Daily News Briefing
Brief. Me - December 15, 2025 2:23 am
Covid: English secondary summer schools part of catch-up plan
BBC says secondary schools in England will be asked to deliver face-to-face summer schools as part of efforts to catch pupils up with lessons lost to Covid.
An extra £420m in funding has been announced, along with £300m announced for catch-up projects in January.
Boris Johnson said the money will help ensure “no child is left behind” due to the pandemic.
Teachers’ unions said allocating the money should be up to schools, which reopen to all pupils from 8 March.
………………..
Police say Tiger Woods ‘lucky to be alive’ after car crash in California
The Guardian says Tiger Woods has been taken to hospital with serious injuries to both legs after a car accident, with a police officer saying he is “very fortunate” to have survived.
The officer added that Woods was “calm and lucid” despite being trapped inside his vehicle. Woods was removed from the crash by firefighters, and his vehicle suffered “major damage”.
Woods was transported to the nearby Harbor-UCLA Medical Center by ambulance and underwent surgery for “multiple leg injuries” after the incident early on Tuesday morning. Later reports said that Woods had suffered compound fractures. His injuries are not thought to be life-threatening.
………………..
France considers fresh measures to stem Covid-19 spread in Dunkirk
France24 says French Health Minister Olivier Véran will head to Dunkirk in northern France as the government eyes new measures to limit the spread of Covid-19 in the region.
PM Jean Castex had discussed the local health situation with the mayor of Dunkirk, a coastal city of 92,000 near the Belgian border.
“They agreed that in view of the sharp deterioration in health indicators in recent hours, additional measures to limit the epidemic must be taken,” the statement said.
………………..
World Bank’s emergency cash for Lebanon may stop amid reports MPs queue-jumping for Covid vaccine
RT News says millions of dollars in World Bank funding for Lebanon’s Covid-19 vaccine rollout could be halted due to alleged queue-jumping for the jab by the country’s MPs.
According to local media, Lebanese MPs and parliamentary staff over age 75 were to be vaccinated without needing to register in advance.
“This is not in line with the national plan agreed with [the] World Bank,” the organization’s Middle East chief, said.
“Upon confirmation of violation, [the] World Bank may suspend financing for vaccines and support for Covid-19 response across Lebanon… please register and wait for your turn,” he added.
………………..
Syria’s rebel-held area to get jabs by March
Arab News says Syria’s rebel-held northwest will receive its first shipment of AstraZeneca’s vaccine by the end of next month, says the WHO.
The doses were procured through the UN body’s Covax program, which aims to provide equitable worldwide access to vaccines against COVID-19.
Thirty-five to 40 per cent of the vaccines would be made available in the first quarter of 2021, and 60 to 65 per cent in the second quarter, a WHO spokesperson said.
………………..
At least 75 dead in Ecuador prison riots, dozens injured
Aljazeera says at least 75 people have been killed and dozens more injured in three separate prison riots in Ecuador, authorities said on Tuesday.
Officials blamed the riots at detention facilities in the cities of Guayaquil, Cuenca and Latacunga on disputes between rival gangs.
“These were two groups vying for criminal leadership within the detention centres,” said Edmundo Moncayo, the director of Ecuador’s prison agency.
………………..
No charges against US police officers involved in Daniel Prude’s death
TRT World says police officers shown on body camera video holding Daniel Prude down naked and handcuffed on a city street last winter until he stopped breathing will not face criminal charges, according to a grand jury decision.
The 41-year-old Black man’s death last March sparked nightly protests in Rochester, New York after the video was released nearly six months later, with demonstrators demanding a reckoning for police and city officials.
State Attorney General Letitia James, said on Tuesday she was “extremely disappointed” and would meet with Prude’s brother, criminal justice advocates, and faith leaders in Rochester to devise a plan to fight for a more just system.
………………..
US, Canada Pledge ‘Net Zero Emissions by 2050’
VOA says the US and Canada have agreed to “double down” on efforts “to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050,” President Joe Biden announced on Tuesday, following his first bilateral meeting with a foreign leader since taking office last month.
Trudeau said that “U.S. leadership has been sorely missed over the past years,” specifically on addressing climate change — a criticism of former President Trump’s four years in power when the United States pursued an “America First” agenda, neglecting alliances and multilateral relationships.
“As we’re preparing the joint rollout and communique from this one, it’s nice when the Americans aren’t pulling out all references to climate change and, instead, adding them in,” Trudeau said.
UK WEATHER FORECAST
SUNRISE 06:56
SUNSET 17:34
TODAY
Rain will ease in the far north today, giving way to a few showers. Western areas will see persistent outbreaks of rain. Drier further south and east, but remaining largely cloudy. A very mild day.
