This is bbc news. The latest headlines for viewers in the uk and around the world. A brexit deal within striking distance, as signs from london and brussels point to a deal on the table. An announcement is expected thursday morning. President trump gives full pardons to his congressmen Paul Manafort. Six million more people in england face the toughest level of coronavirus restrictions, as hospital admissions surge to their highest levels since april. The first trucks are on their way from dover, as france lifts its ban on travel across the channel, but the backlog remains. Italy tightens restrictions and
closes ski resorts, it now has the highest covid death toll in europe. Hello to you. After years of two and four and nine months of actual talks, the uk and the eu seem to be close, finally, too striking a post brexit trade deal. Cabinet ministers were summoned to a Conference Call with the Prime Minister, and the announcement is likely to be held over until the morning press c0 nfe re nce. Be held over until the morning press conference. Talks are expected to continue throughout the night. The final text is thought to be about 2000 pages. The talks will go on for a few hours yet. It really is crossing the tees
and dotting the isa. It is likely going to be concluded in the next few hours, the morning before we know for sure that this deal is done, it does seem to be going that way, i dont think anything has happened that makes us think that there is not going to be a deal agreed between the eu and the uk, in the next few hours, but, if you are holding your breath for one tonight, i think you will be disappointed. Looks like the morning, rather than a late one tonight. Its been a rather strange day here whether historic agreement seems to be within touching distance all day, but has not quite been touched yet. 0ur understanding is small hours of the morning that talking will continue through the night, perhaps on the vexed question of fisheries, but it sums up the state of the negotiations, the state of the negotiations, the rather febrile atmosphere
around them, that when those pizzas were delivered, there was genuine speculation as to whether that was to keep the negotiators going through the night or it was for some kind of celebration because a deal had been done. The sense is that it had been done. The sense is thatitis had been done. The sense is that it is that close, you have to enter the caveat that this is brussels, nothing is done until every point of detail is done, and that is not done yet. Pa rt of done, and that is not done yet. Part of all of this of course as you may well still be arguing about fishing stocks, of course you might. But there isa of course you might. But there is a presentational issue. If you finally sort out that issue about fishing stocks at half past three in the morning you dont want to throw away the announcement of what is a pretty historic moment, lets not forget that. This is the first time a country has left the eu, is the first free trade deal of its type that the eu has ever negotiated, it is usually economically significant for britain, you dont want to come to an agreement in the middle of the night, and lose their headline making power of launching a
deal. Expectancy Boris Johnson in london, expect to see the president of the European Commission here, expect a fuss to be made, because after the very very difficult negotiations, still continuing oii negotiations, still continuing on course, comes the task of selling this deal to the public. That is more of an issue of the british side than the european, but they will be a strong desire to get the public behind it and the best way to do that is to have a convincing launch at a good moment in the morning, rather than asi moment in the morning, rather than as i say, in the middle of the night here. With less than a month left as president , donald trump has issued full pardons to his Campaign ManagerPaul Manafort, his long time fixer roger stone, and a Real Estate Developer and father of trump son in law and advisor. Paul manafort was convicted as pa rt Paul Manafort was convicted as part of the special council enquiry into russian interference in the president ial election of 2016. He had previously commuted roger stones offence for the criminal offence of lying to congress under oath. Lets go live to our north america correspondent. How is all this going down . This all underlines the president s determination to eradicate the prosecutions that resulted from the special councils investigation into russian interference on the 2016 president ial election. Mr trump has railed against that enquiry, of course, consistently, calling it a hoax and now, he has announced pardons of further people that we re pardons of further people that were prosecuted as a result of that investigation. You mentioned there Paul Manafort, the former Campaign Chairman, one of three Campaign Chairman that donald trump had, and paul ma nafort that donald trump had, and Paul Manafort a short while ago tweeted this, saying mr
