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Travel & transport from BBC stories as at 07:55 21 May 2025
 
- An island called Hope is standing up to Beijing in the South China Sea
[10 hours old]: Pagasa is barely big enough for a plane to land, but it stands tall against an armada of Chinese ships.

- Doubts over whether Brits can use EU e-gates this summer
[14 hours old]: It is unclear whether UK travellers can avoid long queues this summer and use e-gates at European airports.

. Is the US finally on track to build a high-speed rail network?
[176 hours old]: The US currently has no high-speed rail services, but two are under construction, and more planned.

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and in other news ...

- Paul Adams: Starmer and Lammy sound genuinely angry at Israel
[11 hours old]: The PM sounded genuinely angry at Israel's aid blockade and expanded Gaza offensive, writes diplomatic correspondent Paul Adams.

* M&S online services to face disruption until July
[0 hours old]: The chain faces a £300m hit to profits due to the recent cyber attack.

* Leaked memo reveals Rayner called for tax rises
[1 hours old]: Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner's department sent the note before the Spring Statement.

- Cheers star George Wendt dies at 76
[7 hours old]: He was best known for playing Norm Peterson in the popular comedy series Cheers from 1982 to 1993.

- World-first gonorrhoea vaccine launched by NHS England as infections soar
[6 hours old]: The treatment will be offered to those most at risk from August after a record number of cases.

* Southport survivor 'can't unsee' home knife risks
[0 hours old]: Leanne Lucas wants people to consider using kitchen knives with blunt rather than pointed tips.

- Student suicide review says unis must act to stop more deaths
[6 hours old]: The government wants universities to check the safety of halls and reach out to families after a death.

* Thames Water halts bonus scheme as No 10 says rewarding failure 'not acceptable'
[1 hours old]: The company pauses its "retention scheme", which pays out cash to top executives linked to its rescue loan.

- Labour postpones women's conference after Supreme Court ruling
[9 hours old]: The decision has been condemned by trans rights advocates and by gender critical activists.

- Trump unveils plans for 'Golden Dome' defence system
[10 hours old]: An initial sum of bn (£18.7bn) has been earmarked in a new budget bill, although the final cost is expected to be much higher.

- Gaza baby sent back to war zone after open-heart surgery in Jordan
[7 hours old]: Baby Niveen was evacuated to Jordan for medical treatment, but has now been sent back to Gaza.

- British surgeon's 'high anxiety' operating in Gaza
[13 hours old]: Dr Rose has been describing life at Nassar Hospital in Gazan city of Khan Younis.

- UK steps up action against Israel over Gaza offensive
[7 hours old]: Foreign Secretary David Lammy summons the Israeli ambassador and suspends talks on a trade deal.

- BBC Verify examines Israeli strikes as minimal aid enters Gaza
[13 hours old]: Israel says its reopened access for a limited number of aid trucks into Gaza, after blocking supplies from entering the territory for the last 11 weeks. BBC Verify has been looking into the latest strikes and aid situation in Gaza.

- Can Mandela's former negotiator charm Donald Trump?
[7 hours old]: The South African president will try to reset relations with the US in a high-stakes White House meeting on Wednesday.

- Police investigation into UK retail hacks focuses on English-speaking youths
[7 hours old]: The National Crime Agency tells the BBC how it is trying to find the culprits of the M&S and Co-op hacks.

- The Papers: 'This must end now' and 'Rayner's secret plan'
[1 hours old]: Foreign Secretary David Lammy's rare condemnation of Israel's bombing of Gaza dominates Tuesday's papers.

- Nicotine pouches helped me quit vaping – but now I'm addicted
[1 hours old]: Teenagers say it is easy to get hold of the products, which experts warn can be highly addictive.

- Italy's Meloni ready to help if Vatican agrees to Trump's war mediation plan
[12 hours old]: For now the Holy See says the idea of even hosting talks is more a hope than a concrete plan.

