of musicology at the university. today at one: police in prague say the man who carried out the teenager alex batty talks about his life abroad and why he felt he had to return to the uk, leaving his mother and grandfather. they thought about the present. the teenager alex batty talks about his life abroad and why they thought about the present. they didn't think about the future. 0k, yeah, i was safe and i was always healthy, but no social life, no meeting people my own age. kind of always being isolated. as the christmas getaway begins, it's announced that rail fares will go up nearly 5% next year in england. and the 16—year—old darts winner talks to us about his remarkable victory. coming up in the sport later in the hour on bbc news: arsenal are the latest club to stand by uefa after a european court ruling found it was unlawful to stop

clubs joining a breakaway league. good afternoon, welcome to the bbc news at one. police in the czech republic say the gunman who killed 1a people at charles university in prague yesterday, and wounded another 25, killed himself after seeing that police were encircling him �*from all directions�*. all those who died have been identified — the first to be publically named is lenka hlavkova, who was the head of the university's musicology department. at a news conference in the last couple of hours, police showed bodycam footage of officers trying to intervene during the attack. bethany bell sent this report. this was the moment when special

forces entered charles university in prague. they were searching for the 24—year—old gunman who ran through corridors and classrooms yesterday afternoon, apparently shooting at random. the czech police havejust released this footage from their body cans. they say the gunman, named by local media as david kosak, took his lone life as they closed in him —— on him. staff barricaded themselves in rooms and the police led them to safely. i themselves in rooms and the police led them to safely.— led them to safely. i was on site. i was severely _ led them to safely. i was on site. i was severely impacted. _ led them to safely. i was on site. i was severely impacted. i- led them to safely. i was on site. i was severely impacted. i have - led them to safely. i was on site. i l was severely impacted. i have been with the police force for a0 years. the interior ministry said one of the dead and yesterday's shooting was the head of the institute of fuel institute of musicology of the faculty of arts, lenka hlavkova. the police are uncovering the motive ——

working to uncover the motor. they sealed off the area where the shooting happened. before the attacks, police had received a report that the suspect was believed to be heading to prague from a nearby town with the intention of killing himself. the gunman is thought to have killed his father at a separate location. the czech president has appealed for unity and said the killing should not be used to launch political attacks or spread misinformation. he spoke of his great sadness and helpless anger at the totally unnecessary loss of life. prague is mourning its dead. the czech prime minister came to pay his respects to the victims of the shooting. a national day of mourning will take place tomorrow. this city and the whole country is in shock. bethany bell, bbc news, prague. 0ur correspondent sarah rainsford is in prague for us now.

and that sense of shock really comes through, sarah, from what the public statements we have heard from the news conferences. it really is profound. it news conferences. it really is profound-— news conferences. it really is rofound. , , , ., , profound. it is because of course this is the _ profound. it is because of course this is the worst _ profound. it is because of course this is the worst attack _ profound. it is because of course this is the worst attack of - profound. it is because of course this is the worst attack of its - profound. it is because of course| this is the worst attack of its kind in czech history and you get a sense of that when you talk to people who have come to some of the university buildings here, bringing candles, lighting them, bringing flowers, saying they wanted to pay their respects. people talking about the shop. i spoke to one woman who had been at the law faculty a couple of hundred metres from here. this is the arts faculty, where the attack took place. this woman was a couple of hundred metres away and she was locked down in that building. she said it was terrifying, and she said it really drives home that it could have been any one of those people. she said, this is so close and scary. i've been speaking to the interior minister here in the czech republic, and i've been asking him about the gunman himself and about the motives for this crime and the police response. he was very

defensive of the police response, saying they had been extremely quick to react, they had moved quickly to evacuate people where possible, and he said it tookjust 20 minutes from the first shot being fired before the first shot being fired before the gunman was killed. he said the police response was professional and said he was proud of them. he also said he was proud of them. he also said the gunman had more than one weapon and was ready to kill a lot of people. as for his motive, he would not speculate, and it is interesting talking to people here — they don't even want to mention this man's name because they don't want to give him the infamy that perhaps he sought, but he said that he believes this was motivated, like all attacks of its kind around the world, perhaps by some personal problems of this gunman. certainly the feeling of this city today and in the czech republic as a whole is one of deep sadness at everything that has happened here.— one of deep sadness at everything that has happened here. thank you, sarah raynsford. _ in the last hour, greater manchester police have announced that they've

