i'm ben brown. our top stories. air hello, this is bbc news. i'm ben brown. ourtop stories. many air hello, this is bbc news. i'm ben brown. our top stories. many people in england and wales told to stay home as tough new coronavirus restrictions come into force. similar restrictions coming to scotland. the netherlands bans passenger flights from the uk as it detects its first k of the new covid variant surging through southern england. many people in england and wales are waking up to new tougher lockdown restrictions. at midnight. similar restrictions came into force for all of wales at midnight. plans to relax restrictions over the christmas holiday have now been abandoned for those in the new tier, who can no longer spend any of the festive period with people outside their household. the labour party have accused prime minister boris johnson of being indecisive. nick eardley reports. london last night, where some made a last—minute journey before lockdown started. but there won't be the usual christmas getaway this year. significant restrictions are now in place in large

hello, this is bbc news. lam ben i am ben brown. the headlines... millions of people in the uk wake up to tougher covid restrictions as rule changes come into force. as the uk grapples with a new strain of coronavirus, france confirms its first case of the variant. millions of americans face losing unemployment benefits, as the standoff between donald trump and congress over a coronavirus stimulus package continues. more than a thousand people are told to leave their homes in bedfordshire as another severe flood warning is issued overnight. now on bbc news... philippa thomas hears from people around the world about their extraordinary experiences during the pandemic and how covid—19 has changed their lives. welcome. on coronavirus: your stories, this year, we have been hearing from people around the world about some of the extraordinary ways in which covid—19 has changed our lives. on the programme, we have heard from more than 50 guests across 25 countries. like rachel, a british palliative care doctor, spending her days talking to the dying. there

hello, this is bbc news with ben brown. the headline...ges come into force. as the uk grapples with a new strain of coronavirus, france confirms its first case of the variant. former mi6 officer and soviet spy george blake has died aged 98 in moscow. and coming up... we'll tell you about the sport that is high—speed and environmentally friendly — welcome to the world of extreme e — backed by f1 champion lewis hamilton. just to tell you we have had some more information about the lorries that have been stuck in kent because of the french travel ban on all lorries coming in across the channel. the

you're watching bbc news at nine with me ben brown. the headlines: more signs of growing pressure on the nhs from the new coronavirus variant. three ambulance services in the south—east of england are asking people not to call unless it's a genuine emergency. a leading think tank forecasts that the uk economy will see slower growth next year due to the tightening of coronavirus restrictions. the government warns businesses and travellers to be prepared for substantial changes and possible disruption from new year's eve when new brexit rules come into force. businesses will need to make sure that they're ready for few customs procedures and we as individuals will need to make sure that our passports are up to date, because they need to have at least six months before expiry on them to be able to travel abroad. president trump signs a coronavirus relief and spending package, after previously threatening to block the bill — saying parts of it were ‘wasteful‘. at least 200 british tourists are reported to have fled the swiss ski resort of

you are watching bbc news with me ben brown.ng on the government to cancel the vaccination of coronavirus restrictions over the christmas period. has joined two of the country my site medicaljournals in warning about the dangers of easing measuresjust in warning about the dangers of easing measures just when case numbers in many parts of the uk are increasing rapidly. it would earlier i spoke to annette gardner who spoke 17 days in intensive care in april with coronavirus. she slain how the illness is continuing to affect her health and how she has lost several family members because of the virus wasn't —— she explained. what happened was my sister went into our parents who were not very well, called an ambulance because my mum was collapsed and my dad was not breathing very well upstairs. they were taken to hospital. my sister and i were then told to isolate at mum and dads house and five days later, my sister and i were both ta ken into hospital. and the next day, my dad died. and on the friday, the day after that, we was told

this is bbc news i'm ben brown. the headlines — the prime minister will lead a televised briefing from downing street later this afternoon, as more countries join the international travel ban on britain, because of the new variant of coronavirus. more than a0 nations have now banned flights from the uk. as the crisis deepens, borisjohnson chairs a meeting of the government's cobra emergency committee. there's chaos in kent, as francejoins the ban, stopping lorries and passengers from the uk, though there are hopes the french authorities may soon reconsider. and if any lorry is turning up wanting to get across the channel, they are being turned away. it's the same with passenger vehicles, too. british supermarkets say they do have enough stocks for now, despite the chaos, but they are worried about the longer—term effects on some supplies. so what is this new variant of the virus, and is it more dangerous, orjust more easily transmitted? we'll have the latest medical analysis. two men have been found guilty of mansla

