Coronavirus: European nations tighten restrictions ahead of Christmas

A number of European countries have tightened coronavirus restrictions ahead of Christmas following a surge of infections in recent weeks. Meanwhile, Europe's medicines regulator is set to meet sooner than planned to consider approving a vaccine.

Also in the programme: Mitch McConnell the most powerful US Republican after the president has congratulated Joe Biden on his election victory. The BBC has seen information which suggests China is forcing hundreds of thousands of people from ethnic minorities including Uighurs to pick cotton in the Xinjiang region.

(Photo: Usually busy shopping streets were left empty after a Dutch lockdown began on Tuesday. Credit: Getty Images)