launched a criminal investigation into the child abduction of alex batty, who went missing from his home in 0ldham at the age of ii. the teenager, who's now 17, who was found in france ten days ago and has been speaking publicly for the first time since his return to the uk. in an interview with the sun newspaper, he explained how he began to have doubts about his nomadic lifestyle a few years ago. 0ur correspondent nick johnson has the details. the story of alex batty, pictured here before he went missing while on holiday six years ago, has until now been rumour and hearsay. now back in the uk with his grandma, who's his legal guardian, 17—year—old alex describes his experience in his own words. speaking to the sun newspaper, the teenager recounts living off grid in rural france and his growing frustration with his mother and grandfather. they thought about the present. they didn't think about the future. 0k, yeah, i was safe and i was always healthy.

but no social life, no meeting people my own age, kind of always being isolated becomes boring, to say the least, really. even now, just talking to people, it's kind of hard for me because i've not done it for such a long time, talking to people my own age. alex describes taking on manual labourjobs in exchange for rent and food, and that he'd been contemplating his return to the uk for the past three years, and earlier this month wrote a goodbye note to his mum before slipping out of the french farmhouse in the middle of the night. i didn't really know where i was going. i was just following road signs. i'd mostly travel at night—time just for my own safety and sleep as little as i could and in as illuminated areas as i could. alex was then picked up and taken to a police station

by a french delivery driver. in his interview with the sun, the teenager recounted how he began shaking when he was reunited with his grandma in 0ldham and how he no longer fits into his childhood bed. he described his mum, melanie batty, as a great person but not a great mother and had a message for her and his granddad. i tell them i love them. tell them i'm sorry for leaving, but it was necessary for my future. nickjohnson, bbc news. joining me now is our correspondent mairead smyth. what are greater manchester police saying? it what are greater manchester police sa in: ? , , ., ., saying? it is interesting to hear from alex _ saying? it is interesting to hear from alex batty _ saying? it is interesting to hear from alex batty for _ saying? it is interesting to hear from alex batty for the - saying? it is interesting to hear from alex batty for the first - saying? it is interesting to hear. from alex batty for the first time but today we have that update from greater manchester police, who have told us they would not be able to have an update on their investigation until they had also spoken to him. they told us they have done that and that they have now started a criminal investigation into the child abduction of alex

batty, who was just 11 years old when he was taken on holiday. he hasn't been seen or heard from in six years. 0bviously that interview has taken place. they have confirmed that the investigation has a criminal aspect to it, so today two developments. the first time we have heard from alex batty, his words, his version of events and what way his version of events and what way his life has been for the past few years, and he says that he still feels so real waking up in his grandmother's home. —— surreal. rail fares will rise by nearly 5% next year in england. the department for transport has set a cap of a.9% for increases to most fares regulated by the government, which includes commuter season tickets. the announcment comes as disruption is likely across the uk today as millions of people start their christmas journeys. many rail services in and out of two major london stations were cancelled yesterday, as well as on eurostar, and drivers are being warned

that this weekend will be the busiest time on the roads, with 21 million trips expected. 0ur transport correspondent katy austin has the details. the christmas getaway is in full flow after a very bumpy start. train services have been recovering from yesterday's severe disruption, their wintry weather continued to cause some issues. these passengers at leeds were travelling hopefully. i was glad i wasn't going back last night, so i had friends that were going from euston and everything was kind of chaotic.— kind of chaotic. trains got cancelled. _ kind of chaotic. trains got cancelled, so _ kind of chaotic. trains got cancelled, so it _ kind of chaotic. trains got cancelled, so it was - kind of chaotic. trains got cancelled, so it was like, | kind of chaotic. trains got. cancelled, so it was like, will kind of chaotic. trains got - cancelled, so it was like, will my train _ cancelled, so it was like, will my train be — cancelled, so it was like, will my train be cancelled because mikel have _ train be cancelled because mikel have looked and it is all right. are ou have looked and it is all right. are you looking _ have looked and it is all right. fife: you looking forward to have looked and it is all right. six2 you looking forward to it? i am, actually, yeah. trains through the channel tunnel have resumed. staff

