The News - Tuesday, 13 January 2026

BBC News

Trump briefed on military and covert options for Iran, sources say

The US president also imposes a 25% tariff on countries that "do business" with Tehran, while Iran's foreign minister says his country his "ready for war".

US weighs next move on Iran - and faces a complex calculation

As Iran's deadly crackdown on anti-government protests continue, the US president is considering how best to respond.

X could 'lose right to self regulate', says Starmer

It is currently illegal to share deepfakes, but the law against creating them has not yet come into force.

BBC will aim to have Trump's $5bn defamation lawsuit thrown out

Court papers filed on Monday show the broadcaster will argue the Florida court lacks "personal jurisdiction" over the BBC.

Mandelson makes personal apology for continuing Epstein friendship

The former ambassador apologises "unequivocally" for maintaining links with Epstein after 2008 conviction

'We were tricked': How one woman lures foreign men to fight on Russia's front line

Recruits tell the BBC an ex-teacher who operates on Telegram misled them, saying they could avoid combat.

I spent months investigating whether gut health affects ageing - and if I could hack my own gut to age better

Health editor Hugh Pym revamped his diet after a test suggested his gut health appeared to look five years older than he was

Safe spaces needed for drug-addicted children, say grieving mums

More children in England are in drug and alcohol treatment, but families say many cannot get help.

Minnesota sues Trump administration to block surge of ICE agents

The administration has said it will send "hundreds more" federal officers to the state, after a woman was shot dead by an agent last week.

'Miracle baby' born in a tree above Mozambique floodwaters dies aged 25

Rosita Salvador Mabuiango's mother was sheltering for days before giving birth perched above the water.

Labour MPs urge minister to reject Chinese mega embassy

Nine MPs raise security concerns about the proposed site, just days before the deadline for a decision.

'They just kept killing': Eyewitnesses describe deadly crackdown in Iran

The BBC has received eyewitness accounts of security forces attacking anti-government protesters across the country.

Lyse Doucet: Iran's rulers face biggest challenge since 1979 revolution

The authorities are responding to protests with a ferocious security crackdown and near total internet shutdown.

Watch: How could Trump respond to Iran crackdown?

The US president and his administration have threatened "very strong options" to intervene in Iran, including military action.

Watch: Mortuary videos show how deadly Iran crackdown has become

BBC Verify has been examining disturbing footage from a mortuary in Tehran, showing scores of bodies. These images could hold clues about what’s happening inside Iran.

Why Michael Sheen put his money on the line for new Welsh national theatre

The actor discusses spearheading the Welsh National Theatre and starring in its first production.

The Papers: 'ADHD care costs soar' and 'Bin Diesel'

A mix of stories on Tuesday's front pages, including soaring ADHD care costs and the Golden Globes.

How Australian festival imploded after axing Palestinian author

Some 180 writers, including former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, have withdrawn from the event.

The Indian superstar taking a shot at political greatness

Vijay draws Gen Z crowds and fan devotion, but analysts question whether movie stardom can convert into votes.

What a new law and an investigation could mean for Grok AI deepfakes

Elon Musk's chatbot is under fire for altering images of women to remove their clothes without their consent.

Most of Uganda's population is under 17 - will they give an 81-year-old another term?

Thursday's election highlights a demographic issue common to many African countries.

MP's school visit cancelled over pro-Palestine protests

Damien Egan, Labour MP for Bristol North East and vice chair of Labour Friends of Israel, cancelled the appearance.

Watch: ISS crew exchanges key in change of command ceremony

Four crew members are scheduled to depart earlier than scheduled later this week after a medical issue involving an unidentified crew member.

Pioneering gay footballer Josh Cavallo accuses former club of homophobia

Adelaide United says it "categorically rejects" Cavallo's claims he was sidelined because of his sexuality.

Daughter of taxi driver killed in Bolton crash 'in shock'

Humayra Ali says her first thought was the fear her father must have felt before he died in Bolton.

Why are more bosses sharing the top job?

More bosses are sharing the top job giving them more time for family and breaks.