i'm ben brown. the headlines france is expected to announce plans to lift the cross—channel travel ban, after more than 1,500 lorry drivers spent a second day stuck in kent waiting to leave the uk. no lorries are leaving dover because of french fears about the spread of the new variant of coronavirus. more than 50 countries have now banned uk arrivals. over a thousand lorries are now stuck in and around the port of dover as they continue to wait and see how the gridlock will be broken. retailers are warning of future food shortages of some products unless the border problems are resolved. the eu's chief negotiator michel barnier promises he'll keep pusing for a post—brexit trade deal, but the prime minister has ruled out extending talks into 2021. we are really in the crucial moment and we are giving it the final push. the prime minister is facing intense pressure to impose a nationwide lockdown to try to curb the spread of the new coronavirus variant , with scientists warning that inaction over the

this is bbc news with ben brown.dlines: the uk's chief negotiator returns to brussels to resume brexit talks, with time running out to reach an agreement. we will see what happens in negotiations today and we will be looking forward to meeting our european colleagues later on this afternoon. donald trump holds his first rally since losing the us presidential election, urging crowds in georgia to vote republican in crucial senate run—off elections. the voters of georgia will determine which party runs every committee, writes every piece of legislation, controls every single taxpayer dollar. peter alliss, the former golfer and bbc commentator, has died. the bbc‘s director—general says no—one told the story of golf quite like him. hospitals across the uk are getting ready to accept delivery of the coronavirus vaccine, with the first jabs set to be given on tuesday. and coronavirus stops play, as positive tests in england's hotel mean the one—day series in south africa will face further delays. now on bbc news, the trave

this is bbc news with ben brown. the headlines... brexit talks will now continue as both sides agree to carry on with negotations after being unable to come to an agreement on trade. lam afraid i am afraid we are still very far apart on some key things but where there is life, there is hope. we are going to keep talking. the uk will not be walking away from the talks, people will expect us to go the extra mile. we had accordingly mandated our negotiators to continue the talks and see whether an agreement can be reached, even at this late stage. —— we have accordingly mandated. following the decision to continue the talks, the prime minister has held a conference call with members of the cabinet. the body which represents nhs trusts in england warns the prime minister that relaxing coronavirus restrictions will lead to a third wave of infections. chancellor angela merkel has announced tighter coronavirus restrictions that will apply across germany from this wednesday tilljanuary the 10th. anthony joshua knocks out kubrat pulev to defe

i'm ben brown. the headlines... 12,000 jobs likely to disappear from the high street, as debenams goes out of business. it comes just hours after topshop owner, arcadia, collapsed into administration, putting another 13,000 jobs at risk. devastating for all those employees, and no easy time, but coming up to christmas, the uncertainty now for 2021, i really do feel for all the individual employees and their families. mps are debating plans to introduce a new tiered system of coronavirus restrictions across england tomorrow. this is the scene live from the house of commons. we cannot afford to relax, especially during the cold months of winter. police in germany have arrested the driver of a vehicle that ploughed into pedestrians in the city of trier, killing at least two and injuring at least ten more. a high court ruling on the treatment of children who say they're transgender — a woman who was prescribed puberty blockers when she was 16, says she's "delighted". the government urges businesses to m

this is bbc news i'm ben brown.fing from downing street later this afternoon, as more countries join the international travel ban on britain, because of the new variant of coronavirus. more than a0 nations have now banned flights from the uk. as the crisis deepens, borisjohnson chairs a meeting of the government's cobra emergency committee. there's chaos in kent, as francejoins the ban, stopping lorries and passengers from the uk, though there are hopes the french authorities may soon reconsider. and if any lorry is turning up wanting to get across the channel, they are being turned away. it's the same with passenger vehicles,

hello, this is bbc news with ben brown. the headlines... more signs of growing pressure on the nhs from the new coronavirus variant. three ambulance services in the south—east of england are asking people not to call unless it's a genuine emergency. a leading think tank forecasts that the uk economy will see slower growth next year due to the tightening of coronavirus restrictions. the government warns businesses and travellers to be prepared for substantial changes and possible disruption from new year's eve when new brexit rules come into force. businesses will need to make sure that they're ready for few customs procedures and we as individuals will need to make sure that our passports are up to date, because they need to have at least six months before expiry on them to be able to travel abroad. president trump signs a coronavirus relief and spending package, after previously threatening to block the bill — saying parts of it were ‘wasteful‘. at least 200 british tourists are reported to have fled the swiss ski resort of verbier to avoi

