Real World News

Paris attacks suspect held in France 15 December 2015 From the section Europe French police arrest man with suspected links to Paris attacks, sources say This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version. If you want to receive Breaking News alerts via email, or on a smartphone or tablet via the BBC News App then details on how to do so are available on this help page. You can also follow @BBCBre…

Syria conflict: Kerry seeks to narrow divisions with Russia 15 December 2015 From the section Middle East Image copyright EPA Image caption More than 250,000 people have died in Syria's nearly five-year civil war US Secretary of State John Kerry is in Moscow for talks on ways to bridge gaps over possible Syria peace talks. Ahead of his meeting with his Russian coun…

Star Wars: Force Awakens gets world premiere 15 December 2015 From the section Entertainment & Arts Media captionLizo Mzimba reports from the red carpet as Star Wars: The Force Awakens is released.The hotly anticipated latest addition in the Star Wars franchise, The Force Awakens, has had its world premiere in Los Angeles. Stars attended from the original series, Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher, as well as newcomers including John Boyega and Daisy Ridley. The plot of the film remains a closely-guar…

Bill Cosby sues women who accused him of sexual assault 14 December 2015 From the section US & Canada Image copyright Reuters Bill Cosby, accused by more than 40 women of sexual assault, has filed a lawsuit claiming that several of them lied about him for financial gain. Mr Cosby, 78, is seeking unspecified monetary damages and said the women inflicted emotional distress. He called their accusations "nothing more than an opportun…

Russia fires warning shot at Turkey boat in Aegean 13 December 2015 From the section Europe Image copyright AFP Image caption Vessels from the Russian Black Sea fleet are stationed off Syria Russia says one of its warships fired warning shots at a Turkish fishing vessel in the Aegean Sea to avoid a collision. A Russian defence ministry statement said the Turkish ve…

France teacher stabbed in class by man 'shouting Islamic State' 14 December 2015 From the section Europe Image copyright AFP Image caption The Jean-Perrin preschool caters for children between the ages of three and six A teacher has been attacked in a preschool class in Aubervilliers, a suburb of the French capital, Paris, by a man citing so-called Islamic State. Th…

US hitting IS harder than ever, says Obama 14 December 2015 From the section US & Canada Media captionPresident Obama said the US was hitting so-called Islamic State "harder than ever"The US is hitting so-called Islamic State (IS) harder than ever, President Barack Obama has said. More air strikes were launched against the group in November than in any other month, he said in a Pentagon speech. In recent weeks, the US-led coalition has killed a number of its leaders and attacked the oil facilities it uses to fi…

Argentina bus crash: Many killed after bus falls off bridge 14 December 2015 From the section Latin America & Caribbean Image copyright Salta Police Image caption Emergency workers are trying to free passengers trapped in the tangled wreck At least 41 people, most of them police officers, have been killed after a bus fell off a bridge in north-west Argentina, of…

Egypt: Sinai crash probe finds 'no proof of terrorism' 14 December 2015 From the section Middle East Image copyright AP Image caption The Metrojet plane crashed shortly after take-off, killing all those on board Egyptian investigators say they have so far found no proof that terrorism caused a Russian jet to crash in the Sinai in October, killing 224 people. The pla…

'Huge rise' in newborn babies subject to care proceedings By Sanchia Berg Today programme 14 December 2015 From the section UK Media captionNicky Morgan MP: "The right decision for every child has to be made"There has been a "huge" rise in the number of newborns who are subject to care proceedings in England, according to figures compiled for the first time. Some 2,018 babies were involved in such cases in 2013, compared with 802 in 2008, the University of Lancaster said. About half w…

Women in Saudi Arabia voting for first time 12 December 2015 From the section Middle East Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Women will be permitted to vote and stand as candidates in Saturday's municipal elections Saudi Arabia is going to the polls in unprecedented municipal elections in which women can cast a ballot for the first time. Women are also stand…

Fosun founder Guo Guangchang appears in public 14 December 2015 From the section Business Image copyright Getty Images Guo Guangchang, the high-profile Chinese tycoon detained by police late last week, appeared at his company's annual meeting in Shanghai on Monday. It was the Fosun International chairman's first public event since he was reported missing late last week. The company later said he was assisting authorities with an inve…

Failing children's services face takeover, PM will say 14 December 2015 From the section UK Image caption Mr Cameron will say the state is letting down the most vulnerable in society Local authority social services in England that are found to be failing vulnerable children will face tough new measures, the PM is to announce. Under the plans, departments judged inadequate by Ofsted will have six months to impro…

South Africa: David van Rooyen fired and Pravin Gordhan hired 14 December 2015 From the section Business Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Pravin Gordhan served as South African finance minister from 2009 until last year South African President Jacob Zuma has replaced newly appointed Finance Minister David van Rooyen with the more experienced Pravin Gordhan …

French far right National Front 'routed' in key vote 13 December 2015 From the section Europe Media captionMarine Le Pen: "Thanks and well done my dear friends for rising above the slanderous and defamatory campaigns"France's far-right National Front (FN) has failed to win a single region in the second round of elections, exit polls indicate. Early results suggest the party has been beaten into third place, despite leading in six of 13 regions in the first round of votes a week ago. The polls predict Nicolas Sarkoz…