alex forsyth, bbc news.l be examining how differing interpretations of sovereignty and the function of shared rules has helped shape the brexit story. also in brussels today — european union leaders have agreed to set a more ambitious target for cutting greenhouse gases in the next ten years. the deal comes after more than 10 hours of gruelling negotiations, after the new proposal was met with resistance in some of the eu's 27 states. the new aim is to cut emissions by 55% from their 1990 levels, by 2030. until now that goal was a0 percent. for some context, by 2018 the eu had already reduced emissions by 23.2% from their 1990 peak. the deal also commits to a 70% reduction in coal use from 2015 levels, after a last—minute agreement with poland, to provide the coal producing country with extra funding. commission chief usula van der leyen said the target put europe on a path towards climate neutrality by 2050. we will reduce emissions by at least 55% by 2030 and today's agreement puts us on a clear path towar

alex forsyth reports.oday at a firm providing energy for the future. more immediate trade talks, though, must be on his mind. negotiators are still working out which way they'll go as borisjohnson warned again reaching agreement with the eu looks doubtful. it's looking, you know, very, very likely that we'll have to go for a solution that i think would be, you know, wonderfulfor the uk. we'd be able to do exactly what we want from january i — though obviously, it would be different from what we'd set out to achieve. but i have no doubt that this country can get ready and, as i say, come out on world trade terms. so, for those affected, what does that mean? this farm exports barley to the eu. if there's no deal come january, world trade rules kick in, meaning tariffs or taxes on goods moving between here and the continent, which could push costs up. i think for the industry as a whole, it'll be disastrous. we've got a perfect storm approaching of these support payments being taken away, brexit, possibly no

alex forsyth, bbc news.proval of a coronavirus vaccine for use in the united states, thousands of people are likely to continue to die each day from the disease for some time. there have been nearly two thousand deaths counted today already. the us food and drug administration says it is working hard to issue an emergency use authorisation for the pfizer biontech vaccine. president trump has repeatedly criticised them for not speeding up the process. and today, he took to twitter to describe the organisation as a "big, slow, old turtle — and accuse them of playing games. final clearance is expected this weekend which means the first americans could get their inoculations early next week. i'm joined now byjesse goodman, professor of infectious diseases at georgetown university and former chief scientist at the us food and drug administration. weird yesterday was that this first stage of the approval process was and had been cleared, the first hurdle had been cleared, after the committee hearing. how long can

alex forsyth, bbc news. our europe editor katya adler is in brussels.ered to go to berlin or paris to help talks alone, but that met with a cool response from eu leaders today? absolutely, you could be tempted to see that as a snob, but these trade talks focus on the single market, it is the single market that binds all 27 eu countries, so there can't be a berlin or paris moment, where those leaders, however powerful, make compromises that would affect every single eu country. that is why they have chosen the european commission to represent them in the negotiations. today, there was a big push back from the commission on an assertion we have heard over again from the government, that the eu just does not accept that, after brexit, the uk can make up it's own rules and regulations. what we were hearing from eu leaders today, once again, is, look, uk, you chose to leave the eu but now you want preferential access to the single market. that's fine, but we will only do that if we, the eu, feel our businesses and the single market, the market itself, are pr

alex forsyth, bbc news. let's speak to our economics editor faisal islam.ly arrived in the fork in the road. absolutely. as used heard there, this is the practical realisation of brexit in a market we've been in for nearly three decades. the customs union, common market as perhaps most people know it, that we have been in for nearly five decades. in the legal and sovereignty terms means the direct effect of the eu law ceases to apply at 11 o'clock tonight. european courts ofjustices at 11 o'clock tonight. european courts of justices have at 11 o'clock tonight. european courts ofjustices have written all of that stuff goes. in practical terms are transposed almost all of eu law to uk larkham is the influence will still be there. at the option to diverge kicks in from a leather tonight. i think we are broke to getting some legislative and officer of the government almost immediately on what they hope to do with those powers. but with those freedoms comes some changes, as you have been hearing about it the way that business is done. those rules underpin seamle

