Brief. Me Better Faster December 18, 2025 11:48 pm
Extent of mental health crisis in England at ‘terrifying’ level
England is “in the grip of a mental health crisis” because of the Covid pandemic, with under-18s suffering the most, psychiatrists are to warn on Friday.
Record numbers of children and adults sought NHS help last year for problems such as anxiety, depression and eating disorders, or because they ended up in a mental health crisis. – The Guardian
Italian PM slams ‘dictator’ Erdogan over von der Leyen chair incident
Italy’s prime minister Mario Draghi labelled Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan a “dictator” as he slammed the authoritarian leader for his treatment of the EU Commission president at a meeting.
Ursula von der Leyen was in Ankara on Tuesday along with European Council chief Charles Michel for a meeting with Erdogan on Turkey-EU relations. –Euronews
US Unemployment Benefit Claims Increased Again Last Week
New U.S. unemployment compensation claims jumped again last week, the Labor Department reported Thursday, as the recovery from the economic damage caused by the coronavirus remains a work in progress.
The government said 744,000 workers filed for benefits last week, up 16,000 from the revised figure of the previous week. – VOA
Egypt and Sudan on track for rail link
Sudan and Egypt transport officials have begun talks to determine a 900 km rail route linking the two countries through the northern Sudanese city of Wadi Halfa.
Discussions were launched during a visit by an Egyptian delegation to the border area of Ashkit.
Technicians and specialists from both countries took part in the talks. – Arab News
‘Full capacity everywhere’: Manila hospitals struggle as virus surges
Angelo Barrera’s father struggled to breathe from COVID-19 as he was driven around the Philippine capital in search of a hospital bed. After five hours he got on a waitlist but died before he could get inside.
More contagious variants of the coronavirus have been blamed for a record surge in infections in Metro Manila that has overstretched hospitals and sent the national capital region into lockdown. – CNA
South Korea says tanker and captain detained in Iran released
A South Korean-flagged tanker and its captain detained in Iran in January have been released, the foreign ministry in Seoul says.
Iran seized the Hankuk Chemi near the strategic Strait of Hormuz, accusing it of violating pollution rules.
All the 20 crew members were set free in February, apart from the captain. – BBC World
Covid: Cost of tests ‘is too much for people to travel on holiday
BBC News says the government has announced plans to safely reopen international travel but says it cannot yet confirm whether foreign holidays can resume on 17 May.
A traffic light system will be used to categorise countries based on risk, and travellers will need to pay for tests when departing and returning to the UK.
The plans have been met with widespread frustration by the travel industry.
Biden calls for ‘calm’ amid fresh night of violence in Northern Ireland
The Independent says the Biden administration has called for peace in Northern Ireland after a week of riots. A water cannon was fired to disperse crowds in west Belfast during Thursday’s violence.
“We are concerned by the violence in Northern Ireland, and we join the British, Irish, and Northern Irish leaders in their calls for calm,” White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said at a press conference on Thursday.
It’s the most violent week Belfast has seen in years. There have now been six consecutive nights of unrest.
France needs to vaccinate 90 per cent of adults to return to ‘normal’ life
France24 says a new study concludes that since the British variant of Covid-19 is now dominant in France, a full 90 per cent of adults will need to be vaccinated before the country can get back to normal life without risking a fresh surge of the virus.
According to new modelling released, the British variant’s proliferation in France has put a clear damper on the prospect of getting back to life as we knew it pre-pandemic this autumn.
Death toll in Sudan- Darfur clashes rises to 132
Arab News says intercommunal clashes in Sudan’s West Darfur state have left at least 132 people dead in recent days.
Members of the Massalit and Arab communities have fought since Saturday in and around the state capital El-Geneina, trading gun and heavy weapons fire.
Sudan’s government has declared a state of emergency in the region.
Former NFL player fatally shoots five in South Carolina
Aljazeera says a former NFL player has fatally shot five people including a doctor, his wife and their two grandchildren before later killing himself.
The shooter has been formally identified as former NFL player Phillip Adams.
“There’s nothing right now that makes sense to any of us,” York County Sheriff Kevin Tolson said.
‘Low level of oxygen’ led to George Floyd’s death – expert
TRT World says a respiratory doctor has testified that George Floyd died from a lack of oxygen and that Derek Chauvin’s knee was on his neck almost all the time he was facedown in the street with his hands cuffed behind his back.
Martin Tobin, a pulmonologist, told the jury at Chauvin’s murder and manslaughter trial that he had watched videos of Floyd’s May 25, 2020 arrest “hundreds of times.”
“Mr. Floyd died from a low level of oxygen,” Tobin told the jury hearing the high-profile case in a heavily guarded Minneapolis courtroom.
Biden moves to curb US gun violence
VOA says Joe Biden, declaring gun violence “a blemish on our character as a nation,” on Thursday ordered tighter regulation of some weapons and pressed Congress to renew the country’s long-expired ban on assault weapons.
“Gun violence in this country is an epidemic,” Biden told a White House audience of lawmakers and citizens touched by gun violence. “And it’s an international embarrassment.”
Live Updates
Covid: Cost of tests ‘is too much for people to travel on holiday
Biden calls for ‘calm’ amid fresh night of violence in Northern Ireland
Death toll in Sudan- Darfur clashes rises to 132
‘Low level of oxygen’ led to George Floyd’s death – expert
Former NFL player fatally shoots five in South Carolina
Most of Friday’s front pages cover the government’s international travel plans for summer 2021, the public’s trust in the Oxford vaccine and the Northern Ireland unrest
………………………
The Daily Telegraph’s front splash leads with the government’s travel plans for summer and focuses on what it means for holidaymakers. The paper says even travellers going to “green” list countries will need to pay for a PCR test at around £120 each. The rule will apply to everyone – including those vaccinated because of variants. The paper adds ministers are facing a backlash from the travel industry and some Tory MPs about the cost of tests.
Read the full story on the Daily Telegraph
………………………
The i newspaper seeks to reassure people to continue taking the Oxford jab after the guidance was changed for under-30s following concerns about a potential link to rare blood clots. The paper says medical leaders have untied to say “clear cut” evidence shows the jab is safe.
Read the full story on the i
………………………
The Times carried out its own poll with YouGov, saying Brits “overwhelmingly” trust the Oxford jab. It found 75% of people considered it safe, down by only 2% since March. The level of confidence is similar to the Pfizer vaccine, the paper adds.
Read the full story on the Times
………………………
The Guardian leads with the riots in Northern Ireland, reporting that President Joe Biden has joined the calls for calm. The paper adds that Labour’s shadow Northern Ireland secretary, accused Boris Johnson of being responsible for a loss of trust among the loyalist community, citing his statements about Brexit.
Read the full story on the Guardian
Amazon holds early lead in historic union election – Read on
‘Satan shoes’ launched by Lil Nas X, which contained a drop of blood, to be recalled after Nike lawsuit – Read on
Prince William calls on finance bosses to ‘invest in nature’ – Read on
Hollywood actor Zach Avery arrested over $690m Netflix film scam – Read on
Slavia Prague stun Arsenal with stoppage-time equaliser – Read on
Man Utd too strong for Granada in first leg – Read on
The Masters: Rory McIlroy hits his own father with a wayward shot at the seventh – Read on
Anthony Joshua vs Tyson Fury could be staged in Middle East with venues ready to host fight – Read on
DMX remains on life support as mum faces difficult decision over treatment – Read on
Billionaire Kim Kardashian halts any new business ventures until she finishes law degree – Read on
Neighbours racism allegations: Australian soap facing independent review following claims by actors – Read on
Artist Tracey Emin says her cancer is ‘gone’ – 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