tonight at six — deadlock continues in the post—brexit trade talks, with fundamental differences remaining between the uk and the eu. downing street has made clear that the uk is ready to walk away from the talks, but, for now, negotiations continue in brussels. can you tell us about any progress, if a deal's still possible? we're still working very hard. i'd like to be giving more positive news, but, at the moment, these negotiations seem stalled and the barriers to progress are still very much in place. we'll have the latest from our correspondents in brussels and westminster. also tonight... ready to roll out the vaccine tomorrow — the firstjabs will be administered in hospitals around the uk. hashem abedi, the brother of the manchester arena suicide bomber,

finally admits from prison that he helped to plan the attack. a glimmer of hope for debenhams as mike ashley — founder of sports direct — confirms he's in talks for a last—minute rescue. rugby league's kevin sinfield completes seven marathons in seven days to raise money for team—mate rob burrows, who has motor neurone disease. and coming up on bbc news, we will have all the details on which teams the home nations have drawn in qualifying for football's world cup in qatar in 2022. good evening and welcome to the bbc news at six. there's still deadlock in the post—brexit trade talks between the uk and eu. downing street is pledging to continue negotiations

for "as long as long as time is available." but the eu's chief negotiator michel barner insists the talks in brussels will not go beyond wednesday. this afternon, the prime minister has been speaking to the president of the european union, ursula von der leyen. it's not known what was said, but we are expecting to hear more from the prime minister shortly. and a potential olive branch has been extended to brussels — with the uk government saying that, if a deal is reached, it will remove controversial clauses in a government bill relating to trade in northern ireland. let's join our political editor laura kuenssberg. sophie, the call between the eu chief and the prime minister has finished in the last half an hour or so, i'm not sure it has changed very much of what seemed, frankly, like a pretty tricky stalemate on both sides. remember, we have left the european union already. the government has also got a mandate to ta ke government has also got a mandate to take us out of the single market and

the customs union, so things are changing in any way. in the last few months, these talks have been all about trying to sort out everything else. exactly what should our relationships be across the channel? exactly how your business work? how do we unplug from the european union after four decades inside without there being disruption? and that is really what is at stake here, something that could feel quite chaotic at the beginning of next year or a smoother change. so that's why it matters, but what, tonight, really are the chances of a deal? it's been a long day after a long few weeks and, tonight, it still seems in the balance. being in the dark. a common feature of these secretive talks. good morning. have you made progress? good morning. the eu's chief negotiator up early to greet a waiting audience of diplomats. the looks on their faces weren't just because of the early hour. the chances of a deal don't feel good. lord frost, can you tell

us about any progress, is a deal still possible? we're still working very hard. that's why there is clamour around the uk's negotiator, lord frost. are you optimistic a deal can be achieved? in brussels this time, talks going round and round. both sides want a deal, so they can keep doing business from next month without too much disruption. the current rules will disappear at new year. there's been lots of activity, but can you hear much optimism around? having heard from michel barnier this morning, really the news is very downbeat. i would say he was very gloomy and obviously very cautious about the ability to make progress today. an agreement felt almost in reach when negotiations were happening in london last week. but, in brussels, in the last 2a hours, it moved further away. they can't agree on how much fish they can catch in each other‘s waters or how to share rules and regulations. a stalemate perhaps, since boris johnson last talked to the eu

chief on saturday night. butjust before he picked up the phone today to ursula von der leyen, the uk confirmed it could drop its plans to give ministers the power to break the treaty they've already agreed with brussels. a peace offering, yes. a total game changer? maybe not. of course, there are huge complications in terms of getting the guts of a dealjust right, and the uk has extended something of an olive branch to the eu this afternoon by promising to ditch controversial bits of a draft law, if everything can be sorted out. but, in the end, in the next couple of days, the question for downing street may be quite a simple one. is borisjohnson willing to take the serious, practical risks of no agreement to preserve a political principle? that leaving the eu was meant to be about the uk being completely in charge. according to his ministers, the answer's yes. we are at a critical moment in the negotiations. we are all working to get a deal,

but the only deal that is possible is one that is comatible with our sovereignty. while an agreement is preferable, we are prepared to leave on so—called australian—style terms. in other words, no fixed agreement, using world trade organization terms. but no one wants to be seen to concede. france, happy to be seen as the strongman, knows time is nearly up. and, as borisjohnson‘s biggest judgment approaches, every minute really counts. whatever happens in the next few days or weeks, whether there's a deal or not, there will be changes for everyone when the transition period comes to an end at 11pm on the 31st of december, as our deputy political editor vicki young reports. the uk and the eu need a new set of rules for how we live, work and do business together. things are about to change, whether there is a trade deal or not. you will no longer be

