This is bbc news, the headlines at five. Another deadline extended brexit talks will now continue as both sides agree to carry on after being unable to come to an agreement. Lam afraid i am afraid we are still very far apart on some key things, but where there is life, there is hope. We are going to keep talking to see what we can do. The uk certainly wont be walking away from the talks. I think people will expect us to go the extra mile. We have accordingly mandated our negotiators to continue the talks and to see whether an agreement can be reached, even at this late stage. Following the decision, the Prime Minister held a Conference Call to brief the cabinet on their options in the event of a no deal outcome. A warning to borisjohnson relaxing coronavirus restrictions this christmas will lead to a third wave of infections Angela Merkel announces tighter coronavirus restrictions in germany to run through christmas until january the 10th. And in formula one, Max Verstappen wins the abu dhabi grand prix for red bull in the final race of the season. And coming up at 5. 30 with the promise of a covid 19 vaccine, global questions examines whether it could really be the Silver Bullet to end the pandemic . Good afternoon. Borisjohnson and the European Commission president , ursula von der leyen have agreed to continue talks to try to break the deadlock over
a post brexit trade deal. After speaking on the phone this morning, they issued a joint statement saying they had agreed to go the extra mile to try to find a solution. The Prime Minister said the two sides remained far apart on key areas but they wouldnt be walking away while there was still hope of a deal. Today had been given as a deadline to decide whether negotiations should continue. Our Political Correspondent, helen catt, reports. It was supposed to be the call that would make the call. Was there enough chance of a deal to keep talking . The answer . Despite the exhaustion after almost one year of negotiations, and despite the fact that deadlines have been missed over and over, we both think that it is responsible at this point in time to go the extra mile. We have accordingly mandated our negotiators to continue the task, and to see whether an agreement can
be reached, even at this late stage. In the last few minutes, the Prime Minister has downplayed expectations. As things stand and this is basically what ursula and i agreed im afraid were still very apart on some key things, but where theres life, theres hope. Were going to keep talking to see what we can do. The uk certainly wont be walking away from the talks. I think people would expect us to go the extra mile. But ive got to repeat the most likely thing now is, of course, that we have to get ready for wto terms. The two leaders met face to face earlier this week. A political breakthrough then was not found. As late as last night, the uk government was calling the eus offer unacceptable. Both sides had upped expectations that no deal was looking probable. We have accordingly mandated our negotiators to continue the task, and to see whether an agreement can be reached, even at this late stage. Irelands Prime Minister had said that would be an appalling failure of statecraft. That is why i say, any bit
of energy we have left, we must continue to focus on negotiating our way to a deal. The two sides continue to clash overfishing but, also, those shared competition rules. The government believes the way the eu wants to guarantee standards doesnt fit with the uks new place as a nonmember, free to make its own rules. The eu disagrees, and so does labour. What the government seems to be saying is, we are willing to accept no deal which would mean tariffs across the board because of some future theoretical threat, maybe some time in the future, to have tariffs in relation to some products. Now, that makes no sense. Thats like saying, im worried my roof is going to leak in five years time, so lets bulldoze the house now. Talks are expected to start in brussels this afternoon again. The question is if the outlook is any brighter. Helen catt, bbc news. Borisjohnson Boris Johnson gave borisjohnson gave a slightly longer
statement after that conversation. Lets listen to a bit more of it now. The idea was that when we went out oii the idea was that when we went out on wednesday, the hope was that we we re on wednesday, the hope was that we were going to be able to finish things off today, there was a deal to be done. As things stand, and this was basically what ursula and i agreed, i this was basically what ursula and i agreed, lam this was basically what ursula and i agreed, i am afraid we are still very farapart on agreed, i am afraid we are still very far apart on some key things but where they is life, there is hope, so we are going to keep talking in the uk certainly wont be walking away from the talks. I think people will expect us to go the extra mile. I repeated my offer, which is, if its necessary to talk to other capitals then i am very happy to do that. The commission are very determined to keep the negotiations the way that they have been done, between us and the commission. Thats fine, but i have got to repeat, the most likely thing iiow got to repeat, the most likely thing now is of course that we have to get
