Brief. Me Better Faster December 13, 2025 11:45 pm
Is lockdown easing on 17 May? What the new Covid rules will be – and why restrictions are not changing sooner
England’s lockdown roadmap has thus far continued on schedule, with social restrictions easing and businesses gradually opening their doors to customers.
The most recent major step came on Monday 12 April, when non-essential shops welcomed customers, gyms reopened and self-contained domestic holidays resumed. – The I
European trust in EU hits highest levels in more than a decade, survey finds
European trust in the EU has reached its highest levels in more than a decade, despite concerns over the bloc’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, a new survey has found.
According to the Eurobarometer poll, which was conducted on behalf of the European Commission and other EU bodies earlier this year, nearly half (49%) of Europeans trust in the EU. – Euronews
Broadway to reopen on September 14 at full capacity
Live Broadway shows will return to the stage starting September 14 after an 18-month hiatus to fight the coronavirus pandemic, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced.
Tickets will go on sale beginning on Thursday and theatres will be allowed to fill 100 percent of capacity, Cuomo said.
Broadway theatres are among New York’s biggest tourist attractions. – TRT World
Syrian refugee faces deportation for tweets criticizing Turkish government
Activists have called the Turkish government’s decision to deport Syrian refugee Munip Ali for comments made on Twitter “unlawful,” saying his tweets were in line with freedom of speech laws.
Ali, who has been living in Turkey since 2013, was accused of “provoking the public to hatred and animosity.” His lawyer, Meral Kaban, told Arab News – Arab News
Myanmar’s military taking away young men to crush uprising
Myanmar’s security forces moved in and the street lamps went black. In house after house, people shut off their lights. Darkness swallowed the block.
Huddled inside her home in this neighbourhood of Yangon, 19-year-old Shwe dared to peek out her window into the inky night. A flashlight shone back, and a man’s voice ordered her not to look. – CNA
SpaceX Starship prototype makes clean landing
Step by step, the SpaceX company is progressing the development of its novel Starship rocket.
The latest prototype, Serial Number 15 (SN15), has just completed a successful high-altitude ascent and landing.
The four previous test artefacts all ran into trouble as they went through their touchdown manoeuvres, ultimately destroying themselves in the process. – BBC World
UK sends Royal Navy to patrol Jersey amid fishing row with France
BBC News says a Royal Navy vessel is patrolling waters around Jersey amid concerns of a possible blockade by French boats over post-Brexit fishing rights.
France has threatened to cut off electricity to the island, which began issuing licenses to French boats under a new system last week.
Fishermen who claim their rights are being unfairly restricted are due to protest at Jersey’s port of St Helier.
Polling day for biggest set of elections outside a general election in nearly 50 years
Sky News says the polls open at 7 am today for the biggest set of elections outside a general election in almost 50 years.
Voters will cast their ballots despite the many COVID-19 restrictions still in place, with 48 million people given the chance to have their say.
There are a total of 143 different councils running elections today, while in Hartlepool voters are deciding who should represent them in Westminster.
India sees record Covid-19 deaths, new cases in 24 hours
France24 says India saw record new jumps in Covid-19 cases and deaths on Thursday, dashing hopes that the catastrophic recent surge was easing.
Health ministry numbers showed 3,980 deaths in the past 24 hours, taking the national total to 230,168, and 412,262 new cases, bringing India’s caseload since the pandemic began to 21.1 million.
Many experts suspect that with low levels of testing and poor record-keeping for cause of death — and crematoriums overwhelmed in many places — the real numbers could be significantly higher.
Hong Kong court jails Joshua Wong to 10 months over Tiananmen rally
CNN says a Hong Kong court has sentenced Joshua Wong and three other activists to between four and 10 months in prison for participating in an unauthorized rally last year to commemorate the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown.
This is the first time prominent activists have been jailed over the peaceful candlelight vigil, which has been held annually in Hong Kong’s Victoria Park since 1990. Police banned the event for the first time last year, citing coronavirus risks, but thousands staged a peaceful rally in the usual place.
Demands grow as Colombians hold eighth day of mass protests
Aljazeera says anti-government protests took place across Colombia for the eighth straight day on Wednesday, as rights groups continue to raise concerns about excessive violence by security forces.
Riot police used tear gas to disperse demonstrators from the main public square in the capital, Bogota, at around 3pm (20:00 GMT) on Wednesday, as well as in other parts of the city where people had assembled.
Palestinian Teen Killed in Clashes, Israeli Teen Dies After Shooting
US News says Israeli troops shot and killed a 16-year-old Palestinian boy during clashes in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday, Palestinian officials said, and an Israeli teen wounded by an alleged Palestinian gunman earlier this week died of his injuries.
The Israeli military said troops had fired towards Palestinians hurling Molotov cocktails at them late on Wednesday near the Palestinian village of Beita, south of Nablus.
Iranian state TV shows video of missile blowing up US Capitol building
Arab News says Iranian state TV has aired a propaganda video showing a missile blowing up the US Capitol building.
The country’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) reportedly broadcast the video on Sunday just before Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was due to give a televised speech.
The 11-second clip featured armed IRGC forces marching in formation, a missile being launched at an undisclosed location, followed by scenes of the US Capitol imploding in flames. The video then showed Iranian clerics walking toward Jerusalem.
Facebook upholds Trump ban, calls for review in six months
TRT World says Facebook has said Donald Trump won’t return to the platform — for now.
The social network’s quasi-independent Oversight Board voted to uphold his ban from the platform after his account was suspended four months ago for inciting violence that led to the deadly January 6 Capitol riot.
“Given the seriousness of the violations and the ongoing risk of violence, Facebook was justified in suspending Mr. Trump’s accounts on January 6 and extending that suspension on January 7,” the board said after its review.
South Carolina House Adds Firing Squad to Execution Methods
VOA says the South Carolina House voted Wednesday to add a firing squad to the state’s execution methods amid a lack of lethal injection drugs — a measure meant to jump-start executions in a state that once had one of the busiest death chambers in the nation.
The bill, approved 66-43, will require condemned inmates to choose either being shot or electrocuted if lethal injection drugs aren’t available. The state is one of only nine to still use the electric chair and will become only the fourth to allow a firing squad.
Live Updates
- Polling day for biggest set of elections outside a general election in nearly 50 years
- India sees record Covid-19 deaths, new cases in 24 hours
- Demands grow as Colombians hold eighth day of mass protests
- Hong Kong court jails Joshua Wong to 10 months over Tiananmen rally
Most of Thursday’s front pages are dominated by the news the UK government has sent two gunboats to Jersey – as the row over post-Brexit fishing rights escalates.
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Daily Express says “Boris sends gunboats to defend Jersey”. The paper says the move came after France threatened to cut off Jersey’s electricity supply and shut down the Channel island. It carries quotes from the PM saying “any blockade would be completely unjustified.”
The Daily Mail’s take highlights the ships’ cannons and machine guns – the deployment marks a “dramatic escalation” in the row over fishing rights.
The Times says government sources told them that dozens of French fishing boats are planning on blocking the island’s main port – after French authorities “rejected” the UK’s attempt to defuse the crisis.
The Daily Telegraph quotes a Whitehall source, who describes France’s actions as “outrageous”. The paper says the government is now “drawing up plans to retaliate,” by “reviewing” the UK’s energy links with France.
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The i newspaper’s front splash says holidaymakers arriving back in British airports this summer could be met with 10 hours of queuing. The paper says it’s due to the increased checks being carried out at the border.
The Times reports that the government is set to give both veterans and terrorists immunity from prosecution for their actions during the Troubles.
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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