News Daily: Iran protest deaths and UK rail fare rises

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Several dead as Iran protests continue

At least 13 people are thought to have been killed in Iran, after violence broke out during anti-government protests. The demonstrations, which started last week, initially focused on price rises and corruption, but have widened into a more general expression of anger against the country's rulers.

President Hassan Rouhani has sought to play down the unrest, saying in a statement: "This is nothing. Criticism and protest are an opportunity, not a threat." But he has also warned "rioters and lawbreakers" that they will face punishment. Up to 400 people are believed to have been arrested in the last few days. Video footage shows the extent of the violence.

Anger as train fares rise

The Christmas and New Year holiday is over and millions of people are returning to work. For those who commute, it's not been a great start to the year, with average rail ticket prices rising by 3.4% on average - the largest increase since 2013. Protests are planned at 40 stations. But the government says 97p out of every pound spent by train passengers is going back into the rail system. Here's a look at why prices are going up.

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Children's snacks 'must be cut'

Most people have been enjoying a bit of a blow-out over the past couple of weeks, with chocolate, mince pies and other treats on offer. But a report warns that children in England are over-indulging in snacks and sugary drinks all-year-round. Those aged between four and 10 consumed 51.2% of their sugar from unhealthy items including biscuits, cakes, pastries, buns, sweets and fizzy drinks, Public Health England found. It's hoping to cut this by limiting children to two such items a day - of no more than 100 calories each. So, how much hidden sugar is there in food?

Struggling? How to keep going with New Year's resolutions

BBC Reality Check

There is evidence that humans are driven by "loss aversion" - that is, we are more motivated to recover loss than we are to win gains. Framing a resolution as recovering something lost - whether that's an old hobby or a former level of fitness - may be more effective than looking to gain an ability or appearance, for example. This feeds into another key piece of advice when it comes to successful resolutions: they must be realistic.

Read the full article

What the papers say

The New Year rise in rail fares draws scathing comment, with the i calling it a "great train robbery" and the Daily Telegraph reporting that ministers are looking at cracking down on "rip-off" fares. The Sun leads on the advice from Public Health England to limit children to two snacks of no more than 100 calories per day, saying this will deny them the chance to eat a 230-calorie Mars Bar. The Daily Mirror says young people will also have to cut back on crisp consumption.

Daily digest

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Lookahead

19:45 Four English Premier League matches take place: Southampton v Crystal Palace, Swansea v Tottenham, West Ham v West Bromwich Albion and Manchester City v Watford (this match kicks off at 20:00).

Today The first licences are scheduled to be issued in California for the legal sale of marijuana for recreational use.

On this day

1995 Former futures trader Nick Leeson is jailed for six-and-a-half years for his part in the collapse of Barings, Britain's oldest merchant bank.

From elsewhere

Have cruise ships ruined this town? (New York Times)

Why are we so eager to believe in extraterrestrial life? (Independent)

Who was Nikola Tesla? (Sydney Morning Herald)

Do men hog space in your local swimming pool? (Daily Mail)