ready for the bto terms, australia terms, and dont forget, everybody, we have made huge preparations. We have been at this for four and a half years, so there is a long time, perhaps more intensively in the last couple of years and previously, but we have got ready and anybody needs to know what to know, get onto the gov. Uk site and see what needs to be done. Our Political Correspondent nick eardley sent us this update from downing street. We got a real sense from both sides, not just from a we got a real sense from both sides, notjust from a have underlain an borisjohnson but notjust from a have underlain an Boris Johnson but from various notjust from a have underlain an borisjohnson but from various eu leaders, that they dont want to be the ones to walk away from these negotiations and basically put an end to any talks of a trade deal coming into place on the 1st of january, but that said, the fact that conversation happen this afternoon, both sides of agreed that they should get back round the negotiating table, is not insignificant. Because if there was
really no way for they wouldnt be doing that. Boris johnson really no way for they wouldnt be doing that. Borisjohnson has made clear that if he thinks that has reached the end of the road he would be prepared to step back from the process. And many thought potentially could be the day he decided to do so. Not so. What we dont know at the moment is because the inner circle of people who are in that room negotiating is so tight, we dont know exactly whether one side is giving a nod and a wink to the other that it has perhaps prepared to move an inch check that they move an inch to move toward some kind of compromise to get this deal over the line. It does seem to me now that we have got potentially quite a few days more of negotiating left. There is no deadline put today on when these talks will go on to. Yes, borisjohnson on when these talks will go on to. Yes, Boris Johnson is on when these talks will go on to. Yes, borisjohnson is warning the wto terms, which is basically no trade deal, is the most likely outcome still. The rhetoric over the last few days that most sites are making it pretty clear that no deal
is going to happen or it is very likely, that rhetoric has been dialled down a bit and the hope is that gets a bit of space for each side to iron out those remaining issues. Lets hear more of what the European Commission president ursula von der leyen said after her phone call with borisjohnson. Good afternoon. I had a constructive and useful phone call with the Prime Minister borisjohnson and we discussed the major unsolved topics. Our negotiation teams have been working day and night over the recent days and despite the exhaustion after almost one year of negotiations, despite the fact that deadlines have been missed over and over, we both think that it is responsible at this point in time to go the extra mile. We have accordingly mandated our negotiators
to continue the talks and to see whether an agreement can be reached, even at this late stage. The negotiations continue here in brussels. Thank you so much. The Irish Foreign minister Simon Coveney says the extension is cause for optimism i still think a deal as possible. The negotiating teams are inching this process forward. I believe that if no progress at all had been made in the next few days then ursula von der leyen in borisjohnson wouldnt have mandated these negotiations to continue and instead we would be focusing solely on contingency plans for a no trade deal and no future relationship agreement. And while of course we continue to plan for the worst scenario course we continue to plan for the woist scenario as we course we continue to plan for the worst scenario as we have been for many months now, we are also very relieved to see these negotiations continue for a few more days yet, to try to find a way of closing the
remaining gaps. There are not many remaining gaps. There are not many remaining gaps. There are not many remaining gaps left but they are still quite white, and there is an enormous effort by very experienced negotiators to try to get a deal that both sides can live with, that would create winners and losers in this negotiation but instead try to accommodate the genuine concerns of both sides in order to get a deal. Our europe correspondent gavin lee is in from brussels. So they are going to go the extra mile but are they all won the same road . I think ultimately, mile but are they all won the same road . Ithink ultimately, if mile but are they all won the same road . I think ultimately, if you just go back a week when you had the technical teams, david frost on one side, Michel Barnier on the other, saying we cannot do any more, we cannot bridge the unbridgeable, this is to be the politicians. And then you had a European Council summit, the conference between borisjohnson and ursula von der leyen, the commission president. It didnt look so commission president. It didnt look so good and suddenly the technical teams were talking again this
weekend saying, lets see if they can work something. I was told in many conversations yesterday here in brussels, i was told the chances we re brussels, i was told the chances were bleak. One eu council official told me this is no deal, get ready for it. Talks went on into the night last night and suddenly there seems to have been progress, particularly on the area of equivalents, making sure the uk doesnt go too far in terms of verging away from standards of environmental or labour or the social sector. And from the uk point of view there seems to be something, we refer to when we chatted a short while ago, this ratchet mechanism which basically the uk were worried that every time the eu wanted to differentiate itself in future, if the uk didnt go its way it would face ta riffs the uk didnt go its way it would face tariffs and instant penalties. That seems to have dropped away and there is going to be arbitration. So in short, the long way round but i think there is more confidence
