The German ambassador to the UK, Andreas Michaelis, says he has tried - and failed - to reach some of the German truck drivers who have been stranded since France closed its border on Sunday.

Mr Michaelis says he was unable to access the disused airfield in Manston, Kent, which is currently a holding facility for the thousands of stranded lorries.

The UK's R number - or reproduction number - is now estimated to be between 1.1 and 1.3, the latest government data suggests, external.

That's a slight rise from last week when it was estimated to be between 1.1 and 1.2.

R is the number of people that one infected person will pass on a virus to, on average.

Cases will continue to grow as long as the rate is above 1.0.

The figure is highest in the East of England and in London, with an R value of 1.2 to 1.5.

Image source, PA Media

If you're just joining us, here's a quick recap of the main stories so far today:

• Tempers have become frayed at the port of Dover as lorry drivers face continuing delays, despite France reopening its border with the UK
• The Netherlands has lifted a ban on arrivals from the UK, as long as travellers present a negative test
• More than 50 countries have imposed restrictions on travel from the UK, amid concerns over a new variant of Covid-19
• Ministers are deciding whether more areas of England should be placed under the toughest level of restrictions to contain the spread of the new variant
• Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has apologised for breaching Covid rules by taking her face mask off at a wake
• Anyone travelling into Northern Ireland who plans to stay for at least 24 hours will have to self-isolate on arrival, under new restrictions
• US President Trump has urged Congress to amend a $900bn coronavirus relief bill to more than triple its stimulus payments to Americans

Health Secretary Matt Hancock will lead a Downing Street press conference at 15:00 GMT, when he is expected to announce changes to some tier restrictions in England.

He will be joined by deputy chief medical officer Dr Jenny Harries and Dr Susan Hopkins of Public Health England.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon made an unqualified apology in the debating chamber at Holyrood, following newspaper pictures of her without a face mask while attending a wake.

She said: "Regardless of the circumstances, I was in the wrong. There are no excuses - these rules do apply to me, just as they apply to everyone else - and the rules really matter."

It comes as a further 1,190 people in Scotland tested positive for Covid-19 over the past 24 hours taking the total number of positive cases in Scotland to 115,566.

Forty seven more people - who tested positive in the preceding 28 days - have died, taking the total to 4,373 deaths in Scotland by that measure.

By Sunday, more than 56,000 people in Scotland had received their first dose of the vaccine, which the first minister described as "a significant achievement".

James Gallagher
Health and science correspondent, BBC News

The new variant of coronavirus is almost certainly in the majority of European countries already, according to Prof Neil Ferguson, from Imperial College London.

He was giving evidence to the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee alongside other experts from the New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group, which advises government.

The variant has already been detected in other countries such as Denmark, but is likely to have spread much wider.

Prof Ferguson said: “I’m almost certain in my view, that this virus has been introduced into the great majority if not all European countries at this time.”

The UK has sequenced 45% of all the genetic codes of coronavirus in the world and it is still not certain whether it originated in the south east of England or was just first detected there.

This has raised concerns the UK is being punished for discovering the variant.

At the same hearing, Prof Peter Horby, from the University of Oxford, said: "I think it's fair to say countries that have more extensive and rigorous science and are more transparent do expose themselves to important information being made available to others.”

Image source, Reuters

The Czech Republic has extended its state of emergency and announced a new raft of measures.

From 27 December, non-essential shops will close and public gatherings are limited to two people. A curfew will be in place from 21:00 until 05:00. Previously, the curfew began at 23:00.

Bars, restaurants and museums already closed last week.

It is thought that the new measures will stay in place until 10 January.

Health Minister Jan Blatny has called on people to spend New Year’s Eve with their immediate family only.

The Czech Republic has recorded more than 635,000 cases and 10,562 deaths.

Hundreds of pubs in Wales will be taken over by Marston's in a bid to save 1,300 jobs in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

The pub operator will take over the running of about 150 SA Brains pubs.

Brains said restrictions during the pandemic had put the business under "significant financial pressure".

Chairman John Rhys said the agreement would secure the future of Brains' pubs.

Brains closed more than 100 of its pubs after the Welsh government announced an alcohol ban in pubs and restaurants at the start of December.

Last month the 138-year-old firm suggested the previous firebreak lockdown in November had cost it £1.6m.

Mr Rhys said the decision had not been "taken lightly" and he was confident the pubs would continue to thrive under the new owners.

Read more on this story here.

Image source, Reuters

France’s President Emmanuel Macron is doing better following his Covid diagnosis last week.

His office said he is “showing signs of improvement”.

After testing positive on Thursday, the 43-year-old was said to be showing symptoms of fatigue, coughing and muscle aches.

He is currently self-isolating in an official residence on the outskirts of Paris. Mr Macron has conducted meetings via video calls.

France has recorded more than 2.5million cases and 61,821 deaths since the pandemic began.

Image source, EPA

The home secretary has said the border between UK and France is reopening and the "priority is to get lorries moving and mass testing is under way".

Writing on Twitter, Priti Patel said the government is urging lorry drivers not to travel to Kent as work is done to "alleviate congestion".

"Travelling now will slow things down. Tourist travellers who are not French residents should not travel," she added.