this is bbc news with ben brown. the headlines: the uk's chief negotiator returns to brussels to resume brexit talks, with time running out to reach an agreement. we will see what happens in negotiations today and we will be looking forward to meeting our european colleagues later on this afternoon. donald trump holds his first rally since losing the us presidential election, urging crowds in georgia to vote republican in crucial senate run—off elections. hospitals across the uk are getting ready to accept delivery of the coronavirus vaccine, with the first jabs set to be given on tuesday. peter alliss, the former golfer and bbc commentator, has died. the bbc‘s director—general says no—one told the story of golf quite like him. now on bbc news, it's time for click. this week — hands, face... 0h, there's two people. yeah, there's two — yeah, got them. ..race? hello, welcome to click! hope you're all doing 0k. it is that time of year when we mark the international day of persons with disabilities. it happens on 3rd dec

i'm ben brown. spreading opportunity and delivering for those left behind. the roll—out of the pfizer biontech covid vaccine begins for millions of people across the eu, starting with italy and the czech republic. storm bella brings gusts of more than a hundred miles an hour, with roads in parts of wales, and devon and cornwall blocked by falling trees.

this is bbc news i'm ben brown. our top stories... deal or no deal? the uk's chief negotiator arrives for the final day of post—brexit trade talks in a last—ditch bid for a breakthrough. the british prime minister boris johnson and president of the european commission, ursula von der leyen will decide whether there's any point in negotiations continuing. far right supporters of president trump clash with left—wing activists in washington. uk health leaders urge ‘extreme caution‘ in easing coronavirus restrictions, warning it could lead to a third wave of infections. the pioneering black country music star charley pride has died from coronavirus complications at the age of 86. hello and welcome to bbc news. talks to agree a post—brexit trade deal have entered what's supposed to be their final day with little to change the mood of pessimism on both sides. prime minister boris johnson will again speak to the european commission president ursula von der leyen ahead of the deadline. both sides still appear to be deadlocked on the issues of fishing rights a

iam ben i am ben brown. the headlines...me into force. as the uk grapples with a new strain of coronavirus, france confirms its first case of the variant. millions of americans face losing unemployment benefits, as the standoff between donald trump and congress over a coronavirus stimulus package continues. more than a thousand people are told to leave their homes in bedfordshire as another severe flood warning is issued overnight.

i'm ben brown.ncellor rishi sunak says the deal brings reassurance to those who were worried about the impact on businesses. the roll—out of the pfizer biontech covid vaccine begins for millions of people across the eu, starting with italy and the czech republic. storm bella brings gusts of more than a hundred miles an hour, with roads in parts of wales, and devon and cornwall blocked by falling trees. let's take a look back now at how coronavirus impacted the world of sport in 2020. patrick gearey reflects on the highs and lows of the year in sport. we've got so much to look forward to in 2020. europe's festival of football begins. welcome to euro 2020. it's that time of year again, and there's a real buzz

hello, this is bbc news with ben brown. the headline... millions of people in the uk wake up to tougher covid restrictions as rule changes come into force. as the uk grapples with a new strain of coronavirus, france confirms its first case of the variant. former mi6 officer and soviet spy george blake has died aged 98 in moscow. and coming up... we'll tell you about the sport that is high—speed and environmentally friendly — welcome to the world of extreme e — backed by f1 champion lewis hamilton. just to tell you we have had some more information about the lorries that have been stuck in kent because of the french travel ban on all lorries coming in across the channel. the airfield is now clear, only a handful there. as of about 1030 am, that is the picture the transport secretary tweeted, it is an empty airfield as compared to how it was on christmas day where it was packed with stranded lorries. we are hearing about 1600 are still on the m20 in kent. also 8000 hjvs have passed over the border. that was since the 23rd of december and alm

this is bbc news, i'm ben brown. our top stories...tell the bbc it's a final throw of the dice. i think unless we can resolve this quite fundamental divergence is at the moment then we are going to have to ta ke the moment then we are going to have to take a position in the next few days. donald trump makes his first public speech since losing the us presidential election, urging crowds in georgia to vote republican in crucial senate run—off elections. hospitals across the uk are getting ready to accept delivery of the coronavirus vaccine — with the first jabs set to be given on tuesday. coronavirus stops play — as positive tests in england's hotel mean the one—day series in south africa will

i'm ben brown.plans to lift the cross—channel travel ban, after more than 1,500 lorry drivers spent a second day stuck in kent waiting to leave the uk. no lorries are leaving dover because of french fears about the spread of the new variant of coronavirus. more than 50 countries have now banned uk arrivals. over a thousand lorries are now stuck in and around the port of dover as they continue to wait and see how the gridlock will be broken. retailers are warning of future food shortages of some products unless the border problems are resolved.