in france went on strike yesterday, meaning the shuttle between folkestone and calais didn't operate. it also affected eurostar, which is putting on extra trains in the next few days to try and help people whose services were cancelled. at dover's ferry port, queues were building this morning. in northern ireland, the latest in a series of strikes has brought public transport to a halt. millions of people are expected to take to the roads today and tomorrow to visit friends and family. with major route set to be very busy. friends and family. with ma'or route set to be very busyh set to be very busy. saturday will be the busiest _ set to be very busy. saturday will be the busiest day _ set to be very busy. saturday will be the busiest day for _ set to be very busy. saturday will be the busiest day for travel - set to be very busy. saturday will be the busiest day for travel overj be the busiest day for travel over the christmas period. if you plan on driving longer than you usually do, it's always good advice to check your vehicle over before you set off. check your tires, your vehicle over before you set off. check yourtires, make your vehicle over before you set off. check your tires, make sure they are legal and safe. check the oil level and screen wash level. make sure you have adequate fuel or ev charge in your vehicle.— ev charge in your vehicle. drivers at this service _ ev charge in your vehicle. drivers

at this service station _ ev charge in your vehicle. drivers at this service station in - at this service station in gloucestershire had found things smooth so far. we gloucestershire had found things smooth so far.— gloucestershire had found things smooth so far. . , ., ., . smooth so far. we set off at 7am. we thou . ht it smooth so far. we set off at 7am. we thought it would _ smooth so far. we set off at 7am. we thought it would be _ smooth so far. we set off at 7am. we thought it would be busy, _ smooth so far. we set off at 7am. we thought it would be busy, that - smooth so far. we set off at 7am. we thought it would be busy, that is - thought it would be busy, that is why we set off early, but it has been a good run, not that bad at all. we pulled in here because we needed to charge the car. the “ourne needed to charge the car. the journey has — needed to charge the car. the journey has been _ needed to charge the car. the journey has been magnificent so far. wonderful — journey has been magnificent so far. wonderful. lovely services. it's a vision _ wonderful. lovely services. it's a vision of— wonderful. lovely services. it's a vision of what britain should be. 0ver— vision of what britain should be. over the — vision of what britain should be. over the next week or so, most of the rail network will be open, but engineering works and upgrades will mean some disruption, including no long—distance services to all from london kings cross on christmas eve, and no trains out of paddington between the 2ath and 27th of december. howeveryou between the 2ath and 27th of december. however you are getting about over the festive period, the traditional advice is to plan ahead and check before you travel. and katie is at king's cross. we now know what some of the fare increases will be next year in england, anyway.

that's right. it wasn't usually festive news for rail passengers this morning. regulated fares in england, so that is nearly half of fares, including season tickets, singles and return fares, will rise up singles and return fares, will rise up to a.9% from march. the department for transport pointed out that this is significantly below the rate of inflation back injuly, which is what the annual rise is traditionally based on. it is lower than last year as well, but the government said some increase in fares was necessary for the financial sustainability of the rail network. the rise will be lower than what was announced earlier this week for scotland, where fares will go up ljy for scotland, where fares will go up by 8.7% from april, and it all means another rise in costs for commuters. many people caught up in rail disruption of light are unlikely to be particularly happy about the prospect of being asked to pay more in future, and for now, everyone looking to travel over the festive period in the coming days will be crossing theirfingers, hoping

