European countries are being forced to tighten restrictions ahead of christmas following record daily cases and deaths this month. The netherlands has announced a new five week lockdown, while germany will enter a hard lockdown from wednesday. The latest figures across europe and elsewhere are bleak. The First Western country hit by the virus, italy, reported 816 deaths on tuesday, while new infections rose to 14,844 from 12,030. Deaths in turkey rose to a record 235. The country also recording 32,102 new cases, ranking it third in the world in the highest number of daily cases behind the us and brazil. France has replaced its Second National lockdown with a night time curfew as the number of deaths on tuesday rose by 790. And in brazil, 964 deaths were registered on tuesday and 42,889 new cases. Anna holligan reports from the hague. The dutch had been dreaming of a relatively relaxed christmas, but over the weekend, photos of crowds cramming into city centres combined with an infectio
Agree to produce and host a series of podcasts. Welcome to our viewers on pbs in america and around the globe. The republican majority leader in the us senate, Mitch Mcconnell has formally acknowledged thatjoe biden won last months president ial election. Its the first sign of a split between the partys leadership and donald trump who still maintains, without any evidence, that he is the rightful winner of novembers vote. Heres Mitch Mcconnell on the senate floor on tuesday. So, today, iwant to congratulate president electjoe biden. The president elect is no stranger to the senate. Hes devoted himself to Public Service for many years. I also want to congratulate the Vice President elect, our colleague from california, senator harris. Beyond our differences, all americans can take pride that our nation has a female Vice President elect for the very first time. With more on the significance of this development, heres our north america correspondent david willis. This is a very senior rep
Pressure is increasing for the uk government to revise its relaxation of covid restrictions from 23 27 of december. Talks with the devolved administrations will resume on wednesday to see if a four nation approach can be agreed. Its thought changes to the measures already announced are unlikely, but that there may be strengthened guidance to discourage excessive social mixing. Two of the uks leading medical journals published a joint editorial for the first time, calling for the government to stop any household mixing. They describe the current plan to allow three households to gather at christmas as a rash decision that will cost lives. Here are their editors. The real striking, stark truth of the matter is that our Health System is not going to manage if we allow the current trend to continue on top of the superspreader event that will be this five days of christmas. We are currently on course for around about 19,000 covid inpatients in english hospitals. At the start of the second w
A post brexit trade deal are continuing overnight, after a British Government source said the eus offer remained unacceptable. A decision is due sometime on sunday about whether enough progress has been made to carry on negotiaions. Both sides have warned that no deal is now the most likely outcome. Our political correspondent, iain watson reports. In brussels, the briefest of glimpses of the uks chief negotiator. He is locked in talks behind closed doors with his eu counterparts to see if a deal is possible in the next 2a hours. But indications tonight are not positive. A government source told the bbc talks are continuing overnight and, as things stand, the offer on the table from the eu remains unacceptable. The mood around the talks, like the weather, is rather gloomy. In fact, the only agreement that might be reached this weekend between downing street and the eu is to halt the negotiations and move towards no deal. Downing street says, to reach agreement, the eu must recognise th
Talks in brussels about a post brexit trade deal are continuing overnight after a British Government source said the eus offer remained unacceptable. A decision is due sometime on sunday about whether enough progress has been made to carry on negotiaions. Both sides have warned that no deal is now the most likely outcome. Our political correspondent, iain watson reports. In brussels, the briefest of glimpses of the uks chief negotiator. He is locked in talks behind closed doors with his eu counterparts to see if a deal is possible in the next 2a hours. But indications tonight are not positive. A government source told the bbc talks are continuing overnight and, as things stand, the offer on the table from the eu remains unacceptable. The mood around the talks, like the weather, is rather gloomy. In fact, the only agreement that might be reached this weekend between downing street and the eu is to halt the negotiations and move towards no deal. Downing street says, to reach agreement, t