alex forsyth, bbc news. gibraltar is hours away from seeing in the new year.wed by the uk's imminent departure for the eu. but spain has reached a deal with the uk to maintain free movement to and from gibraltar once the uk formally leaves the eu in less than three hours. one of gibraltar‘s most familiar faces james neish is moments away from broadcasting live across the rock for gbc‘s new year's eve special, and is also a journalist here in the uk. hejoins us now. what will we be seeing in terms of celebrations? well this is a very special night, and normally it would have thousands of people gathered in one of the main squares here. like many other places around the world, it'll be a much quieter affair. but we are going to have a spectacular show on local television with local artists, keeping everybody company. loads of people self isolating, a spike in cases here in gibraltar, and there is a curfew which still has to come into place. so worker deaths a curfew is in place tonight so everyone must deaths a curfew is in place tonight so everyone must at home

alex forsyth, bbc news. 0ur correspondent vivienne nunis is in dover ahead of big changes expected there see some coming down the past behind me committees of the last lorries that cross over into the eu before we see that big change later this evening. there's one very departing, the very last ferry leaves at about eight o'clock tonight. that will be contending the last lorries, they don't need that documentation. after that everything changes. at 11 o'clock tonight local time the trading relationship with ee will profoundly change and this is exporting into the eu or need to have a whole lot more administration, bureaucracy, customs declarations and so a lot more paperwork to deal with. previously of course it has been like exporting onto the continent, at the same as moving goods from london to manchester, but that will all change tonight. in terms of those businesses i've heard there for the next couple of weeks they will let things bed in before they get things going again in the new year, but others will not have that luxury will they put the well that's true. certainly accepting a

alex forsyth, bbc news.an mep and chair of the eu parliament's single market committee. thank you for your time, a happy new year to you. i will want to point out a tweet you put out earlier in the day. you said this was a good moment to post this picture. it underlines clearly a sadness that you have? yes, i feelvery, very sad today. and you mentioned my tweet — i posted tweet saying we always leave a light on, and people from the uk commented on my tweet expressing their sadness as well that they are leaving the eu for good. so for me, of course it is a data look at the future, but also to reflect a little bit the last years and our common history with sadness. you used the phrase "we will always leave the light on in the eu house for uk friends." you hope one day this will be reversed?” for uk friends." you hope one day this will be reversed? i thinkl also want to give confidence to other people who didn't want to have the brexit, all the people who saw the brexit, all the people who saw the turmoil in th

but first here's our political correspondent alex forsyth.d welcome for the prime minister today at a firm providing energy for the future. more immediate trade talks, though, must be on his mind. negotiators are still working out which way they'll go as borisjohnson warned again reaching agreement with the eu looks doubtful. it's looking, you know, very, very likely that we'll have to go for a solution that i think would be... you know, wonderfulfor the uk. we'd be able to do exactly what we want from january the 1st, though obviously it would be different from what we'd set out to achieve. but i have no doubt that this country can get ready, and as i say, come out on world trade terms. so, for those affected, what does that mean? this farm exports barley to the eu. if there's no deal comejanuary, world trade rules kick in, meaning tariffs or taxes on goods moving between here and the continent, which could push costs up. i think for the industry as a whole, it'll be disastrous. we've got a perfect storm approaching of these support payments

alex forsyth, bbc news.ve been injured after a vehicle hit black lives matter demonstrators in new york. it's believed the car ploughed into the crowd at a protest in the murray hill neighbourhood, adjacent to midtown manhattan, around apm. the motorist remained at the scene and was detained for questioning, while police said none of the injuries appeared to be life—threatening. you are watching bbc news. tributes have been pouring in for dame barbara windsor, who's died at the age of 83. her acting career spanned more than 60 years. she found fame in the carry 0n films of the 1960s and ‘70s and went on to spend nearly 20 years behind the bar of the queen vic in eastenders, playing the formidable landlady peggy mitchell. 0ur entertainment correspondent david sillito looks back at her life. dame windsor giggles. that'll do, that'll do. all right, girls, get in the coach, and you, get on with the loading. barbara windsor — funny, cheeky and much loved. so we were told to bring the minimum of clothing. now, rea