allowed to move freely between the uk and the eu to live or work. when it comes to holidays, visas won't be required but visits will be limited to 90 days in any six month period. you will have to make sure your passport has at least six months left on it and a free health care won't be guaranteed. you will need extra driving documents for some countries and extra paperwork for any pets. now, what about trade? whatever happens, businesses that importand whatever happens, businesses that import and export goods will need to fill out more forms and there will be added cheques which cause cause delays on key routes like the channel crossing —— which could cause. but if there is no deal, the disruption will be greater. while the uk was in the eu, companies didn't have to pay taxes known as ta riffs didn't have to pay taxes known as tariffs on the food and manufactured goods being bought and sold across the border. the trade deal the two are trying to thrash out would keep things that way, but, with no deal,

many imports would be taxed. for example, there would be a10% many imports would be taxed. for example, there would be a 10% tariff on cars. 8% on imported fresh flowers a nd on cars. 8% on imported fresh flowers and 20% on apricots. some worry that food supplies could be disrupted. some goods won't come at all and that will mean shortages of certain products, and some goods, if they come, will cost a lot more and that will mean that some shoppers will decide they are not within their price range. so what you will see is a mix of less choice, or fewer choices on the shelves, and more expensive products. but the uk government says it will cut taxes on other things like dishwashers, making those cheaper. there are many other aspects of our relationship, including financial services, that also need to be ironed out. this won't necessarily involve a negotiation. the uk and the eu will make their own decisions. that is probably what we would see in areas like aviation and road haulage and oi'i like aviation and road haulage and on areas like data and financial

services, really the ball is in the eu's services, really the ball is in the eu's ought to make its own decisions there and the consequences of those decisions are quite important in terms of how easy it is to transfer data, how much access to financial markets uk firms will have. some aspects of our relationship with the eu will be more complicated, but brexit enthusiasts say the uk will be free to make its own decisions. vicki young, bbc news, westminster. our europe editor katya adlerjoins me now. so these talks between the prime minister and the president of the european union are paused, we are told. what reaction are you hearing? well, we are hearing that they paused, that they have actually ended now and of course speculation as to exactly what was discussed in that conversation, we are still waiting for details. all i can tell you is that here in the european court, everybody walking past is on their mobile phone. there has been a flurry of activity, diplomatic activity, this evening, just before the conversation between the prior minister and ursula von der leyen,

the european commission president. —— prime minister. she spoke to angela merkel of germany and emmanuel macron of france, a scheduled call before the meeting of eu leaders on friday but they did discuss brexit, anxious to see whether a deal can be signed and, at the same time, positive news, finally, i think we can say, coming out of the eu and uk effort to implement last year's divorce deal when it comes to those details on northern ireland. altogether, it is like a swirl of noise, breaking through the fog are very grumpy negotiations because i can tell you, this morning, the weather here in brussels really mirrored the mood here. foggy and impenetrable, difficult to see the way forward. the eu's chief negotiator briefed eu member states, ambassadors that are here in brussels and then the european parliament, saying he really wasn't sure that a deal could be done and that pessimism was echoed on the uk side too. the mood

feels a little more ambivalent this evening, everybody on their mobile phone every second are looking for clues but, still, we are on this roller—coaster ride. clues but, still, we are on this roller-coaster ride. katya adler in brussels, thank you. the first coronavirus jabs will be given tomorrow in what's being described as a "decisive turning point in the battle against coronavirus". the vaccine is being delivered to dozens of hospitals across the uk. people over the age of 80, care home workers and front—line health staff will be first in the queue. the army may be drafted in to help transport further stocks of the pfizer biontech vaccine. it needs to be stored at around minus 70 degrees and moved carefully. here's our health editor, hugh pym. tomorrow, they will be part of history, among the very first to get the coronavirus jabs. harry and ranjan are in their 80s, so are in the top priority groups and they will go in together to be vaccinated at newcastle's royal infirmary. i'm really excited now. i think that it

is good that i have got the opportunity and so i am not nervous oi’ opportunity and so i am not nervous or anything like that. i'm looking forward to it. the hopes of a nation or on your forward to it. the hopes of a nation or on your shoulders! the head of nhs england visited the royal free hospital in london to see their preparations for the start of vaccinations. we are going to have to continue to be very careful, but, if we do that, i think there is every chance that we will look back oi'i every chance that we will look back on tomorrow as marking a decisive turning point in the battle against coronavirus. relax your arm and roll your sleeve right up. here, they are demonstrating how it will be done as they draw up plans to vaccinate 80 patients over the age of 80 tomorrow and, as the week goes on, care home workers and some nhs staff. and, of course, the vaccine needs to be stored at ultralow temperatures in specialfridge units. the stored at ultralow temperatures in special fridge units. the pace of it over the last three days or so has been particularly challenging and there are so many bits to get ready,