president , my family and i humbly thank you for the president ial pardon you have bestowed upon me, words cannot fully convey how grateful we are. You mentioned roger stone, his sentence had already been commuted, he is of course a long term ally of President Trump, and then of course charles kushner, who is the father of Donald Trumps son in law father of Donald Trumps son in lanared kushner, father of Donald Trumps son in law jared kushner, and he was sentenced to two years in prison for preparing false tax returns, witness retaliation and making false state m e nts retaliation and making false statements false statements to be exchange commission, but to be exchange commission, but to directly answer your question, these will be seen by critics of the president as very controversial pardons indeed. There is already quite a lot of shocked and upset over what the president has already done with pardons, and of course democratic president s issued a lot of pardons and jimmy carter of course, but mr trump was already pardoning people some people engage with really questionable activities who admitted what they had done. Absolutely. And this
brings to a9, in fact, the number of people to whom President Trump has granted clemency in the last two days, either through pardons or through sentence commutation is, and it is a clear indication of the fact that the president intends to wield this very controversial ability that he has two the benefit of friends, to people who have been loyal to him over the yea rs, been loyal to him over the years, people who in many cases have served prison sentences because of their loyalty to donald trump. Another 6 Million People in england will find themselves living under the highest level of covid restrictions within the next few days as coronavirus levels rise again. From december 26th, the government has said its extending tier a restrictions across much of the south and east of england. That means staying at home, unless youre travelling to work orfor education, and no christmas socialising. This report from our Political Correspondent laila nathoo. This sign will soon be turned. Tighter restrictions are on their way in norfolk and elsewhere in the east and south east of england. Tracey owns a gift shop in holt and another in neighbouring suffolk. Within days, both have to close. We fully appreciate the fact that these measures have to be put in place because its spiralling out of control in our areas, but as usual we feel the government has left it incredibly late to make the decision. Not the gift the government wanted to give, having already scaled back plans to allow christmas mixing. But ministers say the new strain of the virus has forced their hand. We have learnt that, when it comes to being a matter of when and not if we take action, its better to act sooner. And i know some of these decisions are tough and i believe that everybody will do what is needed to keep themselves and others safe, especially this christmas. And i know from the bottom of my heart that there are brighter skies ahead. You just said, when it comes to coronavirus, its better to act sooner, but the Prime Minister said on saturday the new strain was present across the country. Your chief scientific adviser said on monday it wasnt possible to stop it from spreading beyond the south east. Havent you wasted valuable time in trying to get ahead of the new strain of the virus . The whole basis of the tiered system is to take a proportionate approach to the areas where we need very firm action and other areas where we clearly need restrictions. Added to that, of course, is everybodys personal responsibility. Labour say businesses in areas already locked down are bearing a heavy burden. With all of the confusion around christmas and worries about what will happen in the new year too, we need to see clearer and firmer leadership from the Prime Minister, putting the Health Measures but also the economic measures in place so that we save lives and protect peoples jobs. The government insists its confident that the system of tiered restrictions in england is now Strong Enough to contain the new strain of the virus that is spreading quicker while the vaccine is being rolled out. Almost half of the countrys population will soon be in the toughest tier. Ministers say they dont want another National Lockdown but are keeping everything under review. We have been here before, and they had to change course. The cheer of christmas is muted this year and, for millions facing even stricter rules, boxing day will bring a further test of resolve. Leila nathoo, bbc news, westminster. Canadian Health Officials have approved the moderna vaccine, the second country to do so after the United States and will receive more than 160,000 doses by the end of the year. An increasing number of countries are receiving their first consignments of covid 19 vaccines. In laboratories like these, scientists have worked to create a vaccine. The countrys Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau hailed the key step in the fight against the pandemic. Now that Health Canada has approved the moderna vaccine, we have the moderna vaccine, we have the green light to start rolling it out across the country. The first doses of our guaranteed a0 million dose orderfrom moderna will guaranteed a0 million dose order from moderna will arrive in the coming days. South of the border in new york, Emergency Services personnel we re Emergency Services personnel were given the jab as part of effo rts were given the jab as part of efforts to raise the profile and Public Confidence of covid vaccines. There a sense that after months of waiting in countries across world, a Brighter Future is on the