this is bbc news with ben brown. the headlines...tations after being unable to come to an agreement on trade. iam afraid i am afraid we are still very far apart on some key things but where there is life, there is hope. we are going to keep talking. the uk will not be walking away from the talks, people will expect us to go the extra mile. we had accordingly mandated our negotiators to continue the talks and see whether an agreement can be reached, even at this late

i'm ben brown.on the news that the met office has warned of 70 miles—per—hour gales and heavy rain, as storm bella approaches the uk. three severe flood warnings are in place in england. in bedfordshire, police officers have visited more than 1,300 homes near the river great 0use, advising residents to leave as it reaches record levels. there are also alerts in place in northamptonshire. georgina burnham was evacuated from her home at billing aquadrome, in northampton, on christmas eve — she told me that she doesn't know when she'll be allowed to go home. on christmas eve, ijust popped out to get us some post. my road really wasn't flooded that badly to begin with, and as i was leaving billing aquadrome i noticed there was quite a queue coming back in. and by the time i'd got my post and come back, i wasn't allowed back. i had nothing on me, i only had slippers on. i was advised by the police that we were not going to be allowed in, especially by vehicle. i did get told that if i could get some well

there will be continuing coverage here on bbc news with my colleague ben brown. 4. capitals to this deal that was agreed at 1.4 4. we are back with more on the bbc injust agreed at 1.4 4. we are back with more on the bbc in just a agreed at 1.4 4. we are back with more on the bbc injust a moment agreed at 1.4 4. we are back with more on the bbc in just a moment or two. fine weather and the clear skies are going to lead to a widespread frost right across the country. so that means that christmas day is going to start crisp and cold for most of us. here's the gap in the clouds. this is the weather front that brought the rain yesterday. we're in a window of quiet weather, cold air also streaming in temporarily from the northern climes, but stormy weather out in the atlantic is coming our way come boxing day. this is what it looks like in the short term. still a few showers, maybe wintry ones there close to the north sea coast. but the large majority of us have the clear skies and that widespread frost. look how cold it is, down to around —6 across parts of northern

hello this is bbc news with ben brown. the headlines.illions in england and wales are told to stay at home, as tough new coronavirus restrictions come into force. last night's tier 4 announcement prompted a rush to london's stations — footage on social media shows large crowds trying to board trains — the transport secretary says extra police officers will be deployed to enforce the rules. similar restrictions will follow in scotland — swathes of the country will be placed under the toughest restrictions from boxing day. belgium has reportedly joined the netherlands in banning travel from the uk — as the first case of the new covid variant is detected in continental europe. a uk government source says there will be no post—brexit trade deal between the uk and eu unless there is a "substantial shift" from brussels in the coming days. now on bbc news... click looks at the tech that could help us emerge from the pandemic in 2021. this week — electric rails. kitten tails. and football fails. spencer, and you — you can barely kick the ball wi

hello this is bbc news with ben brown. the headlines.avirus restrictions come into force. last night's tier 4 announcement prompted a rush to london's stations — footage on social media shows large crowds trying to board trains — the transport secretary says extra

i'm ben brown — with the latest headlines for viewers in the uk and around the world.nt to a deal on the table. a deal is expected monday morning. pizzas are delivered to the eu's headquarters in brussels, as negotiators prepare to work through the night to finalise the details. six million more people in england face the toughest level of coronavirus restrictions, as hospital admissions surge to their highest level since mid april. the first trucks are on their way from dover as france lifts its ban on travel across the channel — but it could take days to clear the backlog. and athlete tightens measures and closes ski resorts and he now has the highest coping death toll in