particularly because this vaccine, it is not like any other vaccine and the handling of it, so we have had to make sure we've had the right people to be able to support it. everything ready for tomorrow? staff say they are ready for what is being billed as the biggest vaccination programme in the history of the nhs. it will undoubtedly be a hugely significant moment when hospitals like this one start delivering the vaccine tomorrow, but then comes the challenge for the nhs of getting it out into local communities. gps in england have been told they can start vaccinating from next week. the complex logistics of getting the vaccine to care homes are still being worked out. in some areas, that will start before christmas. scotland's first minister, meanwhile, was being briefed on preparations at edinburgh ‘s western general hospital. this is day one of perhaps the final stage of this pandemic for scotland and i think it isa pandemic for scotland and i think it is a moment for us to feel more optimistic than we have in the past

nine months. and, as the vaccine arrived at the centre in north wales, health chiefs around the uk we re wales, health chiefs around the uk were saying, although there was cause for optimism, the rules on social distancing were no less important. pym, bbc news. the latest government figures show there were 14,718 new coronavirus infections recorded in the latest 24—hour period. that means that the average number of new cases reported per day in the last week is now 15,472. 1,354 people have been admitted to hospital on average each day over the week to last thursday. and 189 deaths were reported — that's people who died within 28 days of a positive covid—19 test. it means, on average in the past week, 427 deaths were announced every day. it takes the total number of deaths so far across the uk to 61,434. meanwhile, wales' health minister has warned there could be further restrictions after christmas as covid cases continue

to rise. vaughan gething said wales was the only part of the uk where figures were not falling at the end of november. latest data suggests there are more than 600 cases per 100,000 in some areas. mr gething said how people behave would determine how many die from the virus. the brother of the manchester arena bomber, salman abedi, has admitted for the first time that he had a "full and knowing part" in planning the suicide attack. hashem abedi was jailed for murdering the 22 people who were killed at the ariana grande concert in may 2017. during his trial, the 23—year—old hashem abedi denied helping his brother to plan the suicide bombing. danny savage reports. he is the brother of the suicide bomber who carried out the manchester arena attack. at his trial for being complicit in the atrocity, hashem abedi pleaded not guilty. he told police his brother's actions

were a shock to him. but the jury found him guilty of mass murder. now, though, he's changed his story, saying he knew full well what his brother was planning that night. in prison, serving his sentence, hashem abedi was interviewed by members of the inquiry legal team... that admission emerged for the first time today, at the ongoing public inquiry into the arena attack, as the lead lawyer interviewed a senior police officer. and on the 22nd of october, during the course of that interview, hashem abedi admitted that he had played a full part and a knowing part in the planning and preparation for the arena attack? yes, i think that's a fair summary. so, there is no doubt now that your team's prosecution of him and the crown prosecution service prosecution of him was entirely well—founded ? it was, and there was no doubt in my mind.

for the families caught up in the atrocity, this is a significant development. and there will be some satisfaction among investigators too that the brother of the suicide bomber, who's now serving a minimum sentence of 55 years, has finally admitted to what he was accused of, after previously denying it. ismail, bbc news... it also emerged today that a forensic link to ismail abedi, the elder brother of the bomber, was found in a car used to store explosives prior to the attack. he has declined to cooperate with the public inquiry. danny savage, bbc news, manchester. the time is 6:17. our top story this evening: downing street has made clear that the uk is ready to walk from the post—brexit trade talks — but for now negotiations continue in brussels. can you imagine running seven marathons in seven days? rugby‘s kevin sinfield has done just that —

to raise money for teammate rob burrows, who has motor neurone disease. coming up on sportsday on bbc news, england's cricket tour of south africa has been abandoned following concerns over a coronavirus outbreak at the teams' shared base near cape town. the poorest areas in england have seen disproportionate cuts to public health spending. the institute for public policy research says these regions have also been hit hardest by the coronavirus pandemic, with poor underlying health contributing to a high death toll. the study shows that england has seen public health spending cut by an average ofjust over £13 a person. but in the midlands, it's almost £17 per person. and the worst—affected area is the north east of england, with spending cuts of more than £23 per person. 0ur health correspondent, dominic hughes, reports from gateshead.