Former Fed chairs condemn criminal investigation into Jerome Powell

Three former heads of the central bank say the probe seeks to undermine the Fed's independence and "has no place" in the US.

Bowen: Authoritarian regimes die gradually then suddenly, but Iran is not there yet

The regime's opponents will hope for more pressure to accelerate the process, writes the BBC's international editor.

Starmer considers joining Trump's Gaza peace board

The new body is part of the White House's 20-point plan to end the war between Israel and Hamas.

Three men guilty of harassing BBC journalist over A Very British Cult documentary

All three are members of Lighthouse, a group investigated for a BBC documentary and podcast in 2023

Red Arrows get first female leader

Wing Cdr Sasha Nash says it is the "opportunity of a lifetime" and hopes to inspire others.

BTS stand to make $1bn as they announce mammoth comeback tour

It's the K-pop band's first tour since completing compulsory military service in South Korea.

Government to commit to building new Birmingham-Manchester rail line

Previous plans for a high-speed rail line between the cities were scrapped by Rishi Sunak's government.

Thousands of Monzo bank customers report app outage

A Monzo spokesperson said it had activated a back-up banking service after identifying issues affecting its app.

I'm not racist, says Reform politician who used Chinese slur

Laura Anne Jones apologised for using the slur, saying it was a term "used for a takeaway" when she was a child.

Which countries do business with Iran and what could US tariffs mean?

Donald Trump has announced a 25% tariff on countries trading with Iran after its deadly crackdown on anti-government protests.

UK summons Iranian ambassador over 'brutal' killings

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper also says the government will implement "full and further sanctions" against Iran.

I spent months trying to find out if boosting my gut health could help me age better

Health editor Hugh Pym revamped his diet after a test suggested his gut health appeared to look five years older than he was

'We were tricked': How one woman lures foreign men to fight on Russia's front line

Recruits tell the BBC an ex-teacher who operates on Telegram misled them, saying they could avoid combat.

Safe spaces needed for drug-addicted children, say grieving mums

More children in England are in drug and alcohol treatment, but families say many cannot get help.

Lib Dems set out plan to end 12-hour A&E waits

Party leader Ed Davey calls for £1.5bn to be spent on ending a "deadly corridor crisis" in the NHS.

DIY SOS thief caught out by tracking tag on cement mixer

David Matthew Pugh has been sentenced to unpaid work after taking a cement mixer and wheelbarrows.

Apple turns to Google to power AI upgrade for Siri

Analysts say the deal is likely to be welcomed by consumers - but reflects Apple's failure to develop its own AI tools.

Hundreds from Met Police declare Freemasons links

Membership of the Freemasons or similar organisations became declarable in December.

Stop saying we can't make things work, Streeting urges Labour colleagues

The health secretary warns a growing "excuses culture" is damaging Labour in a speech to a think tank.

Man jailed for killing golfer after police pursuit

The van was driven on to a golf course where mother-of-three Suzanne Cherry was hit by it.

We choose Denmark over US, Greenland's PM says

It is the strongest statement by a leader of the Danish territory since US President Donald Trump renewed plans to annex it.

Bournemouth Echo

College staff to strike for three days over 'pay and working conditions'

STAFF at Bournemouth and Poole college will take part in three days of strike action this week after talks over pay and working conditions failed to reach an agreement, the University and College Union (UCU) has said.

"Special" volunteer died after aneurysm while managing football team with son

A fundraiser has been set up after a “special” volunteer in the non-league football community died while managing a club he set up with his son in the 1990s.

'Most young motorists drive too fast'

In response to the recent letter regarding Keyhole Bridge, the person who thinks that the road should be permanently closed to traffic obviously doesn't have to rely on a vehicle to get to work.

In The Dock: Man, aged in 50s, tried to incite child to look at sexual images

The following cases were heard at Poole Magistrates' Court:

'I’m thrilled to be recognised': Poole Hairdresser wins top award

A HAIR salon owner from Sandbanks has said he feels “very lucky and grateful” to his customers after being named Men’s Stylist of the Year 2025.