i'm ben brown — with the latest headlines for viewers in the uk and around the world.rexit deal within striking distance — as signs from london and brussels point to a deal on the table. a deal is expected monday morning. pizzas are delivered to the eu's headquarters in brussels, as negotiators prepare to work through the night to finalise the details. six million more people in england face the toughest level of coronavirus restrictions, as hospital admissions surge to their highest level since mid april. the first trucks are on their way from dover as france lifts its ban on travel across the channel — but it could take days to clear the backlog. and athlete tightens measures and closes ski resorts and he now has the highest coping death toll in europe. —— highest covid—19 death toll. with just over a week to go until the uk's brexit transition period ends, it looks like a deal could be done within the next few hours. the cabinet is about to discuss the deal in a conference call, the final picture said to be over 2000 pages long and talks are expected to continue thr

i'm ben brown. the headlines: borisjohnson promises big changes following his brexit trade deal, with a pledge to focus on spreading opportunity and delivering for those left behind. the roll—out of the pfizer biontech covid vaccine begins for millions of people across the eu, starting with italy and the czech republic. storm bella brings gusts of more than a hundred miles an hour, with roads in parts of wales, and devon and cornwall blocked by falling trees. before the papers, sport and for a full round up, from the bbc sport centre, here'sjohn watson. good morning. bryony frost should have been getting back into the saddle today after her history—making win in the king george vi chase yesterday, but the welsh grand national meeting at chepstow has been abandoned due to storm bella, causing parts of the course to be waterlogged. as for yesterday, frost became the first female jockey to win the king george on 20 to 1 shot frodon. joe wilson reports. boxing day sport, jockeys in facemasks. perfectly

this is bbc news, i'm ben brown. our top stories... the uk's chief negotiator heads to brussels, where brexit talks will resume. sources tell the bbc it's a final throw of the dice. i think unless we can resolve this quite fundamental divergence is at the moment then we are going to have to ta ke the moment then we are going to have to take a position in the next few days. donald trump makes his first public speech since losing the us presidential election, urging crowds in georgia to vote republican in crucial senate run—off elections. hospitals across the uk are getting ready to accept delivery of the coronavirus vaccine — with the first jabs set to be given on tuesday. coronavirus stops play — as positive tests in england's hotel mean the one—day series in south africa will face further delays. hello and welcome to bbc news. the uk's chief negotiator, lord frost is travelling to brussels to resume talks with his eu counterpart michel barnier over a post—brexit trade deal. here's lord frost heading to the eurostar at st pancras a sho

now on bbc news, here's ben brown with the papers. to what the the papers will be bringing us tomorrow. with me are sian griffiths, education editor at the sunday times, and james rampton, who's features writer at the independent. let's just show you the front pages, then. the observer talks about the post—brexit trade deal, claiming some senior tories and business leaders are angry over the prime minister's readiness to embrace a no—deal brexit. the sunday telegraph also goes with brexit, detailing plans being drawn up by the cabinet for a multibillion pound bailout package to bolster industries ha rd est package to bolster industries hardest hit by a no—deal brexit. the sunday times says supermarkets are stockpiling food after being told that a no—deal brexit is a possibility. the independent has a story claiming the uk bought personal protective equipment from firms accused of slavery, despite warnings from within government. hours from a no deal, says the sunday mirror, as the paper raises the prospect of potentialjob cuts and pri

i‘m ben brown. our top stories. air hello, this is bbc news. i‘m ben brown. ourtop stories.

i‘m ben brown.d just six hours after she was born. we had no idea that this trust would fail us and fail so many families in such a catastrophic way. the number of people waiting more than a year for routine surgery in england has risen to its highest level since 2008. an experimental rocket belonging to elon musk‘s spacex company crashes and burns on landing. the billionaire calls it a rapid unscheduled disassembly. hello. the european commission has set out plans to make sure planes and lorries can keep moving between the eu and the uk if no trade deal is agreed. the commission has also suggested a one year extension on access to fishing waters which it says will protect coastal communities on both sides of the channel. time is running out to agree a trade deal: downing street says ‘large gaps remain‘ between the uk and the eu, despite the prime minister‘s three hour dinner with the eu commission president ursula von der leyen last night. both sides say that negotiations to strike a post—brexit fr

earlier, my colleague, ben brown, spoke to to lord 0'donnell and asked him what exactly he meant by buildions about brexit or whatever and say there is a common agenda, we have real problems that covid has thrown up, and the election has shown us about inequality, the north and south, rich and poor, let's find ways to actually look at the population, their mental and physical health. let's think about education, building resilience and character, and kids that can take shocks. and think about making things happierfor all of shocks. and think about making things happier for all of us, shocks. and think about making things happierfor all of us, and oui’ things happierfor all of us, and our sustainability agenda. those are the things that could bring the whole nation together and result in 2021 ending in a way that 2020 alas hasn't. give us some specific examples. mental health, we know that's been a real hidden cost, often not so odd of the pandemic. yes, and it was the case beforehand. we know there are plenty of people with diagnosed mental health conditions who are not getting treatment.