period in the coming days will be crossing their fingers, hoping very hard for no repeat of what we saw yesterday. 0k, thank you. the economy performed worse than previously thought in the second and third quarters of the year. revised figures from the office for national statistics suggest the uk is at risk of recession if there's another three months of negative growth. our business correspondent emma simpson is here to explain. not the sort of economic news that people want to end the year with? no, and it's a bit of a sting in the tail after a better story on inflation this week. we had thought that there was a tiny bit of growth in the second quarter of this year, but the 0ns now says that gdp was flat. growth fell to zero. gdp is important because it measures the health of the economy. and then when it came to the third quarter of this year, the economy actually shrank. gdp falling to —0.i%. so this tiny fall in output now puts the uk at

risk of a mild technical recession if growth in this quarter turns out to be negative as well, and we won't know that until february. but if you zoom out, the overall picture hasn't changed as a result of these revisions this morning, because the economy is pretty stagnant, weighed down by higher costs and all those interest rate rises. find down by higher costs and all those interest rate rises.— interest rate rises. and all that said, is there _ interest rate rises. and all that said, is there slightly - interest rate rises. and all that said, is there slightly better i interest rate rises. and all that i said, is there slightly better news on retail sales, what we are all spending?— on retail sales, what we are all sendinu? , ., , ., , spending? yes, a bit of christmas cheer there- _ spending? yes, a bit of christmas cheer there. retail _ spending? yes, a bit of christmas cheer there. retail sales - spending? yes, a bit of christmas cheer there. retail sales were - cheer there. retail sales were better than expected in november. a pick—up in spending compared with two very weak months in september and october. monthly volumes were up l.3%. that and october. monthly volumes were up i.3%. that has been driven by a lot of discounting to get us to part with our cash, and i think you really need to wait and see what happens this month as to how successful this so—called golden

quarter is for retailers, where many of them make most of their profits. and i think it is all to play for this weekend. we have some big shopping days ahead, which could make all the difference for some. arnie make all the difference for some. we will see. thank you very much for now, emma simpson. a woman has appeared in court charged with the murder of her four—year—old son in east london. police were called to an address in hackney on wednesday, where they found kobi macharia dooly, who had suffered knife wounds. keziah macharia, who's al, was remanded in custody ahead of a hearing at the old bailey next week. a much—delayed vote by the united nations security council about the fighting in gaza is expected to be held later today. the resolution calls for urgent steps to increase aid but stops short of calling for a halt in the fighting. in gaza, the hamas—run health ministry says nearly a00 people have been killed in the last two days. hamas is designated as a terrorist organisation by the uk. 0ur correspondent shaimaa khalil is in bethlehem.

so it looks like we will get this vote, but the aid is desperately needed by civilians on the ground, isn't it? , ., ., , ., isn't it? the situation is dire on the ground _ isn't it? the situation is dire on the ground in — isn't it? the situation is dire on the ground in gaza _ isn't it? the situation is dire on the ground in gaza and - isn't it? the situation is dire on the ground in gaza and even i isn't it? the situation is dire on - the ground in gaza and even though we are here in bethlehem you can feel the sombre mood here, normally in a christmas season you would see the famous christmas tree in manger square where we are, a nativity church was completely empty, very unusualfor church was completely empty, very unusual for this time of year but it's because of what's happening in gaza, with many people here in bethlehem who have relatives that are sheltering in churches in gaza. nearly a00 people... n0 sound but also this stark warning from the world food programme saying there is a real threat of starvation. 0ne official said no one is safe from starvation, from famine in gaza and i was in touch with a few parents

inside the gaza strip, one of them told me he had to take it son to the hospital several times not because he was wounded from the bombardment but because of lack of sanitation and the disease that has resulted from that. yes, the un is closer to a resolution. the key to families in gazais a resolution. the key to families in gaza is how fast the humanitarian aid can come in. will it be distributed properly and orderly? it could not come fast enough but the key here, will it go far enough, will there be any pause that would last long enough?— last long enough? shaimaa khalil, thank ou, last long enough? shaimaa khalil, thank you. in _ last long enough? shaimaa khalil, thank you, in bethlehem. - the time is 1.18. our top story this afternoon: police in prague say the man who carried out the country's worst mass shooting killed himself after realising he was surrounded. # after realising he was surrounded. so here it it is, i #. and still to come... we talk to slade, as the band marks