Advice issued to mariners ahead of repairs to Twin Sails Bridge in Poole

ADVICE has been issued to mariners ahead of repairs to Twin Sails Bridge in Poole later this month.

Fire crews respond to blaze at Boscombe shopping centre

Fire service are attending a fire in Boscombe and Sovereign centre has been closed.

Dorset spot with 'elegant' rooms and 'fulsome' breakfasts among England's top 50 pubs

The Fleur de Lys in Cranborne, Dorset, has been named among England's top 50 pubs with rooms, according to The Telegraph.

2 pubs with 'some of the best food in the New Forest' among England's top 50

The High Corner Inn in Ringwood and The East End Arms in Lymington have been named among England's top 50 pubs with rooms

Shock after van smashes through fence goes down embankment and crashes into house

PEOPLE told of their shock after a crash which saw a van smash into a house in Bridport

Italian restaurant chain launching pasta and pizza dishes for just 99p

AN ITALIAN restaurant chain is launching a selection of pasta and pizza dishes for 99p for one day in a bid to beat the Monday blues.

Is X down? Thousands report outage with social media app

Thousands have reported issues with the social media app X, seeing questions if the app is down.

Man dies after electric scooter crash outside nightclub

A man has died after a collision involving an electric scooter outside a Bournemouth nightclub.

New Lidl store to open in Dorset in next eight weeks

Up to 640 jobs are being created at discount retailer Lidl under plans to open 19 stores over the next eight weeks, including one in Dorset.

Police called to vandalised and abandoned car in Ringwood

Police have confirmed they are dealing with an abandoned vehicle in Ringwood after residents raised concerns.

Senior church leader returning to home city to become interim dean

Revd Canon Triffitt has played a key role in shaping the diocesan vision and strategy.

Kite foiler reported in difficulty off Branksome Chine

Southbourne Coastguard was called out on Monday morning to reports of an athlete in trouble in the water.

Met Office issues heavy rain warning for BCP

Heavy rain is set to hit Dorset later this week, the Met Office has warned.

New SEN provision at primary school in Christchurch

Residents are being asked to share their views on a new special educational needs provision at a primary school in Christchurch.

Call for review of Chaplin's Bar premises licence

BCP Council has received an application to review the premise license of a restaurant and bar in Bournemouth.

Pedestrian hospitalised after 'serious' collision with car

A woman has been hospitalised with 'serious' injuries earlier this month after she was hit by a car in Bournemouth.

Pair with more than a dozen outstanding charges arrested in town centre

A pair of repeat offenders were arrested last week by officers from Bournemouth Neighbourhood Policing Team.

Library cards for babies and toddlers introduced across BCP

BCP libraries are celebrating The National Year of Reading with a special offer designed to welcome the youngest of book lovers.

Bigwigs bakery plans to improve building façade

A bakery in Bournemouth has submitted new plans to improve the façade of the building.

New padel court planned for leisure centre in Poole

A leisure centre in Poole has submitted plans to replace a tennis court with a padel court.

Multiple planning proposals lodged for home extensions and alterations

NEW planning proposals have been lodged with Dorset Council, covering a range of residential extensions and property alterations in Ferndown, Charlton Marshall, Corfe Mullen, Canford Bottom, and West Moors.

The strange looking creature caught off the Dorset coast

This strange-looking specimen - a sea hedgehog - is one of only four to be caught off the south coast

Dorset town ranked among England's top 10 worst housing markets for 2026

Dorchester was ranked among England's top 10 worst housing markets for 2026, according to analysis from Zoopla

Over 300 drivers caught speeding in New Forest last month

Hundreds of drivers have been caught speeding in the New Forest by police

Charity helping the homeless gets £1,500 donation from footwear retailer

A BOURNEMOUTH charity helping with the prevention and relief of poverty has received a donation of £1,500 from a national charity.

Residents to ‘help shape future’ of Georgian mansion

Residents are being encouraged to ‘help shape the future’ of a Georgian mansion in Poole.