in deprived communities like bensham in gateshead, poor housing and a lack ofjobs are feeding ill health. cuts to public health projects targeting smoking, obesity or addiction haven't helped, so people are having to find their own solutions. charlie? yep. for the past decade, charlie dixon barely knew his neighbours in this sheltered housing project, but that's all changed with the start of a free food hub, ending isolation and loneliness. i've been here all these years, and i didn't know anybody. you know, not even on my floor. you'd only say hello to them, didn't know their names. now i know all their names, you know, everybody comes out and says, "hello, charlie," or, "hello, fred." it's great, it's fantastic. building strong, resilient communities is a powerful weapon in the fight against ill health, but new research shows how it's the poorest parts of england that, since 2014, have seen the biggest

cuts to public health budgets undermining that work. well, that cut has led to the reduction in some of those really important programmes that get to work on the things that cause ill health. so, programmes like alcohol and drug reduction, things to help reduce rates of obesity and smoking. these are also some of the conditions that leave people more vulnerable to covid—19 — a deadly combination of poverty and underlying ill—health. we know people from our most disadvantaged communities are more likely to be working in front line occupations and therefore exposed to covid, but we also know they are more likely to have the underlying conditions that make them, you know, have an increased risk of a severe form of covid and, sadly, death. as the health gap between rich and poor widens, charities like the comfrey garden project are stepping in to help the most vulnerable. people like hosein, a refugee from iran, who has developed new skills and friends. you can imagine how difficult it can

be when you are in an area you don't know, you don't have any friends or family and, you cannot speak the language other people speak. but i find a job in this project. they offered me a job. so, i can see how different my life can be with the comfrey project and without the comfrey project. the department of health and social care in england says more than £10 billion has been provided to help councils cope with the pandemic, but the coronavirus has only highlighted pre—existing inequalities in health. today's report is a reminder that, once the virus has faded, those inequalities will remain. dominic hughes, bbc news, gateshead. mike ashley, who founded sports direct, has confirmed he is working on a possible last—minute rescue plan for debenhams. but his company — frasers group, which also owns house of fraser and jack wills — says discussions must be concluded swiftly. our business correspondent, emma simpson, is outside debehams' flagship store in oxford street. how realistic is this?

sophie, this all comes down to how much mike ashley is prepared to pay and whether it is a credible enough offer for the administrators. he made a bid during the initial sales process , made a bid during the initial sales process, but this was rejected because it was too low so now he is having another go, at the 11th hour. you can probably see the signs in the window here, the closing down sale is already under way. and one potential sticking point might be how to value of the stock that has already disappeared out of the doors here. frasers group this morning said this had to be done quickly, time was short, it hoped for a rescue package to save jobs, but there was no certainty that this could be done. and of course, mike ashley has long had his eye on debenhams, he lost out big time last yearin debenhams, he lost out big time last year ina debenhams, he lost out big time last year in a battle for control. so this really is his final chance and

possibly the last chance for debenhams. sophie, even if he did do a deal, it is highly unlikely he would keep all the stores in the longer term. gemma simpson, thank you. —— emma. the mother of a girl who died following an asthma attack has told an inquest that she would have moved house immediately, had she known the effects of dangerous levels of air pollution on her daughter's health. nine—year—old ella adoo—kissi—debrah died in 2013. a second inquest is investigating whether air pollution near the family's home may have contributed to her death. 0ur environment correspondent, claire marshall, reports. this picture of ella, two months before she died, is on display in the court room, as details emerge about the story surrounding her death. the coroner's court has already heard how she was exposed to years of dangerous and illegal levels of air pollution. coughing ella became ill ten years ago. her mother, rosamund adoo—kissi—debrah, has fought so hard to be heard. their family home was beside

london's busy south circular road. they would walk to school along it. rosamund said, at the time, no connection was made between ella's fatal asthma attack and air pollution. but then a new medical report said there was a direct link. the high court ordered a fresh inquest. in court today, the coroner asked if she'd thought car fumes were having an effect on her. she replied, "no. as her mother, i would have moved. we would have moved straightaway. we were desperate for anything that could have helped." this isn't just about whether toxic air helped to kill ella. it goes much wider than that. government officials have been giving evidence. this is about — who knew how bad the pollution was, what was being done to reduce it, and how much were the public being told? i'm glad her voice has come out. and it's really important to me, still, to continue to talk about young people now who are still suffering from asthma. government figures say 30,000