horizon. In mexico, soldiers escorted the first delivery of inoculations to arrive in the capital. Vital consignments also arriving in argentina and costa rica. Distributing covid vaccines wont be easy, but is a torrid year comes to a close, there is hope that the key tools in the fight against the pandemic are becoming available. The next challenge, convincing the public to take them. To stay with us us if you can on bbc news, much more to come, including this, as italy ends the year with the highest covid death toll in europe, we look at the devastation felt in the northern ski resorts. Music and chanting. Saddam hussein is finished because he killed our people, our women, our children. The signatures took only a few minutes but they brought a formal end to 3. 5 years of conflict
conflict that has claimed more than 200,000 lives. Before an audience of world leaders, the president s of bosnia, serbia and croatia put their names to the peace agreement. The romanian border was sealed and silent today. Romania has cut itself off from the outside world in order to prevent the details of the presumed massacre in timisoara from leaking out. From sex at the white house to a trial for his political life, the lewinsky affair tonight guaranteed bill clinton his place in history as only the second president ever to be impeached. This is bbc news, the latest headlines a brexit deal, we are told is within striking distance, the
announcement of any the agreement is expected thursday morning. Donald trump has issued four pardons to his former Campaign ChairmanPaul Manafort, a long time fixer roger stone who was convicted of lying to congress. The first thousands of trucks have been stranded in a temporary lorry park in kent are now about to relieve. France has reopened its border with the uk, and travellers will have two show proof of a recent negative test of the virus. Severe delays are predicted before the backlog is cleared. Tempers began to boil overin cleared. Tempers began to boil over in dover this morning. 0ur transport correspondent reports. After three days of waiting, patience is running low. Drivers clash with police at manston airfield, desperate to get tested, get out and get home. We just want to make the test, and then go straight to home. In one day it is christmas. We are in here three days, we are very tired. We stay in the cars. We dont have a lot of food, no money. Its not very well. You need to go to your lorry, they will come to your lorry and test each of you. This morning, the airfield was full. Tests have started. But even a negative result means lorries have to navigate this to leave the country. The port of dovers chief executive isnt sure when the backlog can be cleared. The key thing is to get the approaches to the port clear. Thats got to be number one. And then to be able to produce a flow rate into the port of negative tests, that allows us to keep the port full and the ferries full. And then we can process things very, very quickly. Horns blare in dover, you can hear the frustration. Small acts of kindness in the queue. Thank you. Free drinks handed out, and volunteers opened the beach toilets. At the end of the day, it shouldnt be just down to the local Community Rallying round together. We live here. The government, the local councillors, our mp, who we havent heard from at all yet they should be here doing something. But people already exhausted by tier a restrictions are exasperated by the traffic. People cant get in or out of town or nothing. And theres elderly people that need shopping done, and no buses, no nothing. There are lots of old people in those flats. And its gridlock, nobody can move. Its a dangerous situation now. This is the scene across many roads in dover today, complete gridlock. Some of the people ive been speaking to today say they have been here for several days. 0thers arrived this morning, hoping things would have calmed down. What many people have also asked me is, where can i get a test . Speaking today, the transport secretary said things were moving. Theres about 6,000 lorries now in the area, and we are using every single tool we can. For example, the army arejoining us this evening in order to assist with the logistics. The police have done a terrific job in helping to clear the entrance to dover, to the port itself. The first tested drivers are now on their way to dover. A mobile Testing Centre has arrived in town. And the ferries sit tantalisingly close, holding the hopes of many to get home. Caroline davies, bbc news. And aid worker has been delivering many meals to the stranded drivers. He told us how his organisation can involve. On monday, we went down and provided some snacks and water, checked what was happening. We got into contact with the Emergency Services to offer our help and that they we re offer our help and that they were obviously busy. Yesterday morning, they called saying can we assist in 800 hot meals the last minute we said we can. So
