Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/PA
Top story: ‘Very slim’ chance of post-Brexit pact
Hello, Warren Murray getting you all caught up.
The future of Britain’s relationship with the rest of Europe will hang on the success of a dinner between Boris Johnson and Ursula von der Leyen in Brussels this evening, it has emerged, as the EU’s chief negotiator warned the chance of a Brexit deal was now “very slim”. Downing Street said the prime minister would join the European commission president at its Berlaymont headquarters where the leaders would have a three-course meal. A deal is not expected to be sealed at the dinner but Downing Street said if there was progress and goodwill, the troubled negotiations could be expected to resume on Friday.
Whatever is on the menu the prime minister will have quite a bit on his plate such as fishing rights, dispute resolution and a “level playing field” on social, environmental and other standards. The government has at least dropped its contentious law-breaking amendments to the internal market bill. But EU sources warned that while this was a “reset moment”, it was not a gamechanger for the deadlocked trade talks.
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‘I can’t remember winning the World Cup’ – Steve Thompson, who won the Rugby World Cup with England in 2003, former Wales back-rower Alix Popham and nine other ex-internationals – all under the age of 43 – have launched what could be a landmark legal action against World Rugby, the RFU in England and the Welsh Rugby Union after being diagnosed with early onset dementia.
A Guardian special report is investigating the link between rugby and dementia – and has presented the game with a reality it has dared not face until now. Whether you are a player, former player, parent or fan, we want to hear your experiences and thoughts.
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Midweek catch-up
> A government plan to deliver discounted starter homes has failed 85,000 young people, in a policy branded “deplorable” by MPs. The 2015 initiative for 200,000 homes to be sold at a 20% discount was scrapped without a single home being built, after £173m had been spent buying land. It is on course to deliver only 6,600 homes.
> FireEye, a major US cybersecurity company, has said foreign government hackers with “world-class capabilities” broke into its network and stole tools it uses to test the defences of customers who include governments and global corporations.
> Nine out of 10 people in 70 low-income countries are unlikely to be vaccinated against Covid-19 in 2021 because the most promising vaccines have been heavily bought by the west, campaigners have said. The stark disparity is revealed after Britain’s first candidates received their shots.
> The Sky News presenter Kay Burley has been withdrawn from consideration for a prestigious TV award and will stay off-air for the rest of the week after her 60th birthday party broke coronavirus regulations, the Guardian understands.
> Joe Biden has vowed to ensure 100 million Americans get coronavirus vaccinations during his first 100 days in the White House.
> A Covid-safe “cruise to nowhere” that took Singaporean passengers on a no-stopovers jaunt has ended after one of the passengers tested positive for coronavirus. The Royal Caribbean cruises stick to Singapore’s nearby waters.
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Britain’s real-world green transition – The world’s first detailed route map to ending a nation’s fossil fuel reliance is both “ambitious and affordable”, according to the Climate Change Committee advising Britain’s government. It would see half of the cars on the road being electric by 2030 and 10,000 giant wind turbines in the North Sea. Cost savings from no longer having to buy oil and gas almost offset the £50bn a year spend needed on green power, transport and home heating across three decades. The CCC forecasts people’s energy bills falling after 2030 as cheap renewables phase in. Electric cars will save drivers money but a phase-out of gas boilers will mean some households needing subsidies to install low-carbon systems. The CCC envisages air travel staying near current levels and meat eating, which is already falling, being reduced by 20% by 2030. It says mixed woodlands covering an area three times that of Greater London should be planted by 2035 to capture CO2 and providing new green spaces. Here is what this climate-friendly Britain could mean for you.
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‘Because you’re black’ – Chloé Lopes Gomes, the first black female dancer at Berlin’s prestigious Staatsballett, has accused it of racial harassment, claiming she was repeatedly told she did not fit in because of her skin colour. Lopes Gomes, 29, said her dance teacher forced her to wear white makeup to “blend in” with other dancers in Swan Lake, and she had refused to give her a white veil for a performance of La Bayadére, telling her: “It’s because you’re black.”