and i'm ben brown — the rest of today's top stories... preparations are under way with the first covid vaccine jabs to be administered in the uk tomorrow. hashem abedi, brother of the manchester arena bomber, admits his involvement in the conspiracy for the first time. and the days of snowball fights and snowmen could be over for much of the uk by the end of the century, according to the latest met office research. hello, good evening. it's 5pm, we're in downing street awaiting the outcome of the telephone call between the prime minister boris johnson and european commission president ursula von der leyen, who are assessing whether a post—brexit trade deal can be salvaged. the government says negotiations have reached a "critical moment" and that "though an agreement is preferable they are prepared to leave on australian style terms if compromises cannot be found. earlier, downing street said that although time was in "very short supply", the uk would stick at the discussions if an agreement was still possible. no one outside the talks re

i'm ben brown. the headlines: the european union lays out plans to keep road and air travel running with the uk — if there's no brexit deal. the two sides say they will keep negotiating until sunday. it is difficult. we are willing to grant access to the single market to our british friends, it's the largest single market in the world, but the conditions have to be fair. we will leave no stone unturned. we would like a deal if it's possible but we're not going to sacrifice the basic points of democratic principle. secondary schools and colleges in wales will move to online learning from monday in an attempt to reduce the transmission of coronavirus. a catalogue of failures in maternity care is revealed at the shrewsbury and telford nhs trust. richard stanton‘s daughter died six hours after she was born. we had no idea that this trust would fail us and fail so many families in such a catastrophic way. the sky news presenter, kay burley, will be taken off—air for six months after an internal investiga

i'm ben brown. our latest headlines... france is expected to announce plans to lift the cross—channel travel ban. there are now thought to be almost 3,000 lorries stuck in kent waiting to leave the uk. there's severe disruption in dover, and more than 50 countries have now banned arrivals from the uk over fears of the new coronavirus variant. behind me are some of those 3000 lorries in and around the port of dover. they are stuck here with absolutely no sign of when the gridlock will end. retailers are warning of future food shortages of some products unless the border problems are resolved. the eu's chief negotiator, michel barnier, promises he'll keep pushing for a post—brexit trade deal, but the prime minister has ruled out extending talks into 2021. we are really in a crucial moment and we are giving it a final push. with a record number of infections recorded in the uk, scientists warn that inaction over the new coronavirus variant strain could costs tens of thousands of lives. the united states‘ top doctor, anthony f

i'm ben brown. the headlines... a momentous day in the global fight against coronavirus. 90—year—old maggie keenan is the first person in the world to receive the pfizer vaccine outside trials. the moment marks the start of the biggest vaccination campaign in the history of the nhs. we'll have the latest on the roll—out from across the uk, as hundreds follow margaret's example. i say go for it. go for it because it's free and it's the best thing that's ever happened. please go for it, that's all i say, you know? if i can do it, well, so can you. ijust urge people to contain their impatience. it's a very, very exciting moment, but there's still a lot of work to be done and a lot of discipline to be maintained. after months of disruption for schools and their pupils, the scottish government says next year's higher and advanced higher exams will be cancelled. we will adopt the new model that has been developed and base awards on teacher judgement of evidence of learner attainment. this is safe, it is fair and it better

it was a chilly start to the day for some of us, hello this is bbc news with ben brown.istmas — two medicaljournals say mixing households "will cost lives". 0ur health system is not going to manage if we allow the current trend to continue out on top of the superspread event that will be these five days of christmas. labour leader sir keir starmer calls on ministers to hold an emergency review of the christmas plans — as the government holds talks with leaders of scotland wales and northern ireland. greenwich council backs down and tells schools they should stay open after the education secretary threatens legal action. but the council still says closing schools would have helped stop the virus spreading. we're not interested in a legal argument with the government about who is right and who is wrong, because i know that — presented with the information that i had in front of me, from talking to greenwich head teachers, greenwich families and children who were in schools — this would have been in everyone's best interests. more than 800,000 fewer people are on the payrol

