 hours old]: Finance expert Laura Pomfret explains to PIP payments.