we worked with them than and with the seek temple and they we re with the seek temple and they were really wonderful. We cooked up about 800 hot meals and two or three hours and done it all day yesterday and came back today. Yesterday, we came again and the Police Contacted are saying, can again and the Police Contacted are saying, can we again and the Police Contacted are saying, can we do more . There was a very are saying, can we do more . There was a very generous businessman who donated 1000 pizzas. We spent most of the day distributing those, picking them up and. Distributing them. And then late this morning, there were some chips and samosas donated by a shop. We work with refugees all around the world and everybody gets really lifted by a hot meal. Doesnt matter if you are a refugee on the border of iraq or syria or in the lobby driver in dover. Hot meals are very important. As you said, no services, no shops. Yesterday
was even worse, really quite heavy rain in the evening when we we re heavy rain in the evening when we were distributing and they we re we were distributing and they were stuck in their cabs. It is like a prison in a way for them. That was ravi from a charity there. Three Police Officers have been shot dead responding to a report of domestic violence. They were in a village in central france trying to rescue a woman trapped on the roof of a woman trapped on the roof of a home. The French Interior minister says the suspected government has also been found dead. Fashion house the saatchi and Stella Mccartney have paid tributes to the model Stella Tennant who died at 50s. She made her name in the early 90s appearing in all the major fashion magazines. Britain has ordrered a halt to flights from south africa from 9am on thursday morning. Thats after the discovery of a second variant of the coronavirus apparently originating in south africa. There are fears that new variants of the virus are causing a surge in cases. Our health correspondent,
sophie huchinson has more. South africa, where another new variant of coronavirus is causing alarm. Scientists say initial evidence suggests its more infectious than other versions of the virus, and doctors are reporting more young people who are seriously ill. This new variant is highly concerning because it is yet more transmissible and it appears to have mutated further than the new variant thats been discovered in the uk. The two people found in the uk with this variant are being quarantined along with close contacts. The governments brought in immediate travel restrictions with south africa and says anyone who has been there in the past two weeks must self isolate, along with their close contacts. And all of this on top of a new variant believed to have originated in the uk. Today the government released these graphs, showing its rapid growth in different parts of england. The dark lines are the new variant, the lighter lines the pre existing strains. And mps were told today the uk variant believed to have emerged in kent has probably spread further. The fact they have picked up ten cases with sequencing of this new variant in a country as small as denmark, with a relatively low infection rate, would suggest in my view that this virus has been introduced into the great majority, if not all of European Countries at the current time. Whenever viruses mutate into new strains, like the one that spread so fast here in london, there is inevitably concern about whether vaccines will still work. The Developers Behind the coronavirus vaccines are now checking that, but scientists are confident that vaccines will be able to adapt. One of the beauties, really, of this Novel Technology is its simplicity and in theory its adaptability, its agility to respond. The developers of the Pfizer Biontech vaccine, which is being used by the nhs, believe it will still be effective, reassuring those who were relying on it as a way out of this pandemic. Sophie hutchinson, bbc news. Italy is ending 2020 as the country with the highest covid death toll in europe and the government has tightened measures over christmas, including closing ski resorts. Italy was the first country in the west to be crushed by the virus, with the city of bergamo in the north particularly devastated. 0ur correspondent mark lowen has been back there to reflect on this tragic year. Clearing the pistes for no one to use. High in the italian alps, foppolo should be preparing for a bumper christmas season. But it, and all italian ski resorts, have been shut by the government to slow coronavirus. Its in the province of bergamo, worst hit in italy by the pandemic. And now theres the financial shock. Translation at christmas, we make up half of our season. Losing it causes irreparable damage that well never make up. And i imagine some businesses here wont survive. What we from bergamo lived through in march was very frightening, hearing the sound of ambulances. We must take care not to relive it, but the mountains can be enjoyed safely. And this is not a fair decision. The first wave of the virus closed these pistes on march 8th, having to shut down again is a devastating blow for resorts that make up 11 billion euros of the italian economy. But theres always a trade off between economic damage and halting the virus. And losing this christmas on the pistes is a sacrifice the government feels it has to make. Desperate measures to stop a repeat of march when deaths in bergamo were more than five times previous years. Christmas wont ease the pain of a city