An atmosphere of fear at the company, which typified the dance world, “meant that whilst my fellow dancers often felt uncomfortable at my treatment they were mostly too scared to speak up”. The scandal has triggered a large response attracting the support of Misty Copeland, American Ballet Theatre’s principal dancer, as well as dancers from Ballet Opera de Paris, English Ballet and the organisation Blacks in Ballet. The Staatsballett’s interim artistic director, Christiane Theobald, said she was “deeply shocked” at the revelations: “The racist and discriminatory behaviour that was brought to light in our company deeply moves us … The necessary skills and tools to deal with issues of discrimination need to be worked on thoroughly.”
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Christmas but less plasticky – Tesco has removed more than 20m pieces of single-use plastic from its Christmas range this year including crackers, lights, cards and the packaging for puddings. The supermarket said its own-label crackers were plastic-free for the first time – cutting more than 14m pieces from the seasonal range – while a layer of plastic had been removed from packaging on Christmas puddings and sponges, saving 1.78m pieces of plastic. It has also eliminated glitter in single-use products and packaging, making its wrapping paper, gift bags, cards and crackers more widely recyclable.
Today in Focus podcast: Spy cops scandal, part 2
The Guardian’s Paul Lewis and Rob Evans on investigating one of British police’s most covert units and learning that they were using the identities of dead children. Frank Bennett reflects on the impact of discovering that a police spy had stolen his dead brother’s identity to infiltrate two leftwing organisations, and to deceive a woman into a sexual relationship.
Lunchtime read: ‘Every character was eccentric’
In the 60 years since the first episode of Coronation Street was aired, it has gone from kitchen-sink serial to cultural institution. Stars, writers and producers tell us the secrets of Britain’s beloved Corrie.
Sport
Uefa has announced it has launched a “thorough investigation” after players from Paris Saint-Germain and Istanbul Basaksehir left the pitch in the 23rd minute of their Champions League fixture in the French capital on Tuesday night following an incident of alleged racism by the fourth official, Sebastian Coltescu. Ole Gunnar Solskjær said Manchester United “didn’t turn up” as they lost 3-2 at RB Leipzig and crashed out of the Champions League, having needed only a point to qualify for the last 16. Two Cristiano Ronaldo penalties fired Juventus to a stunning 3-0 win at Barcelona which earned them top spot in Group G. There was no repetition of the events that marred Millwall’s last home game, with the Championship club’s players and those of QPR standing arm-in-arm before kick-off in a welcome show of solidarity against racism.
Thirteen Barbarians players have been banned, fined and ordered to do community work for breaking coronavirus protocols and causing the cancellation of the high-profile fixture against England at Twickenham in October. Eddie Hearn says Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury, Britain’s two world champion heavyweights, will agree to a 50-50 split of a massive purse should their planned unification fight happen next year. England’s concerns about the failed biosecure bubble in South Africa stem back to the start of the cricket tour when they saw the home players enter the hotel and immediately hold a team barbecue that evening. And the season-opening Maui Pro, featuring the world’s best women surfers, was put on hold after a shark attack at Honolua Bay.
Business
Honda has halted production at its factory in Swindon because of a shortage of spare parts due to congestion at ports. A build-up of demand for goods ahead of Brexit, and coronavirus restrictions, were behind the delays, Honda said. The FTSE 100 looks like rising 0.4% when it opens this morning while your pound fetches $1.338 and €1.102.
The papers
The Guardian leads with “PM dashes to Brussels amid fears chance of Brexit deal is ‘very slim’” and our picture lead is rugby players’ legal action after they developed early onset dementia. Margaret Keenan, 90, the first non-trial patient to receive Pfizer’s Covid vaccine, is shown – of whom the Express says “One small jab for Maggie, one giant leap for all of us”.
The Mail hails “V Day heroes who’ve made us proud” – while pictorially shaming Kay Burley with a shot from her transgressive birthday do. The Mirror says “One down, 54m to go” (though really it could be quite a few down and still 54m to go, couldn’t it). The Metro has “Cheers and then tears”, after Matt Hancock appeared to wipe away a tear on TV, saying “It makes me proud to be British”.
The Telegraph has “Masks for a year despite vaccine”, reporting on Patrick Vallance’s warning. Others look to Brussels: “Showdown today on future of UK” says the i. “Last ditch push for Brexit deal” is the Times’ splash. The FT has “UK will break ranks with EU and ditch US tariffs over state subsidies” – might write in to complain about that abbreviation triple-header.
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