this is d.w. news live from berlin and the european union and britain on the brink of a free trade deal british prime minister boris johnson is expected to make an announcement from downing street at any moment news also expected from brussels on what could be an historic settlement will bring you all the details.

i'm sorry so much good to have you with us with just days to go before the end of the breaks that transition period the european union and britain are believed to have sealed a post bragg's it trade deal let's pull up some pictures now of 10 downing street in london where british prime minister boris johnson is expected to deliver an update on the gauche ations in a press conference now that press conference was expected to get started just around now but we're hearing reports that they have been delayed as negotiations continue those talks so they went into the night to hash out the final details of the treaty it lays out rules for when the u.k. leaves the single market and customs union on december 31st. as we keep an eye out for that press conference let's bring in our correspondents is in london max sander is in brussels good morning to you both max let's start with you tell us what we know at this point about the state of negotiations. right

sumi so this was this was a long intense day yesterday of talks that went into the night through the night at the moment it is not clear yet where we stand. there have been a lot of rumors starting late afternoon yesterday through the night that we were approaching a deal that a deal was in sight that we were very close but so far officials haven't confirmed anything have been very tight lipped about all of this there are some there is. there are some reports from from coming from london mostly that the that we are very close that was enough on the line and on and boris johnson have had talks over the past over the past day confirming things here and there and that that deal was it was was it was imminent but here in brussels everybody is still stepping on the breaks saying a deal is it's not done yet but and even passengers are put on call and which means they could decide on a deal or read a phone in on a on

a provisionary deal but will have to wait what comes out of this let's go over to you in london better get now away we are waiting as we said to hear from the british prime minister these negotiations really going down to the wire here because the prime minister has to sell this to the country how difficult will that be. well yes sue me it seems like nothing that's connected to bricks and can go without any drama so it's really up to the last minute and when it comes to selling the deal i think the country is still very very divided over breaks and so for for the people who voted for bricks that i think many will be rejoicing he will sell it as a deal that gets britain to be in control of its money its laws and its borders and i think this is what a lot of people will be cheering him for for those people who voted for remain to leave in the european union it's it will be the 1st trade deal history that puts up more barriers than actually brings them down and i think it will be very hard to

get to get those people on board i think a lot of ordinary people they are simply happy or will simply be happy if something is done and if this chapter is maybe closed for now and they don't have to hear about threats of anyone i think they're still the spreads of fatigue and everybody is really more concerned with the coronavirus and that particular crisis one thing is really for sure business will be relieved because if we have a trade deal then there will be no extra terrors for people that export to the e.u. and the same with imports and no tariffs that will be a big relief for british business all right we'll leave it there for now our correspondent in london max under in brussels thank you both. maxon berger will be watching the latest developments on that story we will cross back to them as soon as something changes in the meantime we'll go on to some other

news now the german airline lufthansa has flown 80 tons of food and produce into the u.k. after ground transport was halted to contain a new coronavirus variant france has reopened its border to freight traffic entering from britain and trucks have started boarding ferries at the port of dover but thousands of truckers are still stuck at ferry terminals because they can only cross the channel with a negative coronavirus test and many say they've already waited too long. knowledge of how did not 1 know was not all. frustration and anger in dover as truck drivers are furious at the delay in getting back to europe. some drivers are transporting cargo but all of them simply want to get home for the holidays if they're stuck on the english coast could be any of the last 4 nights you can see nobody sees you but it means nothing like the put me going to be discussed in this place not we have no

food we have no water yesterday. food but it was just something. and we don't know when we. can get home we have to day 15 and then now they say yes we don't have. because on the way. yeah boccardi. is blocked bay we have one way here. meanwhile the lines of trucks stretch for many many kilometers. and the drivers will be eventually allowed to cross but only after testing negative for cold feet 19. the army has been called in to help with the tests at a lorry park on a disused airfield near dover. the blockade doesn't just hurt

drivers one 5th of all good spawn for britain pass through dover supermarkets warned of shortages of basic goods if the port remained closed. germany has reported another record daily coronavirus death toll with 962 people dying from or with the virus a national lockdown has been in force for a week but with many people planning to travel and visit family for christmas health authorities are worried that there could be worse to come. normally billings main train station will be buzzing before christmas this year it's nearly empty but some are still traveling despite government appeals to stay home and stuff like this i hope dr biden has done enough to ensure there is no risk of infection i'll make sure i don't come into close contact with strange is that contact that says that i mean yes i think it's important to see the family. many germans have been taking rapid fire as tests before the holidays but the experts say they could

