Wednesday 23 December
News Briefing VIDEO
- Covid-19: UK-France services return as travel ban eased
- COVID-19: More areas could be in Tier 4 from Boxing Day as coronavirus cases rise
- Israel’s government collapses, triggering fourth early election in two years
- Tunisia says it does not intend to normalize relations with Israel
- India’s economy appears to be stabilising as shoppers return
- Trump pardons 15, including GOP allies and Iraq massacre contractors
- ‘Let’s do this!’: Pelosi AGREES with Trump after he threatened to VETO relief bill unless Congress increases checks from $600 to $2,000
- Wider England tier 4 curbs ‘inevitable’ as new strain spreads
- Redundancy plans fall after furlough extension
- Public sector borrowing estimated at £31.6bn in November – the third highest on record
- Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson helps out widowed father-of-two at Christmas
- Holders Man City hammer Arsenal to book EFL Cup last – four spot
Wider England tier 4 curbs ‘inevitable’ as new strain spreads – FT
Redundancy plans fall after furlough extension – BBC Business
Public sector borrowing estimated at £31.6bn in November – the third highest on record – Sky Business
Empty stores and offices: how Sweden aims to plug housing gap – Reuters
Covid-19: UK-France services return as travel ban eased
BBC News says rail, air and sea services between the UK and France resume this morning after the French government agreed to ease its travel ban over Covid fears.
French citizens, British nationals living in France and hauliers are among those now able to travel – if they have a recent negative test.
Soldiers joined NHS Test and Trace staff in Kent to carry out rapid tests on stranded lorry drivers.
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COVID-19: More areas could be in Tier 4 from Boxing Day as coronavirus cases rise
Sky News says more parts of England could wake up in Tier 4 from Boxing Day as fears grow over the spread of a mutation of coronavirus.
Ministers will meet to discuss further possible measures on Wednesday after the UK recorded its highest daily increase in coronavirus cases, reports suggest.
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Israel’s government collapses, triggering fourth early election in two years
France24 says Israel will hold a snap election in March after parliament failed on Tuesday to meet a deadline to pass a budget, triggering a ballot presenting new challenges for PM Benjamin Netanyahu.
Campaigning in Israel’s fourth parliamentary election in two years gets underway with Netanyanu facing public anger over his handling of the coronavirus pandemic and while he is engaged in a corruption trial, the first against an Israeli prime minister.
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Tunisia says it does not intend to normalize relations with Israel
Arab News says Tunisia is not interested in establishing diplomatic relations with Israel and its position will not be affected by any international changes, the foreign ministry said on Tuesday.
Morocco this week joined the list of Arab countries that have normalized relations with Israel this year, and Israeli envoys arrived in Morocco on Tuesday to meet its king.
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India’s economy appears to be stabilising as shoppers return
Aljazeera says India’s economic activity showed signs of stabilizing in November, even as concerns of fresh virus outbreaks and a new strain in the U.K. mount amid news of vaccines fueling hope.
All eight high-frequency indicators tracked by Bloomberg News were steady last month, keeping the needle on a dial measuring the so-called ‘Animal Spirits’ unchanged at 5. The level was arrived at by using the three-month weighted average to smooth out volatility in the single-month readings.
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Trump pardons 15, including GOP allies and Iraq massacre contractors
TRT world says Donald Trump has pardoned 15 people, including Republican allies, a 2016 campaign official ensnared in the Russia probe, and former government contractors convicted in a 2007 massacre in Baghdad.
Trump also commuted the sentences of five people on Tuesday.
While it is not unusual for presidents to grant clemency on their way out the door, Trump has made clear that he has no qualms about intervening in the cases of friends and allies whom he believes have been treated unfairly.
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‘Let’s do this!’: Pelosi AGREES with Trump after he threatened to VETO relief bill unless Congress increases checks from $600 to $2,000
Daily Mail says Nancy Pelosi has embraced Donald Trump’s calls to boost checks for Americans from $600 to $2,000 in the long-awaited next round of COVID-19 stimulus relief, telling the president ‘Let’s do it!’
Earlier Tuesday, Trump seemed to threaten to veto the $900 billion relief package passed by Congress on Monday that approved $600 checks for most Americans – a proposal widely criticized on both sides of the political aisle as being insufficient.
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In Review
Nicola Sturgeon broke Covid rules at a funeral – Should she be fired?
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What’s the media saying?
COVID-19: Nicola Sturgeon apologises for breaching coronavirus rules by not wearing mask – Sky News
Furious Scots demand Nicola Sturgeon resign after breaching own coronavirus law in pub – Express
Nicola Sturgeon admits ‘stupid mistake’ after breaking coronavirus rules – The Telegraph
Sturgeon shamed after SNP leader caught red-handed ‘How about leading by example?’ – Express
Fox, Newsmax Shoot Down Their Own Aired Claims on Election
Two election technology companies whose names have come up in President Donald Trump’s false charges of widespread voter fraud in the presidential election are fighting back, prompting unusual public statements from Fox News and Newsmax. – VOA
France to allow some passengers with negative COVID tests into country from Wednesday
Euronews says planes, trains and boats will start running again between France and the UK from Wednesday morning, the government has said.
Passengers will be required to present a negative result on a COVID-19 test that they took less than 72 hours before departure. – Euronews
Central African Republic rebels take key city as fighting escalates
Rebels in the Central African Republic on Tuesday seized the key city of Bambari, the local mayor, said – in a sharp escalation of violence ahead of the presidential and parliamentary election on December 27. – Africanews
Abu Dhabi lists Saudi Arabia on safe travel list
Arab News says Abu Dhabi Tourism has included Saudi Arabia on its travel ‘green list.’ The Kingdom’s inclusion means visitors will no longer quarantine themselves upon arrival in the UAE’s capital, although they would still need to follow COVID-19 testing regulations. – Arab News
Japan to ban entry of non-citizens coming from the UK over new COVID-19 virus strain
CNA says Japan will ban the entry of non-citizens flying from the United Kingdom from Thursday,, following the emergence of a highly infectious new coronavirus strain, a top government spokesman said on Wednesday – CNA