iam ben i am ben brown.est negative for covid—19. "our planet is broken". that's the warning coming from the secretary general of the united nations. in a special bbc broadcast, antonio guterres will talk about tackling global warming. after 266 long days, the return of fans to english league football is finally here — but the number of supporters is limited. good afternoon and welcome to bbc news. "help is on its way" — the words of the health secretary matt hancock, as the uk becomes to first country in the world to approve a coronavirus vaccine for widespread use. the first jab could be given within days for those who need the vaccine the most, such as nhs staff and care home workers and residents. the uk has already ordered 40 million doses — enough to vaccinate 20 million people. the first 800,000 will arrive in the next few days. 95% effective, the pfizer biontech vaccine is the fastest ever to go from concept to reality — taking only ten months to follow the same steps that normally span a decade. the

i'm ben brown. the headlines...s ever happened at the moment, so do please go for it. if i can do it, well, so can you. it was really emotional. i can't tell you just how much emotion there was in that vaccination centre. this is a truly historic day, a turning point in this pandemic. still disagreements on trade but the uk and eu have reached agreement on how rules in the brexit divorce deal will be implemented. this means that both sides have agreed rules for trade across the border in northern ireland after brexit — for issues including border checks. hello and welcome but first of all we will take you to holyrood. scotland's deputy first minister and education secretary john swinney is making a speech on next year's scottish highers. lets cross over to the scottish parliament in holyrood to hear what he has to say. individual pupils will be submitted to the sqa by the 28th of may before certificates are awarded on the 10th of august. details will be published on the 2021 group today, a model that focuses on the

and i‘m ben brown — the rest of today‘s top stories.letely overwhelming, the whole thing. coronation street theme tune plays. 60 years on — stars and fans prepare to celebrate coronation street‘s landmark anniversary as the longest running tv soap in the uk. good afternoon t0 good afternoon to you from downing street. boris johnson and european commission president ursula von der leyen are talking on the phone right now about the post—brexit trade deal. in the last half—hour the government has said negotiations have reached a ‘critical moment‘ and that ‘though an agreement is preferable they are prepared to leave on australian—style terms if we can‘t find compromises‘. earlier downing street said that although time was in "very short supply", britain would stick at the discussions if an agreement was still possible. no one outside the talks really knows where they‘ve got to. but the mood music suggests there‘s still considerable discord. nick beake looks back at what‘s been happening in brussels today. morning! morning! have you made pr

i'm ben brown.e of commons as mp5 debate plans to introduce a new tiered system of coronavirus restrictions across england tomorrow. we cannot afford to relax. especially during the cold months of winter. police in germany have arrested the driver of a vehicle that ploughed into pedestrians in the city of trier, killing at least two and injuring at least ten more. a high court ruling on the treatment of children who say they're transgender — a woman who was prescribed puberty blockers when she was 16 says she's "delighted". the government urges businesses to make their final preparations for brexit — a month before the transition period ends. and formula one world champion lewis hamilton will miss this weekend's grand prix in bahrain after testing positive for covid—19. in a huge blow to jobs just before christmas, the department store chain debenhams is closing down. it comes afteer sports pulled out of a rescue deal to save the retailer — which will now cease traing. across the country debenhams h

you're watching bbc news at nine with me ben brown.es will need to make sure that they're ready for few customs procedures and we as individuals will need to make sure that our passports are up to date, because they need to have at least six

i'm ben brown. the headlines...calls on ministers to hold an emergency review of the christmas plans — as the government holds talks with leaders of scotland wales and northern ireland. iam i am saying to the government to do the responsible thing, review, toughen up, and we will support you if you do that. greenwich council backs down and tells schools they should stay open, after the education secretary threatens legal action. but the council still says closing schools would have helped stop the virus spreading. the number of people dying in scotland from drug misuse has reached a new record high and is the worst in europe. and coming up... 31 marathons in 31 days — i'll be joined by the comedian eddie izzard to hear about his latest challenge on a treadmill. good afternoon. there's growing pressure on the government and the leaders of scotland, wales and northern ireland to rethink their plans for easing coronavirus restrictions for five days over christmas. in a rare joint editorial, two of the uk's leading medi