create a false sense of security the government is warning that reducing contact with others is the only way to stop infections and relieve pressure on hospitals. we live in get a lot of people talking about how they're going to celebrate christmas if it's a care is will be a good king not celebrating so my message to you is how you spend your christmas will directly affect what the intensive care ward will look like after the holidays but reduce social contact even if it's difficult if many christians are also having to make hard choices these here with jim and in fiction number still high there are growing calls to abandon traditional christmas services some congregations have already cancelled and are offering t.v. or online broadcasts instead. let's get a round of now of some other headlines u.s. president donald trump has issued another set of pardons they include charles questioner a father of his son in law jared charles question i have spent 2 years in prison

for tax evasion and other charges trump also part of his former campaign chairman paul maeder her as well as long time confidant roger stone. meanwhile the president has also vetoed a major military spending bill that had been passed by a large majority of republicans and the democrats in congress had previously criticized the $740000000000.00 national defense authorization act saying it would benefit china congress could now move to overturn the veto. and gunmen have killed more than $100.00 people in an attack in ethiopia's western region that's according to the state run human rights commission the identity of the attackers is unknown but security forces have arrested 5 local officials it's the latest episode of unrest in ethiopia following a deadly civil conflict into growing. a court in istanbul has sentence one of turkey's best known journalists to 27 years in jail on spying and terrorism

charges the case against john denver centered on an article that he wrote that exposed alleged government wrongdoing and endorsed turkey's president during their flight to germany 4 years ago and is unlikely to serve any more time in jail campaigners for press freedom say the sentence sends a chilling message to turkish journalists. john doe and doris lawyers boycotted the trial and is stamboul saying it was politically motivated and the verdict had already been decided in advance. the decision was handed down without them present 27 years and 6 months in prison for one of turkey's best known journalists. don't doris article and photos in the come hurry it newspaper in 2015 claim to show that turkey was supplying weapons to islamist groups in syria. and the paper were charged with betraying state secrets the charges were expanded to include espionage and supporting terrorism president ratchet tie affair to one called the journalist

a traitor and an agent. of the 59 year old has been living in exile in berlin for the last 4 years the campaign group reporters without borders condemned the proceedings as a farce will now go on trial again along with other journalists in a separate case. and didn't you spoke with chandan daughter and asked whether he was surprised by the verdict. unfortunately lots of brazing because from the beginning it was that kind of range boy government it was me that was promising to. give the most. possible price for this new story which was a true story. so they wanted to punish me because of this true story at the same time try to intimidate the other journalists into it you who

dared to touch that sense that kind of sense that issues now it is christmas eve here in germany and one of the festivals most popular traditions is buying and decorating a christmas tree millions of young pine trees are put out every year to adorn living rooms around the country but there is growing criticism over the damaging environmental impact of the practice so some entrepreneurs are creating more sustainable alternatives. a tree is cut down. and another. every year we cut down millions of trees just so that we can have one for christmas in germany alone around $30000000.00 trees are sold over the festive season. benedict bruiser is selling christmas trees with a difference to make a difference while the idea of the returns of christmas trees is that we develop a system where we only cut the top off the tree and then have the natural

succession of the tree of that war again build a new branch of the so hopefully so it's a regenerative tree that never is being killed but it always regrowth. in january birds of peas people if they bring back the bits they've had over christmas. those bits are cut up and mixed into soil becoming nutrients in the tree plantation underneath the cover brazil plants potatoes. or wild strawberries. and in the middle black berries. and all around them the regenerating christmas trees. which have a special meaning for birds. through through all the technological advancements and the digital world we have lost many of those just natural ways of coming together

and communicating and celebrating life and you know being aware of what life actually means and for me to do is the christmas tree at christmas where you come together as a family and you just enjoy being together and having that time to also reflect on the year if the project proved successful bursal hopes the technique will be used around the world to make christmas trees a little bit greener. and before we go we just have some festive cheer for you of the furry variety courtesy of the berlin zoo the animals in the german capital were treated to some early festivities including christmas trees filled with furry friendly treats for the big cats and it was even a present virtue for some of the bears though they did have to reach for their. stars or its polar bears heritage and tanya and they even took their tree for a swim after the fish.

let's get a quick reminder of our top story the e.u. and britain appear on the brink of a post break the trade deal after 9 months of talks officials say even a go shatters on their british counterparts have made a last minute push to finalize the deal before christmas. thank you for watching. i'm secure in the volume or that's hard and in the end this is a me you are not a lot of the year and more rules and you. are you familiar with this. with the smugglers with miles of the b what's your story. 'd on what numbers of women especially of victims of violence. take part and see.