people are killed by air pollution each year, but no connection to an individual death has ever been made. will ella make that link? claire marshall, bbc news, southwark coroner's court. let's have a look at some of the rest of today's stories. and the wife of a police officer who was poisoned in the salisbury novichok attack says he is "fighting for part of his pension". sarah bailey made the comment after the wiltshire police federation chairman said the force had helped detective sergeant nick bailey "get the compensation package he deserved". ds bailey left wiltshire police in october. the force said it would be inappropriate to comment. lord maginnis is to be barred from the house of lords for at least 18 months for the bullying and harassment of three mps and a security guard. fellow peers voted overwhelmingly to back the punishment of the former ulster unionist mp — who sits as an independent — recommended by the lords conduct committee. the remaining matches in the england

cricket team's tour of south africa have been adandoned, after a number of positive coronavirus tests. a south africa player and two members of hotel staff tested positive, while england say two members of their party returned "unconfirmed positive tests". and a monolith has mysteriously appeared in britain, just days after similar ones were spotted in the usa, the netherlands and romania. the unusual mirrored structure was discovered on compton beach, on the west side of the isle of wight, and is described as about 7.5 feet tall. an anonymous collective called the most famous artist has taken credit for the monoliths in america, but it has not claimed this one. the former england and leeds rhinos rugby league player kevin sinfield has just run seven marathons in seven days — all of them in well under four hours. his extraordinary test of endurance was to raise money for his friend and former team mate, 38—year—old rob burrow, who has motor neurone disease. and he raised far more than anyone expected. here's our sports correspondent, katie gornall.

cheering it was a challenge powered by friendship and, this morning, that challenge entered its final strides. kevin sinfield had just run seven marathons in seven days to support the motor neurone disease association, and his former team—mate, rob burrow. made up, overwhelmed. that was unbelievable. we never knew it'd turn into anything like this. it was just six mates trying to raise a bit of money for rob. and my wife said to me this morning, "if someone offered to double it, would you do it again?", and in an instant, i said, "yeah, absolutely. " i'd do it because that's what mates do, don't they? probably the best week of my life. and then, in a couple of years, we'll look back hopefully with a great deal of pride on being able to help people. as a player for leeds rhinos, burrow constantly defied the odds. this is a sensational try! there aren't many in super league that could do that! small in stature, but with enormous ability, sinfield — his captain and close friend —

was neverfarfrom his side. when burrow‘s diagnosis became public last year, his team—mates rallied round. sinfield's initial aim was to raise around £77,000. that target was soon smashed. i've had a few little private chats with him and he said, i burst out crying at this moment, i was thinking about this and that. because he's a very emotional character, and i can't imagine what the physical and emotional energy that's been drained from him this week must've done. but i'm just really glad that he's achieved it. you know, he's raised £1 million, over £1 million! and as he set out on his final marathon, burrow had this message for him. kev, from day one, has always been a role model to me and someone who i've held in the highest regard. i hope you know i'd do the same for you. it means everything to me. rob burrow knows there are significant challenges ahead, but he won't be facing them alone. katie gornall, bbc news. let's return now to our top story. deadlock continues in the post—brexit trade talks — with fundamental differences remaining between the uk and the eu.

0ur political editor laura kuenssberg joins me again. any sense of what has come out of this discussion between boris johnson and the president of the european commission? we don't have anything official yet, the fact we haven't heard even though the call finish sometime i think gives us a sniff of the fact they are certainly not on the point of about to say, eureka, hallelujah, the agreements have suddenly disappeared. i think if it is the simple fact they talked foran hourand a if it is the simple fact they talked for an hour and a half but somehow couldn't escape the stalemate in any way, that is likely to be quite a bad sign for the prospect of actually getting this agreement is nailed down in the next couple of days. let's just remember a nailed down in the next couple of days. let'sjust remember a couple of brief things. firstly, both sides have always said and have believed that it would be better to be able to do that it would be better to be able todoa that it would be better to be able to do a deal. both sides know that time is extremely tight. it is at the end of this month that the existing arrangements come to an end. but we also know that all

along, both sides have come up with the main principle that they disagree so fundamentally on. britain wants to be outside the european union's rules but still keep some of the benefits of being in that club, but the eu doesn't see why with the uk out, why it should give the uk any particular privileges. that has been a problem all along and it still seems the problem tonight. laura kuenssberg with the latest there, thank you. time for a look at the weather. here's darren bett. a cold day to day and freezing in some parts of england. in areas where the bug has persisted. and thatis where the bug has persisted. and that is thickening up now through tonight and developing more widely across lincolnshire, east anglia and the midlands and southern england, it will be still there into tomorrow morning. showers around threatening icy patches and the weather is changing further north, an area of low pressure in the north sea is bringing this wet weather into scotland, strengthening the winds and eventually that pushes down into

northern ireland. generally keeping the