alex forsyth, bbc news.'s mother was born in france, and the 80—year—old remain voter said it was a question of reclaiming a nationality he'd always considered to be his by birth. he said he would always be european. the former manchester united and scotland football manager tommy docherty has died following a long illness. docherty, known as the doc, was best known for his five—years at old trafford, overseeing an fa cup win over liverpool in 1977. he played for preston over 300 times and won 25 caps for scotland. he was 92. it may be a challenging end to a difficult year, but that hasn't stopped people around the country getting out to make the best of the winter weather. snow and ice has continued to hit many parts of the uk overnight, but in manchester families enjoyed the heavy snowfall this morning. yellow weather warnings were in place until mid—afternoon for much of scotland, northern england, the midlands and wales. new year celebrations around the world have been mostly muted by the pandemic, but m

alex forsyth, bbc news.europe editor earlier today and ask her what was happening behind—the—scenes. today and ask her what was happening behind-the-scenes. there has been so much counter briefing, rumours and supposedly ekes over the last weeks and months and right now the only people who really know what is going on in these negotiations are the men and women locked in at negotiating room here in brussels. they will stay there all weekend and we will find out more on sunday. will it be deal? will it beat no deal? or will it be let's keep talking a little while longer? with that in mind, one thing we can agree on and i say we can with the two sides even, is that there is potentially a no deal on there is potentially a no deal on the cards now. that's right but it's been on the cards all the time. you've got to parties in these negotiations but behind at the european commission, there are 27 eu countries, and so when the prime minister said yesterday i will do whatever it takes to get this deal, i will go to

alex forsyth, bbc news.f the european youth forum. thank you for their time this evening. we heard from a former leader of the conservative party saying this was a wonderful time to be 21. he said the spirit and planning for the future, do you think that the common view with people of that age?|j think that the common view with people of that age? i think there's a lot of different views. one, of course, is that now with the new york coming in, there is uncertainty that has been for the past four yea rs that has been for the past four years —— with the new year coming in. there's a bit more clarity into what it means now that the transition period is coming to an end. but then, on the downside, there's a lot of things to still be settled. a lot of open questions about social rights, environmental standards, those things that were pa rt standards, those things that were part of were guaranteed, which now become part of the domestic matters. things that looked yet remain u nsettled, things that looked yet rema

alex forsyth, bbc news. british ambassador to france and national security adviser. and hejoins me now. very happy new year. and to you. let's take stock and pause for a moment because we are in the middle of history right now, are we not? yes, we are. his moment of status for me personally. civil service of my generation spent the last a0 years trying to remove obstacles the last a0 years trying to remove o bsta cles to the last a0 years trying to remove obstacles to working, living, travelling to europe. and tonight those obstacles, many of them are coming back. life will get more difficult, more expensive, more cumbersome and dealing with europe. and these are our closest neighbours and our largest trading partner. so it's a momentous time when britain has decided to forge out alone. and an awful lot remains uncertain. but certainly it feels like a very sniffing at moment for someone like me who spent their entire career on relations with europe. given that frustration given that you were nice looking ove

alex forsyth, bbc news.ous target for cutting greenhouse gases in the next ten years. the deal comes in the next ten years. the deal co m es after in the next ten years. the deal comes after more than ten hours of grueling negotiations after the new proposals was met with resistance in some of the eu 27 states. the new aim is to cut by 55% from 1990 levels, that goal was once 40% but for some contacts from 2018, the eu had already reduced emissions from their 1990 peak. a 70% reduction in cool use from 2015 levels after a last—minute agreement with poland to provide the co—producing country with extra funding. 0ur commission chief usula van der leyen said the target put europe on a path towards climate neutrality by 2050. we will reduce emissions by at least 55% by 2030. and today, the agreement puts us on a clear path towards climate neutrality in 2050 and it gives certainty to investors, to businesses, the public authorities and the citizens. if future proves our union. could combining different coronaviru