50 years of their extremely famous christmas single. coming up in the sport in the next 15 minutes on bbc news... blown away by the windies — england's cricketers slump to another series defeat on their white ball tour in the caribbean. the 16—year—old darts player luke littler has told the bbc he can't believe he's made it to the third round of the world championship on his debut. last night he defeated the uk open champion, andrew gilding, at alexandra palace in north london. 0ur sports correspondent andy swiss tells his remarkable story so far. for a place in the last 32. he's onlyjust done his gcses. he's chosen double ten. he's hit double ten. now he's teaching the darts world a lesson. at 16, luke littler from warrington is the new

world championship wonder. his latest win against andrew gilding, a mere 37 years his senior. so how does he celebrate? well, with a little post—match snack. i had a kebab after the first win, and yesterday was a kfc. it's unbelievable. the first time i walked up onto the ramp and just everyone wanting me to sign everything, it was just, it was unbelievable. it's luke the nuke littler! it's certainly some story. littler started playing darts when he was just 18 months old. he's already the reigning junior world champion, and now the ultimate title is within his sights. the crowd have even given the teenager his very own chant, singing, "you've got school in the morning." it was just funny to hear it because obviously i left school this year with everyone in my year, but i never really tried to get into college because

of my pro tour card. so it's just been funny listening to it because i know i'm not going to school ever again. so no school, then, but instead stardom beckons for darts�* new boy wonder. andy swiss, bbc news. christmas, for many people, is a time to reflect and be thankful, and that's particularly true for three young girls and their families. beatrix, grace and moor spent years on the organ donor list, and this year each received a new heart. along the way, they've forged an extraordinary bond, as alison freeman reports. reunited for christmas. the last time these three girls were together, they were each waiting for a heart transplant. beatrix, noor and grace. beatrix, from county durham, had spent almost half her life in hospital being kept alive by this mechanical

heart, before a donor was found in the summer of this year. no pipes. her parents have campaigned for more to be done to encourage donor families to come forward. what's it like seeing the girls all back together again? really special. noor�*s dad pointed out that it's the first time the two girls have been walking together without their pipes, without their machinery. so that was really a poignant moment. grace was the first of the three girls to be admitted to newcastle's freeman hospital, at the age ofjust six months. she waited two years for her new heart. we speak to our donor family regular, becky does. we've met with them and... they're amazing. yeah, they are amazing. and their little girl, obviously, that, erm, grace, grace received her heart, mia, literally her legacy will live on and we'll never forget her. i thanked him, but it still don't seem enough. no, it doesn't. they deserve so much more. yeah, they do. they do, cos, in their darkest

hour, they've gave life. haven't they? no—one else knows unless you've been in that situation. so they understand everything and we talk to them about everything that we've been through together. they have been there in your darkest days. when you think you're having a bad day and you see one of the parents and theyjust lift you up. i griffith family set such an examplel of how to cope with such a traumatic experience, and grace did as well. to see her walk out - of the ward and to go home wasjust so inspiring. in the hospital, three orfour families were like one family, one family, like one family, were meeting all together, everyone is here to say it's hard today, it's easy. noor was the oldest of the girls when she was admitted to hospital, aged eight.

she took on the role of the wards big sister. she was missing her brothers and sister, wasn't she, so much? i think she took a lot of pleasure out of looking after bea and being involved in bea's care and just... it might sound bizarre, but so many happy memories of them playing i together, you know, and drawing, | playing doctors, playing outside, | you know, all while the pair of them are connected to the machines. i she even helped bea learn to walk. one year after she arrived at the freeman, noor received a donor heart, too. i can't believe it. she's back to life. back to school. back to home. back to family. she missed all that in one year. what it's about, isn't it? 0rgan donation ultimately isn't about death, it's about life. and there's nothing more powerful than being able to save somebody's life. alison freeman, bbc news, newcastle.