today. One mep tweeted a short while ago to say no side there is to pull the plug, so different interpretations. But on things like fishing, individual states have a veto and emanuel akron has made pretty clear where he stands on that. He wants his cake, rather like borisjohnson, that. He wants his cake, rather like Boris Johnson, and to that. He wants his cake, rather like borisjohnson, and to keep it. That. He wants his cake, rather like borisjohnson, and to keep itm that. He wants his cake, rather like Boris Johnson, and to keep it. It is interesting. A special on the fact that we heard from borisjohnson again today that he has offered to go to other capitals, he mentioned a few days ago which hed rather go to, paris and berlin, as we saw with David Cameron and theresa may before it trying to negotiate a better deal all those years ago, or whether it was video conferences he wanted. He knows there are certain levers and the tough stance of the germans, but he has been told, this has been channelled through the commission, which he says when i was fine. But lets not forget, Emmanuel Macron and the german chancellor wanted to perhaps ease the passage and make
something happen, and they could sign up to this but they have domestic audiences. If they were seen to be the ones compromising a lot falls on them, so this is all going to go over the next few days through the commission. The same scenario as before and they are in the tunnel again so we are expecting no talking, listening sink ships. Loose lips sink ships. Labours Rachel Reeves welcomed the news that talks were carrying on, but said businesses need to know what is happening. I think everybody would have liked to have seen the ato by now, but the very worst outcome would be to crash out with no deal whatsoever on first january after all these months and months of negotiation, so it is good that the talks continue. I hope that they will swiftly conclude, but i also hope very much, under half of all british businesses and workers and our security, that the government deliver the promise they made to the british people and come
back with a deal. Lets speak to the conservative mp sirjohn redwood, a veteran eurosceptic. Someone long fighting for that particular position. Thank you for joining us on bbc news. Are you pleased that these talks continue . am only pleased that the eu is now going to be realistic and understand that we will make our own laws, our own decisions, we will run our own fisheries. They cannot adjudicate future disagreements through their court. I think they have a long way to move to be able to get the kind of agreement that would be an improvement on ourjust leaving and using World Trade Organization rules and methods. I do find all this scaremongering about trading under wto terms very odd because it is what we do with the majority of our trade at the moment. Three referendum on post referendum i have a lwa ys referendum on post referendum i have always said the same thing to a
wider business audience, prepare for wto rules and trading. You know it works and it has essentially done pretty well for us with many countries including the United States and china which we trade a lot with, which the eu never allowed asa lot with, which the eu never allowed as a Free Trade Agreement with, so we know how to do it and we may well need to get on with it. Just on the wto, the eu is the single biggest trading partnerfor wto, the eu is the single biggest trading partner for the uk, wto, the eu is the single biggest trading partnerfor the uk, 43 of our exports, 51 of our imports. If we had no deal and went to wto rules, there would be delays, there would be millions of unsold lamb carcasses. Would be millions of unsold lamb carcasses. Do you accept that there is this big block, certainly initially, to prevent free trade happening . I think it is all scaremongering of the type we have had for five scaremongering of the type we have had forfive or six scaremongering of the type we have had for five or six years now from the remains side fed by the european
union. Our borders work fine for the bulk of our trade with america, china and the other leading countries that we trade west. It is quite true that the eu send us a lot of imports, our trade is very lopsided with a big deficit on goods and especially on food with the European Union. And i would have thought the European Union wanted to carry on dominating that food market because there are plenty of other food suppliers around the world who would love cheap access to market. And of course our domestic producers would love to have a big domestic market share, so i think the eu should think very hard before welcoming tariffs on their food exports to us, because that is the main area that will be hit by tariffs, and they have this colossal surplus on trade in food. Former australian pm Malcolm Turnbull speaking a few days ago said that australia wasnt at all happy with its wto trading relationship with
the eu and he said, be careful what you wish for. Of course the eu has been a difficult trade partner for australia, we are going to be a much better trade partner once we are out of the eu. It will be one of the areas where i am of the eu. It will be one of the areas where i am sure our of the eu. It will be one of the areas where i am sure our trade will grow a great deal but it is quite true that various countries around the world found the eu difficult and we suffered from that as a great trading nation. It hasnt been helpful, lets take for example the imposition of tariffs on scotch whisky. They resulted from an eu wide trade spat with United States of america. Maybe we can do something about that once we are free. Just want to pick up on the wto arrangement that you say would work well. Just reality check and you can take what you think of this but bbc reality check says that this is wrong when it says it is perfectly fine, the uk. With regards to tariffs the uk trade is with 2a countries under wto rules alone and
