Rick Gates, Trump’s 2016 deputy campaign chair, says president ‘knows how much those of us who worked for him have suffered’

Amid widespread outcry over Donald Trump’s pardon of Michael Flynn, speculation surged about who might be next for clemency from the defeated president.

Rick Gates, Trump’s 2016 deputy campaign chair, told the New York Times the president “knows how much those of us who worked for him have suffered, and I hope he takes that into consideration if and when he grants any pardons”.

The Wigan and St Helens veterans bow out after Friday’s final, with Graham saying: ‘Your body tells you when it’s time’

Almost everything about Friday’s Super League Grand Final will feel different. The buzz of 70,000 fans at a near-capacity Old Trafford has been replaced with the slightly eerier atmosphere of a behind-closed-doors event at Hull’s KCom Stadium, but one overarching theme that has dominated recent finals will at least provide a sense of familiarity.

Grand Finals of late have been notable for some of the game’s most iconic names ending their careers with victory on the biggest stage. In 2015, the Leeds trio of Kevin Sinfield, Jamie Peacock and Kylie Leuluai won the Grand Final before retiring. Two years later, it was Rob Burrow who did the same, helping Leeds to victory against Castleford. And on Friday, one more great of the modern era will bow out with a winners’ ring: but equally, one will suffer the pain of defeat.

Health campaigners fear Africa near the back of queue for vaccines; patients airlifted from northern Greece to Athens; Swedish royals test positive

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3.19pm GMT

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3.14pm GMT

The number of people in Ireland infected by someone who has Covid-19 remained at around 0.7 to 0.9 for the second successive week, a senior health official said on Thursday, as ministers prepare to reopen parts of the next economy next week.

The reproduction rate, also known as the R number, fell to 0.6 two weeks ago but has failed to hit the 0.5 mark health officials had targeted to reduce cases to a very low level and keep them there for a sustained period as curbs are lifted.

Little-known former Treasury adviser currently works for corporate advisory firm Hakluyt

Boris Johnson has appointed Dan Rosenfield, a relatively little-known former Treasury official and banker, to become his chief of staff, a key part of a reorganisation process following the departure of Dominic Cummings.

Rosenfield currently works for Hakluyt, an upmarket corporate advisory firm that has a number of former intelligence members among its staff. He will take over from Edward Lister, Johnson’s longtime aide and interim chief of staff, on 1 January.

Much of north and Midlands placed in strictest tier of new coronavirus restrictions

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Significant sections of England including much of the north and Midlands have been placed in the top tier of new coronavirus restrictions, the government has announced, potentially putting ministers on a collision course with Conservative MPs.

Only three areas – Cornwall, the Isle of Wight and Isles of Scilly – are in the lowest level of the new rules, which come into force when the England-wide lockdown ends on 2 December and are intended to stay in force to the spring. This means that, by population, almost 99% of England will be in the top two tiers.