Daily News Briefing
Brief. Me - December 18, 2025 11:48 pm
Birmingham hospitals move 200 doctors to intensive care duties
BBC News says two hundred doctors will be sent to one of England’s largest intensive care units amid fears it could be “overwhelmed”. A leaked memo warned hospitals in Birmingham were “in a position of extremes” as Covid-19 cases rise.
Elective surgeries at the city’s main Queen Elizabeth Hospital will stop as staff move to critical care duties. A spokesperson said the approach ensured “the greatest good for the greatest numbers of people”.
………………..
Hospital patients to be sent to hotels to free up beds for critical Covid cases
The Guardian says thousands of hospital patients are to be discharged early to hotels or their own homes to free up beds for Covid-19 sufferers needing life-or-death care, the paper says.
Hospital chiefs in England intend to start discharging patients early on a scale never seen before, as an emergency measure to create “extra emergency contingency capacity” and stop parts of the NHS collapsing, senior sources said.
Documents seen by the Guardian also revealed that the NHS is asking care homes to start accepting Covid patients directly from hospitals and without a recent negative test, as long as they have been in isolation for 14 days and have shown no new symptoms.
………………..
Israeli raids in eastern Syria kill 5 soldiers, 11 allied fighters: Observatory
Arab News says Israeli night raids targeting arms depots and military positions in eastern Syria killed at least five soldiers and 11 allied fighters, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Wednesday.
The Israeli air force carried out more than 18 strikes against multiple targets in an area stretching from the eastern town of Deir Ezzor to the Boukamal desert at the Syrian-Iraqi border, according to the Britain-based war monitor.
………………..
Egypt court acquits TikTok stars jailed over ‘debauchery’
Aljazeera says an Egyptian court has acquitted two young women imprisoned for “attacking society’s values” over videos they published on TikTok.
The women had been sentenced to two years in prison last July for “breaching public morals”.
“The court of appeal accepted the appeal filed by Haneen Hossam and Mawada al-Adham against their imprisonment … on charges of incitement to debauchery and attacking society’s values,” a court official said on Tuesday, asking not to be named.
………………..
Young people first: Indonesia’s COVID vaccine strategy questioned
Aljazeera says Indonesia starts mass vaccination on Wednesday, but experts say inoculating young people first will not help reduce fatalities because it is the elderly who are most at risk.
The country is the worst affected by the virus in Southeast Asia with 836,718 confirmed cases and 24,343 deaths and its government has chosen an unorthodox vaccination strategy.
“Indonesia is targeting the productive age at 18 to 59 years instead of elderly people because we have not completed the stage three clinical trials for people this age range with the Sinovac vaccine,” Ministry of Health spokesperson said. “We are still waiting for the BPOM review to see if the vaccine can be used safely for people over 60.”
………………..
Handful of Republican lawmakers say they will vote to impeach Trump
VOA says a small but growing number of Republicans are signalling support for impeaching Donald Trump after his supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol last Wednesday to try to upend his reelection defeat, leaving five people dead.
Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming, a member of the Republican Party’s House leadership team, has said she would vote to impeach Trump in his final days as president.
“There has never been a greater betrayal by a President of the United States of his office and his oath to the Constitution,” Cheney said.
………………..
Trump shifts blame on ‘Antifa’ for US Capitol rampage
TRT World says Donald Trump has privately blamed “Antifa people” for storming the Capitol, even though clear video and documentary evidence shows the rioters were overwhelmingly his supporters, Axios reported.
Trump made the remark in a 30-minute-plus phone call with House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, Axios said, citing a White House official and another source familiar with the call.
However, McCarthy told Trump in the call, which according to Axios was tense and aggressive at times, “It’s not Antifa, it’s MAGA. I know. I was there.”
UK WEATHER FORECAST
SUNRISE 08:04
Sunset 16:20
TODAY
A dry start for many in the east, however, rain and cloud will push in from the west through today, turning increasingly wintry on high ground in Scotland later.
TONIGHT
Rain will continue for many tonight accompanied by cloudy skies, with some sleet and snow on high ground in northern areas. Northern Ireland will turn drier, however, with some clear spells in places.
Tweets
By a vote of 223-205, the House just passed our 25th Amendment Resolution urging Vice President Pence to convene and mobilize the Cabinet to act on the crisis of President Trump’s incapacity. He is clearly incapable of meeting the duties of his office. pic.twitter.com/JYPYI0hkV5
— Rep. Jamie Raskin (@RepRaskin) January 13, 2021
https://twitter.com/JeffKasanoff/status/1348719357359136769
FROM WTX NEWS
https://wtxnews.com/2021/01/12/30-growing-anger-over-meal-parcels/
https://wtxnews.com/2021/01/08/2008-bling-ring-kids-terrorised-hollywood/
RENAISSANCE
“Go ahead, make my day.”
Covid: Large trial of new treatment begins in UK
A large-scale trial of a new treatment it is hoped will help stop Covid-19 patients from developing severe illness has begun in the UK. The first patient received the treatment at Hull Royal Infirmary on Tuesday afternoon. – BBC News
………
Christmas sales hike drives strong revenue growth at Asos
Sales at fashion retailer Asos surged in the four months ending in December as the online shopping boom continued amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The firm said that the hike in sales had led to a better-than-expected growth in revenue over the period leading up to Christmas. – CityAM
………
Daily Telegraph owner Sir David Barclay dies at 86
Sir David Barclay, one of the two billionaire brothers who own the Telegraph newspaper group, has died unexpectedly after a short illness aged 86.
