Brief. Me Better Faster December 23, 2025 9:45 am
Welsh government accused of ‘playing politics’ by speeding up lockdown easing
The easing of the lockdown in Wales is being accelerated, with a range of indoor activities for adults and children to be allowed earlier than expected and a date set for when pubs, bars, cafes and restaurant could serve indoors.
Hospitality firms and workers, exercise enthusiasts and families fond of a trip to soft play areas will cheered by the move. – The Guardian
France to lift domestic travel restrictions from May 3, says Prime Minister Jean Castex
France will lift domestic travel restrictions from May 3, Prime Minister Jean Castex told reporters on Thursday.
Current restrictions limit people’s travel to a 10-kilometre radius of their homes.
The announcement came as authorities said France’s health situation was “improving”. – Euronews
SpaceX Aiming for Friday Morning Launch to ISS
SpaceX is set to launch its third crew to the International Space Station early Friday, reusing a rocket and crew capsule in a human mission for the first time.
The Crew-2 mission blasts off from pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 5:49 a.m. Eastern Time (0949 GMT), after being delayed a day by adverse weather along the flight path. – VOA
Gaza gravediggers and medics stretched as COVID-19 spikes
Please don’t shut us down, say Malaysia’s Ramadan bazaar vendors amid COVID-19 fears
Street food vendor Ilyas Muhammad has been selling apam balik pancake at the annual Ramadan bazaar at Kelana Jaya, Selangor for almost every year since 1999.
The only exception was in 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in physical bazaars being banned across the country. – CNA
US President Joe Biden to ‘propose hiking tax on rich’
Joe Biden is reportedly set to propose a tax hike on the wealthiest Americans.
The proposal would raise the top marginal rate and increase taxes on investment gains for the rich.
The tax rise would help pay for childcare and education, but would not be used for healthcare, according to reports. – BBC World
India joins UK’s ‘red list’ as travel ban begins
BBC News says UK and Irish nationals arriving from India must quarantine in a government-approved hotel, as new Covid-19 travel restrictions start.
India joined the UK’s “red list” on Friday.
The country has seen soaring infection rates, a rapidly rising death toll and the discovery of a new virus variant.
Travel to England is banned for people who have been in red-list countries in the past 10 days, except UK citizens and those with residency rights.
Labour unveils plan to create 400,000 jobs in low-carbon industries
The Independent says Labour has unveiled plans it says would create 400,000 new green jobs, with an economic stimulus – alongside proposals for a new youth jobs package.
The party says the £30 billion economic plan would support hundreds of thousands of manufacturing jobs in low-carbon industries like steel, offshore wind, automotive and aerospace.
Labour leader Keir Starmer says the government’s own jobs programme, called Kickstart, is failing – helping fewer than four per cent of the 16-24 year olds who have lost their jobs during the pandemic.
Indian health system ‘crumbling’ under world-record new Covid-19 cases
France24 says India recorded the world’s highest daily tally of 314,835 COVID-19 infections on Thursday for a second straight day.
The second wave of the pandemic raised new fears about health services struggling to cope.
Health officials across northern and western India, including the capital, New Delhi, said they were in crisis, with most hospitals full and running out of oxygen.
Some doctors advised patients to stay at home, while a crematorium in the eastern city of Muzaffarpur said it was being overwhelmed with bodies.
Houthis abduct three civilians from Yemeni village
Arab News says Houthi “terrorists” have abducted three civilians from the Yemeni village of “Beit Al-Jabr”, according to a report.
The civilians were taken to a detention center in Jabal Al-Sharq district, in the same governorate controlled by the Iran-backed group, the report said.
The raiders claimed they were taking the victims under the pretext of setting up a funeral council, but a local source said there was no plans to establish a funeral council.
New video shows additional angle in death of Ma’Khia Bryant
Aljazeera says new footage emerged on Thursday in the police shooting of Ma’Khia Bryant, a 16-year-old Black girl who was shot on Tuesday by a white police officer during an alleged altercation in Columbus, Ohio.
Donovan Brinson, who lives across the street from where the incident took place had a camera in his garage recording during the events.
The video showed a chaotic scene. Several people were gathered on a front lawn and Bryant, brandishing a knife, charged toward one person who falls backwards, and then lunged at a second person as the policeman shouted, “Get down!”
Biden pledges to double climate aid for developing countries
TRT World says President Biden says the United States and other big economies must “get this done,” as he opened a global climate summit aimed at getting world leaders to dig deeper on emissions cuts.
The United States pledged to cut in half the amount of climate-wrecking coal and petroleum fumes it is pumping out.
His new commitment to cut US fossil fuel emissions up to 52 per cent by 2030 marks a return by the US to global climate efforts after four years of withdrawal under Donald Trump.
Senate overwhelmingly passes Anti-Asian hate crime bill
VOA says the Senate has overwhelmingly passed new legislation aimed at bolstering efforts to combat rising anti-Asian hate crimes during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The bill would establish a new Justice Department position to expedite the review of COVID-19-related hate crimes and provide support for local law enforcement agencies to respond to anti-Asian hate violence. It also includes an amendment that would improve hate crime data collection and establish hate crime telephone hotlines.
Live Updates
- India joins UK’s ‘red list’ as travel ban begins
- Indian health system ‘crumbling’ under world-record new Covid-19 cases
- New video shows additional angle in death of Ma’Khia Bryant
- Biden pledges to double climate aid for developing countries
- Harry Potter’s Tom Felton pays emotional tribute to on-screen mum Helen McCrory
Dominic Cummings accused in text scandal
Friday’s front pages are leading with claims from a Downing Street source that PM Boris Johnson believes former aide Dominic Cummings has been leaking his texts.
Most of Friday’s tabloids feature a picture of Prince Louis as he celebrates his 3rd birthday.
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The Times quotes the source saying Dominic Cummings was “engaged in systematic leaking” and “bitter about what’s happened since he left”. The paper says Cummings did not respond to their requests for comment. – The Times
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The Sun says “Dom’s a text maniac”. The paper claims insiders say Boris Johnson is “deeply disappointed and saddened” that texts he sent were made public. – The Sun
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The Daily Telegraph says Dominic Cummings is seen by No 10 sources as Boris Johnson’s suspect in the text leaking scandal, which has implicated the PM in two separate lobbying scandals.
The paper says the “revelation” threatens to “reignite the damaging briefing war which erupted in Downing Street after the former adviser was forced out in November.” – Daily Telegraph
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The Daily Mirror reports Brits could be “holidaying in the Costas by June” after a tourism minister said Spain is finally ready to have visitors again. The paper also features a picture of Prince Louis – taken by the Duchess of Cambridge. – Daily Mirror
Post Office scandal: Postmasters await Appeal Court ruling – Read on
Greensill: Treasury publishes emails amid lobbying row – Read on
Co-op store management shake-up to affect 2,000 staff – Read on
‘As good as the top boys’ – Leicester see off West Brom to boost Champions League hopes – Read on
Fan-led review of English football to consider ownership, finance and fan involvement – Read on
Arsenal told Super League bid ‘absolutely disgraceful’ – 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