and a very happy christmas to all of them. this year's christmas number one will be revealed this afternoon, but there's one classic that's on every playlist at this time of year. it is, of course, merry christmas everybody. released by slade in 1973, it immediately sold more than a million copies. 0ur reporter ben sidwell has been speaking to the band about their memories of recording it, as they mark the song's 50th anniversary. # are you hanging up your stocking on your wall? we never thought for a minute it would be going 50 years later. i knew that this was big. i knew that it was going to work. it was the right record to lift the nation at a very, very difficult time. however, the initial idea to write a christmas song didn't actually come from the band. a year before, my mother—in—law was

sitting by the fire at christmas. # i'm dreaming...# his mum—in—law challenged him, saying, "you'd never be able to write a song like white christmas." i said, "but we don't do christmas songs. we're a rock and roll band." but he thought better of it and said, "i'll take up this challenge, i'll show her." i got into the shower and i started thinking, well, what could i do? and he'd remembered a song i'd written in 1967, which was a hippy—dippy psychedelic song. and it went, # buy me a rocking chair to watch the world go by. # buy me a looking glass to look me in the eye.# # so here it is, merry christmas...# went to the local pub, the trumpet in bilston. came home to me mum and dad, i was staying there. and in the night ijust wrote all the lyrics in one fell swoop.

| i want to speak to you simply and| plainly about the grave emergency now facing our country. in terms of comfort, _ we shall have a harder christmas than we have known since the war. with the country in crisis, facing fuel and electricity shortages and a three—day week, it seemed like slade's song was just the tonic needed, and the single flew off the shelves. we got a gold record the first day of release. would you believe that apparently the record company had to go to different companies' pressing plants to keep up the demand. and by the time christmas day came along, it had done a million. and then there are those two words. it's christmas! it's become my catchphrase, more or less. i mean, there's not a day goes by when i'm shopping or whatever in the country, that somebody somewhere don't shout, "it's christmas" at me. # it's onlyjust begun.#

that was ben sidwell talking to slade. and you can find out who this year's christmas number one is on the news at six tonight. bing crosby dreamt of it, and christmas cards make the most of it. so what are the chances of a white christmas this year? 0ur weather presenter matt taylor has been finding out. 0ne flake is all it takes to fall at any one of the met office's weather observing sites for it to be declared officially a white christmas. the last time we saw classic christmassy snow scenes was in 2010, when over 80% of the country was blanketed. but that was one of just four times it's happened in the last 60 years. the other years being in �*81, �*95 and 2009. our love of snow—covered christmas imagery is often put

down to victorians and this guy — charles dickens, writer of a christmas carol. he was born in 1812 at the end of what was known as the little ice age. this was a period of low output from the sun, and that caused global temperatures to plummet, giving us some pretty harsh and snowy winters. in london, the thames often froze over, and frost fairs were held on the ice. these days, we're more likely to see snow in the uk betweenjanuary and march rather than in december. we will still see some snow events, but the overall trend is decreasing. since the 1970s, we've seen a reduction in the amount of days with snow lying on the ground in the uk through the winter months. it's getting warmer due to climate change. we know our winters are warming up. six of the top ten warmest winters on record have occurred since 2007. and it's notjust here where chances of festive snow is being affected

by a warming climate. a recent study by the university of helsinki showed a 20—50% reduction of lying snow at christmas across europe since 1950. increasingly, for lots of us, any dreams of a white christmas in the future will be just that — dreams. matt taylor, bbc news. that takes us nicely into the weather prospects for the next few days, hello to chris fawkes. i thought i'd start off with this winter sun rise across the snow—covered shetland isles at the moment, it's the winter solstice today. for most of the uk today, a lot of cloud around but these north—westerly winds blowing across the mountains of the republic of ireland and wales knocking a few holes into the cloud so a bit of sunshine for wales, the south midlands and southern england, otherwise quite cloudy with rain across north—western areas, cold air

across north—western areas, cold air across the far north of