The home secretary thanked the police and Border Force for "working hard to keep everyone safe".

Amanda Akass
Reporter, BBC South East Today

Image source, Reuters

The entrance to the Port of Dover is currently closed with a line of police officers is blocking it.

They told me they will not start allowing vehicles through until “protesters” move from the roundabout at the entrance.

The “protesters” are several dozen drivers standing outside their vans and trucks, some shouting, but they are largely peaceful.

They told me they will not move as they do not want to go to the back of the queue and cannot move anyway as the road is blocked in both directions. Central Dover is completely gridlocked.

Image source, Getty Images

Nicola Sturgeon welcomed the news that France has lifted its ban on unaccompanied freight, but adds important challenges remain - including the backlog.

The Scottish government has called for drivers moving perishable goods, such as seafood and salmon, to be prioritised as France eases its travel ban.

David Thomson, chief executive of the Food and Drink Federation Scotland, said companies face a "black Christmas" due to delays at the French border.

The first minister says her government is ready to offer any help it can.

Image source, Getty Images

Lorry drivers are being told they should not attempt to travel directly to the Port of Dover until they've had a negative Covid test.

The Port of Dover said all freight drivers in Kent who need a test must head to Manston to get one - unless they're already queuing on the M20.

Those already on the motorway will be "tested in situ", it added.

Officials said drivers will not be permitted to enter the Port unless they've had a test which has come back negative.

"Please have your email or text message certificate issued by the testing facility ready for inspection," they added.

Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed a further 1,190 people have tested positive for Covid-19 in the past 24 hours, taking the total number of cases in Scotland to 115,566.

1,025 patients are in hospital with Covid (down 20), with 56 being treated in intensive care (down four).

A further 47 people in Scotland, who tested positive in the preceding 28 days, have died.

The National Records of Scotland (NRS) figures indicate 203 people died in the week ending 20 December, a decrease of 23 from the previous week.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said how sorry she is for breaching Covid rules.

She had taken off her face mask at a wake, following the funeral of a Scottish government civil servant who died with Covid.

Speaking at First Minister's Questions, she said: "I want to be clear... that I was in the wrong.

"There are no excuses. These rules do apply to me, just as they apply to everyone else.

"I will be making sure I don't drop my guard again."

An Irish minister has tested positive for Covid-19.

Members of the cabinet are self-isolating while awaiting a Covid test and result, the government said.

The minister has not been identified.

Ireland’s cabinet last met on Tuesday where they decided on stricter measures that include the closing of restaurants, pubs and some shops on Christmas Eve. Ministers said the restrictions could last for at least two months.

The country has recorded 81,228 cases and 2,171 deaths since the pandemic began.

Germany's Lufthansa is airlifting fresh fruit and vegetables to Britain as firms seek to beat the lorry chaos at sea ports.

The airline is carrying 80 tonnes of food from Frankfurt to Doncaster Sheffield Airport in a Boeing 777.

Thousands of lorries remain stuck in Kent despite moves to re-start cross-Channel access from Dover.

Some supermarket aisles are looking bare, while Tesco has introduced purchasing limits on products including eggs and rice.

Read more

Jack Goodman
BBC Reality Check

Image source, Getty Images

Mass testing is seen as a key tool to reduce the spread of coronavirus and identify contagious people with and without symptoms.

Regular testing can be used in targeted ways to prevent outbreaks in hospitals or care homes and to keep places open such as schools and universities where the virus can spread.

Two types of tests have been offered in pilot schemes. The “gold standard” PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test which can take up to a day or longer to return results, and the lateral flow test which has a faster turnaround of about 20 minutes.

Anyone who tests positive will be asked to self-isolate for at least 10 days and their contacts will be traced by NHS Test and Trace.

The government would like to expand mass testing into areas with high infection rates. This follows a successful trial project in Liverpool where everyone was offered a voluntary test and the city saw a fall in the number of cases.

Read more about mass testing here.

Imogen Foulkes
BBC News, Geneva

There’s something of an awkward hunt going on in Switzerland: for British tourists.

Thousands have been arriving to spend Christmas here, taking advantage of the controversial Swiss decision to keep slopes open.

The upmarket resort of Verbier is especially popular with Brits. But now the new Covid 19 strain – and evidence it could be much more infectious - has changed things dramatically.

Swiss health authorities have told UK citizens arriving after 14 December to "render" themselves into quarantine or risk a 10,000 franc (9224 euros, £8374) fine.

Airlines must hand over passenger lists and hotels should, it seems, confine guests to their rooms. But in Verbier things seem relaxed, its well-heeled visitors don’t seem concerned about the fine.

Some interviewed by Swiss newspapers are circumspect about when they actually arrived, others are defiant. "We brought tourism here," one young man, snowboard under arm, said. "Verbier is lucky."

Men who became fathers during the lockdown have been talking about how coronavirus left them unable to go to maternity appointments and be present during their partners' labour.

At the start of lockdown, hospitals put restrictions in place on people allowed in hospitals, but the NHS has now revised the rules.

These three fathers met through online group Music Football Fatherhood, which has been supporting dads throughout the pandemic on parenting dilemmas.