whose despair became a symbol of italys agony. Azia marquezs father, sirio, was one of the first to die at home, the kindly face of the local santa. His body stayed in their living room for two and a half days before the overwhelmed authorities could retrieve it. Translation someone like him deserved a funeral, something dignified, instead of being thrown into a coffin in our house like a carcass. Therell be an empty place at the table this christmas. He was the life and soul of the party. Im angry, too, with the authorities who didnt close down bergamo fast enough. They put the economy ahead of human lives. The scenes in march of bergamos main hospital, short of beds and oxygen, woke the west up to what it would face. Today, its quieter, numbers are lower. So many cases here has created some herd immunity. But psychologists say the mental scars run deep. Translation patients told me of their dreams of being in a room on fire, needing someone to save them. Bergamo has always been a very lively city, full of people and light. Suddenly, it became a wounded city, ground to a halt, silenced. I, too, needed psychological help, and i think we will see more patients for years to come. In a year of hospital heroes, the building itself has become a christmas nativity scene here, with memories of the horrors of 2020 and dreams of a medical miracle to come. Mark lowen, bbc news, bergamo. There is more on that and more on all of the News National and international any time on the bbc website and on our twitter feeds. But is it for now, thank you so much for watching. Do come again. Hello there. Wednesday brought another wet day, particularly to england and wales. And at one point, we had over 50 flood warnings in force. Now, im sure as the rain eases off, the number of flood warnings through Christmas Eve will gradually begin to drop away, but still the potential for a few problems. There is the rain bearing cloud, then, we had across england and wales, but my attention right now is being drawn to this area of cloud just running in across the north of scotland, because this is going to bring some of you snow. Yes, there could be a few centimetres lying on the ground in places, along with the risk of icy stretches as we head into the first part of Christmas Eve. A few showers also running down north sea coast, the irish seacoast, as our main band of rain continues to edge out of the way. It will be cold, mind you, a cold start to Christmas Eve, a widespread frost certainly for scotland, northern england,
probably northern ireland, and perhaps into the north midlands and north wales as well. Now, it will be a cold day for Christmas Eve, these chilly northerly winds diving their way southwards and bringing showers down north sea coasts. They will continue to fall as snow in land across parts of scotland, perhaps over the north york moors, might even see an odd flake mixed in with these showers across Eastern England at times. But away from the east coast where it will be windy and cold, should be plenty of sunshine, but those temperatures way lower than they have been for a number of days now, 3 a in scotland, may be a 5 for parts of Eastern England. And as we head into christmas day, there will be a widespread and sharp frost, so certainly a chilly start to the big day. That might be quite a nice sunrise to start the day. Best of the sunshine across england and wales, but cloud will quickly building across the north west, and ultimately, we will see some rain move its way into northwest scotland, where it will be turning milder, as south westerly winds eventually pushing in, highs of 9 in stornoway. Best of the sunshine, then, hanging on across parts of southern and Eastern England, but cold, a 5 degrees celsius. Beyond that, boxing day, and sunday, the second half of the weekend, weve got this area of rain pushing southwards across the country. Given that the ground is saturated, that rain is likely to lead to further localised flooding with wintry showers following the main band of rain through. Its notjust rain that could cause issues, its also going to become very windy, gusts could reach 50 70 mph, maybe Even Stronger than that. Going to become very windy, gusts could reach 50 70 mph, maybe Even Stronger than that. So there is the potential for some disruptive winds as well this weekend, and beyond that into monday, still windy for northern ireland. Further east, a mixture of rain, sleet and maybe some snow. The latest headlines from bbc news. A brexit deal looks to be finally within striking distance, with an announcement on an agreement expected between london and brussels on thursday morning. British cabinet ministers were summoned for a conference, the Prime Minister to what is on the verge of being agreed this evening. Donald trump has issued full pardons to his former Campaign Chairman paul ma nafort former Campaign ChairmanPaul Manafort who was convicted as pa rt manafort who was convicted as part of the russian interference on the 2016 election. He has also parted long time fixer roger stone. 6 million more people on england are facing the toughest level of coronavirus restrictions as hospital admissions in search of the highest level since april. The government says it is extending tier a across much of the south and east of england. Thousands of migrants