1. MPs to get ‘take it or leave it’ vote on Brexit deal
David Davis has announced MPs will be given a take-it-or leave-it vote on the final Brexit deal before the UK leaves the European Union. The Brexit Secretary says MPs will be able to debate and vote on any agreement negotiated with the EU by the Government. However, he added that the UK would still leave the EU on 29 March 2019, whether MPs backed or rejected the deal.
2. Theresa May attacks Moscow for ‘planting fake stories’
Theresa May has accused Moscow of meddling in elections and engaging in cyberespionage. In her strongest attack on Russia yet, the Prime Minister said Vladimir Putin was trying to “undermine free societies”. Speaking at the Lord Mayor’s Banquet in London, she accused Putin’s regime of “planting fake stories” to “sow discord in the West”.
3. Donald Trump Jr messaged WikiLeaks ahead of election
Donald Trump Jr was in direct communication with WikiLeaks in the crucial final stages of the 2016 presidential election, a new leak of private correspondence reveals. The eldest son of the US president swapped direct messages with the WikiLeaks account on Twitter in September and October last year. WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange claims the media has selectively edited the messages.
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4. TV producer says she was groped at Downing Street
Television producer Daisy Goodwin says said she was groped by a government official during a visit to 10 Downing Street. Goodwin, creator of the ITV series Victoria, told the Radio Times that the man put his hand on her breast after a meeting during the reign of David Cameron. She said she was “cross” at the time, but did not report the incident.
5. Dog charity warns of ‘sickening’ Christmas trade
Thousands of puppies are being illegally smuggled into Britain to meet demand for Christmas, warns the Dogs Trust. In a clampdown described by the charity as the “tip of the iceberg”, nearly 100 puppies were seized at the border in a single week. It added that the “sickening trade”, which sees puppies shipped in “shocking conditions”, is fuelled by demand for trendy breeds including pugs, dachshunds and French bulldogs.
6. North Korea slams Trump’s ‘nuclear war exercises’
North Korea says the US is “escalating tension” with military exercises in the Korean Peninsula. The country’s UN ambassador, Ja Song Nam, said joint US military exercises with South Korea “are clearly threats to international peace”. He added that Washington’s “large-scale nuclear war exercises and blackmails” make North Korea “conclude that the option we have taken was the right one”.
7. Buffon’s tears as Italy fail to reach World Cup finals
Four-times champions Italy have failed to qualify for the World Cup for the first time since 1958 after being held to a 0-0 draw by Sweden in a play-off yesterday. A tearful Gianluigi Buffon said he was “sorry for all of Italian football” after the match, his final game. The 39-year-old goalkeeper said: “It’s a shame my last official game coincided with the failure to qualify for the World Cup. Blame is shared equally between everyone.”
8. Brexit could dent GDP and topple education status
A loss of EU workers after Brexit could dent Britain’s GDP by 1.1%, or £22bn, in 2030, according to PwC. The consultancy said that though a severe slowdown in migration would have a tame effect, with GDP per capita falling by just 0.2% by 2030, certain industries and regions, including London, would be harder hit. Meanwhile, the British Academy says Brexit uncertainty threatens the UK’s status in higher education.
9. ‘Deadly spiders are coming’ during winter snap ahead
The UK’s most venomous spiders will “desperately try to crawl into our centrally-heated homes” as a cold snap hits Britain, claims the Daily Mail. A Met Office forecaster says: “From 26 November to 10 December, temperatures look like being below normal generally, with an increased risk of snow at times.” Meanwhile, a new study claims climate change means fewer people will die from the cold during winters.
10. Briefing: farm murders in South Africa
Protesters claim that farmers are much more likely to be murdered than the average South African – and that many of the brutal attacks are racially motivated. There is a "popular narrative that the country’s white farming minority is under siege", says the Mail and Guardian. But what is the real story behind this highly politicised debate?
Fact Check: The truth about farm murders in South Africa