Celebrations at 7 pubs in Dorset planned for traditional Scottish event

A seven-day celebration will take place across seven pubs in and around Bournemouth to mark the life and work of Scottish poet Robert Burns.

Pub chain urges residents to support their local pub this winter

A pub chain is urging residents to visit their local as pubs face ‘one of their toughest winters yet’.

Who is your Sporting Champion 2026? how to nominate

On pitches, courts, tracks and touchlines across our area, there are people whose passion for sport goes far beyond results or trophies.

Letter: 'Beach hut hike is money for old rope'

When is a beach hut not a beach hut?

Volunteers wanted to help make a difference to young people's lives

Dorset residents are being urged to help support children and young people in care.

Bournemouth MP welcomes new paternal leave rights

A Bournemouth MP has welcomed new paternal leave rights which come into effect this spring.

Households get ready for new waste and recycling service

New Forest District Council has started writing to residents about its new waste and recycling collection service.

Live pro wrestling event coming to Poole church

Live pro wrestling will be coming to a church in Poole later this month.

Funding available for groups that foster diversity and inclusion

A housing association is launching a new fund supporting equality, diversity and inclusion activities in communities across southern England.

'Biggest solo challenge for me': Bournemouth mum takes on 1,200km tuk-tuk rally

An entrepreneur from Bournemouth is taking part in a 1,200km tuk-tuk challenge across India to raise funds for three "transformative initiatives."

Red Arrows appoint woman leader for the first time in its history - see who it is

The RAF Red Arrows have appointed Wing Commander Sasha Nash as their new leader, who becomes the first woman to lead the group

Government

Medical Training (Prioritisation) Bill

A Bill to Make provision about the prioritisation of graduates from medical schools in the United Kingdom and certain other persons for places on medical training programmes.

Formula 1

PUMA select Rachel Robertson for 2026 F1 ACADEMY season

Rachel Robertson will make her full-time step up F1 ACADEMY for the upcoming season, with the Scottish racer set to represent the series’ Official Partner PUMA on the 2026 grid.

Racing Bulls unveil race suits for 2026

Ahead of their joint launch event with Red Bull this week, Racing Bulls have revealed the race suits that their drivers will be wearing in 2026.

Cadillac reveal special livery for Barcelona Shakedown

Cadillac have unveiled a special livery for the Barcelona Shakedown, with the design including the names of the founding members of the team from both the United States and the UK.

The 10 youngest drivers to race in F1 – and how they fared

Arvid Lindblad will become the fourth-youngest driver in F1 history when he debuts for Racing Bulls at the 2026 Australian Grand Prix, aged 18 years and seven months old. But who currently makes the top 10 in the sport’s all-time list, and what happened after their respective debut weekends? F1.com has the answers…

Alpine part ways with Doohan ahead of 2026 season

Alpine have announced that they are parting ways with Jack Doohan ahead of the 2026 season, ending a whirlwind experience for the Australian at the team.

Windows Central

A Destiny-style raid has come to Halo Infinite, and it left me speechless — it's so awesome that fans want Bungie to hire the creator

An exceptionally talented Halo Infinite Forge user has made a Destiny-style raid called Shard of Ascension with the mode.

Microsoft’s Copilot ambitions in mobile have been crushed as Google locks down AI dominance across Android and iPhone, and makes a deal with Apple

Apple is partnering with Google to supercharge its AI-powered features, including a major Siri upgrade, which is slated to ship later this year.

Microsoft is ending support for Office Lens on iOS and Android, shutting down one of its most useful mobile apps

Microsoft Lens is being retired from iOS and Android. First launched on Windows Phone under a different name, the app is being shut down in favor of OneDrive.

Lead Fallout: New Vegas dev says Bethesda strayed away from the RPG's origins — "They just don’t fully understand its roots"

Fallout: New Vegas lead designer Chris Avellone believes that Bethesda doesn't "fully understand" the roots of the Fallout series.