TONIGHT
This evening, areas of rain in western areas will ease, leaving a largely dry night for many with some lingering patches of drizzle. Showers will arrive in western Scotland later, heavy in places.
Tweets
"Climate change is a threat to global security that can only be dealt with by unparalleled levels of global co-operation."
— United Nations (@UN) February 23, 2021
Sir. David Attenborough tells Security Council that we can create a stable & healthy world where we thrive in balance with nature. https://t.co/3QKMYqRPkW pic.twitter.com/5zLQkZn84r
tom holland, jacob batalon, and zendaya rn: pic.twitter.com/A1NyUC2G8L
— shan • busy w/ school 🥲 (@natswh0re) February 24, 2021
Spread the word! Let's get the necessary help to the great state of Texas. 🙏 #911LoneStar pic.twitter.com/7hXA7m6i5Z
— 9-1-1: Lone Star (@911LoneStar) February 22, 2021
FROM WTX NEWS
https://wtxnews.com/2021/02/24/uae-shows-off-its-armed-forces-to-eu-nations/
https://wtxnews.com/2021/02/23/life-after-covid-19-lockdowns-restrictions/
RENAISSANCE
There’s no place like home
PM has ‘LGBT+ blind spot’
The prime minister has an LGBT+ “blind spot” in cabinet, the UK’s first openly gay minister has said.
Lord Chris Smith, who served as culture secretary in Tony Blair’s government, said that this was a “matter of great regret” and urged Boris Johnson to diversify his top team in “the next year or two”.
Elsewhere, the House of Lords inflicted a third defeat on the government over the so-called genocide amendment, which aims to stop trade deals with countries guilty of such atrocities. – The Independent
Daphne Caruana Galizia murder: 15-year sentence for Vince Muscat after guilty plea
Vincent Muscat was sentenced to 15 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to the murder of Malta investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.
Caruana Galizia was murdered in Malta on October 16, 2017, in a car bomb attack. The murder shocked the country of just over 500,000 people.
Muscat is one of three men charged with planting the bomb and had originally pleaded not guilty. It is suggested that he may have entered a plea bargain with the Attorney General.
Brothers George and Alfred Degiorgio have pleaded not guilty, however, according to the Times of Malta, which also reports that the suspected bomb makers have been arrested. Police told Euronews that they could not confirm the report. – Euronews
US Navy vet dies after cop kneels on his neck, family says in claim
Family of Angelo Quinto have filed a wrongful death lawsuit and say they 30-year-old US Navy veteran from Northern California died late last year after a police officer knelt on his neck for five minutes.
The claim, filed on filed February 18, says Quinto was experiencing a mental health crisis after suffering from paranoia and anxiety when officers from the Antioch Police Department arrived on the scene. – TRT World
UAE prepares 7 field hospitals to boost capacity for coronavirus cases
The United Arab Emirates is preparing seven more field hospitals to be ready soon as part of efforts to boost national capacity for coronavirus cases, state news agency WAM reported.
Farida Al-Hosani, the spokeswoman for the country’s health sector, made the announcement along with other updates related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The country has so far vaccinated 3,480,415 people against COVID-19, including over 57 per cent of people aged over 60 years old. – Arab News
‘Not the right time’ for foreign minister to visit Myanmar, says Indonesia
While Indonesia’s foreign minister remains “open to the option” of visiting Myanmar, it is currently “not the right time”, said the Indonesian foreign ministry on Wednesday (Feb 24).
A leaked Myanmar government document earlier cited by Reuters said that Retno Marsudi had planned to fly to Myanmar on Thursday in what would have been the first known visit by a foreign envoy since the Feb 1 coup. – CNA
New Zealand: Pilot whales refloated at stranding spot
Rescuers have successfully refloated 28 pilot whales on a notorious New Zealand beach where they had repeatedly beached themselves.
The long-finned pilot whales were part of a pod of around 50 first found on Monday at Farewell Spit, known for its mass strandings.
At least 15 from the pod have died.
However, the surviving whales, who were rescued twice, have remained close to shore and could beach themselves again, wildlife officials said. – BBC World
Business news
Women boardroom roles make ‘dramatic’ jump in five years – Read on
Stamp duty holiday ‘to be extended until end of June’ as think tank calls for the tax to be scrapped altogether – Sky Business
Hyundai Motor to replace battery systems in costly electric car recall – Reuters
UK urges food manufacturers and farmers to target Asian middle class – FT News
Sports News
Cultura
Fashion designer Alexander Wang accused of sexual assault – Read on
Gerard Depardieu: French actor charged with rape and sexual assault after dropped investigation is revived – Read on
Khloe Kardashian fans ‘confused’ by ‘super skinny’ body amid engagement rumours – Read on
Travis Barker’s ex’s ‘swipe’ at Kourtney Kardashian after insisting she’s happy for them – 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)