Iran has hit two US airbases in Iraq with ballistic missiles, in what it says is retaliation for the killing of its top military commander, Qasem Soleimani, last week. The US Department of Defence said more than a dozen strikes had been recorded on Irbil and Al Asad. No details on any casualties have yet been revealed.

US President Donald Trump has tweeted that "all is well" and will make a further statement later. Follow our live page for the latest developments and reaction. We also have details of life in Al Asad.

The UK says is putting in place "urgent measures" to protect its nationals and business in the region, while the Royal Navy and military helicopters are on standby.

The BBC has compiled a short guide to the crisis.

Iran's Red Crescent says there is no chance of finding any survivors after a Ukraine International Airlines Boeing-737 carrying 180 passengers crashed in the country. The Fars state news agency reports that the crash happened just after take-off from Tehran's Imam Khomeini airport.

It is not clear whether the incident is connected to the Iran-US confrontation.

A total of 650 people were killed in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland last year, down from 774 in 2018, according to BBC analysis of police figures.

That represents the first annual fall in homicides in five years. But the number of killings in London still rose in 2019. 

Stabbings accounted for the most homicides across the country. Read a full breakdown of the figures here.

Finnish scientists have developed a form of protein from soil bacteria fed on hydrogen split from water by electricity. They say it could be added to foods in a similar way to palm oil and that it could compete with soya on price within a few years. If the electricity is created by wind or solar power, the protein could be grown with near-zero greenhouse gas emissions. The BBC's Roger Harrabin explains.

The newspapers came out too early to report on Iran's missile attack on US bases. The Daily Telegraph instead leads on today's Brexit talks between Boris Johnson and new European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, saying she will urge the PM not to water down protections for EU citizens living in the UK. The Times says Mr Johnson is ready to cull projects started by predecessors Theresa May and David Cameron. And the Sun claims the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are looking to spend a "significant portion of this year" in Canada. Read our newspaper review in full.

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