- Watch: 'You don't do that to someone you love' - doorbell camera captures domestic abuse
[15 hours old]: Hayley, a domestic abuse survivor, details years of violence and control.

- Tropical forests destroyed at fastest recorded rate last year
[2 hours old]: Tropical forests provide a buffer against climate change, but disappeared faster than ever recorded last year.

- Evidence destroyed after fire deaths, investigator says
[2 hours old]: A door was thrown in a skip while other items were not properly packaged, fire investigators claim.

- New brain tumour test a 'game changer', say experts
[5 hours old]: Scientists say the new method can diagnose the exact type of tumour within hours, rather than weeks.

- Millions of consumers could get £70 after Mastercard ruling
[10 hours old]: It is not necessary to have held a Mastercard to make a claim following a tribunal ruling.

- Riverside rats 'enjoying five star all-inclusive holiday'
[1 hours old]: A pest control expert says the huge numbers of rats on the quay in Derry are enjoying near perfect conditions.

- AI chatbot to be embedded in Google search
[8 hours old]: The new option in its marquee search engine comes as the firm is facing competition from AI firms.

* India's Banu Mushtaq makes history with International Booker win
[0 hours old]: Mushtaq has become the first author writing in Kannada to win the prize for her short story collection Heart Lamp

- Are Israel’s Allies Turning Against Them?
[13 hours old]: UK suspends Israel trade talks and summons ambassador over “intolerable” Gaza offensive

- 'Convinced he was Spurs-bound' - How Fernandes became Man Utd's heart
[1 hours old]: As Bruno Fernandes leads Man Utd out against Tottenham in the Europa League final, BBC Sport look at his journey - including almost signing for Spurs.

* Spurs and Man Utd meet in worst-form European final
[1 hours old]: The winners of Wednesday's Europa League final between Manchester United and Tottenham will be the lowest league finishers ever to win a major European trophy. BBC Sport examines their seasons, motives and stats.

- Reduce squad size or I'll quit - Guardiola
[7 hours old]: Pep Guardiola says he will quit as Manchester City manager unless he is given a smaller squad next season.

- Djokovic 'couldn't get more' out of Murray partnership
[13 hours old]: Novak Djokovic says he "couldn't get more" out of his partnership with Andy Murray but is in no rush to find a new coach as the French Open approaches.

- Statue, Pep's tears & a missed sitter - De Bruyne's emotional farewell
[8 hours old]: Kevin de Bruyne bid an emotional send-off from Etihad Stadium for the final time on Tuesday night - and the moment even brought Pep Guardiola to tears.

* Quiz: Who should you support in Europa League final?
[1 hours old]: Want to follow along with the Europa League final but not sure who to support? Take our quiz to find your match!

* Inflation rate jumps to highest in more than a year
[0 hours old]: Inflation was 3.5% in April, up from 2.6% in March, according to official figures.

* Thames Water halts bosses bonus scheme
[1 hours old]: The company pauses its "retention scheme", which pays out cash to top executives linked to its rescue loan.

- Did Trump really strike Gulf deals worth tn?
[8 hours old]: Some analysts question whether the amount of investment will ultimately be that high.

- EU plans €2 fee on small parcels in hit to Shein and Temu
[12 hours old]: The tax will affect billions of packages sent to people's homes which mainly come from China at the moment.

- Liberty Steel plants in Rotherham and Sheffield under threat
[12 hours old]: A court will decide whether the firm should be wound up on Wednesday

- Elon Musk plans to cut back political spending
[13 hours old]: Asked if he had any regrets about his political activities, Musk said: "I did what needed to be done."

- Toddler group parents struggle as costs rise
[1 hours old]: Parents at Musical Bugs in Newport say they are struggling to make ends meet at the end of a month.

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and in other older news ...

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

. We speak to CNN's Jake Tapper on the “cover-up” behind Joe Biden’s decline
[73 hours old]: New claims of who was involved at the White House, and when it started

. Ryanair tells flight attendants to repay salary rises
[16 hours old]: The Irish airline is pursuing members of a Spanish union to hand back up to €3,000 following a ruling.

