Real World News

Bradley Lowery: Boy with cancer is Sunderland mascot 14 December 2016 From the section Tees Image copyright PA Image caption Last month Bradley's mother Gemma revealed his cancer had grown and he had only months to live A five-year-old boy with terminal cancer has appeared as a mascot at the Sunderland v Chelsea game. Bradley Lowery, from Blackhall Colliery near Hartlepool, was diagnosed with neuroblastoma in 2013. More than £700…

A US rate rise - how am I affected in the UK? By Emily Young BBC News 14 December 2016 From the section Business Image copyright Getty Images America's central bank has raised interest rates for just the second time in 10 years. The cost of borrowing has been increased to 0.5% - 0.75% from a range of 0.25% - 0.5%. How does it affect people in the UK? If you've got a mortgage... The short answer is not a lot. There might have been a time when a rate rise in the US c…

Central Line suspended over reports of man with knife 14 December 2016 From the section London Part of the London Underground's Central Line was suspended during rush hour amid reports of a man brandishing a knife. Bank and Liverpool Street stations were searched shortly after 17:00 by British Transport Police but officers found "no trace of the man". Sections of the line were suspended for about 30 minutes. Trains are now running with severe delays. Investigations continue and officers remain at both stations, police said. View the full article

Bednest cot death inquest: Mum 'found baby's lifeless body' 14 December 2016 From the section Sussex Image copyright Family handout Image caption Grace Roseman was found with her head "hanging over the side" of the cot A mother has told an inquest about the moment she found her seven-week-old daughter dead in a bedside cot. Esther Roseman said she discovered baby Grace lifeless in the Bednest crib at their home in Haywards Heath, …

Media playback is unsupported on your device Fan puts up Stranger Things Xmas display in front window 14 December 2016 Last updated at 18:56 GMT A house in Birmingham is captivating passers-by with its Stranger Things-inspired festive light display in the front window. The flashing lights scroll through the letters to spell out Merry Christmas in a homage to the popular Netflix show, starring Winona Ryder. The man behind it - Giles Wallwork - said he had the idea in November and looked up blueprints on how to get the lights to work. It's getting a lot of love on social media, with Helen Phillips commenting on Facebook…

Top GP and Sandwell CCG boss admit £153k fraud 14 December 2016 From the section Birmingham & Black Country Image caption Dr Ian Walton did not spend the money on luxury items or holidays, his barrister said A leading GP and senior NHS manager funnelled £153,600 meant for patients over winter into the bank account of a company they controlled. Dr Ian Walton and Lisa Hill admitted defrauding the NHS by raising a false invoice from a charity, on whose board they both sat. …

Labour MPs record Christmas song about workers' rights 14 December 2016 From the section UK Politics Labour MPs swapped the green benches for the music studio to record a Christmas song about workers' rights. The MPs donned reindeer hats and Santa antlers for their version of Band Aid's 1980s hit Do They Know It's Christmas? The lyrics have been adapted to draw attention to claims some big companies are ditching staff perks in order to comply with the National Living Wage, introduced in April. They accuse firms of cutting overtime payments a…

Media playback is unsupported on your device School owl mascot returns after six-month adventure 14 December 2016 Last updated at 18:01 GMT A class at a school in Shropshire has been reunited with its beloved owl mascot after it went missing for six months. The crocheted toy called Owlbert was lost during an outing in Shrewsbury in June. St Lawrence's Primary School, in Church Stretton, launched a social media appeal to try to find him, but to no avail. By chance last weekend he was spotted by year one pupil Florence, looking out of someone's front window. View the full article

England captain Dylan Hartley will be available for the opening fixture of the Six Nations against France after receiving a six-week ban for striking. The 30-year-old caught flanker Sean O'Brien with a swinging arm during Northampton Saints' Champions Cup loss to Leinster on Friday and received the third red card of his career. He has now been suspended for a total of 60 weeks. England start their Six Nations title defence at Twickenham on 4 February. Hartley, who pleaded guilty to the charge at an an independent disciplinary hearing in London on Wednesday, is able to play again from 23 January. Hartley's previous poor disciplinary record led to an extra week being a…

Beedle the Bard: Rare Harry Potter book fetches £370,000 at auction 13 December 2016 From the section Entertainment & Arts Media captionThe book was handwritten by JK RowlingA one-off copy of a Harry Potter spin-off book that was handwritten by JK Rowling has sold for almost £370,000. The bejewelled copy of The Tales of Beedle the Bard had been owned by Barry Cunningham, the publisher who first signed Rowling. It was one of six copies the author had given to people who were most closely involved in the Harry Potter books. Mr Cunningham has sold it with her blessing and sai…

Child abuse inquiry counsel Ben Emmerson cleared 14 December 2016 From the section UK Image copyright PA The former senior counsel to the independent inquiry into historical child sexual abuse in England and Wales has been cleared of allegations of sexual assault and harassment. An inquiry worker claimed he groped her in a lift in September. But a former director of public prosecutions has now exonerated Ben Emmerson QC "without hesitation". Mr Emmerson, who quit the inquiry in September, said he…

Amazon makes first drone delivery 14 December 2016 From the section Technology Image copyright Amazon Retail giant Amazon has made its first delivery using a drone, in the UK. The package arrived safely at its destination in Cambridge, 13 minutes after being ordered. A video showing the process details how the order was completed using an electrically powered drone flying at up to 400ft (122m). One sceptic questioned how much of a "game changer" the limited trial of the service would be. As part …

Media playback is unsupported on your device Glasgow Airport unveils dancing robot GLAdys 14 December 2016 Last updated at 16:40 GMT Glasgow Airport has unveiled a singing and dancing humanoid robot to entertain passengers. GLAdys - named after the airport's international code - is said to be the first robot to be used by a UK airport. She is part of a trial that could see more robots used to direct passengers around the airport. View the full article

Big city schools hit in funding shake-up By Sean Coughlan Education correspondent 14 December 2016 From the section Education & Family Image copyright Reuters Image caption Justine Greening said the changes would be fairer for schools The biggest shake-up of school funding in England for decades will see less money for big cities such as London, Manchester, Liverpool and Birmingham and bigger budge…

Argos drivers suspend Christmas strike 14 December 2016 From the section Business Image copyright Reuters A threatened strike by drivers who deliver Argos goods has been suspended, the union Unite said. Drivers at Argos's main distribution centre had voted on Tuesday to strike for three days from 20 December. The industrial action has now been called off, pending another union vote, after a pay deal was struck during talks. An Argos spokesman reassured customers that it was "business as usual thi…