with 68 others it has as part of the eu trade agreements either fully or partly in place, which all enable trade on better terms. That is the point surely with australia as well, in terms of wine and other sectors like that. But some of our most important trade partners, the United States of america as singles Biggest National trading partner, germany is number two, National Trading partner, germany is numbertwo, and National Trading partner, germany is number two, and there are no special deals or tariffs for them. This fact check business, youre just expressing a different opinion from mine, youre quite entitled to but dont call it a fact check. The fa cts dont call it a fact check. The facts about the World Trade Organization are is that everyone who is a member of that organisation trades as a most favoured nation with every other nation and that is a technical phrase that is used, and that means that all the rules that prevent people messing up their borders and imposing unnecessary barriers are not permitted and you have an action against any country or region or block trying to do
that, and it also means that you have to charge the same tariff on imports in your country from every member, so we have an opportunity to actually lower some tariffs because some of the tariffs the eu mixes in prose on the bulk of our trade from the rest of the world, are too high and most notably on Food Products we cant grow for ourselves because of the climate. Where would you compromise in terms of Boris Johnsons possession . Would you allow the french a few more years of access to uk waters . No, we compromised too much for four and a half years, the Prime Minister has been admirably firm. He inherited the position that had been gravely weakened by all of the foolish sacrifices theresa may made against the advice of people like myself, and we now have to show the eu that we are a strong, confident and sensible nation. We gave far too much away in the early months. Do you think the Prime Minister will
stick to its guns on their side are you worried about the compromise which would betray what you feel . He has shown every sign of sticking to his guns and i think it is far and away his best course of action. He promised the brexit voters of the country a glorious victory and that he would not carry on negotiating badly and making lame sacrifices in the way his predecessors had done because that had done huge damage, just as mr cameron did not negotiate firmly enough and got practically nothing in the way of improvement, so many mps who might have stuck with the eu, if there had been some kind of improvement from a renegotiation except that the eu are not serious and dont like is, so we are going to vote against. He said he would get brexit done but he also said he had another radio. He did, and the political agreement which had been negotiated by mrs may and twea ked had been negotiated by mrs may and tweaked by mrjohnson made very
clear that the eu and the uk were committed to a Free Trade Agreement as the centrepiece of the future relationship. The eu has backed away from it and put all sorts of difficulties in its way, acted in bad faith, and that is why the oven ready deal is not allowed into the european oven and so we are going to have to use our own oven and that is why we are where we are. John redwood, thank you very much indeed. Latest government figures for coronavirus here in the uk show there were 18,447 new cases reported in the latest 2a hour period. That means the average number of new cases reported per day in the last week, is now 18,023. There were 1,530 people admitted to hospital on average each day over the week to last friday. And 144 deaths were reported this thats people who died within 28 days of a positive covid 19 test. That means on average in the past week, 420 deaths were announced every day. One of the scientists who led the development of the Oxford University vaccine has warned there could be a sharp rise in infections in january because of people meeting over christmas. It comes as one hospital in South East Wales said it was experiencing significant pressures from covid 19. Heres our science correspondent, pallab ghosh. Although some are being vaccinated now, the majority of high risk people will get their jabs next year. The aim is to immunise those most at risk by easter. This would allow a gradual easing of restrictions across the country. Professor Sarah Gilbert led efforts to develop the Oxford University vaccine currently being assessed for approval by the uk regulator. She warned peoples behaviour in the coming weeks could delay progress in tackling the virus. What weve seen in the us is that after thanksgiving, when people were travelling and mixing, there has been a big surge in infections,
and they are seeing 3,000 deaths a day now. The highest rate theres ever been in any country. If we have that kind of thing happening over the Christmas Holidays in this country, with very high transmission rates then possible injanuary, itll take so much longer to get things back to normal because, partly, all the vaccination clinics will be disrupted. A 73 year old man had to wait more than 19 hours in an ambulance outside Grange University hospital in monmouthshire because of pressure on its services because of covid. Ted edwards was at home when he suffered a suspected stroke. Unless we are able to reverse the current trend in coronavirus, we are heading into a period where everything that our Health Service can do will have to be focused on the hundreds and hundreds of people who are now so ill with the virus that they need to be in a hospital bed, and that compromises the ability of the Health Service to do everything else. Hospital leaders have warned that relaxing covid restrictions could trigger a third wave