What is an "ambient intelligence layer" and why should you care? Lenovo thinks it has multi-device AI figured out with Qira, but there's more to the story

At CES 2026, Lenovo introduced Qira, a new cross-device and cross-OS AI assistant that will become what is essentially your AI twin. I was able to test it out, and I sat down with Lenovo's President of Intelligent Devices Group, Luca Rossi, to get more information.

While ARC Raiders cruises, Battlefield 6's player count has plummeted on the Steam charts — but why? Here's what a diehard fan of the FPS thinks

While Battlefield 6 and ARC Raiders were both some of 2025's biggest games, the former's player count has fallen significantly in the new year. But why is that?

A14 gets smarter, A16 gets stronger, but they're still both lightweight — ASUS expands Zenbook lineup with faster Snapdragon power and bigger OLED options

At CES 2026, ASUS refreshed the awesome Zenbook A14 — and announced a new, ultra-light 16-inch version powered by Qualcomm's most powerful laptop chips yet.

Paint has been part of Windows for decades, yet in 2026 Microsoft faces a choice: reinvent it, retire it, or let it quietly linger

Paint is getting a new collapsible toolbar in the latest Insider builds. Is Microsoft finally finding the right balance between "classic" simplicity and modern power?

Clippy is the key to this Office 97 Easter egg that went unnoticed for decades

A tech sleuth has uncovered a hidden credits screen in Word 97 that requires a bizarrely specific sequence of toolbar movements and Clippy searches to trigger.

Storage might join RAM on your PC shortage wish list — NVIDIA's new AI supercomputers will suck up millions of TB of SSDs to operate

NVIDIA's new Rubin AI supercomputers have arrived, and they're likely going to need millions of TB of NAND to scale out. Priced into the market or not, SSDs are likely about to become the next big short in 2026.

Microsoft Edge is killing off Collections — and your data is caught in the crossfire

The clock is ticking for Microsoft Edge Collections. As retirement looms, users face a choice: lose their saved notes or move their data offline.

ARC Raiders passes a significant, and impressive milestone — and all its players get rewarded to celebrate

ARC Raiders has passed 12.4 million players, reached 960,000 concurrent users across all platforms, and is rewarding players with a free Gilded Pickaxe to celebrate the milestone.

NVIDIA CEO says the AI "doomer narrative" blocks investments that could make it safer: "I appreciate that many of us grew up and enjoyed science fiction, but it's not helpful"

NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang says critics and the doomer narrative about AI is hurting society and causing a lot of damage.

Epic Games Store has grown massively, but it has trained users to never buy anything — is Xbox PC going down the same path?

Free games helped Epic reach millions of players, but it also changed how they spend. Is Xbox doomed to make the same mistake on PC?

Minecraft competitor "Hytale" shows off playable DOOM inside its game engine — should Mojang Studios be concerned, or is this just a harmless alternative?

A modder has already managed to get DOOM running inside Hytale before early access, giving an early look at how far its tools can be pushed.

The UK outlaws deepfake nudes on X after Grok AI uproar — Sorry, Elon, it’s nothing to do with suppression of free speech

The UK is bringing into force a law that will make it illegal to create non-consensual intimate deepfake images after X's Grok AI was spotted generating sexually explicit images of real people without consent.

Jeff Bezos said the quiet part out loud — hopes that you'll give up your PC to rent one from the cloud

Amazon's Jeff Bezos once revealed how he thinks of local PC hardware as antiquated, ready to be replaced by cloud options. Will DRAM prices make it come true?

Laffgaff

What Middle Eastern country’s capital city when translated literally means ‘God’s Gift’?

Baghdad.

Lego CEO

I DM'ed the CEO of Lego yesterday. Got blocked.

Itsfoss

Microsoft Open-Sources XAML Studio

After 8 years, Microsoft's tool for designing Windows apps is now open source.

Exploring Dash to Dock: (Probably) The Most Downloaded GNOME Extension

Considering the vast configuration options it offers, you can guess why so many Linux users prefer Dash to Dock over others.

Hey Fedora! Listen to This Developer and Make Managing Shell Extensions Better For All of Us

I wonder if Extension Manager could make it into Fedora one day.