Brief. Me Better Faster December 14, 2025 3:22 am
Choice of Covid vaccines to be offered to Britons under 40
A choice of Covid vaccines is to be extended from the under-30s to anyone up to the age of 40, after a recommendation by the government’s advisory body to allow more people to opt out of the AstraZeneca shot, which has been linked to rare cases of blood clots, it has emerged. – The Guardian
‘This is a Belgian joke’: Brussels set for a two-hour curfew on Friday
Locals in Brussels have been left bemused by rules that require them to respect a curfew on Friday evening… for just two hours! They will have to be indoors by 10 pm, but, just 120 minutes later are free to go out again. – Euronews
Sheriff: Girl Shoots 3 at Idaho School; Teacher Disarms Her
A sixth-grade girl brought a gun to her Idaho middle school, shot and wounded two students and a custodian, and then was disarmed by a teacher Thursday, authorities said.
The three were shot in their extremities and were expected to survive, officials said at a news conference. – VOA
More bickering as UN meets for 89th time to discuss Syria’s chemical weapons
A Syrian Air Force helicopter dropped a chlorine bomb on the opposition-held town of Saraqib, on Feb. 4, 2018, an investigation team from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) has concluded. – Arab News
Singapore passports to be valid for 10 years for applications from October
Singapore passports will be valid for 10 years, up from the current five, for applications submitted from October, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said on Friday (May 7).
The increase in the validity period applies to Singapore citizens aged 16 and above who submit a passport application on or after Oct 1. – CNA
Australia to resume India repatriation flights after backlash
Australia will resume repatriation flights for some citizens in India after a controversial ban on arrivals from the country ends on 15 May.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has faced criticism for failing to help citizens trapped in the Covid-ravaged nation. – BBC World
Elections results 2021: Britain awaits results of bumper election day
BBC News says the polls have closed and voters have picked representatives for the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Senedd as well as mayors and local councils in England.
Voters in England and Wales also voted for police and crime commissioners.
The results are due to come in over the next few days.
Return of holidays abroad is under threat without extra Government help, Heathrow warns
I news says the return of international travel in 10 days’ time is under threat unless the Government provides extra staff at airports, Heathrow has warned.
A spokesman warned the situation in arrivals halls was already “untenable” and would only worsen when routes are opened up on 17 May.
Ministers will on Friday unveil the countries under its new “traffic-light” system as part of the next stage of the roadmap out of lockdown.
Colombian govt invites protest leaders to talks as mass demonstrations continue
France24 says Colombia’s government invited protest leaders to talks in an attempt to calm tensions following more than a week of deadly demonstrations against President Ivan Duque.
Thousands of Colombians including indigenous people, unions and students have taken to the streets to express anger over the government’s policies on health, education and inequality.
At least 24 people have died in clashes between protesters and security forces while hundreds more have been injured.
UAE confirms 1,724 new COVID-19 cases, 3 deaths
Arab News says UAE health officials confirmed 1,724 new Covid-19 cases and three deaths overnight even amid a continued nationwide vaccination campaign against Covid.
The latest cases bring the total number of recorded infections in the UAE to 530,944 and the number of deaths to 1,604, the Ministry of Health and Prevention said in a report from state news agency WAM.
‘Carnage’: 25 killed in Rio de Janeiro’s deadliest police raid
Aljazeera says at least 25 people have been killed after hundreds of heavily armed police stormed into one of Rio de Janeiro’s largest slum areas, reportedly targeting drug traffickers.
Local media showed live footage of seven armed young men hopping through the roofs of North Zone’s Jacarezinho favela in the early hours of Thursday morning, as bulletproof helicopters hovered over them.
The report said the “extremely suspicious criminals” were attempting to escape from the police. Two passengers on the metro were hit by a stray bullet and one police officer was killed.
European powers urge Israel to abandon settlement expansion plans
TRT World says the governments of France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UK have urged Israel to reverse its decision to advance settlement construction in the Har Homa E area.
The joint statement called on the Israeli government “to reverse its decision to advance the construction of 540 settlement units in the Har Homa E area of the occupied West Bank, and to cease its policy of settlement expansion across the Occupied Palestinian Territories.”
Biden, in Louisiana, Tries to Bridge Troubled Waters
VOA says Joe Biden held photo opportunities with a poorly maintained bridge as the backdrop and then touring a decrepit water treatment plant.
“We’re standing here in the shadow of the I-10 bridge, which I’ve gone over several times myself in the past. And it’s a perfect example how we’ve neglected as a nation to invest in the future of our economy and the future of our people,” said Biden in Lake Charles, Louisiana, after he was introduced by the city’s Republican mayor.
Live Updates
- Elections results 2021: Britain awaits results of bumper election day
- Return of holidays abroad is under threat without extra Government help, Heathrow warns
- Colombian govt invites protest leaders to talks as mass demonstrations continue
- UAE confirms 1,724 new COVID-19 cases, 3 deaths
Friday’s front pages are heavily dominated by pictures from the protest by French fishermen in Jersey waters over post-Brexit fishing rights.
‘Furious French’
The Metro leads with “smash and crab” and claims the French trawlermen “rammed a pleasure boat, held up a cargo ship for four hours – then retreated home by lunchtime.” – METRO
The Daily Mail headline reads “Le grand surrender”, the paper suggests about 70 trawlers retreated once two Navy ships arrived. It says the row over fishing rights escalated on Thursday night as “furious French skippers threatened to block UK goods from entering Calais” unless all of their boats were allowed to fish in Jersey’s waters. The paper says it is a sign that the row is far from over. – DAILY MAIL
UK green list travel
I news says holidaymakers will be able to save money on foreign trips after travel firms started offering Covid testing kits at cheap rates. The paper says the move comes ahead of the PM’s announcement on ‘green list travel countries that will be quarantine-free for UK travel. – THE I
The Daily Mirror’s front page also leads with travel and lists Portugal, Malta, and Gibraltar as three countries expected to be on the UK’s green-list of travel destinations that do not require quarantine. But, the paper claims that 70% of Brits back making arrivals from anywhere isolate in hotels over fears of Covid variants coming in. – DAILY MIRROR
Holiday costs to jump in summer, warns travel boss – read on
Single-use plastic bags to cost 10p at all shops in England from 21 May – read on
HMRC’s fraud hotline inundated with 91,000 calls in first nine months of pandemic – read on
Man Utd through to Europa League final despite Roma loss – read on
Arsenal’s Europa hopes ended by former boss Emery’s Villareal – read on
Indian Premier League 2021: English counties offer to host postponed games – read on
A spat over Covid vaccine doses has erupted between the European Union and the UK threatens to have far reaching implications over coronavirus jab disruption.
Brussels demanded access to AstraZeneca vaccines manufactured in UK plants to make up for a shortfall after the pharmaceutical giant said it would have to cut the amount of doses delivered to the bloc by the end of March.
What do we know about the dispute? And what potential implications could the rumbling dispute have on future Covid vaccine rollouts? – (ITV)
Recent and upcoming changes
Restrictions are easing across the UK.
In England
Step 1 of the roadmap out of lockdown has begun. Shielding ends on 31 March.
In Scotland
People will be asked to ‘Stay Local’ from 2 April. A timetable for further lockdown easing from 5 April is on GOV.SCOT.
In Wales
The stay at home restriction was lifted on 13 March. Read about the rules on GOV.WALES.
In Northern Ireland
The next review will happen on or before 15 April. You can read the guidance on current restrictions on nidirect.
latest Covid-19 news
For the latest Covid-19 news visit the UK governement website