Sterner warnings about the dangers of mixing over Christmas will be issued by the four UK nations later, but the government is set to resist pressure to tighten the rules. Leaders will resume talks on Wednesday morning over how to strike a balance given the sharp rise in infections in some areas. Labour is calling for a rethink, but we understand there are no plans to alter England's regulations and other nations are unlikely to change them either. Three households will still be able to form a bubble for five days, but an information campaign is expected to be launched, urging people to limit interactions in the run-up, stay local where possible, and avoid visiting the elderly or at-risk relatives.
More than 60% of England's population is now living under the toughest rules after London and other parts of the South East entered tier three. Several parts of Scotland have also been upgraded as case numbers continue to go in the wrong direction. Two leading medical journals say given all that, the "rash" decision to allow a festive grace period will "cost many lives". We've answered your Christmas questions, and explained the tier rules in detail.
Elsewhere, other countries are tightening their restrictions. Germany has entered a hard lockdown, closing schools and non-essential businesses until 10 January. Restaurants, bars and leisure centres have been shut since November. Over Christmas, one household will be allowed to host up to four close family members - our correspondent has more.
France has introduced a night-time curfew, and bars and restaurants will remain closed until at least 20 January. Hundreds protested on the streets of Paris on Tuesday against the shutdown of cultural venues. Get more on what's happening across Europe and see our global virus tracker.

The government wants to build 300,000 new homes across England each year by the mid-2020s, but where should they go? A computer formula which set targets for different regions prompted a backlash among many Conservative MPs in the summer - some in southern areas warned they risked being "concreted over". Now there's been a U-turn - in the government's words, the formula has been "updated" - and cities and urban areas in the North and Midlands will instead be prioritised for development. New homes will still be built in the South, but critics said the shift in focus was welcome. A taskforce has also been set up to advise on inner city regeneration and how best to respond to a fall in demand for office and retail space due to the pandemic.

Rail fares will rise more than expected next year, although the new inflation-busting 2.6% increase is being delayed until 1 March. It means, for example, a Brighton-to-London annual season ticket going up by about £129 to £5,109, and a Manchester-to-Glasgow off-peak return rising by £2.30 to £90.60. Regulated fares were expected to increase by 1.6% in January. Rail minister Chris Heaton-Harris said the rethink reflected the "unprecedented taxpayer support" pumped into the system to help it cope with a huge drop in passenger numbers due to the pandemic.

Debate over the UK's Christmas coronavirus rules dominates the front pages. "All we want for Christmas is a decision" opines the Daily Mirror, but other papers think the one that's already been made will hold. The Times says Boris Johnson is "refusing to revoke Christmas Covid freedom", while the Daily Mail opts for "Carry on Christmas!" The latter says families will be advised to stay local amid fears of giant traffic jams and packed "Covid carriages". The Guardian is more circumspect, saying plans are still "in the balance" and it's possible the four nations may diverge. The Daily Express though, believes the PM is "against asking families to rip up their plans". Elsewhere, according to the i, the roll-out of the Covid-19 vaccine to GP surgeries and hospital hubs has been dogged by technical problems. It quotes sources as saying the glitch would go some way to explaining why the government hasn't been able to publish figures on how many people have received the vaccination to date. Finally, the Daily Telegraph says MPs have been primed to vote for a possible Brexit trade deal at the beginning of next week as hopes rise of a breakthrough. But the paper's government source plays things down, describing plans for festive Commons sittings as "entirely provisional".

One small town in Italy has built its fortune on recycling used clothes. It's now leading the way in sustainable fashion. Find out more. Elsewhere, meet the architect helping rebuild homes destroyed in the Beirut port blast - for free. And finally, remember Skippy? Well, new research backs up what the TV show kept telling us - kangaroos are able to intentionally communicate with people and "ask for help".

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