of the virus. In a letter, they ask the Prime Minister to act with extreme caution in moving any area to a lower tier. Englands three tier system is due to be reviewed next wednesday. Pallab ghosh, bbc news. Meanwhile, germany will close shops, schools and hairdressers from wednesday as the country introduces harsher restrictions to counter rising covid case numbers. After talks with regional leaders this morning, Angela Merkel said that the current measures which include the closure of bars, restaurants, leisure and arts facilities were not sufficient. Our berlin correspondent jenny hill sent this update. Angela merkel has been fighting for this for some time. She has been urging them to get a tighter hold on this pandemic. Germany came very successfully through the first wave
but is really struggling with the second, infections, deaths are reaching record numbers and they are still rising, so Angela Merkel has been trying to bang Heads Together and finally those regional leaders seem to be going into panic mode themselves. They agree to these new measures and invite some states will be imposing harsher restrictions including night time curfews in some parts of the country. In effect, germany is all but cancelling christmas and celebrations will be restricted to very small family gatherings. There is now a ban on Alcohol Consumption outside so that is the mulled wine stalls go on a new years eve parties will be cancelled, a ban on the sale of fireworks with which german traditionally of the year, and numbers again very much restricted, so it is the lockdown that Angela Merkel wanted all along and i think that most scientists would say it is very late in coming and they will be looking carefully at those numbers
to see if it has an impact. Police in lincolnshire have arrested two teenagers on suspicion of murder after the discovery a school boys body. It was found on common land in the village of fishtoft near boston yesterday morning. Police say the victim is believed to be of secondary school age. A boy aged 14 and a 19 year old man are in custody. Officers are appealing for information from the public. Just a few weeks to go until christmas,. At this time of year, were used to seeing Christmas Lights covering our houses and streets in the uk but an illuminated steam train is a more unusual sight. In a world first, a group of volunteers have used 14,000 led lights to light up the tracks in hampshire in southern england. Our reporter Duncan Kennedy has been to see the display. This is where steam. Train whistle blows. Meets electricity. And where heritage meets wattage. Its the watercress line in hampshire, now lit up in a spectacular christmas mix of light and wonder. Red, green, blue there are almost too many colours to count. It took eight weeks to design and two weeks to rig the lights on a train run by a not for profit group of steam enthusiasts. Oh, its amazing. My boy is so happy yes, its really made their day. The kids are loving it, its a really good experience. Nice to do something christmassy. This isnt the only heritage line to put Christmas Lights on trains, but this one is designed by simon horne, who usually creates concert lighting for the likes
of westlife and olly murs. Youre lighting a pop star, youve got the band, youve got pop star, you got the sound system. And youre just painting a picture around them. But this was all about the lights. So, like, oh, this cant go wrong so, i dont think ive ever been as proud as i am of this. Its really touching my heart. The train is 120 metres long, and cabling led lights has not been easy. There is one more nagging question. How many lights are there on this train . Theres14,000 individual leds on this train. Yes, thats exactly right 14,000 lights on this train, each one of them individually controllable. Simon, the lighting man, thinks that is a new world record. The trains are covid safe in an operation kept going by around 500 volunteers. You have steam trains, we have the magic of christmas and we have these wonderful lights, so, its just simply magical. Magic that now runs all the way to christmas and beyond. Light amid the darkness of 2020. Duncan kennedy, bbc news, in hampshire. How wonderful you will need some nice clear weather to look at it and not much of that around. Now its time for a look at the weather with nick miller. Hello after todays rain, we have a windy night to come. There will be a few sunny spells around. The persistent rain will clear away north and east as we go away this evening. Some of these showers will be heavy and possibly thundery and accompanied by some gusty winds as well. Temperatures are continuing to head up and rising overnight across parts of scotland and
north east england. It will be a mild start on monday. A day of some sunny spells. Showers will affect all parts as they push eastwards during the day that they will be some spots in the east with a couple of showers. The rest of the day will be dry with sunny spells. It will be windy tomorrow with gas around 60 mph. With gusts around 60 mph. These are average speeds, blustery particularly as the showers move on through. It is a mild start to the week and it is looking fairly mild throughout the week but with further rain at times. It is exactly half past five. Hello, this is bbc news with tim willcox. The headlines another deadline extended. Brexit talks will now continue after both sides agreed to carry on after being
unable to come to an