Your morning briefing: What you should know for Friday, December 18

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Your morning briefing: What you should know for Friday, December 18

hristmas mixing ‘could lead to Covid case tsunami’

The warning came as swathes of southern and eastern England prepare to enter the top tier of Covid-19 restrictions.

More than two-thirds of the population will be under Tier 3 measures from Saturday, with the Government declining to rule out a third national lockdown as cases soar in London and other parts of the country.

Brexit talks to continue after PM warns ‘very likely’ deal will not be made

Boris Johnson told European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen in a call last night that the EU must “significantly” shift its stance on fishing if there is to be an agreement.

Mrs von der Leyen acknowledged that “big differences” remained between the two sides and stressed that “bridging them will be very challenging”.

Time is running out to reach a deal with just a fortnight until the end of the transition period, and the Prime Minister said the negotiations were now in a “serious situation”.

Flood warnings as torrential rain to batter parts of England and Wales

The Met Office has issued an amber flood warning for South Wales, where homes are likely to be affected and communities could be cut off due to water on the roads.

The flooding could bring disruption to transport services and power lines from 9am until tomorrow. There is also a chance of lightning and hail in South Wales this weekend.

Second coronavirus vaccine set for approval in US

The US is set to approve a second coronavirus vaccine after the jab won the endorsement of a government advisory panel.

Regulators have communicated their plans to pharmaceutical company Moderna, which co-developed the vaccine.

The announcement came after a panel of advisers ruled that the benefits of the vaccine outweighed the risks.

Once the authorisation is granted, Moderna will begin shipping millions of doses, earmarked for health workers and nursing home residents.

Trailer containing £200k worth of whisky stolen in Scotland

The red articulated trailer with white writing on the sides was stolen from an industrial estate in Carmyle.

It was then discovered abandoned six miles away in Blantyre five days later.

On this day…

1707: Charles Wesley, hymn-writer and prolific preacher, was born in Epworth, Lincolnshire.

1737: Antonio Stradivari, violin-maker, died in his 90s in Cremona, Italy.

1865: The United States officially abolished slavery with the ratification of the 13th Amendment.

1912: Newspapers ran headlines of the discovery of Piltdown Man in Sussex. It was claimed to be the fossilised skull and remains of the earliest known European. In 1953 it was proved to be a hoax – the skull was that of an orangutan combined with the skull of a fully developed, modern man.

1952: Bill and Ben, the Flowerpot Men, were first seen on BBC TV, along with Little Weed.

1969: The death penalty for murder was formally abolished in Britain.

1970: Divorce became legal in Italy.

2012: The Queen capped her Diamond Jubilee year by becoming the first monarch to attend the cabinet in more than two centuries.

2014: Ronnie Biggs, the Great Train Robber who won worldwide notoriety for spending 36 years on the run after escaping prison, died aged 84.

Source: Evening Standard Business News

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