In Brief

National Guard members under investigation as mob member claims GOP lawmakers aided Capitol siege

Britain’s departure from the EU cancelled agreement on motoring offences

Locked-down Brits turn to online lessons as a new hobby and way to upskill

German chancellor and Vladimir Putin discuss joint production of jab as criticism of Berlin’s vaccinations rollout intensifies

MPs call for stricter border measures as South African variant of coronavirus spreads

Hundreds of ‘Scallywag’ underground hideouts lie undiscovered in British countryside

Have you been paying attention to the year’s biggest events?

Boxing Day lockdown for more of southern and eastern England

Compromise on EU catch reduction may have unlocked last-minute talks

Senior aides reportedly shot down talk of rerunning the election under military control at a ‘chaotic’ White House meeting

France’s ban on all arrivals from the UK may be temporary - but EU-wide rules are likely to follow

London and Southeast first to be hit with new rules amid spiralling infections

Spy agency challenges ‘wise men and women’ to take on bauble brainteaser

MEPs set new deadline of this Sunday for agreeing future trade treaty

Have you been paying attention to The Week’s news?

Interesting things to see and do, from 18-31 December

Icelandic study finds children are about half as likely as adults to transmit the virus

Authorities in French capital ordered to pay €90,000 for breaking gender parity rules

Prime minister warned ‘thousands will die’ if five-day relaxation of Covid rules over holiday goes ahead

Angry bloc members demand to know why regulators are taking longer to approve jab than their UK peers

The volatile cryptocurrency has gained more than 170% this year

And other stories from the stranger side of life

Keep the kids entertained with doughnut nabs and exploding kittens

Civil servants’ union accuses Boris Johnson’s administration of ‘breathtaking hypocrisy’ in spending on staff

Commons may sit on Christmas Eve and Boxing Day to ratify an agreement

And other news from the stranger side of life

Michel Barnier suggests agreement in sight as No. 10 warns of no-deal

Reports say the FSB squad had been tracking Navalny since 2017

US giant ‘gatecrashes’ Take-Two’s deal with higher offer of $1.2bn

And other news from the stranger side of life

Famed espionage novelist dies from pneumonia at age of 89

Counterterrorism expert says heavy supervision schemes needed alongside efforts to counter radical ideologies