among more than 25 pardons, a group republican senator ben sasse calls rotten to the core. cnn's pamela brown has the details from washington. >> reporter: the president continues his revenge against the russia investigation, rewarding two former advisers, indicted by special counsel robert mueller issuing these full pardons to his former campaign manager paul manafort, convicted for a slew of financial crimes after commuting his sentence earlier this year. also on this list is jared kushner's father, charles kushner. let's tick through these. you have paul manafort and roger stone, indicted by special counsel mueller, went to trial and convicted by juries of multiple crimes. investigator says manafort broke the cooperation agreement by lying to them. roger stone has never shown remorse. both men are being rewarded for their loyalty. the president says he thinks his advisers retreated unfairly. it's worth noting the mueller report detailed in the obstruction of justice part, how trump's democrat dangled pardons as a way to protect the president, and now we're seeing the president's plan play

complicado colt pelea por la punta, pero steelers revivieron gracias a big ben ganando 28 24 así se llevan el pase a play offs, >> brownebrero de 2021 en guadalajara el lugar de nacimiento del pugilista, se habla del estadio jalisco o estadio de béisbol de los charros sería su primera pelea desde 2011 malas noticia parecen seguir persiguiendo a golden state warriors, ayer perdieron a marquise chris, después de perder también los dos primeros partidos. y esperan que el novato waseman tenga más minutos esta temporada. >> bueno, golden state warriors juega ahora contra chicago 62 61 a favor de bulls. a las 11 lo mejor de la jugadas. vamos a pausa. ya volvemos mis padres llevan aquí veinte años, y su inglés... todavía so, so. por eso les ayudo con todo, bueno, casi todo. del seguro médico se encargan ellos. sí, gracias a covered california. ajá, porque les atienden en español, y hasta les aconsejan cómo conseguir ayuda económica. nuestros expertos te ayudan a conseguir seguro médico de calidad y a tu alcance. covered california. tu seguro médico empieza aquí. inscríbete ya en coveredca.com/espanol >> observamos imágenes en

. >>> ben & jerry's with a new flavor called punch line. features brownurbon and almond ice cream and red cherry. the hot line promises to deliver hilarious jokes. i'll save you a little time, press two when you call. >> okay. i love when i get an inside angel there. thank you, diane. >> you got it. >>> up next, a new monolith mystery. a tall metal structure in romania suddenly appears and days later, it's gone. joint pain and swelling, stiffness, and helps stop further joint damage, even without methotrexate. xeljanz can lower your ability to fight infections. before and during treatment, your doctor should check for infections, like tb and do blood tests. tell your doctor if you've had hepatitis b or c, have flu-like symptoms, or are prone to infections. serious, sometimes fatal infections, cancers including lymphoma, and blood clots have happened. taking a higher than recommended dose of xeljanz for ra may increase risk of death. tears in the stomach or intestines and serious allergic reactions have happened. don't let another morning go by without ask

ben croft prize. and renaissance, john brown abolitionist and mightier than the sword, uncle tom's cabin and the battle for america. he is a regular book reviewer or the new york review of books, the new york times book review and the wall street journal. david will be in conversation with james oaks, one of the leading historians of 19th century america. james' pioneering works include the ruling race, 1982. slavery and freedom and then interpretation of the old south. the radical and the republican, frederi frederick douglas, abraham lincoln and the triumph slavery politics and the latest book, freedom national, the destruction of slavery in the united states, 1861-1865. today we'll have a conversation for 40, 45 minutes and take questions for 10 or 15 minutes. please click on the question box below in your-- to type in your question. and jim will be sure to get to as many of you as he can. we will try to end this program after about one hour. at 7:00 eastern time. again, thanks to the leon levy foundation for funding this and all of our other events. jim oaks. i now turn the conversation over to you

legal system here in hong kong was there as adrian brown reporting live from hong kong adrian many thanks a weather update next here on al-jazeera ben. that attack kills at least 26 people in aden airport when members of yemen's new government just arrived from saudi arabia. and a centuries old town flattened in seconds the urgent search for temporary shelter for croatia's earthquake victims. the last winter storm went through the midwest was this hump of clout is still going slowly northeast as it left behind this viewer chicago obviously this is just before dawn breaks it wasn't just snow there was some freezing rain in that as well now it's not atypical for chicago in the winter just or show it to you and this is a cold front that waving arrives it gets down towards texas the cold air is here bit of a warm flood in between the 2 get together you tend to get this story in the front are the rain or snow this case will be rain but then tucked in behind it will be more snow for western side of texas the stairwell see the head going up into was ontario and there's more coming down from the pacific so it's rain on the coast it's easily