Working in partnership with his identical twin, Frederick, the pair became two of the most successful British businessmen of their time, venturing into hotels, shipping, retail and newspaper ownership over several decades. – The Guardian
Cyprus: Brawl at overcrowded migrant camp injures over two dozen
More than two dozen migrants were injured during a large brawl between nationals from Syria and several African countries at an overcrowded migrant reception camp outside of Cyprus’ capital, a government official said Tuesday. – Euronews
………
Russia launches investigation after eight people killed in apartment building fire
Russian authorities have launched a criminal investigation after eight people, including a child, were killed in a fire at an apartment block in the Urals.
Fire services were called to reports of a blaze in a nine-story residential building in the city of Yekaterinburg early on Tuesday. – Euronews
House approves resolution calling to remove Trump despite Pence rejecting 25th Amendment push
The House of Representatives voted Tuesday night to approve a resolution calling for President Donald Trump to be removed from office through the 25th Amendment in the wake of the violent siege of the US Capitol last week. – CNN
………
Michigan plans to charge ex-Gov. Snyder in Flint water investigation
Several Michigan officials have been told they will be charged in connection with the Flint water crisis, which saw lead-contaminated water cause a Legionnaires’ disease outbreak several years ago. – Fox News
Israelis hold torch-lit anti-corruption protest against Benjamin Netanyahu
Dozens of Israeli protesters carrying lit torches, megaphones and flags gathered at dawn Wednesday outside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s official residence to highlight his corruption trial, which is set to resume next month. – Arab News
………
Oldest son of Oman’s sultan becomes country’s first crown prince
The oldest son of Oman’s sultan became the first crown prince in the country’s history on Tuesday as the Gulf state published a new “fundamental law” stipulating the line of succession.
On Monday, Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said issued a decree setting a “specific and stable mechanism” for succession, providing for the appointment of a crown prince for the first time. – Aljazeera
President Jokowi gets Sinovac jab to officially launch Indonesia’s COVID-19 vaccination programme
Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo received the first dose of Sinovac Biotech’s CoronaVac on Wednesday (Jan 13), becoming the first person in the country to be vaccinated. – CNA
………
Indonesia divers search for crashed Sriwijaya Air plane’s second black box
Indonesian investigators said on Wednesday (Jan 13) they were hopeful of retrieving a crashed passenger jet’s second black box, as they seek to explain why the plane with 62 people aboard slammed into the sea minutes after takeoff. – CNA
EU must ‘move at speed’ on space broadband network
The European Commission says it wants its newly proposed satellite mega-constellation to be offering some sort of initial service in 2024.
The first priority is to fill in gaps in broadband coverage where ground infrastructure cannot reach, but later it will power services such as self-driving cars. – BBC News
………
COVID-19: Top holiday destinations Britons are booking for 2021 despite new lockdowns
With holidays cancelled and the chill of winter making our daily park walks ever less appealing, the idea of a sunny getaway is on the minds of many as the UK faces up to weeks of lockdown across all four nations. – Sky News
Business news
Croydon bankruptcy offers cautionary tale for cash-strapped councils – FT News
Tesco, Asda and Waitrose ban shoppers without face masks – BBC Business
Poorest families hit hardest by pandemic and will find it hardest to recover – Sky Business
Temporary morgues set up as UK hospitals run out of space – Reuters
Sports News
Cultura
Hollywood suffers 80 percent revenue drop due to pandemic – Read on
Naomi Campbell’s Kenya tourism role causes row – Read on
Bruce Willis breaks silence after being asked to leave shop for not wearing face mask – Read on
Kim Kardashian smiles for the camera after posing without her wedding ring – Read on
YOUR QUESTIONS answered
what happened at the capitol?
On January 6, 2021, a mob of rioters supporting United States President Donald Trump’s attempt to overturn his defeat in the 2020 presidential election stormed the U.S. Capitol, breaching security and occupying parts of the building for several hours.
After attending a rally organized by Trump, thousands of his supporters marched down Pennsylvania Avenue before many stormed the United States Capitol in an effort to disrupt the electoral college vote count during a joint session of Congress and prevent the formalization of President-elect Joe Biden’s election victory.
After breaching police perimeters, they occupied, vandalized, and ransacked parts of the building for several hours. The insurrection led to the evacuation and lockdown of the Capitol building and five deaths. – Read on
what does brexit mean?
Brexit was the withdrawal of the United Kingdom (UK) from the European Union (EU) and the European Atomic Energy Community (EAEC or Euratom) at the end of 31 January 2020 CET.
To date, the UK is the first and only country formally to leave the EU, after 47 years of membership within the bloc, after having first joined its predecessor, the European Communities (EC), on 1 January 1973.
It continued to participate in the European Union Customs Union and European Single Market during a transition period that ended on 31 December 2020 at 23:00 GMT. – Read on
covid-19 meaning
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).
It was first identified in December 2019 in Wuhan, China. The World Health Organization declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern in January 2020 and a pandemic in March 2020.
As of 11 January 2021, more than 90.3 million cases have been confirmed, with more than 1.93 million deaths attributed to COVID-19.
coronavirus definition
Meaning of “coronavirus” and related terminology “coronavirus” means severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)
……………..
Get the latest NHS information and advice about coronavirus (COVID-19)