. Ministers consider easing winter fuel payment cuts
[17 hours old]: Options under discussion include changing eligibility, or restoring the payments to all pensioners.

. Gulf pact next after EU trade deal, says Reeves
[19 hours old]: New trade agreements will boost economic growth, says chancellor, as she sets sights on Middle East.

. Supplier to major supermarkets hit by cyber attack
[19 hours old]: Logistics firm Peter Green Chilled supplies major supermarkets, but it is relatively small compared to its rivals.

. Fortnite faces complaint from actors' union over AI Darth Vader
[20 hours old]: Sag-Aftra says the hit video game has used tech to replace human performers.

. Post Office data breach victims to get compensation
[32 hours old]: Hundreds of sub-postmasters had their names and addresses accidentally published online last year.

. Sesame Street heads to Netflix after Trump pulled funding
[27 hours old]: The platform will offer a new season and 90 hours of previous episodes to its 300 million subscribers.

. Tesla battery maker sees shares jump in Hong Kong debut
[26 hours old]: China's CATL makes more than a third of electric vehicle batteries sold worldwide and also supplies VW and Toyota.

. Why we need 'revolutionary' cooling tech
[31 hours old]: Cooling systems that avoid the use of polluting refrigerants are being launched.

. The world's most dangerous country for trade unionists
[55 hours old]: More trade union members are murdered in the South American nation than anywhere else.

. The camera tech propelling shows like Adolescence
[127 hours old]: Whole TV shows shot in one long take are made possible by new lightweight cameras.

. Letting off steam: How Dominica's volcanoes will boost its green energy
[151 hours old]: The Caribbean island is building a power station that will use steam naturally heated by volcanic rock.

. What has happened to the closed Debenhams stores?
[146 hours old]: From bowling alleys and lab spaces, to town centre eyesores - what remains of Debenhams' old shops?

. When will I be able to shop online at M&S again?
[184 hours old]: Online orders paused, some customer data stolen - here's what we know about the chaos at M&S.

. Tips from first-time buyers: 'We bought a £320,000 home aged 25'
[267 hours old]: Young buyers are saving hard, moving cities, and using government schemes to get on the housing ladder.

. 'I freaked out and spent 0 online': US consumers on cheap shipping changes
[267 hours old]: How consumers are reacting to shipping changes that mean low-value packages entering the US no longer avoid tariffs.

. How to avoid a puncture on the Moon
[199 hours old]: Giant tyre firms are testing tyres that can survive conditions on the Moon and Mars.

. London food banks expect to see surge in demand
[25 hours old]: A survey by the Felix Project finds food banks expect to see more demand over the next year.

. The secretive US factory that lays bare the contradiction in Trump's America First plan
[57 hours old]: An exclusive look inside the closely guarded factory the president wants to become a foundation stone for a US golden age.

. Xi's real test is not Trump's trade war
[505 hours old]: The real battleground of the current trade war might be China's domestic economy

. The curious case of why a billionaire wants to buy Royal Mail
[895 hours old]: From the end of April, the 500-year-old Royal Mail will be controlled by Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky who co-owns a football club - but why does he want it?

. Trump has turned his back on the foundation of US economic might - the fallout will be messy
[1087 hours old]: What made the US step back from the system that it profited handsomely from for decades?

. Starmer's response to Trump tariffs is both to slow down and go faster
[1098 hours old]: What's happening in Whitehall to try to limit the harm to the UK, perhaps by making a deal with the US, and make the most of any opportunities?

. Inside the Chinese sofa factory left deserted by Trump tariffs
[165 hours old]: The BBC's Laura Bicker takes us inside a Chinese sofa factory that almost ground to a halt after Trump's tariffs.

. Americast
[205 hours old]: And why are Gen Z obsessed with the new American pope?

. Currently
[210 hours old]: Vicky Spratt investigates the thousands of people trapped in high interest mortgages.