The Big 6 - Monday 14th December

Every evening at 6 O Clock WLR brings you the 6 biggest stories of the day

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and EU chief Ursula van der Leyen pledged to “go the extra mile” as they extended the cut-off point to end talks if there was no progress towards a pact. However Taoiseach Micheál Martin says it will be difficult for the EU and UK negotiating teams to “square the circle” to reach a post-Brexit trade deal.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said that although there will be limited quantities of the Covid-19 vaccine in January and February, there will be enough for priority cases. He said greater quantities of the vaccine will become available in April and May.

Patients will be able to access deliveries of medical cannabis products in Ireland, Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly said. Before the pandemic, they travelled to the Netherlands to collect prescriptions.

Mount Sion CBS Secondary School in Waterford has become the first school in the Republic of Ireland to be awarded the status of School of Sanctuary for the inclusion of people active in refugee support work, refugees and asylum seekers.

Presidential electors are meeting across the United States to formally choose Joe Biden as the nation’s next president. The Constitution gives the electors the power to choose the president, and when all the votes are counted today, President-elect Joe Biden is expected to have 306 electoral votes, more than the 270 needed to elect a president, to 232 votes for President Donald Trump.

Former Liverpool and France manager Gerard Houllier has died. The 73-year-old, who also managed Aston Villa, Lyon and Paris St Germain, passed away after having a heart operation in Paris. His former clubs paid tribute to him today.