Daily News Briefing
Brief. Me - December 13, 2025 7:08 pm
Covid in Scotland: Sturgeon set to confirm phased return to schools
BBC News says Nicola Sturgeon is to announce whether more pupils will start to return to Scottish classrooms from next week in a statement at Holyrood.
This could include children aged four to seven at primary schools and some secondary pupils for coursework.
She has said she is “very keen” to begin the phased return of younger pupils to schools.
However, Ms Sturgeon has warned this will not mark the start of a broader easing of Covid-19 restrictions.
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Self-harm among young children in UK doubles in six years
The Guardian says the rate of self-harm among young children in the UK has doubled over the last six years, according to a new analysis.
The number of children aged nine to 12 admitted to hospital having hurt themselves intentionally rose from 221 in 2013-14 to 508 in 2019-20, data analysed for BBC Radio 4’s File on 4 programme has found.
This means an average of 10 hospital admissions every week. With population changes taken into account, the rate has doubled over the past six years.
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US contractor killed, several wounded in rocket attack in northern Iraq
France24 says rockets targeting an airbase in Iraq’s Kurdistan region killed a foreign civilian contractor and wounded five others and a US soldier, the US-led coalition said.
The attack late Monday was the first time in nearly two months that Western military or diplomatic installations have been targeted in Iraq, after a string of similar incidents.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called for an investigation and promised to “hold accountable those responsible”.
“Several American contractors” appeared to have been wounded he added, without giving further details.
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Israel announces Covid-19 lockdown easing for ‘vaccine passport’ holders
RT News says Israel is set to relax its Covid-19 lockdown and unveil a new ‘vaccine passport’ allowing those who received the jab to access some public spaces, as PM Benjamin Netanyahu said the shots could soon render restrictions unnecessary.
The country’s Covid-19 cabinet approved an easing of the shutdown measures after a meeting on Monday night, Netanyahu’s office said in a statement, putting Israel on track to enter the “second phase” of the Health Ministry’s exit plan this Sunday.
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UN warns Myanmar military, as internet restored after blackout
Aljazeera says the UN has warned the Myanmar military of “severe consequences” if it responds harshly to the protests that have taken place across the country following the February 1 coup, as a second internet blackout was lifted early on Tuesday.
“Ms Schraner Burgener has reinforced that the right of peaceful assembly must fully be respected and that demonstrators are not subjected to reprisals,” UN spokesman Farhan Haq said in New York.
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Snow storm hammers US leaving millions without power in Texas
TRT World says a blast of winter weather across the US has plunged Texas into an unusual icy emergency that knocked out power to nearly three million people and shut down grocery stores and dangerously snowy roads.
The worsening conditions on Monday halted the delivery of Covid-19 vaccine shipments and left some Texas providers scrambling to find takers for doses expiring within hours.
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Biden Faces Pressure as US Sets New Course on Immigration
VOA says after a weeklong bus ride from Honduras, Isabel Osorio Medina arrived in northern Mexico with the hope President Joe Biden would make it easier for people like him to get into the United States.
“It seems the new president wants to help migrants,” Osorio said as he got ready to check in to a cheap hotel in downtown Tijuana before heading to the U.S. “They’re saying he is going to help, but I don’t know for sure how much is true or not.”
UK WEATHER FORECAST
SUNRISE 07:13
Sunset 17:20
TODAY
Heavy showers and strong winds across western Scotland today. The rest of the UK will be drier with sunny spells for many, but heavy showers will track across Wales and into England this afternoon.
TONIGHT
This evening will see showers in England and Wales, before turning largely dry across many areas. A band of rain will push into Northern Ireland overnight, and into western Britain later.
Tweets
https://twitter.com/camillard/status/1361555107960086534
https://twitter.com/JeffKasanoff/status/1348719357359136769
FROM WTX NEWS
https://wtxnews.com/2021/02/15/5-affordable-luxury-jewellery-2021/
https://wtxnews.com/2021/02/11/britney-media-misogyny-were-complicit/
RENAISSANCE
It’s alive! It’s alive
Venues can demand proof of vaccine despite government ruling out scheme, minister says
Cinemas and other venues will be free to demand proof of vaccination for Covid-19 before allowing people to enter, a government minister says.
Nadhim Zahawi said it was “up to businesses” what rules to introduce – despite the government ruling out a “vaccine passport” scheme of its own.
The comment came as some cinemas reportedly begin striking private deals to use vaccine certificates to allow them to open their doors when the lockdown eases.
The idea has also been put forward as a precondition for working in care homes – triggering criticism that the government is ducking the potential controversy. – The Independent
Kosovo could try to move war crimes court to Pristina, judge warns
The head of a Netherlands-based court investigating war crimes allegedly committed by the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) during its conflict with Serb forces two decades ago has urged EU diplomats to help fight back against a campaign to undermine its work in Kosovo.
In a confidential briefing to European diplomats in the Hague on February 11, Kosovo Specialist Chambers President Judge Ekaterina Trendafilova warned that the court was facing increased efforts from within Kosovo to hinder ongoing legal proceedings, including against former Kosovan president, Hashim Thaci, who was indicted on war crimes charges last year. – Euronews
In US, Line Between Politics, Entertainment Increasingly Blurred
The line between politics and entertainment is increasingly blurred in America, where a former reality TV star recently served as president and entertainment has become more political. The content people choose to watch and listen to reflects a politically divided country, and as VOA’s Elizabeth Lee shows, the division often cuts across families. – Watch Here
Israeli security forces arrest Palestinians in separate operations
Israeli security forces arrested five Palestinians on Tuesday from several areas in Ramallah and Al-Bireh governorate, state news agency SPA reported.
Local sources in Ramallah reported that the security forces stormed the Qaddura Refugee Camp, adjacent to Ramallah, and arrested a young man, while they apprehended another individual from the village of Dura Al-Qar’. – Arab News
1 new COVID-19 case in Singapore, lowest daily increase in more than 3 months
Singapore reported one new COVID-19 case as of noon on Tuesday (Feb 16), the lowest total daily increase in more than three months.
The sole infection is an imported case, who had been placed on stay-home notice upon arrival in Singapore, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) said in its preliminary daily update.
No locally transmitted cases were reported in the community or in foreign worker dormitories. – CNA
Business news
450,000 families ‘behind on rent because of Covid’ – BBC Business
Covid rule-breakers face jail but careless employers go free – FT News
Britain may need big tax rises, but not yet – think tank – Reuters
Furlough aid must be phased out to prevent ‘deferred’ employment shock – Sky Business
Sports News
India v England: Hosts win second Test by 317 runs in Chennai – Read on
Vincent Jackson: Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers and San Diego Chargers player found dead – Read on
Australian Open: Naomi Osaka eases past Hsieh Su-wei to reach semi-finals – Read on
Things you’ll know if you’re a Muslim WWE wrestler – Watch here
Cultura
Dancing On Ice to ‘pause’ after disruption from Covid and injuries – Read on
Anne Robinson to become the new host of Countdown – Read on
Britney Spears fans in the UK will now finally be able to see high profile documentary – Read on
Prince Harry and Meghan: Sussexes will talk to Oprah Winfrey in first interview since stepping back from royal duties – 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)
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Get the latest NHS information and advice about coronavirus (COVID-19)